néedes thruste in so long a tale and the same to dilate with all the circumstaunces whereas you had no leasure to note the places of your Doctours that ye alledge in good earneste But now sir sauyng your tale and to applie it to the purpose If maister Molande as he rehersed some faultes of whiche perhappes his horse was free so he had recited all the faultes that maie be in any horse and denied theim all to bee in his horse might not Clare the Butcher haue boughte a good horse of him by negatiues But maister Molande like a subtile Sophister repeateth a many of his defaultes and suppresseth as many or more and so he begileth poore Clare the Butcher And this Sophistrie of maister Molande is youre Logike throughout all your treatise of a fewe particulars to inferre an vniuersal And this your Iade belike you thoughte to sell vnto some as simple as Clare the Butcher that could no more discerne of your diuinitie then Clare the Butcher could sée of maister Molandes Sophistrie Or els if you mente good faithe as you do pretende I must nedes saie to quitte your tale that if Clare wer not a better Butcher then you shewe your self to be a Logicien or diuine you might bothe procede in one facultie and maister Molande bee your presenter For as he solde his horse by negatiues so you haue proued that all our Religion standeth wholie vppon negatiues that we denie all thinges and affirme nothyng The Papiste Dewe obiections made againste the premisses For wheras ye haue saiede the religion of this newe reformed Churche to stande wholy by negatiues in affirmynge no one thyng more then was before vsed in the Catholike churche of Christe howe vntrue this is who seeth not when the religion of this newe reformed Church doth affirme and hath brought in many thinges as good godly and lawfull whiche before were straightly denied The aunswere It must néedes be a clerkely disputatiō wher you maie be both opponent respōdent your self wher you maie make argumētes for vs and make answere for your self But as he that aunswereth if he gett the victorie ouerthroweth him that opposeth so you taking vpon you to oppose and aunswere your self you can ouerthrowe none other but your owne self But neuer a one of these fiue obiections is holden of vs in maner and forme as it is propounded of you And therfore I would desire you henceforwarde to defende youre owne matters aswell as you can for you shall gette neither money nor thankes to plaie the Proctor for vs. The Papiste Firste it dooeth affirme that it is lawfull and bothe good and godly that Priestes shoulde take wiues and beyng firste made Priestes it is lawfull to marie The aunswere We affirme that it is vnlawfull that any manne should bee bounde to sole life whiche hath not the gifte of continence And that marriage is as honourable in ecclesiasticall ministers as in al other men whether thei were married before thei were called to that office or to whether thei marrie afterwarde Hebre. xiij j. Timoth. iij. and Tite j. The Papiste Seconde it dooeth affirme that Freers Monkes and Nonnes after their vowes made solemnely vnto God of their chaste and cōtinent life that it is lawful for theim to mary together and holde the same to be good and lawfull wedlocke The aunswere Wee affirme that who soeuer hath made a rashe and vnaduised vowe of continence whiche he is not able to keepe ought to repente him of his rashenes and rather to marrie then to burne j. Cor. 7. The Papiste Thirde it doeth affirme that a man beyng deuorced from his wise for fornicatiō may therupon marie againe and take another and so it is lawfull for hym to haue twoo wiues a liue the one in the bedde the other diuorced The aunswere Wee affirme that thei whiche are lawfully deuorced for adulterie are no more housebande and wife For the knot of marriage by lawfull deuorsemente is cleane dissolued and therefore a manne so deuorsed maie marrie and not haue twoo wiues at ones accordyng to the doctrine and right vnderstandyng of our Sauiour Christes wordes Math. v. and xix The Papiste Fowerth it doeth affirme Breade ad wine to bee the whole substaunce of the Eucharistie after the consecration The aunswere Wee affirme accordyng to the scriptures and faithe of the Churche for a thousande yeres after Christe that breade and wine remaine in the Sacrament and are necessarie there to remaine that it maie bée a Sacramente for the woorde muste come to the Elemente and so make it a Sacrament But we doe not affirme that breade and wine is the whole substaunce of the Sacrament but the bodie and blood of Christe receiued by faithe is the principall parte thereof as in Baptisme the outward Element is water but the principall part thereof is the pourgyng of our sinnes by the secrete and wōderfull workyng of the holie ghoste the Papiste Fifte it doth affirme that onely faieth iustifieth and that faieth alone is sufficient to procure and purchase for vs gods grace and mercie for the time of this present life and at the ende and