some kind of guidance vnto the true Church In the serious contemplation of which point I thought that the most assured course I could take herein was to lay downe such a direction as is approued both by the Church of England and by the Church of Rome and truly to examine some principall points of doctrine in question betweene the English and Romane Church by this meanes of triall whereunto if I should find either the first agreeable or the second disagreeable I resolued that I might haue a strong inducement to conclude which was the true Church of Christ and which the false whose doctrine might be esteemed Christian and whose doctrine Antichristian 2 By which inducement I was the more earnestly moued to make triall then by any other It is approued by Fathers for that I found the ancient Fathers very frequent in giuing of this marke of antiquitie for Tertullian saith By the order it selfe Lib. de praescrip aduers Her that is made manifest to be of our Lord and true which is first deliuered and that externe and false which is sent in afterward And in another place writing against Marcion he saith Lib contra Marcion I affirme that my Gospell is true Marcion saith as much for his who shall determine this controuersie betwixt vs but the difference of time prescribing authoritie to that doctrine which shall be found more ancient and adiudging corruption to that which shall be conuinced to be the later Saint Gregorie Nazianzen vrgeth the Apolinaristes thus Greg. Naz. epist 2. ad Cledonium Hieron epist ad Pamach Ocean de errori bus Origenist Hieron contra Luciferianos If the faith began but thirtie yeares since whereas there be almost foure hundred years from the manifestation of Christ certainly both our Gospell and faith were vaine and void for this long time And Saint Hierome questioneth with the Origenists of his time after this manner Why goest thou about after foure hundred yeares to teach vs that which wee knew not before The Christian world was without this doctrine vntill this day And against the Luciferians he saith I will declare vnto thee my opinion briefly and plainly we must remaine in the Church which being founded by the Apostles hath endured to this day and all others euen in this that they were instituted after shew themselues to be Heretikes Vincent Lyrinens in cap. 26. 27. With which Fathers Vincentius Lyrinensis accordeth when explicating that of Saint Paul O Timothie keep that which hath bin left vnto thee He saith This depositum is that which hath been committed to thee not which hath been inuented by thee that which thou hast receiued not that which thou hast deuised a thing brought vnto thee not vttered by thee in which thou must not be an author but a keeper not an instructer but a follower not a leader but one that is directed Now therefore thus finding so many ancient Fathers making antiquitie a neere adiunct vnto Catholike and Orthodox truth and noueltie to be the vsuall badge of Herretikes I began with great diligence and care to examine two maine points of religion now controuerted and much disputed on as well by the most learned of the English as of the Romane Church viz. of the doctrine of iustification by faith alone and of the imperfection of our good workes that being according to knowledge grounded in religion my zeale therein might be the greater and my assurednesse of a sound ground cause me to stand the more strongly and to labour in others spiritual profit with the greater constancy and courage as since it hath succeeded through Gods especiall grace to the vnspeakable comfort of my soule affording me grace and abilitie of bodie to performe this so profitable a worke begun and ended by him whom I do most humblie desire to be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all my endeuours 3 Now as I proceeded on further by degrees Antiquitie a good way of triall to compare the doctrine of the Church of England and that of Rome concerning the two points aboue specified with the doctrine of the ancient Church by this meanes of antiquitie I found the doctrines of iustification by faith only and of the imperfection and demerit of good workes as they are taught in the present Church of England most deseruedly to claime the priuiledge of antiquitie as taught by many both Latine and Creeke Fathers Iustification by faith alone proued by Greeke Fathers Ses 6. Can. 9. Origen lib. 3. Rom. 3. notwithstanding that the Church of Rome accurseth al that hold the contrarie in expresse termes saying If any shall say that a wicked man may be iustified by faith alone c. let him be accursed Against which definitiue sentence of the Councell of Trent I find first of the Greeke Fathers Origen to be most cleare who vpon those words of Saint Paul to the Romans We therefore thinke that man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law writeth thus The Apostle in these words saith that iustification by faith alone sufficeth so that a man onely beseeuing is iustified although he performe no worke And if an example be required who was euer that without good workes was iustified by faith alone I think that thiefe may suffice who crucified with Christ cried vnto him on the crosse Lord Iesus remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdome Neit her is there any good worke of his described in the Cospell