vnto them were not onely more secure of their own estate then was for their safety but also despised the Iewes as a people so reiected as if God vnmindfull of his promise would neuer be reconciled to them again Against al which the Apostle in this Epistle teacheth that al people that beleeue of whatsoeuer cuntry or nation are freely iustified by faith in Christ And first he proueth that neither Iew nor gentile vnder which two al are comprehended can be iustifyed by doing the works of the Law because none can fulfil the Law neither the gentiles by that light of nature the Law written in their heart neither the Iewes by that knowledge of the Law that they so much bragged of And this the Apostle performeth as the diligent Reader may obserue from the xvii verse of the first Chapter vnto the xxi of the third chapter So that he flatly concludeth Therfore by the works of the Law shal no flesh be iustified Now this place being so plaine as it is against iustification by works the doctrine of merits is quite ouerthrown if some color be not deuised to auoid the force of this testimony The Romish Catholiks therfore indeuor as much as they can to make vs beléeue that those wordes must haue another sence and vnderstanding then we take them to haue but what sence that is they are not yet resolued For some say that the Apostle by the workes of the Law meaneth the works of the Ceremonial Law and in déed many of the Papists do so expound it But Master Bellarmine liketh not of that answer confesseth in plain termes that not onely the obseruation of the Law of ceremonies but also the kéeping of the moral Law is excluded from iustification but yet he would haue vs to imagine that onely such workes as are done before we beléeue are denied to iustifie vs. As for the workes that we doe after they doe iustifie and merit as they teach vs. And this their absurd opinion procéedeth of their ignorance of the intent and meaning of the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans For Master Bellarmine in the place before alledged doth affirme that the Apostle there as also in his Epistle to the Galathians goeth about to proue that none can be saued without faith or without Gods mercy which is in déed the trueth but it is not the whole trueth For he is also as carefull to take away the confidence that any had or might haue in their owne workes And because he writeth to them who had faith already for Their faith was published throughout the worlde and teacheth vs that all our reioycing by this iustification by faith in Christ is taken away but where is merit there is reioycing in our selues therfore it is plaine that the Apostle excludeth here from iustifying al works This also appeareth by the setting down the true cause of iustification By faith and remouing the wrong cause in so general termes Without the works of the Law that also the Apostle doth after in the example of Abraham All which may teach vs that S. Paule héere indeuoreth to take from all workes when soeuer we doe them all hope of being saued thereby to the end that our pryde in our owne workes being abated and our boasting taken away He that reioyceth may reioyce in the Lord. For this cause also the Apostle doth afterwards so set workes and merit against grace as if the one of them doth quite ouerthrow the other If by grace not now by workes for then grace is no more grace but if it be of workes then is it now no grace for then worke is no worke We sée then that S. Paule teaching that we cannot be iustified by workes to the end that our Iesus may be indeed a true onely and perfect Sauiour and fully saue vs from al our sins taketh away from all our doings the hope of meriting and deseruing the same And to this end the Apostle S. Peter also in the beginning of his first Epistle doth make mention of Gods aboundant mercy wherby we are not onely begotten to a liuely hope but also Kept by the power of GOD through faith vnto saluation Therefore I say hee teacheth vs that we obtaine this by Gods greate goodnesse because hee woulde not haue vs any thing to trust in our merites but in that God of all grace who will make vs perfect for our workes cannot do that that we may ascribe To him glory and dominion for euer and not to our selues or our goodnes But if any man replie that this doctrine séemeth contrarie to that which Saint Paule writeth to the Romans That God will reward euery man according to his deedes Or to that Saint Mark reporteth that our Sauiour Christ promised That he who in his name gaue a cup of cold water to drink to his seruants should not leese his reward thus I aunswere God in mercie promiseth reward to such as do his will and in mercie he likewise performeth the same not waighing the work but remembring his mercie So that herein wee may rather commend Gods faithfulnesse in kéeping his promise alwaies then estéeme of our works For who will think that a cup of cold water gyuing may be worthy of eternall life And the words of Saint Paule are plaine enough if we wrest them not out of their naturall sence For we denie not that GOD rewardeth men According to their workes And the place proueth not that GOD rewardeth them For their works and that sence onely can establish their doctrine of merites but thapostle saith there onely