if we truelie obserue pointeth out our land of promise and directeth vs the right waie thither Nay this is the waie it selfe that leades vs vnto truth and the truth it selfe that leades vnto life and the life it selfe that vve so long after euen eternall selicitie I am the way Iohn 14 6. the truth and the life Novv from this knowledge of my sauior I learn to renounce my selfe and relie vpon him to cast off mine own beggerlie rags patched together with abhomination and by the hand of faith to put on his princely robe the glorious robe of his righteousnes In this attire I appeare before my god become acceptable in his presence for this garment he frely giueth me and as freely teacheth me how to weare it I meane this righteousnesse of Christ which is the true consormitie with the law of GOD and an absolute fulfilling thereof God out of his meere grace and mercy impureth vnto me and withall wooâ—keth in me faith whereby I apply the same vnto my selfe so that in this sence I may presume to say the righteousnes of Christ is mine and that therein I serue my God truely as he that laboured so much euen to anotamize the worke of iustification hath for an eternall Maxime set downe that Christ is made vnto vs righteousnes wisedome 1 cor 1 30 sanctification and redemption and else where That in him we are compleat Col. 2 10 The fraile wit of man hath deuised a law whereby an act doue by one is remitted from him that did it to him that gaue consent and commission for the doing of it But the vnsearchable wisedome of our God from the deepe reach of his mercy and compassion without so much as our knowledge for he knew vs from euerlasting and before the foundation of the worlde contriued this meanes for our deliuery hath more then admirably conueyed vnto vs the memorable act of Christes humiliation and satisfaction and by his imputation and our aprehension which is likewise his guifte freelye made it ours The worke it selfe which is Iustice not altred by the exchange of the subiect but onely inattribute It being I egall in Christ in vs Euangelicall If then the righteousnesse of Christ thus be made ours if his obedience and satisfaction be thus freely bestowed vppon vs What should hinder vs it may be meruailed from affording due entertainment to so vnspeakeable a benefit and that we make not true vse of so great aduantage Is not this the delectablest food that euer any hungry stomacke longed after Is it not the softest couch that the wearied soule can find to repose vpon Questionlesse it is and therefore whosoeuer resolueth to fare well shoulde frame himselfe to this diet and he that loueth to lie soft must become his owne Harbinger and make sure in time to take vp this lodging For this is the food of eternall life this is the bed of euerlasting rest Peter not himself but being then and not only then out of his proper Element for he knew not what he said brake with christ about building of tabernacles on the mount Thabar But hee that vppon this foundation which is christ himselfe shall aduisedly erect the fortresse of his hope and Tabernacle of his felicity may be truely said to be his owne man though scarcely as the apprehension of men goeth now a daies and that he is in the right For he knowes what he doth and that his building though all those wordely fleshly and diuellish aduersaries combino in oppugnation can neuer be subuerted In more propper sence therefore then Peter spake it I may boldely say Heere is good being good for the King good for the Begger good for all heere is good being indeed and heere am I constantly resolued let neuer so many millions of misbeleeuers rest vppon what other rotten dependance they list to set downe my rest for euer This stay I know to be sure and neuer shrincking this supportation I am sure is strong and neuer shaketh This this is our soules most firme and neuer-failing anchorage yea this righteousnes of our sweete and louing sauiour is not onely a sure strong and neuer failing foundation but it is the onely sure stronge and neuer failing foundation whereupon we must resolue to build all our happines for euer if euer we resolue to for to relie vpon ought besides that the earth or the heauens themselues can afford in the great and weightie cause of our iustification is to trust vnto that which shall neuer stedde vs and most vndoubtedlie to become most vnhappie Now this righteousnesse of our mercifull redeemer so aduantageable to all those that constantly depend thereuppon I consider in his perfect obeying to the law of God which we had transgressed and coulde neuer of our selues haue fulfilled and his painefull vndergoing the punishment proper to such our transgressions euen the wrath of his father which was incensed by no satisfaction of man or Angel could euer haue bin appeased O sweet vneffable and incomprehensible mercie of our God who out of his owne bosome hath distilled a balme to cure all our wounds though neuer so mortall and albeit so deseruedlie receiued in the traiterous breach of his sacred ordinaunces