An apologie for religion, or an answere to an vnlearned and slanderous pamphlet intituled: Certaine articles, or forcible reasons discouering the palpable absurdities, and most notorious errors of the Protestants religion, pretended to be printed at Antwerpe 1600. By Edvvard Bulkley Doctor of Diuinitie

Answere.

THis syllogisme according to Saint Iohns meaning is wholy true. The Apostles purpose is to shew that the knowledge of God in the faithfull ought not to be idle, but effectuall and fruitfull in godlinesse and holy obedience, working a care and conscience in them to keepe Gods holy commaundements, by diligent endeuouring both to auoyd all wickednesse which he for∣biddeth, and to yeelde that holy obedience which he re∣quireth. The which they that doe not, but liue prophanely, wallowing in wickednesse, and committing vngodlinesse with greedinesse; and yet make a profession of the know∣ledge of God (as too many do) their profession and know∣ledge is in vaine. For as Saint Iames saith: if any seeme re∣ligious, and refraineth not his tongue, but deceiueth his owne * 1.1 hart, that mans religion is in vaine. So if any seeme to haue the knowledge of God, and liueth loosely and wickedly, hauing no care to frame his life to the obedience of Gods commandements, his religion, profession, and knowledge is in vaine. For not euery one that saith vnto me, Lord, Lord, * 1.2 shall enter into the kingdome of heauen, but he that doth my fa∣thers will which is in heauen. But your meaning is, that by keeping of Gods commandements is vnderstood an ab∣solute

and perfit fulfilling of them, in yeelding without a∣ny transgression at all that full and perfect righteousnes which God commaundeth. The which neuer did any man * 1.3 yeeld, but only the man Iesus Christ, who neuer did sinne, and in whose mouth was neuer guile. This your doctrine of the perfect fulfilling of Gods law in this life is false, and you in maintaining of it, shew your selues to be blind and proud Pharisies, not knowing either the perfect righteous∣nes of God, nor the corruption of our nature, against the which I reason thus: Whosoeuer sinneth, transgresseth and breaketh Gods law and commaundements: but all men doe sinne: therefore all men transgresse and breake Gods lawes and commaundements. The first proposi∣tion is manifest: for S. Iohn saith, Sinne is the transgression of the law. The second proposition cannot with any face be * 1.4 denied. Salomon saith, There is no man that sinneth not. Saint * 1.5 Paul saith, All haue sinned, and are depriued of the glorie of * 1.6 God. Saint Iames saith, In many things we sinne all. Saint Iohn * 1.7 saith, If we say that we haue no sinne, we deceiue our selues, and * 1.8 the truth is not in vs. Moreouer, S. Paul saith, As many as are * 1.9 of the workes of the law, are vnder the curse: for it is written, Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things, which are written in the booke of the law to doc them. Where Saint Paul doth reason after this sort: Whosoeuer doth not continue to doe all that is written in the booke of the law, are vn∣der the curse: but there is none that continueth to doe all that is written in the booke of the law: Ergo, there is none but is vnder the curse. The first proposition Saint Paul proueth by a place of the law, Deut. 27. The second Saint Paul taketh as a thing graunted, and not to be denied, that there is no man which continueth to doe all that is written in the booke of the law to doe it, the which if it be not graunted, Saint Paules argument is nothing worth: for it might be said, that some doe fulfill the law of God, and therefore are not vnder the curse. So that which see∣med to Saint Paul absurd to be denied, is now denied by these absurd and blind Pharisies. Furthermore, Saint Paul saith, That which was impossible to the law, in as much as it was * 1.10

