vs but one onely intercessor Christ in heauen they seeke for none other intercessor there because they haue the same full and perfectlye in Christ But they which do not beleue nor acknowledge Christ for their only and perfect intercessor aduocat such infidels shall neuer be holpen with any prayers of Aungels or saincts if the case stoode so that they did praye for them 191 The Papists will haue Christ to bee in part a Sauiour THe Papistes would weaken the ground of our Faith by a number of corrupt doctrines As first that in part wee haue saluation and remission of sinnes by the merites of sainctes for thus they pray Graunte vs O Christ by the blood of Thomas which he shed for thee thither to go whither he is ascended And to Saint George they pray thus Let him saue vs from our sinnes that we may reste with the blessed in heauen And touching Saint Anne they say thus O God thou which wouldest S. Anne to become the mother of thy mother grāt we beseech thee that by the meritts of the mother and the daughter we may obteine the heauenly kingdome Here are three Sauiours besids Christ in like manner doe they acknowledge a thousand moe Secōdly they say we haue remission of sins and saluation in part by our owne merits and good doings For thus writeth one of their champions that the passion of Christ may be the 1. and principle cause of attayning grace and opening the waye to heauen but it is neuer the whole cause for the euer there goeth with Christ some merit of him that receyueth grace Furthermore what shall bee saide of pardons of Pilgrimages of Purgatory of holy water and a number of such like superstitious and false errors by which not without blasphemy they match transitory things and vain deuises of men with the bloud of Iesus Christ the sonne of God our sauiour the most excellēt price of our redemption expreslye contrarye to the holye Ghost thus writing by S. Peter 1. Pet. 1. i8 Ye are not redemed with trāsitory things as with golde or siluer but with the bloud of that immaculat lamb Christ Iesus 192 Contrariety betweene the religion of Christ and the Pope WHereas the doctrine of Christ is spirituall altogether consisting wholly in spirit and verity and requireth no outward thing to make a true Christian man but onelye baptisme which is the outward profession of Faithe and receiuing of the Lordes Supper If the religion of the Churche of Roome bee examined it will easily bee founde wholly to consiste in nothing else but altogether in outward and ceremoniall exercises as outward confession absolution at the priestes hande outward sacrifice of the masse buying of pardons purchasing of obites externe worshipping of Images and reliques pilgrimage to this place or that building of churches founding of monasteries outward workes of the law outward gestures garments coulors choyse of meates difference of times and places peculiar rites and obseruancies set prayers and number of prayers prescribed fasting of vigiles keeping of holy dayes comming to church hearing of seruice externe succession of Bishops externe forme and notes of the church c. soe that by this religion to make a true christian and a good catholicke there is no working of the holy Ghost almost required 193 Succession is nothing without the doctrine of the Apostles THe aduersaries of the truth to the intent they might proue themselues to be the true church they obiect the succession of Bishops for the space of many hundred yeares in the Apostolicall sea whereas their doctrine being compared with the doctrine of the Apostles by the diuersitie and contrarietie thereof will easilye appeare to be the doctrine neither of the Apostles nor of anye apostolicall men Succession in deede with continuaunce of Apostolicall doctrine ought to be of great authoritie but without it nothing The sonnes of Aaron had more allowable succession from Aaron then the Bishoppes of Rome haue from Peter and yet because they brought strange fire into the temple of God they were reiected and perished Leu. 10.1 Those which in the church of God doe imitate them and contemning the truth deliuered by God desire strange doctrines and bring into the church the instruction of humaine ordinances them doth Christ sharpely reproue in his Gospell saying Mat. 15.3 you cast away the cōmandements of God to establish your owne ordinance Annas and Caiphas had full succession from Aaron yet it were hard thereupon to conclude that they had the right of the true church christ and his apostles to be Scismatickes 194 Succession proueth nothing THey greatly erre which thinke that any thing may be proued by succession whilest they leaue out that which is of most force therein that is that if like as they haue succeeded in the place of godly men they haue also succeeded them in the spirite of Christ in doctrine in faith grauitye godlinesse humilitie and patience Mat. 23.2 The high priestes and prelates who in the time of Christ did sit on Moses chayre coulde haue deriued the petigree of their succession from thē selues euē to Aaron but because their life and doctrine did not agree with the life and doctrine of Aaron and other godly priestes their succession auayled nothing against Christ and his Apostles neither were Christe and his Apostles false teachers or disseuered from the true Church