But for this faith alone Iesus saith vnto him Amen I say vnto thee This day thou shalt be with me in Paradise This thiefe therefore is iust fied by faith without the workes of the law because the Lord did not aske what worke hee did first neither did he expect what worke hee had done when he belieued but being iustified by faith alone when he was to enter into Paradise he tooke him for his companion and it is related in the Gospell according to Saint Luke vnto the woman without any worke of the law and for faith alone hee said thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And againe Thy faith hath made thee safe goe in peace And in many places of the Gospell wee reade that our Sauiour vsed this speech to shew that the faith of the beleeuer is the cause of his saluation Hitherto Origen Neither is Saint Basil of other opinion who writeth thus The Apostle saith Basil cōcione dehumilit he that reioyceth let him reioyce in the Lord saying that Christ is made vnto vs from God Wisedome Iustice Sanctification and Redemption that as it is written he that is to reioyce let him reioyce in the Lord for this is perfect and entire reioycing in God when a man is not exalted for his owne righteousnesse but acknowledgeth true righteousnesse to bee wanting in him and to bee iustified by faith alone in Christ And Paul reioyceth in that he despiseth his owne righteousnes and in that by
Christ he seeketh that righteousnesse which is of God Thus much S. Basil whose doctrine agreeth most plainly with the doctrine of England in this point 4. I finde also S. Chrysostome to bee most cleare for the same doctrine of iustification by faith only saying vpon those wordes Other Fathers Chrysost Coment in Epist ad Rom. cap. 3. Gloriation is excluded by what law c. In this place he sheweth the power of God not only for keeping him but for iustifying him and for leading him vnto glorie standing in no neede of workes but requiring only faith Hom. de Fide Lege And in an other place No man without faith hath had life for the Theefe beleeued and was iustified by the most mercifull God here say not vnto me that time was wanting that hee might liue iustly and doe honest workes neither will I striue about this but only this one thing will I affirme that faith alone of it selfe saued him Againe also in an other place Hom. 3. in Epist ad Tit. hee saith If thou beleeuest why doest thou inferre other thinges as if faith alone sufficeth not to iustifie a man Hom. 7. Rom. 3. He saith further But what is the law of faith euen to be saued by grace Here the Apostle sheweth the goodnesse of God who not only saueth vs but also iustifieth and glorifieth vs vsing no workes hereunto but requiring faith only Againe Hesichius saith that God hauing commiseration of mankind when he saw it weakned to performe the workes of the law Hesich commeÌ„t sup Leuit. l. 1. c. 2 he would not haue man to be saued by workes but by grace but grace through mercie is apprehended by faith alone not by workes Theophilact vpon these wordes of Saint Paul Because by the law no man shall be iustified before God Theophil Commenâ—â—n cap. 3. ad Galath saith That hee sheweth that by the law all men are made execrable and subiect to malediction and that blessings are heaped vp by faith now hee clearly sheweth that faith it selfe or alone hath power to iustifie And againe saith elsewhere Theophilact 2. ad Thes 2. For faith alone he is to giue eternall good thinges Thus it appeareth how the doctrine of iustification by faith only was taught by the ancient Greeke Fathers 5. Proofes of Latine Fathers Now if we examine the Latin Fathers wee shall finde them as plaine and copious in this point as the other for Hilarie speaking of the Scribes saith Hilar. in Ma. h. Can. 8. It moueth the Scribes that sinne should be remitted by man for they only beheld man in Christ Iesus and that to be remitted by him which the law could not loosE For faith alone iustifieth The same teacheth Saint Ambrose vpon the wordes of Saint Paul Being iustified freely by his grace saith Ambros sup Paul ad Rom. 3 They are iustified freely because working nothing nor yeelding requital they are iustified by faith alone through the gift of God And againe vpon these wordes sup Rom. 4. Beleeuing in him that iustifieth the wicked HIs wordes are these He saith this because if by the workes of the law vnto the wicked beleeuer his faith is reputed to righteousnesse as to Abraham how therefore doe the Iewes thinke themselues to be iushfied by the iustification of Abraham since they see Abraham not by the workes of the law but by faith alone to be iustified therefore the law is not needfull when the wicked is iustified by faith alone with God And in an other place This is appointed by God that hee who beleeueth in Christ shall bee saued without workes De vocat Gent. Cap. 9. ad Rom. by faith alone and againe faith alone is appointed to saluation Primafins likewise sometimes an Auditor to S Augustine speaketh often of iustification by faith alone Sup illud ad Rom. 4. saying He iustifieth the wicked by faith alone not by the works which he had not And againe he saith Ad Rom. 5. Abraham before circumcision is iustified by credulitie aone And in an other place Thou liuest like a Gentill Ad Galath 2. not like a Iew. Thou knowest that hou hast had life