we must not onely be stirred vp and holpen as they say but euen made newe before wee can doe that which pleaseth God And as for those that are so caryed away with the plausible and pleasaunt sounde of free will I woulde request euen for Christ his sake that they woulde take a viewe of their owne waies and enter into their owne secrete thoughtes wordes and deedes and if at home they finde all well if they can as they wish and woulde if they be not sencelesse and secure in sinne keepe Gods commandements then let them stil beleeue that doctrine and followe such blinde guides But if they finde that the greatest shew of godlinesse that they can make can be but the performance of some externall worke whether it be in prayer or praysing of God or doing of any duety towardes our neighbours wherein euen the most wicked will perchaunce sometime shewe themselues more deuout then they let them not then be deceiued by any of these seducing wordes Cannot I abstaine from euill cannot I doe that which is good cannot I be occupied in good workes For although thou canst doe that worke which may in another be a good worke yet because the worke is not good that is not commaunded by God done by a godly man and directed to Gods glory and the doing of our own duety that worke I say which may in an other be praise worthy in thee may be sinne Thus therefore I say that it is no more in thy power to worke a good worke then to make new thy owne heart but both must be of God of whome we haue all our sufficiencie CHAP. XI BVt now concerning the Sacramentes there is not much as I can gather eyther in that Epistle written by S. Paule to the Romans excepting that onely that is in the fourth Chapter that Abraham receiued the signe of circumcision the seale of righteousnes of faith eyther in S. Peter his first Epistle but that in the third chapter when he saith Whereto the baptisme that now is answering that figure not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the confident demaunding which a good conscience maketh to GOD saueth vs also by the resurrection of Iesus Christ In the former of which two places the Apostle doth plainely testify that Abraham being iustified before by faith did afterwardes receiue the signe of circumcision to seale vp in and vnto him this righteousnes by faith Which saith because it hath respect vnto the promises we see therefore that this was the vse and office of circumcision vnto Abraham to confirme vnto him the promises of God And that other place out of S. Peter doth partly confirme vnto vs the selfesame vse of baptisme For when Noah and his company sawe that the same water that drowned others and swallowed them vp into the depth did saue them in carying the Arke wherein they were aboue the waters this must néeds assure them not onely of Gods power but of his goodnes also and readines to performe his promise in sauing them from perishing by water And in like sorte the water in baptisme assureth that little flocke that is truely belonging to Christ his holy catholicke Church figured by the Arke of the forgiuenes of their sins And as not the water that caried the Arke was the efficient cause of their sauing which Master Belarmine absurdly imagineth for the water was as apt to haue drowned them as the other no neyther yet the Arke it selfe although it might more properly be so estéemed because in it they were caried aboue the water but God saued them by the Arke vpon the water So is it in baptisme as S. Peter teacheth vs in that he saith that it saueth by the resurrection of Iesus Christ I say not by it selfe but by the resurrection of Iesus Christ From whom onely it hath the vertue and efficacy by whome onely it turneth to our good And as al perished in the same water which by carying vp the Arke saued them that were therein all I say that by faith beléeuing the promises were got into the Arke euen so the water in baptisme though it outwardly put away from all that are washed therein the filth of the flesh yet is it not in deed profitable to any but to such as haue that righteousnes and holines of Christ Iesus sealed vp thereby vnto their owne consciences Whereby it appeareth most plainly that the sacraments doe not giue grace or worke righteousnes in vs or of themselues because they are receiued of vs do make vs holy But as the Apostle S. Paul saith of circumcision Circumcision verily profiteth nothing except you keepe the Law so may we truely say of our Sacramentes that not the receiuing of our Sacramentes but the holy obedience springing from our faith that is sealed vp vnto the godly in the Sacramentes is the thing that is acceptable to God commended before men and comfortable to our owne consciences For as in that place alledged hee reckoneth them onely truely circumcised that keepe and fulfill the Lawe and haue that true circumcision of the heart and that the godlesse howe so euer they haue receiued in their fleshe the outwarde marke or signe yet are in deed vncircumcised euen so howe solemnly so euer the faithlesse and fruitelesse flocke haue receiued the Sacramentes of our sanctification and redemption which is in Christ yet if they bring not forth such fruites of the spirite as doe testifie and shew that inwarde washing away of the filth of sinne they haue Baptismum fluminis the washing of the water non flaminis not of the holy Ghost they haue the signe of Gods grace but not the substance thereof the visible token but not the inuisible grace But the Sacramentes are vnto such as seales set to a blanke wherein because dothing is contayned therefore by these seales there is nothing assured Nowe out of this which hitherto I haue saide we see that the Sacramentes haue these two vses to assure vs of the performance of the promise of grace and to preach to vs repentaunce for our sinnes past and holines in the rest of our life that is to come But our now Romish Catholickes who are neuer content that eyther themselues or other should eate within the teacher of the word of God doe wander farre out of these listes teaching that our Sacramentes haue in them that grace which they signifie and doe giue the same grace to all men at all times if men be not a let vnto themselues euen Ex opere operate that is in respect of the worke it selfe because the Sacraments are receiued of them Wherby they doe such iniurie vnto Christ as we that professe the name of christian men and women should be ashamed of For that sauing from sinne which God by the ministery of the Angel proclaimed should be by his sonne whom for that cause he called Iesus our Sauiour because he shoulde saue his people from
