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

The Pamphlet. The Protestants shall neuer haue life euerlasting, be∣cause they will haue no merits, for which euerla∣sting life is giuen. 7. Article.

WHatsoeuer is giuen as wages, is giuen for workes.

But the kingdome of Heauen is giuen as wages.

Ergo, the kingdome of Heauen is giuen for workes.

The Maior or first proposition may bee declared after this manner: for example, her maiestie may bestow 1000. pounds by yeare vpon some suiter, either gratis, of meere liberalitie, and so it is called a gift, donum, a grace or fauour: or vpon condi∣tion, if he behaue himselfe manfully in the warres of Ireland, and in this case the reuennew is called merces, wages, Remu∣neratio, stipendium, a reward, or paiment; and although her maiestie did shew him a grace and fauour to promise such a re∣ward, for performing such a worke, the which he was bound vpon his allegiance otherwise to performe, yet once hauing promised, and the worke being performed; her maiestie is bound vpon her fidelitie and iustice to pay that she promised. In like manner God may giue vs the kingdome of Heauen, without any respect or regard of workes, as he giueth it to little children which are baptised, and so it is a meere gift, and a pure grace. Or he may giue it with some respect vnto our workes, and so he giueth it to all them, who hauing vse of discretion keepe his commaunde∣ments: and for this cause it is called wages merces, a reward * 1.1 and thus the Maior must be vnderstoode: to wit, that whatsoeuer God giueth as wages, is giuen for workes, and such wages are cal∣led merits. Wages then and merits haue a mutuall relation: for what are wages, but a reward of merits? and what are merits, but a desert of wages?

The Minor is most plaine, and inculcated in Scriptures: Vo∣ca operarios & redde illis mercedem: Call the workmen, and * 1.2 pay them their wages. Ecce venio & merces mea mecum est, reddere vnicuique secundum opera sua. Loc I come, and my wages with me, to giue to euery one according to his workes. V∣nusquisque * 1.3 propriam mercedem accipiet, secundum suum laborem: Euery one shall receiue proper wages, according to his labour. The like we haue in twentie other places of Scripture, * 1.4 all which infallibly proue, that the kingdome of heauen is giuen as wages for merits: and consequently that Protestants, who are enemies to merits, shall neuer attaine to the kingdome of heauen, which is purchased by good workes and merits. And for such men we may well say, that heauen was neuer made, no more then learning for him that will neuer studie, nor vertue for him who despiseth the exercise thereof.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ad Rom. 4. v. 5
• * 1.2

  Matth. 20. 8.
• * 1.3

  Apoc. 21. 12.
• * 1.4

  1. ad Cor. 3. 8. Matth. 5. 12. & cap. 6. vers. 1. 1. ad Tim. 5. 18.