through grace not by works but by faith alone Ad Galath 5. And againe Abraham beleeued God and it was reputed to him for righteousnesse so vnto you faith alone sufficieth to righteousnesse Which Author hath many other places to the same purpose Haymo sup Paul ad Gal. 3. Haymo who liued in the time of Ludouicus Pius the sonne of Charles the great saith The law was not fulfilled by faith but by worke but the Gospell is fulfilled more by faith then by workes because faith alone sauethl Sup. Paul ad Heb. 11. Againe in an other place saying If the Harlot that is an Infidell and an Idolatresse is saued by faith alone much more shall they be saued who haue not fallen into more grieuous crimes In Euâ—ng de Circumcil Christi Abacuc 2. Aug. l. 1. contra duas Epist Pelag cap. 21. So likewise elsewhere They shall be faued only by faith alone as it is written but the iust liueth by faith Saint Augustine also himselfe seemeth most plaine for this opinion saying Of what vertue soeuer thou shalt preach the Ancient iust men to haue been of nothing hath made them safe but faith And againe If any man after beleeuing shall forth-with depart out of this life L. 83. quaest q. 76 iustification of faith abideth with him without any precedent good workes because he hath not attained thereunto by merit but by grace 6. Which doctrine of these so Ancient Fathers Later writers euen the learnedst of the moderne Writers of the Church of Rome do approue and ioyntly allow of in their writings Thomas Aquinas their Angelicall Doctor writeth thus Rom. 3. Lect. 4. Gal. 3. Lect 4. Workes be not the cause why a man is iust before God but rather they are the execution and manifestation of his iustice for no man is iustified by works but by the habit of Faith infused yea iustification is done by faith onely Bonauent 4. d. 15. q. 1. nu 10. And Bonauenture the Franciscanes Seraphicall Doctor writeth thus For so much as man was not able to satisfie for so great offence therefore God gaue him a Mediatour who should satisfie for it whence it comes to passe that by only faith in his Passion all the fault is remitted and without the faith of him no man is iustified Saint Bernard also is most perspicuous in the deliuerie of the same doctrine saying Cant. ser 22. Whosoeuer is compunct for his sinnes hungreth and thirsteth after righteousnesse let him beleeue in thee that iustifiest a sinner and being iustified by faith onely hee shall haue peace from thee So that now it is apparant that the doctrine of iustification by faith onely taught in the Church of England is made good by the marke of
Rome tending to presumption in good workes and to shew the imperfection of the best of them in respect of our selues yet doth it not follow that good workes are not necessarie to saluation Why are good workes necessarie for they are necessarie for diuers other respects First that our workes may giue testimonie of our faith that by them as by the fruits our faith may bee knowne because that without them faith is dead Jac. 2.18 2. Pet. 1.8 Secondly that wee may be certaine and confirmed of our election and saluation for workes Ibid. though they bee not the causes yet they are the way to saluation Thirdly that our faith may be exercised nourished confirmed 2. Tim. 1.6 2. Pet. 1.8 and promoted Fourthly that wee auoide temporall and eternall paines which God threateneth to inflict vpon transgressors of the Law Fifthly Rom. 8.13 2. Thes 4.6 that our liues may answere our professions for if we be children of light it is behoofefull for vs to walke like children of light Sixtly that not doing euill wee may not contristate the holy Ghost 2. Cor. 5.15 Philip. 2.15 1. Thes 5.19 but that wee may obtaine both temporall and spirituall rewards which God hath promised to those that doe well Seuenthly that they may be done for the good of others 1. Tim. 4.8 Psal 5. v. vlt. that the good may be edified by our example and that we may not giue a scandale to those that are without that by our holy liues as much as lyeth in vs we may gaine others 2. Cor. 6.3 1. Pet. 2.22 and by doing good we may put the wicked to shame and that wee may stop the mouthes of calumniators 2. Pet. 2.12 3 for our workes 16. ad Tit. 2.58 though they are vnperfect yet are they gratefull vnto God not for any perfection or dignitie in them but because they are of the holy Ghost in vs and of faith which purifieth our hearts because all their imperfection is pardoned couered Psal 32.2 and not imputed 13 Hence I obserue How faith and good workes may goe together that a iustifying faith and good workes may goe together the first as the cause the other as the effects and therefore considering the true nature of a good Christian hauing that faith which worketh by charitie my thinkes I behold him in the mysterious vision which the Prophet Ezechiel beheld of the foure beasts Ezech. 