is not one word of Workes but all is ascribed to Christ Wherein the Apostle also writeth so carefully and so warily as if he feared nothing more then that man should rest any thing vpon his Merits To conclude therefore this my first argument I say with the Apostle If it be of grace it is no more of Workes Rom. 11.6 or else were grace no more grace but if it bee of Workes it is no more grace for then were Workes no more Workes So that because the Apostle sayth it is of grace and by faith without Workes therefore Workes are wholly excluded as Andradius himselfe will warrant me to say For Mercedis ratio Andrad Orthodox Explicat lib. 6. cum gratiae nomine ex aduerso pugnat For the consideration of reward or Merit is cleane contrarie to grace A second argument I take from the finall causes of this doctrine of Iustification by faith only which are two set downe by the Apostle The one in this Chapter immediately before the words of my Text namely to exclude our reioycing or boasting But if all workes bee not disabled as insufficient causes of our Iustification some workes should be left wherein we might reioyce To exclude reioycing in our selues For by reioycing the Apostle meaneth nothing else but that confidence that men haue whereby they content themselues as if they were out of danger of Gods wrath Saint Paul then concluding out of that he hath taught of Iustification by faith that our reioycing is thereby taken away teacheth vs thus much that whoso apprehendeth with an assured faith this Iustification that we haue by Christ resteth nothing vpon his owne workes or contenteth not himselfe with the righteousnesse that is by the Law But on the contrarie our Aduersaries suppose their reioycing is not taken away In so much as a great man among them dareth affirme Andrad Orthodox Explicat lib. 6. That heauenly blisse is not so freely giuen of God and liberally as in respect of their workes it is due And by and by after We gather that eternall felicitie ought not to bee imputed according to grace but according to debt And therefore within a few words after he also defineth Merit Merit A free action whereunto a reward is due Which Doctrine of Andradius because it is also the Doctrine of the Romish Church wee may truly affirme of them that they doe what in them lyeth to make the Apostle a Lyer when hee affirmeth that reioycing is taken away by the Law of faith seeing they still reioyce and content themselues in their workes But I will end this with one short argument If Iustification may bee by workes then is not our reioycing in the Law taken away by faith but it is by faith taken away therefore Iustification is not by workes The Minor proposition is the wordes of the Apostle Rom. 11.6 The Maior is proued by that which a little before out of the Apostle I alleadged that workes and grace cannot both stand as causes of our Iustification But notably for this purpose doth Chrysostome gather out of these words Chrys in Epist ad Rom. hom 7 If the faithfull man and he who is saued would thinke well of himselfe in this respect that he regardeth the Law doe heare in these words how by the Law it selfe his mouth is stopped how by the Law hee is accused how the Law it selfe denieth as it were saluation to sinners and excludeth all boasting and he who as yet beleeueth not being hereby deiected and humbled may take occasion to draw neere vnto faith thou seest how great force faith hath how it driueth vs from whatsoeuer we had before not suffering vs to reioyce though neuer so little in them And a little before he hath sayd that God saueth Nullis ad hoc vsus operibus sed fidem tantum exigens Not vsing for our Iustification any workes but requiring faith only Sedul in Epist ad Rom. cap. 3. Sedulius also verie well noteth thus Talis gloriatio quae veniebat ex operibus legis excluditur Such reioycing is excluded as commeth of the workes of the Law Our comfort Another end why our Iustification is by faith is for our vnspeakeable comfort That it might come by grace and the promise might bee sure to all the seed Rom. 4.16 Whereas if wee should seeke to get the inheritance by the Law Gal. â— 18 we could not thinke to haue it by promise and so in respect of our owne manifold imperfections wee might alwayes bee doubtfull and wauering and farre from that comfort that Gods children finde in themselues In this respect then it is good that we perswade our selues that we are saued by grace Bell. de Iustific l. 5. c. 7 that we may looke vnto Christ only Yea Bellarmine himselfe giueth this aduice Propter incertitudinem propriae iustitiae periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia ponere In respect of the vncertaintie