The second part of the Defence of the Reformed Catholicke VVherein the religion established in our Church of England (for the points here handled) is apparently iustified by authoritie of Scripture, and testimonie of the auncient Church, against the vaine cauillations collected by Doctor Bishop seminary priest, as out of other popish writers, so especially out of Bellarmine, and published vnder the name of The marrow and pith of many large volumes, for the oppugning thereof. By Robert Abbot Doctor of Diuinitie.

R. ABBOT.

I would wish thee (gentle Reader) well to obserue M. Bishops twofold answer to this place. The more cleare these words of Scri∣pture are against the inherent righteousnesse of man, the more no∣tably his singular impudencie appeareth in seeking to shift them off. Dauid saith it, a Prophet saith it, a man after Gods owne heart saith it:a Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, O Lord, for no man liuing shall be iustified (or found iust) in thy sight. Now M. Bishop answ••reth, that this is spoken in respect of veniall sinnes, without which no creature liueth, and for which a man may in iustice be punished sharpely, either in this life or in Purgatorie. Where it is to be obser∣ued, that he hath told vs in the Section last saue one, that veniall sinne is no formall transgression of Gods law, by reason whereof they hold, thatb veniall sinnes consist with true iustice, and hinder it not. So saith Andradius,c They can no way ouerthrow iustice, nor in any sort hinder the perfect and absolute obedience of the law. So then Da∣uids prayer must be this: Enter not into iudgement with me for veniall sinnes; for by reason of veniall sinnes which hinder not, but that a man is iust, no man liuing shall be iustified in thy sight. Which exposition being apparently lewd and shamelesse, yet he hath learned of his maister Bellarmine to countenance it with the names of them who neuer thought any such thing. He alledgeth Austin, who in the place by him cited hath not a word to t••at effect, which maketh him to set none downe, because indeed there are none. But in the place men∣tioned the same Austin rightly saith,d Were it not that mercy reioy∣ceth ouer iudgement, what hope should there be? For when the iust King shall sit vpon his throne, who shall glorie that he hath a cleane heart, or reioyce that he is free from sinne? If no man shall be able then to challenge to himselfe a cleane heart, where is that perfect iustice of workes which Master Bishop dreameth of, which can∣not come but from a cleane heart? He citeth in the second place the reuerend Father Saint Hierome, who beside that he saith nothing for him, speaketh expresly and directly against him.

e When the Prophet saith, In thy sight, he will haue it to be vnderstood, that euen they which seeme holy vnto men, are not holy to the notice and knowledge of God. For man seeth in the face, but God in the heart. Now if in the sight and beholding of God, whom the secrets of the heart cannot deceiue, no man be iust, it is plainly shewed that the heretikes (in affirming men to be iust) do not lift vp man, but detract from the power of God. He affirmeth that by the place it is proued, that to the knowledge and sight of God no man is iust, and M. Bishop ma∣keth him a witnesse, that the Prophet speaketh of veniall sinnes, which are no let, but that a man is iust. In the like fraudulent man∣ner he nameth Gregorie, whose words are these; I know that ma∣nie seeme iust in the sight of men, and being lifted vp to the hope of hea∣uenly promises, do liue innocently in the world, who albeit they offend not in deede or worke, yet do sometimes fall by vaine and peruerse cogi∣tation and thought. For whose minde do not vaine thoughts wound? whose heart do not temptations afflict? whose minde do not fleshly de∣sires trouble? Therefore he is not iustified in the sight of God who of∣fendeth in the heart which God beholdeth. Now who would not wonder that M. Bishop should referre himselfe to these words for the exposition that he maketh of the place here in hand. And yet why should we wonder, for his maister Bellarmine had so alledged it; and that was enough: whether truly or falsly, what was that to him? But how farre Gregorie was from that which he would so faine fasten vpon him, appeareth by that that was a little before ci∣ted out of him, as also in that he saith, thatf euen the elect howsoeuer they excell in righteousnesse, haue not sufficient to approoue themselues innocent, if they be narrowly sifted in iudgement. Therefore not for veniall sinnes which hinder not a man from being iust, but for such sinnes as bereaue a man of the title of iustice and innocencie, doth the Prophet desire that God will not enter into iudgement with him. M. Bishops other answer is taken from an exposition, which he saith is more ordinarie with all the best writers vpon the Psalms, and yet indeede is no other but a meere Pelagian shift; that is, that mans iustice in comparison of the iustice of God, will seeme to be no iu∣stice at all, euen as the Sunne drowneth the light of the starres