terme therof life euerlastyng Beside many other like diuerse thinges that the religion of this newe reformed churche doth affirme as thinges lawfull and haue brought theim into this realme as thinges good and godly The aunswere Wee affirme that the free mercie of God in Christ is the efficient cause of our iustification whiche mercie we apprehēde by none other hande or instrumente but by faithe But that either faithe dooeth procure or purchase Gods grace or mercie by any whorthinesse of it wee vtterly denie as also that onely faithe is sufficiēte for a christian man when we teache that this faith by which we are iustified is not a solitarie faith but of necessitie accompanied with many vertues good workes although by receiuyng Goddes mercie no workes but onely faithe doeth iustifie vs. The Papiste An answere against the obiections For aunswere beside that there is no one of their affirmatiōs now by theim brought that maketh any thing ad cultum diuinum to the seruice and honouryng of god wherin true religion doth consiste as it is before proued by the diffinition therof geuen by Augustine al their affirmations doe include some negatiōs of a farre more better thing then is brought in by their affirmations The aunswere But euen nowe in the latter ende of the firste obiection you confesse that wee affirme many other thynges beside these fiue whiche you haue rehersed And now as though we had no other affirmations you conclude as your maner is that no one of our affirmatiōs maketh any thyng ad cultum diuinum to gods seruice and that all our affirmations doe include a negation of a farre better thing then is brought in by them So that when wee affirme all the articles of the Crede none of theim perteineth to Goddes seruice but rather include a negation of a farre better thing When we affirme
¶ A confutation of a Popishe and sclaunderous libelle in forme of an apologie geuen out into the courte and spread abrode in diuerse other places of the Realme ¶ VVritten by VVilliam Fulke Bacheler in Diuinitie and felowe of S. Ihons Colledge in Cambridge ¶ Imprinted at London by Ihon Kingston for William Iones and are to bee solde at the newe long shop at the West ende of Poules ¶ To the right honourable and vertuous Ladie the Ladie Margaret Strange YOur honourable and Godly request madame to haue this infamous and Popishe Apologie confuted maie bee a sufficient testimone bothe of your loyall affection towardes your prince countrie also of vnfeigned loue towardes God and his true religion For as the libell being sclanderous against our soueraigne and her lawes blasphemous against God his truthe might be a reioysyng to the obstinate rebellious and an offence to the weake and ignorant if the cloudes of calumniation and deceiptful reasonyng vsed therin were not driuē a waie with the blaste of some confutation so the falshod therof beyng opened and the crafte discouered by your L. procuremēt shal be a matter of gladnes to the godly of grief to the wicked of strenthenyng to the weake and of learnyng to the ignorant VVherby trueth beyng mainteined and errour cōfounded many men shal be profited God hymself shal be glorified And your L. for preferryng so many folde goodnes may be assured to receiue worthie thankes of men and plentifull reward of god But this especially wherin your L. ought chiefly to reioice is not to be omitted that as god hath iustified you in the merites of his sonne through faith cōceiued in your harte so he hath geuen you an occasion hereby of his holie name and religion to make opē profession in the world VVhē accordyng to the testimonie of the Apostle as a true and liuely beleif of the hart is necessarie for iustificatiō so a cleare open confession of the mouth is requisite to saluatiō So that this your L. requeste might seme in all poinctes most fortunat if it had not founde so meane an instrument as I am to accōplishe it For beside that I am inferiour to verie many of my brethren that are meate to take suche a matter in hād I haue been for these two yeres almost as it were sequestered both frō serious studie and plentie of such bokes as for such a purpose were most conuenient Notwithstāding esteming your L. motion as a prouocatiō sente of god to occupie my idle tyme to employe some parte of gods giftes to the profite of his Churche as my duetye bindeth me I thought good to shew my self rather vnable thē willing to satisfie your godly desire Not that the obiectiōs of the aduersarie were of suche weight but that thei might easely bee auoyded by many thousand christians whom God hath indued with meaner giftes of knowledge vnderstandyng then it hath pleased hym to bestowe vpon me but that I am priuie to myne owne imperfection whereby I am lesse apt to beautifie a matter with such copy eloquence as many other are I would wish that this argument might haue been handled Neuertheles accordyng to my bare and simple facultie I haue endeuoured to set forthe the truthe rather with substaunce of