of our owne righteousnesse and the danger of vaine glorie the safest way is to put all our confidence only in Gods mercy and goodnesse Very well writeth vpon these words of the Apostle Theophilact Theophil in Epist ad Rom. 4. Quum vniuersa sint in Dei tum gratia tum misericordia fita profecto quae ab eoconferuntur stabilia fore certa omni semini id est credentibus cunctis existimanda sunt Seeing all things are of Gods grace and mercie sure the things that are giuen from him as it may be thought are stable and sure to all the seed that is to all beleeuers Ambros in Epist ad Rom. 4. Saint Ambrose also sayth Firma esse non potest promissio omni semini hoc est omni homini ex omni gente nisi fuerit ex fide The promise cannot bee firme vnto all the seed that is to all men of euery Nation vnlesse it bee of faith And he after yeeldeth a reason of that he hath said because by the Law we are found guiltie and the promise cannot be giuen to them that are guiltie vnlesse they bee purified which must bee done by faith Thus then I reason The promise of Iustification must be sure but vnlesse it be of faith it cannot be sure therefore the promise of Iustification must bee of faith The Maior is Saint Pauls Rom. 4.16 The Minor is the former wordes of Saint Ambrose A third argument to proue that euen the workes of them that are regenerate cannot iustifie and are excluded by Saint Paul from hauing that force is taken from the example of Abraham who is set forth as a patterne in whom wee may learne how wee all can attaine to Iustification as it is plaine to see in the fourth Chapter of this Epistle to the Romanes Abraham Abraham not iustified by workes a good while after he was called out of Vr of the Chaldees had liued a good time in obedience vnto
deuices No no vnlesse this our garment be dipt in the bloud of Christ and so made white it will euer appeare defiled A fift obiection They tell vs that eternall life is called a reward great is your reward in Heauen Mat. 5.12 As before in answering their third obiection I sayd that not euery promise proueth that which is giuen to be merited by the worke so heere I doe auerre How life eternall is called a reward that the calling of eternall life a reward doth not euict that it is giuen in regard of the worthinesse of the worke If you demand why it is then called a reward I answere It pleaseth God not only to acquaint vs with his will that we may know what is good and what is euil but also by many arguments sometime of his power sometime of his Iustice sometime of his goodnesse to moue his people to obedience To them therefore that with more alacritie Gal. 6.10 While we haue time to do good vnto all men as the Apostle exhorteth he telleth vs that our labour shall not be without reward The like argument doth the Apostle vse to the Corinthians 1. Co. 15.58 Therefore my beloued brethren be yee stedfast vnmoueable abundant alwayes in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. But eternall life is called a reward Be it so It is also called a Kingdome Mat. 25.34 and that prepared for Gods seruants from the beginning of the world If prepared so long since for them then not bestowed for the worthinesse of their worke If a Kingdome it is an inheritance that is giuen by grace for we are sonnes by adoption heires of God and heires annexed with Christ. Or else by election we haue this inheritance Rom. 8.17 For no man is elected to a Kengdome in regard of his merits especially so long before hee can doe any thing for it Coloss 3.24 The Apostle calleth it a reward of inheritance Ye shall receiue a reward of inheritance sayth he Howsoeuer therefore it is called sometime a reward yet is it a reward that is promised Gal. 3.29 Bel. de Iustific l. 5. c. 18. and therefore Saint Paul sayth Wee are heires by promise And therefore Bellarmine himselfe confesseth that remota promissione non tenetur Deus acceptare opus nostrum ad mercedem taking away the promise God is not bound to accept our worke to reward it Now if a father promise his sonne being yet but a childe both in strength and discretion and such children are we in heauenly matters a great reward if hee doe some small matter at his appointment yet such as hee knoweth passeth eyther his abilitie or skill whether shall we say when this recompence is giuen that it is of promise or of dutie The sonne indeuoureth as well as he can to doe it and with much adoe with continuall helpe of his father he doth it at length in some sort I hope no man will say his worke deserued it For the Father promised much for a small matter hee helpeth his sonne to doe it and beareth in the end with many wants euen so God for the little that wee can