vnto them were not onely more secure of their own estate then was for their safety but also despised the Iewes as a people so reiected as if God vnmindfull of his promise would neuer be reconciled to them again Against al which the Apostle in this Epistle teacheth that al people that beleeue of whatsoeuer cuntry or nation are freely iustified by faith in Christ And first he proueth that neither Iew nor gentile vnder which two al are comprehended can be iustifyed by doing the works of the Law because none can fulfil the Law neither the gentiles by that light of nature the Law written in their heart neither the Iewes by that knowledge of the Law that they so much bragged of And this the Apostle performeth as the diligent Reader may obserue from the xvii verse of the first Chapter vnto the xxi of the third chapter So that he flatly concludeth Therfore by the works of the Law shal no flesh be iustified Now this place being so plaine as it is against iustification by works the doctrine of merits is quite ouerthrown if some color be not deuised to auoid the force of this testimony The Romish Catholiks therfore indeuor as much as they can to make vs beléeue that those wordes must haue another sence and vnderstanding then we take them to haue but what sence that is they are not yet resolued For some say that the Apostle by the workes of the Law meaneth the works of the Ceremonial Law and in déed many of the Papists do so expound it But Master Bellarmine liketh not of that answer confesseth in plain termes that not onely the obseruation of the Law of ceremonies but also the kéeping of the moral Law is excluded from iustification but yet he would haue vs to imagine that onely such workes as are done before we beléeue are denied to iustifie vs. As for the workes that we doe after they doe iustifie and merit as they teach vs. And this their absurd opinion procéedeth of their ignorance of the intent and meaning of the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans For Master Bellarmine in the place before alledged doth affirme that the Apostle there as also in his Epistle to the Galathians goeth about to proue that none can be saued without faith or without Gods mercy which is in déed the trueth but it is not the whole trueth For he is also as carefull to take away the confidence that any had or might haue in their owne workes And because he writeth to them who had faith already for Their faith was published throughout the worlde and teacheth vs that all our reioycing by this iustification by faith in Christ is taken away but where is merit there is reioycing in our selues therfore it is plaine that the Apostle excludeth here from iustifying al works This also appeareth by the setting down the true cause of iustification By faith and remouing the wrong cause in so general termes Without the works of the Law that also the Apostle doth after in the example of Abraham All which may teach vs that S. Paule héere indeuoreth to take from all workes when soeuer we doe them all hope of being saued thereby to the end that our pryde in our owne workes being abated and our boasting taken away He that reioyceth may reioyce in the Lord. For this cause also the Apostle doth afterwards so set workes and merit against grace as if the one of them doth quite ouerthrow the other If by grace not now by workes for then grace is no more grace but if it be of workes then is it now no grace for then worke is no worke We sée then that S. Paule teaching that we cannot be iustified by workes to the end that our Iesus may be indeed a true onely and perfect Sauiour and fully saue vs from al our sins taketh away from all our doings the hope of meriting and deseruing the same And to this end the Apostle S. Peter also in the beginning of his first Epistle doth make mention of Gods aboundant mercy wherby we are not onely begotten to a liuely hope but also Kept by the power of GOD through faith vnto saluation Therefore I say hee teacheth vs that we obtaine this by Gods greate goodnesse because hee woulde not haue vs any thing to trust in our merites but in that God of all grace who will make vs perfect for our workes cannot do that that we may ascribe To him glory and dominion for euer and not to our selues or our goodnes But if any man replie that this doctrine séemeth contrarie to that which Saint Paule writeth to the Romans That God will reward euery man according to his deedes Or to that Saint Mark reporteth that our Sauiour Christ promised That he who in his name gaue a cup of cold water to drink to his seruants should not leese his reward thus I aunswere God in mercie promiseth reward to such as do his will and in mercie he likewise performeth the same not waighing the work but remembring his mercie So that herein wee may rather commend Gods faithfulnesse in kéeping his promise alwaies then estéeme of our works For who will think that a cup of cold water gyuing may be worthy of eternall life And the words of Saint Paule are plaine enough if we wrest them not out of their naturall sence For we denie not that GOD rewardeth men According to their workes And the place proueth not that GOD rewardeth them For their works and that sence onely can establish their doctrine of merites but thapostle saith there onely thus much that good workes shall haue a good reward of eternall lyfe glorie honor and peace Euill workes their due reward of wrath indignation tribulation and anguish So that according to the qualitie of their workes the qualitie I say and not the merite GOD in mercie according to his promise shall giue honour and immortalitie to them that séeke to serue him This therefore standeth still the vndoubted old faith of the Romans That by the workes of the Law there shall no flesh bee iustified in Gods sight For howsoeuer Abraham was iustified by workes before men as others also are Iustified that is declared and accompted before men iust by workes and not by Faith onely For euen Saint Bede expoundeth that place of Saint Iames for the approuing of Abrahams faith or making it to appeare yet I say Before God workes cannot iustifie And this is the auncient Roman faith receiued also and taught of the auncient Fathers both writing of this Epistle to the Romns and else where Chrisostome saith that this righteousnes is called Gods righteousnes because man cannot work it but God only And after That the Sonne hath perfected it wholie with his bloud And in another place verie notablie For thou shalt not obtaine this righteousnes by thy trauels and labours but thou
Commonitory doth not more earnestly indeuor any thing then that without any addition we kéepe sincerely that which is deliuered yea it is his onely intent purpose his whole drift desire to teach vs to loue that first was taught and to eschew al new additions Therefore howsoeuer religion at the first was either at Rome or else where truly established yet that is no good argument to proue that it should so continue alwaies Whereof if we would make any doubt let vs looke backe vnto the Church amongst the Iews where God established among them for his seruice and worship euery ceremony so that in euery thing they had plaine direction by Gods lawe how to behaue themselues yet notwithstanding their owne inuentions which they added therto were so many that Christ when he came complained That by their traditions they made Gods cōmandement of no authority And if this befell vnto the people of the Iewes of whom God made especiall choice and tooke them to be his peculier people why may it not befall vnto the Church of Rome that is but one of the places among others which God had chosen to set his name in And if the goodnes which the Apostle commendeth in them was not in them such a continual or eternal inheritance but that they haue long since lost the same as themselues cannot deny how wil they be able to proue that they must haue sincerity of faith for an euerlasting succession I wil not here stand to examine what the Apostle meaneth by this word faith in this place although that perchance might serue to lay their brags For amongst many significations of this word faith there are