is concerning Originall sinne after baptisme that is how farforth it remaineth after baptisme A point to be well considered because hereupon depend many points of poperie I. Our consent I. Conclus They say naturall corruption after baptisme is abolished and so say we but let vs see how farre it is abolished In originall sinne are three things I. the punishment which is the first and second death II. Guiltines which is the binding vp of the creature vnto punishment III. the fault or the offending of God vnder which I comprehend our Guiltines in Adams first offence as also the Corruption of the heart which is a naturall inclination pronesse to any thing that is euill or against the law of God For the first we say that after baptisme in the regenerate the punishment of originall sinne is taken away There is no condemnation saith the Apostle to them that be in Christ Iesus Rom. 8. 1. For the second that is the guiltines we further condescende and say that is also taken away in them that are borne anew for considering there is no condemnation to them there is nothing to binde them to punishment Yet this caueat must be remembred namely that the guiltines is remooued from the person regenerate not from the sinne in the person but of this more afterward Thirdly the guilt in AdaÌ„s first offence is pardoned And touching the corruption of the heart I auouch two things I. That that very power or strength wherby it raigneth in man is taken away in the regenerate II. That this corruption is abolished as also the fault of euery actuall sinne past so farre forth as it is the fault and sinne of the man in whome it is Indeede it remaines till death and it is sinne considered in it selfe so long as it remaines but it is not imputed vnto the person and in that respect is as though it were not it beeing pardoned II. The dissent or difference Thus farre we consent with the Church of Rome now the difference betweene vs stands not in the abolishment but in the manner and the measure of the abolishment of this sinne Papists teach that Original sinne is so farre forth taken away after baptisme that it ceaseth to be a sinne properly and is nothing els but a want defect and weaknes making the heart fit and readie to conceiue sinne much like tinder which though it be no fire of it selfe yet is it very apt and fit to conceiue fire And they of the church of Rome denie it to be sinne properly that they might vpholde some grosse opinions of theirs namely That a man in this life may fulfill the law of God and doe good workes voide of sinne that he may stande righteous at the barre of Gods iudgement by them But we teach otherwise that though originall sinne be taken away in the regenerate and that in sundrie respects yet doth it remaine in them after baptisme not onely as a want and weaknesse but as a sinne and that properly as may by these reasons be prooued Reason I. Rom. 7. 17. Paul saith directly It is no more I that doe it but sinne that dwelleth in me that is originall sinne The Papists answer againe that it is so called improperly because it commeth of sinne and also is an occasion of sinne to be done But by the circumstances of the text it is sinne properly for in the words following Saint Paul saith that this sinne dwelling in him made him to doe the euill which he hated And v. 24. he crieth out O wretched man that I am vvho shall deliver me from this bodie of death whence I reason thus That which once was sinne properly and still remaining in man maketh him to sinne and intangleth him in the punishment of sinne and makes him miserable that is sinne properly But originall sinne doth all these Ergo. Reason II. Infants baptised and regenerate die the bodily death before they come to the yeares of discretion therefore originall sinne in them is sinne properly or else they should not die hauing no cause of death in them for death is the wages of sinne as the Apostle saith Rom. 6. 23. and Rom. 5. 12. Death entred into the world by sinne As for actuall sinne they haue none if they die presently after they are borne before they come to any vse either of reason or affection Reason III. That which lusteth against the spirit and by lusting tempteth and in tempting intiseth and draweth the heart to sinne is for nature sinne it selfe but concupiscence in the regenerate lusteth against the spirit Gal. 5. 17. and tempteth as I haue saide Iam. 1. 14. God tempteth no man but euery man is tempted when he is drawne avvay by his owne concupiscence and is intised then when lust conceiueth it bringeth forth sinne And therefore it is sinne properly such as the fruit is such is the tree August Concupiscence against vvhich the spirit lusteth IS SINNâ— because in it there is disobedience against the rule of the minde and it is the punishment of sinne because it befalls man for the merits of his disobedience and it is the cause of sinne Reason V. The iudgement of the auncient Church August epist. 29. Charitie in some is more in some lesse in some none the highest degree of all which cannot be increased is in none as long as man liues vpon earth And as long as it may be increased THAT VVHICH IS LESSE THEN IT SHOVLD BE IS IN FAVLT by which fault it is that there is no iust man vpon earth that doth good and sinneth not by which fault none liuing shalbe iustified in the sight of God for which fault if we say we haue no sinne there is no truth in vs for which also though vve profit neuer so much it is necessarie for vs to say forgiue vs our debts though al our words deedes and thoughts be alreadie forgiuen in baptisme Indeede August in sundrie places seemes to denie concupiscence to be sinne after baptisme but his meaning is that concupiscence in the regenerate is not the sinne of the person in whome it is For thus he expoundes himselfe This is not to haue sinne not to be guiltie of sinne And The lavv of sinne in baptisme is remitted and not ENDED And Let not sinne raigne he saith not let not sinne be but let it not raigne For as long as thou liâ—est of necessitie sinne will be in thy members at the least looke it raigne not in thee c. Obiections of Papists The arguments which the Church of Rome alleadgeth to the contrarie are these Obiect I. In baptisme men receiue perfect and absolute pardon of sinne and sinne being pardoned is taken quite away and therefore originall sinne after baptisme ceaseth to be sinne Ans. Sinne is abolished two waies first in regard of imputatioÌ„ to the person secoÌ„dly in regard of existing and beeing For this cause God vouchsafeth to maÌ„ two blessings in baptisme Remission of sinne
yet is it made ours by imputation For as his righteousnesse is made ours so are his merits depending theron but his righteousnes is made ours by imputation as I haue shewed Hence ariseth an other point namely that as Christs righteousnes is made ours really by imputation to make vs righteous so we by the merit of his righteousnes imputed to vs doe merit and deserue life euerlasting And this is our doctrine In a word the Papist maintaineth the merits of his owne workes but we renounce them all and rest onely on the merit of Christ. And that our doctrine is truth and theirs falshoode I will make manifest by sundrie reasons and then answer their arguments to the contrarie Our reasons The first shall be taken from the properties and conditions that must be in a worke meritorious and they are fowre I. A man must doe it of himselfe and by himselfe for if it be done by another the merite doth not properly belong to the doer II. A man must doe it of his owne freewill and pleasure not of due debt for when we doe that which we are bound to doe we doe no more but our dutie III. The worke must be done to the profit of an other who thereupon must be bound to repay the like IV. The reward and the worke must be in proportion equall for if the reward be more then the worke it is not a reward of desert but a gift of good will Hence followes a notable conclusion That Christs manhoode considered a part from his godhead cannot merit at Gods hand though it be more excellent euery way then all both men and angels For being thus considered it doth nothing of it selfe but by grace receiued from the godhead though it also be without measure Secondly Christs manhoode is a creature and in that regarde bound to doe whatsoeuer it doth Thirdly Christ as man cannot giue any thing to god but that which he receiued from God therfore cannot the manhoode properly by it selfe merit but onely as it is personally vnited vnto the godhead of the Sonne And if this be so then much lesse can any meere man or any angel merit yea it is a madnes to thinke that either our actions or persons should be capable of any merit whereby we might attaine to life eternall Reason II. Exod. 20 8. And SHEVV MERCIE vpon thousands in them that loue me and keepe my commandements Hence I reason thus where reward is giuen vpon mercie there is no merit but rewarde is giuen of mercie to them that fulfill the law therefore no merit What can we any way deserue when our full recompence must be of mercie And this appeares further by Adam if he had stood to this day he could not by his continuall and perfect obedience haue procured a further increase of fauour at Gods hand but should onely haue continued that happie estate in which he was first created Reason III. Scripture directly condemneth merite of workes Rom. 6. 