doe promiseth much and that wee doe hath many imperfections too Can wee then thinke of merit Ber in Cant. Serm. â—7 No no the Spouse of Christ doth then shew her selfe to be more full of grace when she ascribeth all to grace knowing her part is first and last Luk. 17.7 But against the meriting of the reward that parable in S. Luke is most plaine A seruant ploweth or doth any other worke in the field when hee commeth home his Master biddeth him not sit downe but willeth him to dresse meat and giue himselfe and wait and serue him teaching vs that we haue no time to bestow otherwise then vpon our Masters worke Ambros in Luke 17. Theopilact in Luk. 17. We must alwayes while wee liue be doing saith Ambrose This Parable sheweth saith Theophilact that a man must not be proud of any good worke no neyther yet in the fulfilling of all the Commandements For the seruant must doe what his Master commandeth neither must hee ascribe it to himselfe as a good worke Ambros in Luk. 7. Dionis Carthus in Luk. 17. And Ambrose gathereth the same lesson too Let no man glory of workes for we owe our seruice to the Lord. So doth the Carthusian also The seruant is tyed to this and after his worke in the field he must labour in the house that he may daily be labouring It being thus let vs consider of the conclusion of the Parable So likewise ye Luk. 17.10 when you haue done all things which were commanded you say We are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that was our dutie to doe Hieron ad Ctesiphontem Theophil in Luk. 17. No merit in this worke If that seruant were vnprofitable that did all sayth Hierom What shall we say of him that could not doe it Theophilact also in like manner If when we haue done all the Commandements yet wee haue no cause to thinke well of our doing how greatly doe we sinne when not doing the greatest part of Gods Commandements yet we are proud of our doing The Carthusian likewise If they must account themselues vnprofitable seruants who haue fulfilled all the Commandements what shall we doe who in so many things transgresse and so vnperfectly perchance keepe that we keepe that as the Prophet Esai sayth all our righteousnesse is like a filthy clout But Bellarmine telleth vs De Iustific lib. 5. cap. 5. Bernard de tripl custodia Bernard de precepto dispensatione that Christ so concludeth to teach humilitie I answere with Bernard Sanè propter humilitatem sed numquid contra veritatem True indeed for humility but is it against verity He also elsewhere thus speaketh to that seruant You are free from duty but not glorious by merit You haue escaped punishment but haue not gotten the crowne The Parable teacheth vs that all wee can doe is dutie therefore wee may not thinke of merit because whatsoeuer wee are able to performe at any time in any place by any meanes we owe all that seruice to God Lastly I come to those words of Iames in shew as contrarie to Saint Paul as can be yet because they both had one teacher both were guided in writing by one Spirit and were both of one faith and Religion we are sure both teach one Doctrine Rom. 3.28 Iam. 2.24 What Iustification is by workes Iude 4. Aug lib. 83. quaest 76. de fide operibus cap. 14. And yet Paul sayth We are iustified by faith without workes Iames sayth Wee are iustified by workes and not by faith only and both these are most true For if we speake of the cause of Iustification then must wee hearken to Saint Paul who teacheth that is by faith without workes But because many turning the grace of God
he meant and saith For by the Law is knowledge of sinne But the Apostle himselfe is best Interpreter of his owne meaning Out of that he had said some perchance would gather that he had little regard to the Law whereby the Iewes would be offended for they knew the Law was giuen of God Others would take occasion thereupon more boldly to transgresse to meet therefore with these inconueniences hee maketh vnto himselfe this obiection Rom. 3.31 Doe wee then make the Law of no effect through faith Yea we establish the Law But the Law ceremoniall is not by the Gospell established Hebr. 10.1 Rom. 10.4 but abolished For that Law had but the shaddow of good things to come But the end of the Law is Christ So that he offering himselfe vpon the Altar of the Crosse to God the Father Iob. 19.30 a sacrifice for sin did vpon good ground say It is finished So as Christ being come if wee will still tye our selues to the obseruation of that Law Gal. 5.2 Paul telleth vs that Christ shall profit vs nothing 4. Yee are saith he abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the Law yee are fallen from grace Therefore were the Apostles in their dayes very carefull