yet is it made ours by imputation For as his righteousnesse is made ours so are his merits depending theron but his righteousnes is made ours by imputation as I haue shewed Hence ariseth an other point namely that as Christs righteousnes is made ours really by imputation to make vs righteous so we by the merit of his righteousnes imputed to vs doe merit and deserue life euerlasting And this is our doctrine In a word the Papist maintaineth the merits of his owne workes but we renounce them all and rest onely on the merit of Christ. And that our doctrine is truth and theirs falshoode I will make manifest by sundrie reasons and then answer their arguments to the contrarie Our reasons The first shall be taken from the properties and conditions that must be in a worke meritorious and they are fowre I. A man must doe it of himselfe and by himselfe for if it be done by another the merite doth not properly belong to the doer II. A man must doe it of his owne freewill and pleasure not of due debt for when we doe that which we are bound to doe we doe no more but our dutie III. The worke must be done to the profit of an other who thereupon must be bound to repay the like IV. The reward and the worke must be in proportion equall for if the reward be more then the worke it is not a reward of desert but a gift of good will Hence followes a notable conclusion That Christs manhoode considered a part from his godhead cannot merit at Gods hand though it be more excellent euery way then all both men and angels For being thus considered it doth nothing of it selfe but by grace receiued from the godhead though it also be without measure Secondly Christs manhoode is a creature and in that regarde bound to doe whatsoeuer it doth Thirdly Christ as man cannot giue any thing to god but that which he receiued from God therfore cannot the manhoode properly by it selfe merit but onely as it is personally vnited vnto the godhead of the Sonne And if this be so then much lesse can any meere man or any angel merit yea it is a madnes to thinke that either our actions or persons should be capable of any merit whereby we might attaine to life eternall Reason II. Exod. 20 8. And SHEVV MERCIE vpon thousands in them that loue me and keepe my commandements Hence I reason thus where reward is giuen vpon mercie there is no merit but rewarde is giuen of mercie to them that fulfill the law therefore no merit What can we any way deserue when our full recompence must be of mercie And this appeares further by Adam if he had stood to this day he could not by his continuall and perfect obedience haue procured a further increase of fauour at Gods hand but should onely haue continued that happie estate in which he was first created Reason III. Scripture directly condemneth merite of workes Rom. 6. 23. The vvages of sinne is death but THE GIFT OF GOD IS eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. The proportion of the argument required that S. Paul should haue said The reward of good workes is eternall life if life euerlasting could be deserued which cannot because it is a free gift Againe Tit. 3. 5. We are saued not by vvorkes of righteousnes which vve haue done but according to his mercie he saued vs. And Ephes. 2. v. 8 10. By grace you are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of works which God hath prepared that we should walke in them If any workes be crowned it is certen that the sufferings of Martyrs shall be rewarded now of them Paul saith Rom. 8. 18. The sufferings of this life are NOT VVORTHY of the glorie to come Where then is the value dignitie of other works To this purpose ` Ambr. saith The iust man though he be tormented in the brasen bull is still iust because he iustifieth God and saith he suffereth LESSE THEN HIS SINNES DESERVE Reason IV. Whosoeuer will merit must fulfill the whole law but none can keepe the whole law For if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues 1. Ioh. 1. And he that sinnes against one commandement is guiltie of the whole law And what can he merit that is guiltie of the breach of the whole law Reason V. We are taught to pray on this manner Giue vs this day our daily bread Wherein we acknowledge euery morsel of bread to be the meere gift of God without desert and therefore must we much more acknowledge life eternall to be euery way the gift of God It must needes therefore be a satanicall insolencie for any man to imagine that he can by his workes merit eternall life who cannot merit bread Reason VI. Consent of the auncient Church Bernard Those which we call our merits are the way to the kingdome and not THE CAVSE OF RAIGNING August Manuali cap. 22. All my hope is in the death of my Lord. His death is my merit my MERIT IS THE PASSION OF THE LORD I shall not be voide of merits so long as Gods mercies are not wanting Basil. on psal 114. Eternall rest is reserued for them which haue striuen lavvfully in this life not FOR THE MERITS of their doings but vpon the grace of the most bountifull God in which they trusted August on ps 120. He crowneth thee because he crowneth his owne gifts not thy merits And psal 142. Lord thou wilt quicken me in thy iustice not in mine not because I haue deserued it but because thou hast compassion Obiections of Papists Obiect I. In sundrie places of Scripture promise of reward is made to them that beleeue and doe good workes therefore our works doe merit for a reward and merit be relatiues Ans. Reward is twofold of debt and of mercie Life euerlasting is not a reward of debt but of mercie giuen of the good will of God without any thing done of man Secondly the kingdome of heauen is properly an inheritance giuen of a father to a child and therefore it is called a reward not properly but by a figure or by resemblance For as a workeman hauing ended his labour receiueth his wages so after men haue lead their liues finished their course in keeping faith and good conscience as dutifull children God giueth them eternall life And herupon it is tearmed a reward Thirdly if I should graunt that life euerlasting is a deserued reward it is not for our works but for Christs merit imputed to vs causing vs thereby to merit and thus the relation stands directly betweene the Reward and Christs Merit applied vnto vs. Obiect II. Christ by his death merited that our works should merit life euerlasting Answ. That is false all we finde in Scripture is that Christ by his merit procured pardon of sinne imputation of righteousnes and life euerlasting and it is no where saide in the word of