23. The vvages of sinne is death but THE GIFT OF GOD IS eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. The proportion of the argument required that S. Paul should haue said The reward of good workes is eternall life if life euerlasting could be deserued which cannot because it is a free gift Againe Tit. 3. 5. We are saued not by vvorkes of righteousnes which vve haue done but according to his mercie he saued vs. And Ephes. 2. v. 8 10. By grace you are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of works which God hath prepared that we should walke in them If any workes be crowned it is certen that the sufferings of Martyrs shall be rewarded now of them Paul saith Rom. 8. 18. The sufferings of this life are NOT VVORTHY of the glorie to come Where then is the value dignitie of other works To this purpose ` Ambr. saith The iust man though he be tormented in the brasen bull is still iust because he iustifieth God and saith he suffereth LESSE THEN HIS SINNES DESERVE Reason IV. Whosoeuer will merit must fulfill the whole law but none can keepe the whole law For if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues 1. Ioh. 1. And he that sinnes against one commandement is guiltie of the whole law And what can he merit that is guiltie of the breach of the whole law Reason V. We are taught to pray on this manner Giue vs this day our daily bread Wherein we acknowledge euery morsel of bread to be the meere gift of God without desert and therefore must we much more acknowledge life eternall to be euery way the gift of God It must needes therefore be a satanicall insolencie for any man to imagine that he can by his workes merit eternall life who cannot merit bread Reason VI. Consent of the auncient Church Bernard Those which we call our merits are the way to the kingdome and not THE CAVSE OF RAIGNING August Manuali cap. 22. All my hope is in the death of my Lord. His death is my merit my MERIT IS THE PASSION OF THE LORD I shall not be voide of merits so long as Gods mercies are not wanting Basil. on psal 114. Eternall rest is reserued for them which haue striuen lavvfully in this life not FOR THE MERITS of their doings but vpon the grace of the most bountifull God in which they trusted August on ps 120. He crowneth thee because he crowneth his owne gifts not thy merits And psal 142. Lord thou wilt quicken me in thy iustice not in mine not because I haue deserued it but because thou hast compassion Obiections of Papists Obiect I. In sundrie places of Scripture promise of reward is made to them that beleeue and doe good workes therefore our works doe merit for a reward and merit be relatiues Ans. Reward is twofold of debt and of mercie Life euerlasting is not a reward of debt but of mercie giuen of the good will of God without any thing done of man Secondly the kingdome of heauen is properly an inheritance giuen of a father to a child and therefore it is called a reward not properly but by a figure or by resemblance For as a workeman hauing ended his labour receiueth his wages so after men haue lead their liues finished their course in keeping faith and good conscience as dutifull children God giueth them eternall life And herupon it is tearmed a reward Thirdly if I should graunt that life euerlasting is a deserued reward it is not for our works but for Christs merit imputed to vs causing vs thereby to merit and thus the relation stands directly betweene the Reward and Christs Merit applied vnto vs. Obiect II. Christ by his death merited that our works should merit life euerlasting Answ. That is false all we finde in Scripture is that Christ by his merit procured pardon of sinne imputation of righteousnes and life euerlasting and it is no where saide in the word of
and Mortification of the same Remission or pardon abolisheth sinne wholly in respect of any imputation thereof vnto man but not simply in regard of the beeing thereof Mortification therfore goeth further abolisheth in all the powers of bodie and soule the very concupiscence or corruption it selfe in respect of the beeing thereof And because mortification is not accomplished till death therefore originall corruption remaineth till death though not imputed Obiect II. Euery sinne is voluntarie but original sinne in no man after baptisme is voluntarie and therefore no sinne Ans. The proposition is a politicke rule pertaining to the courts of men and must be vnderstoode of such actions as are done of one man to an other and it doth not belong to the court of conscience which God holdeth keepeth in mens hearts in which euery want of conformitie to the law is made a sinne Secondly I answer that originall sinne was voluntarie in our first parent Adam for he sinned and brought this miserie vpon vs willingly though in vs it be otherwise vpon iust cause Actuall sinne was first in him and then originall corruption but in vs originall corruption is first and then actuall sinne Obiect III. Where the forme of any thing is taken away there the thing it selfe ceaseth also but after baptisme in the regenerate the forme of originall sinne that is the guilt is quite remooued and therefore sinne ceaseth to be sinne Answ. The guilt or obligation to punishment is not the forme of originall corruption but as wee say in schooles an accident or necessarie companion thereof The true forme of originall sinne is a defect and depriuation of that which the law requireth at our hands in our minde will affections and in all the powers both of soule and bodie But they vrge this reason further saying where the guilt and punishment is taken away there is no fault remaining but after baptisme the guilt and punishment is remooued and therefore though originall corruption remaine it is not as a fault to make vs guiltie before God but onely as a weaknes Ans. Guilt is remooued and not remooued It is remooued frō the person regenerate which stands not guiltie for any sinne originall or actuall but guilt is not remooued from the sinne it selfe or as some answer there be two kindes of guilt actuall and potentiall The actuall guilt is whereby sinne maketh man stand guiltie before God and that is remooued in the regenerate But the potentiall guilt which is an aptnes in sinne to make a man stand guiltie if he sinne that is not remooued and therefore still sinne remaineth sinne To this or like effect saith Augustine We say that the guilt of concupiscence not whereby IT IS GVILTIE for that is not a person but that whereby it made man guiltie from the beginning is pardoned and that the thing it SELFE IS EVILL so as the regenerate desire to be healed of this plague Obiect III. Lastly for our disgrace they alledge that we in our doctrine teach that originall sinne after baptisme is onely clipped or pared like the haire of a mans head whose roots still remaine in the flesh growing and increasing after they are cut as before Ans. Our doctrine is abused for in the paring of any thing as in cutting of the haire or in lopping a tree the root remains vntouched and thereupon multiplieth as before But in the mortification of originall sinne after baptisme we hold no such paring but teach that in the very first instant of the conuersion of a sinner sinne receiueth his deadly wound in the roote neuer afterward to be recouered The third point Certentie of saluation I. Our consent I. Conclus We holde and beleeue that a man in this life may be certen of saluation and the same thing doth the Church of Rome teach and hold II. Conclus We holde and beleeue that a man is to put a certen affiance in Gods mercie in Christ for the saluation of his soule the same thing by common consent holdeth the foresaide Church this point maketh not the difference betweene vs. III. Conclus We hold that with assurance of saluation in our hearts is ioyned doubting and there is no man so assured of his saluation but he at some time doubteth thereof especially in the time of temptation and in this the Papists agree with vs and we with them IV. Conclus They goe further and say that a man may be certen of the saluation of men or of the Church by catholike faith and so say we V. Conclus Yea they hold that a man by faith may be assured of his owne saluation through extraordinarie reuelation as Abraham and others were and so doe we VI. They teach that we are to be certen of our saluation by speciall faith in regard of God that promiseth though in regard of our selues and our indisposition we can not in the former point they consent with vs. II. The dissent or difference The very maine point of difference lies in the manner of assurance I. Conclus We hold that a man may be certen of his saluation in his own conscience euen in this life and that by an ordinarie and speciall faith They hold that a man is certen of his saluation onely by hope both of vs hold a certentie we by faith