faith for a man himself as wee may see Math. 7. 22. The second place is Iam. 2. 24. where it is said Yee see therfore how that by works a man is justified and not by faith only To which I answer That beside O Ecumenius Theodoret and Beda on this place their owne Aquinas showeth the true meaning thereof Who objecting to this place Rom. 3. 20. where it is said by the deeds of the Law no flesh shall be justified in his sight he reconcileth them thus I answere sayeth he that to justifie may be taken two wayes either for the execution or for the manifestation of our justification and this way indeed a man is justified by works that is he is declared and manifested to bee just or it is taken for the infused habit of righteousnes and this way no man is justified by works sayeth he Likewise sayeth Doctour Paes a Portugall Frier The meaning of these words That Abraham was justified by works may be this as Theodoret expoundeth that he was declared just which exposition I approve most sayeth he The third place is Iam. 2. 14. where the Apostle sayeth What doth it profit though a man say hee hath faith not works can that faith saue him I answere 1. That the Apostle sayeth not Though a man haue faith but Though he say hee hath faith showing therby that an alleadgance onlie of faith availeth not to salvation 2. Aâ— their Estius with us showeth it is said ther that a dead and fruitlesse faith onlie according to the Apostles words verse 17. and 18. availeth not to salvation nor can be called a justifying faith The fourth place is Gal. 5. 6. Neither Circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth any thing but faith which worketh by loue which place is coincident with the former and doeth nowise militat against our doctrine of Iustification as the words of our coÌ„fession anno 1581. and 1647. c. 11. testifieth saying That faith receiving and relying onlie on Christ and his righteousnes is the onlie instrument of our Iustification â—et it is not alone in the person justified but is ever accompanied with all other saving graces and is no dead faith but worketh by loue And that this is also the doctrine of all other reformed Churches their own Cassander witnesseth consult art 4. As also Bellarmin lib. 1. de Iustif cap. 14. saying Iohn Calvin in his Antidote of the Councell cap. 11. Sess 6. sayeth That it is faith onlie that justifieth but yet not fayth which is alone as the heate of the sunne is that onlie which heateth the earth yet heate is not alone in the sunne but their is light also joyned with it the same also sayeth he doth Melancton Brentius Chemnitius teach with others And as for Fathers whom hee citeth or whose words he setteth downe such as Ambrose saying That faith alone sufficeth not Augustin that faith onlie saveth not without observing Gods Commandements they militat nowise against out doctrine as wee see confessed But I admire at the impudence or ignorance of this Pamphleter who in the next place ascribeth to us that we hold That good works are not necessarie to salvation whereas in the contrarie These are the words of our Confession of faith cap. 16. concerning their necessitie That they are the fruits and evidences of a true and livelie faith and by them Believers manifest their thankfulnes strengthneth their assurance edifieth their brethren adorneth the profession of the gospell stops the mouth of the adversaries and glorisieth God whose workmaÌ„ship they are created in Christ thereunto that having their fruit in holines they may haue the end life eternall being as Bernard speakes via Regni non causa regnandi 22. THat good works are not meritorious VVHich he sayeth is contrarie to Math. 16. 27. where it is said That Christ at his second coÌ„ming shall reward every one according to his works To which I will answere onlie in the words of Pope Gregorie in psal 7. poenit verba fac auditam who sayeth thus If the felicitie of the saints be mercie and not acquired by merits where is that which is written who shall render to every one according to his works If it be rendred then according to works how shall it be esteemed mercie but it it one thing sayeth he according to ones works and another thing to render for the works themselves For in that it â—â— said according to his works the qualitie of the work is understood that whose works are seene to be good his reward shall be also glorious as whose works are evill his reward shall be contrarie but as to that eternal life which we haue of God with God no labour can be equalled sayeth he no works can be compared Therfore also sayes their late Ferus on Rom. 2. 