to be at Rome they are content to cal Rome Babylon whatsoeuer I say he wrot in that Epistle which they say that he wrote from Rome we also most readily receiue as that old and authenticks Roman religion whereof we will make no doubt at all And further whatsoeuer doctrine can be proued out of Saint Markes Gospell which Maister Bellarmine goeth about by testimony of sundry auncient writers to shew that it was written at Rome as he heard Saint Peter preach the same that also we will acknowledge to bee the Roman faith which is still to be followed So that whatsoeuer eyther Saint Paule wrote to the Romans or Saint Peter being say the papists among the Romans wrote vnto the dispersed Iewes or Saint Marke at Rome haue taught and what soeuer is consonant and consenting therewith that is vndoubtedly receaued of vs. But that which cannot be found agréeable to any of these writings I trust any indifferent reader wil think that we may iustly suspect as neither taught by those godly teachers neither yet beléeued of those famous and faithful schollers and therefore of none acknowledged at that time for the faith of the Romans And if then it were not the faith of the Romans what néed either the Rhemistes in their edition of the testament or all the rest of them so confidently to bragge that the faith of the Romans was so commended of the Apostle Must it needes follow that the Romish faith that now is is true because that was good and godly Suspend thy iudgement good Christian Reader and come not with a preiudicate opinion Trie and then trust proue and examine whether we or the Romish Church come néerer to the auncient Roman faith and bee bolde to heare and followe them that beleeue as those first beleeuing Romans were taught and veleeued And who so euer they bee that dissente from that faith or swarue any thing from that religion or ad any thing to that doctrine say not to such so much as God spéed For they are in déed heretiks and enemies to Gods truth they are the corrupters of his most sacred word they are the verie botches and blanes of all Christian Religion And that thou maist good Christian reader more readily sée and more easily iudge both of that old Roman faith and this new Romish Religion my meaning is so to compare the one of them with the other that at one view thou maist sée them both Wherein I dare promise nothing but sincere dealing both in setting down whatsoeuer Saint Paule Saint Peter or Saint Mark haue taught vs concerning such points as are in question and also in poynting vnto the doctrine of our aduersaries I will not charge them with any thing vntruly I will not falsifie any of their writings that the truth may appeare and God may haue the glorie Let vs therfore see first what was then and what is now taught there of the word of God CHAP. II. SAint Paule in that Epistle that he writeth to the Romans teacheth that The Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth By the Gospell he meaneth that part of Gods word that preacheth vnto vs that ioyfull newes of our attonement made with God which elswhere he calleth the word of Reconciliation This word he saith is The power of God For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to cast down holds casting down the imaginations and euery high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringing into captiuitie euery thought to the obedience of Christ Of this powerfull word GOD spake long before Saint Paules time by his Prophet Ieremie Is not my word euen like a fire saith the Lord and as a hammer that breaketh the stone Of the power of this word thapostle writeth that It is liuely and mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and entreth through euen to the deuiding asunder of the soule and the spirite and of the ioints the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Yea Christ himself in the Prophet Esay is brought in confessing that the Lord Hath made his mouth like a sharpe sword So that this word is neither so blunt or dull or so vnable to make the man of GOD perfect to euery good work as the aduersaries of the Gospell would haue vs to imagine it to be So that in this place Saint Paul doth giue testimony that the word of God is as Saint Iames saith able to saue our soules And profitable to teach to reproue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes Saint Peter therfore doth liken the word to a séed and that to such a séed as doth if the fault be not in vs spring and grow vnto eternall life For as the good séed if it be cast in a good ground and moistned in due season with the dew of heauen can not but be fruitfull when the time shall serue euen so Gods word if it sound To him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at his words and be watered by the graces of Gods holy spirit it cannot it will not be vnfruitfull Saint Mark also in that parable of the seed that falleth vpon the good ground and brought forth fruit some thirtie some sixtie some a hundred fold doth sufficiently testifie vnto vs of the efficacie of the word if by reason of the infirmitie of our flesh and corruption of our sinful nature the edge therof be not rebated and the force hindered Not because I ascribe such force either vnto the sound that we may heare or the letters that we may read but vnto the sence and substance of the word vnto the lesson that may be gathered out of the same Whereunto we sée Saint Paule writing to the Romans and Saint Peter being at Rome as our aduersaries affirme and S. Marke also there according to the doctrine of S. Peter as they tell vs penning his gospell do giue this effect that it is of power to saue and the very séede of eternall life They find not therein any such hardnes as should driue men and women from the reading therof They find no such dangers they spy no such perils But on the contrary it was holden for good doctrine at Rome when Saint Peter did write if from thence he wrote Alwaies to be ready with all meeknes and reuerence to answere to euery body that shall aske a reason of that hope which is in you And that this is required of euery man woman that should sanctifie the Lord God in their hearts euen of seruants and not of maisters onely of wiues and not of husbands onely it is more plaine then that it can be probably denied Now to yéeld a reason of thy faith requireth much greter knowledge then to make confession of thy faith So that héere the Apostle séemeth