1 10. neere the riuer Chobar flying vp to heauen with wings and hands vnder the wings who amounting to heauen according to the number of wings had also sixteene hands which they made-shew of as it were to insinuate that they did not onely amount vp by the helpes of their wings but also by the strength and force of their hands which being vnder their wings moued and supported them For herein I behold a proper resemblance of a true iust and righteous Christian who to ascend vnto heauen and to amount himselfe from all earthly and terrene comforts and to make his conuersation with God in heauen doth not performe this flight onely by the wings of faith but is also therein by the hands of charitie and good workes to helpe and support them without which hee falleth downe to the ground so that now wee see against the Church of Rome that faith alone iustifieth without good workes and that good workes without faith cannot iustifie through their imperfection which in respect of man are so absolutely imperfect and impure as the precedent places of antiquitie doe testifie and therefore I find the most probable inducement of antiquitie in those two points to leade mee vnto the Church of England 14 Now courteous Reader when I had obserued the Church of Rome to faile thus in the triallof antiquitie My feeling vpon the consideration of this obseruation about the two aforesaid points of doctrine concerning faith and good workes attributing too little to the one and too much to the other and the Church of England to haue Antiquitie on her side for the establishment of the aforesaid points I beganne more seriously to behold mine owne estate and to see the former danger of my soule with the great perill of diuers others whose carefull instructer I haue beene in the contrarie nouelties I beganne with amazement to reflect more studiously and feelingly vpon the seuere wordes of S. Paul denouncing an accurse vpon the teachers of nouelties when he said Gal. 1.8 Though an Angell from heauen should preach vnto you otherwise then that which wee haue preached vnto you let him be accursed In the feare of which curse as I discouered my errour so I determined it to bee high time for mee to shake handes and bidde adieu to the Church of Rome which by her nouell doctrines entangleth the soules of many in the nets of eternall perdition Now could I not but with teares of compunction for my former professed nouelties beginne to mollifie the hardned crust of deformitie which they had wrought in my soule and also with teares of compassion bewaile the miserable estate of those soules as I knew to be defiled with the spots of like errours now could I no but most earnestly prostrate my selfe vpon the ground before the Throne of Gods mercie both for them and my selfe beseeching him to bee propitious and fauourable to vs all in the most tender bowells of Christ Iesus his Sonne cauing pardon and mercie only by him of the Father whose pardon and mercies are aboue all other his workes that we might all who were miserably seduced by the nouelties of Rome discouer and detest them as abhominations in the sight of God and constantly resolue neuer to participate more with her erroneous doctrines and nouelties which were sowed by no other then Sathan and his Ministers but to enter into the happy felloship and societie of that Church that teacheth the contrarie verities standing vpon sure Antiquitie And now did I further with all humilitie of my heart and humble acknowledgment of this great fauour from God in affording mee the meanes of discouer such falshoods yeeld him humble thankes offering vp withall into his holy handes my soule my body with all the powers and faculties of either with the whole residue of my life to come to be imployed hereafter in the conuersion of soules to the present Church of England which I found notwithstanding all pretences to the contrarie to bee Apostolicall and most Ancient grieuing much for my former Oath taken in Rome betwixt the handes of Robert Parsons some twelue or thirteene yeares since to the contrarie in the forme following word for word The Oath of the English Seminaries EGO N. N. Collegij Anglorum alumnus c. I Iohn Copley Collegiall of the English Seminarie duely considering the great benefits which Almightie God hath bestowed vpon me and that especially whereby hee hath drawne mee out of my Countrie infected with Heresie and made mee a member of his
of Rome Fol. 171. Chap. 15. Containeth an obseruation of the Pardons and Indulgences which the Pope annexeth to Crosses Graines and Meddalls Fol. 180. Chap. 16. Containeth an obseruation about the number of seuen Sacraments admitted by the Church of Rome Fol. 189. Chap. 17. Containeth an obseruation about the doctrine of the Virgine Maries conception in originall sinne Fol. 206. Chap. 18. Containeth an obseruation of the honorable state of Marriage prohibited by the Church of Rome to Priests who by Gods law may lawfully liue in it and allowed to those who by Gods law can not liue together without Incest Fol. 214. Chap. 19. Containeth the Conclusion to the Reader with a recapitulation of all the precedent obseruations for the Readers profit Fol. 213. DOCTRINALL and Morall Obseruations concerning Religion CHAP. I. Containing the first obseruation shewing the reasons and occasions of this Treatise AMONGST all the things which draw men into admiration Great is the benefit of true conuersion because it manifesteth the power of God and which doe see me to happen contrarie vnto common course and order worthily may the conuersion of soules from the waies of sinne and iniquitie chalenge the first place and is to be esteemed as the greatest for this is the most excellent worke the Heauens doth affoord vs and the most wonderfull that the infinite power of God infinitely powerfull can performe This the prime Doctor of the Romane Church most clearely intimateth Tho. Aquin. 