Rome tending to presumption in good workes and to shew the imperfection of the best of them in respect of our selues yet doth it not follow that good workes are not necessarie to saluation Why are good workes necessarie for they are necessarie for diuers other respects First that our workes may giue testimonie of our faith that by them as by the fruits our faith may bee knowne because that without them faith is dead Jac. 2.18 2. Pet. 1.8 Secondly that wee may be certaine and confirmed of our election and saluation for workes Ibid. though they bee not the causes yet they are the way to saluation Thirdly that our faith may be exercised nourished confirmed 2. Tim. 1.6 2. Pet. 1.8 and promoted Fourthly that wee auoide temporall and eternall paines which God threateneth to inflict vpon transgressors of the Law Fifthly Rom. 8.13 2. Thes 4.6 that our liues may answere our professions for if we be children of light it is behoofefull for vs to walke like children of light Sixtly that not doing euill wee may not contristate the holy Ghost 2. Cor. 5.15 Philip. 2.15 1. Thes 5.19 but that wee may obtaine both temporall and spirituall rewards which God hath promised to those that doe well Seuenthly that they may be done for the good of others 1. Tim. 4.8 Psal 5. v. vlt. that the good may be edified by our example and that we may not giue a scandale to those that are without that by our holy liues as much as lyeth in vs we may gaine others 2. Cor. 6.3 1. Pet. 2.22 and by doing good we may put the wicked to shame and that wee may stop the mouthes of calumniators 2. Pet. 2.12 3 for our workes 16. ad Tit. 2.58 though they are vnperfect yet are they gratefull vnto God not for any perfection or dignitie in them but because they are of the holy Ghost in vs and of faith which purifieth our hearts because all their imperfection is pardoned couered Psal 32.2 and not imputed 13 Hence I obserue How faith and good workes may goe together that a iustifying faith and good workes may goe together the first as the cause the other as the effects and therefore considering the true nature of a good Christian hauing that faith which worketh by charitie my thinkes I behold him in the mysterious vision which the Prophet Ezechiel beheld of the foure beasts Ezech. 1 10. neere the riuer Chobar flying vp to heauen with wings and hands vnder the wings who amounting to heauen according to the number of wings had also sixteene hands which they made-shew of as it were to insinuate that they did not onely amount vp by the helpes of their wings but also by the strength and force of their hands which being vnder their wings moued and supported them For herein I behold a proper resemblance of a true iust and righteous Christian who to ascend vnto heauen and to amount himselfe from all earthly and terrene comforts and to make his conuersation with God in heauen doth not performe this flight onely by the wings of faith but is also therein by the hands of charitie and good workes to helpe and support them without which hee falleth downe to the ground so that now wee see against the Church of Rome that faith alone iustifieth without good workes and that good workes without faith cannot iustifie through their imperfection which in respect of man are so absolutely imperfect and impure as the precedent places of antiquitie doe testifie and therefore I find the most probable inducement of antiquitie in those two points to leade mee vnto the Church of England 14 Now courteous Reader when I had obserued the Church of Rome to faile thus in the triallof antiquitie My feeling vpon the consideration of this obseruation about the two aforesaid points of doctrine concerning faith and good workes attributing too little to the one and too much to the other and the Church of England to haue Antiquitie on her side for the establishment of the aforesaid points I beganne more seriously to behold mine owne estate and to see the former danger of my soule with the great perill of diuers others whose carefull instructer I haue beene in the contrarie nouelties I beganne with amazement to reflect more studiously and feelingly vpon the seuere wordes of S. Paul denouncing an accurse vpon the teachers of nouelties when he said Gal. 1.8 Though an Angell from heauen should preach vnto you otherwise then that which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed In the feare of which curse as I discouered my errour so I determined it to bee high time for mee to shake handes and bidde adieu to the Church of Rome which by her nouell doctrines entangleth the soules of many in the nets of eternall perdition Now could I not but with teares of compunction for my former professed nouelties beginne to mollifie the hardned crust of deformitie which they had wrought in my soule and also with teares of compassion bewaile the miserable estate of those soules as I knew to be defiled with the spots of like errours now could I no but most earnestly prostrate my selfe vpon