matter then with florishyng of woordes not caryng howe finely but howe plainly I might cause it to appere seyng it is no lesse charitable to teach the ignoraunt then it is commendable to please the learned And this labour I haue bestowed for the profite of others and not for the praise of my self For whiche cause also I thought it not beste to encomber the simple reader with many reasōs or authorities to proue one matter but to enstructe hym with a few and those pitthie of force to perswade Sauyng that in one questiō of iustification in multitude of testimonies I maie seme to be ouer tedious if the cause be not considered whiche prouoked me thereto For seyng the aduersaries without shame crie out that our doctrine of iustification is suche a straunge paradox as neuer was hearde of in the worlde before our tyme the same doctrine beeyng the chiefe foundation of true Religion I thought it expedient that the vnlearned were admonished what plētifull witnesses it hath of antiquitie as it hath moste manifest aucthoritie in the holie worde of god To conclude there were twoo other considerations that encouraged me to take vpon me this cōfutation One because this Popishe apologie discouereth no greate learnyng of the aucthor there is no greate connyng to bee required in hym that should make answere to it for that it hath presumed to thrust it self into the princes court it is not impertinēt that it should be confuted by one that is attēdant in the same Thus hauing doen my good will I moste humbly desire your L. to take it in good parte besechyng almightie God so to continue and encrease his giftes of vertue and godlines in your L. that you maie be blessed with true honour and prosperitie in this life and afterward rewarded with eternall ioye and felicitie Your L. to commaunde in the Lorde William Fulke An aunswere to a Popishe apologie ¶ An Apollogie of a Papiste confuted by W. F. THere was found in the court either cast of purpose or lost of negligence a certain small pamphlette conteinyng an Apollogie or aunswere of a Papiste to some frendes of his that perswaded hym to conforme hymself to the Religion now receiued in the realme by publike aucthoritie whiche when it came to my handes supposyng it might do some hurte emong them that are ignoraunte I thought good briefly to confute it But because the copie whiche was founde was vnskilfully written I had some diffultie to reade it in certaine places and sometymes I mighte plainely perceiue that the aucthours meanyng was chaunged by vntrue writyng So that the aucthour or his frendes maie haue some occasion to cauill at my publishing of the copie whiche was so muche corrupted In cōsideratiō wherof I would haue been verie glad to haue had the principall copie of the aucthours owne hande if I could haue knowen how to come by it But seyng I was out of hope of that I perused and restored the copie that I had as faithfully as I could desiryng the aucthour or his frendes that haue the originall if I haue erred in any woorde of any momente to lette me haue knowledge thereof and I will thereby reforme the apologie and alter myne answere thereto accordyngly The writyng had this title The Papiste Certaine considerations and causes mouyng me not to bee presente at nor to receiue neither vse the seruice of the newe booke otherwise called the Common boke of praiers The aunswere If the copie of your title as it came to my hande was not peruerted you shewe your self in your title to bee a very peruerse ▪ and froward persone that maie not vouchsafe to call the booke as it is commonly
the Arians did agree with the Christen menne in theim bothe as in all Sacramentes and in all poinctes of praiyng sauing that the Arians did sing Gloria patri in filio and the Christian menne Gloria patri filio c. And therfore and for that onely poinct Ihō Chrysostome then beyng Bishop of Constantinople did appoincte vnto the christian men a seperate place and maner of praier from them as it appeareth in the sixth of the Historie Ecclesiastike And therefore the notable doctour S. Augustine doth conclude on thys wise saiyng that they shall not communicate in Sacramētes with vs whose doctrine we cannot approue and allowe The aunswere Your third consideration standeth vppon a foolishe fallation of Sophistrie called petitio principij whiche is whē a man will take that as true whiche his aduersarie will not graunte hym As you doe in this your argument where you take that for a true principle whiche you shall neuer be able to proue namely that we are Heretikes and Schismatikes And so you committe double folie Firste in prouyng that so diligentely whiche no manne will deny whiche is that a manne ought not to communicate in religion with Heretikes and secondly in bringing no proofe at all of that which all your aduersaries wil deny namely that thei are Heretikes or Schismatikes For you must first prooue that thei are suche before you can proue that you ought to auoide their societie The Papiste