6. All that this word according doeth import in relation to good works is that the doing of them is a requisite condition without any sort of meriting sayeth he The second place is Math. 5. 11. Rejoyce and bee glad for great is your reward in heaven As also Math. 10. 42. That a cup of cold water given to one of Christs shall not want it reward Whereunto I answere 1. That we deny not but that good works haue their reward abyding them for so sayth our ConfessioÌ„ of faith 1647. cap. 16. art 6. That the Lord looking on believers in his Son it pleased hiâ— to accept reward that which is sincere altho accompanyed with many weaknesses and imperfections But wee distinguish and say that there is a reward in mercie wherof Hosea speaketh 10. 12. saying Sowe in righteousnes and reape in mercie As also the Apostle 2. Tim. 1. 16. 17. And there is a reward of merite called wages Rom. 6. 23. Where the Apostle sayeth The wages of sinne is death but by way of opposition he sayeth Life eternall is the free gift of God upon which place therfore sayeth Cardinall Cajetan according to Augustins like words de gra lib. arb cap. 9. The gift of God is Eternall life that we may understand sayeth he that it is not for our merits but of the free gift of God that in end we attaine to eternall life So also speaketh Lombard That we may understand that God bringeth us to eternall life sayeth he for his owne mercie sake and not for our merits So also speaketh their Ferus on Iohn 3. and Math. 20 Gabriel Biel on the the Canon of the Masse lect 47. â—nd others yea Bellarmin himself lib. 5. de Iustif cap. 19. confesseth That this hath beene the common and constant judgement of Divines in the Roman Church as Thomas Bonaventure Scotus Durand aâ—d others that God rewardeth good works of his meer liberalitie aboue any condignitie Flat coÌ„trar to that blasphemous speech of the Rhemists on Heb. 6. 10. saying That our good works are so fullie worthie of eternall life which God of his justice oweth to the workers â—f the same that he should be
in us both the will and the deed In this sense also doth Cyrill speak whom hee bringeth saying Wâ—e cannot any wayes deny freedome of will in man And Augustin also speaking against manichean coaction and saying How should our Saviour reward everie one according to their works if there were not freewill conforme wherunto sayth the haromnie also of the coÌ„fessions of the reformed Churches ours in particular 1647. cap. 9. God hath indued the will of man with that natural libertie that it is neither forced nor by any absolute necessity of nature determined to do good or evill So that wee acknowledge the will to be free as freedome is opposed to coaction but not free as able of it self to choyse the good that tendeth to salvation or that it is equallie propense to good as to evill as the Pelagians of old now papists maintaine Therefore said Bernard de gra lib. arb Let no man think that therfore it is called freewill which wee haue because it hath an equall power inclination to good as to evill seing it could fall by it self but not rise but by the holie Ghost 20. THat it is impossible to kepe Gods Comandements tho assisted with his grace and the holie Ghost VVHich he sayeth is contrary to Philip. 4. 13. where the the Apostle sayth That he can do all things through Christ. that strengthneth him Whereunto I answere That the word all things is not of further extent than these things whereof he speaketh in particular in the preceeding verse where hee sayeth In all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungrie to abound and to suffer neede Thus doth Sedulius and their owne canonized Aquinas expound this text as also their late Estiê° saying The meaning is all things before rehearsed what else I am to suffer I am able to do thorow Christ who enableth me so that he speaketh noâ— of his perfect fulfilling of the Law in generall the contrarie whereof hee confesseth Rom. 7. 23. The second place which he bringeth is Luke 1. 5. 