An antilogie or counterplea to An apologicall (he should haue said) apologeticall epistle published by a fauorite of the Romane separation, and (as is supposed) one of the Ignatian faction wherein two hundred vntruths and slaunders are discouered, and many politicke obiections of the Romaines answered. Dedicated to the Kings most excellent Maiestie by Andrevv Willet, Professor of Diuinitie.

The Solution.

1. IT is no hard matter among Protestants to discerne of the true religion, seeing they make the Scriptures the rule of their faith: but among Papists it is doubtfull, seeing they refuse to bee tried onely by the Scriptures, (which they blasphemously affirme not to containe all things necessarie to saluation) but they runne vnto vn∣certaine and doubtfull traditions: and so as the Apostle saith, they measure themselues by themselues: where then the rule is crooked (such as are their humane traditions) how can that be straight, which is measured by it? But we say with Augustine: Regula est illa, Our rule is the will of God contained in the Scriptures: stet regula & quod pra∣uum est, corrgatur ad regulam: Let the rule stand (the word of God) and let that which is amisse be corrected accor∣ding to that rule.

2. Neither is there such diuersitie of opinion, or multi∣tude

of diuisions among Protestants, and thereupon such manifest and apparant daunger of a false election: as is shew∣ed before. And it is an absurd and grosse thing in a dispu∣ter, still to begge the thing in question. He may take him∣selfe by the nose, and his fellow Friers, that make among them aboue an hundred sects: one holdeth of Francis, another of Benedict, another of Austine, another of Igna∣tius the founder of the Iesuites: like as among the Corin∣thians, some held of Paul, some of Apollo, some of Cephas. So that that saying of Hierome fitteth the Popish profes∣sors: Nunc quoque mysterium iniquitatis operatur, & garrit vnusquisque, quod sentit: Now the mysterie of iniquitie worketh, and euery man pratleth his owne fansie.

3. Neither is faith onely an act of the vnderstanding, and a speculatiue consent: If your Popish faith bee no∣thing els, the diuell may well be one of your Catholikes; for hee in his knowledge and vnderstanding beleeueth there is a God, and consenteth that the Scriptures are true, and the historie of Christs natiuitie, death and resur∣rection he knoweth and confesseth. But the right Chri∣stian faith, beside the illumination of the vnderstanding, maketh an assured confidence of the heart, and setleth the conscience, and maketh vs at peace with God: and by this faith, euery one that vnfainedly seeketh God, belee∣ueth that he will reward them: as the Apostle saith, He that commeth vnto God, must beleeue that he is, and that he will reward those that seeke him. Here are two parts of faith expressed, a knowledge, that God is; and a beleefe or as∣surance, that God will reward his seekers and followers.

4. The argument proposed concludeth well against Papists, that he which is doubtfull of faith, is much more doubtful to obtaine heauē: for a man may haue their spe∣culatiue faith, & yet be no whit neerer to heauen, nor sure thereof. But the right faith, which Protestants professe, doth put them euen while they liue, in assurance, and in some sort in possession of the kingdome of heauen: as our Sauiour saith: He that beleeueth in him, that sent me, hath euerlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation,

but is escaped from death to life: Wherefore it is an hard and difficult matter with Papists to obtaine heauen, or to be assured thereof, though they haue the Popish faith. But with Protestants, after they be endued with a liuely iusti∣fying faith, there is no doubt or difficultie in obtaining the reward: for we are kept by the power of God through faith to saluation: and the end of our faith is the saluation of our soules. He therefore that is in the way of faith, is sure to come vnto the end, which is saluation. I may therefore vse against this Romanist the words of Basile: You are guiltie of that, which you accuse in another. It is an hard matter for your followers to obtaine or be sure of heauen: and ther∣fore you iudge so of the Protestants. But as Augustine saith: Quisquis adhuc malus non putet neminem bonum esse: Let not him that is euill thinke no man good. Because Popish religion is desperate and comfortlesse, thinke not euery religion to be so.

Notes

• Bellarm. lib. 4. de verb. c. 3.
• Enarrat. 2. in Psal. 31.
• Vntruth. 20.
• Lib. 1. aduers. Pelagian.
• Faith is not an act onely of the vnderstan∣ding. Iam. 2.
• Rom. 5.1.
• Heb. 11.6.
• True faith worketh assu∣rance of sal∣uation.
• Iohn 5.24.
• 1. Pet. 1.5.9.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• Jn Psal. 25.