as doe acknowledge him to be their head and doe beleeue the doctrine established in the Councel of Trent we take it to be no Church of God Because Babylon which I haue prooued to be the Church of Rome is here opposed to the Church or people of God and because we are commanded to come out of it wheras we may not wholly forsake any people till they forsake Christ. Some will happely say the Church of Rome hath the Scriptures and the Sacrament of baptisme I answer first of all they haue indeede the bookes of holy Scripture among them but by the rest of their doctrine they ouerthrowe the true sense thereof in the foundation as I haue prooued before And though they haue the outward forme of baptisme yet they ouerturne the inward baptisme which is the substance of all standing in the iustification and sanctification of a sinner Againe I answer that they haue the word and baptisme not for themselues but for the true Church of God among them like as the lanterne holdeth the candle not for it selfe but for others Secondly it may be and is alleadged that if the Pope be Antichrist he then sittes in the temple that is the Church of God and by this meanes the Romane Church shall be the true Church Ans. He sittes in the temple of God but marke further how AS GOD that is not as a member but as a manifest vsurper like as the thiefe sittes in the true mans house For the popish Church and Gods Church are mingled like chaffe and corne in one heape and the Church of Rome may be said to be in the Church of God and the church of God in the church of Rome as we say the wheat is among the chaffe and the chaffe in the wheat Againe he is said to sit in the tâ—mple of God because the Romane Church though falsly takes vnto it selfe the title of the true Catholike church Some goe about to delaie and qualifie the matter by comparing this Church to a man lying sicke full of soares hauing also his throat cut yet so as bodie and soule are ioyned together and life is remaining still But all things wel considered it is rather like a dead carkasse and is voide of all spirituall life as the popish errours in the foundation doe manifest Indeede a knowne harlot may afterward remaine a wife and be so tearmed yet after the bill of diuorcement is giuen shee ceaseâ—h to be a wife though she can shew her marriage ring now the church hath receiued the bill of her diuorcement in the written word namely 2. Thess. 2. and Rev. 13. 11 12 c. Furthermore in this commaundement we may see a liuely portraiture of the state of all mankinde Here we see two sorts of men some are pertaining to Babylon a people running on to their destruction some againe are a people of God seuered from Babylon and reserued to life euerlasting If any aske the cause of this distinction I answer it is the very wil of God vouchsafing mercy to some and forsaking others by withdrawing his mercie from them for the better declaration of his iustice Thus saith the Lord Rom. 11. 4. I HAVE RESERVED seauen thousand that neuer bowed the knee to Baal and the prophet Isai saith Vnles the Lord had reserued areÌ„nant we had beene as Sodom and Gomorrha By this distinction we are taught aboue all things to seeke to be of the number of Gods people and to labour for assurance of this in our owne consciences For if all should be saued lesse care would suffice but this mercie is not common to all and therefore the more to be thought vpon Lastly here I note the speciall care that God hath ouer his owne children He first giueth them warning to depart before he beginne to execute his iudgement vpon his enemies with whome they liue that they might not be partakers of their sinnes or punishments Thus before God would punish Ierusalem an angel is sent to marke theÌ„ in the forehead that mourned for the abominatioÌ„s of the people And in the destruction of the first born of Egypt the angel passed ouer the houses of the Iewes that had their posts sprin kled with the blood of the paschal lambe and this passing ouer beâ—okneth safetie preseruation in the coÌ„mon destructioÌ„ to those that haue their hearts sprinkled with the blood of Christ. This blessing of protection should moue vs all to becoÌ„ true hartie seruants of God Men vsually become meÌ„bers of those societies and corporations where they may inioy many freedomes priuiledges Well behold in the societie of the Saints of God which is the true church there is the freedoÌ„ froÌ„ danger in all coÌ„mon destructions from eternal vengeance at the last day VVhen Hester had procured safetie for the Iewes libertie to reuenge themselues vpon their enemies it is said that many of the people of the land became Iewes Euen so coÌ„sidering Christ hath procured freedom from hell death and damnation for all that beleeue in him we should labour aboue all things to become new creatures ioyning our selues alwaies to the true Church of God Hitherto I haue spoken of the commandement now followeth the reason thereof drawne from the ende that they be not partakers of her sinnes and that they receiue not of her plagues Here I might stande long to shewe what be the sinnes of the Church of Rome but I will onely name the principall The first sinne is Atheisme and that I prooue on this manner Atheisme is twofold open coloured Open Atheisme is when men both in word and deede denie God and his Word Coloured Atheisme is not so manifest and it hath two degrees The first is when men acknowledge God the creatour and gouernour of heauen and earth and yet denie the father sonne and holy ghost Thus the Ephesians before they receiued the gospel are saide to be vvithout God whome in their naturall iudgement they acknowledged because they denied Christ and consequently worshipped an Idol of their owne braine in that they worshipped God out of Christ. And in this respect though the Samaritans worshipped the God of Abraham yet our Sauiour Christ saith they worshipped they knevv not vvhat And the Psalmist saith of all the Gentiles that their Gods are Idols In this degree of Atheisme are placed Turks and Iewes at this day the Anti-Trinitaries and Arians and all that conceiue and worship God out of the trinitie The second degree is when men doe rightly acknowledge the vnitie of the god head in the Trinitie of persons yet so as by other necessarie consequents partly of their doctrine and partly of the seruice of God they ouerturne that which they haue well maintained And thus I say that the very religioÌ„ of the church of Rome is a kind of Atheisme For whereas it makes the merit of the workes of men to concurre with the grace of God it ouerthrowes the grace of God Rom. 11. In
bodie without which a bodie can not be 4 In the Creede we confesse that Christ is ascended into heauen and there after his ascension sits at the right hand of his Father and that according to his manhoode Hence I conclude that Christs bodie is not really and locally in the Sacrament and in euerie Host which the priest consecrateth This argument was good when Vigilius against Eutyches said WheÌ„ it the flesh was on earth it was not in heauen and because it is now in heauen it is not on earth and he addes afterward that this is the Catholike faith confession And it was good when Fulgentiâ—s saide According to his humane substance he was absent from earth when he vvas in heauen and he left the earth vvhen he ascended into heauen And The same in seperable Christ according to his whole manhood LEAVING THE EARTH locally ascended into heauen and sits at the right hand and according to the same whole manhoode he is to come to iudgement And it was good when Cyril said No man doubts but that when he ascended into heauen though he be alwaies present by the power of his spirit HE VVAS ABSENT IN RESPECT OF THE PRESENCE Oâ— HIS FLESH And it was good when Augustine said According to the flesh which the Word assumed he ascended into heauen HE IS NOT HERE there he sits at the right hand of the father and he is here according to the presence of his maiestie And He went as he was man and he aboad as he vvas God he went by that whereby he was in one place he aboad by that whereby he was euery where 5 Again in that we beleeue the Catholike church it follows that the Catholike church is inuisible because things seene are not beleeued And the answer commonly vsed that we beleeue the holines of the Church will not serue the turne For the words are plain