because they were not able to proue their succession as the Pharesies could For the word of God and the institution of Christ was sufficient for them Wherefore sith euen we also now haue on our side the words of God and the institution of Christ there is no succession of Bishops that can proue vs to bee out of the true Church The histories of Popes and other like Prelates which are written yea euen by their deare frendes and defenders do sufficiently testify that almost all of them haue obteined this dignitie and place by most filthy meanes by simony wicked artes violence murthers and trayterous conspiracies Wherfore if it would please them a little more narrowely to consider hereof they should finde by better aduise there were no iust cause to brag of their succession but rather to burye the same in silence seeing by it their euils and horrible filthines is so clearely detected But God hath done this to th' end the truth might be reuealed and the godly warned to gather them selues together vnder our head Christ and into his true church 195 The description of the inuisible Church and visible THe church sometime in the scripture is taken for the whole number of the elect of God that are and haue bene from the beginning of the world in all places and ages euen to this day And this is that Church which is the piller of truth This is that church that neuer can abide in error Mat. 16.18 This is that church that by imputation of Gods mercy is the immaculate and vndefiled spouse of Christ but this
our conditiō so that in mind we burne with the desire of a better our dooinges can neuer be perswaded that they must so neerely be looked at but that they may borrowe a little of conscience equitie to make the prouisiō according as the desire directeth This doth the Apostle cōfirme in plaine speech to Timothy where after perswasion to be content with that we haue because the gaine of godlines is great he telleth vs plainly that they who wil be rich 1. Tim. 6.9 fal into many temptations snares and many noisome lusts This is the danger of them that are fallen so fa◠into friendship of a better estate that they wil be rich This being once set down and determined not only cōscience is constrained to depart but also thankfulnes to God for our present estate doth in like manner forsake vs. 70 The exposition of the ninth commandement IN the fift commaundement of the seconde Table the Lorde our God vnder one kinde Eph. 4.25 Ps 15.2 doeth giue vs a generall doctrine meaning that wee may not speake any thing to the reproch of our neighbour falsely Pro. 21.1 that we should neither lye flatter nor dissemble that we should neuer tell false tales behinde our neighbours backe that wee should not in priuate offences speake any thing 1. Co. 13.7 1. Pet. 4.8 Pro. 11.12 Mat. 18.15 16.17.18 although it be true to the hurting of our brothers good name if by priuate admonitions he may be woone Hee heareth false witnesse that of hatred enuie friendshippe or affections eyther concealeth or vttereth not the truth or by his witnesse ouerturneth the same Truth in all matters by this lawe is commaunded and lyes dissimulation flatterie and whatsoeuer is false and fained is forbidden 71 What it is to beare false witnes IF wee will obey God wee must maintaine the honour and credite of our neighbours as much as lyeth in vs. For when hee hath forbidden vs to hurt his good name he willeth also on the contrary side that we maintaine the honor estimatiō of al. Deu. 5.20 Now it is not sufficiently maintayned in his estate when we harme it not except we withall procure the good therof Ex. 20. i6 Therefore when we shall come into iudgement we must take heede of hurting those by any false report any lying or any forswearing Leu. 19.16 whose honor and good we are bounde to procure For he which shall beare false witnesse against his neighbour hee killeth and robbeth him asmuch as he can and he doth all the euill whiche proceedeth from periury And this is the cause why God commaunded in his Lawe that the witnesses shoulde be the first which should lay hands to the execution of him that was punished for any euill deede Deut. 17 7 to the ende it might be knowne that by their voices and by their tongues they had putte him to death and that the witnesses should be put in greater feare of speaking otherwise then the trueth when euery one shoulde think he hath to render an accompt to God if he shall haue beene a witnesse against anye man So then when question is of being a witnesse euery one must deepelie consider of the matter and take diligent heede he enlarge not his conscience but that he speake in pure simplicity that which he knoweth to bee true before God And here we are to think not onely of false witnessinges which shal be against the life of a man but of such also which concerne their goodes and estimation And thus are we warned in all respectes to procure the honor and profit of our neighbours Pro. 10 12 when we are to beare witnes And yet not so that vnder this shadowe of couering the iniury of him that hath offended or of preseruinge his goods we lie before God For if the honor of men be deare vnto vs what ought the honor of God to bee if we will make comparison If God haue a regarde and care of vs which are but poore creatures let vs not thinke