two that may especially serue for the vnderstanding of that place Sometime faith signifieth religion it selfe or the rule of faith as it is taken in this question what faith or religion do you professe or are you of And in this sence it must be taken in this place to pleasure the papists And in another sence faith may here signify their forwardnes confidence constancy in this their religion and so it semeth that the Apostle here doth vnderstand it And then this is the sence of these words It is spoken of in al the world how readely you receiued constantly continued in the faith And thus doth Chrisostom séeme to expound this place when he saith that the Apostle giueth thanks for their faith confidence as if he would by the latter expounde the former by confidence teach what he meaneth by faith And euen Tho. of Aquin doth so take it The Romans saith he are commended for their faith because they yeelded to it so willingly and stood in it so stifly And this place thus expounded doth not proue their faith to be Catholicke for many are constant that oppugne the Catholicke faith Neither yet will I oppose vnto this some other places where the Apostle may séeme perchaunce to giue as great if not greater commendation vnto other Churches and yet were not they therby aduanced to be the onely patterns that all other should follow as they would haue this of Rome to bée For the Apostle writing to the Thessalonians testifieth of them that they were an example or patern not only to them of Macedonia Achaia but that their faith was spred abroad in all the world Is therfore the faith of the Thessaloniās at this day the true faith because it was so somtime If you say it is not what is said here more for the Church of Rome then was said for that of Thessalonica Although therfore to their immortal praise this iust due commendation belonged vnto them who followed that sincere faith and holy profession which at that time was taught at Rome yet hée cannot as much as séeme to be a Christian as Ciprian saith who continueth not in the trueth of that gospell and faith Whereby it is euident that vnlesse the Church of Rome can shew that they hold that same faith now that their predecessors did whom S. Paul commended this praise of those faithful Romans belongeth no more vnto them then this promise that God made to Abraham That God would be his God and of his séed pertaineth to Ismael and Esau who although they came of Abraham as touching the flesh yet were they and their posterity a godlesse and a gracelesse people But that it may appere as cléere as the Sunne at noone day that vnder an honest cloke of ancient religion they séeke to couer their new found superstitions and whatsoeuer man hath deuised is but new and vnder the name of holy faith they commend vnto vs their grosse Idolatries and most profaned blasphemies My purpose is if God with his good grace shall assist me therein in this short treatise briefly to set downe both the ancient religion of the Romans which at that time was taught and receiued in Rome when this their faith was published in the whole world and also the faith or religion that is now so violently defended of the Church of Rome and is although vniustly called the Catholick Romish religion that we comparing the one of them with the other may sée how vnlike they are and that they cannot flow both from one fountaine or both of them be taught of one spirit And if we will know the auncient religion of the Romans and the faith wherevnto the Apostle giueth so good a witnesse wee can haue no way more certaine then to trie what was taught in the Church of Rome then For that onely can be called that Roman faith that was then taught in that Church and beleeued of the faithfull there All which with reuerence we receiue and most faithfully beléeue But the additions of later times and that which since they haue foysted in vnder the name of that auncient Roman faith wee iustly reiect as water mingled with the pure wine whereby the wine is corrupted or as myre or filth that hath sullied the fined gold whereby the excellencie of the gold is blemished or as tares and wéeds sowen in the field where first good corne was sowen whereby the growing of the good corne is hindered But what so euer the Apostle Saint Paule writing to the Romans doth teach them to beleeue whatsoeuer faith he would haue them to holde that we acknowledge to bee in déede the true Roman faith in the which he is desirous to confirme and strengthen them by some speciall gift and to haue mutuall conference with them no doubt to incourage them to continue constantly therein Yea what soeuer he teacheth in that Epistle whether it bee to establish them in that they had learned or to instruct them more perfectly in any poynte whereof they were yet ignorant I say all that wee imbrace as the auncient faith of the Romans Moreouer whatsoeuer Saint Peter who they say was Bishop of Rome and that hee wrote his first Epistle from Rome for rather then Saint Peter should not be proued
to be at Rome they are content to cal Rome Babylon whatsoeuer I say he wrot in that Epistle which they say that he wrote from Rome we also most readily receiue as that old and authenticks Roman religion whereof we will make no doubt at all And further whatsoeuer doctrine can be proued out of Saint Markes Gospell which Maister Bellarmine goeth about by testimony of sundry auncient writers to shew that it was written at Rome as he heard Saint Peter preach the same that also we will acknowledge to bee the Roman faith which is still to be followed So that whatsoeuer eyther Saint Paule wrote to the Romans or Saint Peter being say the papists among the Romans wrote vnto the dispersed Iewes or Saint Marke at Rome haue taught and what soeuer is consonant and consenting therewith that is vndoubtedly receaued of vs. But that which cannot be found agréeable to any of these writings I trust any indifferent reader wil think that we may iustly suspect as neither taught by those godly teachers neither yet beléeued of those famous and faithful schollers and therefore of none acknowledged at that time for the faith of the Romans And if then it were not the faith of the Romans what néed either the Rhemistes in their edition of the testament or all the rest of them so confidently to bragge that the faith of the Romans was so commended of the Apostle Must it needes follow that the Romish faith that now is is true because that was good and godly Suspend thy iudgement good Christian Reader and come not with a preiudicate opinion Trie and then trust proue and examine whether we or the Romish Church come néerer to the auncient Roman faith and bee bolde to heare and followe them that beleeue as those first beleeuing Romans were taught and veleeued And who so euer they bee that dissente from that faith or swarue any thing from that religion or ad any thing to that doctrine say not to such so much as God spéed For they are in déed heretiks and enemies to Gods truth they are the corrupters of his most sacred word they are the verie botches and blanes of all Christian Religion And that thou maist good Christian reader more readily sée and more easily iudge both of that old Roman faith and this new Romish Religion my meaning is so to compare the one of them with the other that at one view thou maist sée them both Wherein I dare promise nothing but sincere