The fowerth consideration is that the receiuyng of this new booke of seruice is a condemnation of the olde wherby is taken away 5. of the. 7. Sacramentes the reall presence of Christes body in the Sacramente of the alter the sacrifice of the masse many traditions of the Apostles as the holiyng of the Fonte oile and Chrisma in Baptisme and Confirmation the making of the signe of the Crosse praiers for the deade and vnto sainctes All sacramentall and godly cerimonies frequented in the vniuersal churche of Christe and brougt into this realme with the faithe of Christe by S. Augustine and here by hym established as suer signes and tokens of christian faieth like as the holy S. Bede witnesseth in his firste boke de gestis Anglorum in the 25.29.30 chapiters beside that all the foresaide thinges haue been alwaie approued vsed and allowed throughout the vniuersal church of christ And therfore saieth S. Augustine all these thinges whiche haue been receiued in the vniuersall Churche of Christe and approued by the vse and consente therof ought not to be ouerthrowen nor yet to be chaūged by the iudgemente of one priuate person be his learnyng and liuyng neuer so good nor yet by the Bishoppes of any one prouince or countrie when thereby they shoulde breake the vnitie of Gods spirite whiche is the chief treasure in his Churche commended by our sauiour Christe vnto his Apostles wishynge and praiynge the same vnitie to be amongest theim whiche was betwixt him and God Ioan 17 the father The Apostle S. Paule tought the Corinthians aboue all thinges to obserue this vnitie and willed the Romaines that with one minde and one mouth they shoulde glorifie god And in the Epistle to the Ephesians he besought theim most entirely to obserue this vnitie Again S. Augustine saieth these thinges whiche the vniuersall churche doth teache therfore are to be obserued and kepte of all menne because the churche which is the spouse of Christ hath the full aucthoritie of her husband Christ and suche gouernement also of the holy ghost that she cannot consent but to true thinges nor she cannot commaunde but onely suche thinges whiche are both holy holsome and good And farther the same S. Augustine saieth that in the ministratiō of the Sacramentes and in the manner of praiyng vsed of Preestes there must be an vniformitie obserued in Christes catholike Churche that by their Lawe and maner of praiyng there may be established the lawe of beleuyng And lest that the lawe and maner of praiyng being chaunged may also bring foorthe a chaunge and alteration of faieth like as it hath so proued in thys realme Beside that S. Ambrose doth thinke that there can not bee the faieth where Schisme is for albeit that schismatikes may haue faieth towardes God yet they cannot haue faieth towarde the Churche of God whom they suffer to bee dismembred and discerped in peeces For wheras our sauiour Christe suffered for his Churche and the Churche is the mysticall bodie of Christe how therfore may thei haue faith in christ by whom his Passion is made frustrate and his mysticall bodie drawen in peeces And therefore woulde not we shoulde chaunge an order set or a custome of Christes churche For albeit saieth he the reason or cause of a custome may be sought for yet must it be so sought for that the custome thereby be not infirmed or broken for the searche may not bee made vnto destruction but vnto aedification wherby thou maist better obserue the custome when thou arte assured of the cause and reason therof I do praise thee saieth Tertuliane whiche firste doeth beleue the custome to be obserued before it hath learned the cause and reason why and wherfore The aunswere In your fowerth consideration you should haue likewise considered that suche thynges as are graunted of bothe partes nede small proofe and that those matters whiche are in controuersie should be substancially cōfirmed As for example How necessarie vnitie is for the Churche of Christe no manne doubteth so it bee in truthe and not in falshed for there is vnitie emong the mooste wicked but not in truthe and honestie On the other side that there be fiue sacramentes more then the boke alloweth that there is a carnall presence in the Sacrament of the Lordes bodie and bloude that there is or ought to be a Sacrifice in the masse ye bring not one worde of proof Concernyng Ceremonies whiche you call traditions of the Apostles you saie in deede a little although to little purpose and yet so confusely and out of all good order that you seme rather to confounde then to instructe your simple reader for what an hochpotte is this in the middes of your Sacramentes and Sacramentalles to choppe in praiers for the deade and inuocation of sainctes whiche bée articles of doctrine and not Ceremoniall obseruations Againe when you haue rehersed by name diuers Ceremonies as oile and chrisme in Baptisme your maner of confirmation the signe of the Crosse and all other your Sacramentalls and Ceremonies you bryng in certain broken and vnperfecte sentences of Doctours whiche speake generally of Ceremonies vsed in the churche in their age and doe not shew that your Ceremonies were vsed then in suche maner as you vse them now which is a meere mockerie of your readers For wheras you doe comprehende thē all vnder the name of Traditions of the Apostles if you be a man of suche learning as you would seme to be I dare saie in your behalfe you will bee ashamed to come to triall of this poincte that