and in them we make confession that we beleeue not onely the holines of the church but also the church it selfe 6 Lastly the articles Remission of sinnes Resurrection of the bodie and Life euerlasting containe a confession of speciall faith For the meaning of them is thus much I beleeue the remission of mine owne sinnes and the resurrection of mine owne bodie to life euerlasting and that by the iudgement of learned Antiquity Augustine saith If thou also beleeue that thou shalt rise againe and ascend into heauen because thou art sure of so great a patrone thou art certen of so great a gift And Make not Christ lesse who brings thee to the kingdome of heauen for remission of sinnes Without this faith if any come to baptisme he shuts the gate of mercie against himselfe And Whosoeuer faithfully beleeueth and holdes this profession of his faith in vvhich all his sinnes are forgiuen him let him prepare his will to the wil of God and not feare his passage by death And The whole Sacrament of baptisme stands in this that we beleeue the resurrection of the bodie and remission of sinnes to be giuen vs of God And He gaue these kaies to the Church that whosoeuer in his Church should not beleeue his sinnes to be forgiuen they should not be forgiuen vnto him and whosoeuer beleeued and turned from them abiding in the lap of the said Church at length shalbe healed by faith and amendment of life And That vvhich thou hast heard to be fulfilled in the glorious resurrection of Christ beleeue that the very same shall be fulfilled in thee in the last iudgement and the resurrection of thy flesh shall restore thee for all eternitie For vnlesse thou shalt beleeue that thou art to be repaired by death thou canst not come to the reward of life eternall And in auncient time the article of the resurrection hath beene rehearsed on this manner The resurrection of THIS FLESH and the last applied vnto it TO EVERLASTING LIFE Hence then two maine opinions of the church of Rome are quite ouerthrowne one that we cannot by special faith be certen of the remission of our sinnes and the saluation of our soules the other that a man truly iustified may fall away and be damned Now this cannot be if the practise of the auncient Church be good which hath taught vs to beleeue euerlasting life ioyntly without remission of sinnes To come vnto the decalogue first of all it is a rule in expounding the seuerall commandements that where any vice is forbidden there the contrarie vertue is commaunded and all vertues of the same kind with all their causes occasions furtherances This rule is graunted of all and hence it followes that counsells of perfection if they haue in them any furtherance of vertue are inioyned in and by the law and therefore prescribe no state of perfection beyond the scope of the law Secondly the commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image c. hath two seuerall parts The first forbiddes the making of carued or grauen images the second forbids the adoration of them Now the first part is notably expounded by Moses Deutr. 4. 16. Take good heede vnto your selves that ye corrupt not your selves and make you a grauen image or representation of any figure in the likenesse of male or female Marke the reason of this prohibition in the same place for saith he ye savv no image in the day the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb. and v. 15. Ye heard the voice of the vvordes but savv no similitude saue a voyce Now the reason beeing vnderstood of the image of God himselfe the prohibition must needes be so vnderstood Againe there is no question that God directs his commaundement against a sinne in speculation but against some common and wicked practise of the Iewes and that was to represent God himselfe in likenesses and bodily formes Esai 40. 18. And that was also the practise of the Gentiles that were farre more grosse in this kinde then the Iewes Rom. 1. 23. This then is plaine to any indifferent man that the first part of the commandement forbids the making of grauen images or likenesses of the true Iehova thus the Romane Catechisme vnderstands the wordes As for the second part it must be vnderstoode according to the meaning of the first and therefore it forbids vs to bowe downe to any image of God Hence then it followes that to worship God or Saints in or at images to worship images with religious worship is abhominable idolatrie And common reason might teach vs thus much For they that adore and worship the true God in images doe bind the presence of God his operation grace and his hearing of vs to certen things places signes to which he hath not bounde himselfe either by commaundement or promise and that is otherwise to worship God and to seeke for his blessings then he hath commanded himselfe to be worshipped or promised to heare vs. Vpon this ground is plainely ouerthrowne the excuse which they make that
8. Secondly God in making promise of saluation respects not mens worthinesse For he chose vs to life euerlasting when we were not he redeemed vs from death beeing enemies and intitles vs to the promise of saluation if vve acknovvledge our selues to be sinners Matth. 9. If vve labour and trauaile vnder the burden of them Matth. 11. If we hunger and thirst after grace Ioh. 7. 37. And these things we may certenly and sensibly perceiue in our selues and when wee finde them in vs though our vnworthines be exceeding great it should not hinder our assurance For God makes manifest his power in our weaknes 2. Cor. 12. and he will not breake the bruised reede nor quench the smoking flaxe Isa. 42. Thirdly if a man loue God for his mercies sake and haue a true hope of saluation by Christ he is in Christ and hath fellowship with him and he that is in Christ hath all his vnworthines wants laid on Christ and they are couered and pardoned in his death and in respect of our selues thus cōsidered AS VVE ARE IN CHRIST we haue no cause to wauer but to be certen of our saluatiō that in regard of our selues The fourth point touching the iustification of a sinner That we may see how farre we are to agree with them and where to differ first I will set downe the doctrine on both parts secondly the maine differences wherein we are to stande against them euen to death Our doctrine touching the iustification of a sinner I propound in fowre rules Rule I. That iustification is an action of God whereby he absolueth a sinner and accepteth him to life euerlasting for the righteousnes and merit of Christ. Rule II. That iustification stands in two things first in the remission of sinnes by the merit of Christ his death secondly in the imputation of Christ his righteousnes which is an other action of God whereby he accounteth and esteemeth that righteousnes which is in Christ as the righteousnes of that sinner which beleeueth in him By Christ his righteousnes we are to vnderstand two things first his sufferings specially in his death and passion secondly his obedience in fulfilling the law both which goe togither for Christ in suffering obeied obeying suffered And the very shedding of his blood to which our saluation is ascribed must not onely be considered as it is passiue that is a suffering but also as it is actiue that is an obedience in which he shewed his exceeding loue both to his father and vs and thus fulfilled the law for vs. This point if some had well thought on they would not haue placed all iustification in remission of sinnes as they doe