dealing both in setting down whatsoeuer Saint Paule Saint Peter or Saint Mark haue taught vs concerning such points as are in question and also in poynting vnto the doctrine of our aduersaries I will not charge them with any thing vntruly I will not falsifie any of their writings that the truth may appeare and God may haue the glorie Let vs therfore see first what was then and what is now taught there of the word of God CHAP. II. SAint Paule in that Epistle that he writeth to the Romans teacheth that The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth By the Gospell he meaneth that part of Gods word that preacheth vnto vs that ioyfull newes of our attonement made with God which elswhere he calleth the word of Reconciliation This word he saith is The power of God For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to cast down holds casting down the imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ Of this powerfull word GOD spake long before Saint Paules time by his Prophet Ieremie Is not my word euen like a fire saith the Lord and as a hammer that breaketh the stone Of the power of this word thapostle writeth that It is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and entreth through euen to the deuiding asunder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioints the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Yea Christ himself in the Prophet Esay is brought in confessing that the Lord Hath made his mouth like a sharpe sword So that this word is neither so blunt or dull or so vnable to make the man of GOD perfect to euery good work as the aduersaries of the Gospell would haue vs to imagine it to be So that in this place Saint Paul doth giue testimony that the word of God is as Saint Iames saith able to saue our soules And profitable to teach to reproue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes Saint Peter therfore doth liken the word to a séed and that to such a séed as doth if the fault be not in vs spring and grow vnto eternall life For as the good séed if it be cast in a good ground and moistned in due season with the dew of heauen can not but be fruitfull when the time shall serue euen so Gods word if it sound To him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at his words and be watered by the graces of Gods holy spirit it cannot it will not be vnfruitfull Saint Mark also in that parable of the seed that falleth vpon the good ground and brought forth fruit some thirtie some sixtie some a hundred fold doth sufficiently testifie vnto vs of the efficacie of the word if by reason of the infirmitie of our flesh and corruption of our sinful nature the edge therof be not rebated and the force hindered Not because I ascribe such force either vnto the sound that we may heare or the letters that we may read but vnto the sence and substance of the word vnto the lesson that may be gathered out of the same Whereunto we sée Saint Paule writing to the Romans and Saint Peter being at Rome as our aduersaries affirme and S. Marke also there according to the doctrine of S. Peter as they tell vs penning his gospell do giue this effect that it is of power to saue and the very séede of eternall life They find not therein any such hardnes as should driue men and women from the reading therof They find no such dangers they spy no such perils But on the contrary it was holden for good doctrine at Rome when Saint Peter did write if from thence he wrote Alwaies to be ready with all meeknes and reuerence to answere to euery body that shall aske a reason of that hope which is in you And that this is required of euery man woman that should sanctifie the Lord God in their hearts euen of seruants and not of maisters onely of wiues and not of husbands onely it is more plaine then that it can be probably denied Now to yéeld a reason of thy faith requireth much greter knowledge then to make confession of thy faith So that héere the Apostle séemeth
to require that of them that S. Paule doth assure himselfe that he shal find in them namely that they are so filled with all knowledge that they can admonish one an other Yea this knowledg is so necessary for all Christians that Saint Paule alwaies wisheth it to be in such as he writeth vnto and prayeth that they may haue it But séeing this hope that is in vs is grounded vpon the word for otherwise it is but a foolsh fancy and no sound hope the knowledge whereby wee must be made able to aunswer of the same must be the knowledge of Gods worde Yea whatsoeuer besides that we doe know it may perchaunce some way satisfie our humour and serue for some turnes but this one knowledge is that onelie that is necessary and without which we cannot but erre as Saint Marke himselfe reporteth vnto vs that Christ told the Iewes Doe you not erre because you know not the Scriptures So that we sée that the auncient doctrine of the Church of Rome was this That to knowe Gods word is the meanes or power whereby God saueth vs and the séede of euerlasting life And therfore as the knowledge thereof is comfortable and profitable so to be ignorant thereof is very dangerous for any Christian man or woman But the now Romish Church doth not onely suffer without any publike shewing of their mislike the sacred Scriptures and Gods written worde to be most reprochfully disgraced and blasphemously scorned at by comparing it to a leaden rule a nose of wax Inkye diuinitie and with such like prophane and godlesse scornes but also they teach that that word of trueth wherewith Saint Iames saith God hath begotten vs is doubtfull and may be wrested any way it is not sufficient to teach vs all trueth without the helpe of traditions it is harde to be vnderstoode and therefore the people must not reade it And that it is best for the people to be ignorant still for ignorance is the mother of deuotion So that we see the auncient Church of Rome commended vnto vs Gods word as most necessary for Christians the now Church of Rome condemneth the same not as needlesse onely but euen as hurtfull and dangerous They hated ignorance as a sworne enemy to Christianitie these reuerence her as a fruitfull and the onely mother of popery Therefore the olde faith of the Romans and the newe Romish religion are in this nothing like And yet there is not any greater disgrace that they can lay vpon this powerfull worde then that which blasphemously they affirme and prophanely maintaine that eùen this power of GOD and immortall seede hath no power at all or authoritie vnlesse the Church authorize the same As though this power of God that it may be powerfull must receiue power from man and this seede that GOD that sower went forth to sowe cannot growe vnlesse man giue it increase CHAP. III. THere is also in these daies great question what is Gods word that is to say what that word is that should be the rule of religion and conuersation For the which the old religion of Rome was this That in any wise they should take héede of such as make diuision and giue occasion of euill contrarye to that doctrine which they had learned And S. Paule prayeth that they may be Confirmed according to his gospel and preaching of Iesus Christ As for other worde then that hee did teach or other gospell then that he did preach as he héere teacheth the Romans that they ought not to beléeue so he flatly writeth to the Galathians that If he or an Angell