his scholler would haue been ashamed to haue taugh it to any Christians CHAP. VI. SAint Paul hauing planted and proued this doctrine of iustification by faith in Christ as he doth in the fourth chapter of this Epistle to the Romans and else where in many places hee then teacheth that in respect of this grace we should be so far from being imboldened to sin that on the contrary we are the more bound therby to holines of life For whosoeuer is dead to sin must not liue to sin But we if we be not baptised into Christ are dead to sin Therfore such as are baptised into Christ may not liue to sin or in sin Yea it is good reason that the seruant obey his Master but we are Gods seruants by promise in baptisme therefore him we must obey then we cannot obey him which God hateth forbiddeth and punisheth but we must serue God our Master in holines and righteousnes And whereas no man euer more plainely taught our frée iustification in Christ without our workes or merites or any inherent righteousnesse euen by the forgiuenes of our sinnes then the Apostle S. Paul both in this epistle and else where yet no man more earnestly and effectually then he exhorteth to holines of life good workes and all Christian duties sinne and security haue not a sharper enemie then he is S. Peter also teacheth vs that Christ his Owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body vpon the tree Whereby he sheweth the satisfaction that he hath made to be the attonement betwéene God and vs and that without vs he hath done it himselfe I say in his owne body hath paid that price and taken away the condemnation due to the sinne that we haue committed Hee hath done it vpon the trée by his death and passion purchasing thereby eternall redemption What can the Apostle say more plainely to teach vs that the satisfaction for al our sinnes is alreadie perfected so in and by Christ that our owne workes can be nothing auayleable to satisfie for them or that there is not to that vse any neede of them What then Séeing he beareth our sinnes shall we lay loade vpon him and by our sinne and vngodly life doe what wee can to make his burthen heauier No no he hath done all this that wee who by this benefite of Christ are dead to sinne should liue to righteousnesse For if GOD bee our God wee must be his people If hee bee our louing Father hee looketh that wee shoulde be his obedient children If he bee our gratious Lorde and Master we must not be vngracious but duetifull seruantes For as God doth couenant with vs to bee our God so do we also by vowe and promise binde our selues vnto him to bée his seruantes And this also doth the Apostle Saint Peter teache vs who in the first Chapter hath plentifully set forth Gods greate merrie towardes vs euen in this question of our free iustification as also in this place he hath done and yet wil not in any wise that any Christian duties should of vs be vnperformed but exhorteth vs to bee occupied in them as we may see Chap. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4. and to accompt them as a debt that we owe vnto God and must pay him For we are Gods workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath before ordained that we should walke in them Saint Marke reporteth vnto vs that our Sauiour Christ preachd often forgiuenes of sinnes as in his third and fourth Chapters it may appeare which forgiuenes of sin doth quite ouerthrow that inherent righteousnes and iustification by worke that the papistes striue to establish And yet the same S. Marke doth register and record among many other godly exhortations that our Sauiour Christ made to his disciples this necessary caueat Take heed watch and pray for you know not when the time is By all which this doth appeare that sanctification and holines must followe iustification and forgiuenes of sinne for we are washed that we should not againe defile our selues with the filth of sin and that Gods loue doth more effectually tie vs to obey him and to indeuour our selues to doe his will And looke howe much the more we are instructed and assuredly perswaded of the free loue of God so much the more will our inner man be inflamed with loue to him againe I say euen with such loue as will thrust vs forwardes to walke in good workes And this is notably proued by our Sauiour Christ who gathereth that the sinfull woman in S. Luke felt That many sinnes were forgiuen her because she loued so much And thus we sée that the auncient Roman faith was this that such as haue receiued and felt Gods free grace in forgiuing their iniquities as in trueth they are so in duety they must be alwaies ready to serue him So that I may boldly say with S. August It can hardly bée that he that beléeueth well should liue euil But our popish spiders out of this sweete flower doe gather their poyson They burtheÌ„ this doctrine which in expresse words is taught by S. Paul and the effects of it by S. Peter also that we are iustified by faith without the workes of the Law with this slaunder that it is a doctrine of liberty and occasion of licentious life a hinderance to good workes And thus this doctrine which they cannot confute with reason they couer with shame and reproches And that which they cannot with all their learning proue false by this shameles shift they seeke to make odious Far otherwise did the ancient fathers both speak write Iustinus Martyr lerned of the Apostle S. Peter to say that faith profiâ—eth our hearts Ciprian saith to cease from sin that beginneth of faith Tertulian affirmeth that faith sheweth vs the way whither to licentious life No but by which we must come to God Basil ascribeth vnto it great force to allure draw and perswade the mind because as in another place he telleth vs it strengheneth the powers of the same it obtayneth getteth indeuour in vs and Gods helpe which both are necessary in al our works Epiphanius writeth that it preserueth euery faithful man he meaneth from euil no doubt And Theophilact telleth vs that faith in Christ is truely a holy and perfect worke and doth sanctifie or make holy him that hath it And on the other side that such as lead an vncleane life are not truely faithfull who professe that they know God but in workes they deny him By all which it is plaine to see that these holy fathers did thinke that faith doth both quench all the firie dartes of the wicked and nourish or maintaine within vs the good motions of the spirit and so is as it were the fountaine from whence doth spring whatsoeuer good work we can performe But the papistes would beare the worde in hande that the more
