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cause_n	believe_v	faith_n	justification_n	2,857	5	9.3476	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03768	A most excellent treatise of the begynnyng of heresyes in oure tyme, compyled by the Reuerend Father in God Stanislaus Hosius Byshop of Wormes in Prussia. To the moste renomed Prynce Lorde Sigismund myghtie Kyng of Poole, greate Duke of Luten and Russia, Lorde and heyre of all Prussia, Masouia, Samogitia &c. Translated out of Laten in to Englyshe by Richard Shacklock M. of Arte, and student of the ciuil lawes, and intituled by hym: The hatchet of heresies; De origine haeresium nostri temporis. English	Hozjusz, Stanisław, 1504-1579.; Shacklock, Richard.	1565 (1565)	STC 13888; ESTC S113605	100,065	244

beareth vs wytnesse that we haue often walked according to the fleshe but also at the very same tyme when we seme to our selues to be conuerted we can not certaynely say that no relikes of syn do remayne in vs. But this certaynly we reade Rom. 8. They which walke in the fleshe can not please God These men wyll demaund this question agayne of me what then The fourthe obiection of heretykes for theyr speciall fayth do you councell vs to despeare God forbydd But as I deny constantly that any man is bound to beleue certaynely that his synnes be forgyuen so do I affyrme with no les stedfastnes that euery faythefull man doing his indeuoure as muche as in hym lyeth ought of dutie in this lyfe with a strong sure hope to looke for the forgyuenes of synnes and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting But this hope of oures ought not to be fastned vpon oure selues but vpon God whome when we do beholde we be moste certayne that he is faytfull bothe in his promises and also in his threatninges But when we loke vpon oure selues it can not be but we must nedes tremble and quake consydering oure weaknes and fraylnes thoughe we were gyltie of none other thyng For seing we knowe the Lucifer the noblest Aungell in heauen did fall that Salomon the wysest man that euer was dyd commit folly that the children of Israell God his most deare chosen people were forsakē and seing we vnderstand this also that God oweth vs no more seruice continually to defend vs to ayde vs with his grace to saue cōduict vs in the way of euerlasting lyfe then he dyd ether them afore rehersed ether Iudas called to be an Apostle ether Saul elected Kyng ether Nicolas appointed to be Deacon we can not be voyde of all feare specially seyng God dothe warne vs by hys chosen vessel Beare not thy selffe to bolde but feare Rom. 11. for seyng that God spared not the naturall braunches happly nether wyll he spare the. Philip. 2. Seing by the same vessell he exhorteth vs that with tremblyng shakyng we worke oure owne saluatiō seing also he pronounceth by an other that man to be blessed which allway stādeth in awe Pro. 28. Yet for all that this tremblyng muste not put vs cleane oute of comforte but make vs more obedient to Christ styr vp oure hope toward hym that euery one of vs may say with blessed Iob Iob. 13. Althoughe he sholde kyll me yet will I hope in hym But if this seme to any man a straunge opinion because I councell men not boldly to beleue and to assure them selues but wyll euery man to haue a sure certayne hope that in this worlde he shall obtayne remission of his synnes and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlasting let hym thus vnderstand my meaning that we can beleue nothing well and rightly I speake of the Catholyke belefe which may proue false and be other wyse then we do beleue but we may rightly hope for those thinges which many tymes chaunce cleane contrary to oure hope Therefore seyng it may be that a man may stedfastly beleue certaynelye beare hymselfe in hand that he is in the fauoure of God and yet this his opinion may deceaue hym we be rather commaunded to hope then to beleue For the cause of faythe consisteth in truthe reueled as it were of God But the moste sufficient cause of hope consisteth in possibilitie and lykelyhode of obtayning that thyng which a man may hope for by reason of God his commaundiment and promisse Agayne if you take vnderstand fidem faythe for fiducia truste or confidence as these men some to vnderstand it Caluin vpō the first of thō ca. 5 then fiducia that is trust excludeth all feare and hope hathe feare to wayte vpon her to cary vp her trayne Wherefore we be better commaunded to loke for the remission of oure synnes with a certayne and sure hope then with a certayne and sure faythe Althoughe truly nether any man is forbydden to beleue so that he be not alltogether careles Caluin in his institutiōs cap. 5. and recheles In this mynde Caluin hym selffe semeth to be when he sayth God doth cōmaund vs so to be certayne that we cast not of all care agayne in an other place Whē we do teache that fayth ought to be sure and certayne we do imagine no suche fayth as is deuyded farr from all doubt nether any suche securitie which is cut of frō all care but we say rather that faythfull men haue cōtinuall warr with they re owne