from heauen preach any other gospell they shoulde be so farre from receiuing it that they shoulde hold him accursed that bringeth it And S. Peter commending the worde whereby men by their sinfull nature mortall are made immortall poynting vnto that word sheweth what it is And this is saith he the word which by the gospell is preached vnto you And in the end of this his first epistle he protesteth This is the true grace of God wherein ye stand That is to say this faith or religion that you haue béene taught this doctrine of the gospell which you haue learned is the true faith the true religion a true doctrine For so do Claudius Guilliandus and Iac. Faber no enemies to popery expound it Then by the old faith of Rome we sée that that which they then preached and that which was agréeably to that rule is the truth euen that which was then Depositum committed or taught not any thing that should be afterward committed to them or taught And this is in trueth that old worde of God which was then acknowledged for Gods word and had not any beginning from later times this is in déed an auncient religion Which was promised before by the Prophets in the holy Scriptures But the now Romish faith cannot abide this doctrine And therfore our new M. of Rome haue decreed that al the books of the old and new testament as wel the Apocrypha as Canonical and also the traditions themselues concerning faith or maners shal with like affection bee beleeued and with like reuerence receiued Yea they are not ashamed to teach that these their traditions are more necessary and profitable then Gods word We see then that the old religion of Rome taught both by Peter and Paule is to rest in that worde that then was taught without adding thereto The Romish religion that now is doth arrogate vnto themselues alwaies to adde as they see cause which their additions are nothing else but an augmenting of the heapes of their superstitions whereas August Hierom. others appoint the listes and limites of Gods word to be the Law the Prophets the Euangelistes and Apostles CHAP. IIII. THen let vs come to the question of iustification which is y e very summe of true Christian diuinity And it is the intent and purpose of the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans most exactly to teach the same For when the good séed of our frée iustification in and for Christ was sowen in the ground of their harts then came the enuious man and sought to sowe sundry sorts of bad wéeds there also For some there were that were altogether enemies to the gospell of Christ as were the obstinate Iewes who could not abide to heare of this saluation by Christ Others beléeued in part the gospell but thought yet that the ceremonies which God commanded not knowing that they were appointed but vntill the time of reformation should come should not be abrogated and therefore would mingle the Law with the gospell Who also looked to be iustified by the Law and the works therof because it was promised Hee that doth these things shall liue thereby There were also a third sort perchance namely such as were conuerted from Gentilisme that being proud of that grace that was broght
must freely receiue that which is from aboue of Gods free gift bringing with thee of thine only this one thing namely that thou beleeue Then which words what can more plainly impugne the doctrine of our aduersaries or shew what was the iudgement of this auncient father concerning this point But that consent and consenancy which we find in many of the Fathers as in Origen Hierom Ambrose Isichius Basil Athanasius Primasius Hillary Theodoret Bernard giuing that work to Faith only to saue or iustifie may sufficiently perswade vs how fast they held this old Religion or Romish faith that a man is iustified by faith without the works of the Law I may therfore I trust with Cyprian conclude that If Abraham beleeued God and it was accompted to him for righteousnes Euery one also that beleeueth God and liueth by Faith is found iust and is declared to be alreadie made happy and righteous in faithfull Abraham But the new Romish Religion is this That good works do merite iustification and eternall life So that by their good works they say they can satisfie for their sinnes And for this cause when at shrift they haue confessed their faults their ghostly father for so they terme him will inioine some penance vnto them wherby they tell them that they may satisfie for their sinnes and make recompence to God for them For almes and fasting saith one doth easily carie men into heauen And thus in this their new Religion they do not only expresly set themselues against that old Roman faith wherin we are taught that good workes cannot iustifie before God but also blasphemously they rob Christ of his office who is in truth onely that Lambe of GOD that taketh away the sinne of the world and is the propitiation for the same Who with one offering by offering himselfe a Sacrifice for our sins hath made perfect for euer them that are sanctified CHAP. V. ANd as this ancient faith which was then y e faith of the Romans when their faith was commended doth put vs past hope of béeing saued by our workes sait doth teach vs that this saluation is without our merit fréely bestowed vpon vs that beléeue Wee are saith S. Paule iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Whome GOD hath set forth to be a propitiation by faith in his bloud in declaring his righteousnesse by the forgiuing of sinnes that are past c. In which wordes wee see againe that our iustification is free therefore not for our workes but by grace Wée sée the meanes of this our saluation euen the redenption that is in Christ Iesus We are also taught the meanes how it is applied to vs by faith And that not simply by faith as if it were frée for vs to repose this our faith and confidence according to our owne fancy vpon any helpes that we can deuise but by faith in his bloude Then also we learne héere what is this iustification the forgiuenes of sinnes But is Christ onely profitable to them that were in his time and to vs that haue béene or are since Yes verily He declareth his righteousnes in forgiuing the sins that are past such as his chosen seruantes haue committed since the world began for so both S. Ambrose and their owne friend Tho. of Aquin séeme to vnderstand the sins that are past Which former sins or sins that are past seing it is receiued by so generall a consent of the olde translation and the interpreters I maruell that the Rhemists do leaue it out If we had so done we should haue beene cryed out vpon for falsifyers of the worde of God and deprauers of the same I woulde also aske why in translating into English they would rather retaine the Latin worde Gratis then set downe the English word Freely What was the English so plain that you could not deuise any colour that might seeme plausible to your fauorits for the maintenance of your new heresie If you thought so why giue you not glory vnto God confessing your errour that others might learne by you not to be deceiued any longer If you saw not your misliking why when you should translate and make the worde plaine doe you so hide this light vnder the close bushell of your wordes vnknowen to them that shoulde read your booke For thus our newe Masters of Rheimes do translate Iustified gratis by grace caet what these mean by translating