abominations and filthy fornications in a golden cuppe that is that it should be that property of Antichrist the more to allure men to receiue his religion to colour it with as glorious shewes of Catholike and Christian religion as he could deuise By which note by the way wee may see how vaine that their great reason is whereof our late Iesuites and Rhemistes bragge so much namely that therefore Popery cannot be Antichristianity because it cannot be shewed as they say in what Emperours time it beganne that it was then espied and resisted as soone as it beganne For howsoeuer it be the nature of some other heresies to beginne at once and to shewe themselues bluntly as bad as they be at the first yet we see it is not so with Antichristianity the most perilous apostasie and hotch-potch of all heresies And therefore it is no more proofe that popery is not Antichristianity if it could not be told when it first came in and who then by and by with-stoode it than it had beene that the tares were no tares wheÌ„ euidently by coÌ„paring of them with the wheat they shewed themselues to be so because that they that then espied them could not tel when they were sowen and that any resisted the sower thereof when hee went about to doe it As then it was sufficient to conclude them to be tares because they compared with the fruite then of the wheate that was sowen were found so far to differ from it as they did so it is a sufficient argument to vs to proue the popish faith to bee Antichristian in that we haue founde it as we haue to differ from Christian doctrine But to the further proofe thereof because they bragge they haue faith that a true Christian faith because they with their mouth confesse Iesus Christ to be the son of the liuing God they must be put in remembrance that the Diuels doe as much as that commeth to Mark 1.24 and Luâ— 4.34 how that Iudas kist him with his mouth and said Haile maister when be had but a traiterous heart Matth. 26.49 and Marke 14.45 Nay I say yet more that the Diuelles faith is farre better than theirs For no doubt of it they knowe and are fully perswaded though they grieue at it that the merites of Christes owne satiefaction performed in his owne person by himselfe are so infinitely auailable in the sight of his heauenly father that they neede not the addition of any other satisfaction or merite to saue the beleeuer and this they will not be brought to confesse Whereupon it must needes followe that they imagine to themselues such a cruell and mercilesse God the father and will not grow to be at one with them for the infinite merites of his owne deare sonne without the addition thereunto of their owne and such a God the son they haue framed vnto themselues as that either could not or would not fully in himselfe and by himselfe prepare whatsoeuer was necessary for mans saluation The very consequent whereof is this that indeede they neither know God nor beleeue in him but worshippe an Idole of their owne heades For it is most true that S. Cyprian hath saide in his booke de duplici Martyrio of double Martyrdome Non creditin Deum qui in eo solo non collocat totius suae salutis fiduciam he beleeueth not at all in God which reposeth not in him alone the confidence of his whole saluation That Popery Antichristianity Yet to proceede one steppe further with them not onely their faith is Antichristian as it appeareth by their former reasons but their Church and kingdome is so also in so much that popery is Antichristianity it selfe Which to be so whosoeuer with a single eie wil but consider the prophesies and descriptions of Antichrist and his kingdome 2. Thess 2. 1. Timoth. 4. and through this booke of the reuelation and compare them with the kingdome of popery shall see most euidently For if time and opportunity now would permitte me I would not doubt to make it most clearly appeare to euery one heere present that there was neuer cote made fitter for mans body or gloue for his hand than these descriptions be for popery For a litle tast whereof consider either the originall the manner of proceeding and growing to his perfection the flourishing estate the qualities or consumption of Antichrist set downe in these places and you shall finde them all notably to fitte the papacie His originall is said to be from the earth Reu. 13.11 And 2. Thess 2. we read that the mistery of his iniquity was woorking in Pauls time In that no doubt as it appeareth by the occasion that Paul had to write as he did to the Galathians there were euen theÌ„ false Apostles that taught men to seeke their saluation partly by their own merites and not onely by faith in Christ And whence is popery sprung but euen from the earth that is from earthly and not heauenly groundes from the wit and will of foolish man and vncertaine traditions of earthly men And who seeth not that the false Apostles doctrine in Galatia is the very ground of all popery His maner of proceeding as you haue heard is by hypocrisie as you may further obserue by false miracles 2. Thess 2.9 and when these will not serue by extreme persecution without all mercy against the faithfull witnesses of the truth Apos 17.6 All which haue bin the steps whereby popery hath proceeded and growen to his perfection as experience most euidently hath