crueltie therfore now repent of thine iniquitie and breake off these thy sinnes testifie they repentance by doing iustice and giue almes to the poore whome thou hast oppressed Therfore here is nothing spoken of satisfaction for sinne but onely of testification of repentance by the fruits thereof Obiect VI. Math. 3. 2. Doe penance and bring forth fruits worthy of penance which say they are works of satisfaction inioyned by the priest Ans. This text is absurd for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth thus much change your mindes from sinne to God and testifie it by good workes that is by doing the duties of the morall lawe which must be done not because they are meanes to satisfie Gods iustice for mans sinne but because they are fruits of that faith and repentance which lies in the heart Obiect VII 2. Cor. 7. 10. Paul setteth downe sundrie fruits of repentance whereof the last is revenge wherby repētant persons punish themselues thereby to satisfie Gods iustice for the temporall punishment of their sinnes Ans. A repentant sinner must take reuēge of himselfe that is onely to vse all means which serue to subdue the corruption of his nature to bridle carnall affections and to mortifie sinne and these kinde of actions are restrainments properly and not punishments and are directed against the sinne and not against the person Lastly they make three workes of satisfaction praier fasting and almes deeds For the first it is meere foolishnes to thinke that man by prayer can satisfie for his sinnes It is all one as if they had said that a begger by asking of almes should deserue his almes or that a debter by requesting his creditour to pardon his debt should thereby pay his debt Secondly fasting is a thing indifferent of the same nature with eating drinking and of it selfe conferreth nothing to the obtainement of the kingdome of heauen no more then eating and drinking doth Thirdly and lastly almes deedes cannot be workes of satisfaction for sinnes For when we giue them as we ought we doe but our dutie wherevnto we are bound And we may as well say that a man by paying one debt may discharge another as to say that by doing his dutie he may satisfie Gods iustice for the punishment of his sinnes These we confesse be fruits of faith but yet are they no workes of satisfaction but the onely and all-sufficient satisfaction made to Gods iustice for our sinns is to be found in the person of Christ beeing procured by the merit of his death his obedience And thus our doctrine touching satisfaction is cleared and it is to be learned carefully of our common people because the opinion of humane satisfaction is natural and stickes fast in the heart of naturall men Herevpon when any haue sinned and feele touch of conscience any way their manner is then to performe some outward humiliation and repentance thinking thereby to stoppe the mouth of conscience and by doing some ceremoniall duties to appease the wrath of God for their sinnes Yea many thinke to satisfie Gods iustice by repeating the Creede the Lords prayer and the tenne Commandements so foolish are they in this kinde The seuenth point Of Traditions Traditions are doctrines deliuered from hand to hand either by word of mouth or by writing beside the written word of God Our consent Conclus I. We hold that the very word of God hath beene deliuered by tradition For first God reuealed his will to Adam by word of mouth and renewed the same vnto the Patriarkes not by writing but by speach by dreames and other inspirations and thus the word of God went from man to man for the space of two thousand and foure hūdred yeres vnto the time of Moses who was the first pen-mā of holy scripture For as touching the prophesie of Enoch we commōly hold it was not penned by Enoch but by some Iewe vnder his name And for the space of this time men worshipped God held the articles of their faith by tradition not from men but immediatly from God himselfe And the historie of the newe testament as some say for eightie yeares as some others thinke for the space of twenty yeares and more went from hand to hand by tradition till penned by the Apostles or being penned by others was approoved by them Conclus II. We hould that the Prophets our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles spake and did many things good and true which were not writtē in the scriptures but came either to vs or to our ancetours onely by tradition As 2. Tim. 3. 20. it is saide that Iannes and Iambres were the Magitians that withstood Moses nowe in the books of the old testament we shall not finde them once named and therefore it is like that the Apostle had their names by tradition or by some writings then extant amōg the Iewes So Hebr. 12. 