man which onely hope O Kyng thou hast geuen to miserable sinners From hym dissenteth not Basilius Magnus de humilitate hom 51. Haec enim est perfecta ac integra gloriatio in deo quando neque ob iusticiam suam quis se iactat sed nouit quidem seipsum verae iusticiae indigum esse sola autem fide in Christum iustificatum esse This is a perfecte and full reioysyng in GOD when a manne doeth not boast hymselfe of his owne rightousnes but knoweth hymselfe to be voide of true rightousnes and to bee iustified by faithe onely in christ The Papistes now adaies saieth it is greate pryde and presumption whiche Basile acknowledgeth to be true humilitie Saincte Ambrose in many places sheweth hymself to bée of the same minde as in his exhortation Ad virgines speaking of the dowrie that Christ requireth of vs to ioigne with hym in marriage Sola est fides vtrique indiscreta sexui census virorum dos virginum It is faithe onely whiche is indifferente to bothe sexes the substance of men the dowrie of virgines Also in the same worke Nam vnde mihi tantum meriti est cui indulgentia pro corona est For wheÌ„ce should I haue so greate merite when mercie is my croune And againe Non ex operibus sed ex fide vnusquisque iustificatur à domino Not by workes but by faith is euery one iustified of the lorde And in his Epistle 82. Ad Vercellenses Sola vos comitabitur fides Erit sanè etiaÌ„ iustitia comes si fides praeuia sit Onely faithe shall beare you compaignie And righteousnes also shal be your companion if faithe goeth before Also in Lucam lib. 2. Capit. 2. Nihil in hoc censu verearis terribile nihil immite nihil triste sola vnumquemque fides signat Feare nothyng in this taxyng that should bee terrible nothyng cruell nothyng sadde or heauie onely faithe doeth marke euery manne But these places you will saie are somewhat darcke You shall haue therefore them that are plaine enough Vpon the Epistle to the Romaines Chapit iij. vpon these wordes Iustificati gratis per gratiam ipsius that is Beyng iustified freely by his fauoure he writeth thus Iustificati sunt gratis quia nihil operantes neque vicem reddentes sola fide iustificati sunt dono dei Thei are iustified freely because without any woorkyng or requitynge thei are iustified by faithe alone by the gifte of god And vpon the iiij Chapiter Quomodo ergo Iudaei per opera legis iustificari se putant iustificatione Abrahae cum videant Abraham non ex operibus legis sed sola fide iustificatum Non ergo opus est lex quando impius per solam fidem iustificatur apud deum secundum propositum gratiae dei Sic decretum dicit à deo vt cessante lege solaÌ„ fidem gratia dei posceret ad salutem That is How dooe the Iewes thinke that thei maie bee iustified through the woorkes of the lawe by the iustification of Abraham when thei see that Abraham was not iustified by the woorkes of the lawe but by faithe alone Therefore the lawe is not necessarie seeyng the vngodly manne is iustified before GOD by faithe onely accordyng to the purpose of the grace of God for so he saith it is decreed of God that the lawe ceasyng the grace of God requireth faithe alone to saluation And in the same Chapiter Beatos dicit de quibê° hoc sanxit deus vt sine labore et aliqua obseruatione sola fide iustificentur apud deum He saieth thei are blessed of whom GOD hath decreed this thyng that without labour and any obseruation thei should bee iustified before God by faithe alone And againe Manifeste beati sunt quibus sine labore vel opere aliquo remittuntur iniquitates peccata teguntur Nulla ab his requisita poenitentiae opera nisi tantum vt credent It is manifeste that thei are happie to whoÌ„ their iniquities are forgiuen and their synnes hidde without any laboure or woorke of theirs and no workes of repentaunce required of them but onely that thei should beleue And in the. 10. chapiter Nullum opus dicit legis sed solam fidem dandam in causa Christi He saieth that no woorke of the lawe but onely faithe muste bee giuen in the cause of Christe And in the eleuenth chapiter Et quoniam versutia aduersarij cumulari peccata coeperunt vt per interdictum magis reus homo constitueretur deus clementia bonita tis suae semper homini procurans vt quod sine lege erat peccatum in lege non possit deleri hoc decreuit vt solam fidem poneret per quam omnia peccata abolerentur vt quia nulla spes per legem omnibus hominibus erat dei misericordia saluarentur And because through the subtiltie of the aduersarie synnes beganne to bee increased so that through the