to teach men to rest vpon Christ and not to imagine that now in the time of the Gospell they are tyed to those impotent and beggerly rudiments Gal. 4.9 as the Apostle calleth them This may appeare by that notable Councell Act. 15. and in diuers places Much more might bee alleaged to proue that the Law ceremoniall cannot in this place be vnderstood But this I trust is sufficient and had indeed beene more then enough but that our Aduersaries of later time Bellar. de Iustif l. 1. c. 19. Andrad Orthodox Explic. l 6. although they dare not defend that opinion yet would they make it seeme lesse absurd as doth Bellarmine in pointing to some places that their errour is grounded vpon as if they had reason so to teach and Andradius nameth some Fathers of that minde Well then by the Law without all question wee must vnderstand the Law morall But here ariseth another doubt what works are here excluded in these wordes What workes are excluded Without the workes of the Law And here our aduersaries doe earnestly contend not to haue all workes excluded from Iustification but such only as are done before they beleeued For if they should confesse that no works can iustifie then falleth downe that doctrine of Merits to the ground a most gainefull doctrine to Pope and Popish Priests who must supply with their store that which other want of their owne merits But we teach that all workes All works before after excluded from Iustification aswell such as follow our iustification this our aduersaries denie as the workes that wee doe afore our iustification which themselues confesse are in these wordes excluded from being any causes of our iustification before God And to auerre this which we say we haue many strong reasons The first is taken from the wordes themselues being mightily strengthned with the faithfulnesse of him who teacheth this doctrine and with his sincerity in teaching For as hee requireth in other disposers of the secrets of God that euery man be found faithfull 1. Cor. 4.2 so he testifieth of his owne faithfulnesse in his ministery speaking vnto the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Act. 20.20 I kept backe nothing saith he that was profitable but haue shewed you and taught you openly and throughout euery house And againe 27. I haue kept nothing backe but haue shewed you all the counsell of God Neither can wee in reason suppose he would deale more sincerely with them of Ephesus then with the Romanes of whose instruction in the faith how carefull hee was may well bee seene in his first and fifteenth Chapters of that Epistle The Apostle therefore All without exception speaking of workes without any exception as hee doth without the workes of the Law if any workes should not haue beene excluded from iustification he might haue beene charged by the Romanes that he kept backe somwhat from them namely what workes were to be admitted as causes of iustification and what not and so did not shew them all the counsell of God For if he had beene of our aduersaries opinion sincerity would haue forced him to haue said When I say we are iustified without workes I speake only of workes done afore we are iustified not of all workes For when we are once iustified by God then by our workes wee must iustifie our selues So that if any workes may be accounted as causes of our iustification the Apostles manner of speaking would rather haue beseemed some acquiuocating Priest or Iesuite who haue taught their hearts to dissemble and their tongues to lye yea who professe to teach the arte of dissimulation and cogging and glory in their falshood whereby they deceiue the world then this faithfull Apostle It is most certayne therefore that the Apostle being as he was a most faithfull disposer of the mysteries of God one that detested all such doubtfull or double dealing in Gods matters especially 1. Cor. 2.4 Whose preaching standeth not in the iniycing speech of mans wisedome but in the plaine euidence of Spirit and power excepting no workes excludeth all And many such like speeches we haue in Scriptures in which such indefinite propositions as Logicians call them are vniuersally to bee vnderstood Hebr. 4.15 Christ is said to bee without sinne Now seeing there is sinne Originall and Actuall of commission and of omission shall we imagine that because the Apostle saith not without all sinne therefore Christ is subiect to some sinne Zach. 2.4 God maketh promise to his people that Ierusalem shall be inhabited without wall Now because there are sundry sorts of walls some of stone some of earth or of other matter as men fancy shall some cauilling companion say Though they had no stone walls yet had they some other walls