they by hope II. Conclus Further we hold and auouch that our certentie by true faith is vnfallible they say their certentie is onely probable III. Conclus And further though both of vs say that we haue confidence in Gods mercie in Christ for our saluation yet we doe it with some difference For our confidence commeth from certen and ordinarie faith theirs from hope ministring as they say but a coniecturall certentie Thus much of the difference now let vs see the reasons two and fro III. Obiections of papists Obiect I. Where there is no worde there is no faith for these two are relatiues but there is no word of God saying Cornelius beleeue thou Peter beleeue thou or thou shalt be saued And therefore there is no such ordinarie faith to beleeue a mans owne particular saluation Ans. The proposition is false vnlesse it be supplied with a clause on this manner Where there is no vvord of promise nor any thing that doth countervaile a particular promise there is no faith But say they there is no such particular word It is true God doth not speake to men particularly Beleeue thou and thou shalt be saued But yet doth he that which is answerable hereunto in that he giueth a generall promise with a commaundement to applie the same and hath ordained the holy ministerie of the word to applie the same to the persons of the hearers in his own name and that is as much as if the Lord himselfe should speake to men particularly To speake more plainely in the Scripture the promises of saluation be indefinitely propounded it saith not any where if Iohn will beleeue he shall be saued or if
lay hold of any thing and to receiue a gift but the hande hath no propertie to cut a peice of wood of it selfe without saw or knife or some like instrument and yet by helpe of them it can either deuide or cut Euen so it is the nature of faith to goe out of it selfe and to receiue Christ into the heart as for the duties of the first and second table faith cannot of it selfe bring them forth no more then the hand can deuide or cut yet ioyne loue to faith and then can it practise duties commanded concerning God and man And this I take to be the meaning of this text which speaketh not of iustification by faith but onely of the practise of common duties which faith putteth in execution by the helpe of loue III. Reason Faith is neuer alone therefore it doth not instifie alone Ans. The reason is nought and they might as well dispute thus The eye is neuer alone from the head and therefore it seeth not alone which is absurd And though in regard of substance the eye be neuer alone yet in regard of seeing it is alone so though faith subsist not without loue and hope and other graces of God yet in regard of the act of iustification it is aloue without them all IV. Reason If faith alone doe iustifie then we are saued by faith alone but we are not saued by faith alone and therefore not iustified by faith alone Ans. The proposition is false for more things are requisite to the maine ende then to the subordinate meanes And the assumption is false for we are saued by faith alone if we speake of faith as it is an Instrument apprehending Christ for our saluation V. Reason We are saued by hope therefore not by faith alone Ans. We are saued by hope not because it is any cause of our saluation Pauls meaning is onely this that we haue not saluation as yet in possession but waite patiently for it in time to come to be possessed of vs expecting the time of our full deliuerance that is all that can iustly be gathered hence Nowe the doctrine which we teach on the contrarie is That a sinner is iustified before God by faith yea BY FAITH ALONE The meaning is that nothing within man and nothing that man can doe either by nature or by grace concurreth to the act of iustification before God as any cause thereof either efficient materiall formall or finall but faith alone All other gifts graces as hope loue the feare of God are necessarie to saluation as signes thereof consequēts of faith Nothing in mā concurrs as any cause to this worke but by faith alone And faith it selfe is no principall but only an instrumentall cause by we receiue apprehend and apply Christ and his righteousnes for our iustification Reason I. Iohn 3. 14. 15. As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life In these wordes Christ makes a comparison on this manner when any one of the Israelites were stung to death by fiery serpents his cure was not by any phisicke surgery but onely by the casting of his eye vp to the brasen serpent which Moses haderected by Gods commandement euen so in the cure of our soules when we are stung to death by sinne there is nothing required within vs for our recouery but onely that we cast vp and fixe the eye of our faith on Christ and his righteousnes Reason II. The Exclusiue formes of speach vsed in scripture proue thus much We are iustified freely not of the lawe not by the lawe wiihout the lawe without workes not of workes not according to workes not of vs not by the workes of the lawe but by faith Gal 2. 16. Alboasting excluded onely beleeue Luc. 8. 50. These distinctions wherby works and the law are excluded in the worke of iustification doe include thus much that faith alone doth iustifie Reason III. Very reason may teach thus much for no gift in man is apt and fit as a spirituall hand to receiue and applie Christ and his righteousnes vnto a sinner but faith Indeede loue hope the feare of God and repentance haue their seueral vses in men but none serue for this ende to apprehende Christ and his merits none of them all haue this receiuing propertie and therefore there is nothing in man that iustifieth as a cause but faith alone Reason IV. The iudgement of the auncient Church Ambr. on Rom. 4. They are blessed to whome VVITHOVT ANY LABOVR OR VVORKE DONE iniquities are remitted and sinne couered NO VVORKES OF REPENTANCE required of them but ONELY THAT THEY BELEEVE cap. 3. Neither working any thing nor requiting the like are they iustified by FAITH ALONE through the gift of God And 1. Cor. 1. This is appointed of god that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ shalbe saued without any worke BY FAITH ALONE freely receiuing remission of sinnes Augustine There is ONE propitiation for all sinnes to beleeue in Christ. Hesyc on Levit. lib. 1. c. 2. Grace vvhich is of mercy is APPREHENDED BY FAITH ALONE and not of workes Bern. Whosoeuer is pricked for his sinnes and thirsteth after righteousnes let him beleeue in thee who iustifieth the sinner and beeing iustified by FAITH ALONE he shall haue peace with God Chrysost. on Gal. 3. They said he which resteth on faith alone is cursed but Paul shevveth that he is blessed vvhich resteth ON FAITH ALONE Basil. de humil Let man acknovvledge himselfe to want true iustice and that he is iustified ONELY BY EAITH in Christ. Origen on c. 3. Rom. We thinke that a man is iustified by faith without the works of the law and he saith that iustification by faith alone sufficeth so as a man onely beleeuing may be iustified And Therefore it lieth vpon vs to search who was iustified by faith vvithout workes And for an example I thinke vpon the theefe who beeing crucified with Christ cried vnto him Lord remember me vvhen thou commest into thy kingdome and there is no other good worke of his mentioned in the Gospell but for this alone faith Iesus saith vnto him This night thou shalt be with me in Paradise III. Difference The third difference about iustification is concerning this point namely how farforth good works are required thereto The doctrine of the Church of Rome is that there be two kindes of iustification the first and the second as I haue saide The first is when one of an euill man is made a good man and in this workes are wholly excluded it beeing wholly of grace The second is when a man of a iust man is made more iust And this they will haue to proceed from works of grace for say they as a man when he is once borne can by eating and drinking make himselfe a bigger man though he could not at the first make himselfe a man euen so a sinner