6. where it is said of Zacharie Elizabeth That they walked in all the commandemenâ—s of the Lord blamelesse To which I answere 1. That this was the old Pelagian objection which they called their impenetrable Buckler as Ierome witnesseth lib. 1. cont Pelag with whom the papists heerin agree And to whom I answere in his words to the Pelagian That where it is said that they are called righteous this is sayth he as many others are called so in the holie scripture as Ioâ— Iehosaphat and Iosias not that they wanted all fault but are commended so because for the most part they wer vertuous for Zacharias himself was punished with dumbnes sayeth he and Ioâ— by his owne speech was rebuked and Iehosaphat Iosias are reported to haue done things which greatlie displeaseth God Next where it is said that Zacharie and Elizabeth walked in all the Commandements of God without blame that is without any grosse wickednes sayeth he but that they walked without sinne I deny sayeth he that any man can do so for that is coÌ„petent onlie to God Their owne Carthusian also with him their late Stella showeth That this is spoken according to that measure which is agreeable to humane conditioÌ„ but that there walking was not without sinne for there is none so righteous in this mortall life sayeth he The third place is Luke 11. 27. where Christ sayeth Yea rather blessed are they who heare the word keepe it To which I answere and to all such places that speake of keeping Gods word or commandements that such a keeping therof is heere meaned as there Carthusian sayeth Which is agreeable to humane condition in this life For as Ierome sayeth lib. 3. cont Pelag. If thou can showe me but one man who hath fulfilled the Commandements Thou may showe me a man that needes not Gods mercie sayeth he The fourth place is Luke 11. 2. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven To which I answer as their owne Carthusian also expoundeth That this is readilie reverendlie and sincerlie Qâ—antum nostra fragilitas permittit that is as farre as our frailtie permitteth sayeth he so that the word as hath relation not to that degree of perfect obedience which Angels performe in heaven but to the manner of doing the same as hath ben said by CarthusiaÌ„ as our frailtie permitteth which sufferes us not to be free of sinne of not doing Gods Will perfectlie and therefore in the same prayer wee are also taught to crave daylie forgivnes which we needed not if wee could obey Gods will perfectlie as the Angels do The last place is 1. Iohn 5. 3. For this is the love of God that we keepe his CoÌ„mandements which is coincident with the third place therefore alreadie answered As for any testimonies of Fathers he bringeth the words onlie one of Basil saying That it is an impious thing to say that the Commandements of God are impossible To which I answere Though hee telleth not where Basil speaketh so that it is impious indeed to say that Gods commandements are impossible to be keeped in any measure for wee see the contrarie in Zacharie and Elizabeth but to say that in this life they may be keped perfectlie without sinne or any breach of them that is lykewise impious plaine Pelagianisme or heresie therefore in this sense sayeth Ambrose on gal 3. which Aquinas citeth on the same place The Commandements ar such that it is impossible to kepe them sayeh he but I admire how hee citeth Hilarie in psal 118. whose words are these on the 39. verse in his contrar saying The Prophet being in the bodie speaketh and knoweth that no living man can be without sin except one whom he remembreth who had no sinne and in whose mouth was found no guile to wit Christ As also I have showne how opposit Ierome is to him l. 3. cont Pelag. whom notwithstanding he citeth as for him As Origen and Cyrill who no wise patronizeth him 21. THat faith onlie justifieth that good works are not absolutlie necessarie to salvation VVHich he sayeth is contrarie to 1 Cor. 13. 2. Though I haue all faith so that I could remove mountains I have not charitie I am nothing therefore faith onlie doth not justifie sayeth he To which I answere 1. That there is no word in this Text of Iustification but of the necessitie of charitie to be joyned with faith in a christian profession which no protestant ever yet denyed 2. The Apostle speaketh not of a justifying faith but as the words importeth of a faith of working Miracles which their owne Estius acknowledgeth saying on 1. Cor. 12. 9. The greeke Fathers do rightlie understand that faith heere of which is spoken cap. 13. 2. which they call the faith of signs and miracles which faith sayth he is of it self a grace onlie given for the benefit of others And so not a justifying