for their strength But infinite such places might bee brought wherein it may easily appeare that though this vniuersall signe all be not added yet it must be vnderstood as also it must be in these wordes of S. Paul as well all workes going before or following iustification as all Lawes either Naturall or Morall or Ceremoniall Againe if the Apostle had meant only to exclude the workes done in our infidelity he needed not so carefully to haue set down the manner of our Iustification as he doth immediatly before these words That it is by the righteousnesse of God Rom. 3.22.24 by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And that Wee are iustified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation 25. through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes In all which there
GOD had done no doubt many good Workes and offered many Sacrifices vnto God yet without respect vnto any of his Workes that hee now the childe and seruant of God had done Abraham beleeued God Gen. 15 6. Gal. 4.9.3 Rom. 4.13 and that his beleeuing was imputed to him for righteousnesse And therefore Paul is bolde to vse such exclusiue words The promise was not giuen through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith And Sicut Abrahae nostra filiorum eius per gratiam sayth Primasius Primas in Epist ad Rom. 4. As was the Iustification of Abrahams so is ours also who are his children by grace But to be short I suppose we may bee bold to gather out of that which is said this reason As Abraham was iustified so shall wee bee but Abraham was iustified by faith without the workes that he did being Gods seruant therefore we also shall so be iustified All this argument may well and strongly be prooued out of this fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes But what neede many Arguments Confitentem habemus reum Stapleton our Countriman a sure friend to the Romish Church and as loth as any of them to write any thing that might any way impugne their Popish Maximes seeing the deadly wound which these words of the Apostle giue to their Doctrine of Merits is very carefull to salue that sore yet the force of truth driueth him to grant that heere the Apostle Antidot in Rom. 3.28 Our works cannot merit forgiuenesse of sinnes Excludit opera à virtute iustificandi absolutè id est à virtute remittendi peccata Excludeth Workes from hauing power simply or absolutely to iustifie that is to remit sinne or from power to remit sin What can be more plaine Good Workes cannot obtaine remission of sins sayth Stapleton and therefore not iustifie absolutely or perfitly Now an vnperfit Iustification we are not acquainted withal neither hath Christ or any of his Apostles taught vs any such But we know that a perfect cause hath her perfect effect a perfit Sacrifice such an one was that which Christ offered hath obtained perfect Iustification before God for all beleeuers But heere I would faine haue asked a question of Stapleton if he had beene aliue or of some other friend of his seeing hee is gone to giue an account how well he hath vsed his talent whether to gaine soules to Christ or to Antichrists how Parish Priests shall doe hereafter When men and women come to bee shriuen and haue confessed their sinnes shall their Ghostly Father bid them fast so many Frydayes Wednesdayes or Saints Eeues gad on Pilgrimage to Hales or Buxton to Compostel to Rome or to Loretta weare Haire-cloth next their skinne goe bare-foote and bare-legged shall they torment their bodie with Whips or other punishments Popish penances plaine cozenages or begger their Posteritie in building Chaunteries and such like places for satisfaction for sinne All this is to no purpose For Stapleton assureth vs there is in these or any other though better workes by farre such as GOD hath commanded no power to remit sinne so that Iustification must bee sought for some better way And so it seemeth the World hath beene couzened a great while by these cogging Companions which haue made men and women beleeue that by such Workes they may satisfie for their sinnes And thus I trust vpon so good a confession of Stapleton so good warrant of the Word and sure grounds of doctrine wee may conclude that a man is iustified and accounted guiltlesse before God by faith apprehending Christ Iesus in whom we haue redemption by forgiuenesse of our sinnes without any Merit of our Wrokes whether before or after our Iustification Now that which out of these words we conclude doth of necessitie follow but that our Aduersaries fearing lest their Diana of Merits should be nothing esteemed if they cast not a mist before mens eyes to hinder from them seeing the cleere light of truth