Rule III. That iustification is from Gods meere mercie and grace procured onely by the merit of Christ. Rule IV. That man is iustified by faith alone because faith is that alone instrument created in the heart by the holy ghost wherby a sinner laieth holde of Christ his righteousnes and applieth the same vnto himselfe There is neither hope nor loue nor any other grace of God within man that can doe this but faith alone The doctrine of the Romane Church touching the iustification of a sinner is on this manner I. They holde that before iustification there goes a preparation thereunto which is an action wrought partly by the holy Ghost and partly by the power of naturall freewill whereby a man disposeth himselfe to his owne future iustification In the preparation they consider the ground of iustification and things proceeding from it The ground is faith which they define to be a generall knowledge whereby wee vnderstande and beleeue that the doctrine of the word of God is true Things proceeding from this faith are these a sight of our sinnes a feare of hell hope of saluation loue of God repentance and such like all which when men haue attained they are then fully disposed as they say to their iustification This preparation being made then comes iustification it selfe which is an action of God whereby he maketh a man righteous It hath two parts the first and the second The first is when a sinner of an euill man is made a good man And to effect this two things are required first the pardon of sinne which is one part of the first iustification secondly the infusion of inward righteousnes whereby the heart is purged and sanctified and this habite of righteousnes stands specially in hope and charitie After the first iustification followeth the second which is when a man of a good or iust man is made better and more iust this say they may proceed from works of grace because he which is righteous by the first iustification can bring forth good works by the merit wherof he is able to make himselfe more iust and righteous and yet they graunt that the first iustification commeth onely of Gods mercie by the merit of Christ. 1. Our consent and difference Now let vs come to the points of difference betweene vs and them touching iustification The first maine difference is in the matter thereof which shall be seene by the answer both of Protestant and Papist to this one question What is the very thing that causeth a man to stand righteous before God and to be accepted to life euerlasting we answer Nothing but the righteousnesse of Christ which consisteth partly in his sufferings and partly in his actiue obedience in fulfilling the rigour of the law And heare let vs consider how neare the Papists come to this answer and wherein they dissent Consent I. They graunt that in Iustificatiō sinne is pardoned by the merits of Christ that none can be iustified without remission of sinnes and that is well II. They graunt that the righteousnesse whereby a man is made righteous before God commeth from Christ from Christ alone III. The most learned among them say that Christ his satisfaction and the merit of his death is imputed to euery sinner that doth beleeue for his satisfaction before God and hitherto we agree The very point of difference is this we hould that the satisfaction made by Christ in his death and obedience to the lawe is imputed to vs and becomes our righteousnes They say it is our satisfaction and not our righteousnes whereby we stand righteous before God because it is inherent in the person of Christ as in a subiect Now the answere of the Papist to the former question is on this manner The thing saith he that maketh vs righteous before God and causeth vs to be accepted to life euerlasting is remission of sinnes and the habite of inward righteousnes or charitie with the fruits therof We condescend and graunt that the habite of righteousnes which we call sanctification is an excellent gift of God and hath his reward of God and is the matter of our iustification before men because it serueth to declare vs to be reconciled to God and to be iustified yet we denie it to be the
in praier we must beleeue it shall be giuen vs as we aske it but in praier we are to aske the pardon of our owne sinnes and the merit of Christs righteousnes for our selues therefore we must beleeue the same particularly The proposition is a rule of Gods word requiring that in euery petition we bring a particular faith whereby we beleeue that the thing lawfully asked shall be giuen accordingly Mark 11. 24. The minor is also euident neither can it be denyed for we are taught by Christ himselfe to pray on this manner Forgiue vs our debts and to it we say Amen that is that our petitions shall without all doubt be graunted vnto vs. Aug. serm de Temp. 182. And here note that the Church of Rome in the doctrine of iustification by faith cuts off the principall part and propertie thereof For in iustifying faith two things are required first Knowledge reuealed in the word touching the meanes of saluation secondly an Applying of things knowne vnto our selues which some call affiance Nowe the first they acknowledge but the second which is the very substance and principall part thereof they denie III. Reason The iudgement of the auncient Church August I demand now doest thou beleeue in Christ O sinner Thou saist I beleeue What beleevest thou that all THY SINNES may freely be pardoned by him THOV HAST THAT VVHICH THOV HAST BEELEEVED Bern. The Apostle thinketh that a man is iustified freely by faith If thou beleeuest that thy sinnes cannot be remitted but by him alone against whome they were committed but goe further and beleeue this too that by him THY SINNES ARE FORGIVEN THEâ— This is the testimonie which the holy Ghost giueth in the heart saying thy sinnes are forgiueÌ„ thee Cyprian God promiseth thee immortalitie vvhen thou goest out of this vvorld and DOEST THOV DOVBT This is indeede not to knowe God and this is for a member of the church in the house of faith not to haue faith If we beleeue in Christ let vs beleeue his wordes promises and we shall neuer die and shall come to Christ with IOYFVL SECVRITIE with him to raigne for euer The II. difference touching faith in the act of iustification is this The Papist saith we are iustified by faith because it disposeth a sinner to his iustification after this maner By faith saith he the minde of man is inlightened in the knowledge of the law and gospell knowledge stirres vp a feare of hel with a consideration of the promise of happines as also the loue and feare of God and hope of life eternall Now when the heart is thus prepared God infuseth the habite of charitie and other vertues whereby a sinner is iustified before God We say otherwise that faith iustifieth because it is a supernaturall Instrument created by God in the heart of man at his conuersion whereby he apprehendeth and receiueth Christs righteousnes for his iustification In this their doctrine is a twofold error I. that they make faith which iustifieth to goe before iustification it selfe both for order of nature as also for time whereas by the word of God at the very instant when any man beleeueth first he is then iustified and sanctified For he that beleeueth eateth and drinketh the body and blood of Christ and is alreadie passed from death to life Iohn 6. 