the ground before the Throne of Gods mercie both for them and my selfe beseeching him to bee propitious and fauourable to vs all in the most tender bowells of Christ Iesus his Sonne cauing pardon and mercie only by him of the Father whose pardon and mercies are aboue all other his workes that we might all who were miserably seduced by the nouelties of Rome discouer and detest them as abhominations in the sight of God and constantly resolue neuer to participate more with her erroneous doctrines and nouelties which were sowed by no other then Sathan and his Ministers but to enter into the happy felloship and societie of that Church that teacheth the contrarie verities standing vpon sure Antiquitie And now did I further with all humilitie of my heart and humble acknowledgment of this great fauour from God in affording mee the meanes of discouer such falshoods yeeld him humble thankes offering vp withall into his holy handes my soule my body with all the powers and faculties of either with the whole residue of my life to come to be imployed hereafter in the conuersion of soules to the present Church of England which I found notwithstanding all pretences to the contrarie to bee Apostolicall and most Ancient grieuing much for my former Oath taken in Rome betwixt the handes of Robert Parsons some twelue or thirteene yeares since to the contrarie in the forme following word for word The Oath of the English Seminaries EGO N. N. Collegij Anglorum alumnus c. I Iohn Copley Collegiall of the English Seminarie duely considering the great benefits which Almightie God hath bestowed vpon me and that especially whereby hee hath drawne mee out of my Countrie infected with Heresie and made mee a member of his
Christ he seeketh that righteousnesse which is of God Thus much S. Basil whose doctrine agreeth most plainly with the doctrine of England in this point 4. I finde also S. Chrysostome to bee most cleare for the same doctrine of iustification by faith only saying vpon those wordes Other Fathers Chrysost Coment in Epist ad Rom. cap. 3. Gloriation is excluded by what law c. In this place he sheweth the power of God not only for keeping him but for iustifying him and for leading him vnto glorie standing in no neede of workes but requiring only faith Hom. de Fide Lege And in an other place No man without faith hath had life for the Theefe beleeued and was iustified by the most mercifull God here say not vnto me that time was wanting that hee might liue iustly and doe honest workes neither will I striue about this but only this one thing will I affirme that faith alone of it selfe saued him Againe also in an other place Hom. 3. in Epist ad Tit. hee saith If thou beleeuest why doest thou inferre other thinges as if faith alone sufficeth not to iustifie a man Hom. 7. Rom. 3. He saith further But what is the law of faith euen to be saued by grace Here the Apostle sheweth the goodnesse of God who not only saueth vs but also iustifieth and glorifieth vs vsing no workes hereunto but requiring faith only Againe Hesichius saith that God hauing commiseration of mankind when he saw it weakned to performe the workes of the law Hesich commeÌ„t sup Leuit. l. 1. c. 2 he would not haue man to be saued by workes but by grace but grace through mercie is apprehended by faith alone not by workes Theophilact vpon these wordes of Saint Paul Because by the law no man shall be iustified before God Theophil Commenâ—â—n cap. 3. ad Galath saith That hee sheweth that by the law all men are made execrable and subiect to malediction and that blessings are heaped vp by faith now hee clearly sheweth that faith it selfe or alone hath power to iustifie And againe saith elsewhere Theophilact 2. ad Thes 2. For faith alone he is to giue eternall good thinges Thus it appeareth how the doctrine of iustification by faith only was taught by the ancient Greeke Fathers 5. Proofes of Latine Fathers Now if we examine the Latin Fathers wee shall finde them as plaine and copious in this point as the other for Hilarie speaking of the Scribes saith Hilar. in Ma. h. Can. 8. It moueth the Scribes that sinne should be remitted by man for they only beheld man in Christ Iesus and that to be remitted by him which the law could not loosE For faith alone iustifieth The same teacheth Saint Ambrose vpon the wordes of Saint Paul Being iustified freely by his grace saith Ambros sup Paul ad Rom. 3 They are iustified freely because working nothing nor yeelding requital they are iustified by faith alone through the gift of God And againe vpon these wordes sup Rom. 4. Beleeuing in him that iustifieth the wicked HIs wordes are these He saith this because if by the workes of the law vnto the wicked beleeuer his faith is reputed to righteousnesse as to Abraham how therefore doe the Iewes thinke themselues to be iushfied by the iustification of Abraham since they see Abraham not by the workes of the law but by faith alone to be iustified therefore the law is not needfull