that in the meane time he will forget himselfe But if by false witnesse wee seeke to beare out and bolster him that hath offended if we couer the faulte and dissemble it It is certaine that wee blaspheme the name of God and deface his glory asmuch as lyeth in vs. 72 Against slaundederes and lyars THere is no man but desireth to haue a priuie freinde which is no talker and babler to the end that if he haue any thing in his heart which doeth trouble and grieue him that he may safely open the same vnto his freind that he may be somwhat eased and relieued he hopeth also that that which he hath declared shall be kept secret or at leastwise that the thing shall not bee expounded otherwise then it was spoken and that hee will not labour to hurte him nor to bring him into hatred with his neighbour Ex. 20.16 Deu. 5.20 Leu. 19. i6 according to this commaundement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse against thy neighbour There ar some which think and beleeue that it is not euill done to reueale secretes to condemne their neighboures and to publish their imperfections but the holye Ghoste heere condemneth all suche personnes calling them slaunderers by the mouth of Solomon Pro. 12.13 And it is notwithout good cause that such people are condemned For first of all they are hipocrits secondly they are transgressors of the Law Mat. 7.5 Thirdlye they set themselues before the Law in condemning it Speake not euill one of another brethren He that speaketh euill of his brother speaketh euill of the Lawe Iam. 4.11 and condemneth the Law and if thou condemnest the Law thou art not an obseruer of the Lawe but a iudge Infideiitye vnfaithfulnesse hath taken roote in their harts whereby they are ledd to betray their neighbors in discouering that which they ought to keepe secret Moreouer if we be not ledde by loue we cannot be faithful vnto our neighbors for to dissemble their imperfections 1. Cor. 13. there is no strength in vs that is worth any thing except it bee exercised by loue And if by loue we must exercise faithfulnesse the whiche is set against false witnesse bearing it followeth that the slaunderer is ledde with hatred to discouer the secret and consequently that he is a murtherer 1. Io. 3.15 1. Io. 3.14.25 For whosoeuer hateth his brother is a manslear He that loueth not his brother abideth in death Yet neuerthelesse let vs not feare to bee accused of slaunder though we accuse them which leade a slaunderous life though we rebuke them reprooue them and threaten them either priuatly or publickly and though we labor to gette them punished and chastened to the end that slaunders may be taken away from the people of God Ma. 18.17 1. Tim. 5.20 2. Tim. 4.2 and the offendors brought again vnto God by true repentaunce so much as we can Otherwise we should be
of the lawe as do the hypocrites the superstitious and Idolaters but to th' end we may receaue and learne wisedome of God through his grace and goodnesse whereby we knowing him maye walke in his feare 95 The scripture must be read with reuerence THe readers of the scriptures must be searchers and not corrupters wresters dreamers or superstitious murmurers For the Scriptures do not require anye searching but that which is godlye humble and desirous to knowe and embrace one trueth onelye otherwyse a man maye fynde some whiche reade the Scriptures but not to searche out Gods trueth but rather to hinder the same Euen soe Herode inquired out the trueth out of the scriptures concerninge the place where Christ should be borne Mat. 2.4 not to the end he might worship him but rather to destroy him Also the Pharesies said not to Nicodemus beholde what is writeÌ„ in the scripture coÌ„cerning christ but they said search looke for out of Gallilye riseth no Prophet So in like manner wicked and vngodlye Io. 7.52 men do search the scriptures to corrupt the same to their owne destruction 96 Faith in Christ IT is very necessarie for christians to know first wherof faith in christ doth come what wee must beleeue concerning Christ and in what faith in Christ is to be continued and confirmed Ro. 10.17 Faith the Apostle saith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Secondly if so be faith commeth by hearing of the worde of the Lord and if it be our parte to abide in the same and that wee ought not to beleeue anye other thing then the verye same which is set before vs by the worde whereby wee conceaue faith and beleeuing in the which wee abide very foolish are they which at this day say they knowe not what to beleue and what not for if so be they were abiding in the word of the Lord they shoulde knowe what to beleeue but because they haue already applyed their eares and minde to humaine doctrine it commeth to passe that they being ignorant of Gods trueth are carried about with euery winde of doctrine the which is forbidden by the holy ghost Eph. 4.14 Thirdly this also is manifest in what christian fayth ought to bee maintained and confirmed Io. 8.31 when our sauiour Christ saith that they which continue in his worde are his true disciples So that we must abide in that from which wee haue conceaued our faith We are begotten by the worde of truth thorough faith Iam. 1.18 by the same we are strengthned and confirmed 97 Christ hath freed vs from the lawe OVr