thus let the world iudge But the summe of the auncient doctrine is this that we are iustified fréely without deseruing euen by the forgiuenes of our sinnes through faith in Christ his bloud which is gathered not onely out of the words of S. Paule by me alledged but also through out all his Epistles Which testimonyes I omit because that which is already said is so plaine and my especiall purpose is to shew what hath béene the auncient faith of the Romans As therefore we see what S. Paule taught them so let vs see if S. Peter in that his Epistle which they say he wrote from Rome haue said any thing for that point Hée saith That we are kept by faith vnto saluation And that The reward or end of our faith is the saluation of our soules And againe that Christ was shewed in these last times for your sakes saith he which by his meanes doe beleeue in God And whosoeuer shall mark how the Apostle S. Peter in that first Chapter of his first Epistle doth set forth the excellency of our hope and the redemption that we haue in Christ which is the end or reward not of our workes but of our faith yea how that Christ is shewed for vs that beléeue and that the Apostle in speaking of our saluation doth not make our workes any cause thereof but on the contrary ascribeth it wholly to Gods mercy euen to his abundant mercy apprehended by faith he must needs confesse that S. Peter hauing so good occasion to haue spoken of iustification by works yet not hauing once mentioned the same had not any purpose to deliuer that doctrine that our own works may iustify vs. But our new Romish Rabbies that haue nothing to vant themselues of but the rotten ruines of auncient Rome can abide no doctrine worse then this that wee are iustified by faith in Christ his bloud It is heresie with them to say that wee obtayne forgiuenesse of our sinnes by faith in Christ But to attribute that which onely Christes merites by his death and bloudshedding and faith apprehendeth to holy bread holy water pardons Agnus deis blessed graynes pilgrimages monkes bookes and cowles candels crossings and such like trifling trash is good deuotion and sound religion That which they call heresie we teach word for word out of the auncient doctrine of the Romans But that which they would haue the people beleeue concerning these toyes S. Paul S. Peter and S. Marke
his scholler would haue been ashamed to haue taugh it to any Christians CHAP. VI. SAint Paul hauing planted and proued this doctrine of iustification by faith in Christ as he doth in the fourth chapter of this Epistle to the Romans and else where in many places hee then teacheth that in respect of this grace we should be so far from being imboldened to sin that on the contrary we are the more bound therby to holines of life For whosoeuer is dead to sin must not liue to sin But we if we be not baptised into Christ are dead to sin Therfore such as are baptised into Christ may not liue to sin or in sin Yea it is good reason that the seruant obey his Master but we are Gods seruants by promise in baptisme therefore him we must obey then we cannot obey him which God hateth forbiddeth and punisheth but we must serue God our Master in holines and righteousnes And whereas no man euer more plainely taught our frée iustification in Christ without our workes or merites or any inherent righteousnesse euen by the forgiuenes of our sinnes then the Apostle S. Paul both in this epistle and else where yet no man more earnestly and effectually then he exhorteth to holines of life good workes and all Christian duties sinne and security haue not a sharper enemie then he is S. Peter also teacheth vs that Christ his Owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body vpon the tree Whereby he sheweth the satisfaction that he hath made to be the attonement betwéene God and vs and that without vs he hath done it himselfe I say in his owne body hath paid that price and taken away the condemnation due to the sinne that we haue committed Hee hath done it vpon the trée by his death and passion purchasing thereby eternall redemption What can the Apostle say more plainely to teach vs that the satisfaction for al our sinnes is alreadie perfected so in and by Christ that our owne workes can be nothing auayleable to satisfie for them or that there is not to that vse any neede of them What then Séeing he beareth our sinnes shall we lay loade vpon him and by our sinne and vngodly life doe what wee can to make his burthen heauier No no he hath done all this that wee who by this benefite of Christ are dead to sinne should liue to righteousnesse For if GOD bee our God wee must be his people If hee bee our louing Father hee looketh that wee shoulde be his obedient children If he bee our gratious Lorde and Master we must not be vngracious but duetifull seruantes For as God doth couenant with vs to bee our God so do we also by vowe and promise binde our selues vnto him to bée his seruantes And this also doth the Apostle Saint Peter teache vs who in the first Chapter hath plentifully set forth Gods greate merrie towardes vs euen in this question of our free iustification as also in this place he hath done and yet wil not in any wise that any Christian duties should of vs be vnperformed but exhorteth vs to bee occupied in them as we may see Chap. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4. and to accompt them as a debt that we owe vnto God and must pay him For we are Gods workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath before ordained that we should walke in them Saint Marke reporteth vnto vs that our Sauiour Christ preachd often forgiuenes of sinnes as in his third and fourth Chapters it may appeare which forgiuenes of sin doth quite ouerthrow that inherent righteousnes and iustification by worke that the papistes striue to establish And yet the same S. Marke doth register and record among many other godly exhortations that our Sauiour Christ made to his disciples this necessary caueat Take heed watch and pray for you know not when the time is By all which this doth appeare that sanctification and holines must followe iustification and forgiuenes of sinne for we are washed that we should not againe defile our selues with the filth of sin and that Gods loue doth more effectually tie vs to obey him and to indeuour our selues to doe his will And looke howe much the more we are instructed and assuredly perswaded of the free loue of God so much the more will our inner man be inflamed with loue to him againe I say euen with such loue as will thrust vs forwardes to walke in good workes And this is notably proued by our Sauiour Christ who gathereth that the sinfull woman in S. Luke felt That many sinnes were forgiuen her because she loued so much And thus we sée that the auncient Roman faith was this that such as haue receiued and felt Gods free grace in forgiuing their iniquities as in trueth they are so in duety they must be alwaies ready to serue him So that I may boldly say with S. August It can hardly bée that he that beléeueth well should liue euil But our popish spiders out of this sweete flower doe gather their poyson They burtheÌ„ this doctrine which in expresse words is taught by S. Paul and the effects of it by S. Peter also that we are iustified by faith without the workes of the Law with this slaunder that it is a doctrine of liberty and occasion of