forbiddyng a manne was made more giltie God prouidyng alwaie for manne by the mercie of his goodnes so that that whiche was synne without the lawe and by the lawe could not bee putte awaie he decreed this to prepare onely faithe by whiche all synnes should be taken awaie that because there was no hope to all men by the lawe thei might bee saued by the mercie of god And vpon the j. Cor. Cha. j. Datam dicit gratiaÌ„ à deo in Christo Iesu quia gratia sie data est in Christo Iesu quia hoc constitutum est à deo vt qui credit in Christum saluus sit sine opere solae fide gratis accipiens remissionem peccatorum He saieth that grace is giuen from God in Iesus Christe because grace is so giuen in Christe Iesus for that it is so appoincted of God that he whiche beleueth in Christe shall bee saued without workes receiuyng forgiuenesse of his synnes freely by faithe alone And vpon the ij Cor. Chap. iij. speaking of the lawe of the Gospell Haec lex dat libertatem solam fidem poscens This lawe giueth libertie requiryng faithe alone And in the Preface before the Epistle to the Galathians Si ergo haec dicta intelligerent à lege recederent scientes à praedicatione Ioannis Baptistae legem iam cessare vt sola fides sufficiat ad salutem abbreuiata ex lege If therefore thei did vnderstande these saiynges thei would depart from the lawe knowyng that since the preachyng of IhoÌ„ the Baptiste the lawe is now ceased and faithe alone sufficeth whiche is an abbridgemente of the lawe Also vpon the third Chapiter of the Epistle to the GalathiaÌ„s Sed aliud aduersum improuida praesumptione defendunt putantes iustificationem sine operibus legis prouenire non posse cum sciant Abraham qui forma eius rei est sine operibus legis per solam fidem iustificatum But thei maintaine an other contrary thyng by vnskilfull presumption thinkyng that iustification can not bee obteined without the workes of the lawe whereas thei knowe
sola fide accepistis qui non nisi à iustis accipitur iustos autem sine legis operibus vos esse constat You haue receiued the holy ghoste by faith alone whiche is not receiued but of righteous persons And it is plain that you are righteous with out the woorkes of the lawe Moreouer Abraham eredidit deo reputatum c. Ita vobis ad iustitiam sola sufficit fides Abraham beleued GOD and it was accoumpted to hym for righteousnes So faithe alone is sufficiente for you also to righteousnesse Furthermore in the same Chapiter Quaeritur sane hoc loco si fides sola sufficiat Christiano vtrū non sit maledictus qui Euangelica praecepta contemnet Sed fides ad hoc proficit vt in primitijs credulitatis accedentes ad deum iustificet si deinceps in iustificatione permaneant Caeterum sene operibus fidei non legis mortua est fides It is in deede demaunded in this place if faithe alone bee sufficiente for a Christian man and whether he is not accursed that shall despise the preceptes of the Gospell But faithe profiteth thus farre that in the beginning of beleuyng it iustifieth those that come vnto god if afterward thei cōtinue in iustification But without the workes of faith not of the lawe faithe is deade Also speakyng of the lawe Quia nemo illam seruat ideo dictum est quod sola fide iustificandi essent credentes Because no manne keepeth the lawe therefore it is saied that the beleuers must bee iustified by faithe alone Also so vt sola fide Gentès benedicerentur in Christe sicut promssum est Abrahae that the Gentiles might bee blessed by faithe alone in Christe as it was promised to Abraham Also ▪ Lex autem non est ex fide nam iustificat sola fides The lawe is not of faithe for faithe alone dooeth iustifie Againe necesse est sola fide saluari credentes It is necessarie that the beleuers should be saued by faith alone Againe Aequaliter Iudaei Gentes per solam fidem filij dei estis qua credidistis Christo. Bothe Iewes and Gentiles you are a like the sonnes God by faithe alone by which you haue geuē credite to christ Also vpon the v. Chapiter In sola fide crucis dico esse salutem I saie that saluation cōsisteth in faithe alone of the crosse That is of the death of christ And vpon the vj. Chapiter In sola fide spes collocatur animarum In faithe alone resteth the hope of soules Also vpon the Episto ad Ephes. ij Gratia saluati estis non meritis prioris vitae sed sola fide You are saued by grace not by merites of your former life but by faithe alone Also vpon these wordes Legem mandatorum in decretis abrogans per solam fidem iustificans moralia sola decernēs Abrogatyng the lawe of preceptes that was in decrees iustifiyng by faithe onely and decreeyng the morall preceptes onely to bee obserued And vpon these woordes Per crucem interficiens inimicitias per solam fidem crucis quae nullum deterret non enim grauis aut difficilis est quam habere etiam latro potuit crucifixus By his Crosse slaiyng the harted by only faithe of his crosse which maketh no man afraied for it is not heauie or harde whiche euen the Thiefe that was crucified might