and not spared euen his owne heart bloud to wash awaie our vncleannesse and to purge vs that were his enemies from all our corruption The meanes that conueieth vnto us this mercie of God the father in this merite of God the sonne is as I formertouched a liuelie iustifieng faith begotten in our harts by God the Holi-ghost who must needes be thefficient cause of the said Faith as the true knowledge and trust in Christ is the formall the gospell the instrumentall and the finall gods glorie By which faith it being The ground of thinges which are hoped for Hebr. 11 1 and the euidence of things which are not seene or a stedfast supernaturall knowledge and firme apprehension of Gods kindnes in Christ Iesus towards vs. Many celestiall indowmentes and good workes are kindled in the mind and hart and flame forth of the life and conuersation of euerie true beleeuer as repentance hope loue inuocation obedience iustification adoption patience consolation mortification peace of conscieÌ„ce ioy in the holighost and regeneration with the fruits therof All of them togither with diuers other such like heauenlie infused qualities though not distinguishable in time but in nature though essentially being Gods gifts and immediatelie proceeding from his grace yet properlie either begotten wrought or apprehended by the saide Faith it being in vs a cause they the necessarie effects the root and they the inseperable braunches So that when I affirme my religion to be The true seruice of God and that seruice to be performed truelie by vs in the righteousnes of Christ I do not herein exclude our workes as impertinent or vnnecessarie thereunto or deny but that good workes are Gods seruices and that therein it pleaseth him to be glorified But because
for our sinnes and prayeth that the same may be accepted for vs and we for the merit thereof become acceptable and gratious in his sight for euer And lastly he vndertaketh that at length we shal leaue our sins and cease to offend his deuine Maiesty any more that wee shall truely honour him and become fit instruments to sound forth his praise and glory Now I beseech you mark how this doctrin of Christs mediatorship and your doctrin of merits can stand togither Christ as a mediator intreteth his father in our behalfe but if we do merit what need this intreaty for God is iust and of himself wil reward the wel deseruing of euery man to the ful Christ as he is a mediator presenteth satisfaction vnto his father for our sinnes but if we do merit that satisfaction might be spared for God is iust wil not be paid duble christ as he is our mediator vndertaketh for our innocency herafter but if we do merit then belike we are innocent already for none can merit at gods hands that is absolute righteousnes but he that is absolutely righteous and so that part of christs mediatorship would cease for God is iust and will haue no security for that heerafter which he hath receiued already but what doctrin cal you this and yet such is your doctrine of merits and so derogating as you see from the holy mediatorship of christ Iesus If therefore you looke for benifit by that mediatorship as most miserable is their condition that do not you must lay by your own merit which is so thin a clothing that the least drop of Gods indignation will drench cleane through it and cloath your selfe with christes merit which will keepe you warme indeed and be sure to hold out in all weather for as christ came from heauen into the world not to call the righteous they that thinke themselues so but the sinners they that acknowledge themselues so to repentance In like sort he returned not into heauen out of the world to medyate for such pharasaicall iusticiaries as rest vpon their owne integrity but for the humble deiected publicans that with repentance acknowledge their owne vnworthinesse Furthermore I do not see how it can be well maintained but that it is in some sort repugnant euen to the office of the holy ghost likewise for if the same be to sanctifie vs to nevvnesse of life and to giue groweth to our faith from time to time which taken at the best as I am taught standeth in neede of increase how can any workes we do which are the fruites of that faith be truely sayd to merit considering it is a ground that the effect must be answerable to the cause and the cause heer which is our faith being desectiue the effect which is our workes cannot bee perfect as necessarily they must be if they be meritorious now tel me I pray you whether any heresie can be compact of grosser absurdities then this be more preiudiciall then this or the author of greater indignity euen to the blessed Trinity then proceedeth from this your heresie of merits and yet which may be wondered at it findeth professors and patrons more then a good many and those sconfesse not vnlearned but profoundly reade in all knowledge that humane helpes can puffe vp their vnderstanding with but there is a knowledge that only one scholmaister reueileth a diuine knowledge a diuine scholmaister happy and