that it appeareth not. Hierome hauing mentioned the words in question against the Pelagians, addeth thereupon;g Which testi∣monie vnder the name of pietie they delude with a new shift. They say, that in comparison of God no man is perfect. As if this were it, saith he, that the Scripture speaketh of; & so he goeth on with the words which I cited out of him last before. That is not then by S. Hie∣romes testimonie that the Scripture meaneth when it saith, that no man liuing shall be iustified in Gods sight. For shall we be so mad as to thinke, that we are taught to pray to God not to enter into iudge∣ment with vs, because our righteousnesse is not comparable to his? Where hath God required it so to be?h Hath God, saith Hierome, commanded me to be the same that God is? That there should be no dif∣ference betwixt me and the Lord my creator? that I should be aboue the height of Angels? that I should haue that which the Angels haue not? Shall we thinke that the creator will be offended, because his crea∣ture is not the same that he himselfe is? or that God will enter into iudgement with vs because we were not made Gods? If this be ab∣surd, as indeed it is, then we must confesse, that therefore the Pro∣phet teacheth vs by his example so to pray, because according to that righteousnes that is commanded vnto vs, & belongeth to our dutie, we are found greatly defectiue and wanting in the sight of God, as in the former section also I haue shewed that Hierome ex∣poundeth that place. As for them whom M. Bishop citeth to war∣rant his exposition, he doth notably abuse them. First Hilary indeed speaketh of comparison to God, but not as touching degree of righteousnesse, in which there can be no comparison, because the one is finite and the other infinite, but as touching an vniformitie and constant tenour of righteousnesse, whereby man should inuio∣lably and vnmoueably without interruption continue in that righ∣teousnesse that concerneth him, as God doth in his righteousnesse. This he expresseth when he saith, thati God doth not measure these slippery fals of our changeable nature according to the inflexible constan∣cie of his vnchaungeable substance, but in iustice and moderation ex∣pecteth so much of man as he remembreth the nature of man can reach vnto. For so is his promise in our willing minde to accept vs according to that that we haue, as the Apostle speaketh in another case. To this meaning he saith:k What hope is there if God will haue vs

to be iudged according to himselfe; if he shall require the innocencie of our life in comparison of him: that is, to be as free from slippes and fals in our state as he is in his? And to shew that man being subiect to alterations and chaunges is not iust in Gods sight, according to the righteousnes that concerneth him in his owne state, he addeth:l And what man liuing can be iustified in Gods sight, with whom anger, and griefe, and lust, and ignorance, and forgetfulnesse, and casualtie, and necessitie, are blended and mingled either by the nature of the bodie, or by the motion of the euer-wauering soule; who also hath daily a grieuous enemie at hand, euen the diuell lying in waite against the soule of the faithfull man, and persecuting the same to destroy it? For this doth the Prophet teach to be the cause, why no man liuing can be found iust in the sight of God. By which words being very cleare and manifest, the reader may esteeme with what fidelity M. Bishop hath brought Hi∣larie to iustifie his exposition of that place. With the like truth or rather vntruth, he citeth Hierome, who saith, thatm the Prophet doth manifestly shew, that he did waite for Gods mercie, that he suppo∣seth some one to be iudge betwixt God and him; which so being, God should be iustified in his sayings, and ouercome when he is iudged: who therefore entreth into iudgement that he may iustly punish. Then recko∣ning Abraham, and Isaac, and Iacob amongst them of whom the Prophet speaketh, he inferreth:n Therefore not the very Patriarks themselues shall be found iust in the sight of God: for euen the starres are not cleane in his sight. What can be more plainely spoken, to shew that euen the most righteous and iust for want of puritie and iu∣stice should iustly be punished, if God should enter into iudgment with them, and that if the very starres, not by their owne sinne, but by being in theo bondage of our vanity and corruption be found vn∣cleane before God, much more are we vncleane, for whose sake it is that that imputation doth lye vpon them? But to make it yet fur∣ther to appeare what Hierome conceiued of those words, he saith in another place:p When the day of iudgement or death shall come, all hands shall be faint, because no worke shall be found worthy of the iustice of God, and no man liuing shall be iustified in his sight. Where he plain∣ly teacheth, not onely as touching comparison to God, but as tou∣ching that a iust man in himself ought to be, that no man liuing, no

