A defence of the Apology of the Church of England containing an answer to…A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to…

So saith Origen, Ego vix mihi persuadeo, ullum opus esse posse, quod ex debito remunerationem deposcat: I do scarcely believe, that there can be any work, that may of duty require reward. Again he saith, Dicite, vos esse Seruos inutiles. Nam etsi Omnia fecerimus, quae praecepta sunt, non tamen bonum aliquod fecimus. Nec enim, si verè bona essent, essemus inutiles. Omne autem bonum nostrum, non propriè, sed abusivè bonum dicitur: Say ye (saith Christ) that ye be unprofitable Servants. For notwithstanding we have done all things, that are commanded. yet have we done no good thing. For, if our doings were good in deed, then were we not unprofitable. But any good deed of ours is called good, not rightly, or duly,¹ but by abuse of speech. So saith S. Augustine, Si Deus vellet pro Meritis agere, non inueniret, nisi quod damnaret: If God would deal with us according to that we have deserved, be should find nothing, but that he might condemn. Therefore, M. Harding, Waldensis, one of your great Doctors, having well, & circumspectly weighed the matter of every side, at the last concludeth thus, Quid dignum facimus,² ut participes Coelestibus fieri inueniamur? Apostolo dicente, Existimo, quòd non sunt condignae passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam, quae revelabitur in nobis: Reputo igitur saniorem Theologum, fideliorem Catholicum, & Scripturia Sanctis magis concordem, qui tale Meritum simpliciter abnegat: What worthy thing do we, that we may be found in the Fellowship of the Heavenly Sprites? The Apostle saith, I Judge, that the afflictions of this time are not worthy of that Glory, that shall be revealed in us. Therefore I take him to be the •ounder Divine, the Faithefuller Catholic, and more agreeable to the Holy Scriptures, that utterly denieth all such kind of Merit.

So saithe Origen, Ego vix mihi persuadeo, vllum opus esse posse, quod ex debito remunerationem deposcat: I doo scarcely beleue, that there can be any woorke, that maie of devvtie require revvarde. Againe he saithe, Dicite, vos esse Seruos inutiles. Nam etsi Omnia fecerimus, quae praecepta sunt, non tamen bonum aliquod fecimus. Nec enim, si verè bona essent, essemus inutiles. Omne autem bonum nostrum, non propriè, sed abusiuè bonum dicitur: Saie ye (saithe Christe) that ye be vnprofitable Seruauntes. For notwithstandinge wee haue donne al thinges, that are commaunded. yet haue vve donne no good thinge. For, if our dooinges were good in deede, then were wee not vnprofitable. But any good deede of oures is called good, not rightly, or devvly,