satisfaction and that is when any hauing giuē offence to the church of God or any part thereof do make an open publike testimonie of their repentance Mirian for murmuring aganst Moses was striken with leprosie and afterward by his prayer shee was clensed and yet for all that shee must go seuen dayes out of the tent and congregation that shee might make a kinde of satisfaction to the people for her trespasse And in the old testament sackcloth and ashes were signes of their satisfaction Conclus III. We hold that no man can be saued vnles he make a perfect satisfaction to the iustice of God for all his sinnes because God is infinite in iustice and therefore will either exact an euerlasting punishment or satisfaction for the same The dissent or difference The points of our difference and dissent are these The Church of Rome teacheth and beleeueth that Christ by his death hath made a satisfaction for all the sinnes of men and for the eternall punishment of them all yet so as they themselues must satisfie the iustice of God for the temporall punishment of their offences either on earth or in purgatorie We teach and beleeue that Christ by his death and passion hath made a perfect and all-sufficient satisfaction to the iustice of God for all the sinnes of men and for the whole punishment thereof both eternal and temporall Thus we differ and herein we for our parts must for euer stand at difference with thē so as if there were no more points of variance but this one it should be sufficient to keepe vs alwaies from vniting our religions and cause vs to obey the voice of Christ Come out of her my people For as in the former points so in this also the Papists erre not in circumstance but in the very foundation and life of religion Our reasons I. A satisfaction that is made imperfect either directly or by consequent is indeede no satisfaction at all But the Papists make Christs satisfaction imperfect in that they do adde a supply by humane satisfactions thus much a learned schoolman Biel in plain words confessed Although saith he the passion of Christ be the principall merit for which grace is conferred the opening of the kingdome and glorie yet IS IT NEVER THE ALONE AND TOTAL MERITORIOVS CAVSE it is manifest because alwaies vvith the merit of Christ there concurreth some vvorke as the merit of congruitie or condignitie of him that receiueth grace or glorie if he be of yeares and haue the vse of reason or of some other for him if he want reason For that which admitts a supply by an other is imperfect in it selfe Therefore humane satisfactions cannot stand Learned Papists make answere that Christs satisfaction and mans may stand well togither For say they Christs satisfactions is sufficient in it selfe to answer the iustice of God for all sinne and punishment but it is not sufficient to this or that man till it be applyed and it must be applied by our satisfaction made to God for the temporall punishment of our sinnes But I say againe that mans satisfaction can be no meanes to apply the satisfaction of Christ and I prooue it thus The meanes of applying Gods blessings and graces vnto man are twofold some respect God himselfe and some respect man Those which respect God are such whereby God on his part doth offer and convay his mercies in Christ vnto man of this sort are the preaching of the word baptisme and the Lords supper and these are as it were the hand of God whereby he reacheth downe and giueth vnto vs Christ with all his benefits The other meanes of applying on mans part are those whereby the saide benefites are receiued Of this sort there is onely one namely faith whereby we beleeue that Christ with all his benefits belong vnto vs. And this is the hand of man whereby he receiueth Christ as he is offered or exhibited by God in the word and sacraments As for other meanes beside these in Scripture we finde none Foolish therefore is the answere of the Papist that make mens satisfactions meanes to apply the satisfaction of Christ vnto vs for by humane satisfactions Christs is neither offered on Gods part nor yet receiued on mans part let them prooue it if they can Others not content with this their former answer say that our satisfactions doe nothing derogate from the satisfaction of Christ because our works haue their dignitie merit from Christs satisfaction he meriting that our workes should satisfie Gods iustice for temporall punishments But this is also absurd and false as the former was For if Christ did satisfie that man might satisfie then Christ doth make euery beleeuer to be a Christ a Iesus a Redeemer a Priest in the same order with his owne selfe But to make sinfull man his owne redeemer though it be but from temporall punishments is a doctrine of deuils For the holy Ghost teacheth that the priesthood of Christ is incommunicable cannot passe from him to any other Nowe to make satisfaction for sinne or any part of the punishment thereof is a dutie or a part of Christ his priesthood and therefore to make satisfaction is a worke that cannot passe frō his person to the person of any man Againe if Christ by his satisfaction giue power to man to satisfie then man doth satisfie by Christ and Christ beside his owne satisfaction vpon the crosse must daily satisfie in man to the ende of the world but this cannot be for Christ vpon the crosse when death was vpon him said It is finished that is I haue fully satisfied for all the sinnes of mankind both in respect of the fault and punishment As for Christs buriall and resurrection which followed his death they serued not to satisfie but to confirme and ratifie the same Againe Paul saith 2. Cor. 5. 12. He that knew no sinne was made sinne for vs that is the punishment of sinne for vs but if the Church of Rome say true that Christ doth daily satisfie then Paul spake too short and should haue saide further that Christ was made sinne for vs and in vs too and that God was not onely in Christ but also in vs reconciling the world to himselfe But Paul neuer knew this learning and therefore let them turne themselues which way they will by putting a supplement to Christs satisfaction they doe indeed annihillate the same Reason II. In sundrie places of Scripture especially in the Epistles of Paul we are are said to be redeemed iustified and saued Freely which word freely doth import that we are iustified and saued without any thing done on out part or by our selues in the matter of our saluation and if this be so then can we doe nothing at all that may satisfie the iustice of God for the least punishment of our sinnes If we satisfie in our own persons we are not saued freely and if we be saued freely we make no satisfaction
at all Reason III. We pray daily forgiue vs our sinnes now to plead pardon to satisfie for our sinnes be contrary and for all things for which we can make satisfactiō we neede not crave a pardon but we are taught in the foresaid petition wholly and onely to vse the plea of pardon for our sinnes and therefore we acknowledge that we cannot make any satisfaction at all Reason IV. The iudgement of the auncient Church Tertul. de Baptism Guiltines beeing taken away the PVNISHMENT IS ALSO TAKEN AVVAY August Christ by taking vpon him the punishment and not the fault hath done away both the fault and THE PVNISHMENT And Tom. 10. hom 5. he saith when we are gone out of this world there will remaine no compunction or satisfaction Some newe Editions haue foisted in the worde aliqua and so haue turned the sense on this manner There will remaine no compunction or some satisfaction But this is flatte against Augustines meaning who saith alitle before that when the way is ended there is no compounding of our cause with any Chrysost. proem in Esa. Say not to me I haue sinned how shall I be freed from so many sinnes Thou canst not but thy God can Yea and he will so blot out thy sinnes that there shall REMAINE NO PRINT OF THEM which thing befalls not the body for when it is healed there remaines a skarre but God as soone as he exempts thee from punishment he giueth thee iustice Ambrose saith I reade of Peters teares but I read not OF HIS SATISFACTION Againe Let vs adore Christ that he may say vnto vs feare not thy sinnes of this world nor the waues of bodily sufferings I haue remission of sinnes Hierome saith in Psal. 31. The sinne that is couered is not seene the sinne that is not seene is not imputed that which is NOT IMPVTED IS NOT PVNISHED Chrysostome in Matth. hom 44. Among all men some indure punishment in this life and the life to come others in this life alone others alone in the life to come others neither in this life nor the life to come There alone as Dives who vvas not lord so much as of one droppe of vvater Here alone as the incestuous man among the Corinthians Neither here nor there as the Apostles and Prophets as also Iob and the rest of this kinde for they indured NO SVFFERINGS FOR PVNISHMENT but that they might be knowne to be conquerours in the fight Obiections of Papists I. Obiect Levit. 4. Moses according to Gods commaundement prescribed seuerall sacrifices for seuerall persons and they were meanes of satisfaction for the temporall punishments of their daily sinnes Ans. Those sacrifices were onely signes and types of Christs satisfaction to be offred to his father in his alone sacrifice vpon the crosse and whosoeuer offered any sacrifice in the olde testament did thus and no otherwise esteem of it but as a type and figure of better things Secondly the saide sacrifices were satisfactions to the Church whereby men did testifie their repentance for their offences and likewise their desire to be reconciled to God and men And such kinde of satisfactions we acknowledge II. Obiect Men whose sinnes are all pardoned haue afterward sundrie crosses and afflictions laide vpon them vnto the ende of their daies therefore in all likelihoode they make satisfaction to God for temporall punishments As for example the Israelites for murmuring against the Lord in the wildernes were barred all from the lande of promise and the like befell Moses and Aaron for not glorifying God as they should haue done at the waters of strife Ans. Man must be considered in a twofold estate as he is vnder the law and as he is vnder grace In the first estate all afflictions are curses or legall punishments be they little or great but to them that are in the second estate and beleeue in Christ though the same afflictions remaine yet doe they change their habite or condition and are the actions of a Father seruing to be trialls corrections preuentings admonitions 1. Cor. 11. 