made weake, because of the flesh, God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh, and for sinne, hath condemned sinne in the flesh. Doth not S. Paul here shew, that whereas wee could not be saued by the law, God hath sent his sonne in the flesh to saue vs? And he declareth why wee could not be saued by the law, because the weakenes of our sinfull flesh, is not able to yeeld that perfect righteousnes which the law of God requireth: the which if we could doe, wee should liue thereby. For God saith, which if a man do he shall liue in them. And that euen they that are regenerate with * 1.11 Gods spirit, doe not perfectly fulfill the law, and keepe Gods commaundements, it is most euident by Saint Pauls confession of himselfe: I am carnall, sold vnder sinne. I allow * 1.12 not that which I doe: for that I would, I doe not: but what I hate, that I doe. It is no more I that doe it, but sinne that dwel∣leth in me: For I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me. But I finde no meanes to performe that which is good. For I doe not the good thing, which I would, but the euill which I would not, that doe I, I finde that when I would doe good, euill is present with me. I see another law in my members, rebelling against the law of my minde, lea∣ding me captiue to the law of sinne, which is in my members. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death? If S. Paul that elect vessell of God, which was taken vp into the third heauen, and into paradise, and heard * 1.13 words which cannot be spoken, did not fulfill the law, and fully without transgression keep Gods commandements; who but a blind hypocrite and proud Pharisie will arro∣gate to himselfe the same? Bernard saith well: Aut te ergo si audes praefer Apostolo (nempe ipsius ista vox est) aut fatere * 1.14 cum illo te quo{que} vitijs non carere: that is, Either if thou da∣rest preferre thy selfe before the Apostle (whose saying this is) or els confesse with him that thou also art not void of vices.

I will adde hereunto a few testimonies out of the aun∣cient Fathers, to prooue that none in this life is assisted so fully with Gods grace, that he perfectly fulfilleth the law, and keepeth Gods commaundements without any trans∣gression

or breach of them. Iustinus Martyr saith * 1.15: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 &c. And that none hath exactly done all things, you your selues dare not denie: but there be which haue kept the things commaunded, some more, and some lesse then others. S. Hierome saith: Facilia dicis esse Dei mandata, & tamen nullum proferre potes qui vniuersa comple∣uerit. * 1.16 Responde mihi, facilia sunt an difficilia? Si facilia, profer quis ea impleuerit: Thou saist Gods commaundements be easie, and yet thou canst not bring forth any that hath ful∣filled all. Answere me, be they easie or hard? If they be ea∣sie, shew any that hath fulfilled them. Again, Haec homini∣bus sola perfectio, si imperfectos se esse nouerint: that is, This is * 1.17 the onely perfection of men, to acknowledge themselues to be imperfect. Againe, Tunc ergo iusti sumus, quando nos * 1.18 esse peccatores fatemur, & iustitia nostra non ex proprio merito, sed ex Dei consistit misericordia: that is, Then wee be iust, when wee confesse our selues to be sinners, and our iustice consisteth not in our owne merits, but in Gods mercie. Saint Augustine saith: Ipsa iustitia nostra tanta est in hac vi∣ta, * 1.19 vt petius peccatorum remissione constet, quam perfectione virtuium: that is, Our iustice is so great in this life, that it consisteth rather in the remission of our sinnes, then in the perfection of our vertues. And againe, Omnia mandata * 1.20 facta deput antur, quando quicquid non fit ignoscitur: that is, All the commaundements are then reputed to be done, when whatsoeuer is not done is pardoned. Againe, Gratia Dei tribuit in hac vita studium praecepta seruandi: & eadem, * 1.21 si quid etiam in illis praeceptis minus seruatur, ignoscit: that is, The grace of God doth giue in this life a desire to keepe his commaundements: and the same grace, if any thing in them be not obserued, forgiueth it. The like I might al∣leage out of many other places of his workes: As, De na∣tura & gratia cap. 36. Contra Iulianum lib. 4. cap. 3. De libero Arbitrio cap. 16. and such others, but for shortnes sake I o∣mit them. Chrysostome saith: Neque enim alios licet in lege * 1.22 iustificari, nisi eum qui cuncta adimpleuerit. Id verò nemini dum possibile factum est: that is, None can be iustified by the law, but he that hath fulfilled all. And that hath beene as

