blessed simply because he doth so but because he is in Christ by whome he doth so and his obedience to the lawe of God is a signe thereof III. Obiect When man confesseth his sinnes and humbleth himselfe by praier and fasting Gods wrath is pacified and staied therefore prayer and fasting are causes of iustification before God Ans. Indeede men that truely humble themselues by praier and fasting doe appease the wrath of God yet not properly by these actions but by their faith expressed and testified in them whereby they apprehend that which appeaseth Gods wrath euen the merits of Christ in whome the father is well pleased and for whose sake alone he is well pleased with vs. IV. Obiect Sundrie persons in Scripture are commended for perfection as Noe and Abraham Zacharie and Elizabeth and Christ biddeth vs all be perfect and where there is any perfection of workes there also workes may iustifie Ansvv. There be two kinds of perfection perfection in parts and perfection in degrees Perfection in part is when beeing regenerate and hauing the seedes of all necessarie vertues we endeauour accordingly to obey God not in some few but in al and euery part of the law as Iosias turned vnto God according to all the law of Moses Perfection in degrees is when a man keepeth euery commandement of God and that according to the rigour thereof in the very highest degree Nowe then wheras we are commanded to be perfected and haue examples of the same perfection in Scripture both commandements and examples must be vnderstood of perfection in parts and not of perfection in degrees which cannot be attained vnto in this life though we for our partes must daily striue to come as neare vnto it as possibly we can V. Obiect 2. Cor. 4. 17. Our moment any afflictions worke vnto vs a greater measure of glorie now if afflictions worke our saluation then workes also doe the same Ansvv. Afflictions worke saluation not as causes procuring it but as meanes directing vs therto And thus alwaies must we esteem of workes in the matter of our saluation as of a certen way or a marke therein directing vs to glory not causing and procuring it as Bernard saith they are VIAREGNI NON CAVSA regnandi The way to the kingdome not the cause of raigning there VI. Obiect Wee are iustified by the same thing whereby we are iudged but we are iudged by our good workes therefore iustified also Ans. The proposition is false for indgement is an act of God declaring a man to be iust that is already iust and iustification is an other distinct act of God wherby he maketh him to be iust that is by nature vniust And therefore in equitie the last iudgement is to proceed by workes because they are the fittest meanes to make triall of euery mans cause and serue fitly to declare whome God hath iustified in this life VII Obiect Wicked men are condemned for euill workes therefore righteous men are iustified by good workes Ans. The reason holdeth not for there is great difference betweene euill and good workes An euill worke is perfectly euill and so deserueth damnation but there is no good work of any man that is perfectly good and therefore cannot iustifie VIII Obiect To beleeue in Christ is a worke and by it we are iustified and if one worke doe iustifie why may we not be iustified by al the works of the law Ans. Faith must be considered two waies first as a worke quality or vertue secondly as an Instrument or an hand reaching out it selfe to receiue Christs merit And we are iustified by faith not as it is a worke vertue or qualitie but as it is an instrument to receiue and apply that thing whereby we are iustified And therefore it is a figuratiue speach to say We are iustified by faith Faith considered by it selfe maketh no man righteous neither doth the action of faith which is to apprehend iustifie but the obiect of faith which is Christs obedience apprehended These are the principall reasons commonly vsed which as we see are of no moment To conclude therefore we hold that works concurre to iustification and that we are iustified thereby as by signes and effects not as causes for both the beginning middle and accomplishment of our iustification is onely in Christ and herevpon Iohn saith If any man being alreadie iustified sinne vve haue an Aduocate with the father Iesus Christ and he is the propitiation for our sinnes And to make our good workes meanes or causes of our iustification is to make euery man a Sauiour to himselfe The U. point Of merits By merit we vnderstand any thing or any worke whereby Gods fauour and life euerlasting is procured and that for the dignitie and excellencie of the worke or thing done or a good worke done binding him that receiueth is to repay the like Our Consent Touching merits we consent in two conclusions with them The first conclusion that merits are so far forth necessarie that without them there can be no saluation The second that Christ our Mediatour Redeemer is the roote and fountaine of all merit The dissent or difference The popish Church placeth merits within man making two sorts thereof the merit of the person and the merite of the worke The merite of the person is a dignitie in the person whereby it is worthy of life euerlasting And this as they say is to be found in Infants dying after baptisme who though they want good workes yet are they not voide of this kinde of merite for which they receiue the kingdome of heauen The merit of the worke is a dignitie or excellencie in the worke whereby it is made fitte and inabled to deserue life euerlasting for the doer And workes as they teach are meritorious two waies first by couenant because God hath made a promise of reward vnto them secondly by their owne dignitie for Christ hath merited that our workes might merit And this is the substance of their doctrine From it we dissent in these points I. We renounce all personall merits that is all merits within the person of any meere mā II. And we renonuce al merit of works that is all merit of any worke done by any meere man whatsoeuer And the true merit whereby we looke to attaine the fauour of God life euerlasting is to be found in the persō of Christ alone who is the storehouse of all our merits whose prerogatiue it is to be the person alone in whō God is wel pleased Gods fauour is of infinite dignitie no creature is able to doe a worke that may countervayle the fauour of God saue Christ alone who by reason of the dignitie of his person beeing not a meere man but God-man or Man-God he can doe such workes as ate of endlesse dignitie euery way answerable to the fauour of God and therefore sufficient to merit the same for vs. And though a merit or meritorious worke agree onely to the person of Christ