not so much as in any one worke shall be iustified in Gods sight, but his hands, that is, all his workes shall faile if God enter into iudgement with him. The next that he citeth is Arnobius, who for one part of his exposition of these words, saith, that man is not to be found righteous if he be compared to God; thatq all beauty in Gods presence is but deformity, all strength but weakenesse, all riches but beggerie, all righteousnesse but vnrighteousnesse. But hauing set downe this because this could not sufficiently expresse the mea∣ning of the Prophet, he addeth further:r And I pray thee that thou wilt cease to search out the righteousnesse that concerneth man, that should be neighbour to thy righteousnesse, because the enemie hath per∣secuted my soule, and compassed me about with such darknesse of his de∣ceipt, as that beleeuing my selfe to be dead with God, I thought I should finde no hearing with thy righteousnesse for my recouerie: therefore is my spirit troubled within me. It is plaine then by the iudgement of Arnobius, that not onely in comparison of God, but euen by that righteousnesse that belongeth vnto man, no man liuing shall be found iust before the iudgement seat of God. Euthymius whom he alledgeth next, is as plaine to the same purpose. For although with Arnobius he on the one side denie iustification in comparison of God, in comparison of whom, saith he, not onely man, but neither the Angels themselues are iust, because it is he onely that is not capable of sinne, yet not contented herewi••h, he on the other side expoundeth the praier of the Prophet in this sort;s Enter not into iudgement, &c. that is, deale not strictly with me in the time to come: I flie vnto thee, and am not worthy to be called thy sonne, neither will I enter into iudge∣ment with thee, neither do I set vp mine owne righteousnesse, because it shall not be iustified here in the flesh, where no man liuing is perfectly cleane. He further addeth reasons of the vsing of this praier,t be∣cause we daily sinne; because we do few good deedes in comparison of that that we commit (in euill) and omit (in good): because we doe little good in comparison of the benefites of God. Now then what is become of Maister Bishops righteousnesse, so perfect as that it faileth not in anie dutie which wee are bound to performe; yea, such as by which we merit euerlasting life? Compare the one with the other, gentle Reader, and thou shalt see how well they agree.

S. Austine in the place alledged, hath nothing at all concerning this text, nothing at all concerning the righteousnesse of man. On∣ly he saith of the Angels, thatu although by participation of God they be iust, yet in comparison of God they be not iust. Now if the Prophets words be to be taken as M. Bishop construeth them, then this praier must be the praier of Angels as well as of men, because by the te∣stimonie of Austine, which Euthymius also obserueth, the very An∣gels themselues are not iust in comparison of God. Now we do not any where finde that it belongeth to the Angels to pray in this sort, and therefore it must be so vnderstood as is proper vnto men. And that vnderstanding thereof, the same S. Austine declareth to vs writing vpon that Psalme:x Howsoeuer I seeme to my selfe right and straight, yet thou bringest a rule out of thy treasurie; thou laiest me to it, and I am found faulty. The words therefore import that not on∣ly by comparison, but by rule of righteousnesse which God hath prescribed to man, euery man liuing is found failing of righteous∣nesse in the sight of God, euen as elsewhere he saith:y According to the most entire rule of his truth, no man liuing shall be iustified in his sight. Which he declareth yet more plainly in his foresaid expositi∣on vpon the Psalme, when he teacheth that by the same defaults for which we pray daily vnto God, forgiue vs our trespasses, it com∣meth to passe that no man liuing shall be iustified in Gods sight,z Let the Apostles themselues say, let them say, forgiue vs our tres∣passes. And when it shall be said vnto them, why do ye say thus? What are your trespasses? let them answer, Because no man liuing shall be iu∣stified in thy sight. Gregories minde is sufficiently plaine by that that hath bene said before. For what though he say that the righte∣ousnesse of men & Angels is nothing in comparison of God? Doth that import that there is nothing else meant by the Prophet, when he praieth vnto God not to enter into iudgement with him? By this then we may see the lewd consciences of these men in citing the authorities of the auncient Fathers. He hath brought vs here a great company of their names for him, when there is not one of them but speaketh expresly against him, and the most of them in the selfe same places whence he alledgeth them. But he telleth vs further, that his exposition is taken out of Iob, from whom he al∣ledgeth these words;a I know truly it is euen so, that no man compa∣red to God shall be iustified. In which sort it is true, that we also read