thus much that good workes shall haue a good reward of eternall lyfe glorie honor and peace Euill workes their due reward of wrath indignation tribulation and anguish So that according to the qualitie of their workes the qualitie I say and not the merite GOD in mercie according to his promise shall giue honour and immortalitie to them that séeke to serue him This therefore standeth still the vndoubted old faith of the Romans That by the workes of the Law there shall no flesh bee iustified in Gods sight For howsoeuer Abraham was iustified by workes before men as others also are Iustified that is declared and accompted before men iust by workes and not by Faith onely For euen Saint Bede expoundeth that place of Saint Iames for the approuing of Abrahams faith or making it to appeare yet I say Before God workes cannot iustifie And this is the auncient Roman faith receiued also and taught of the auncient Fathers both writing of this Epistle to the Romns and else where Chrisostome saith that this righteousnes is called Gods righteousnes because man cannot work it but God only And after That the Sonne hath perfected it wholie with his bloud And in another place verie notablie For thou shalt not obtaine this righteousnes by thy trauels and labours but thou
must freely receiue that which is from aboue of Gods free gift bringing with thee of thine only this one thing namely that thou beleeue Then which words what can more plainly impugne the doctrine of our aduersaries or shew what was the iudgement of this auncient father concerning this point But that consent and consenancy which we find in many of the Fathers as in Origen Hierom Ambrose Isichius Basil Athanasius Primasius Hillary Theodoret Bernard giuing that work to Faith only to saue or iustifie may sufficiently perswade vs how fast they held this old Religion or Romish faith that a man is iustified by faith without the works of the Law I may therfore I trust with Cyprian conclude that If Abraham beleeued God and it was accompted to him for righteousnes Euery one also that beleeueth God and liueth by Faith is found iust and is declared to be alreadie made happy and righteous in faithfull Abraham But the new Romish Religion is this That good works do merite iustification and eternall life So that by their good works they say they can satisfie for their sinnes And for this cause when at shrift they haue confessed their faults their ghostly father for so they terme him will inioine some penance vnto them wherby they tell them that they may satisfie for their sinnes and make recompence to God for them For almes and fasting saith one doth easily carie men into heauen And thus in this their new Religion they do not only expresly set themselues against that old Roman faith wherin we are taught that good workes cannot iustifie before God but also blasphemously they rob Christ of his office who is in truth onely that Lambe of GOD that taketh away the sinne of the world and is the propitiation for the same Who with one offering by offering himselfe a Sacrifice for our sins hath made perfect for euer them that are sanctified CHAP. V. ANd as this ancient faith which was then y e faith of the Romans when their faith was commended doth put vs past hope of béeing saued by our workes sait doth teach vs that this saluation is without our merit fréely bestowed vpon vs that beléeue Wee are saith S. Paule iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Whome GOD hath set forth to be a propitiation by faith in his bloud in declaring his righteousnesse by the forgiuing of sinnes that are past c. In which wordes wee see againe that our iustification is free therefore not for our workes but by grace Wée sée the meanes of this our saluation euen the redenption that is in Christ Iesus We are also taught the meanes how it is applied to vs by faith And that not simply by faith as if it were frée for vs to repose this our faith and confidence according to our owne fancy vpon any helpes that we can deuise but by faith in his bloude Then also we learne héere what is this iustification the forgiuenes of sinnes But is Christ onely profitable to them that were in his time and to vs that haue béene or are since Yes verily He declareth his righteousnes in forgiuing the sins that are past such as his chosen seruantes haue committed since the world began for so both S. Ambrose and their owne friend Tho. of Aquin séeme to vnderstand the sins that are past Which former sins or sins that are past seing it is receiued by so generall a consent of the olde translation and the interpreters I maruell that the Rhemists do leaue it out If we had so done we should haue beene cryed out vpon for falsifyers of the worde of God and deprauers of the same I woulde also aske why in translating into English they would rather retaine the Latin worde Gratis then set downe the English word Freely What was the English so plain that you could not deuise any colour that might seeme plausible to your fauorits for the maintenance of your new heresie If you thought so why giue you not glory vnto God confessing your errour that others might learne by you not to be deceiued any longer If you saw not your misliking why when you should translate and make the worde plaine doe you so hide this