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
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
wee teach them to beleeue the wider we open them a doore to sinne But woulde you in deede finde out that doctrine that doth let loose the raynes of lycentious life and giueth liberty to doe what you will Looke then to our newe Romish religion that selleth sinnes for money and pardons for faultes both past and to come also Faith whereby wee apprehend this free iustification is Gods gift and therefore not easie for vs to get seeing wee cannot haue it at all vnlesse hee will giue it increase whereof the Apostles themselues craued of God because of themselues they coulde not get it But as much mony as will buy a pardon is not harde to come by Especially rich men might by their doctrine be bolde to sinne because money woulde buy pardons enowe Nowe whether the auncient faith of the Romans or this new Romish religion giue greater liberty to licentious life let the indifferent Reader iudge CHAP. VII BVT this our doctrine of iustification by faith in our Sauiour Christ Iesus without the workes of the Lawe that it may both the better be vnderstoode and more throughly be deliuered from the vniust reproches of such slaunderous spirits It shall not I suppose be amisse but verie necessary to declare what maner of persuasion this Faith is by the doctrine of the Apostles if any thing may out of these their writinges which doe any way concerne the Romans be brought to teach vs the same First therefore this Faith is not only a generall persuasion of Gods power mercie and such other things but euen a particular confidence and trust wherby we do not onely giue our assent or consent that GOD is mighty and mercifull but also we do with comfort applie particularly vnto our selues whatsoeuer greatnes and goodnes in generall persuasion we yéeld to be in God And this is plainly proued by thapostle vnto the Romans setting forth the faith of Abraham before our eyes as a perfect patterne of true faith in that he beléeued not onely in generally that God could or would do such a thing but euen particularly that he would and could performe his promise that he made vnto him concerning Isaac So shall thy seed be And so it came to passe that neither he considered his owne bodie now dead when he was almost a hundred yeares old neither yet the deadnes of Saraes womb But contrary to hope beleeued in hope that he should be the father of many nations Now this constancie of Faith cannot possibly be in any man or woman vnlesse they haue besides a generall persuasion and historicall assent to this that they heare that God is good a particular application and an inward féeling whereby they may say as their old translation bringeth in Iob saying This hope is laid vp within my brest Faith also must be if it be true and such as is required a constant confidence without doubting Not because that we can héer attaine to that perfection that our faith should haue no infirmitie but that all weaknesse in faith doth argue great want in the same Such was that Faith that héer the Apostle commendeth vnto vs in the example of Araham For Abraham was Fully persuaded assured or certified that what GOD had promised he was able to performe Now fully to be persuaded of a thing and to doubt of it are contrarie And Saint Peter willeth vs To trust perfectly in that grace that is brought vnto vs. wherby he doubtlesse meaneth nothing els then thapostle S. Iames when he opposeth Doubting or wauering against true faith Let him aske in faith nothing doubting But that faith must haue these properties that is that it must be a confidence and trust wherby assuredly and particularly we applie vnto our selues the comfort of Gods promises or of the examples of his mercie Thapostle in this Chapter doth farther teach vs I meane Saint Paule in the fourth to the Romans teaching circumcision to be A seale of the righteousnes of Faith A seale is set to the writing to take away all occasion of doubting from the same So are the Sacraments added to Gods promises if it were possible to make vs without all wauering in Faith And the writings whervnto seales are affixed contain for the most part particular benefits bestowed vpon them to whom they are made and sealed Euen so the Sacraments are to the godly assurances not onely that God loueth mankind or Christ is a Sauiour that taketh away sinnes and maketh attonement with God for them but also that God loueth vs and Christ saueth vs I say euery particular man and woman if they be faithfull haue within them this faith Which application of this benefit of Christ to themselues and to their consciences is beléeuing And they that can attaine to this haue attained to Faith and this their particular faith is sealed vp to them in the Sacraments But an assent to the historie hereof we may yéeld without comfort or consolation For so do the Diuels beléeue and tremble Yea let vs sée what an example of Faith thapostle in the viii of this Epistle setteth forth himself to haue I warrant you we shall find it neither mingled with doubtfulnesse nor resting onely vpon Gods generall promises But in wonderfull assurance he findeth and confesseth in himselfe to his vnspeakable comfort Gods great mercy in iustifying and sauing him For he is not only assured that none can lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen because God iustifieth and none can condemne because Christ died and rose againe and at Gods right hand maketh intercession for vs but also that nothing can separate vs from that loue wherwith God loueth And this he saith he is sure of This then is the auncient faith of the Romans That euery one should be fully perswaded in their owne mind for if in meates this perswasion must be then much more in the cause of our iustification and Trust perfectly without doubting on Gods grace Yea the auncient Fathers do not know any other faith for a true faith but onely this assurance and particular persuasion of the heart Ciprian calleth it A confidence of good things to come and proueth that it must so be S. Basil saith it is An approbation of that which is said with assent and without wauering with full assurance that it is true Which confident persuasion is manifestly against popish doubting neyther can it be without particular application of the promises to our selues which in their grosse diuinitie they finde to bee néedelesse Hilary will haue no doubt at all in our faith Neyther can a generall faith without applying particularly to vs Gods promises make vs abstaine from euill and doe that is good which Chrysostome saith is the worke of faith And this doth S. Ambrose plainely teach by the similitude of a phisition who although bee promise to heale all yet they that will haue helpe must seeke to