their sins they ascribe vnto the Sacraments And that grace which we can finde onely in Christ of whose fulnes we haue all receiued grace for grace they would haue vs to seek for in such visible things as are in truth but pledges of the same Whether saith Cyprian it be Iudas or Paule that baptiseth it is Christ that washeth pardoneth and putteth away sinne And S. Ambrose making a difference between the watering that is by baptisme and the forgiuenesse of sinnes saith that to forgiue sinnes in baptisme and to giue the holy Ghost it belongeth to God only for the spirit hath bin giuen without laying on of hands and the remission of faults without baptisme if we will credit that learned Father Both the good and the bad saith S. Augustine can dip in the water but none but he that is alwayes good can wash the conscience Thus do these agree with the old Romish Faith teaching the outward signe not to giue but to assure vs of the inuisible grace And yet they are not ashamed still to brag that the faith of the Romans was commended by thapostle Although themselues that boast so much thereof as it is easie to see if we compare this auncient Faith with their new deuises do set themselues as sworne enemies to the same to fight against that faith And this I suppose is the effect of that which can be gathered out of these first eight Chapters of this Epistle to the Romans of such things as are in controuersy between vs and the Papists Wherin if they teach that which these Apostles and faithful seruants of God did teach let their doctrine be beleeued But if they haue chaunged that auncient Religion swarued from that old Faith corrupted that worship of God and mingled that pure wine either with the water of their own inuentions or the dregs of Iewish and Heathnish superstitions why do we not detest these deceiuing Doctors as enemies to all truth and hinderers of our eternall saluation CHAP. XII OF the thrée Chapters following I would haue spoken nothing I mean the ix x. and the xi of the Epistle to the Romans but that I think it necessarie out of one principall point of doctrine that is in them handled to note how contrarie to it selfe the doctrine is that the Church of Rome teacheth For out of them it is most plainly and inuincibly gathered that GOD hath predestinate chosen vnto eternal life such as it pleaseth him to take fréely euen in respect of his owne purpose and counsell without any respect vnto good works Which because it is so manifest that themselues are ashamed to denie it I briefly passe ouer without any long confirmation out of the reasons héerin alledged for proofe of the doctrine For Master Bellarmine out of these words When as yet they were not borne or had done any good or euill that the purpose of God might stand not by workes but by the caller it was said to her The elder shall serue the yonger And also out of those The remnant is saued according to the election of grace If of grace not now of workes for then grace were no grace Out of these words I say he concludeth verie plainly and truely not onely that election or predestination is frée but also without any forséeing of the workes that men should do after as his words are And much more pithyly also is this confirmed by the latter end of the last sentence which is with full content left out by the old Translation the Rheimists and the rest of them For although all the Gréek copies but one and the Syrian Translation haue these words But if it be of works then is it now no grace for then work is no more work Yet do they willingly follow the want in the old Translation because the setting of grace against works in such sort as wée sée they are opposed maketh wonderfull strongly against the Popish doctrine of merites But what should I speak of Master Bellarmine Iohn Durey the Scot telleth vs that it is famously holden in all the Vniuersities of the Catholicks That the foreknowledge of merits is not the cause of predestination Although he cannot deny but Pighius was of a contrarie mind And Master Bellarmine indeuoureth in this point to shew his skill to satisfie some that think it cannot be that predestination should be frée if all men haue sufficient help giuen wherby they may be saued And because vpon this sufficient help they establish their merite this is therfore also the summe of that he teacheth that Merites and Predestination may both of them be taught But how he is héerin deceiued his owne words will best declare But in the mean time this is that which Saint Paule did teach and they say that yet they 〈◊〉 that God fréely not hauing regarde to the workes which â—e saw they should doe did chuse a number vpon whom he bestoweth eternall life Which doctrine as it was daungerously impuyned in those dayes of S. Augustine so was it learnedly defended by him in sundry treatises In which it may appeare that the Pelagions then did vse the selfesame obiections against this comfortable doctrine that the papistes now make against the teaching of our free election as that God may same to deale vniustly in that he punisheth the wicked whom he calleth not from their wickednesse Againe that therby all indeuour to liue in Gods feare is taken away vertue is hindred fatall necessity established the doctrine is perilous and such like obiections are reckoned vp of Prosper as also of Hilary who in like manner writing to S. Augustine rehearseth those cauils of the pelagions against this trueth crauing S. Augustine his helpe therein because many as vs saith did much depend vpon the authoritie of men and as Prosper in his Epistle faith they defend their obstinacy by antiquitie alledging that neuer any expounded those places to the Romans after that sorte Which obiections because it is too long to confute in this place I send the reader who is desirous to be further instructed vnto S. Augustine his bookes of the predestination of the Saints which is an aunswere to the two Epistles of Prosper and Hilarie and that other of the vertue of perseuerance and that of predestination and grace which before I spake of Which thing I may I trust be the bolder to doe because these are the slaunders which the pelagians thâ—se knowen and condemned heretickes burthened this doctrine withall and therefore our aduersaries should be ashamed to vse them Now if you long also to know what these heretickes did teach this it is That God foreséeing who should beléeue and continue in that faith did predestinate such to his kingdom Or as S. Augustine saith they taught that God did choose such as he sawe shoulde be holy by the choice of their frée will on the contrary he shewed the election to bée frée without any