Lorde Iesus Christ was sent to redeeme them that were vnder the lawe that wee might receaue the adoption of sonnes Hee was moreouer our peace when hee shedde his bloud to wype out all our sinnes Gal. 4.5 to deliuer vs from all our debtes when he became a curse for vs and was become subiect to all reproch to couer all the faultes which we had committed And whereas God was our enemie as also we on our partes were enemies to him in Christ may wee beholde our agreement Eph. 2.14.15.16 and so likewise the attonement which was made and accomplished 98 There is no chaunge in God WHereas it pleased God to hide the witnesse of his Gospel for a season from the Gentilles and afterwarde to haue it preached throughout all the worlde and chuse such a fitte time for it as hee had determined in his secrete Counâ—â—â— we must not saye that he is chaungeable therefore Iam. 1.17 but wee must learne to worshippe and reuerence him in his prouidence with all humblenesse confessing that nothing proceedeth from him but most iustly and most wisely 1. Tim. 1.17 and that whatsoeuer hee hath once determined and whatsoeuer he doth cannot be controlled 99 The will of God must be our rule WE must not giue our selues too much to our lustes as by nature we are prouoked thereunto but alwayes wayte vpon God to see what his good will and pleasure is and with patience and quietnesse wayte for the same and although manie thinges fall not out as wee would haue them but wee thinke to our foolish reason that God shoulde haue doone other wise yet must we bridle our selues and shewe that obedience vnto God that his counsell may be a sufficient rule for vs 1. Ti. 2.7 remembring also that God hath his due time and it is not for vs to appoint him a time when hee shall doe what he hath to doe this authoritie and office of commaunding is not in our handes Act. 1.7 neither is it in vs to knowe the times and seasons which the father hath put in his power 100 Howe the way is opened for vs to pray AS often as the goodnesse of God is witnessed vnto vs and be promiseth vs his grace although we be wretched sinners As oft also as wee heare that our sinnes were forgiuen vs by the death and passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that then payement was made for all our debtes Col. 2.14 and the obligation that was against vs dispatched and rent in peeces and God made at one with vs. We haue the way opened vnto vs to pray vnto God as also the Lorde sayeth I will saye vnto them which were not my people Hos 2.23 thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God therefore so soone as our Lorde GOD maketh vs to taste his goodnesse and promiseth vs that euen as he sent once his onely sonne vnto vs so nowe he will accept vs in his name wee neede not doubt to come vnto him for it is asmuch as if he commaunded vs to praye and the one hangeth vppon the other 101 The drift of the Scripture THe whole course of the scripture teacheth vs especially and aboue all thinges that wee shoulde not doubt but assure our selues and vndoubtedly beleeue that God is mercifull louing and patient Iam. 1.6 that he is neither dissembler nor deceauer but that he is faithfull and true and keepeth his promise yea and hath performed that he promised in deliuering his onely begotten sonne to death for our sinnes Luk. 1.69 that euerye one that beleeueth in him might not perishe but haue euerlasting life Io. 3.16 Here we cannot doubt but GOD is pleased with vs that hee loueth vs in deede that the hatred and wrath is taken away Ro. 4.25 seeing hee suffered his sonne to die for vs wretched sinners 102 We are assured of the fauour of God GReat cause haue wee to yeelde most heartye thankes vnto our good God forasmuch as it hath pleased him to deliuer vs from this monstrous doctrine of doubting wherein we were noussed in the time of ignorance so that wee can nowe assure our selues that the holy ghost cryeth bringeth foorth in our harts groninges that cannot bee expressed Ro. 8.26 We are commanded in the gospell to beholde not our owne
13 39 and iustifieth him in the sight of God both in couering his euill deedes and in making his good deedes acceptable to God clyming vp to heauen and there wrastling with GOD and his iudgement for righteousnesse for saluation and for euerlasting life Workes and charitie followe faith and are exercised here vpon the earth and glorieth onely before men but not before God in shewing foorth obedience both to God and to man Further then this our good woorkes doe not reach nor haue any thing to doe in the iudgement of God touching saluation I speak of our good works as S. Paul speaketh Rom. 7. Ro. 7.18 as they be ours and imperfect For else if our works coulde be perfect according to the perfection of the lawe Leu. 18.5 and as Christ wrought them in the perfection of the flesh that is if wee could performe them without any transgression so might wee liue in them but seeing the weakenesse of our flesh cannot attaine thereto it followeth that all glory of iustifying is taken frō works and transferred vnto faith 169 The meaning of being iustified by Faith IF Abraham had beleeued no more but that there was a God in heauen that would not haue serued to haue iustified him for the Heathen do beleeue so much Againe if Abraham had beleeued that god