the words in some of our translations, but it is true also that the word of comparison is not at all found in the Hebrew text. There∣fore Arias Montanus translateth it ad verbum thus:b Why will a man iustifie himselfe with God? Pagnine thus;c How will a man iusti∣fie himselfe with God? S. Austine also readeth to the same effect,d How shall a man be iust before God? Therefore these words of Iob haue nothing at all, whereupon that exposition of his may haue any ground, and though Iob had said, that man in comparison of God is not iust or cannot be iustified, yet it followeth not that that therefore should be all that Dauid meant in saying, that no man li∣uing shall be iustified in Gods sight. And that appeareth by S. Austine in the place now alledged, where bringing in the words of Iob;e If I shall call my selfe iust, my mouth shall speake wickedly; he expoun∣deth the same thus:f If I shall call my selfe iust against his iudgement where the perfect rule of righteousnesse prooueth me to be vniust, surely my mouth shall speake wickedly, and in respect hereof saith, that those words were vsed by Dauid: Enter not into iudgement, &c. For this cause then are we taught so to pray, because the perfect rule of righ∣teousnesse prooueth vs to be vniust if God enter into iudgement with vs. By this place therefore we wholy ouerthrow the righteous∣nesse of man, and do firmely prooue, that no man liuing either ge∣nerally in the course of his life, or in any particular act or acts can be iustified before God, if God call him to the trial of the precise & perfect rule of righteousnesse and truth. Yea, if no man can be found iust in the sight of God, then it must necessarily follow, that no act of man can be found iust, because the act must needes be according to the condition and quality of the man, so that vnlesse a man be fully and perfectly iust, no act fully and perfectly iust can proceede from him, but must needes haue a staine of that sinne which bereaueth him of the title of a iust man.

Notes

• a

  Psal. 143.2.
• b

  Rhem. Testim. 1. Ioh. 1.8.
• c

  Andrad. Orth. explicat. lib. 5. Iustitiam euer∣tere nullo pacto possunt, neque perfectam & ab solutam legis obedientiam quo∣quo modo impe∣dire.
• d

  Aug. de perfe. iustit. Superexal∣••at misericordia iudi••io. Quod si nō esset, quae spes esse••? Quando. quidem cùm rex iust••s federit in thro••o, quis glo ritbitur se castū habere cor, aut quis gloriabitur se esse immu••em à peccato?
• e

  Hieron. ad C••e∣siphont. Quando ••icit, In cōspectu tuo, hoc intelligi vult, quòd etiam qui hominibus sancti videntur, Dei scientiae at{que} noutiae nequa quā sancti sunt. Homo enim vi∣det in facie, Deu•• in corde. Si autē inspiciente Deo & omnia con∣templante, quem cordis arcana nō fallum, nullus est iustus, perspi∣cuè ostenditur haereticos nō ho∣minem in excel∣sa sustollere, sed potentiae Dei de∣rogare.
• Greg. in sept. Psal. panitent. Scio multos in conspectu ho∣minum iustos videri, & ad spem coelestium promissorū eue∣ctos innocentèr in mūdo viuere, qui etsi nō delin∣quant in opere, labuntur tamen aliquando vana aut peruersa co∣gitatione. Cuius enim ment••m vanae cogitae∣tiones non la∣niant? Cuius cor tentationes non vexant? Cu∣ius animum desi∣deria carnis non turbant? Nō ergò in conspectu Dei iustificatur, qui corde delinquit quod iniuetur Deus.
• f

  Greg. Moral lib. 8. cap. 21. Quantalibet iustitia polleaut nequaquam sibi ad innocentiam vel ••lecti sufficium si districtè in iudicio requirantur.
• g

  Hieron. ad Cte¦siphont. Non iu∣stificabitur, &c. Quod testimoniū sub nomine pieta∣tis noua argumē∣tatione deludunt. Aiunt ad com∣parationem Dei nullum esse perfe¦ctum: Quasi scriptura hoc dixerit.
• h

  Ibid. Nūquid praecepit mihi Deus vt essem quod Deus est? vt nihil inter me esset & Dominū Creatorem? vt maior essem An gelorum fastigio? vt haberē quod Angeli non ha∣bent?
• i