54. The second is that faith beeing nothing else with them but an illumination of the minde stirreth vp the will which beeing mooued and helped causeth in the heart many spirituall motions and thereby disposeth man to his future iustification But this indeed is as much as if we should say that dead men onely helped can prepare themselues to their future resurrection For we are all by nature dead in sinne and therefore must not onely be inlightened in minde but also renewed in will before we can so much as will or desire that which is good Now we as I haue said teach otherwise that faith iustifieth as it is an instrument to apprehend apply Christ with his obedience which is the matter of our iustification This is the truth I prooue it thus In the Couenant of grace two things must be considered the substance thereof the condition The substance of the couenant is that righteousnes and life euerlasting is giuen to Gods Church and people by Christ. The condition is that we for our parts are by faith to receiue the foresaid benefits and this conditioÌ„ is by grace as well as the substance Now theÌ„ that we may attaine to saluation by Christ he must be giuen vnto vs really as he is propounded in the tenour of the foresaid couenant And for the giuing of Christ God hath appointed speciall ordinances as the preaching of the word and the administration of the sacraments The word preached is the power of God to saluatioÌ„ to euery one that beleeues and the end of the sacraments is to communicate Christ with all his benefites to them that come to be partakers thereof as is most plainely to be seene in the supper of the Lord in which the giuing of bread and wine to the seuerall communicantes is a pledge and signe of Gods particular giuing of Christs bodie and blood with all his merits vnto them And this giuing on Gods part cannot be effectuall without receiuing on our parts and therefore faith must needes be an instrument or hand to receiue that which God giueth that we may finde comfort by this giuing The III. difference concerning faith is this the Papist saith that a man is iustified by faith yet not by faith alone but also by other vertues as hope loue the feare of God c. The reasons which are brought to maintaine their opinion are of no moment I. Reason Luk. 7. 47. Many sinnes are forgiueÌ„her BECASE shee loued much WheÌ„ce they gather that the woman here spoken of was iustified and had the pardon of sinnes by loue Ans. In this text loue is not made an impulsiue cause to mooue God to pardon her sinnes but onely a signe to shew and manifest that God had already pardoned them Like to this is the place of Iohn who saith 1. Ioh. 3. 14. We are translated from death to life BECAVSE we loue the brethren where loue is no cause of the change but a signe and consequent thereof II. Reason Gal. 5. 6. Neither circumcision nor vncircumcision auaileth any thing but FAITH THAT VVOEKâ—TH BY LOVE Hence they gather that faith doth instifie together with loue Ans. The propertie of true faith is to apprehend and receiue something vnto it selfe and loue that goes alwaies with faith as a fruite and an vnseperable companion thereof is of another nature For it doth not receiue in but as it were giue out it selfe in all the duties of the first and second table towards God and man and this thing faith by it selfe cannot doe therefore Paul saith that faith worketh by loue The hand hath a propertie to reach out it selfe to
God that Christ did merit that our workes should merit it is a dotage of their owne deuising He died not for our good workes to make them able to satisfie Gods anger but for our sinnes that they might be pardoned Thus much saith the Scripture no more And in that Christ did sufficiently merit life eternall for vs by his owne death it is a sufficient proofe that he neuer intended to giue vs power of meriting the same vnles we suppose that at some time he giues more then is needefull Againe Christ in the office of mediation as he is a King Priest and Prophet admitteth no deputie or fellow For he is a most perfect Mediatour doing all things by himselfe without the helpe of any And the ministers that dispence the word are not his deputies but reasonable and voluntarie instruments which he vseth But if men by workes can merit increase of grace and happines for themselues then hath Christ partners in the worke of redemption men doing that by him which he doth of himselfe in procuring their saluation Nay if this might stand that Christ did merit that our works should merit then Christ should merit that our stained righteousnes beeing for this cause not capable of merit should neuertheles merit I call it stained because we are partly flesh and partly spirit and therfore in our selues deseruing the curse of the law though we be regenerate Againe for one good worke we doe we haue many euil the offence whereof defaceth the merit of our best deedes and makes them too light in the balance of the law Obiect III. Our workes merit by bargaine or couenant because God hath promised to reward them Ans. The word of God sets downe two couenants one legal the other euangelicall In the legall couenant life euerlasting is promised to workes for that is the condition of the lawe doe these things and thou shalt liue But on this manner can no man merit life euerlasting because none is able to doe all that the lawe requires whether we respect the manner or the measure of obedience In the euangelicall couenant the promises that are made are not made to any worke or vertue in man but to the worker not for any merit of his owne person or worke but for the person and merite of Christ. For example it is a promise of the Gospell Be faithfull vnto death and I vvill giue thee the crowne of life Revelat. 2. 10. Here the promise is not made to the vertue of fidelitie but to the faithfull person whose fidelitie is but a token that he is in Christ for the merit of whose obediēce god promiseth the crowne of life and therefore Christ saith further I come quicklie and will giue to euery man according to his workes marke he saith not to the worke or for the worke but to the worker according to his workes And thus the bōd of al other promises of the Gospel in which god willingly bindes himselfe to reward our workes doe not directly concerne vs but haue respect to the person and obedience of Christ for whose sake alone God bindes himselfe as debter vnto vs and giues the recompence or reward according to the measure of our faith testified by our workes And therefore it cannot be truely gathered that workes doe merit by any promise or covenant passed on Gods part to man Some may say if workes merit not why are they mentioned in the promises I answere not because they merit but because they are tokens that the doer of the worke is is in Christ for whose merite the promise shall be accomplished Obiect VI. Good works are perfect and without fault for they are the workes of the holy ghost who cannot sinne therefore they merite Ans. If workes did proceed onely and immediatly from the holy ghost there could not be any fault in them but our works come from the holy ghost in and by the will and vnderstanding of man by this meanes they are tainted with sinne as water in the fountaine is both cleare and sweete yet the streames there of passing through the filthy channell are defiled thereby Againe they reason thus That which we are bound to doe hath no fault in it but we are bound to doe good workes therefore they are perfect Ans. The proposition must be expounded that which we are bound to doe in it selfe according to the intention of the commander hath no fault or that which we are bound to doe according as we are bound to doe it hath no fault yet in regard of the intention of the doer or in regard of our manner of doing it may be faultie Obiect V. Christ saith Revel 3. 