21. the author of the Epistle recordeth of Moses that when he sawe a terrible sight in Mount Sinai he saide I tremble and am afraid which wordes are not to be found in all the bookes of the old testament In the Epistle of Iude mention is made that the deuill stroue with Michaell the Archangel about the body of Moses which point as also the former considering it is not to be found in holy writ it seemes the Apostle had it by tradition from the Iewes That the Prophet Isai was killed with a fullers clubbe is receiued for truth but yet not recorded in Scripture and so likewise that the virgine Marie liued and died a virgine And in Ecclesiasticall writers many worthy sayings of the Apostles and other holy men are recorded and receiued of vs for truth which neuertheles are not set downe in the bookes of the old or new Testament And many things we hold for truth not writtē in the word if they be not against the worde Conclus III. We hold that the Church of God hath power to prescribe ordinances rules or traditiōs touching time place of Gods worshippe and touching order and comelines to be vsed in the same and in this regard Paul 1. Cor. 11. 2. commendeth the Church of Corinth for keeping his traditions and Act. 15. the Councell at Ierusalem decreed that the Churches of the Gentiles should abstaine from blood and from things strangled This decree is tearmed a tradition and it was in force among them so long as the offence of the Iewes remained And this kind of traditions whether made by generall Councels or particular Synods we haue care to maintaine and obserue these caueats being remembred first that they prescribe nothing childish or absurd to be done secondly that they be not imposed as any parts of Gods worship thirdly that they be seuered from superstition or opinion of merit lastly that the Church of God be not burdened with the multitude of them And thus much we hold touching Traditions The difference Papists teach that beside the written word there be certain vnwritten traditions which must
be gathered and beleeued not vpon bare tradition but from the very bookes themselues on this manner Let a man that is indued with the spirit of discerning read the seuerall bookes withall let him consider the professed author thereof which is God himselfe and the matter therein contained which is a most diuine and absolute truth full of pietie the manner and forme of speach which is full of maiestie in the simplicitie of words The ende wherat they wholly aime which is the honour and glorie of God alone c. and he shall be resolued that Scripture is Scripture euen by the Scripture it selfe Yea and by this meanes he may discerne any part of Scripture from the writings of men whatsoeuer Thus then scripture proves it selfe to be scripture and yet we dispise not the vniversall consent or tradition of the Church in this case which though it doe not perswade the conscience yet is it a notable inducement to mooue vs to reverence and regard the writings of the Prophets Apostles It will be said where is it written that scripture is scripture I answer not in any one particular place or book of scripture but in euery line and page of the whole bible to him that can read with the spirit of discerning can discerne the voice of the true pastour as the sheep of Christ can doe Obiect III Some bookes of the canon of the scripture are lost as the booke of the warres of God Num. 21. 14. The booke of the iust Iosua 10 13. the bookes of Cronicles of the kings of Israel and Iuda 1. King 14. 19. the books of certain prophets Nathan Gad Iddo Ahiah and Semiah and therefore the matter of these bookes must come to vs by tradition Ans. Though it be graunted that some bookes of Canonicall scripture be lost yet the scripture still remaines sufficient because the matter of those bookes so farforth as it was necessarie to saluation is contained in these bookes of scripture that are now extant Again I take it to be a truth though some thinke otherwise that no part of the Canon is lost for Paul saith what soeuer things were written aforetime vvere written for our learning that vve through patience and comfort of the Scriptures c. Rom. 15. 4. Where he takes it for graunted that the whole canon of holy Scripture was then extant For if he had thought that some books of scripture had beene lost he would haue said whatsoeuer was written and is now extant was written for our learning and comfort For bookes that are lost serue neither for learning nor comfort Againe to hold that any bookes of scripture should be lost calls into question Gods prouidence and the fidelity of the Church who hath the bookes of God in keeping and is therefore called the pillar and ground of truth And touching the bookes before mentioned I answere thus The booke of the warres of God Num. 21. 14. might be some short bill or narration of things done among the Israelites which in the daies of Moses went from hand to hand For sometime a booke in scripture signifieth a roule or Catalogue as the first chapter of Mathew which containeth the genealogie of our Sauiour Christ is called the booke of the generation of Iesus Christ. Againe the booke of the iust and the bookes of Chronicles which are said to be lost were but as the Chronicles of England are with vs euen politike recordes of the acts and euentes of things in the kingdome of Iuda and Israel out of which the Prophets gathered things necessarie to be knowne and placed them in holy scripture As for the bookes of Iddo Ahiah Semiah Gad and Nathan they are contained in the bookes of the Kings and Chronicles and in the bookes of Samuel which were not written by him alone but by sundry prophets 1. Chr. 29. 