when the wicked is iustified by faith alone with God And in an other place This is appointed by God that hee who beleeueth in Christ shall bee saued without workes De vocat Gent. Cap. 9. ad Rom. by faith alone and againe faith alone is appointed to saluation Primafins likewise sometimes an Auditor to S Augustine speaketh often of iustification by faith alone Sup illud ad Rom. 4. saying He iustifieth the wicked by faith alone not by the works which he had not And againe he saith Ad Rom. 5. Abraham before circumcision is iustified by credulitie aone And in an other place Thou liuest like a Gentill Ad Galath 2. not like a Iew. Thou knowest that hou hast had life through grace not by works but by faith alone Ad Galath 5. And againe Abraham beleeued God and it was reputed to him for righteousnesse so vnto you faith alone sufficieth to righteousnesse Which Author hath many other places to the same purpose Haymo sup Paul ad Gal. 3. Haymo who liued in the time of Ludouicus Pius the sonne of Charles the great saith The law was not fulfilled by faith but by worke but the Gospell is fulfilled more by faith then by workes because faith alone sauethl Sup. Paul ad Heb. 11. Againe in an other place saying If the Harlot that is an Infidell and an Idolatresse is saued by faith alone much more shall they be saued who haue not fallen into more grieuous crimes In Euâ—ng de Circumcil Christi Abacuc 2. Aug. l. 1. contra duas Epist Pelag cap. 21. So likewise elsewhere They shall be faued only by faith alone as it is written but the iust liueth by faith Saint Augustine also himselfe seemeth most plaine for this opinion saying Of what vertue soeuer thou shalt preach the Ancient iust men to haue been of nothing hath made them safe but faith And againe If any man after beleeuing shall forth-with depart out of this life L. 83. quaest q. 76 iustification of faith abideth with him without any precedent good workes because he hath not attained thereunto by merit but by grace 6. Which doctrine of these so Ancient Fathers Later writers euen the learnedst of the moderne Writers of the Church of Rome do approue and ioyntly allow of in their writings Thomas Aquinas their Angelicall Doctor writeth thus Rom. 3. Lect. 4. Gal. 3. Lect 4. Workes be not the cause why a man is iust before God but rather they are the execution and manifestation of his iustice for no man is iustified by works but by the habit of Faith infused yea iustification is done by faith onely Bonauent 4. d. 15. q. 1. nu 10. And Bonauenture the Franciscanes Seraphicall Doctor writeth thus For so much as man was not able to satisfie for so great offence therefore God gaue him a Mediatour who should satisfie for it whence it comes to passe that by only faith in his Passion all the fault is remitted and without the faith of him no man is iustified Saint Bernard also is most perspicuous in the deliuerie of the same doctrine saying Cant. ser 22. Whosoeuer is compunct for his sinnes hungreth and thirsteth after righteousnesse let him beleeue in thee that iustifiest a sinner and being iustified by faith onely hee shall haue peace from thee So that now it is apparant that the doctrine of iustification by faith onely taught in the Church of England is made good by the marke of
antiquitie and approued euen by some of the Romanists themselues against themselues Yea Vergerius a learned Bishop as my Lords Grace of Canterburie noteth but of Sledian intending to write against Luther in that argument Doctor Hils reasons vnmasked reas 8. nu 2. fol. 307. Sleid. lib. 21. was by trauersing of it caught himselfe And so by the discouerie first of one veritie at length grew to abandon altogether the Church of Rome as any whosoeuer shall read this Treatise may well doe I hope with satisfaction and comfort to his owne conscience 7 I further began also to make triall of the doctrine of the Church of Rome concerning good works by this marke of antiquitie which teacheth them to be so perfect About the imperfection of good workes that in some sort they are simply absolutely and perfectly iust and righteous further that they are merits that they iustifie a man and that they are not onely mereitorious for encrease of grace but also of eternall glorie which doctrine tendeth exceedingly to the engendring and nourishing of a Pharisaicall pride and presumption in good workes whereas the doctrine of the Church of England teaching imperfection to be euen in our best workes of the righteous that they are not merits that they doe not iustifie that they are not meritorious is a most holesome doctrine for planting of the true Publicanes humilitie relying wholly vpon Christs righteousnesse and the imputation thereof when he said Deus propitius esto mihi peecatori Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner and so was pronounced more iustified than the Pharisie iustifying himselfe by his workes Luk. 18. vers 11. when he said I am not as other men are extortioners vniust adulterers