light vnder the close bushell of your wordes vnknowen to them that shoulde read your booke For thus our newe Masters of Rheimes do translate Iustified gratis by grace caet what these mean by translating thus let the world iudge But the summe of the auncient doctrine is this that we are iustified fréely without deseruing euen by the forgiuenes of our sinnes through faith in Christ his bloud which is gathered not onely out of the words of S. Paule by me alledged but also through out all his Epistles Which testimonyes I omit because that which is already said is so plaine and my especiall purpose is to shew what hath béene the auncient faith of the Romans As therefore we see what S. Paule taught them so let vs see if S. Peter in that his Epistle which they say he wrote from Rome haue said any thing for that point Hée saith That we are kept by faith vnto saluation And that The reward or end of our faith is the saluation of our soules And againe that Christ was shewed in these last times for your sakes saith he which by his meanes doe beleeue in God And whosoeuer shall mark how the Apostle S. Peter in that first Chapter of his first Epistle doth set forth the excellency of our hope and the redemption that we haue in Christ which is the end or reward not of our workes but of our faith yea how that Christ is shewed for vs that beléeue and that the Apostle in speaking of our saluation doth not make our workes any cause thereof but on the contrary ascribeth it wholly to Gods mercy euen to his abundant mercy apprehended by faith he must needs confesse that S. Peter hauing so good occasion to haue spoken of iustification by works yet not hauing once mentioned the same had not any purpose to deliuer that doctrine that our own works may iustify vs. But our new Romish Rabbies that haue nothing to vant themselues of but the rotten ruines of auncient Rome can abide no doctrine worse then this that wee are iustified by faith in Christ his bloud It is heresie with them to say that wee obtayne forgiuenesse of our sinnes by faith in Christ But to attribute that which onely Christes merites by his death and bloudshedding and faith apprehendeth to holy bread holy water pardons Agnus deis blessed graynes pilgrimages monkes bookes and cowles candels crossings and such like trifling trash is good deuotion and sound religion That which they call heresie we teach word for word out of the auncient doctrine of the Romans But that which they would haue the people beleeue concerning these toyes S. Paul S. Peter and S. Marke
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
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
take any thing therfrom But that they may seem to be full fraught with good workes they esteeme euerie thing wherein they tye themselues to any strait rule although with neglect manie times of sundrie Christians dueties or bestow their goodes for the most part verie superstitiously or make any shewe of Religion glorious in the eyes of the world this I say and such like deuises they accompt for good workes And what should I speake of the end where vnto they haue especiall regard in doing of these good workes Let the practise of the Church of Rome at this daie wheresoeuer her deceites are not yet knowen or her blasphemies abhorred let their owne consciences I say testifie heerein what they think what their Priests do teach them Do they not inioine them penance to satisfie for their sinnes do they not teach therby to merite eternall life Yea what do the most deuout of them all their life long but toyle themselues to kindle to themselues a fire in the sparkes whereof they also walk for a time who yet shall in the end lie downe in sorrow That is they seek by their owne workes to make for themselues peace with God and procure an attonement with him But when God shall ryse vp and lay open to their owne consciences their foolish waies that they haue found out then shall their owne wickednes correct them and their turnings back reproue them Yea their plague shall be the fruit of their owne imaginations because they haue not taken heed saith the Lord vnto my words nor to my Law but cast it off And because they are not persuaded that euer they can be so sure of heauen now when they are once brought to think that by worke they must get it they buy Masses and trentals both quick and dead they build places wherein they may alvaies be prayed for that by that work they may be holpen to Heauen They hire Pristes and Friers to sing and say for them They spare no cost they refuse no trauell They impouerish themselues and their posteritie to purchase if by any meanes they may pardon for their offences according to that good Fryer-like and Catholike verse Vestris nostra damus pro nostris vestra rogaâ—us Part of our prayers your friends shall haue Your goods for recompence we craue But in the mean time while Christians are so busied as themselues imagine to saue their soules by workes where is there any time or space to think of Gods glorie or of our owne dutie and performing of our humble obedience We see then how the Romish Catholikes doe all that they doe not in respect of dutie but for reward not for loue but for payment And therfore with them no wages no work no pennie no pater noster Whereas on the