mistrust doubtfullnes so farr of is it that we do lay any suche soft pillowes vnder they re consciences that they sholde fele no disquietnes of mynde at all Agayne notwithstandyng how greatly so euer they be trobled and vexed in conscience we deny that they faynte or fayle from that truste which we haue conceued of the mercie of God The coūcel of Trent in the fyft session 9 cap. But I think it good here to recite what the Father 's assembled at the generall councell of Trent haue determined vpon this matter These be theire wordes Although it be necessary to beleue that synnes nether be forgyuē nether euer were released but frely by the mercye of God for Christ his sake yet must not we saye that he is quyted of hys synnes which maketh hys boaste only leaueth on the certayne confidēce of forgiuenes of hys synnes seyng bothe of the heritykes also the scismatykes this vayne detestable confydence may be holden hereafter and at this present day is mayntayned preached moste ernestly contrary to the faythe doctryne of the Catholyke churche Nether is this to be affirmed that they which be truly iustified ought withoute all doubt to make theire accompt that they be made perfect and none other to be absolued from hys synnes and to be iustified but hym which certaynly doth beleue that he his assoyled and made ryghteouse and that this onlye faythe is cause of his absolution and iustification as thoughe that he which dothe not beleue this did doubt of God his promises of the vertue of Christ his deathe resurrection For as no good man ought to doubt of God hys mercy of Christ hys merytes of the vertue and poure of the Sacramentes so euery man whilest he cōsydereth hym selffe weygheth hys owne weakenes and vnaptnes may well feare that he is not in God his fauoure Seing no man can knowe with suche certaynete of faythe as may not be deceaued whether he haue obtayned the fauoure of God The holy Fathers do not here exclude euery kynde of certaynte An explication of the wordes of the Synode but the certaynete of that fayth only which can not be deceaued With suche certaynte they deny that any man can knowe that he is in the fauoure of God But that a man may knowe after a morall and probable certaynete or by

wolde haue men beleue that to be the worde of God which he dyd teache and not that which Philipp dyd teache seing he toke himselffe to be as good in euery poynte as Philip So that there was no cause why hys saying sholde not as well be receaued for the worde of God as Philip his saying Especially seing Philip as in many other thinges Tuentie opinions of the confessionistes cōcerning iustification so in the docttyne of iustification was neuer stayde in one opinion He sayth that there be twentie diuerse opinions of Melancthon concernyng this one artcle and he reciteth fouretene sundrie opinions of his scollers in that boke which he dyd wryte agaynst one Niericorar For saythe he so sone as they spied one place of scripture in the which there was any mention of Iustice by by of it they made a newe Iustice For an example one did reade Abraham beleued it was imputed to hym for ryghteousnes by and by he gathered oute of this one place .ij. kyndes of righteousnes one of this worde beleued so that he sayde that faythe was oure Iustice an other of the worde was imputed so that he sayde that God dyd impute his iustice to vs to accoumpt vs iuste all thoughe we were not and that this was oure ryghteousnes An other dyd reade we be iustified by his blood strayght way he gathered that the pretiouse blode of Christ is oure ryghteousnes An other dyd reade as by the disobedience of one we were made manye synners so by the obedience of one many shall be made ryghteousne by and by he taught that the obedience of Christ was oure ryghteousnes An other did reade he dyd ryse agayne for oure iustification the Resurrection sayth he of Christ is oure iustification An other dyd reade the holy ghost shall reproue the worlde for iustice because I go to my father he affirmed by and by that the goyng of Christ to his father is oure iustice An other dyd reade that we be made ryghteouse withoute desertes by the grace of God he doubted not to holde that the grace and mercye of God was oure iustice An other did reade to shewe his iustice for the remission of many synnes before cōmitted Forthewith he taught that Remission of synnes was oure iustice An other dyd reade by his blue stripes we be made hole he defended oute of hand that the woundes of Christ was oure ryghteousnes Nowe therefore he saythe that he hathe rekoned vp nyne kyndes of iustifications gathered oute of the scriptures disagreing one from an other and yet for all that he hathe not recited all He reherseth afterward what euery one deuised of hys owne heade Some saythe he say that ryghteousnes is the work of God the whiche he worketh in Christ Other that God receaueth vs to euerlasting lyffe other that the meritte of Christ other speake of an other certayne meane ryghteousnes but they can not tell what it meaneth So Osiander rehearseth fourtene opinions of iustification that which he hym selffe is