or euen as this Publicane I fast twice a weeke I giue tythes of all that I possesse This obseruation I gathered by reading and diligently noting Bellarmines confused controuersies in the doctrine of iustification drawing the readers onely to a proud Pharisaicall presumption in their owne workes against whom I obserue many Fathers Our righteousnesse imputed first to account all our true righteousnesse to be Christs righteousnesse more than ours and ours onely by imputation and therefore our owne righteousnesse consequently very imperfect Saint Augustine hath in plaine tearmes thus Epist 106. ad Bonifac. The righteousnesse by which through faith we beleeue we are iustified that is wee are made righteous is the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord. In Enche ca. 41. And againe He is sinne and we righteousnesse not ours but Gods neither in vs but in him as he is sinne not his owne but ours nor in himselfe but in vs so therefore we are Gods righteousnesse in him as he is sinne in vs to wit Lib. 2. de Iacob vit beata by imputation S. Ambrose sayth As Iacob of himselfe deserued not the primogeniture who being hidden in his brothers apparrell and clad in his garment which yeelded forth the best odor did insinuate himselfe to his father that to his profit he might vnder another person receiue benediction so doe wee lye hidden vnder the precious puritie of Christ our first begotten brother that from the sight of God wee may giue testimonie of our iustice With the doctrine of which auncient Fathers holy Bernard agreeth as well as the Church of England Bernard Ser. 61. in Cantic Cant. saying I will remember thy iustice alone for it is mine to wit thou art made vnto me thy righteousnesse from God for how can I feare that one iustice may not suffice vs both It is not the short cloake which according to the Prophet cannot couer two thy iustice is iustice for euer and this large and eternall iustice shall couer both mee and thee together Whereby it is cleare that all our righteousnesse is none of our owne but Christs and therefore all our workes in respect of our selues are sinfull and imperfect 8 Besides the imperfection of our workes appeareth Works imperfect because they cause not saluation in that although they are necessarie for many respects yet are they not the efficient causes of saluation for Saint Ambrose sayth This is appointed by God Ambros in 1. ad Cor. 1. that he that beleeueth in Christ be saued without worke freely receiuing by faith alone remission of sinnes And Saint Augustine hath these wordes August in Psal 70. Thou art nothing of thy selfe call vpon God sinnes are thine mercies are Gods chastisement is due vnto thee and when the reward shall come he shall crowne his gifts not thy merits Saint Chrysostome also sayth Chrysost in cap. 3. ad Rom. Herein the power and might of God is shewed in that he saueth iustifieth and leadeth vnto glorie by faith alone without good workes Basil saith thus Basil in Ps 114. Euerlasting rest abideth vpon those that striue lawfully in this life not for the merits of their deedes but out of the most bountifull fauour of God in which they haue beleeued All which places doe argue against the perfection of workes for our greater humiliation and Gods greater glorie 9. Moreouer the learned Fathers doe further shew VVorkes imperfect because impure Hieron lib. 2. aduers Pelag. that the workes of the righteous are not simply and absolutely iust and perfect for Saint Hierome writeth thus If according to Iob the Moone doth not shine and the starres are not cleare in his sight how much more man who is rottennesse and the sonne of man a worme For euery mouth is stopped and euery cleane one is obnoxious vnto God because before him by the workes of the law all flesh shall not be iustified and there is no difference of persons for all haue sinned and are in neede of the glorie of God being iustified freely through his grace Saint Augustine speaking to Pelagius sayth thus Aug. li. de natur grat The Lord if he would might lift vp mortall men to Angelicall puritie and so cause that they might perfectly keepe the Law but hee neuer did nor euer will doe it Epist 29. Saint Hierome also speaketh as plaine to this purpose when he sayth The fullest charitie which cannot be encreased so long as man liueth here is not in any but so long as it can be augmented truly that which is lesse than it ought to be is of vice out of which vice it is Lib. de perfec iustit resp 18. Lib. 9. confes cap. 13. that no man doth good and sinneth not who further sayth It is sinne when either there is not charitie which ought to be or when it is lesse than it ought to be And Saint Augustine Woe also to the laudable life of men if without mercie thou doest discusse it Lib 9. Mor. c. 1. And Gregorie the Great in his Morals sayth The holy man because he seeth that all the merit of our vertue is vice if it be seuerely iudged by the inward arbitrer doth right well adioyne if hee will