that shineth in our Doctrine Act. 19.25.28 assemble as did the Siluersmiths at the call of Demetrius who told them by that craft they got their goods and with such other speeches made them full of wrath insomuch as they cried out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians Euen so is it with vs. The Romish Demetrius that getteth much by selling such as they call good Workes with his followers seeking to defend the Doctrine of Merits cry out of that which teacheth Iustification by faith only whereby they may haue much losse if want of euill gotten goods may bee counted losse I confesse we teach that Faith only doth iustifie that is that a true and liuely faith wrought in our hearts by Gods Spirit working by loue True faith only iustifieth fruitfull in good workes adorned and beautified with holinesse of life for these are badges whereby to know a true faith doth iustifie and acquite vs before God so as wee boldly stand and plead not guiltie Whereby our Aduersaries may see how vniustly they slander vs and our Doctrine as if wee were enemies to all good Workes And yet we only teach that such a true faith as I haue now described without respect of the Workes that alwayes accompanie it doth iustifie not by the Merit of this faith but in that it is our hand whereby we apprehend and hold fast that Iustification which we haue in Christ through the vnspeakeable mercie of God And this our Doctrine is so warranted in Sacred Scripture as nothing more Saint Paul doeth often vse exclusiue words Exclusiue words Negatiue Equiualent as these are without the Law without Workes Sometime plaine negatiue words Not by Workes not by the Law Otherwhile words equiualent or of such like force As by grace Freely These manners of speech when I consider of I cannot but like well of the good and Christian counsell giuen by Primasius an ancient Writer Audi gratis tace de Meritis Heare what the Apostle sayth freely and speake not a word of Merits Thus therefore I reason for our Doctrine of Iustification by faith only If Workes are not to be ioyned with faith in the matter of Iustification then faith only euen by the confession of our Aduersaries doth iustifie For our Romish Catholikes denie not this our Doctrine but in respect of workes neyther doe they in any their Bookes or Writings seeke to match any thing with faith as cause of Iustification but workes only But workes are not to be ioyned with faith in the matter of Iustification as the Apostle most plainly proueth Gal. 2.16 Know ye that a man is not iustified by the Workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ Againe Ye are saued by grace Eph. 2.8.9 through faith not of your selues it is the gift of God not of Workes lest any man should boast himselfe Lastly these words to the Romanes are very effectuall Rom. 1.28 Therfore wee conclude that a man is iustified
hauing power to iustifie therefore faith only iustifieth The Maior I haue shewed before is not to bee denyed of any Papists because that they seeke not to ioyne with faith any thing in the matter of Iustification but only workes As for my Minor Stap. Antid in Act. 3.10 it is granted by Stapleton in the words before alleadged that the Apostle excludeth Workes from hauing power to iustifie absolutely that is to forgiue sinnes Thus haue we one more on our side then we hoped for and so may be bold I trust to conclude Now although this cloud of witnesses is sufficient I hope to cleere vs from any sinister imputation of euill dealing as if wee would teach that is strange and not heard of but of late dayes yet we haue in this point a better testimonie then all men can affoord vs. For the assurance of this Doctrine is this that the holy Ghost sealeth vp this confidence in our hearts Rom. 8.16 and Gods Spirit beareth witnesse with our Spirit that wee are the children of God and hauing receiued the Sprit of adoption we are bold to cry Abba Father This this I say is the argument that more perswadeth the children of God then all that men can bring This argument did so conuince euen the very conscience of Saint Paul Phil. 3.8.9 That the righteousnesse of the Law was as I may so say but lothsome to him in comparison of that righteousnes which he longed after by Christ This righteousnesse whoso hath a true feeling of he doth but laugh to scorne the idle disputations of them that seeke to proue it must bee had by Workes But I am not ignorant how our Aduersaries doe what in them lyeth to elude the testimonies of God and all good men and as much as they can to dimme the verie light of our consciences that wee should not see this comfort Bell. de Iustif l. 1. c 25 Annot. in Iam. 2.24 And therefore Bellarmine