licentious life a hinderance to good workes And thus this doctrine which they cannot confute with reason they couer with shame and reproches And that which they cannot with all their learning proue false by this shameles shift they seeke to make odious Far otherwise did the ancient fathers both speak write Iustinus Martyr lerned of the Apostle S. Peter to say that faith profiâ—eth our hearts Ciprian saith to cease from sin that beginneth of faith Tertulian affirmeth that faith sheweth vs the way whither to licentious life No but by which we must come to God Basil ascribeth vnto it great force to allure draw and perswade the mind because as in another place he telleth vs it strengheneth the powers of the same it obtayneth getteth indeuour in vs and Gods helpe which both are necessary in al our works Epiphanius writeth that it preserueth euery faithful man he meaneth from euil no doubt And Theophilact telleth vs that faith in Christ is truely a holy and perfect worke and doth sanctifie or make holy him that hath it And on the other side that such as lead an vncleane life are not truely faithfull who professe that they know God but in workes they deny him By all which it is plaine to see that these holy fathers did thinke that faith doth both quench all the firie dartes of the wicked and nourish or maintaine within vs the good motions of the spirit and so is as it were the fountaine from whence doth spring whatsoeuer good work we can performe But the papistes would beare the worde in hande that the more
wee teach them to beleeue the wider we open them a doore to sinne But woulde you in deede finde out that doctrine that doth let loose the raynes of lycentious life and giueth liberty to doe what you will Looke then to our newe Romish religion that selleth sinnes for money and pardons for faultes both past and to come also Faith whereby wee apprehend this free iustification is Gods gift and therefore not easie for vs to get seeing wee cannot haue it at all vnlesse hee will giue it increase whereof the Apostles themselues craued of God because of themselues they coulde not get it But as much mony as will buy a pardon is not harde to come by Especially rich men might by their doctrine be bolde to sinne because money woulde buy pardons enowe Nowe whether the auncient faith of the Romans or this new Romish religion giue greater liberty to licentious life let the indifferent Reader iudge CHAP. VII BVT this our doctrine of iustification by faith in our Sauiour Christ Iesus without the workes of the Lawe that it may both the better be vnderstoode and more throughly be deliuered from the vniust reproches of such slaunderous spirits It shall not I suppose be amisse but verie necessary to declare what maner of persuasion this Faith is by the doctrine of the Apostles if any thing may out of these their writinges which doe any way concerne the Romans be brought to teach vs the same First therefore this Faith is not only a generall persuasion of Gods power mercie and such other things but euen a particular confidence and trust wherby we do not onely giue our assent or consent that GOD is mighty and mercifull but also we do with comfort applie particularly vnto our selues whatsoeuer greatnes and goodnes in generall persuasion we yéeld to be in God And this is plainly proued by thapostle vnto the Romans setting forth the faith of Abraham before our eyes as a perfect patterne of true faith in that he beléeued not onely in generally that God could or would do such a thing but euen particularly that he would and could performe his promise that he made vnto him concerning Isaac So shall thy seed be And so it came to passe that neither he considered his owne bodie now dead when he was almost a hundred yeares old neither yet the deadnes of Saraes womb But contrary to hope beleeued in hope that he should be the father of many nations Now this constancie of Faith cannot possibly be in any man or woman vnlesse they haue besides a generall persuasion and historicall assent to this that they heare that God is good a particular application and an inward féeling whereby they may say as their old translation bringeth in Iob saying This hope is laid vp within my brest Faith also must be if it be true and such as is required a constant confidence without doubting Not because that we can héer attaine to that perfection that our faith should haue no infirmitie but that all weaknesse in faith doth argue great want in the same Such was that Faith that héer the Apostle commendeth vnto vs in the example of Araham For Abraham was Fully persuaded assured or certified that what GOD had promised he was able to performe Now fully to be persuaded of a thing and to doubt of it are contrarie And Saint Peter willeth vs To trust perfectly in that grace that is brought vnto vs. wherby he doubtlesse meaneth nothing els then thapostle S. Iames when he opposeth Doubting or wauering against true faith Let him aske in faith nothing doubting But that faith must haue these properties that is that it must be a confidence and trust wherby assuredly and particularly we applie vnto our selues the comfort of Gods promises or of the examples of his mercie Thapostle in this Chapter doth farther teach vs I meane Saint Paule in the fourth to the Romans teaching circumcision to be A seale of the righteousnes of Faith A seale is set to the writing to take away all occasion of doubting from the same So are the Sacraments added to Gods promises if it were possible to make vs without all wauering in Faith And the writings whervnto seales are affixed contain for the most part particular benefits bestowed vpon them to whom they are made and sealed Euen so the Sacraments are to the godly assurances not onely that God loueth mankind or Christ is a Sauiour that taketh away sinnes and maketh attonement with God for them but also that God loueth vs and Christ saueth vs I say euery particular man and woman if they be faithfull haue within them this faith Which application of this benefit of Christ to themselues and to their consciences is beléeuing And they that can attaine to this haue attained to Faith and this their particular faith is sealed vp to them in the Sacraments But an assent to the historie hereof we may yéeld without comfort or consolation For so do the Diuels beléeue and tremble Yea let vs sée what an example of Faith thapostle in the viii of this Epistle setteth forth himself to haue I warrant you we shall find it neither mingled with doubtfulnesse nor resting onely vpon Gods generall promises But in wonderfull assurance he findeth and confesseth in himselfe to his vnspeakable comfort Gods great mercy in iustifying and sauing him For he is not only assured that none can lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen because God iustifieth and none can condemne because Christ died and rose againe and at Gods right hand maketh intercession for vs but also that nothing can separate vs from that loue wherwith God loueth And this he saith he is sure of This then is the auncient faith of the Romans That euery one should be fully perswaded in their owne mind for if in meates this perswasion must be then much more in the cause of our iustification and Trust perfectly without doubting on Gods grace Yea the auncient Fathers do not know any other faith for a true faith but onely this assurance and particular persuasion of the heart Ciprian calleth it A confidence of good things to come and proueth that it must so be S. Basil saith it is An approbation of that which is said with assent and without wauering with full assurance that it is true Which confident persuasion is manifestly against popish doubting neyther can it be without particular application of the promises to our selues which in their grosse diuinitie they finde to bee néedelesse Hilary will haue no doubt at all in our faith Neyther can a generall faith without applying particularly to vs Gods promises make vs abstaine from euill and doe that is good which Chrysostome saith is the worke of faith And this doth S. Ambrose plainely teach by the similitude of a phisition who although bee promise to heale all yet they that will haue helpe must seeke to