the phisition And why Is it not euery one that standeth in neede may haue the medicine applyed yes verily For it will not otherwise doe them any good Now saith he faith giueth vs this spirituall health which vnlesse the minde receiue withall the heart it doth no good but rather hurt As therefore it doth no good to a diseased body to know that he may haue helpe vnlesse the physicke be ministred to him euen so in these sicknesses of our soule the assaultes of sinne without this particular applicution there can be no helpe Let therefore Master Bellarmine tel vs if he will that his fellow Catholickes of the Romish stamp do hold it rather a presumption then faith To be assured of the promise of speciall grace or mercy yet will we rather holde fast that auncient faith of Rome approued also by sundry fathers then wander with them in their wauering opinion and desperate doctrine But our new Romish teachers can abide nothing lesse then that we should teach men to assure themselues by faith of their saluation And therefore they teach this faith to be but an assent not a confidence and that it may be a generall knowledge not a particular and vndoubted persuasion or trust that we are iustifyed by Christ They take for a patterne of their faith that faith that the diuels haue as before out of Saint Iames I taught that they beleeue yea feare and tremble And while they make faith to be but a bare assent they thinke it an easy matter to beleeue for in deed the most wicked may haue such a fayth by this meanes it commeth to passe that they speake euill of our doctrine which they knowe not For wee doe not teach that popish faith doth iustify which is but an historicall assent to those thinges that are spoken of GOD but we say that that assured persuasion which Sainte Paul commendeth in Abraham and whereof himselfe reioyceth And whereby we are kept by the power of GOD vnto saluation wee teach that that doth not onely iustifie vs before God because it apprehendeth and taketh holde of him by and in whom onely wee are accompted righteousse in Gods sight but God by it doth also purifie our heartes Because it cannot be but that wee will haue a delight in Gods commaundementes if once this assured and vndoubted persuasion of Gods eternall goodnesse towardes vs be planted in our heartes Although therefore we still teach constantlie with our Sauiour Christ his Apostles that fayth without workes doth iustifie speaking of a true fayth and an assured confidence which was the olde Roman fayth yet we wil also say with the new Romanistes that the fayth of the nowe Church of Rome or that fayth which the diuels may haue cannot iustifye But this doth nothing hinder our cause for wee accompt not that bastard Roman faith worthy the name of faith So that in this latter assertion wee yeelde to them And in the former wherein we affirme that faith as it is an assured confidence taking holde of Gods mercy in Christ doth iustifie I would they also woulde yeelde vnto the trueth CHAP. VIII WEe haue séene then the most auncient doctrine of iustification by faith grounded vpon the first promise of the womans seede that shoulde breake the head of the serpent taught by the Apostles who yet ment not thereby to open a gap to licentious life because they speak not there of a deuelish faith a popish faith a dead faith that may be fruitlesse but of such a persuasion and so assured a confidence setled in the heart of the faithfull as will not suffer them to be idle or vnoccupied in godly workes as occasion shall bee offered And if wee looke further into the doctrine taught by the Apostles we shall also learne out of it not onely that it is necessary to doe good works but also howe and to what ende wee shoulde doe them For if our affection in doing them be not sincere if our direction and rule be not Gods holy word if our intention and ende be not Gods glory and the performance of our dutifull obedience vnto our Lord and Lawgiuer whatsoeuer our worke be called in name or seeme in shew it is not in deede a good worke First therefore for our affection not onely our Sauiour Christ who is a heauenly and true teacher of all trueth telleth vs that the trée of our heart cannot bring forth good fruite vnlesse it I meane the tree be good it selfe but also S. Paul teacheth vs that the flesh that is that part of man that is not regenerate striueth against the spirit whereby he is brought to that that Hee doth not the good thing which hee woulde but the euill which he would not And that through The rebelling Lawe in his members rebelling I say against the lawe of his mind and leading him captiue vnto the Lawe of sinne which is in his members Nowe if we marke why the Apostle maketh this complaint and addeth that grieuous and pitifull exclamation O wretched man that I am we must confesse that he was forced thereto because that Although he woulde doe good and had delight in the Lawe of God concerning the inner man yet his rebellious fleshe did trouble and molest him so that he could not so freely so holily and sincerely serue God as he shoulde haue done And that is it that in the sixt chapter he perswadeth vs that we ought not to sinne because we are dead to sinne so that we should not any more haue to doe therewith but should haue our affections freed from the same and wholly bent to serue God in holines And for this cause afterwardes when he beginneth to come to exhortations he layeth this as the ground and foundation of al That we must offer vp our selues euen our owne bodies a sacrifice to God For if we beginne not with our selues euen with our owne affections to haue them sanctified whatsoeuer we doe cannot bee holy And therefore S. Peter also who plentifully exhorteth to the performance of Christian dueties yet telleth vs before that we are elect vnto Sanctification For heereby our affections are reformed that in doing of al our works we may do them with a good heart And afterward he saith Seeing your hearts are purified in obeying the trueth through the spirite to loue brotherly without fayning loue one another with a pure heart feruently In which wordes we cannot but see how sincere an effection the Apostle requireth in performance of this dutie of loue which must also bee a patterne for vs to doe all good workes by for thy heart not béeing sincere thy workes are not pure though they seeme good As for the second point which is that our workes if we will that God shoulde accompt them good should be commaunded in Gods word and agréeable to his will it may appeare to be the auncient faith