32. When we are iudged we are nurtered of the Lord and Heb. 12. 7. If we indure chastisement God offereth himselfe vnto you as children and Chrysost. saith 1. Cor. hom 28. When we are corrected of the Lord it is more for our admonition then damnation more for a medicine then for a punishment more for a correction then for a penaltie And whereas God denyed the beleeuing Israelites with Moses and Aaron to enter into the land of Canaan it cannot be prooued that it was a punishment or penaltie of the lawe vpon them The scripture saith no more but that it was an admonition to all men in all ages following to take heed of like offences as Paul writeth All these things came vnto them for ensamples and were written for our admonition 1. Corinth 10. 11. Obiect III. Dauid was punished after his repentance for his adulterie for the child died and he was plagued in his owne kinde in the incest of Absolon and when he had numbred the people he was yet punished in the death of his people after his owne repentance Ans. I answer as before that the hand of God was vpon Dauid after his repentance but yet the iudgements which befell him were not curses vnto him properly but corrections for his sinnes and trialls of his faith and meanes to prevent further sinne to renewe both his faith and repentance as also they serued to admonish others in like case for Dauid was a publike person and his sinnes were offensive both within the Church of God and without Obiect IV. The Prophets of God when the people are threatned with the plague famine sword captiuitie c. exhorte them to repent and to humble themselues in sackcloth and ashes and thereby they turned away the wrath of God that was then comming forth against them Therefore by temporall humiliation men may escape the temporall punishments of the Lord. Ans. Famine sword banishment the plague and other iudgements sent on Gods people were not properly punishments of sinne but onely the corrections of a father whereby he humbled them that they might repent or thus they were punishments tēding to correctiō not seruing for satisfaction And the punishments of God are turned from them not because they satisfie the iustice of God in their owne sufferings but because by faith they lay houlde on the satisfaction of the Mesias and testifie the same by their humiliation repentance Obiect V. Dan. 4. 24. Daniel giueth this counsell to Nabuchadnezar redeeme thy sinnes by iustice and thine iniquities by almes deedes Behold say they almes deedes are made a meanes to satisfie for mans iniquities Ans. The word which they translate to redeeme as the most learned in the Chalde tongue with one consent auouch doth properly signifie to breake off as if the Prophet should say O King thou art a mightie Monarch to inlarge thy kingdome thou hast vsed much iniustice
it In the second conclusion touching saluation by Christ alone there is a manifest deceit because they craftely include and couch their own works vnder the name of Christ. For say they workes done by men regenerate are not their owne but Christs in them and as they are the workes of Christ they saue no otherwise But we for our partes looke to be saued onely by such workes as Christ himselfe did in his owne person and not by any worke at all done by him in vs. For all workes done are in the matter of iustification saluation opposed to the grace of Christ Rom. 11. 6. Election is of grace not of workes if it be of workes it is no more of grace Againe whereas they teach that we are â—aued by the workes of Christ which he worketh in vs and maketh vs to worke it is flatte against the word For Paul saith We are not saued by such works as God hath ordained that men regenerate should walke in Eph. 2. 10. And he saith further that he counted ALL THINGS euen after his conuersion losse vnto him that he might be founde in Christ not hauing his ovvne righteousnesse which is of the lawe Phil. 3. 8. Again Heb. 1. 3. Christ washed away our sinnes by himselfe which last wordes exclude the merit of all workes done by Christ within man Thus indeede the Papists ouerturne all that which in word they seeme to holde touching their iustification and saluation We confesse with them that good workes in vs are the workes of Christ yet are they not Christs alone but ours also in that they proceed from Christ by the minde and will of man as water from the fountaine by the channell And looke as the chanel defiled defiles the water that is without defilement in the fountaine euen so the minde and will of man defiled by the remnants of sinne defile the workes which as they come from Christ are vndefiled Hence it is that the workes of grace which we doe by Christ or Christ in vs are defectiue and must be seuered from Christ in the act of iustification or saluation The third conclusion is touching the imputation of Christs obedience which some of the most learned among them acknowledge and the difference betweene vs stands on this manner They hold that Christs obedience is imputed onely to make satisfaction for sinne and not to iustifie vs before God We hold beleeue that the obedieÌ„ce of Christ is imputed to vs euen for our righteousnes before God Paul saith 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is made vnto vs of God vvisedome RIGHTEOVSNES SANCTIFICATION and redemption Hence I reason thus If Christ be both our sanctification and our righteousnes then he is not onely vnto vs inherent righteousnes but also righteousnes imputed But he is not onely our sanctification which the Papists themselues expound of inherent or habituall righteousnes but also our righteousnes for thus by Paul are they distinguished Therefore he is vnto vs both inherent and imputed righteousnes And very reason teacheth thus much For in the end of the worlde at the barre of Gods iudgement we must bring some kinde of righteousnesse for our iustification that may stande in the rigour of the lawe according to which wee are to be iudged But our inherent righteousnesse is imperfect and stained with manifold defects and shall be as long as we liue in this world as experience tells vs and consequently it is not sutable to the iustice of the law and if we goe out of our selues we shall finde no righteousnesse seruing for our turnes either in men or Angels that may or can procure our absolution before God and acceptation to life euerlasting Wee must therefore haue recourse to the person of Christ and his obedience imputed vnto vs must serue not onely to be a satisfaction to God for all our sinnes but also for our perfect iustification in that God is content to accept of it for our righteousnesse as if it were inherent in vs or performed by vs. Touching the fourth conclusion they hold it the safest and surest course to put their trust and confidence in the mercie of God alone for their saluation yet they condescend that men may also put there confidence in the merit of their owne works and in the merits also of other men so it be in sobrietie But this doctrine quite marres the conclusion because by teaching that men are to put confidence in the creature they ouerturue all confidence in the Creatour For in the very first commandement we are taught to make choise of the true God for our God which thing we do wheÌ„ we giue to God our hearts and we giue our hearts to God when we put our whole confidence in him for the saluation of our soules Nowe then to put confidence in men or in workes is to make them our Gods The true and ancient forme of making confession was on this manner I beleeue in God the Father In Iesus Christ and In the holy Ghost without mentioÌ„ making of any confidence in works or creatures the ancieÌ„t Church neuer knew any such confession or confidence Cyprian saith He beleeueth not in god who putteth not affiance concerning his saluation in God alone And indeede the Papists them-selues when death comes forsake the confidence of their merits and flie to the meere mercie of God in Christ. And for a confirmation of this I alleadge the testimonie of one Vlinbergius of Colen who writeth thus There was a booke found in the vestrie of a certain parish of Colen writteÌ„ in the Dutch tongue in the yeare of our Lord 1475. which the Priests vsed in visiting of the sicke And in it these questions be found Dost thou beleeue that thâ—u canst not be saued but by the death of Christ The sicke person ansvvered Yea. Then it is said vnto him Goe too then while breath remaines in thee put thy confidence in this DEATH ALONE haue affiance in nothing else commit thy selfe vvholly to this death with it alone couer thy selfe dive thy selfe in euery part into this death in euery part pearse thy selfe with it infold thy selfe in this death And if the Lord wil iudge thee say Lord I put the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betweene me and thy iudgement and BY NO OTHER MEANES I contend with thee And if he shall say vnto thee that thou art a sinner say Lord the death of my Lord Iesus Christ I put betweene thee and my sinnes If he shall say vnto thee that thou hast deserued damnation say Lord I oppose the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betweene thee and my euill merits and I OFFER HIS MERIT FOR THE MERIT VVHICH I SHOVLD HAVE AND HAVE NOT. If he shall say that he is angrie vvith thee say Lord I oppose the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betvveene me and thine anger Here we see what Papists doe haue done in the time of death And that which they hold and practise