12. q. 113. saying Maximum opus Dei est iustificatio impij The iustification of a sinner is the greatest worke of God according to that of the Kingly Prophet Miserationes eius super omnia opera eius Psal 144. vers 9. his mercies are aboue all his workes yea and the Church of Rome to keepe fresh the memorie of this document prayeth to God yearely in these words Deus qui omnipetentiam tuam parcendo miserando maxime manifestas In Dom. 20. post Pent. O God that by pardon and mercie chiefely manifestest thy Almightie power Which veritie also S. Augustine confirmeth saying vpon those words of S. Iohn Greater workes than these shall he doe Ioh. 14. v. 12. August tract 72. in Ioh. post Med. tom 9. Maius opus est vt ex impio iustus fiat quam creare coelum terram it is a greater worke for a sinner to be made righteous than to create heauen and earth This though it seeme a paradox is most true for certainely albeit the creation of the world was a maruellous worke yet the iustification and conuersion of a sinner is much fuller of admiration God framed and moulded the world almost in a moment of time and brought foorth all creatures in a short time as it were into the field but to abolish the turpitude and foulenesse of onely one originall sinne he vsed the delay of fiue thousand yeares and to bring this worke to perfection his onely sonne Christ Iesus endured three and thirtie yeares exile from his heauenly Kingdome For the worke of creation God did but speake Psal 148. vers 5. Dixit facta sunt but for this other worke Christ was to suffer and die Oportebat Christum pati Luk. 24. vers 16. ita intrare in gloriam suam it was behoofefull for Christ to die and so to enter into his glorie therefore Saint Augustines sentence of true conuerts is to be noted Augustin in Sermon saying Conuersio ad bonum non homini sed Deo adscribenda the conuersion of a sinner vnto good is not to be ascribed vnto man but vnto God who of himselfe can doe all things by his power 2 Now verily as iustification and remission of sinnes is the greatest worke of God Great also because it manifesteth the glorie and wisdome of God manifesting his infinite power and mercie so neither is there any worke of his more forcible to set out his glorie and wisedome vnto the world than the same It is a glorie vnto the artificer to delineate most perfect colours of Emblemes vpon base yron and hard steele The skill also of the Physitian is praise-worthie when hee freeth one from danger that is poysoned and swolne by the biting of a Viper with a present Antidote so the glorie of God and his goodnesse chiefely shineth in the conuersion of sinners So it shined in Saint Paule the Apostle when hee being infected with the poyson of infidelitie and swolne therewith Spirans minarum caedis Actor 9. vers 1. breathing forth threatnings and slaughter against the Disciples of the Lord Christ appearing verie oportunely vnto him cured him and strengthened him in faith Hereby appeareth the frailtie of humane nature and the power of Gods grace which redoundeth much vnto the glorie of his Saints whilest calling vnto their remembrance their passed dangers they behold their happie securitie of present glorie euen as the Mariner after the danger of shipwracke reioyceth as a sicke person reioyceth after therecouerie of a perillous disease and as conquering souldiors triumph and glorie the more in their victories by how much their hazards and encounters were strong This Saint Augustine teacheth most elegantly saying Nimis exultant Sancti dum praeteriti periculi memores dicunt 4 Confess cap 3. dextra Domini fecit virtutem dextra Domini exaltauit me the Saints doe verie much reioyce when mindfull of passed danger they say the right hand of the Lord hath done his power the right hand of the Lord hath exalted me So did Saint Paule reioyce when of a persecutor he was made a vessell of election So also Saint Mathew when of a Customer he was made an Euangelist So Saint Marie Magdalene when from being a vessell of contumelie and disgrace shee was translated into a vessell of glorie So Saint Peter when after the denying of his Master he was made a constant pillar of truth by his personall perseuerance in faith obtained him by Christs prayer who said Ego rogani pro te Petre Luke 22.32 vt non deficiat fides tua I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith faile not 3 The obseruation hereof gentle Reader maketh mee truly to discouer An acknowledgement of the benefit of conuersion as the case standeth the obligation I am bound in to God for Almightie God of his infinite goodnesse and out of the vnexhausted riches of his mercie hauing blessed my soule with a true and vnfained conuersion from the superstitious idolatrous and hereticall religion of the Romane Church vnto the perfect knowledge and practise of the Religion established in this Realme touching that faith which is conformable to that which was taught by the Ancient Primitiue Apostolike and Catholike Church which is maintained and defended by his Maiestie with whom I may presume boldly to say maugre all the Church of Rome I will neuer be ashamed to render an account of my profession Praemonit to all Christian Monarchs and of that hope that