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A03284 The confession of faith contending how the troubled man should seeke refuge at his God, thereto led by faith: with the declaratio[n] of the article of iustification at length. ... Compiled by M. Henry Balnaues of Halhill, & one of the Lords of session, and Counsell of Scotland, being as prisoner within the old pallaice of Roane: in the yeare of our Lord. 1548. Direct to his faithfull brethren, being in like trouble or more ... Balnaves, Henry, Sir, d. 1579.; Knox, John, ca. 1514-1572. 1584 (1584) STC 1340; ESTC S100771 112,936 310

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excluded by the law of faith For in our iustification wee onely receaue as did our Father Abraham whose sonnes wee are by faith which was reakoned iust before he wrought any good works The veritie of the scripture proueth that the heritage commeth not by the lawe for by the law Ismaell and Esau the eldest sonnes should haue succeeded to the heritage and not Isaac Iacob which were yonger And so by the promis commeth the heritage and not by the lawe For the law euer accuseth craueth more of vs thē we ar able to pay And therfore damnation abydeth vs without we apprehēd Iesus Christ which payeth for vs that which the lawe requireth For hee alone taketh away the sinnes of the world Hee called all to him self and sendeth none to the law to seek iustificatiō And therfore who seeketh any parte thereof by their workes spoile Christ of his office The sommary of the 19. Chap. AS the good tree beareth good fruites so the iust man worketh good workes but neither maketh the fruite the tree good nor yet the workes the man iust for as the tree is before the fruite so the mā is iust before the worke be good We should worke good workes becaus wee being sometime the sonnes of gods wrath and subiects to sathan are bought by the blood of Iesus Christ to serue in his kingdome in the which ruled faith hope and charitie euer working righteousnes vnto life By the cōtrarie in the kingdome of the deuill rule incredulitie dispaire and enuy euer working vnrighteousnes And so we owe obedience to him whose seruants we ar There be diuers princes realmes subiects and rewardes no man can serue both nor of both the rewardes no man shall be participant but who serueth sinne receaueth eternall death for his reward and who serueth righteousnes receaueth life euerlasting by Iesus Christ. The sommarie of the 20. Chap. WOrkes are commended in the scripture not that they iustifie before God but that they are the fruites of a iustified man wrought to testifie his true faith Which onely iustifieth without workes either preceeding or following the same And that proueth Paull saying without faith it is impossible to please god And also all which is not of faith is sin whereof it is plaine that sophistes alledging that workes preceeding faith deserue the grace of god De Congruo say asmuch as sin deserueth the grace of god for all workes preceeding faith is sinne And that workes following faith iustifieth not testifieth the same Ap. saying not of the works of righteousnes which we haue wrought shall we be safe but acording to his mercy god hath made vs safe And so neither works preceeding nor following faith iustifie The sommary of the 21 chap. THE wicked by works of their own intention would be a part of their owne saluation because thay seek their own glorie as did the Scribs and Pharisies and not the glory of God But seing the works commanded by god done without faith to deserue remission of sinnes are abomination before god as testifieth Esay what shalbe of the vaine workes of man set vp without the commād of god by which hypocrites would be made iust And if we should confesse as commandeth Iesus Christ when we haue done all yet wee are but vnprofitable seruauntes where is the merite of the workes of supererogation which hypocrites would sell to others And if Paull which had right excellent works esteemed them al to be but filthinesse that he might winne Christ and be found in him not hauing his owne iustice which is of the lawe but the iustice which is of the faith of Iesus Christ If Paull I say sought no iustice in his own works how shal we whose workes are on no maner equall to the workes of Paull be iustified thereby And therefore with the scripturs and Apostles we cōclude that by faith onely in Christ we ar made iust without all law or workes And after man be made iust by faith and possesseth Iesus Christ in his hart then can he not bee idle For with true faith is also giuen the holie spirite which suffereth not man to bee idle but moueth him to al godly exercise of good workes The sommarie of the 22. Chap. AFter the article of iustification christians should bee instructed to doe good works not these which are inuēted by mā but which are cōmanded by god amōgst which the principall is to reioyce in tribulation giuing thankes to god in all things with sure hope and patience abyding his deliuerance knowing that the life of man is a perpetuall battell vpō earth The law of the mēbers euer rebelling against the law of the mind