of the faithfull Romans because S. Paul teaching them to doe good workes seemeth to require nothing of them but loue which he saith is the fulfilling of the Law so that he would haue vs occupied in performing of loue to God and loue to man which God in the ten commandements requireth of vs and then we shall not faile but doe good works But this yet he teacheth more plainely in the shutting vp of that notable discourse in the fourtéenth Chapter Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne In which place Master Bellarmine wil haue vs by faith to vnderstand knowledge as also the Rhemistes teach vs or persuasion of conscience that the thing which we doe is good and lawfull But whatsoeuer we doe for the which we finde not our direction in Gods word what persuasion can we finde for the same in our conscience that God shall recken it among good workes Or rather why shoulde we not alwaies feare least God for such workes of ours should say Who hath required these thinges of your handes in which respect al the fathers in our good workes require faith And is not I pray you our good worke a flower of sweete sauour and a fruite of pleasant taste vnto the Lorde All men wil confesse it is so From what roote then must it come doubtlesse from no other but from that immortall seede that Saint Peter speaketh of The worde of God Whereby hee woulde also haue vs to growe And if S. Basil concerning the precepts of their monkish life doth think they must not be left vndone to take other workes in hand and that specially because that euery one knoweth not what is conuenient for them to doe but may as well choose that may be to his hurt and hinderance as to his helpe and furtherance then how much more should Gods lawes be in such accompt among vs who are by our profession regular hauing an expresse commaundement to doe that onely which God commaundeth that we would not for any thing adde vnto the same our owne inuentions or mingle with the same our owne traditions And if we suppose that one man may better see how to set downe rules of life then another how is it that we are so be sotted that wee giue not that glory to God that he knoweth better I say not then any but then all men what workes they are that please him best Or if we confesse him to haue that wisedom why doe we not follow then this his direction why do we not studie to keepe his commaundementes why doe wee weary our selues in our owne waies and wast our time in doing our owne workes Thirdly in euery good worke God also considereth to what ende it was done And principally we must respect Gods glorie Whether ye eate or drinke or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glorie of GOD. And therefore Saint Paule findeth greate fault with the Romans or rather writing to the Romans that neyther the Gentiles when they knewe God did glorifie him as God and the Iewes by their sinnes dishonored the name of God And for that cause giuing to the Romans a caueat he willeth them to take heede of such as made deuision And why For they serue not the Lorde Iesus Christ but their owne bellies They seeke not to glorifie the Lorde but to pamper themselues Yea both Saint Paul and S. Peter also teach vs this lesson by their owne example giuing to him prayse glory and dominion And this glorifying of GOD is especially performed by consecrating vnto him the good grape of our holy obedience Euen by letting our light so shine before men that they may see our good workes and glorifie our Father which is in heauen Thus then we see that the auncient religion teacheth vs that no good worke can procéede from vs vnlesse the spring of our heart first be purged from the filth of sinne least our affections by that corruption shoulde be mingled like muddie water with sinfull cogitations and withdrawen from sinceritie in our action Then also that such onely are in déede good workes for doing whereof we haue warrant in Gods worde Lastly that in the said worke especially we must seeke Gods glory by seruing him in duetifull obedience for that the worke must be considered according to the ende whereunto it is directed and which we respected in doing the worke Augustine teacheth And if any of these be wanting either a sincere heart which cannot be without faith a direction out of the word or a godly ende the worke is not good whosoeuer worketh it or whatsoeuer shew of goodnes it seemeth to haue in the eies of men As on the contrary that which we doe according to Gods worde with a sincere heart desiring to walk on forward in all holy obedience that is in déede a good worke But it is almost a common receiued opinion of our new Romish Catholicks that the good intent maketh a good work Insomuch as many think it must needs be a good worke that a man or woman doth with a good purpose Neither yet do they measure this their intent or purpose with the true line of Gods worde but with the false measure of their owne imaginations And heereby it commeth to passe that the outward appearance of a good worke is taken of many to be an action acceptable to God although it be not either directed to the right end or commaunded in Gods word or done by him that hath the spirit of regeneration And this maketh them so grosly to teach concerning good workes because they would for the better credit of their workes commend the actions not only of the wicked but of the Infidels also that neuer knew God as if they might be perfect and void of sinne which is a thing as absurde to him that by the light of Gods spirit doth walk in the pathes of Gods word as if they would affirme that a wild vyne whilest it remayneth wild might bring forth a kindly grape a crab tree a good apple or from a foule and corrupt puddle might spring sweet and wholsome waters As for Gods Law because the waies therof are not roomy enough for such reelers and rouers to run in who according to their owne foolish phansies are alwaies hatching some new deuotions as not only the infinite swarues of their Religious orders as they falsly call those irreligious companies but also their innumerable toyes and superstitions whereby they would beare the world in hand that they please GOD and deserue his fauour doe plainley prooue they therefore now in the new Romish Religion commaund vnto vs many things whereof in the Scripture they can find no one commaundment no one example They quite forget the straight charge that GOD layeth vpon his people when he telleth them that They must not doe vvhat seemeth good in their owne eyes and concerning Gods Law That they must ad nothing therto nor