haue Finally vpon the Epist. ad Philip. iij. Where saincte Paule saieth that he hath not the righteousnes whiche is of the lawe but that whiche is by the faithe of Christ Iesus he noteth Sed illam quae a deo pro pace sola fide collata But I haue that righteousnesse whiche is geuen properly of God and by faithe alone Ruffinus also whiche otherwise was a greate aduersarie of sainct Hieromes yet in this poincte he is his verie frende and of the same iudgemente as he was the iudger of al learned men at that time excepte Pelagius the arche heretike and his fellowes Ruffinus therefore in his exposition of the Crede vpon the Article of remission of sinnes writeth thus Verum de remissione peccatorum sufficere debet sola eredulitas Quis enim causas aut rationem requirat vbi indulgentia principalis est causa But for remission of synnes onely beliefe ought to suffice for who should require causes or a reson where mercie is the principall cause So that when iustification is through remission of sinnes as sainct Paule proueth out of the Psalme xxxij And remission of synnes is obtained by faithe alone who cā deny that iustificatiō is obtained by faithe alone Sainct Augustine although he doe not so often repeate the tearmes of faithe alone yet no writer more often nor more substancially setteth forthe the righteousnesse by faithe alone and as he had specially more occasion beyng troubled with the Pelagians and Celestianes in his confessions Libro x. Capit. xxix Tota spes mea non nisi magna valde misericordia tua Da quod iubes iube quod vis All my hope is nothing els but thy exceadyng greate mercie O God Geue that thou commaundeste and commaunde what thou wilte Also in his Epistle to Sixtus 105. Restat igitur vt ipsam fidem vnde omnis iustitia sumit initium propter quod dicatur ad ecclesiam in Cantico Canticorum venies transies ab initio fidei non humano quo isti extollūtur saluamus arbitiro nec vllis praecaedētibus meritis quoniā inde incipiāt bona quaecūque sunt merita sed gratuitum donū dei esse fateamur si gratiā veram id est fine me ritis cogitamus It remaineth therfore that we doe not ascribe to the frée will of man whereof these menne are so proude nor to any merites goyng before that haue faithe it self of whiche all righteousnesse taketh his beginnyng for whiche it is said vnto the Churche in the Canticle thou shalt come and passe by the beginnyng of faithe because that hereof all good merites whatsoeuer thei be beginne but that we confesse it to bee the free gifte of God if we thinke of true grace whiche is with out merites Also in his 120. Epistle to Honoratus speakyng of faithe Ex hoc quippe in cipiunt bona opera ex quo iustificamur non quia precesserunt iustificamur For hereof beginne good woorkes whereof we are iustified wee are not iustified because thei wente before In his Enchiridion ad Laurentium Capite 99. Sola gratia redemptos disceruimus cernimus à perditis quos in vnam perditionis concreuerit massam ab origine ducta causa communis We discerne theim that are redemed from those that are loste by grace alone whom the common cause deriued from the beginnyng hath bredde into one lumpe of perdition Also in his booke De fide operibus Capit. 22. In illis duobus tota lex pendet Prophetiae licet recte dici posset ad solam fidem pertinere dei mandata si non mortua
sola virtute Iesu Christi qui dixit confidice ego vici mundum alibi princeps huius mundi eijcitur foras quare nos sola eius virtute confidamus mundum posse vincere diabolum superare The fifte rule of a godly mā is that thou doe not trust in those twelue peeces of armour nor in any other humane remedie but in the onely vertue of Iesus Christ which saieth be of good corage I haue ouercome the world in an other place the prince of this world is cast out wherfore lette vs trust by his vertue alone both to ouercome the world and to vanquishe the Deuill Also in his booke de conflictu carnis animae Cap. 6. Tibi domine deus meus attribuitur quicquid pertinet ad potentiam diuinam autem potentiam euidentius nihil manifestat quam iustificare impium hoc est trahere peccatorem iuxta quod legitur Deus qui omnipotentiam tuam parcendo maxime miserando manifestas melius enim est iustificare quam creare cum creando detur natura iustificando autem auferatur culpa conferatur gratia To thée O lorde my god is ascribed whatsoeuer perteineth to power and there is nothing that setteth forthe the power of God more euidently then to iustifie an vngodly man that is to draw a sinner accordyng as it is redde O God whiche shewest thine almightie power most of all in sparyng and shewyng mercie for it is a greater mater to iustifie then to create whereas in creating nature is geuen but in iustifiyng sinne is taken awaie and grace geuen I will conclude with Venantius in his exposition of the Crede wherein he followeth Ruffinus vppon the Article of remissiō of sinnes vsing almost the very wordes of Ruffinus saieth on this maner Remissionem peccatorum nobis in