The law of the members wee call the tyrannie of the deuill euer drawing vs to the lustes of the flesh not onely in externall works but also in the inwarde affections of the minde as to doubt of the goodnesse and mercy of god to be sloughtful and not to loue and feare him with our whole hart The law of the minde or of the spirite is the motion of the holie ghost stirring vs vp to all iustice and righteousnes which we know to bee good and yet finde no power in our selfe to performe the same And this battell is most vehement in the most holy as witnesseth Paull And therefore to kill this outwarde man which is our wit reason and will we should offer our bodies vnto god in a quicke liuely and holy sacrifice but before this sacrifice bee pleasant to god must the minde which is the Fountaine of all good workes bee renewed with the spirite of god and made cleane which is when we cast from vs our wisedome righteousnes holynes and redemptiō and receaue the same from Iesus Christ. Some there is which put their whole trust in their own works thinking thereby to obteine the eternall glorie And these men go before Christ and are called Antichristes Others there is which thinke faith not sufficient but will haue their workes ioyned to helpe Christ and these goe astray from him For none of these two kindnes suffereth Iesus Christ death but for them onely which follow him laying all their sinnes vpon his backe The Sommarie of the 23. Chap. THe foolish reason of man perswadeth vs to leaue the workes commanded by god And to set vp workes of our own inuention thinking God to bee pleased therewith becaus they are done of good zeale and intention The scriptures of God showeth all the thoughtes and cogitations of man to be euill at all time And if so bee what is our good intentiō But whether the intent of man bee good or not the fruites proceeding therefrom shall testifie For as sometime in Israell abounded all Idolatrie they hauing gods according to the multitude of their Cieties So nowe amongst them which are called Christians are set vp carued Images defended adorned and worshipped contrarie the expresse commandement of God The blessed sacrament of Christs body and bloud abused and prophaned before them And all this
opinions iudgements but the perfite christian mā should looke first in his corruption of nature consider what the law requireth of him in the which he finding his imperfection and sinnes accused for that is the office of the law to vtter sinne to mā and giueth him no remedy then of necessitie is he cōpelled either to dspaire or seeke Christ by whome hee shall get the iustice that is of value before God which can not begotten by any law or works because by the deedes of the lawe no fleshe shalbe iustified before God Yee shall not meruell of the oft rehearsinge of these wordes that of the deedes of the law no fleshe shalbe made iust that is declared reputed foūd or pronounced iust before god for they are rehearsed before the forthsetting of the article of iustification that it may seeme the more cleare and to that effect the same wordes were spoken by the Apostle Rom. the third Chapter Of this maner we know what euer the lawe speaketh to them it speaketh whiche are in the lawe that all mouthes may bee stopped and all the worlde made subiect vnto god because by the deedes of the law no fleshe shalbee made iust before him And therefore I haue repeated them so oft because they lead all men to the perfite knowledge of their iustificatiō which is in Christ. This proposition of the holy spirite is so perfite that it excludeth if ye will vnderstande the same right all the vaine foolish arguments of sophistrie made by the iustifiers of them selfes which peruerte the wordes of S. Paule as they doo the other scriptures of god to their peruersed sence and mind saying that the Apostle excludeth by these wordes the workes of the law Ceremoniall and not the deeds of the law of nature morall law of Moyses The which shameles sayings are expresly euacuat by the wordes of the Apost Insomuch that no man of righteous iudgement can denye but shall feele the same as it were in their hands by this probatiō the law speaketh to all that is accuseth all men that are vnder the law All men are vnder the law of nature or the law of Moys Therefore the Apost speaketh of the law of nature Moy. and of all men which he comprehendeth vnder Iewe gentill as he proueth by his argumētes in the first and second Chap. to the Roma And concludeth in the third Cha. all men are sinners If all men bee sinners none is iust If none bee iust none fulfill the lawe If none fulfill the lawe the lawe can pronounce none iust Therefore concludeth he that of the deedes of the law no flesh shalbe founde iust before God The same is proued by Dauid in the 13. Psalme Here ye see by the words of the Apostle he intendes to proue and declare all men Sinners That is to stoppe all mens mouths and to dryue them to Christ by the accusation of the law No law may make or declare all men sinners and subdue the whole world to God but the law of nature and Moyses Therefore vnder that word law the