4. that the faithfull in the Church of Sardis shall walk with him in white for they are worthy therfore beleeuers merit Ans. Euery beleeuer is worthy to walke with Christ yet not worthy in himselfe but in Christ to whome he is vnited and made bone of his bone flesh of his flesh And by reason of this coniunction `it is that men are said to be worthy ' because they are inriched with Christs merits and righteousnes Obiect VII 2. Tim. 4. 8. Euerlasting life is tearmed a crowne and a crowne of righteousnes to be giuen of a iust iudge therefore man for his part by his workes deserues the same Ans. Euerlasting life is called a crowne onely in resemblance For as he which runneth a race must continue and runne to the ende and then be crowned euen so must we continue to walke in good works vnto the end and then receiue eternall life And it is called a crowne of righteousnes not because it belongs to any man by due and desert but because God hath bound himselfe by a promise to giue it in performing whereof he is tearmed iust and by vertue of this promise it is obtained and no otherwise These are the principall obiections by which we may iudge what the rest are And thus we see what is the truth namely that merit is necessarie to saluation yet neither merite of mans worke or person but the merit of Christ imputed to vs whereby we beeing in him do procure and deserue the fauour of God and life eternall The sixt point Of satisfaction Our consent Conclus I. First we acknowledge and hold Ciuill or Politike satisfaction that is a recompence for iniuries and damages offered any way to our neighbours This Zacheus practised when at his conuersion he restored foure-fold things gotten by forged cauillation Againe by ciuill satisfaction I vnderstand the imposition of fines mulcts and penalties vpon offenders and the inflicting of death vpon malefactours For all these are satisfactions to the lawe and societies of men when they are wronged All these we maintaine as necessarie for neither Church nor common wealth can well be without them considering they are notable meanes to vphold ciuill peace and otherwhiles they are fruites of true faith as the satisfuction of Zacheus was Conclus II. We acknowledge canonicall or Ecclesiasticall
of the natiuitie of our Sauiour Christ is onely a custome and tradition of the Church and yet men are commonly more carefull to keepe it then the Lordes day the keeping whereof standes by the moral law Positiue lawes are not sufficient to restraine vs from buying selling on the sabbath yet within the twelue daies no man keepes market Againe see the truth of this in our affection to the ministerie of the word let the preacher alleadge Peter and Paul the people count it but common stuffe such as any man can bring but let men come and alleadge Ambrose Austine and the rest of the fathers oh he is the man he is alone for them Againe let any man be in danger any way and straight he sendeth to the wise man or wizzard Gods word is not sufficient to comfort and direct him All this argues that poperie denied with the mouth abides still in the heart and therefore we must learne to reuerence the written word by ascribing vnto it all manner of perfection The eight point Of vowes Our consent Touching vowes this must be knowne that we doe not condemne them altogeather but onely labour to restore the puritie of doctrine touching this point which by the Church of Rome from time to time hath bin corrupted and defaced We hold therefore that a vowe is a promise made to God touching some duties to be performed vnto him and it is two fold generall or speciall The generall vow is that which concernes all beleeuers and it is made in the couenant both of the lawe and of the Gospell I will here onely speake of the vowe which is made in the couenant of the Gospell in which there be two actions one of God the other of man God in mercy one his part promiseth to men the remission of sinnes and life euerlasting and man againe for his part promiseth to beleeue in Christ and to obey God in all his commandements All men euer made this vowe vnto God as the Iewes in circumcision which also they renued so often as they receiued the Passeouer and in the newe testament all that are baptised doe the like And in baptisme this vow is called the stipulation of a good consciēce wherby we purpose to renounce our selues to beleeue in Christ to bring forth the fruits of true repētance it ought to be renued so oft as we are partakers of the supper of the Lord. This vowe is necessarie and must be kept as a part of the true worship of God because it is a promise wherein we vowe to performe all duties commanded of God either in the lawe or in the Gospell It may be demanded considering we are boūd to obedience how we binde our selues in baptisme thereto Ans. Though we be alreadie bound partly by nature and partly by the written word yet may we renue the same bonde in a vowe and he that is bound may further binde himselfe so it be for this ende to helpe his dulnes for want of zeale and to make himselfe more forward in duties of loue to men and the worship of God to this ende Dauid sware to keepe the law of God psal 119. 116. though he were bound vnto it by nature and by the written law it selfe The speciall vowe is that which doth not reach to the person of all beleeuers but onely concernes some speciall men vpon some speciall occasions And this kind of vowe is twofold The first is the vowe of a ceremoniall dutie in the way of seruice to God and it was in practise in the Church of the Iewes vnder the olde Testament examples hereof are two especially the first was the vowe of the Nazarites whereto no kind of men were bound by Gods commaundement but they bound themselues God onely prescribing the manner and order of keeping the same with rites pertaining thereto as abstinence from wine the not cutting of their haire and such like The secōd example is of the Iewes when of their owne accords they vowed to giue God house or land sheepe or oxen or any like things for the maintenance of the legall worship and of this also God prescribeth certaine rules Levit. 27. Now these vowes were part of the Iewish pedagogue or ceremoniall law wherein God trained vp the Iewes in the old testament and being obserued of them they were parts of Gods worship but now vnder the gospell they are not beeing all abolished with the ceremoniall lawe to which Christ put an ende at his death vpon the crosse It is true Paul made a vowe and since kept the same in the time of the newe Testament Act. 18. yet not as a part of Gods worship but as a thing indifferent for the time wherein he onely condescended to the weaknes of the Iewes that by this meanes he might bring them the better vnto Christ. And whereas Christ is called a Nazarite Math. 2. 