Author of is the fyftene But accordyng to the rekoning which he maketh in hys confutation of the boke which Philip set oute agaynst hym they shall be in all one and twentie Now iudge you most excellent Kyng for so muche as they do so bycker among them selues Howe perillouse a thing it is to beleue sectaries stryuyng about great matters not aboute the moue shyne in the water as the common saying is but by theyr owne confession aboute the cheife article of Christian doctrine which contayneth the whole sum of the Ghospell iudge you I say what a perillouse thing it is to put any of these men in trust with oure soules which being start vp of late do not only swarue from the chefe masters of theyr congregation but also disagree in them selues as we see howe many tymes Melancthon hath turned his cote in this one opinion of iustification Luther sayth it is a sure argumēt that the doctryn of the Sacramētaries proceded from the dyuel because he tolde seauen or eyght sectes of them and for because that euen in the begynnyng it was dispersed in to so manye heades But we haue rekoned vp not seauen but twyse seauē sectes that of Lutherās cōcerning one article of iustificatiō which conteyneth the whole sum of the Ghospell In all there be foure tyme seauen sectes lackyng but one contrarye one to the other aboute other matters One Gespar Querchamer a lay man Citezin of Hallis Six thirtye cōtrary opinions aboute receauing vnder bothe kyndes or vnder one gathered together six and thirtye contrary places vpon one only article which is of the receauing vnder one or bothe kyndes in the Sacrament of the Altar If any man wyll add these six thirtie opinions to the other seuen and twentye there shal be in all three score three And yet howe many sectes be there whiche we haue not rekoned and wyl any man doubt that the dyuell was the author of this doctryne Take hede moste Godly Prince that you thinck not that these men striue for God his cause or that they busye theyr braynes to further and enlarge the worde of God There is nothing further oute of they re thought Glorie is the marke which sectaries shote at but this is the marke the which moste of them pryck at that they may aduaunce theyr owne glory that they maye vtter to the rude people theyr worde in stede of the worde of God they haue called theyr names sayth the prophet vpon yearthe Psal 48. To this end they wrest all they re wytte the they may make all the world ring with theyr name that it may be sayde this is the confession of Melancthon this of Brentius this of Osiander for I wyll now say nothing of the Zuinglians whome they take to be as greate heritykes as the Anabaptistes my talke is only of the Lutherans whome they also iudge to be heritykes no other verdicte do all other Christians gyue of them Of them therefore speake I that euen they be they neuer so lapped in shepe skynnes yet euery one of them hathe theyr hand on theyr halffe penye not regarding the thinges appartayning to Iesu Christ The cōfession of Augusta pleaseth not all the Lutherans euery one of them hūteth after their owne honoure and not after the glory of Christ Wherefore euē they allthoughe chekens hatched in one nest of Luther yet all of them haue not one confession For it is as cleare as the daye that none receaued the confession of Augusta but the churches of Saxonie No it was not receaued so muche as in the citie of Augusta where it was fyrst presented to the Emperoure for that citie semeth rather to weyghe more with the Zuinglians The Citie Augusta hathe mo Suenckfel feldiās the Lutherans and it is sayde that there be founde mo of the confession of Suenefelde then of the confession of Augusta Whiche I think was a cause that for so much as Philipp

knowledge he confesseth to be kept secret from his soule doest not thou feare least those wordes be spoken to the which once were spoken to the Pharisies whome Christ called paynted sepulchers Matth. 23. Luc. 16. You be they sayth he which iustifye youre selues before men but God knoweth youre hartes for that which is commendable in mennes eyes is abhominable before God And there can be no greater abomination in the syght of God then this so greate presumption of heretykes The first obiection makyng for speciall faythe is soluted But some man peraduenture wyll say why then do you forbyd me to beleue the remission of synnes which we professe in oure crede God forbyd Yea I byd you beleue constantly and to make youre accompt certaynlye that there is remission of synnes in the Churche and that Christ hathe sufficiently deserued thys forgyuenes for me for the for the traytoure Iudas for all men in the worlde 1. Ioan. 2. 