Apost comprehēded the law morall and not the law Ceremonial only Becaus it followeth in the text The knowledge of sinne is by the lawe And also I knewe not sinne sayth S.P. but by the lawe Nor I had not knowen that lust or cōcupiscence had bene sinne were not the law said Thou shal not lust Therefore ye cānot eschew but confesse that the Apostle speaketh of the law morall yea and of all lawes and all men because hee excepts none Therefore let vs conclude with the Apost and the holy spirite that the iustice of god is without the law made patent and forthshowē by the lawe and prophetes And then shall we come to our Iustice which is Christ as S. P. saith the 1. Epist. the first chap. to the Corinth If yee will saye of your vaine conceate as ye which are aduersaries to faith euer obiects vanities that the Apostle in his conclusion comprehendeth not all men proceeding from Adam by naturall propagation but that some iust men are excepted Ye shall not finde that exception in scripture of any man except Christ. Who beeing both God and man is expresly excepted because hee neuer contracted sinne Fraude nor deceat was neuer found in his mouth by this exceptiō all other are excluded because there is no other who can be found iust but he For that cause he only fulfilled the law and satisfied the same By whome all which beleeue are accepted as iust without the deedes of the lawe through faith in the bloude of Iesu Christ. Let vs passe forward therefore in the scriptures for to finde the Iustice of a christian man which can not be founde in the lawe nor deedes thereof THE XVI CHAP. 1 The diuersitie of names of that iustice which is acceptable before God 2 Iustice is plainly reueled in the euangell 3 What is to liue in faith or by faith THe iustice whereof we haue made mentiō in the beginning and that is so cruelly and tyranously persecuted by our aduersarie Sathan is called the iustice of God the iustice of faith and the Iustice of a Christian man The whiche is all one thinge glued and ioyned together that by the same wee are in Christ and hee in vs by the mercy of god purchased by christ through faith in his bloude without all our deseruings either proceeding or following the same And it is so farre different from the other iustice of the law as darkenesse from light and heauen from earth becaus it wilbe alone and not participant with any other thing that Christ may haue his due honour Who obtained this iustice frō the father and is the price thereof And first it is called the iustice of god because it proceedeth only of the mercy of God Secondly the iustice of faith because faith is the instrument whereby in Christ we obteine the mercy of God freely giuen to vs for Christes sake And thirdly it is called ours because by faith in Christ without all our deseruinges wee receaue the same and are made reputed and compted iust and accepted in to the fauour of god And all three ar one Iustice deuided by sundrie names as is before saide which is this article of iustification As by example almes deede is but one name And yet after the common maner of speaking it is appropriat truely to three that is to the Giuer to God and to the Receauer In almes the poore and indigent haue no part but only to receaue and giue thankes The giuer freely giueth of his liberalitie substance and for gods sake So it is properly called the almes of the giuer and iustly attribute vnto god becaus for his sake it is giuē And also to the receauer becaus he is made rich therewith In the like maner this iustice of God proceedeth of his aboundant mercy and grace fauour and goodnes which hee beareth toward man kind that is poore
sight of man and also done by him of a good intent and for a good cause hee offered sacrifice for feare that the people should not passe from him hee being then prepared for battell against the ennemies of god He did show the deede of mercy in sauing of the life of an aged and impotent King And for the loue hee had to the worshipping of god assented to the people and keept the fattest bestiall most pretious cloathing and iewels of gold siluer to offer the same to god in a sacrifice Was this not a goodzeale and intention but ye may read the great punishment which god laide vpon him which shal remaine for an example in all ages to come THE XXVI CHAP. 1 The office of a bishop 2 Bishoppes should not mixt them with worldly matters 3 If the flocke perish their bloud shalbe required of the bishop 4 Bishops should exhort their flock to frequent the reading of the scripture 5 Bishoppes can doe no good workes without they preach the word of God 6 The punishement of bishops which leaue that vndone which God cōmādeth and attende vpon their owne superstitions IF thou bee called to the office of a bishop or minister of the worde of god preach the pure and syncere worde to the flocke committed to thy charge Counsell and confort the weake and feeble Minister the sacramentes in their due forme according to the word of god Exceede not the boundes of thy vocation but walke thereinto conforme to the ordinance of the holy spirite taught thee in the two Epistles of Saint