yet is it made ours by imputation For as his righteousnesse is made ours so are his merits depending theron but his righteousnes is made ours by imputation as I haue shewed Hence ariseth an other point namely that as Christs righteousnes is made ours really by imputation to make vs righteous so we by the merit of his righteousnes imputed to vs doe merit and deserue life euerlasting And this is our doctrine In a word the Papist maintaineth the merits of his owne workes but we renounce them all and rest onely on the merit of Christ. And that our doctrine is truth and theirs falshoode I will make manifest by sundrie reasons and then answer their arguments to the contrarie Our reasons The first shall be taken from the properties and conditions that must be in a worke meritorious and they are fowre I. A man must doe it of himselfe and by himselfe for if it be done by another the merite doth not properly belong to the doer II. A man must doe it of his owne freewill and pleasure not of due debt for when we doe that which we are bound to doe we doe no more but our dutie III. The worke must be done to the profit of an other who thereupon must be bound to repay the like IV. The reward and the worke must be in proportion equall for if the reward be more then the worke it is not a reward of desert but a gift of good will Hence followes a notable conclusion That Christs manhoode considered a part from his godhead cannot merit at Gods hand though it be more excellent euery way then all both men and angels For being thus considered it doth nothing of it selfe but by grace receiued from the godhead though it also be without measure Secondly Christs manhoode is a creature and in that regarde bound to doe whatsoeuer it doth Thirdly Christ as man cannot giue any thing to god but that which he receiued from God therfore cannot the manhoode properly by it selfe merit but onely as it is personally vnited vnto the godhead of the Sonne And if this be so then much lesse can any meere man or any angel merit yea it is a madnes to thinke that either our actions or persons should be capable of any merit whereby we might attaine to life eternall Reason II. Exod. 20 8. And SHEVV MERCIE vpon thousands in them that loue me and keepe my commandements Hence I reason thus where reward is giuen vpon mercie there is no merit but rewarde is giuen of mercie to them that fulfill the law therefore no merit What can we any way deserue when our full recompence must be of mercie And this appeares further by Adam if he had stood to this day he could not by his continuall and perfect obedience haue procured a further increase of fauour at Gods hand but should onely haue continued that happie estate in which he was first created Reason III. Scripture directly condemneth merite of workes Rom. 6. 23. The vvages of sinne is death but THE GIFT OF GOD IS eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. The proportion of the argument required that S. Paul should haue said The reward of good workes is eternall life if life euerlasting could be deserued which cannot because it is a free gift Againe Tit. 3. 5. We are saued not by vvorkes of righteousnes which vve haue done but according to his mercie he saued vs. And Ephes. 2. v. 8 10. By grace you are saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of works which God hath prepared that we should walke in them If any workes be crowned it is certen that the sufferings of Martyrs shall be rewarded now of them Paul saith Rom. 8. 18. The sufferings of this life are NOT VVORTHY of the glorie to come Where then is the value dignitie of other works To this purpose ` Ambr. saith The iust man though he be tormented in the brasen bull is still iust because he iustifieth God and saith he suffereth LESSE THEN HIS SINNES DESERVE Reason IV. Whosoeuer will merit must fulfill the whole law but none can keepe the whole law For if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues 1. Ioh. 1. And he that sinnes against one commandement is guiltie of the whole law And what can he merit that is guiltie of the breach of the whole law Reason V. We are taught to pray on this manner Giue vs this day our daily bread Wherein we acknowledge euery morsel of bread to be the meere gift of God without desert and therefore must we much more acknowledge life eternall to be euery way the gift of God It must needes therefore be a satanicall insolencie for any man to imagine that he can by his workes merit eternall life who cannot merit bread Reason VI. Consent of the auncient Church Bernard Those which we call our merits are the way to the kingdome and not THE CAVSE OF RAIGNING August Manuali cap. 22. All my hope is in the death of my Lord. His death is my merit my MERIT IS THE PASSION OF THE LORD I shall not be voide of merits so long as Gods mercies are not wanting Basil. on psal 114. Eternall rest is reserued for them which haue striuen lavvfully in this life not FOR THE MERITS of their doings but vpon the grace of the most bountifull God in which they trusted August on ps 120. He crowneth thee because he crowneth his owne gifts not thy merits And psal 142. Lord thou wilt quicken me in thy iustice not in mine not because I haue deserued it but because thou hast compassion Obiections of Papists Obiect I. In sundrie places of Scripture promise of reward is made to them that beleeue and doe good workes therefore our works doe merit for a reward and merit be