  Hilar. in Psal. 142. Non hos de∣mutabilis naturae nostrae promptis∣simos lapsus se∣cundum indemu∣tabilis substantiae sua indeflexam constanitam me∣titur, sed iustus & moderans tan tum ab homine expectat quantū humanae memi∣nerit licere naturae.
• k

  Ibid. Quid spei est si iudicari nos fecundū se Deus velit; si ad com∣parationem sui vitae nostrae inno∣centiam postu∣labu?
• l

  Ibid. Iustifica∣ri in conspectu Dei quis viuen∣tium potest, cui ira, cui dolor, cui cupiditas, cui obliuio, cui igno∣ratio, cui casus, cui necessitas vel per naturam cor¦poris, vel per mo∣tum semper flu∣ctuantis animae admixta sunt? Cui & quotidiè grauissimus host•••• immineat, drabo∣lui videlicet ani∣mae viri fidelis insidians eam{que} ad interitum per sequens? Hanc enim esse causam docet, qua nemo viuens iustist••arò in conspectu Dei possit.
• m

  Hieron. in Psal. 142. Mani∣festissimè demon∣strauit, quia mi∣sericordiam De•• praestolatur, &c. Hic quasi ali∣quis iudicet inter Deum & Pro∣phetam, sicut & scriptum est, vt iustificeris, &c. Et proptereà in∣trat in iudicium Deus vt iustè pumat.
• n

  Ergo nec ipsi Patriarchae iusti ficabuntur in cō∣spectu Dei. Stellae enim non sunt mundae in con∣spectu eius.
• o

  Rom. 8.20.21.
• p

  Hieron. in Esa. lib. 6. cap. 14. Cùm dies iudicij vel dormitionis aduenerit, dissoluentur omnes ma∣nus, quia nullum opus dignum Dei iustitia reperietur, & non iustificabitur, &c.
• q

  Arno. in Psal. 142. Omnis pul∣chritudo te prae∣sēte deformis est: omnis fortitudo infirma; omnes diuitiae mendici∣tas omnis humae∣na iustitia iniu∣stitia.
• r

  Jbid. Et vt vi∣cinā tuae iustinae iustitiam huma∣nam exquirere desinas quaeso, quoniā persecu∣tus est inimicus animā meā, &c. Tanta me obscu∣ritate suae circū∣dedi•• fraudis vt ••••ortuū me apud Deū credens, pu∣tarē me nullum ••••uperationis a∣pud iustitiā tuā auditū inuenire: id••o anxiatus est in me spiritus meus
• s

  Euthym. in Psal. 142. Id est, non districtè me∣cū agas in futu∣ro: ad te fugio & non sum dig∣nus vocari filius tuus, nec ego te∣cum intr••re in iudicium volo, nec constituo iu∣stitiam meam quòd non iustifi∣cab••tur hic in carne vbi nemo hic viuen•• p••e∣nò mundus est.
• t

  Ibidem. Quo∣tidiè peccamus: Pauca bona facimus in comparatione comm••ssionis & omissionis: minima bona faci•••••• in comparatione beneficio∣rum Dei.
• u

  August. cont. Priscill. & Ori∣gen. ad Oros. cap. 10. Cuius partici∣patione iusti sūt, eius cōparatione nec iusti sunt.
• x

  Jdem. in Psal. 142. Quantum∣libet rectus mihi videor, producis tu de thesauro tuo regulam; co∣aptas me ad eam & prauus inue∣n••or.
• y

  Idē de peccat. mer. & remiss. li. 2. ca. 10. Quātū ad integerrimam regulā veritatis eius pertinet, non iustificabitur, &c.
• z

  Idē In Psal. 142. Dicant A∣postoli, dicant, Dimitte nobis, &c. Et cùm eis dictum fuerit, Quare hoc dici∣tu? quae sunt de∣bita vestra? re∣spondeant, Quo∣niam nō iustifi∣cabitur, &c.
• a

  Iob. 9.2.
• b

  Quid iustifi∣cabit se homo cū Deo?
• c

  Quomodo in∣stificabit se ho∣mo cum Deo?
• d

  Aug. de pece. mer. & remiss. li. 2. ca. 10. Quē ad∣modum iustus erit homo ante Deum?
• e

  Iob. 20.
• f

  August. ibid. Si me iustum dixero contra iu∣dicium eius vbi perfecta illa iu∣stitiae regula me ••onmucit iniu∣stum, profectò impie loquetur 〈◊〉〈◊〉 me••••.