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
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
from thence And for proofe héereof let vs looke vpon some good worke and with indifferent iudgement let vs trie whether as it commeth from vs it can be perfect or not And what better worke can we finde then prayer which is that sweet sacrifice of perfume that God delighteth in If any man will say that he can offer vp vnto GOD his sacrifice without any wante or imperfection he proclaimeth thereby vnto the worlde that hee knoweth not what it is to pray or hath no feeling of his owne weakenes I speake not heere of popish prayers which are full of horrible blasphemies both in respect of him to whome they pray and of the mediatours by whome they seeke to obtaine and of the merite which they looke for because they haue numbred vp a certaine number of prayers Let the Church of Rome affoorde vs but one man that iustly and truely can say that he can at any time with sincere heart and vnpolluted lippes so earnestly and confidently as God requireth being lifted vp from earth and earthly cogitations talke with God and sue vnto him for necessarie graces onely or especially respecting Gods glorie without wauering in fayth or wandering in affections or forgetting that hee is talking with GOD and then we will yeelde that our works there may be perfection But if in so holy a worke wherunto our owne wantes may stirre vp vs to be the more sincere yet wee shall alwaies finde imperfection how then can our other workes be voyde of sinne But if any man in his excesse of folly and depth of ignoraunce eyther of that he can doe or of that he shoulde doe woulde make the worlde beleeue that he is able to offer vnto GOD the sacrifice of prayer without faulte or blemish his owne thoughtes will testifie against him his knowledge will accuse him and his conscience will condemne him that hee deceaueth himselfe and that there is no trueth in him For this is the perfection which we can looke for and which Saint Paule desireth to bring the Romans vnto not that they shoulde haue no sinne for that he knewe was impossible but that they should not let sinne raigne in this their mortall body that they shoulde thereunto obey by the lustes of it And that our prayer cannot be altogether voyde of wantes what can be more playne to proue then that which S. Paule himselfe teacheth the Romans that Wee knowe not what to desire as we ought For how can wee performe that perfectly which thing we knowe not howe to doe as we ought The spirit of GOD sendeth vp I confesse in deed requests for vs that is maketh vs to request with groninges vnspeakable But what is that to vs and to our nature to the perfection of our worke We are like bad tooles in a good hand I speake of the regenerate The toole being sharpened by the workeman hath an edge and can cut So we when God hath reformed our will by the spirit of regeneration haue a readines or desire to doe good But this edge if it méete with any thing that is harde as iron or stone is broken and made blunt or dull So is this our willingnesse or readinesse taken away when our carnall affections and desires doe oppose themselues So that although Gods spirite that worketh in vs and by vs is holye yet because it worketh by such euill instrumentes as we are looke howe much wee want of the perfection of our regeneration which heere cannot be perfected for whilest heere we liue we are but children and are not come to our perfect groweth so much must needes our worke want of the cleare light of the minde to direct it or of the sincere obedience of the heart to performe And because the Apostle â—newe thus much therefore that wee shoulde not be altogether discouraged in respect of the imperfection of our actions or the corruption of our nature he telleth vs that The lawe of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus marke that this Law of the spirit of life is in Christ not inherent in vs hath freed vs from the Lawe of sinne and death So that we haue no other remedie for our wantes and imperfections then that that holines which is in Christ shoulde by imputation become ours By the which in the ende that sanctification which by the spirit is heere begotten in vs shall be also fulfilled in vs as is promised afterwards For that righteousnes of the Law that there is spoken of that it is not or cannot be fulfilled of vs so long as we cary about vs this body subiect to sinne and correuption experience teacheth and I thinke the papists themselues that haue any shame will not deny For so long as we haue any lust or concupiscence which so long as we liue we shall haue Admit that lust were not sinne as the patrons of lust the papistes woulde haue vs to beléeue and falsly teach yet whilest that remaineth no body can say that the very righteousnes of the Law or whatsoeuer the Lawe required is fulfilled of vs. For euen themselues confesse that lust is aswaruing from the Lawe and is not according to the direction thereof Whereby it appeareth that these wordes of righteousnes of the Lawe that must be fulfilled in vs are to be vnderstoode of that that shall be performed in vs héereafter and not of that righteousnesse that we can now attaine vnto I cannot therefore but maruell at our Rhemistes that by these wordes woulde prooue that we may fulfill the Law For besides that which I haue said that it must be vnderstood of the perfection which we shall haue the wordes themselues also teach vs that this is done not by vs for we cannot attaine to that holines but in vs now if Christ in vs fulfill the Lawe it is not thereby proued that our selues fulfill the Law or that it is possible that we should attaine to the perfect obedience therof I trust that it appeareth that the ancient faith of the Romans which was commended by S. Paul doth so proclaime our vnworthinesse and debase our owne workes if we will consider them how God in his iustice may iudge of them that we may iustly confesse with the people of God Wee haue all beene as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnes as filthy cloutes we all doe fade as the leafe and our iniquities as the winde haue taken vs away So that we alwaies haue good cause to pray that God whatsoeuer thing we take in hande should Forgiue vs our trespasses For as saith Saith Bernard we want trueth charitie and courage Yea and the more we looke into and the better we knowe our selues the more plainely shal we see that these will alwaies be heere vnperfect Reason saith hee fayleth through ignoraunce of the trueth will is weake because affection fainteth the flesh is vnable through scante of courage In so much as reason doth not well vnderstande what it