taught Antichrist could not fully be borne yâ— is shew himselfe in deed in his right colours as you haue heard vncil the Roman Empire was remoued out of his way but then he should Which in stories we see iustly verified in the papacy For vntil he seat of the Empire was remoued from Rome â—o Constantinople the Empire in the Weâ—â— decaâ—ed the popes chalenged not to theÌ„selues their blasphemous antichristiaÌ„ titles But shorely after in the murtherer Phocas his time they tooke the vpon theÌ„ Antichrists florishing estate is described to be such that al nations shal be made drunke with the wine of the wrath of her fornication kings shal coÌ„mit fornication with her Ap. 18.2 that is there shal be a wonderful vniuersal consent in imbracing Antichrists religioÌ„ and it is set forth to ve wonderful pompous magnificent maiestical for the wealth and brauery of the world e. 17.4 which be two of the things that popery braggeth of trumpheth for against the true church of christ As for his qualities we read 1. Tim. 4.2.3 that he shall teach that there lyeth great holniesse in absteining from mariage and meats that therfore he shall forbid mariage command abstinence from eats and that he shall speake words full of blasphemie as wee read Apoc. 17.3 And that he shal be an aduersarie that exalteth himselfe against all that is called God or that is worshipped sitting
should beleeue that the righteousnesse of Christ should be imputed vnto the beleeuer in Christ for righteousnesse This they count absurde and therefore in their Tridentine Conuenticle accurse it as an heresie In the meane time holding that the workes which they themselues doe after faith is the formall righteousnesse whereby they deserue to bee accompted righteous before God In which point because their owne consciences tell them that their doctrine souÌ„deth greatly to the derogatioÌ„ of Christs glorie to coulour the Antichristianity thereof as well yet as may bee they haue now found out this deuise to say that their owne works are not so of their owne worthinesse absolutenesse but through the worthinesse of the merites of Christ Which in effect in plainer tearms is to say that Christ came not perfectly to saue by himselfe to be a full sauiour in his own person but to merite that meÌ„ might by their own works be their own sauiours as though Christ died to be our sauior to post ouer either part or the whole of that his office to any thing wrought by man And as their doctrine is so is their faith For to take it at the best as now they haue fined it thereby they seek in Christ but their former iustificatioÌ„ which they accouÌ„t nothing els but the first translation from the state of mere naturall men to the state of grace fauor of God And yet eueÌ„ herunto they hold that men may haue workes of preparation of their owne common abilitie left vnto them of nature but as for sinnes done after this former iustification attained they beleeue they must flie to a second refuge which they call the sacrament of Penance for them and so they beleeue they must either in this life by them-selues or after in Purgatorie satisfie for these sinnes partly by their owne sufferinges and partly by deedes done for them by others after they bee dead And for the seconde iustification which is the consummation and perfection of the former they beleeue that that must bee made vppe and finished by their owne merites madeÌ„ able to merice their saluation by the merites of Christ And that this is their faith and their docerine euen nowe I coulde make it euident from point to point out of the Tridentine councell the Censurer of Coled Canisius Catechisme the Romish Catechisme and our of our own counâ—rimens writings which are counted not the meanest of the Iesuites But I need not it â—â—ble you with any further proofe thereof For they themselues will not deny it And yee hereby it cannot d ee but you plaiuely see that Christ is not the onely foundation to them wherupon as vpon their onely foundation they stand and test For you see they trust to stand before the Lorde paâ—tly by his satisfactions paâ—â—y by their owns parâ—ly by his merits and pâ—â—tly â—y their owne and others and therefore they are built but halflings at the most vppon him halflings vpon themselues others For whatsoeuer he hath done for them yet vnlesse their owne satisfactioÌ„s be ful their merits such as for which they may euen in the iustice of God clasme heauen they can be at no rest nor peace in their consciences And therefore because they can neuer but doubt whether their satisfactions bee full their meries perfect they hold that they may neuer haue an assured trust and confidence that they shall be saued but that lawfully they may alwaies be in some doubt thereof O what an vucoÌ„fortable doctrine of desperatioÌ„ is this And yee so far off are they froÌ„ being ashamed of this which is the iust iudgement of God vpon them for leauing to rest vpon Christ the only most stedfast foundation that they are not ashamed that their doctrine be intitiled A doctrine of doubtfulnesse Yea they count that their doubtfulnes humility the assurance that true faith breedeth presumption Euen the bare opening vnto you thus what the popish faith is I hope sufficiently proueth vnto you that they that die in such a faith