regard to workes eyther before or after and that which the Pelagians did then and the papistes now doe teach he calleth a new presumption But because they like worse then to be thoughte new although in all thinges they are new fangled let vs see what it is that they would haue vs beléeue No doubt the Church of Rome doth as much as they can indeuour to obscure and darken this doctrine that the glory of merits may shine the brighter And therefore euen Master Bellarmine who in as plaine wordes as he can deuise hath before taught that this election is free without any respect to workes yet after as he now repented him of that he had said writeth That by predestination the elect get no right or clayme to blessednes neyther is it due to them but after that by well deseruing they haue gotten the same Can white and blacke be more contrarie then these two sayings are one of them to the other So that whilst he seeketh to establish the opinion of merites he doth not onely gainfay the trueth but euen himselfe also Let vs marke the similitude whereby he will illustrate his meaning A king saith he promiseth a price to the best runner to whome God reuealeth that if they runne vpon horses such a one shall winne in wagons such a one on foote such a one by ship such a one Then he appoynteth them to runne with wagons which he also causeth to be prepared for them Althogh Master Bellarmine may seeme to be runne farre from the trueth when by such fond fictions he would make falshoode carie a shew of sound doctrine yet we may see his meaning is that as the kinge proposeth the price to the best runner and then appoynteth such a kinde of running as he knoweth he shall excell in whom he would haue to winne so God electeth vnto happines such as he would because he knew before that they should merit the same Is this free election Is there in this no regard to workes I suppose it is in our Romish Master verified that is spoken of the Idol makers That they who make the Idols are like vnto 〈◊〉 them Of Idolaters they are become Idols them selues that haue eyes and see not eares and heare not yea wit and vnderstand not but say and vnsay almost with one breath But when they haue done what they can that auncient fayth shall be founde not onely true but also directly against their doctrine If election bee by grace then not of workes if by workes then not by grace And because it seemeth they are not yet resolued whether they shoulde mayntaine the auncient fayth of Rome which sometime they commende or this newe opinion which they had rather follow it were best they woulde settle them selues to stande to the one or the other for they cannot make both agree together Neyther are they content vpon this olde garment to set a newe patch but also as much as they dare they disgrace this auncient fayth and olde religion when they call it a vaine presumption and rash to assure our selues of our election But first that our election is certaine I hope they dare not deny because the free giftes and calling of God are without repentance The question then is whether wee can be assured that we are chosen woulde he that taught vs to call him father haue vs to doubt whether we be his children Or if the spirite it selfe beare witnesse to our spirite that we are the sonnes of GOD shall these newe vpstart Catholickes tell vs that so to doe is rash presumption And why is it called the spirite of Adoption but because it teacheth vs nay it assureth vs our election Or howe can wee attayne to that reioycing in tribulation which Saint Paule and Saint Peter also commend in the godly but because we are sure that howsoeuer God seemeth to handle vs yet he still loueth vs and therfore his chasticements are not bitter to vs because the loue of God is spred abroade in our heartes Let therefore these desperate doctours dececiue such as are deuoted to them let vs reioyce in this assurance of faith that our names are written in the booke of life CHAP. XIII THe Apostle hauing hitherto continued in doctrine especially in teaching vs that we are freely iustifyed in Christ by fayth without works and that this iustification is common both to Iewes and Gentiles He commeth to exhortations mouing vs to offer vp our selues vnto God in sacrifice Giue vp your bodies a quicke sacrafice holy and acceptable to God And that we may be the better instructed in offering our selues aright or as we ought to doe the telleth vs first that we must not Be fashioned like vnto this worlde to follow the corruptions thereof Secondly we must be Renued in the spirit of our minde that hauing our vnderstanding lightened we may proue what is that will of God good acceptable and perfect not following too earnestly our owne affections but submitting our selues and our willes to Gods good will And thus must we sacrifice vp our selues to God Much like is that that S. Peter also writeth of Our spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God through Iesus Christ Nowe none can offer a sacrifice but such as are priestes but all men must offer these sacrifices for the Apostles both of them write not onely to such as were in the ministerie among them but euen to the lay people mouing then to offer these offerings therefore all men are priestes Yea S. Peter in playne words affirmeth that we are A royall priesthoode or as it is in Exodus from whence he borroweth those wordes A kingdom of priestes For there al must be kings and al must be pristes Neither can we reade that there is instituted in the newe testament any other kinde of Sacrifising priestes then these And wee must also marke what our sacrifice is that is heere mentioned The sacrifice not of Christes bodie but of our owne bodies the sacrifising and sanctifing of our selues Now if the Apostles had knowen of any sacricire of the Masse was there not now good occasion to haue mentioned it Yea if it had béene in so greate accompt as the papistes hold it to be how coulde these two Apostles without great impietie haue buried in silence or passed ouer without mentioning so necessarie a seruice of God But then there was no such thing and therefore it is not spoken of by them who can best tell vs what the olde Roman saith was It hath beene long after that time raked out of the verie channell and sinke of superstitions and is so contrarie to that they taught that if this sacrifice of the Masse had beene but once mentioned in their time they would in expresse wordes haue made the verie name of it odious among Gods people Well of this exhortation we learne because we are both the sacrifice and sacrificer the offering and the