the phisition And why Is it not euery one that standeth in neede may haue the medicine applyed yes verily For it will not otherwise doe them any good Now saith he faith giueth vs this spirituall health which vnlesse the minde receiue withall the heart it doth no good but rather hurt As therefore it doth no good to a diseased body to know that he may haue helpe vnlesse the physicke be ministred to him euen so in these sicknesses of our soule the assaultes of sinne without this particular applicution there can be no helpe Let therefore Master Bellarmine tel vs if he will that his fellow Catholickes of the Romish stamp do hold it rather a presumption then faith To be assured of the promise of speciall grace or mercy yet will we rather holde fast that auncient faith of Rome approued also by sundry fathers then wander with them in their wauering opinion and desperate doctrine But our new Romish teachers can abide nothing lesse then that we should teach men to assure themselues by faith of their saluation And therefore they teach this faith to be but an assent not a confidence and that it may be a generall knowledge not a particular and vndoubted persuasion or trust that we are iustifyed by Christ They take for a patterne of their faith that faith that the diuels haue as before out of Saint Iames I taught that they beleeue yea feare and tremble And while they make faith to be but a bare assent they thinke it an easy matter to beleeue for in deed the most wicked may haue such a fayth by this meanes it commeth to passe that they speake euill of our doctrine which they knowe not For wee doe not teach that popish faith doth iustify which is but an historicall assent to those thinges that are spoken of GOD but we say that that assured persuasion which Sainte Paul commendeth in Abraham and whereof himselfe reioyceth And whereby we are kept by the power of GOD vnto saluation wee teach that that doth not onely iustifie vs before God because it apprehendeth and taketh holde of him by and in whom onely wee are accompted righteousse in Gods sight but God by it doth also purifie our heartes Because it cannot be but that wee will haue a delight in Gods commaundementes if once this assured and vndoubted persuasion of Gods eternall goodnesse towardes vs be planted in our heartes Although therefore we still teach constantlie with our Sauiour Christ his Apostles that fayth without workes doth iustifie speaking of a true fayth and an assured confidence which was the olde Roman fayth yet we wil also say with the new Romanistes that the fayth of the nowe Church of Rome or that fayth which the diuels may haue cannot iustifye But this doth nothing hinder our cause for wee accompt not that bastard Roman faith worthy the name of faith So that in this latter assertion wee yeelde to them And in the former wherein we affirme that faith as it is an assured confidence taking holde of Gods mercy in Christ doth iustifie I would they also woulde yeelde vnto the trueth CHAP. VIII WEe haue séene then the most auncient doctrine of iustification by faith grounded vpon the first promise of the womans seede that shoulde breake the head of the serpent taught by the Apostles who yet ment not thereby to open a gap to licentious life because they speak not there of a deuelish faith a popish faith a dead faith that may be fruitlesse but of such a persuasion and so assured a confidence setled in the heart of the faithfull as will not suffer them to be idle or vnoccupied in godly workes as occasion shall bee offered And if wee looke further into the doctrine taught by the Apostles we shall also learne out of it not onely that it is necessary to doe good works but also howe and to what ende wee shoulde doe them For if our affection in doing them be not sincere if our direction and rule be not Gods holy word if our intention and ende be not Gods glory and the performance of our dutifull obedience vnto our Lord and Lawgiuer whatsoeuer our worke be called in name or seeme in shew it is not in deede a good worke First therefore for our affection not onely our Sauiour Christ who is a heauenly and true teacher of all trueth telleth vs that the trée of our heart cannot bring forth good fruite vnlesse it I meane the tree be good it selfe but also S. Paul teacheth vs that the flesh that is that part of man that is not regenerate striueth against the spirit whereby he is brought to that that Hee doth not the good thing which hee woulde but the euill which he would not And that through The rebelling Lawe in his members rebelling I say against the lawe of his mind and leading him captiue vnto the Lawe of sinne which is in his members Nowe if we marke why the Apostle maketh this complaint and addeth that grieuous and pitifull exclamation O wretched man that I am we must confesse that he was forced thereto because that Although he woulde doe good and had delight in the Lawe of God concerning the inner man yet his rebellious fleshe did trouble and molest him so that he could not so freely so holily and sincerely serue God as he shoulde haue done And that is it that in the sixt chapter he perswadeth vs that we ought not to sinne because we are dead to sinne so that we should not any more haue to doe therewith but should haue our affections freed from the same and wholly bent to serue God in holines And for this cause afterwardes when he beginneth to come to exhortations he layeth this as the ground and foundation of al That we must offer vp our selues euen our owne bodies a sacrifice to God For if we beginne not with our selues euen with our owne affections to haue them sanctified whatsoeuer we doe cannot bee holy And therefore S. Peter also who plentifully exhorteth to the performance of Christian dueties yet telleth vs before that we are elect vnto Sanctification For heereby our affections are reformed that in doing of al our works we may do them with a good heart And afterward he saith Seeing your hearts are purified in obeying the trueth through the spirite to loue brotherly without fayning loue one another with a pure heart feruently In which wordes we cannot but see how sincere an effection the Apostle requireth in performance of this dutie of loue which must also bee a patterne for vs to doe all good workes by for thy heart not béeing sincere thy workes are not pure though they seeme good As for the second point which is that our workes if we will that God shoulde accompt them good should be commaunded in Gods word and agréeable to his will it may appeare to be the auncient faith