cannot bee saide to die in the Lorde Iesus because that out of the Lorde Iesus you see in themselues and others they seeke a great part of their saluation Howbeit because it is a point of great importance and weight and wherin as yet great multitudes will not bee so easily resolued let vs see howe from point to point this their faith and religion is opposite and contrarye to Gods reuealed will in his worde The former doctrine and faith confuted first generally They holde as you haue heard generally this that Christ in his own person by that which he hath doone himselfe hath not already done whatsoeuer is necessary for man to be iustifled saued by And therefore they ad thereunto their own satisfactions merits by his doings this togither to make vp their iustificatioÌ„ saluation But the scripture saith Heb. 7.25 he is able perfectly to saue those that come vnto God by him Heb. 10.10 by the will of God we are sanctified by the offering of the body of Iesus Christ once made a litle after verse 14. with one offering hath he coÌ„secrated for euer them that are sanctified And Christ himselfe that knew best to giue an infallible note of his owne body the Church telleth vs Matth. 22.1 that the sounde and earhand of the true Messengers therein is this All things are already prepared namely in the mariage of the kings son come vnto the mariage Whereby it is most cleare the the word setteth forth Christ vnto vs as one that of himselfe by himselfe hath already done what soeuer we are to looke to be saued by or for Then particularly in three points To leaue now the generall ground of their faith and to come to the particulars thereof first you heare that they hold that Christ hath not clean purged by himselfe and by that which he hath done in his own person those that beleue in him both froÌ„ their sinnes from the penalty due for the same and that therefore God requireth to the satisfying of his iustice fully some further satisfaction at their own handes But we reane to the contrarie in the Scriptures For there it is thus written The bloud of the son of God doth clense vs froÌ„ all sinne Iohn 1.7 and least this should be taken as spoken onely of sinnes before faith Iohn addeth and putteth himselfe in the number and yet long before that be had faith If we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues the truth is not in vs If we acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull iust to forgiue vs our sinnes to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes If they reply that all this proueth but remissionem omnis culpae that is forgiuenesse of the fault or guilt onely of all our sinnes and not also of the punishment I proceede and aske them whether the curse of the lawe and damnation bee not punishmentes due for sinne and
and that therefore wee shal bee saued for his sake onely and not for our workes at all Let vs now therefore heare what the Scripture sayth to the determination of this question That saying of Christ to his Luke 17.10 is directly contrary to their position where hee sayth when ye haue doone all those thinges that are commanded you say wee are vnprofitable seruantes wee haue doone that which was our duetie to doe For heereby not in way of curtesie as some of them haue sayde but in sadnesse we are taught that if wee kept the whole lawe in euery pointe which neuer man did but Christ that yet we are to account our selues so farre from hauing merited any thing thereby at Gods handes that we are to thinke we haue but payde him that which we ought him and therefore merited no more at his handes than an olde ill better may say he hath merited at his creditours handes when he payeth him but his hare owne How much more stronglye then doeth this place bynde vs from hauing that conceite of our woorkes when wee haue doone them that thereby we are iustified and merite heauen Seeing that the very best woorkers of vs al when wee haue doone what we canne yet finde our selues scarce able where wee owe God golde to paye him leade where wee owe him thousandes to pay him hundredes yea to aunswere him one of a thousande Iob. 9.3 in so much that the righteousnesse of the righteous is but as a steyned cloath Isa 64.6 And therefore Paul though hee wrote the Epistle to the Phillippians a litle before his death when hee was full of sufferinges for CHRIST and of all kinde of good woorkes yet he in the 3. Chapter therof protesteth not onelye in the preter tense that hee counted all his pharisaicall righteousnesse before his conuersion but all then in the present tense but doung that hee might winne Christ and might be founde in him not haning his owne righteousnesse which is of the Lawe but that which is through the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of GOD through fayth verse 8.9 Wherefore hee boldlye concludeth Titus 3.5 thus Not by the woorkes of righteousnesse which no doubt are woorkes doone in fayth for otherwyse they were not to be called woorkes of righteousnesse but rather woorkes of vnrighteousnesse which wee haue doone but according to his mercy he saued vs. Now to make it cleare that by this righteousnesse of GOD whereby Paule through faith in Christ woulde bee righteous before GOD is ment not an inherent righteousnesse in mans owne selfe Paul