23. we may not thinke he was of that very order because he did not obstain from wine but he was so tearmed because he was the veritie and accomplishment of this order For by it was signified that Gods church was a peculiar people seuered or chosen out of the world that Christ in respect of holines was also seperated srō all sinners And the words in S. Matthew he shalbe called a Nazarite are borowed from the book of Iudges cap. 13. where they are properly spoken of Sampson and in type or figure of Christ. For as Sampson saued Israel by his death so did Christ saue his Church And as Sampson killed his enemies more by death then by life so did Christ. It is plaine therefore that this kinde of vowe bindeth not vs for there are no more ccremonies to be kept vnder the gospell for parts of Gods worship but the outward rites of Baptisme and the Lordes Supper Vowes concerning meates drinks attire touching tasting times places daies were proper to the Iewes The second kinde of speciall vowe is that wherby a man promiseth freely to performe some outward and bodely exercise for some good ende and this vowe also if it be made accordingly is lawefull and belongs both to the Church of the olde and newe testament In the olde we haue the example of the Rekabites Ier. 35. who by the appointment of Ionadab their father abstained from strong drinke and wine from planting vineyardes and orchardes whereby Ionadab intended onely to breake them before hand and to acquaint them with their future condition and state that they should be strangers in a forraine land that so they might prepare themselues to indure hardnes in the time to come And nowe in the newe testament we haue warrant in like manner to vowe as if a man by drinking of wine or strong drinke finde himselfe prone to drunkennes he may vow with himselfe to drinke no more wine nor strong drinke for so long time as he feeles the driuking thereof will stirre vp his infirmitie and minister occasion of sinning Of this kind also are the vowes in
it In the second conclusion touching saluation by Christ alone there is a manifest deceit because they craftely include and couch their own works vnder the name of Christ. For say they workes done by men regenerate are not their owne but Christs in them and as they are the workes of Christ they saue no otherwise But we for our partes looke to be saued onely by such workes as Christ himselfe did in his owne person and not by any worke at all done by him in vs. For all workes done are in the matter of iustification saluation opposed to the grace of Christ Rom. 11. 6. Election is of grace not of workes if it be of workes it is no more of grace Againe whereas they teach that we are â—aued by the workes of Christ which he worketh in vs and maketh vs to worke it is flatte against the word For Paul saith We are not saued by such works as God hath ordained that men regenerate should walke in Eph. 2. 10. And he saith further that he counted ALL THINGS euen after his conuersion losse vnto him that he might be founde in Christ not hauing his ovvne righteousnesse which is of the lawe Phil. 3. 8. Again Heb. 1. 3. Christ washed away our sinnes by himselfe which last wordes exclude the merit of all workes done by Christ within man Thus indeede the Papists ouerturne all that which in word they seeme to holde touching their iustification and saluation We confesse with them that good workes in vs are the workes of Christ yet are they not Christs alone but ours also in that they proceed from Christ by the minde and will of man as water from the fountaine by the channell And looke as the chanel defiled defiles the water that is without defilement in the fountaine euen so the minde and will of man defiled by the remnants of sinne defile the workes which as they come from Christ are vndefiled Hence it is that the workes of grace which we doe by Christ or Christ in vs are defectiue and must be seuered from Christ in the act of iustification or saluation The third conclusion is touching the imputation of Christs obedience which some of the most learned among them acknowledge and the difference betweene vs stands on this manner They hold that Christs obedience is imputed onely to make satisfaction for sinne and not to iustifie vs before God We hold beleeue that the obedieÌ„ce of Christ is imputed to vs euen for our righteousnes before God Paul saith 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is made vnto vs of God vvisedome RIGHTEOVSNES SANCTIFICATION and redemption Hence I reason thus If Christ be both our sanctification and our righteousnes then he is not onely vnto vs inherent righteousnes but also righteousnes imputed But he is not onely our sanctification which the Papists themselues expound of inherent or habituall righteousnes but also our righteousnes for thus by Paul are they distinguished Therefore he is vnto vs both inherent and imputed righteousnes And very reason teacheth thus much For in the end of the worlde at the barre of Gods iudgement we must bring some kinde of righteousnesse for our iustification that may stande in the rigour of the lawe according to which wee are to be iudged But our inherent righteousnesse is imperfect and stained with manifold defects and shall be as long as we liue in this world as experience tells vs and consequently it is not sutable to the iustice of the law and if we goe out of our selues we shall finde no righteousnesse seruing for our turnes either in men or Angels that may or can procure our absolution before God and acceptation to life euerlasting Wee must therefore haue recourse to the person of Christ and his obedience imputed vnto vs must serue not onely to be a satisfaction to God for all our sinnes but also for our perfect iustification in that God is content to accept of it for our righteousnesse as if it were inherent in vs or performed by vs. Touching the fourth conclusion they hold it the safest and surest course to put their trust and confidence in the mercie of God alone for their saluation yet they condescend that men may also put there confidence in the merit of their owne works and in the merits also of other men so it be in sobrietie But this doctrine quite marres the conclusion because by teaching that men are to put confidence in the creature they ouerturue all confidence in the Creatour For in the very first commandement we are taught to make choise of the true God for our God which thing we do wheÌ„ we giue to God our hearts and we giue our hearts to God when we put our whole confidence in him for the saluation of our soules Nowe then to put confidence in men or in workes is to make them our Gods The true and ancient forme of making confession was on this manner I beleeue in God the Father In Iesus Christ and In the holy Ghost without mentioÌ„ making of any confidence in works or creatures the ancieÌ„t Church neuer knew any such confession or confidence Cyprian saith He beleeueth not in god who putteth not affiance concerning his saluation in God alone And indeede the Papists them-selues when death comes forsake the confidence of their merits and flie to the meere mercie of God in Christ. And for a confirmation of this I alleadge the testimonie of one Vlinbergius of Colen who writeth thus There was a booke found in the vestrie of a certain parish of Colen writteÌ„ in the Dutch tongue in the yeare of our Lord 1475. which the Priests vsed in visiting of the sicke And in it these questions be found Dost thou beleeue that thâ—u canst not be saued but by the death of Christ The sicke person ansvvered Yea. Then it is said vnto him Goe too then while breath remaines in thee put thy confidence in this DEATH ALONE haue affiance in nothing else commit thy selfe vvholly to this death with it alone couer thy selfe dive thy selfe in euery part into this death in euery part pearse thy selfe with it infold thy selfe in this death And if the Lord wil iudge thee say Lord I put the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betweene me and thy iudgement and BY NO OTHER MEANES I contend with thee And if he shall say vnto thee that thou art a sinner say Lord the death of my Lord Iesus Christ I put betweene thee and my sinnes If he shall say vnto thee that thou hast deserued damnation say Lord I oppose the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betweene thee and my euill merits and I OFFER HIS MERIT FOR THE MERIT VVHICH I SHOVLD HAVE AND HAVE NOT. If he shall say that he is angrie vvith thee say Lord I oppose the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betvveene me and thine anger Here we see what Papists doe haue done in the time of death And that which they hold and practise