29. as also was the booke of Iudges As for the books of Salomon which are lost they did not concerne religion and matters of saluation but were concerning matters of philosophy and such like things Obiect IV. Moses in Mount Sina beside the written lawe receiued from God a more secret doctrine which he neuer writ but deliuered by tradition or worde of mouth to the Prophets after him and this the Iewes haue now set down in their Cabala Ans. This indeede is the opinion of some of the Iewes whome in effect and substance sundrie Papists follow but we take it for no better then a Iewish dotage For if Moses had known any secret doctrine beside the written law he would neuer haue giuen this commandement of the said lawe thou shalt not adde any thing thereto Obiect V. Heb. 5. 12. Gods worde is of two sortes milke and strong me at By milke we must vnderstand the word of God written wherein God speakes plainely to the capacitie of the rudest but strong meate is vnwritten traditions a doctrine not to be delivered vnto all but to those that growe to perfection Ansvv. We must knowe that one and the same word of God is milke and strong meate in regard of the manner of handling and propounding of it For beeing deliuered generally and plainely to the capacity of the simplest it is milke but beeing handled particularly and largely and so fitted for men of more vnderstanding it is strong meate As for example the doctrine of the creation of mans fall and redemption by Christ when it is taught ouerly and plainely it is milke but when the depth of the same is throughly opened it is strong meate And therefore it is a conceit of mans braine to imagine that some vnwritten word is meant by strong meat Obiect VI. Sundrie places of Scripture be doubtfull and euery religion hath his seuerall exposition of them as the Papists haue theirs and the Protestants theirs Now then seeing there can be but one truth when question is of the interpretation of scripture recourse must be had to the tradition of the Church that the true sense may be determined and the question ended Ans. It is not so but in doubtfull places Scripture it selfe is sufficient to declare his owne meaning first by the analogie of faith which is the summe of religiō gathered out of the clearest places of scripture secondly by the circumstances of the place and the nature and signification of the wordes thirdly by conference of place with place By these and like helpes contained in scripture we may iudge which is the truest meaning of any place Scripture it selfe is the text and the best glosse And the scripture is falsly tearmed the matter of strife it being not so of it selfe but by the abuse of man And thus much for our dissent concerning traditions wherein we must not be wauering but steadfast because notwithstāding our renouncing of popery yet popish inclinations and dispositions be rise among vs. Our common people maruelously affect humane traditions yea mans nature is inclined more to be pleased with them then with the word of God The feast
it In the second conclusion touching saluation by Christ alone there is a manifest deceit because they craftely include and couch their own works vnder the name of Christ. For say they workes done by men regenerate are not their owne but Christs in them and as they are the workes of Christ they saue no otherwise But we for our partes looke to be saued onely by such workes as Christ himselfe did in his owne person and not by any worke at all done by him in vs. For all workes done are in the matter of iustification saluation opposed to the grace of Christ Rom. 11. 6. Election is of grace not of workes if it be of workes it is no more of grace Againe whereas they teach that we are â—aued by the workes of Christ which he worketh in vs and maketh vs to worke it is flatte against the word For Paul saith We are not saued by such works as God hath ordained that men regenerate should walke in Eph. 2. 10. And he saith further that he counted ALL THINGS euen after his conuersion losse vnto him that he might be founde in Christ not hauing his ovvne righteousnesse which is of the lawe Phil. 3. 8. Again Heb. 1. 