was iudg of the worlde that woulde not also haue serued his turne But when as God saide vnto him I am thy exceeding great rewarde Ge. 15.1 17.7 and I will be thy God and the God of thy seede after thee and moreouer in thee shall all Nations of the earth bee blessed by accepting such promises wherein GOD acquainted himselfe with him and witnessed to him that he tooke him for one of his housholde and as his owne childe and became his Father Abraham was iustified by accepting that promise For assoone as God offered him his goodnesse and grace he beleeued the word and receaued it and then was hee full sure of his saluation To bee iustified therefore by fayth is not a confused opinion of beleeuing that there is a GOD but a holding of him for our Father and Sauiour and that because he sheweth himselfe to be so by his woorde and also giueth vs a good pledge and earnest penny of it in our Lord Iesus Christ insomuch that there he sheweth himselfe to be ioined and vnited with vs and that although wee bee wretched creatures and haue nothing in vs but all mischife Eph. 2.3 yet he faileth not to take vs for his owne and to admit vs into his fauour the reason whereof is because our Lorde Iesus Christ is the meane betwixt him and vs Therfore when we haue that promise and rest wholly vppon it and doubt not but that God doeth and will shewe himselfe gratious to vs vnto the end and therewithall call vpon him and resorte onelye vnto him giuing ouer this worlde and continuing in the hope of the heauenly life then be we sure that wee haue faith and are iustified and that was the manner of our Father Abrahams beleeuing and without that let vs assure our selues that there is no Christianitie at all in vs. For as S. Paule sayth vntill wee knowe what the Gospell is Ro. 10.14 we cannot call God our Father Wee cannot call vppon God except sayth he we knewe him and beleeued in him And howe is it possible for vs to knowe him till he be reuealed vnto vs Therefore faith must needes go before Ro. 10.17 And whereof commeth faith Faith commeth by hearing sayth S. Paule wherefore we must be trayned in the gospell or else we can haue no faith 170 Of free iustification by faith without workes WHen we say that we be iustified by faith it is not ment that there is any worthinesse or desert in our faith as who should say that god were bound to vs and therefore receued vs for it but that because God hath shewed himselfe mercifull towardes vs and promised to be our sauiour we being first bereft of al trust in our vertues do come vnto him by faith knowing wel that if bee cōsider vs in our selus he must neds curse abhorre vs Esay 2.3 seing then that faith bringeth not any thing on mans behalfe but receueth all thinges of Gods meere and free goodnesse there is no questioning what worthinesse there is in vs. For faith not onely helpeth vs to the attainment of our saluation but also bringeth vs all perfection If GOD haue respect to our workes woe will bee vnto vs. Therefore hee muste bee faine to turne away his countenance from the considering of our personnes and to receaue vs alonely in our Lord Iesus Christ or else in his looking vppon vs to marke nothing but our miseries that he may be moued and prouoked to mercy So then GOD hath a double respect in iustifiing vs. The one is that he beholdeth our miseries for inasmuch as he seeth vs so plunged in all confusion he is moued to pitie Againe to the intent he may no more be against vs which are sinners he must be fain to look vpon our Lord Iesus Christ and vpon his righteousnesse that the same may do away all our offences 171 Of Freewill AS concerning Freewill as it may peraduenture in some case bee admitted that men without the grace may doe some outwarde functions of the Law and keepe some outward obseruaunces or traditions so as touching thinges spirituall and pertayning to saluation ◠Cor 3.5 the strength of man being not regenerate by grace is so infirme and weake that he canne performe nothing neither in doing well nor willing well Who after he be regenerate by grace may woorke and doe well but yet in such sorte that still remaineth notwithstanding a great imperfection of flesh and a perpetuall resisting between the fleshe and the spirit From this truth of doctrine the Church of Roome doeth degenerate which holdeth and affirmeth that men without grace may performe the obedience of the Lawe and prepare them selues to receaue grace by working so that these works may be meritorious and e congruo obtaine grace But as for the infirmity which stil remaineth in nature that they nothing regard nor once speake of 172 The doctrine of freewill is an arrogant doctrine THe vnderstanding and Freewil of man not being regenerated is so fowly blotted and defaced in him by his firste transgression so wrapped in sinne and wickednesse that euen by nature he is caried head long vnto all manner of euill so as he is made very vnfitte and vnapt to goodnesse And then what libertie or freewil can be attributed to such a mā Saint Paule saith The wisedom 〈◊〉 the flesh is enemy to God Ro. 8.7 For it is not subiect to the Law of God neither in deede can be But whosoeuer is borne anewe by grace through the operation of the holye Ghoste of him is this saying of Christ to be vnderstood Io. 8.34 36. whosoeuer committeth