when they are dying they should hold practise euery day while they are liuing In the last cōclusiō they teach that we must not onely beleeue in generall but also apply vnto our selues the promises of life euerlasting But they differ from vs in the very manner of applying They teach that the promise is to be applied not by faith assuring vs of our owne saluation but onely by hope in likelihood coniecturall We hould that wee are bound in dutie to apply the promise of life by faith without making doubt thereof and by hope to continue the certentie after the apprehension made by faith We doe not teach that all and euerie man liuing within the precincts of the Church professing the name of Christ is certen of his saluation and that by faith but that he ought so to be and must indeauour to attaine thereto And here is a great point in the mysterie of iniquitie to be considered for by this vncerten application of the promise of saluatiō and this wauering hope they ouerturne halfe the doctrine of the gospell For it inioynes two things first to beleeue the promises therof to be true in themselues secondly to beleeue by faith to applie them vnto our selues And this latter part without which the former is voide of comfort is quite ouerturned The reasons which they alleadge against our doctrine I haue answered before now therfore I let them passe To conclude though in coloured tearmes they seeme to agree with vs in doctrine concerning faith yet indeed they deny abolish the substance therof namely the particular certen application of Christ crucified and his benefits vnto our selues Again they faile in that they cut off the principall dutie office of true sauing faith which is to apprehend and to applie the blessing promised The XXI point Of Repentance Our consent Conclus I. That repentance is the conuersion of a sinner There is a twofold conuersion passiue and actiue passiue is an action of God whereby he conuerteth man beeing as yet vnconuerted Actiue is an action wherby man beeing once turned of God turnes himselfe and of this latter must this conclusion be vnderstood For the first cōuersion considering it is a worke of God turning vs vnto himselfe is not the repentance whereof the Scripture speaketh so oft but it is called by the name of regeneration and repentance whereby we beeing first turned of God doe turne our selues and doe good works is the fruit thereof Conclus II. That repentance standes specially for practise in contrition of heart confession of mouth satisfaction in work or deede Touching contrition there be two kinds thereof Legal and Euangelical Legal contrition is nothing but a remorse of conscience for sinne in regard of the wrath and iudgement of God and it is no grace of God at all nor any part or cause of repentance but onely an occasion thereof and that by the mercie of God for of it selfe it is the sting of the law and the very entrance into the pit of hell Euangelical contrition is when a repentant sinner is greeued for his sinnes not so much for feare of hell or any other punishment as because he hath offended displeased so good mercifull a God This contrition is caused by the ministerie of the Gospell and in the practise of repentance it is alwaies necessarie and goes before as the beginning thereof Secondly we holde and maintaine that confession is to be made and that in sundrie respects first to God both publikely in the congregation and also priuately in our secret and priuate prayers Secondly to the Church when any person hath openly offended the congregation by any crime and is therefore excommunicate Thirdly to our priuate neighbour when we haue vpon any occasion offended and wronged him Mat. 5. 23. If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee goe first and be reconciled to him now reconciliation presupposeth confession Lastly in all true repentance we holde and acknowledge there must be satisction made first to God and that is when wee intreate him in our supplications to acecpt the death and passion of Christ as a full perfect and sufficient satisfaction for all our sinnes Secondly it is to be made vnto the Church after excommunication for publike offences and it stands in duties of humiliatiō that fitly serue to testifie the truth of our repentance Thirdly satisfaction is to be made to our neighbour because if he be wronged he must haue recompence and restitution made Luc. 19. 8. and there repentance may iustly be suspected where no satisfaction is made if it lie in our power Conclus III. That in repentance we are to bring forth outward fruites worthie amendment of life for repentance it selfe is in the heart and therefore must be testified in all manner of good workes whereof the principall is to endeauour day by day by Gods grace to leaue and renounce all and euery sinne and in all things to doe the will of God And here let it be remembered that we are not patrones of licentiousnes and enemies of good workes For though we exclude them from the acte of our iustification and saluation yet we maintaine a profitable and necessarie vse of them in the life of euery Christian man This vse is threefold in respect of God of man of our selues Workes are to be done in respect of God that his commandements may be obeied 1. Ioh. 5. 12. that his will may be done 1. Thess. 4. 3. that we may shew our selues to be obedient children to God our father 1. Pet. 1. 14. that we may shewe our selues thankefull for our redemption by Christ Tit. 2. 14. that we might not grieue the spirit of God Eph. 4. 30. but walke according to the same Gal. 5. 22. that God by our good workes may be glorified Math. 5. 16. that we may be good followers of God Eph. 5. v. 1. Againe workes are to be done in regard of men that our neighbour may be helped in worldly things Luc. 6. 38. that he may be wonne by our example to godlines 1. Pet. 3. 14. that we may preuent in our selues the giuing of any offence 1. Cor. 10. 32. that by doing good wee may stop the mouthes of our aduersaries Thirdly lastly they haue vse in respect of our selues that we may shew our selues to be new creatures 2. Cor. 5. 17. that we may walke as the children of light Eph. 5. 8. that we haue some assurance of our faith and of our saluation 2. Pet. 1. 8 10. that we may discerne deade and counterfait faith from true faith I am 2. 17. that faith and the gifts of God may be exercised and continued vnto the ende 2. Tim. 1. 6. that the punishments of sinne both temporall eternall may be preuented psal 89. 32. that the rewarde may be obtained which God freely in mercie hath promised to men for their good works Gal. 6. 9. The