opposeth it to that righteousnesse in himselfe And besides Romanes 10.1.2.3 they are seuered in that the one is called the righteousnesse of God the other mans owne righteousnesse But most cleare is that Romains 1.17 where hee affirmeth that that righteousnesse which is called the righteousnesse of GOD is reuealed by the Gospell from faith to faith For it is written The iust shall liue by fayth Whereby it is most euident that this inherent righteousnes which they would haue to make theÌ„ righteous by is reuealed by the morall law And therefore you shall finde that Paul Rom. 10.5.6 7.8.9 distinguisheth the righteousnes of the lawe from the righteousnes that commeth by faith And Rom. 3.21 that hee in plaine tearmes thus determineth this matter Now is the righteousnes of God made manifest without the law hauing witnesse of the Law and the Prophetes to witte the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vppon all that beleeue Which coulde not bee if the righteousnes of God were the good workes that are in men for we come to the knowledge of theÌ„ by the Lawe This is called the righteousnesse of God in an excellencye because the righteousnesse of Christ is the righteousnesse of one that is God and is indeede a righteousnesse absolute before God for the which he cannot but account them righteous to whom it is imputed by fayth In an inferiour sort the godlynesse in Gods children maye be called a righteousnesse of God because it is wrought in them by his spirite but yet as appeareth by these places it is not that righteousnesse whereby we may dare perswade one selues that wee are made righteous before hym but onely a fruite proceeding from that applyed first vnto vs and then testifiyng thereof Further howe could it be sayde truely that life euerlastyng is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the free gift of God Ro. 6.23 if it come at all by meryte To imagyne that it may come of grace and also of workes it is flat agaynst Paul Rom. 11.6 where he sayth If it be of grace it is no more of works or else were grace no more grace but if it be of works it is no more grace or else were work no more woorke In which woordes he deâ—ermineth saluation to come by merite of workes and by grace to bee so contrarye the one to the other as if it come the one way it cannot come at al by â—he other It cannot bee sayde to the shifting off of this place with any reason that here by works are meant workes onely done before faith for he speaketh generally heere of woorkes without distinction And therefore very well saide August contra Pelag. Caelest lib. 2. cap. 24. Gods grace shal be grace no way vnlesse it be free euery way and the drift of the Epistle to the Galath is flatly and directly against such as would be saued partly by grace through faith in Christ and partly by their workes following faith For they were neuer taught by the false Apostles neithee did they then holde iustification by workes done before faith or by workes alone And yet Paul speaking to the purpose to confute them saith If righteousnes come by the lawe Christ died in vaine Gal. 2.21 Chap. 5.4 ye are albolished froÌ„ Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the lawe ye are fallen from grace Vpon which ground said Augustine in his preface vppon the 31. Psal If thou wilt haue nothing to doe with grace boast thy merits and Chrysostome 3. ad Gal. saith thus â—hey saide accursed is hee that leaneth onely to faith Paul sheweth that hee that so doeth is blessed And Ambrose also vpon the same warrant 1. Cor. 1. affirmeth that it is appointed of GOD that he that beleeueth in Christ shal be saued without woorkes onele by faith freely receiuing remission of his sinnes And least they should cauill and say as they are not ashamed to doe that by workes of the lawe are vnderstoode onely workes done before faith by the direction of the Lawe without the infusion of the speciall grace of GOD through Christ marke how notably to preuent that popish shift chap. 2.15.16 he saieth Wee that are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ Euen we I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we
to beleeue that for his â—â—ly sake they shal not only be quit of al their sins the punishmeneâ— due for the same but that also God will vouchâ—â—â—â— to accouÌ„t theÌ„ righteous and woâ—â—thy or meet for the kingom of heauen for his righteousnes imputed vnto theÌ„ So that faith seeketh for the whol matter and cause to be saued by in Christ Iesus alone in him alone it findeth apprehendeth sufficient matter why the owner of it shold be iustified and saued The grouÌ„d of this faith in the coÌ„futation of the popish faith you haue heard already wherunto ad yet these 2 manifest places wherof the first is in the 10. of Ioh. 1. 