1. Cor. 5. yea to them which arre nowe or here after shall be damned in hell who hangyng on the crosse is made a propiciation for oure synnes and not for oure synnes only but also for the synnes of the whole worlde who by his deathe hath reconcyled vs to hys father But that thou sholdest beleue that al men be partakers of this pardon or that all do pleade possession in heauen at thys present or that all men shall inheryt it in the worlde to come not I Heb. 2. but the scripture doth forbydde the to beleue He tasted of the sower cupp of deathe for us all but all men do not endeuoure to applye the benefite of hys deathe vnto them he was a cause meanes of saluation to all men but the scripture addeth to all Heb. 5. which were and wolde be obedient vnto him He dyd set the dore of euerlastyng lyff wyde open to all men but Christ putteth this condition If they shall kepe the commaundimentes If any man refuse to obey him if any man shall not kepe his lawes if any man shall not continue with him vnto the end he which putteth no doubt but suche a man is neuer the lesse sure to be saued what doth he but deny the sentence of the Ghospel which shall be pronounced vpon them which are set on the left hand among the goates auoyde hence from me you cursed caytyfes in to euerlasting fyar which is prepared for the dyuel and his aungelles So then Matth. 25. to teache that it is necessary for euery man to the attayning of saluation to beleue certaynely to feare nothing that his syn-be forgyuen him for Christ his sake that he is God almyghtyes deare darlyng that without question he is one of the heires apparant to the crowne of glory is nothing ells then to teache that there be no paynes of hell prepared for the wycked who doubtles as euerye Christian man beleueth shall taste of terrible tormentes not by Christ his default as who shold say that his death and bytter passion auayled littell to the sauing of theyr soules but by theyr owne naughty negligence whiche laboured not by worthy workes of repentaunce to applye the vertue of Christ his death and passion to them selues Wherfore if I be not bounde to beleue that all men haue they re synnes forgyuen them if I be not boūde to beleue so of this man or that man then truly am not I bounde to beleue so of my selffe onles it be specially reueled to me of God Here wyll these heretykes replye you do so reason with vs The secōd obiection as thoughe we encoraged them whiche styll ly wallowing in they re wickednes to beleue that they be in the fauoure of God whereas we only speake of them which be conuerted I assure you I dyd shoote at thys marke I longed to make you confesse so muche Well then you graunt that there is some thyng in vs which may bolden harten vs to beleue certaynly and assuredly that is if we be auerted from oure synnes and conuerted to God But I pray you Sirs what if one some in his owne fansie to be conuerted which is not cōuerted in dede As for an example A peruerse Lutheran thinketh hym selff to be a cōuerted man a more peruerse Zuinglian taketh hym seffe to a conuerted man the moste peruerted of all the Anabaptiste either Seruetus either Suenckfeldius or any other most pestilent heretyke doth esteme hym selff to be a cōuerted man wil you therfore warrāt hym to be in God his fauoure lyke as none be more puffed vp with a proud conceyte of learning then they which haue least learning of all in so muche that without cause it is not vsed in a prouerb which Chucidides wryteth Tuc. in his secōd boke of the warre of Peloponnesus Ignoraunce bredeth boldnes but knowledge causeth one to doubt and feare the wurst so it is often sene that such do certaynely stedfastly beleue that they be conuerted when in dede they be most shamfully peruerted The wyse man perceaued thys when he sayde there be wycked men so careles and voyde of all feare Eccle. 5. as if they lyued as vprightly as the most perfect men whilst Saule thundered threatnynges agaynst the disciples of oure Lorde Actes 9. and mynded to murder them and throughe ignoraunce plaged the churche of God dyd not he seme thyncke you in hys owne conceyte to burne with a certayne syngular zeale of Godlynes dyd not hys mynde gyue hym that he sought after God with all hys harte Philip. 3. And that he dyd hym hyghe seruyce in makyng hauock of the Christians for so muche as what so euer he dyd in that case he dyd yt of emulation because he was a meruaylouse precise follower of the tradytions of hys forefathers Gala. 2. He had therefore a zeale and was hotte of the spyryt but not accordyng to knowledge and therefore he obtayned mercye Rom. 10. bycause he knewe not what he dyd Therefore that ys true whiche the wyse man wryteth 1. Tim. 01. there is a way which at the begynnynge semeth as yt woulde leade a man to lyfe Pro. 14. but the end of it draweth hym to deathe and destruction And in an other place Euery man demeth the way where in he walketh to be ryght strayght but God weyeth they re hartes But lett infydeles and heretykes go Pro. 21. althoughe the Zuinglians and the Anabaptistes thynke not them selues so greate heretykes as the Lutherans be Let vs nowe speake of Catholykes Yea among them you may fynde which think them selues to be cōuerted when in dede they be not Salomon hath a notable sayng who can say truly my hart is cleane I am not spotted with syn Pro. 20. in many fautes we displease God all the sorte of vs. And al be it we were conuerted to God with all oure hart yet ought we not certaynely to warrant oure selffe but fixing oure faythe in God his mercye leue