An ANSWER To a Popish Pamphlet called The TOUCH-STONE of the Reformed Gospell made speciallie out of themselves MATH 15 13. Everie Plant which my heavenlie Father hath not planted shall be rooted up By WILLIAM GUILD D. D. and Preacher of GODS WORD ABERDENE Printed by IAMES BROWN 1656 To the Right Honourable SIR Thomas Mudie PROVESâ— of DUNDIE Iohn Scrimgeor William Duncan Alexander Watson and David Yeoman Baylies AND To the Remnant of the Honourable COUNCELL of that Burgh Grace and peace Right Honourable THe sedulitie of that Apostatick Church of Rome who like these Locusts Revel 9. swarme everie wher in our Countrey and neighbour Nation like Pharisees of old to make proselyts to themselves and misleade simple soules should move the Ministers of Christ and Sions Watch-men to be ashamed to be lesse diligent in a better cause and for a better Master These are dispersing their popish Pamphlets and everie where and everie way sowing secretlie and subdolouslie their pople and Tares in the Lords Field to seduce And should not wee then be much more seduloâ—s and solicitous every way by word and write to discover their fraud to arme against Errour and labour to reduce The conscience of which dutie for my part hath moved me to answere a late Pamphlet called The Touch-stone of the reformed Gospell Which is in everie Papists hands and almost whereof they vainly brag as being unanswerable which answer I have framed with as great brevitie perspicuitie as I could and the better to stop the adversaries mouthes detect their Wresting of Scripture as PETER speaketh 2. Pet. 3. 16. to their owne destruction I have answered such scripturall places as hee objecteth against us either by the exposition of Fathers for most part orelse of their own Doctours Neither of which without impudence they can reject and so cannot alleadge as he doeth in his Preface That wee chop and change the Text of Scripture by some interpretation or other of our owne These paines then which I have beene pressed by sundry Reverend Brethren and others for the publick good to put to the Press I haue Right Honourable Dedicate to you as a Testimonie of my inteere affection both to your selves personally whose kindnesse and courtesie to my self I have ever at all occasions found as also to that Place wherein you governe in regard of my relation therto which moved me as I did Dedicate the first Fruits of my Studies in my youth long agoe to the Magistracie and Councill of Aberdene the place of my owne Birth and breeding so now to Dedicate the latter and ryper Fruits of my old Age to the Magistracie and Councill of the Birth-place and breeding of my deceased Father of Godlie Memorie For whose care of my Education in Letters as I did owe him all filiall dutie and gratitude while he lived so do I still in Remembrance of him carry all affectionat respect to that place where he had his first being and upbringing and whose prosperitie I shall ever heartlie wish and that the Lord who hath showne it hard things that it might have said call me Marah may so sanctifie to it that sad visitation and prosper that Place hereafter that it may bee Naomi or as the Prophet speakes Isai 61. 3. He may give it Beautie for Ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning and the garment of prayse for the spirit of heaviness Which shal be the heartie prayer of Your most affectionat in Christ to honour serve you WILLIAM GUILD To the Reader Courteous Reader IN answering this TOUCH-STON of the reformed Gospell I thought good to advertise thee of some things First That the Impudencie and malice of this Pamphleter beside his Ignorance is such that to make the Protestant profession the more odious to his Proselyts hee would charge our Profession with such Doctrines and Tenets which we never taught nor owned So that whil he fights against such he beats the wind and fights onelie with his owne shaddow A few Instances in place of many are these First § 5. That we say That a man by his own private spirit may rightly judge and interpret Scripture Next § 6. That PETERS Fayth failled 3. § 9. That the Church was not ever to remaine Catholick 4. § 10. That the Churches unitie is not necessary in all points of Fayth 5. § 17. That the actions and sufferings of the Saynts serve for nothing to the Church 6. § 21. That good works are not necessary to Salvation 7. § 29. That Angels cannot help us 8. § 39. That the bread in the Supper of the LORD is but a figure 9. § 45. That Fasting is nos grounded on Scripture nor causeth any spirituall good Thus heseeks not only unnecessarlie