Paull written to the first bishop that he made called Timotheus And to another called Titus There thou shalt finde the workes which thou art bound to doe and what is thy office specially in the first to Tim. the 3. Chapter and to Titus the 1. Chap. There is nothing left vnexpressed that is necessary to thee to work in the scripturs of god Thou art commanded to be a mirrour or example to thy flocke in teaching of the word in good life and honest conuersation in loue and charitie in faith and chastitie euer exercising thy selfe in reading exhorting and teaching the which if thou doe thou shall saue thy selfe and others Thou should not meddle thee with secular affares or busines for that is not thy vocation follow the example of the Apostles in all ryghteousnesse and godly liuing in faith loue pacience meeknes sweetnes as thou art taught If yee wil remember dayly vpon the office yee are called to which are bishops yee shal find you to haue a great charge and worke to doe and not a great dignitie or Lordeshippe But alace now yee take thought of the lordshippe dignitie rent and profite and looke neuer to the worke yee should doe the cause thereof is the neglecting of your vocation The which if yee will vnderstand perfitely yee would not omit the charge and comandement giuen to you by god and inuent vaine superstitious workes not commanded The principall work yee should doe is to preach teach which yee neuer doe because ye can not and to excuse you ye haue as yee say others to whom yee commit the cause and charge Yee are blinde know no thing They to whom yee commit the charge know as litle or lesse So perish the poore people in ignorance for yee are blinde and leaders of the blinde and therefore both fall in the myre Neuerthelesse the bloud of thē shalbe required at your hands as the Prophete Ieremie sayeth the 23 chapter And Ezech. the 34 chapter the which I pray you reade for there yee shall see clearely your deeds laid before you with sore threatnings Yee should not onely your selues cōtinuallie reade and teache the scripturs but also yee should cōmād the flocke in your charge to seeke their spiritual food in the same This was the order in the church of Christ in the beginning The minister of the worde to teache and preache and the auditors to reade That therby they might take the teaching the better as the Thessalonians did at the preching of the Apost as ye may reade and cōsider in the Actes of the Apost the 17. chapter And Christ teacheth vs to search the scriptures for they beare witnesse of him And S. P. sayeth All thinges which are written they ar written to our learning that through patience and consolation of Scriptures we may haue hope that is of eternall life The which is the marke whereat shoote al the faithfull for in the Scriptures of God all things are conteined necessarie for our saluation Alace thinke yee not shame which ar bound oblished vnder the paine of eternall damnation to teache your flocke this maner of doctrine to inhibit and forbid them to looke vpon the scripture either to heare or reade them This is farre differēt from the order of the apost yea and of the holy fathers of the church lōg time after as appeareth clearly by the teaching of Chrisost. writting vpō the 1. chap. of S. Math. the 2. 5. hom where he with a great lamētatiō reproueth the secular mē housholders which alledged the reading teaching of scripturs perteined not to thē Exhorting them to giue attēdance to the scripturs that they might instruct there families and household how they should liue according to the order of the scripture as becōmeth christians but by the cōtrarie yee would that none of your flocke or auditors should know thē lest your misdeeds wer espyed The feeding of your flocke the attēdāce and care yee should take therevpon is so necessary that without the doing thereof yee can doe no good works at all according to your vocation which can please god because in neglecting of this yee neglect faith out of the which all good workes should spring So should all your good workes follow faith And this principal point of your vocatiō is the cause that S. P. departing from Ephe. to Ieru called befor him the ministers of the word in the cōgregatiō certifieing thē he would not returne againe in bodily presence and therefore hee left to them this legacie saying Attend and take heede vnto your selues and to the whole flock in the which the holy spirit hath put you bishoppes to guide and rule the Church of god the which he hath redeamed with his bloud For I knowe after my departing there shall enter in amongst you rauening wolues which shall not spare the flocke And of your selues there shall rise men speaking wickednes that they may leade disciples to follow them Therefore bee diligent and vigilant keeping in memorie that by the space of thre years I ceased not day and night with teares and weeping warning and admonishing euery one of you c. If the Apostle had knowen any better work or more excellent to haue bene left in memorie or legacie to the ministers of the word he would no doubt haue expressed the same And euē so S. P. in his