hoc sermone sola cre dulitas sufficit nec ratio requiritur vbi principalis indulgentia comprobatur Onely beliefe in this speache is sufficient to geue vs remission of sinnes neither is any reason required where mercie is proued to be the principall cause Seiyng therfore that wee are compassed as the Apostle saieth with suche a cloude of witnesses I cannot but meruaile with what face the aduersaries canne so cōfidently pronounce that the doctrine of iustification by faith alone is newe doctrine neuer harde of in the Churche before this fortie or fiftie yeres And for as muche as the witnesses are in nomber so many in tyme so auncient in learnyng so excellent that of all men they are reuerenced and séeyng their testimonies are so diuerse all to one ende some affirmyng the doctrine in plaine termes some yeldyng reasons therof some shewyng proofes and argumentes for it some aunsweryng obiections made against it and euery one of these in seuerall wordes phrases and maners of speakyng I am suer though subtiltie canne deuise startyng holes to elude some of theim all the crafte of the Deuill cannot bée able to auoide theim al. And if the only admonitiō of August be thought of you sufficient for both learned men and Christian menne whiche is that a baren deade and vnstructfull faithe is not sufficient for saluation what thinke you so many admonitions of so sundrie both learned and christian writers ought to woorke with all men teaching that a true and liuely faith alone in the onely mercie of God by Iesus Christe doth iustifie We agrée with Augustine that a solitarie faith doth not iustifie if you can as well agree with the scripture and almost all auncient Fathers that a fruictfull faith alone doeth iustifie not by merite of the fructes but by takyng holde of Gods mercie The Papiste And that which is most of all to be meruailed at wheras the religion of this reformed Church hath lefte vs nothing to serue God withall but this onely and alone faith whiche they doe affirme to suffice they doe by the free choise and will of man denied clene take awaie this onely faith also like as al other gifts graces benefits vprising vnto man by the death and blood sheding of Iesus Christe For so muche as the free will of manne is the seate of grace and the mansion house of faieth whereby faieth is produced and brought foorth by the grace of God as chiefe agent and worker thereof and in the will of man as in an apte receptackle and place to receiue the same when no man canne beleue but he that will. And therfore for man to beleue both these two thinges are necessarilie required First is the acte of Gods grace stirryng and mouynge the will of man therunto second is the consente of mannes will to applie and receiue the same without the whiche consente of mannes will Goddes grace knocketh all in vaine As it appeareth by the citezeins of Hierusalem vnto whom our sauior Christ saieth in the Gospell Hierusalem Hierusalem whiche dooest slaie the Prophetes and stonest them to death that are sent vnto thee how often tymes would I haue gathered thy children like as a Henne gathereth her chickens vnderneath her wynges and thou wouldest not I would saith christ but thou O Ierusalē wouldest not VVherby it appeareth that god by his grace doth not worke his belefe in the soule of man as in a stocke or in a stone with out any consente of mans parte to be geuen thervnto whē there is no man that can by any other meane receiue faithe then by the consente of his owne will and therefore in the worke of faithe Gods grace and mans will muste consente and ioigne together bothe The Apostle saincte Paule in witnesse thereof saieth by the grace of God I am that I am and his grace in me was not in vaine but I haue laboured more aboundantly then thei all and not I saieth saincte Paule but the grace of God with me and not without me as workyng before in me and without my consente but mecum with me For Augustine saieth that almightie God whiche in the beginnyng did create manne without any consent askyng of manne therevnto he will not nowe iustifie manne constreinedly and whether he will or not but with his owne consente will and desir◠therevnto For the kyngdome of heauen saieth our sauiour Christ suffereth violence and the onely violente menne whiche here will trauaile laboure and fight therefore shal be partakers of that kyngdome VVhē the ioyes of heauen are not so vile nor so meane thynges like as the Apostle saincte Paule saieth but thei are worthe the labouryng for seyng therefore it can not bee denied without deniall of the expresse testimonies of the scriptures but that the consente of mannes will must necessarily come with Goddes grace to receiue faithe therefore in the deniyng of the consent of mannes will thei deny faithe and thus in fine the religion of this newe reformed churche is brought all circumstaunces beyng duely examined from onely faithe and faithe alone to haue no faithe at all The aunswere It is a greate marueile to see