contrarie we are so far from denying that it is necessarie for Christians to do good workes that we rather affirme that they are not a good tree that in due season will not bring forth good workes But these our workes must be directed to Gods glory and must proceede from an earnest loue that we haue to be occupied in doing of his will and keeping of his commaundementes In so much as though there were no promise of reward no hope of recompence yet because God hath shewed his mercy That we being deliuered out of the handes of our enemies might serue him without feare in holines and righteousnes all the daies of our life and hath commaunded vs to doe good workes wee will therefore earnestly indeuour to doe them CHAP. IX NOw séeing our works must be such as I haue in the former Chapter declared that first it selfe must be commaunded of God then it must spring from a fountaine by faith santefied that it may be done sincerely Lastly it must be done to such end onely as shall tend to Gods glory and the discharge eyther of our generall duetie of Christianity or the performing of our particular callings seing I say that if in any of all these thinges there be imperfection the worke cannot be called good it is very necessary to examine whether such workes as we doe may haue in them any such perfection that they may in déede bee perfectly good and in all thinges agréeable to the rule before set downe For if it be not perfect it cannot merit And if it might be that we could doe some perfect workes yet considering the multitude of our sinnes we were worse then mad if we would imagine that a few good workes could make satisfaction vnto God for our infinite transgressions But to put this matter out of doubte it is most certaine that there cannot be perfection in any thing that wee can doe so long as we haue this sinnefull bodie For although we may attaine to the first of these three poyntes and may indeuour and earnestly labour to walke in those good workes Which GOD hath ordayned before that we shoulde walke in them Yet in the other two properties of a good woorks if wee bee not partiall in our owne iudgement and blinde in our owne wayes we must confesse our selues to be far short of that which God requireth of vs. And therfore S. Paule describeth the true happinesse of a Christian to consist not in the perfection of our owne workes or that nowe being stirred vppe and holpen by Gods grace wee are able to fulfill the Lawe or doe such thinges as shall be founde righteous and perfect in Gods sight but in the forgiuenesse of our iniquities the couering of our sinnes the not imputing vnto vs our transgressions For out of the Prophet Dauid hee telleth vs that such are blessed men Yea our Sauiour Christ him selfe when hee will haue vs to looke vnto our true happinesse if wee will beleeue him that was say they S. Peters scholler speaketh of forgiuenesse of sinnes And on the other side when he will threaten wrath hee saith sins shall not be forgiuen But perchaunce they will tell vs that in our first iustification we must haue this forgiuenesse of sinnes but afterwardes once being freed by grace we can our selues auoyde the deceites of sinne and doe such thinges as God must accompt meritorious and therefore perfect But Saint Paule a man no doubt regenerate and as perfect a man I suppose all will confesse as euer was since did finde and feele that there was a Lawe in his members rebelling against the Lawe of his minde and leading him captiue to the Lawe of sinne that was in his members yea and that he felt this not onely when hee was carelesse of his saluation or neglected his wayes but euen when hee indeuoured to serue GOD and woulde faine haue done good Euen when hee had delight in the Lawe of GOD concerning the inwarde man Which doth sufficientlie proue vnto vs that the fountaine of our hearte is so troubled with these fowle affections that it is impossible that any cleareâ— water should come
we must not onely be stirred vp and holpen as they say but euen made newe before wee can doe that which pleaseth God And as for those that are so caryed away with the plausible and pleasaunt sounde of free will I woulde request euen for Christ his sake that they woulde take a viewe of their owne waies and enter into their owne secrete thoughtes wordes and deedes and if at home they finde all well if they can as they wish and woulde if they be not sencelesse and secure in sinne keepe Gods commandements then let them stil beleeue that doctrine and followe such blinde guides But if they finde that the greatest shew of godlinesse that they can make can be but the performance of some externall worke whether it be in prayer or praysing of God or doing of any duety towardes our neighbours wherein euen the most wicked will perchaunce sometime shewe themselues more deuout then they let them not then be deceiued by any of these seducing wordes Cannot I abstaine from euill cannot I doe that which is good cannot I be occupied in good workes For although thou canst doe that worke which may in another be a good worke yet because the worke is not good that is not commaunded by God done by a godly man and directed to Gods glory and the doing of our own duety that worke I say which may in an other be praise worthy in thee may