when they are dying they should hold practise euery day while they are liuing In the last cōclusiō they teach that we must not onely beleeue in generall but also apply vnto our selues the promises of life euerlasting But they differ from vs in the very manner of applying They teach that the promise is to be applied not by faith assuring vs of our owne saluation but onely by hope in likelihood coniecturall We hould that wee are bound in dutie to apply the promise of life by faith without making doubt thereof and by hope to continue the certentie after the apprehension made by faith We doe not teach that all and euerie man liuing within the precincts of the Church professing the name of Christ is certen of his saluation and that by faith but that he ought so to be and must indeauour to attaine thereto And here is a great point in the mysterie of iniquitie to be considered for by this vncerten application of the promise of saluatiō and this wauering hope they ouerturne halfe the doctrine of the gospell For it inioynes two things first to beleeue the promises therof to be true in themselues secondly to beleeue by faith to applie them vnto our selues And this latter part without which the former is voide of comfort is quite ouerturned The reasons which they alleadge against our doctrine I haue answered before now therfore I let them passe To conclude though in coloured tearmes they seeme to agree with vs in doctrine concerning faith yet indeed they deny abolish the substance therof namely the particular certen application of Christ crucified and his benefits vnto our selues Again they faile in that they cut off the principall dutie office of true sauing faith which is to apprehend and to applie the blessing promised The XXI point Of Repentance Our consent Conclus I. That repentance is the conuersion of a sinner There is a twofold conuersion passiue and actiue passiue is an action of God whereby he conuerteth man beeing as yet vnconuerted Actiue is an action wherby man beeing once turned of God turnes himselfe and of this latter must this conclusion be vnderstood For the first cōuersion considering it is a worke of God turning vs vnto himselfe is not the repentance whereof the Scripture speaketh so oft but it is called by the name of regeneration and repentance whereby we beeing first turned of God doe turne our selues and doe good works is the fruit thereof Conclus II. That repentance standes specially for practise in contrition of heart confession of mouth satisfaction in work or deede Touching contrition there be two kinds thereof Legal and Euangelical Legal contrition is nothing but a remorse of conscience for sinne in regard of the wrath and iudgement of God and it is no grace of God at all nor any part or cause of repentance but onely an occasion thereof and that by the mercie of God for of it selfe it is the sting of the law and the very entrance into the pit of hell Euangelical contrition is when a repentant sinner is greeued for his sinnes not so much for feare of hell or any other punishment as because he hath offended displeased so good mercifull a God This contrition is caused by the ministerie of the Gospell and in the practise of repentance it is alwaies necessarie and goes before as the beginning thereof Secondly we holde and maintaine that confession is to be made and that in sundrie respects first to God both publikely in the congregation and also priuately in our secret and priuate prayers Secondly to the Church when any person hath openly offended the congregation by any crime and is therefore excommunicate Thirdly to our priuate neighbour when we haue vpon any occasion offended and wronged him Mat. 5. 23. If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee goe first and be reconciled to him now reconciliation presupposeth confession Lastly in all true repentance we holde and acknowledge there must be satisction made first to God and that is when wee intreate him in our supplications to acecpt the death and passion of Christ as a full perfect and sufficient satisfaction for all our sinnes Secondly it is to be made vnto the Church after excommunication for publike offences and it stands in duties of humiliatiō that fitly serue to testifie the truth of our repentance Thirdly satisfaction is to be made to our neighbour because if he be wronged he must haue recompence and restitution made Luc. 19. 8. and there repentance may iustly be suspected where no satisfaction is made if it lie in our power Conclus III. That in repentance we are to bring forth outward fruites worthie amendment of life for repentance it selfe is in the heart and therefore must be testified in all manner of good workes whereof the principall is to endeauour day by day by Gods grace to leaue and renounce all and euery sinne and in all things to doe the will of God And here let it be remembered that we are not patrones of licentiousnes and enemies of good workes For though we exclude them from the acte of our iustification and saluation yet we maintaine a profitable and necessarie vse of them in the life of euery Christian man This vse is threefold in respect of God of man of our selues Workes are to be done in respect of God that his commandements may be obeied 1. Ioh. 5. 12. that his will may be done 1. Thess. 4. 3. that we may shew our selues to be obedient children to God our father 1. Pet. 1. 14. that we may shewe our selues thankefull for our redemption by Christ Tit. 2. 14. that we might not grieue the spirit of God Eph. 4. 30. but walke according to the same Gal. 5. 22. that God by our good workes may be glorified Math. 5. 16. that we may be good followers of God Eph. 5. v. 1. Againe workes are to be done in regard of men that our neighbour may be helped in worldly things Luc. 6. 38. that he may be wonne by our example to godlines 1. Pet. 3. 14. that we may preuent in our selues the giuing of any offence 1. Cor. 10. 32. that by doing good wee may stop the mouthes of our aduersaries Thirdly lastly they haue vse in respect of our selues that we may shew our selues to be new creatures 2. Cor. 5. 17. that we may walke as the children of light Eph. 5. 8. that we haue some assurance of our faith and of our saluation 2. Pet. 1. 8 10. that we may discerne deade and counterfait faith from true faith I am 2. 17. that faith and the gifts of God may be exercised and continued vnto the ende 2. Tim. 1. 6. that the punishments of sinne both temporall eternall may be preuented psal 89. 32. that the rewarde may be obtained which God freely in mercie hath promised to men for their good works Gal. 6. 9. The
as doe acknowledge him to be their head and doe beleeue the doctrine established in the Councel of Trent we take it to be no Church of God Because Babylon which I haue prooued to be the Church of Rome is here opposed to the Church or people of God and because we are commanded to come out of it wheras we may not wholly forsake any people till they forsake Christ. Some will happely say the Church of Rome hath the Scriptures and the Sacrament of baptisme I answer first of all they haue indeede the bookes of holy Scripture among them but by the rest of their doctrine they ouerthrowe the true sense thereof in the foundation as I haue prooued before And though they haue the outward forme of baptisme yet they ouerturne the inward baptisme which is the substance of all standing in the iustification and sanctification of a sinner Againe I answer that they haue the word and baptisme not for themselues but for the true Church of God among them like as the lanterne holdeth the candle not for it selfe but for others Secondly it may be and is alleadged that if the Pope be Antichrist he then sittes in the temple that is the Church of God and by this meanes the Romane Church shall be the true Church Ans. He sittes in the temple of God but marke further how AS GOD that is not as a member but as a manifest vsurper like as the thiefe sittes in the true mans house For the popish Church and Gods Church are mingled like chaffe and corne in one heape and the Church of Rome may be said to be in the Church of God and the church of God in the church of Rome as we say the wheat is among the chaffe and the chaffe in the wheat Againe he is said to sit in the tâ—mple of God because the Romane Church though falsly takes vnto it selfe the title of the true Catholike church Some goe about to delaie and qualifie the matter by comparing this Church to a man lying sicke full of soares hauing also his throat cut yet so as bodie and soule are ioyned together and life is remaining still But all things wel considered it is rather like a dead carkasse and is voide of all spirituall life as the popish errours in the foundation doe manifest Indeede a knowne harlot may afterward remaine a wife and be so tearmed yet after the bill of diuorcement is giuen shee ceaseâ—h to be a wife though she can shew her marriage ring now the church hath receiued the bill of her diuorcement in the written word namely 2. Thess. 