3. Christ washed away our sinnes by himselfe which last wordes exclude the merit of all workes done by Christ within man Thus indeede the Papists ouerturne all that which in word they seeme to holde touching their iustification and saluation We confesse with them that good workes in vs are the workes of Christ yet are they not Christs alone but ours also in that they proceed from Christ by the minde and will of man as water from the fountaine by the channell And looke as the chanel defiled defiles the water that is without defilement in the fountaine euen so the minde and will of man defiled by the remnants of sinne defile the workes which as they come from Christ are vndefiled Hence it is that the workes of grace which we doe by Christ or Christ in vs are defectiue and must be seuered from Christ in the act of iustification or saluation The third conclusion is touching the imputation of Christs obedience which some of the most learned among them acknowledge and the difference betweene vs stands on this manner They hold that Christs obedience is imputed onely to make satisfaction for sinne and not to iustifie vs before God We hold beleeue that the obedieÌ„ce of Christ is imputed to vs euen for our righteousnes before God Paul saith 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is made vnto vs of God vvisedome RIGHTEOVSNES SANCTIFICATION and redemption Hence I reason thus If Christ be both our sanctification and our righteousnes then he is not onely vnto vs inherent righteousnes but also righteousnes imputed But he is not onely our sanctification which the Papists themselues expound of inherent or habituall righteousnes but also our righteousnes for thus by Paul are they distinguished Therefore he is vnto vs both inherent and imputed righteousnes And very reason teacheth thus much For in the end of the worlde at the barre of Gods iudgement we must bring some kinde of righteousnesse for our iustification that may stande in the rigour of the lawe according to which wee are to be iudged But our inherent righteousnesse is imperfect and stained with manifold defects and shall be as long as we liue in this world as experience tells vs and consequently it is not sutable to the iustice of the law and if we goe out of our selues we shall finde no righteousnesse seruing for our turnes either in men or Angels that may or can procure our absolution before God and acceptation to life euerlasting Wee must therefore haue recourse to the person of Christ and his obedience imputed vnto vs must serue not onely to be a satisfaction to God for all our sinnes but also for our perfect iustification in that God is content to accept of it for our righteousnesse as if it were inherent in vs or performed by vs. Touching the fourth conclusion they hold it the safest and surest course to put their trust and confidence in the mercie of God alone for their saluation yet they condescend that men may also put there confidence in the merit of their owne works and in the merits also of other men so it be in sobrietie But this doctrine quite marres the conclusion because by teaching that men are to put confidence in the creature they ouerturue all confidence in the Creatour For in the very first commandement we are taught to make choise of the true God for our God which thing we do wheÌ„ we giue to God our hearts and we giue our hearts to God when we put our whole confidence in him for the saluation of our soules Nowe then to put confidence in men or in workes is to make them our Gods The true and ancient forme of making confession was on this manner I beleeue in God the Father In Iesus Christ and In the holy Ghost without mentioÌ„ making of any confidence in works or creatures the ancieÌ„t Church neuer knew any such confession or confidence Cyprian saith He beleeueth not in god who putteth not affiance concerning his saluation in God alone And indeede the Papists them-selues when death comes forsake the confidence of their merits and flie to the meere mercie of God in Christ. And for a confirmation of this I alleadge the testimonie of one Vlinbergius of Colen who writeth thus There was a booke found in the vestrie of a certain parish of Colen writteÌ„ in the Dutch tongue in the yeare of our Lord 1475. which the Priests vsed in visiting of the sicke And in it these questions be found Dost thou beleeue that thâ—u canst not be saued but by the death of Christ The sicke person ansvvered Yea. Then it is said vnto him Goe too then while breath remaines in thee put thy confidence in this DEATH ALONE haue affiance in nothing else commit thy selfe vvholly to this death with it alone couer thy selfe dive thy selfe in euery part into this death in euery part pearse thy selfe with it infold thy selfe in this death And if the Lord wil iudge thee say Lord I put the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betweene me and thy iudgement and BY NO OTHER MEANES I contend with thee And if he shall say vnto thee that thou art a sinner say Lord the death of my Lord Iesus Christ I put betweene thee and my sinnes If he shall say vnto thee that thou hast deserued damnation say Lord I oppose the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betweene thee and my euill merits and I OFFER HIS MERIT FOR THE MERIT VVHICH I SHOVLD HAVE AND HAVE NOT. If he shall say that he is angrie vvith thee say Lord I oppose the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betvveene me and thine anger Here we see what Papists doe haue done in the time of death And that which they hold and practise