yet possible to no man. Bernard saith: Quomodo ergo iu∣benda * 1.23 fuit quae implenda nullo modo erat? &c. How was the law to be commaunded, which can by no meanes be ful∣filled? or if thou rather thinke that the commaundement * 1.24 was giuen for the ruling of our affections, I will not here∣upon striue, so that thou also doe yeeld vnto me, that in this life it neither can, or euer could be fulfilled of any man. For who dare arrogate that to himselfe, which Paul himselfe confesseth that he had not comprehended? Nei∣ther was the commaunder ignorant, that the weight of the commandement exceeded mans strength: but he iudged it to be profitable, that thereby they might be put in mind of their owne insufficiencie, and so might know that they ought according to their power labour to the end of righ∣teousnes. Therefore by commaunding things impossible, he made men not transgressors, but humble, that euery mouth might be stopped, and all the world made subiect vnto God, because that by the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified before him: for wee receiuing the com∣maundement, and feeling our owne want, will crie vnto heauen, and God will haue mercie vpon vs. Again, Quan∣tumlibet in hoc corpore manens profeceris, erras vitia si putas * 1.25 emortuae, & non magis suppressa: velis nolis intra fines tuos ha∣bitat Iebusaeus, subiugari potest, sed non exterminari: scio (in∣quit) quod non habitat in me bonum: that is, How much soe∣uer thou doest profit, whilest thou abidest in this bodie, thou art deceiued if thou thinke vices to be dead in thee, and not rather suppressed: whether thou wilt or no the Iebusite will dwell within thy coasts: he may be subdued, but not vtterly banished. I know (saith Paul) that no good∣nes dwelleth in me. This was Bernards iudgement concer∣ning our keeping of Gods commandements and fulfilling of the law. Ferus also a late Frier, but yet a man of better iudgement in many matters, then many others were, or be, hereof writeth thus: Per Christum implenda erat omnis iustitia, per quem solum lex poterat impleri, nam maledicta erat natura humana, legem{que} implere non potuit, iuxta illud: neque * 1.26 nos neque patres onus hoc portare potuimus: that is, All righ∣teousnes

was to be fulfilled by Christ, by whom onely the law could be fulfilled. For mans nature was accursed, and could not fulfill the law, according to that saying, neither we nor our Fathers were able to beare this burden. A∣gaine, the same Ferus saith: Si nemo potest gloriari se á pec∣cato * 1.27 immunem, nec quisquam gloriari potest se legem seruasse: cum peccatum nihil aliud sit quàm transgressio legis: that is, If no man can glorie that hee is free from sinne, neither can any man glorie that he hath fulfilled the law, seeing that sinne is nothing else but the transgression of the law. Hence from it followeth, that zealous Protestants want neither a liuely faith in Gods mercies, nor true obedience to Gods commaundements, although they vnfainedly confesse their manifold imperfections and sinnes, by which they bee farre from perfectly fulfilling the law of God. And now pro coronide I will requite you with ano∣ther Syllogisme. They that thinke they can fulfill the law of God, be proud Hypocrits and Pharisees: but the Pa∣pists thinke that they can fulfill the law of God, yea can doe superarrogant workes, I should say workes of Super∣erogation aboue them that the law requireth: Ergo, the Papists be proud Hypocrites and Pharisees.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iam. 1. 26.
• * 1.2

  Matth. 7. 21.
• * 1.3

  1. Pet. 2.
• * 1.4

  1. Ioh. 3. 4.
• * 1.5

  1. King. 8. 46.
• * 1.6

  Rom. 3. 23.
• * 1.7

  Iam. 3. 2.
• * 1.8

  1. Ioh. 4. 8.
• * 1.9

  Galat. 3. 10.
• * 1.10

  Rom. 8. 3.
• * 1.11

  Ezech. 20. 21.
• * 1.12

  Rom. 7. 14.
• * 1.13

  Act. 9. 15. 2. Cor. 12. 2.
• * 1.14

  Bernard super Cantic. serm. 58.
• * 1.15

  Iustinus dialog 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. pag 98.
• * 1.16

  Hieron. ad Ctesi∣phontem aduers. Pelagianoi.
• * 1.17

  Idem ibid.
• * 1.18

  Idem lib. 1. ad∣uers. Pelagianos.
• * 1.19

  August. de ciuit. Dei lib. 19. c. 27.
• * 1.20

  Lib. 1. Retract. cap. 19.
• * 1.21

  Ad Bonifa. lib. 3 cap. 7.
• * 1.22

  Chrysost ad Rom. Hom. 17.
• * 1.23

  Bernard super Cantica serm. 50
• * 1.24

  De affectuasi.
• * 1.25

  Idem ibidem serm. 58.
• * 1.26

  Ferus in Matth. cap. 3.
• * 1.27

  In cap. 19. Matth.