be sinne Thus therefore I say that it is no more in thy power to worke a good worke then to make new thy owne heart but both must be of God of whome we haue all our sufficiencie CHAP. XI BVt now concerning the Sacramentes there is not much as I can gather eyther in that Epistle written by S. Paule to the Romans excepting that onely that is in the fourth Chapter that Abraham receiued the signe of circumcision the seale of righteousnes of faith eyther in S. Peter his first Epistle but that in the third chapter when he saith Whereto the baptisme that now is answering that figure not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the confident demaunding which a good conscience maketh to GOD saueth vs also by the resurrection of Iesus Christ In the former of which two places the Apostle doth plainely testify that Abraham being iustified before by faith did afterwardes receiue the signe of circumcision to seale vp in and vnto him this righteousnes by faith Which saith because it hath respect vnto the promises we see therefore that this was the vse and office of circumcision vnto Abraham to confirme vnto him the promises of God And that other place out of S. Peter doth partly confirme vnto vs the selfesame vse of baptisme For when Noah and his company sawe that the same water that drowned others and swallowed them vp into the depth did saue them in carying the Arke wherein they were aboue the waters this must néeds assure them not onely of Gods power but of his goodnes also and readines to performe his promise in sauing them from perishing by water And in like sorte the water in baptisme assureth that little flocke that is truely belonging to Christ his holy catholicke Church figured by the Arke of the forgiuenes of their sins And as not the water that caried the Arke was the efficient cause of their sauing which Master Belarmine absurdly imagineth for the water was as apt to haue drowned them as the other no neyther yet the Arke it selfe although it might more properly be so estéemed because in it they were caried aboue the water but God saued them by the Arke vpon the water So is it in baptisme as S. Peter teacheth vs in that he saith that it saueth by the resurrection of Iesus Christ I say not by it selfe but by the resurrection of Iesus Christ From whom onely it hath the vertue and efficacy by whome onely it turneth to our good And as al perished in the same water which by carying vp the Arke saued them that were therein all I say that by faith beléeuing the promises were got into the Arke euen so the water in baptisme though it outwardly put away from all that are washed therein the filth of the flesh yet is it not in deed profitable to any but to such as haue that righteousnes and holines of Christ Iesus sealed vp thereby vnto their owne consciences Whereby it appeareth most plainly that the sacraments doe not giue grace or worke righteousnes in vs or of themselues because they are receiued of vs do make vs holy But as the Apostle S. Paul saith of circumcision Circumcision verily profiteth nothing except you keepe the Law so may we truely say of our Sacramentes that not the receiuing of our Sacramentes but the holy obedience springing from our faith that is sealed vp vnto the godly in the Sacramentes is the thing that is acceptable to God commended before men and comfortable to our owne consciences For as in that place alledged hee reckoneth them onely truely circumcised that keepe and fulfill the Lawe and haue that true circumcision of the heart and that the godlesse howe so euer they haue receiued in their fleshe the outwarde marke or signe yet are in deed vncircumcised euen so howe solemnly so euer the faithlesse and fruitelesse flocke haue receiued the Sacramentes of our sanctification and redemption which is in Christ yet if they bring not forth such fruites of the spirite as doe testifie and shew that inwarde washing away of the filth of sinne they haue Baptismum fluminis the washing of the water non flaminis not of the holy Ghost they haue the signe of Gods grace but not the substance thereof the visible token but not the inuisible grace But the Sacramentes are vnto such as seales set to a blanke wherein because dothing is contayned therefore by these seales there is nothing assured Nowe out of this which hitherto I haue saide we see that the Sacramentes haue these two vses to assure vs of the performance of the promise of grace and to preach to vs repentaunce for our sinnes past and holines in the rest of our life that is to come But our now Romish Catholickes who are neuer content that eyther themselues or other should eate within the teacher of the word of God doe wander farre out of these listes teaching that our Sacramentes haue in them that grace which they signifie and doe giue the same grace to all men at all times if men be not a let vnto themselues euen Ex opere operate that is in respect of the worke it selfe because the Sacraments are receiued of them Wherby they doe such iniurie vnto Christ as we that professe the name of christian men and women should be ashamed of For that sauing from sinne which God by the ministery of the Angel proclaimed should be by his sonne whom for that cause he called Iesus our Sauiour because he shoulde saue his people from