seemeth to make some answer to some few places alleaged out of the Scriptures and Fathers against them So doe the Rhemists too in their Annotations vpon the new Testament But all in vaine the Sunne of truth shineth so cleere that all they can doe is not sufficient to dimme the light thereof For this word Faith only being so commonly vsed as it is teacheth vs that nothing but faith is that which by our Sauiour Christ iustifieth For it only cannot be said to doe it if eyther Law of Ceremonies or of the Commandements the workes eyther of the vnrighteous or of the faithfull bee ioyned with it And therefore though our Aduersaries would sometime exclude one thing from iustifying sometime another yet so long as they exclude not all but faith in Christ Iesus from being cause of our Iustification they seeke but to deceiue vs. Aug de fide operibuc 14. Good workes necessarie when we are iustified Aug. de fide operibus cap. 14. Yet I denie not but workes as S. Augustine sayth doe follow him that alreadie is iustified though they goe not before him that is to be iustified For they are as a little before I said out of Thomas of Aquine the execution and manifestation of our righteousnesse but no causes therof In which sence the Fathers very often especially Saint Augustine in many places hauing shewed plentifully out of the Apostle That we are iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Yet withall he giueth vs to vnderstand that Hoc non agit vt percepta ac professa fide opera iustitiae contemnantur hee goeth not about thereby to make vs contemne the workes of righteousnesse we once hauing receiued and professed faith No we when once we are iustified are Gods workemanship Ephes 2.10 created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Againe they tell vs some of the Fathers speake of faith as it is Dogmaticall for our profession or Religion and that in such sence only they affirme Faith only to iustifie because it is the true and not a false faith that must saue Of which I sayd somewhat before when I alleadged the words of Leo for confirmation of our Doctrine But yet somewhat more to explane the matter wee must consider that faith hath two respects Outward Doctrine The one as it is an outward thing which is taught or wee may reade of it in Bookes That pierceth the eares it hath also consent of the minde and vnderstanding when we yeeld to the truth therof But this though a true faitht yet vntill it be planted in the heart and beleeued iustifieth not As for example the Deuill may and did know the true faith as when he said Iesus the Sonne of God Mat. 8.29 Mark 1.24 what haue wee to doe with thee Againe What haue we to doe with thee Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs I know what thou art That holy ome of God We reade also elsewhere in Saint Marke Mark 3.11 When the vncleane Spirits saw Christ they fell downe before him and cryed saying Thou art the Sonne of God And Saint Iames sayth plainely Iam. 2.19 The Deuils beleeue that there is one God and tremble But our Aduersaries will grant that although it is a Catholicke faith that the Deuils haue yet it furthereth them not to saluation That faith in Christ Iesus doth iustifie is a true faith that is a true Doctrine yet no doubt acknowledged of many that shall neuer find with comfort the sweetnesse thereof But when this perswasion is well rooted in the heart Inward assurance so that it maketh vs to rest and repose our selues vpon God which we call beleeuing in God then doth it iustifie Thus then although it is most true that it must be a Catholike not an Hereticall faith that saueth yet euen that true Catholike faith doth not quicken it doth not sanctifie or iustifie vnlesse to our endlesse comfort we receiue the same into the heart And so as the Catholike faith is only auaileable so vntill it be receiued into the heart it helpeth not and then it only iustifieth But many things are out of the Scripture obiected against this Doctrine whereby the simple and such as are not acquainted with the Word Heb. 3.14 neyther by long custome haue their wits exercised to discerne both good and euill as the Apostle to the Hebrewes speaketh may soone be deceiued For to such as haue not iudgement to trye Metals euen Tinne will seeme Siluer and Copper Gold because in colour they are somewhat like To say nothing of such places it may bee dangerous in these our euill dayes lest thereby some that desire to know the truth by the name of Scripture wrested to a wrong sence may be led into errour And yet to speak of euery particular place alleadged would bee verie tedious for they are many I haue therefore thought good to draw them into some few heads and so