7. where Christ flatly teacheth that he is the only dore into Gods sheepfold that so earnestly that he pronouÌ„ceth theÌ„ all theeues robbers that seek to get in any other way The other is in the 4. of the Act. 10.12 where we read that Peter boldly before the high Priests and their company in a solemne assembly sayth Be it knowen vnto you all to all the people of Israell that there is saluatioÌ„ in no other but in Iesus of Nazareth For amoÌ„g meÌ„ there is giueÌ„ no other naÌ„e vnder heaueÌ„ wherby we must be saued The which 2 places if there wer no more to be fouÌ„d through out the whole scripture were sufficient to put vs out of all doubt that there is no part of saluation to be looked for but only in through and for Iesus Christ And therfore the greater is the iudgment of God vppon the Church of Rome which notwithstanding these places will yet seeke for some part of the cause of their saluation by their owne satisfactions and merites But 〈◊〉 to whom the Lord hath giuen grace to see the glorious riches which hee hath prepared for vs in this his son hereby may be assured the seeing there lacketh in Christ neither ablenesse nor willingnes to be such a one that wtout all wauering wee may he bold to beleeue that God as both able and willing freely fully soly wholy to iustifie vs here and to glorifie vs elswhere for this his sons sake alone Which persuasion grounded vpoÌ„ this and other such groundes in the Scripture before touched is that which I boldly affirme vnto you to be the faith that indeede maketh vs to be in the Lord so ready to dye in the Lorde I exhort you therfore as many as be desirous to dye in the Lord to seeke in time by this sayth to liue in the Lord. Remember that it is the Lordes gift that by the ordinary means of the word preached Gal. 5. Ro. 10.14 1. Cor. 1.21 And therfore if you would haue it and hauing it once reteyne and keepe it you must diligently seeke it at the Lords hands by the vse of this means and that while the Lord doch offer the means vnto you least as he threatneth Pro. 1.24.26 Because he called ye refused he will laugh at your destructioÌ„ mock when your fear commeth Do not defer off the seeking for it and the streÌ„gthening of it vntil old age come If you wil do in it you must learne to liâ—â— in iâ— first and there is no reason yâ— you should spend the strength of your dayes in vanity ignorance misbeliefe and infidelity in the seruice of 〈◊〉 in the and 〈◊〉 these things are weary of you to think that it is enough to serue God with your old dry rotten bones God neuer liked to be serued with the lame blinde and maimed of the flock but the strong lusty vnblemished hee alwaies called for Mal. 1.8 13. And therfore let euery one in his youth time of his streÌ„gth remeÌ„ber his creatour turn vnto him Ec. 12.1 A briefe report testimony of the Earle of Bedfords life and death Of this fayth and early and timely seeking for it this noble person whose funeral and burrall we are now about hath bin a noble example vnto vs. For we know that not only in his later daies in her Maiesties time that now is when to be of this fayth was and hath bin safe and commendable vnto him but also before when to shewe himselfe of this fayth was daungerous to his liuing and honour he hath shewed himselfe in his life a zealous and constant professor and confessour of this faith vsing al good means both priuatly and publikely to nourish it by the diligent vse of the means aforesayd I my selfe haue bin both an eye witnesse and an eare witnesse that both in respect of his sins he had infallible tokens of a very broken and contrite hart and thought as baselye of himselfe in respect of himselfe as a true penitent man should and that yet casting his eyes vpon Gods mercyes towards such in Christ noâ—â—aÌ„ could be more comforted and râ—ysed vp agayne Notwithstanding he was as free from the common corruptions of the world wherinto â—eâ— of his place are greatly assaulted and prouoked to fall and as ful of loue and charity and all the fruites thereof as lightly amongst men any can be found yet this I canne testifie of him and I thinke so canne all that knew him and were acquainted with him that he was neuer the more puffed vppe with any conceyt of his own righteousnes yea though his course of life and dealing with all men were such that he had got this title commonly in the mouthes of al The good Earle of Bedforde yet stil his cry was that only in Iesus Christ and his merites was all his hope and trust concerning his saluation And truely as he liued in this faith in this sort so to the glory of his God al our good exaÌ„ple and his own euerlasting comforte hee dyed constantly in the same And therefore as they that were most about him can testifie a litle before his death in this his last sicknesse out of the abundance of his heart and fayth that was lodged therein hee vttered these words with great comfort Satan is cheyned Satan is cheyned The seede of the woman hath broken the serpentes head The seede of the woman hath broken the serpents head Euen for mee Euen for mee And a little before his death he ioyned in prayer with a godly Minister whom hee kept in his house for the watering of himself and his family from time to time with the water of life vnto the Lorde most earnestly and made in his hearing after some good comfort giuen him by him a notable sweete and Christian confession of his fayth in God the father God the son and God the holy Ghost shewing how fully he hoped to be saued in and for Iesus Christs sake alone coÌ„cluding in the end thus Thus I beleeue with my heart to iustification confesse with my mouth to saluation and so quietly within a very litle space after gaue vppe the Ghost I dare therefore be bolde to place him within the number of them that here in my text the