to multiply feigned Controversies to deceive the simple but also to make our Profession the more odious to such as will beleeve him imitating herin Satan who by like lyeing would made God odious to our first Parents 2 As if to name onelie and by a false Master to multiplie the citations of Scripture Fathers were enough without the setting down the words of either he laboureth to seduce simple soules and make them beleeve that both Scriptures and Fathers were on their side onlie whil as these who are judicious and impartiall may see that if the maine places of Scripture and Fathers whose words he sets downe be proven in this my ensueing Answere to be either altogether impertinent and wrested or to make against himself Then much more may any judge the like of such places as he only pointeth at but neither seteth downe nor dare set downe their words Wherefore 1. As for his references to places of Scripture First They are such that if I should particularly discuss their impertinencie not only should his grosse ignorace and deceat be seen the more which is clearly enough discovered I hope by my answer to such places whose words he sets downe but my Answere should also grow to a hudge volume wheras I strive to as great brevitie with perspicuitie as I can and that to make my Answere onely to bee a pocket and portable Book 2. His references for ostentation onely and delusion of the simple are so numerous as Pag. 20. for the Churches infallibilitie where hee bringeth but foure places of Scripture whose words he sets down he maketh reference to 22. places most impertineÌ„t wrested Like wise pag. 59 To prove good works to be meritorious he bringeth but four places of Scripture in likemanner but relats to 21. more which aâ— to no such purpose the like he does p. 27. 51. 54. 63. 67. 72. elswher Next as for his references to the testimonies of Fathers mentioning oftimes neither Book Chapter noâ— words It wer an infinitly laborious task to answere a man knoweth not what and would likewise accrease to a voluminous bulk especiallie seing either ignorantlie or I may justlie fay deceatfully and impudentlie hee citeth places in Fathers 1. whom themselves rejects as spurious and
counterfite For example In the matter of purgatorie hee citeth Ambrose upon 1. Cor. 3. whereas Bellarmin De scriptoribus Ecclesiasticis testifieth That these are thought not be his works and not without cause sayeth hee Againe for Sacramentall Coufession he citeth Clements Epistles which Bellarmine in his Book of Ecclesiasticall Writters declareth and proveth to be counterfit 2. Hee citeth some works of Fathers which are not in rerum natura for example For invocation of Saynts he citeth ATHANASIUS Serm. de Annunciatione where-as there is no such piece either in his works or in Bellarmins index which he hath set downe of his works in his Book of ecclesiasticall writters Againe For works of Supererogation he citeth Gregorie Nicen. 1. Morals cap. 5. Whereas he never write any such book or is it to be found 3. Hee citeth some places of Fathers for him who in these places are clear against him For example for Mans abiiitie to keepe the Law hee citeth Jerome his third book against the Pelagians whereas in that whole booke throughout hee stronglie proveth the contrar 4. Hee citeth some places in Fathers so generallie and looslie that it were impossible to find out such wherat he he aimeth For example For worshipping of Images he citeth Jerom in his Epistle to Marcella whereas Jerom write many Epistles to Marcella in none of which is any such thing to be found 2. concerning predestination hee citeth Augustin lib. 1. de Civit Dei but no Chapter or words wheras ther are 36. Chapters in that book In likemanner he citeth for the same purpose Ambrose lib. 2. de Cain Abell but no Chapter wheras there are ten in that book 3. Against Assurance of Salvation he citeth Jerom lib. 2. adv Pelag. but no Chapter whereas there are eleven long Chapters in it 4. For extreame Vnction he citeth Augustin in speculo but no Chapter wheras there ar 33. Chapters in that book I could instance a number more were not to avoid prolixitie wherby any indifferent mā may see how fraudulentlie these men deale by a false Muster of Scriptures and Fathers to delude the simple make them beleeve that both these ar on their side whereas I shall showe Godwilling that there is no such thing and whatsoever is set down in this TOUCH-STONE to be either grossly mistaken willfully perverted slanderously imputed or so weaklie performed that he hath relyed not so much on the strength of his Cause as on the weaknes tractablenes of his simple and ungrounded Proselyts whom they perswade fide implicit◠to take all upon Trust and Beleeve as the Church beleeveth and that they are the Church contrar to that Berean practise Act. 17. 