sufficiently shew and proue what blasphemies and superstitions that Church cherisheth In perils and dangers by sea and by land they will vowe and promise offerings and giftes which if they escape they will also performe to such saintes as they vowed vnto For euery sickenes they had and in that Romish kingdome of more then Aegyptical darkenes they yet haue a peculiar Saint to whome they would call for helpe Yea euery beast had their leach among them and their very pigs were not without their Saint Anthonie In euery Church they had their Images before which they kneeled they knockt they crept they prayed they swete thy censed they offered and did before them as much outwarde honour as they would or coulde doe to GOD himselfe In their names woulde they dedicate Churches and Chappels thereby the rather to binde them to heare them when they pray and helpe them when they stand in need And whereas that pattern of prayer that Christ hath deliuered teacheth vs onely to pray to him whom we may call Father and say Our Father which art in heauen yet these Romish Rabbies in heauenly matters as blind as beetels can very well suffer the people nay they teach them to say that prayer before euery Image not of men onely but of women also What madnesse is this if it were lawfull to pray vnto Saintes which is in trueth a greate dishonoring of God and manifestly against the commaundement to kneele before the Image of Saint Mary the mother of Christ or Mary Magdalen or any other woman saying Our Father to them If they coulde heare vs woulde not they thinke we were mad Or in like manner kneeling before the Images of Saint Iohn Saint Peter or any man to say to them Hayle Mary full of grace Can wee thinke this to bee according to the rule that Saint Paule giueth to pray in spirite and vnderstanding And yet these were their wordes that they must powre out before euery Idoll their beades did teach them to mumble vp so many creedes so many Aue maries so many pater nosters Their pardons and indulgencies require the like order God himselfe coulde haue no more of them then such stuffe as they had learned to reckon or score vp on their beades and the meanest Saint should haue no lesse Yea the learneder sorte yet among other their prayers must salute God himself if at any time they would pray vnto him or Saint Peter or any other he Saint with Hayle Mary Fie vpon such brutish and beastly blindnes whereby men and women are so besotted that they doe not onely powre forth vaine prayers that are turned into sinne wherein they can finde no comfort because they seek it not of him that can help but also abuse most foolishly the Lords Prayer which onely belongeth to our heauenly Father yet they will pray with it before euery their Saints men or women Well their prayers then we see are too absurd So are their thankesgiuinges as before I saide in that they yeeld all praise and glory of their deliuerance not to God onely who onely hath wrought it but to their Idols of whom they asked it As for Mediator we haue none but Christ we should know none but Christ I know not saith Saint Augustine what other intercessour to sende to thee but him onely that is the propitiation for our sinne And afore what greater comfort then to moue the father to pity by remembring his sonne He was figured by the high priest in Moses his Lawe He onely offered the peoples offeringes he onely entred into the most holy place to teach vs to content our selues with one onely Mediatour which is Christ Where learned our Romish Catholicks to pray to any other then vnto God Where learned they to seeke for other mediatours We see the auncient faith of the Romans hath no such commandement no such patterne or example to follow but the contrary Let not then from henceforth the Romish Catholicks brag of the auncient Roman faith for they haue it not they haue chaunged well neere euery poynt of it they haue made it almost all new so that in the Romish Church that now is there remayneth not so much in a manner as a shadow thereof CHAP. XVIII I Lastly note in this Epistle to the Romans what kinde of treasure it is that he purposeth to bring vnto them when he commeth vnto them I warrant you nothing so glorious and glistering as the Popes Iewels are I desire saith he to see you that I may impart or bestow among you some spirituall gift that you might be stablished Againe I am sure that when I come vnto you I shall come with aboundance of the blessing of the gospell of Christ We sée then what are the giftes and graces that he is minded to giue them what is the store what are the blessings that himselfe reioyceth in and séeketh to comfort them in that he is sure he shalbe furnished with them when he commeth among them It is the ministerie of the word the preaching of the gospel the glad tidings of saluation that he promiseth to them which he also calleth a spirituall gift because it teacheth heauenly and spirituall things it reioyceth and instructeth the spirit inward man it is not effectuall and powerfull but by the spirit And hée calleth it a blessing as in trueth it is the greatest benefit and blessing that héere we can haue His meaning is to labour earnestly among them in preaching the word as he did in all places where he came to teach them that they may knowe their duety to exhort them that they may do it To reproue them if they be negligent to councell them when they stand in néed to comfort them when they are in heauines and all by the gospell of Christ and this is it that he calleth The blessing of the gospell of Christ To consider how S. Paul was exercised at Rome and to see how the Pope is there occupied it would make a man to maruel that euer those prophane mē dare giue vnto themseues the name of holy father in whom you cannot find one sparke of that heauenly knowledge painefull diligence vigilant care and continuall trauell in labouring in the word that should be in a holy father or was in Paul in Peter or the other Apostles But I pray you what are the spirituall blessings that this holy father of Rome bestoweth Sometime he wil send to some of his dear sons a golden rose consecrated or some picture consecrated sometime a sword in token that he would haue them fight for him yea perchaunce to embrew in the bloud of the Saints and all must be hallowed that he doth send Sometimes perchaunce a Cardinals hat to one that hath shewed himselfe stubborne enough against his Prince Sometime he will bestow Kingdomes if they vpon whom he bestoweth them can get them from the right heires Sometime he will bestow vpon subiects immunities