truely learned is that scholler which is trained vp in such knowledge and that is instructed how vnlearned soeuer he seeme otherwise by such a scholemaister I am not altogether ignorant of the cūning distinctions which your greatest clarkes deuise for maintenance of this your merit and how they will haue their merit of worke and merit of the person the merit of congruity and the merit of condignity and I knowe they will tell you that there are diuers places of scripture to vphold the same But first let me tell you what a bold offer a good-fellow of our church once made to the contrary he that can shew me saith he in any scripture that workes do merit or be any meanes to our iustification for the first scripture without any further iudgement I will loose both mine eares for the second my tongue for the third my neck but the yssue was they accepted of his eares his tongue and his neck without performing the condition for no such place in all the whole scripture could be found and yet was he pittifully martyred amongst them poore soule nay rich soule rather for who can be richer then he by whom euen the house of God is inriched and it is the saying of a learned father that the blood of the martyr is the seede of the Church I confesse there are many sayinges in the booke of god that at the first sight and being not throughly waighed do seeme to import such a matter as where it is said that euery man shall receiue according to his labour your reward is great in heanen he will render to euery man according to his works From these and such places your doctors would draw inuincible arguments that good workes because God hath promised to reward them doe therefore merit that reward so promised but there is no necessity of that consequent our good workes indeed shall receiue reward but not because they merit the same for the finest hath his staine the best worke that man can doe is blemished but in regard that God of his owne free grace and mercy without respect to any worthynesse in the worke at all hath promised to reward them who being euer faithful will euer be as good as his promise and shew himselfe in all thinges to deale with his seruantes that truely depend vpon his mercy far better then after their best deseruings And that our workes deserue not this reward christ that is the paymaister himselfe by his prophets his Apostles Doni 9.38 by himselfe telleth vs plainely We do not saith the prophet present or supplications before thee Rom. 3 27 for our owne righteousnesse but for thy great tender mercies your reioycing saith the apostle is excluded by the law of faith Luk. 37 10. When ye haue don all saith christ say we are vnprofitable seruants The reuerent fathers and and learned Doctors of the church are copyous and doe flow in their obsernations vpon these and such like places of holy write to drowne the barren plot of mans merits bring in greater estimation the Aeden soile of christs righteousnes where all true merits grow and whence the riches euen of heauen it selfe are to be gathered but because I haue already partly cited them vpon the same subiect and my letter begins with prolixity to try the pacience euen of a friendly reader I will only present you with a litle nosegaie of foure or fiue flowers out of their seuerall Gardens which although for hast they be not curiously tyed together will neuerthelesse I doubt not
dare saie that if he were not acquainted with the plot nor would haue aplauded it if he had beene but beareth a minde opposite to such deseignes he is an honester man then some of his predecessors haue beene Witnesse the letter which N. the Cardinall of Como sent vnto Parry for the murthering of our deere deceased Soueraigne of famous memory Queene Elizabeth to this effect SYr the Popes holines hath perused your letter and cannot but commend your good disposition resolution which as you say tendeth to the publike benefit wherein his holinesse exhorteth you to persist and to effect that which you promise And because you may be the better assisted by that good spirit which hath induced you to this his blessednesse graunteth you full pardon and forgiuenesse of all your sinnes as you desired assuring you that besides the merit which you receiue in heauen his holinesse will become a further debtor to acknowledge your deseruings in the best sort hee may And the rather for that you vse so great modesty in pretending nothing Put therefore in execution your honorable and holy thoughtes and looke to your safety And so I present my selfe hartely vnto you and wish you all good and happy successe From Rome the thirty of Ianuary 1584. Yours to dispose N. Cardinall of Como If this letter will not fatisie you that your Popes haue approued such bloody courses take notice I pray you how Pope Gregory the ninth made a decree Decretum Greg. 9 cause 23 that anye man might renounce and imbrewe his handes in the bloud of his kinsinan his sonne his father or whomsoeuer without destinction in case he were an Hereticke as al were adiudged that