11. And that Apostolicall precept 1. Ioh. 4. 1. Beloved Beleeue not every Spirit but try the spirits whether they bee of God because many false Prophets are gone out in the World at whose credulity I could not but wonder how they can be catched in such Cobweb snares and be seduced by such weake arguments in the time of Gospell-light and means of resolution were not that as the Apostle speaketh 2. Thess 2. 10. That they are given over by the deceivablenes of unrighteousnes to beleeve lies because they received not the loue of the Truth and therefore as BHRNARD sayeth of such Serm. 66. in CANTICA They are not convinced with reason because they understand not nor by Authorities to wit of Scripture becaus they receiue them not sayeth he nor are they moved by perswasion because they are perverse and yeeldeth not For all which notwithstanding my heartie wish shall be that as the LORD did to PAULL Act. 9. 18. the scales of errour and ignorance may likewise fall from their eyes that GOD may haue Glory His Church joy in their conversion their owne soules salvation in the Day of their account Amen AN ANSWER To A Popish PAMPHLET Called The Touch-Stone of the Reformed Gospell AND. 1. To the Preface IN the Preface the Pamphletter First glorying that hee confoundeth Us by our own Bible most impudentlie First beginneth with a Generall accusing of the Translation thereof in a number of grosse corruptions and falsifications wherof notwithstanding he instances not one nor is able to do Wherunto therefore I shall answer not onely by retortion in the generall but in particulare shall instance in their vulgare Latine Translation whereof Hee speaketh and so much extolleth as free of the like First Grosse corrupting of the Text contrary to the Originall 2 Adding to the Text of Scripture 3. Taking from the same both contrar to that sad commination Revel 22. 19. and 4. which is worst of all cleare contradicting of Scripture and in place of a Multitud of each sort I shall onelie for brevities sake bring a few examples 1. Then of corrupting Scripture Gen. 3. 15. where it is spoken of Christ as the seed of the woman It shal bruise thy head It is said in their vulgare Translation Shee shal bruise thy head blasphemouslie as their use is ascribing to the virgin Marie the victorie over Satan in the work of our Redemption VVhich is only proper to CHRIST Likewise Heb. 13. 16. where it is said of Doing good and communicating that with such sacrifices God is well pleased In their Translatiō for establishing of the merit of works it is said For with such sacrifices God is promerited also Rom. 1. 4. wher it is said That CHRIST was declared to bee the Sonne of GOD It is said in their Translation that Hee was predestinat to be the Sonne of GOD. which is a lurd errour 2. Of adding to Scripture Act. 5. 15. is adduced in this Touch-ston to prove miraculous vertue of Reliques to which these words are added which are not in the Original That they might be delivered frō their infirmities Next unto these words of our Saviour Math. 26. 26. This is my Bodie In their conjuring of consecrating of the bread they add a fift word enim or for VVhich they make operative in producing their Transsuhstantiation And the fyve words to be answereable to such mysteries as Gabriel Biel hath set downe in the like number of fyve in his 38. lecture of the Canon of the Masse Fol. 65. 3. Of taking from the Scripture ps 99. 5. It is said according to the originall Worship at His Footstoole as it is in likemanner said verse 9. Worship at His holie Hill and yet in their Translation for the maintayning of their adoration of images they take out the word at and say Worship yee His footstoole Next Rom. 11. 6. the words But if it bee of works then no more of grace otherwise work is no more work ar in their Translation quyte purged out because they make so clearlie against their Iustification by works Againe Heb 1. 3. it is said having by himself purged our sinnes in their Translation these words by Himself are taken out to make place thereby to mens satisfactions Likewise Math. 9. 13. where it is said I came not to