wee teach them to beleeue the wider we open them a doore to sinne But woulde you in deede finde out that doctrine that doth let loose the raynes of lycentious life and giueth liberty to doe what you will Looke then to our newe Romish religion that selleth sinnes for money and pardons for faultes both past and to come also Faith whereby wee apprehend this free iustification is Gods gift and therefore not easie for vs to get seeing wee cannot haue it at all vnlesse hee will giue it increase whereof the Apostles themselues craued of God because of themselues they coulde not get it But as much mony as will buy a pardon is not harde to come by Especially rich men might by their doctrine be bolde to sinne because money woulde buy pardons enowe Nowe whether the auncient faith of the Romans or this new Romish religion giue greater liberty to licentious life let the indifferent Reader iudge CHAP. VII BVT this our doctrine of iustification by faith in our Sauiour Christ Iesus without the workes of the Lawe that it may both the better be vnderstoode and more throughly be deliuered from the vniust reproches of such slaunderous spirits It shall not I suppose be amisse but verie necessary to declare what maner of persuasion this Faith is by the doctrine of the Apostles if any thing may out of these their writinges which doe any way concerne the Romans be brought to teach vs the same First therefore this Faith is not only a generall persuasion of Gods power mercie and such other things but euen a particular confidence and trust wherby we do not onely giue our assent or consent that GOD is mighty and mercifull but also we do with comfort applie particularly vnto our selues whatsoeuer greatnes and goodnes in generall persuasion we yéeld to be in God And this is plainly proued by thapostle vnto the Romans setting forth the faith of Abraham before our eyes as a perfect patterne of true faith in that he beléeued not onely in generally that God could or would do such a thing but euen particularly that he would and could performe his promise that he made vnto him concerning Isaac So shall thy seed be And so it came to passe that neither he considered his owne bodie now dead when he was almost a hundred yeares old neither yet the deadnes of Saraes womb But contrary to hope beleeued in hope that he should be the father of many nations Now this constancie of Faith cannot possibly be in any man or woman vnlesse they haue besides a generall persuasion and historicall assent to this that they heare that God is good a particular application and an inward féeling whereby they may say as their old translation bringeth in Iob saying This hope is laid vp within my brest Faith also must be if it be true and such as is required a constant confidence without doubting Not because that we can héer attaine to that perfection that our faith should haue no infirmitie but that all weaknesse in faith doth argue great want in the same Such was that Faith that héer the Apostle commendeth vnto vs in the example of Araham For Abraham was Fully persuaded assured or certified that what GOD had promised he was able to performe Now fully to be persuaded of a thing and to doubt of it are contrarie And Saint Peter willeth vs To trust perfectly in that grace that is brought vnto vs. wherby he doubtlesse meaneth nothing els then thapostle S. Iames when he opposeth Doubting or wauering against true faith Let him aske in faith nothing doubting But that faith must haue these properties that is that it must be a confidence and trust wherby assuredly and particularly we applie vnto our selues the comfort of Gods promises or of the examples of his mercie Thapostle in this Chapter doth farther teach vs I meane Saint Paule in the fourth to the Romans teaching circumcision to be A seale of the righteousnes of Faith A seale is set to the writing to take away all occasion of doubting from the same So are the Sacraments added to Gods promises if it were possible to make vs without all wauering in Faith And the writings whervnto seales are affixed contain for the most part particular benefits bestowed vpon them to whom they are made and sealed Euen so the Sacraments are to the godly assurances not onely that God loueth mankind or Christ is a Sauiour that taketh away sinnes and maketh attonement with God for them but also that God loueth vs and Christ saueth vs I say euery particular man and woman if they be faithfull haue within them this faith Which application of this benefit of Christ to themselues and to their consciences is beléeuing And they that can attaine to this haue attained to Faith and this their particular faith is sealed vp to them in the Sacraments But an assent to the historie hereof we may yéeld without comfort or consolation For so do the Diuels beléeue and tremble Yea let vs sée what an example of Faith thapostle in the viii of this Epistle setteth forth himself to haue I warrant you we shall find it neither mingled with doubtfulnesse nor resting onely vpon Gods generall promises But in wonderfull assurance he findeth and confesseth in himselfe to his vnspeakable comfort Gods great mercy in iustifying and sauing him For he is not only assured that none can lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen because God iustifieth and none can condemne because Christ died and rose againe and at Gods right hand maketh intercession for vs but also that nothing can separate vs from that loue wherwith God loueth And this he saith he is sure of This then is the auncient faith of the Romans That euery one should be fully perswaded in their owne mind for if in meates this perswasion must be then much more in the cause of our iustification and Trust perfectly without doubting on Gods grace Yea the auncient Fathers do not know any other faith for a true faith but onely this assurance and particular persuasion of the heart Ciprian calleth it A confidence of good things to come and proueth that it must so be S. Basil saith it is An approbation of that which is said with assent and without wauering with full assurance that it is true Which confident persuasion is manifestly against popish doubting neyther can it be without particular application of the promises to our selues which in their grosse diuinitie they finde to bee néedelesse Hilary will haue no doubt at all in our faith Neyther can a generall faith without applying particularly to vs Gods promises make vs abstaine from euill and doe that is good which Chrysostome saith is the worke of faith And this doth S. Ambrose plainely teach by the similitude of a phisition who although bee promise to heale all yet they that will haue helpe must seeke to