professed not papistry And how Pope Sextus quintus tooke vpon him the Office of an orator and in a publicke and premeditated speech before all his cardinals extolled to the skies that Wicked Monke which so murthered Henry the third King of France commending the murther for a notable rare and merueilous peece of worke condemning the murthered as an vnfortunate king dying in his sinne and bestowing no worse a title then Religious man vpon the villaine that was the murtherer And lastly Bulla 〈…〉 how Pope Pius quintus practised the death of our saide Queene Elizabeth ánd sent his Bull for that purpose importing as followeth It is our will and we commâ—und that the subiects of England take themselues to armes against Elizabeth their Queene In these few mirrors the eye that is not vtterly blind may plainely discerne whether your Popes be compact of nothinge but fanctety and integrity as they are continually described vnto you and howe their harts cleaning fast to the former grounds rest affected in such a case of murthering princes and incitinge their subiects to rebellion This seemeth then a weake shâ—lâ—er but shame must haue a couer though it be but of fig leaues I could methinkes out of the bowels of christian charity from my hart deplore that they who professe the true seruice of God and in some sort call vppon the name of Iesus should so far degenerate from the nature of a christian as to plot and prosequte to the period such a monstrous and diuellish deseign as the hart of the most irreligious and hardest-frozen Atheist would haue trembled at and the worst of those barbarous Seythian bloud-suckers could not but haue abhorred Which the idolatrous Turke and all wicked Ethnicks will for euer I think as an argument against the pretious bloude of our fauiour cast into the teeth of Christendome because it putteth down call the world for a point of immanity irreligion and compleat vilany Inquire said Moses of the antiant daies which are before thee since the day that God created man vppon the earth and from one end of heauen to the other if euer there were the like thing done And is not this speech though froÌ„ a different ground proper to this conspiracy if the last worde be left out Indeede it was not absolutely done for the bow brake at the vp hot It was done to these your catholicks that wished and went about the doing of it We giue them like thankes and GOD without Repentance will giue them the like reward as if it had bene done But it was not done to our Kinge to our Queene to our Prince and those thousandes which by the power of that infernall blast shoulde no doubt haue accompanied them to the presence of the eternall Maiesty It was not done vnto them blessed be our mercifull God that vndid it and out of his all-louing kindnes to his church so gratiously put his owne right hande which bringeth mighty things to passe betwixte the purpose and the execution Surely they thought themselues of gods priuy counsell In the letter to the lord Moun togle God and man haue concurred to punish the wickednes of the time But had they bin so much as of his court they would better haue known his pleasure for there they would haue herd the Lord giuing them this precept Thou shalt not kill There Dauid would haue asked them this question Who can lay hand on the Lord annotnted and be guiltlesse There Paule would haue set them downe this position Whosoeuer resist purchase to themselues damnation The Tyrauntes boasted that they could do mischiefe In the said Letter to the Lord Mo. I say they shal receiue a terrible blow but we felt that the goodnesse of God still indured The Lord according to the prayer of Dauid woulde not deliuer the soules of so many of his Turtle Doues vnto the multitude of their enemies and therefore he shot at them with a swift aroow hewed the snares of these vngodlie ones in pecces yet in somthing they said truth the conclusion of that confident menace fell out right And yet they shal not see who hurt them In the said Letter They do not indeed God that shielded them from that terrible blow be euer praised They do not see who hurt them but they see that which those vipers little thought they shoulde haue seene they see some of those that woulde haue hurt them and I hope will see the rest howsoeuer I knowe they are seene and will be remembred accordinge to his blessed will that best knoweth how to rewarde them They doe not see who hurte them but they see who preserued them from hurt His Maiesty doeth see and acknowledge that it was the same God that stoode so neere his holy father King Dauid in al his daungers That saued his life so oft from destruction and crowned him with such mercy and louing kindnesse that it was the same God that stucke as close to his deare Sister Queene Elizabeth in all her troubles and from her cradle till he had set the crown vpon hir head during al the time of hir most famous and victorious raigne preserued her as the Apple of his eie and neuer left her vntill he had chaunged her corruptible crowne of golde to