2. and Rev. 13. 11 12 c. Furthermore in this commaundement we may see a liuely portraiture of the state of all mankinde Here we see two sorts of men some are pertaining to Babylon a people running on to their destruction some againe are a people of God seuered from Babylon and reserued to life euerlasting If any aske the cause of this distinction I answer it is the very wil of God vouchsafing mercy to some and forsaking others by withdrawing his mercie from them for the better declaration of his iustice Thus saith the Lord Rom. 11. 4. I HAVE RESERVED seauen thousand that neuer bowed the knee to Baal and the prophet Isai saith Vnles the Lord had reserued areÌ„nant we had beene as Sodom and Gomorrha By this distinction we are taught aboue all things to seeke to be of the number of Gods people and to labour for assurance of this in our owne consciences For if all should be saued lesse care would suffice but this mercie is not common to all and therefore the more to be thought vpon Lastly here I note the speciall care that God hath ouer his owne children He first giueth them warning to depart before he beginne to execute his iudgement vpon his enemies with whome they liue that they might not be partakers of their sinnes or punishments Thus before God would punish Ierusalem an angel is sent to marke theÌ„ in the forehead that mourned for the abominatioÌ„s of the people And in the destruction of the first born of Egypt the angel passed ouer the houses of the Iewes that had their posts sprin kled with the blood of the paschal lambe and this passing ouer beâ—okneth safetie preseruation in the coÌ„mon destructioÌ„ to those that haue their hearts sprinkled with the blood of Christ. This blessing of protection should moue vs all to becoÌ„ true hartie seruants of God Men vsually become meÌ„bers of those societies and corporations where they may inioy many freedomes priuiledges Well behold in the societie of the Saints of God which is the true church there is the freedoÌ„ froÌ„ danger in all coÌ„mon destructions from eternal vengeance at the last day VVhen Hester had procured safetie for the Iewes libertie to reuenge themselues vpon their enemies it is said that many of the people of the land became Iewes Euen so coÌ„sidering Christ hath procured freedom from hell death and damnation for all that beleeue in him we should labour aboue all things to become new creatures ioyning our selues alwaies to the true Church of God Hitherto I haue spoken of the commandement now followeth the reason thereof drawne from the ende that they be not partakers of her sinnes and that they receiue not of her plagues Here I might stande long to shewe what be the sinnes of the Church of Rome but I will onely name the principall The first sinne is Atheisme and that I prooue on this manner Atheisme is twofold open coloured Open Atheisme is when men both in word and deede denie God and his Word Coloured Atheisme is not so manifest and it hath two degrees The first is when men acknowledge God the creatour and gouernour of heauen and earth and yet denie the father sonne and holy ghost Thus the Ephesians before they receiued the gospel are saide to be vvithout God whome in their naturall iudgement they acknowledged because they denied Christ and consequently worshipped an Idol of their owne braine in that they worshipped God out of Christ. And in this respect though the Samaritans worshipped the God of Abraham yet our Sauiour Christ saith they worshipped they knevv not vvhat And the Psalmist saith of all the Gentiles that their Gods are Idols In this degree of Atheisme are placed Turks and Iewes at this day the Anti-Trinitaries and Arians and all that conceiue and worship God out of the trinitie The second degree is when men doe rightly acknowledge the vnitie of the god head in the Trinitie of persons yet so as by other necessarie consequents partly of their doctrine and partly of the seruice of God they ouerturne that which they haue well maintained And thus I say that the very religioÌ„ of the church of Rome is a kind of Atheisme For whereas it makes the merit of the workes of men to concurre with the grace of God it ouerthrowes the grace of God Rom. 11. In
bodie without which a bodie can not be 4 In the Creede we confesse that Christ is ascended into heauen and there after his ascension sits at the right hand of his Father and that according to his manhoode Hence I conclude that Christs bodie is not really and locally in the Sacrament and in euerie Host which the priest consecrateth This argument was good when Vigilius against Eutyches said WheÌ„ it the flesh was on earth it was not in heauen and because it is now in heauen it is not on earth and he addes afterward that this is the Catholike faith confession And it was good when Fulgentiâ—s saide According to his humane substance he was absent from earth when he vvas in heauen and he left the earth vvhen he ascended into heauen And The same in seperable Christ according to his whole manhood LEAVING THE EARTH locally ascended into heauen and sits at the right hand and according to the same whole manhoode he is to come to iudgement And it was good when Cyril said No man doubts but that when he ascended into heauen though he be alwaies present by the power of his spirit HE VVAS ABSENT IN RESPECT OF THE PRESENCE Oâ— HIS FLESH And it was good when Augustine said According to the flesh which the Word assumed he ascended into heauen HE IS NOT HERE there he sits at the right hand of the father and he is here according to the presence of his maiestie And He went as he was man and he aboad as he vvas God he went by that whereby he was in one place he aboad by that whereby he was euery where 5 Again in that we beleeue the Catholike church it follows that the Catholike church is inuisible because things seene are not beleeued And the answer commonly vsed that we beleeue the holines of the Church will not serue the turne For the words are plain and in them we make confession that we beleeue not onely the holines of the church but also the church it selfe 6 Lastly the articles Remission of sinnes Resurrection of the bodie and Life euerlasting containe a confession of speciall faith For the meaning of them is thus much I beleeue the remission of mine owne sinnes and the resurrection of mine owne bodie to life euerlasting and that by the iudgement of learned Antiquity Augustine saith If thou also beleeue that thou shalt rise againe and ascend into heauen because thou art sure of so great a patrone thou art certen of so great a gift And Make not Christ lesse who brings thee to the kingdome of heauen for remission of sinnes Without this faith if any come to baptisme he shuts the gate of mercie against himselfe And Whosoeuer faithfully beleeueth and holdes this profession of his faith in vvhich all his sinnes are forgiuen him let him prepare his will to the wil of God and not feare his passage by death And The whole Sacrament of baptisme stands in this that we beleeue the resurrection of the bodie and remission of sinnes to be giuen vs of God And He gaue these kaies to the Church that whosoeuer in his Church should not beleeue his sinnes to be forgiuen they should not be forgiuen vnto him and whosoeuer beleeued and turned from them abiding in the lap of the said Church at length shalbe healed by faith and amendment of life And That vvhich thou hast heard to be fulfilled in the glorious resurrection of Christ beleeue that the very same shall be fulfilled in thee in the last iudgement and the resurrection of thy flesh shall restore thee for all eternitie For vnlesse thou shalt beleeue that thou art to be repaired by death thou canst not come to the reward of life eternall And in auncient time the article of the resurrection hath beene rehearsed on this manner The resurrection of THIS FLESH and the last applied vnto it TO EVERLASTING LIFE Hence then two maine opinions of the church of Rome are quite ouerthrowne one that we cannot by special faith be certen of the remission of our sinnes and the saluation of our soules the other that a man truly iustified may fall away and be damned Now this cannot be if the practise of the auncient Church be good which hath taught vs to beleeue euerlasting life ioyntly without remission of sinnes To come vnto the decalogue first of all it is a rule in expounding the seuerall commandements that where any vice is forbidden there the contrarie vertue is commaunded and all vertues of the same kind with all their causes occasions furtherances This rule is graunted of all and hence it followes that counsells of perfection if they haue in them any furtherance of vertue are inioyned in and by the law and therefore prescribe no state of perfection beyond the scope of the law Secondly the commandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image c. hath two seuerall parts The first forbiddes the making of carued or grauen images the second forbids the adoration of them Now the first part is notably expounded by Moses Deutr. 4. 16. Take good heede vnto your selves that ye corrupt not your selves and make you a grauen image or representation of any figure in the likenesse of male or female Marke the reason of this prohibition in the same place for saith he ye savv no image in the day the Lord spake vnto you in Horeb. and v. 15. Ye heard the voice of the vvordes but savv no similitude saue a voyce Now the reason beeing vnderstood of the image of God himselfe the prohibition must needes be so vnderstood Againe there is no question that God directs his commaundement against a sinne in speculation but against some common and wicked practise of the Iewes and that was to represent God himselfe in likenesses and bodily formes Esai 40. 18. And that was also the practise of the Gentiles that were farre more grosse in this kinde then the Iewes Rom. 1. 23. This then is plaine to any indifferent man that the first part of the commandement forbids the making of grauen images or likenesses of the true Iehova thus the Romane Catechisme vnderstands the wordes As for the second part it must be vnderstoode according to the meaning of the first and therefore it forbids vs to bowe downe to any image of God Hence then it followes that to worship God or Saints in or at images to worship images with religious worship is abhominable idolatrie And common reason might teach vs thus much For they that adore and worship the true God in images doe bind the presence of God his operation grace and his hearing of vs to certen things places signes to which he hath not bounde himselfe either by commaundement or promise and that is otherwise to worship God and to seeke for his blessings then he hath commanded himselfe to be worshipped or promised to heare vs. Vpon this ground is plainely ouerthrowne the excuse which they make that
they worshippe not images but God and Saints in images for neither God nor the Saints doe acknowledge this kinde of honour but they abhorre it Whence it followes necessarily that they worshippe nothing beside the image or the deuise of their owne braine in which they faine to them selues such a God as will be worshipped and receiue our praiers at images It will be saide that the Papists doe no otherwise tie the worship and inuocation of God to images then God tied himselfe to the sanctuarie and the temple of Salomon And I say againe it was the will of God that he would shewe his presence and be worshipped at the Sanctuarie and the Iewes had the warrant of Gods word for it but we haue no like warrant either by promise or commandement to tie Gods presence to an image or crucifix Againe reason yet further may discouer their idolatrie They which worship they know not what worship an idol but the Papists worship they know not what I proue it thus To the coÌ„secratioÌ„ of the host there is required the intention of the priest at the lest vertually as they say if this be true it follows that none of theÌ„ can come to the Masse or praie in faith but he must alwaies doubt of that which is lifted vp by the haÌ„ds of the priest in the masse whether it be bread or the body and blood of Christ. For none can haue any certeÌ„ty of the intention of the priest in consecrating this bread and this wine but rather may haue a iust occasion of doubting by reason of the common ignorance and loosenes of life in such persons Thirdly the commaundement touching the Sabbath giues a libertie to worke sixe daies in the ordinarie affaires of our callings and this libertie cannot be repealed by any creature The Church of Rome therfore erreth in that it prescribeth set and ordinarie â—â—stiuall daies not onely to God but also to Saints inioyning them as straitly and with as much solemnitie to be obserued as the Sabbath of the Lord. Fourthly the third commandement or as they say the fourth inioynes children to obey father and mother in all things specially in matters of moment as in their marriage and choise of their callings and that euen to death and yet the Church of Rome against the intent of this commandement allowes that clandestine marriages and the vowe of religion shall be in force though they be without and against the consent of wise and careful parents Fiftly the last commandement of lust forbids the first motions to sinne that are before consent I prooue it thus Lusting is forbidden in the former commandements as well as in the last yea lusting that is ioyned with consent as in the commandement thou shalt not commit adulterie is forbidden lusting after our neighbours wife and in the next lusting after our neighbours goods c. Now if the last commandement also forbid no more but lust with consent it is confouÌ„ded with the rest and by this meanes there shal not be ten distinct words or commandements which to say is absurd it remaines therfore that the lust here forbidden goes before consent Againe the Philosophers knewe that lust with consent was euil euen by the light of nature but Paul a learned Pharise and therefore more then a philosopher knewe not Lust to be sinne that is forbidden in this commandement Rom. 7. Lust therefore that is forbidden here is without consent Wicked then is the doctrine of the Romane Church teaching that in euery mortall sinne is required an act commanded of the will and hence they say many thoughts against faith and vncleane imaginations are no sinnes 6 Lastly the words of the second commandement And shew mercy to thousands on them that loue me and keepe my commandements ouerthrowes all humane merits For if the reward be giuen of mercy to them that keepe the lawe it is not giuen for the merit of the worke done To come to the third part of the Catechisme the Lords praier is a most absolute and perfect forme of praier For which cause it was called of Tertullian the Breuiarie of the Gospell and Caelestinus saith the lawe of praying is the law of beleeuing and the lavv of vvorking Nowe in this praier we are taught to direct our prayers to God alone Our father c and that onely in the name and mediation of Christ. For God is our father onely by Christ. It is needles therefore to vse any inuocation of Saints or to make them our Mediatours of intercession vnto God and it is sufficient if we pray onely vnto God in the name of Christ alone 2. In the fourth petition we say thus Giue vs our daily bread In which words we acknowledge that euery morsell of bread is the meere gift of God VVhat madnes then is it for vs to thinke that we should merit the kingdome of heauen by works that can not merit so much as bread 3 In the next petition Forgiue vs our debts foure opinions of the Romane religion are directly ouerthrowne The first is concerning humane Satisfactions For the childe of God is here after his conuersion taught to humble himselfe day by day and to praie for the pardon of his daily sinnes now to make satisfaction and to sue for pardon be contrary The second opinion here ouerthrowne is touching merits For we doe acknowledge our selues to be debters vnto God yea bankrupts and that beside the maine summe of many thousand talents we daily increase the debt therefore we can not possiby merit any of the blessings of God It is meere madnes to thinke that they which cannot pay their debts but rather increase them day by day should deserue or purchase any of the goods of the creditors or the pardon of their debts if any fauour be shewed them it comes of merre good-will without the least desert In a word this must be thought vpon that if al we can doe will not keepe vs from increasing the maine summe of our debt much lesse shall we be able by any merit to diminnish the same By good right therefore doe all the seruants of God cast downe themselues and praie Forgiue vs our debts The 3. opinion is that punishment may be retained the fault being wholly remitted but this cannot stand for here sinne is called our debt because by nature we owe vnto God obedience for the defect of this paiment we further owe vnto him the forfiture of punishment Sinne then is called our debt in respect of the punnishment And therefore when we pray for the pardon of sinne we require the pardon not onely of fault but of the whole punishment And when a debt is pardoned it is absurd to thinke that the least paiment should remaine The fourth opinion is that a man in this life may fulfill the lawe whereas in this place euery seruant of God is taught to aske a daily pardoÌ„ for the breach of the law Answer is made that our daily sinnes are