relatiues Ans. Reward is twofold of debt and of mercie Life euerlasting is not a reward of debt but of mercie giuen of the good will of God without any thing done of man Secondly the kingdome of heauen is properly an inheritance giuen of a father to a child and therefore it is called a reward not properly but by a figure or by resemblance For as a workeman hauing ended his labour receiueth his wages so after men haue lead their liues finished their course in keeping faith and good conscience as dutifull children God giueth them eternall life And herupon it is tearmed a reward Thirdly if I should graunt that life euerlasting is a deserued reward it is not for our works but for Christs merit imputed to vs causing vs thereby to merit and thus the relation stands directly betweene the Reward and Christs Merit applied vnto vs. Obiect II. Christ by his death merited that our works should merit life euerlasting Answ. That is false all we finde in Scripture is that Christ by his merit procured pardon of sinne imputation of righteousnes and life euerlasting and it is no where saide in the word of
God that Christ did merit that our workes should merit it is a dotage of their owne deuising He died not for our good workes to make them able to satisfie Gods anger but for our sinnes that they might be pardoned Thus much saith the Scripture no more And in that Christ did sufficiently merit life eternall for vs by his owne death it is a sufficient proofe that he neuer intended to giue vs power of meriting the same vnles we suppose that at some time he giues more then is needefull Againe Christ in the office of mediation as he is a King Priest and Prophet admitteth no deputie or fellow For he is a most perfect Mediatour doing all things by himselfe without the helpe of any And the ministers that dispence the word are not his deputies but reasonable and voluntarie instruments which he vseth But if men by workes can merit increase of grace and happines for themselues then hath Christ partners in the worke of redemption men doing that by him which he doth of himselfe in procuring their saluation Nay if this might stand that Christ did merit that our works should merit then Christ should merit that our stained righteousnes beeing for this cause not capable of merit should neuertheles merit I call it stained because we are partly flesh and partly spirit and therfore in our selues deseruing the curse of the law though we be regenerate Againe for one good worke we doe we haue many euil the offence whereof defaceth the merit of our best deedes and makes them too light in the balance of the law Obiect III. Our workes merit by bargaine or couenant because God hath promised to reward them Ans. The word of God sets downe two couenants one legal the other euangelicall In the legall couenant life euerlasting is promised to workes for that is the condition of the lawe doe these things and thou shalt liue But on this manner can no man merit life euerlasting because none is able to doe all that the lawe requires whether we respect the manner or the measure of obedience In the euangelicall couenant the promises that are made are not made to any worke or vertue in man but to the worker not for any merit of his owne person or worke but for the person and merite of Christ. For example it is a promise of the Gospell Be faithfull vnto death and I vvill giue thee the crowne of life Revelat. 2. 10. Here the promise is not made to the vertue of fidelitie but to the faithfull person whose fidelitie is but a token that he is in Christ for the merit of whose obediēce god promiseth the crowne of life and therefore Christ saith further I come quicklie and will giue to euery man according to his workes marke he saith not to the worke or for the worke but to the worker according to his workes And thus the bōd of al other promises of the Gospel in which god willingly bindes himselfe to reward our workes doe not directly concerne vs but haue respect to the person and obedience of Christ for whose sake alone God bindes himselfe as debter vnto vs and giues the recompence or reward according to the measure of our faith testified by our workes And therefore it cannot be truely gathered that workes doe merit by any promise or covenant passed on Gods part to man Some may say if workes merit not why are they mentioned in the promises I answere not because they merit but because they are tokens that the doer of the worke is is in Christ for whose merite the promise shall be accomplished Obiect VI. Good works are perfect and without fault for they are the workes of the holy ghost who cannot sinne therefore they merite Ans. If workes did proceed onely and immediatly from the holy ghost there could not be any fault in them but our works come from the holy ghost in and by the will and vnderstanding of man by this meanes they are tainted with sinne as water in the fountaine is both cleare and sweete yet the streames there of passing through the filthy channell are defiled thereby Againe they reason thus That which we are bound to doe hath no fault in it but we are bound to doe good workes therefore they are perfect Ans. The proposition must be expounded that which we are bound to doe in it selfe according to the intention of the commander hath no fault or that which we are bound to doe according as we are bound to doe it hath no fault yet in regard of the intention of the doer or in regard of our manner of doing it may be faultie Obiect V. Christ saith Revel 3. 4. that the faithfull in the Church of Sardis shall walk with him in white for they are worthy therfore beleeuers merit Ans. Euery beleeuer is worthy to walke with Christ yet not worthy in himselfe but in Christ to whome he is vnited and made bone of his bone flesh of his flesh And by reason of this coniunction `it is that men are said to be worthy ' because they are inriched with Christs merits and righteousnes Obiect VII 2. Tim. 4. 8. Euerlasting life is tearmed a crowne and a crowne of righteousnes to be giuen of a iust iudge therefore man for his part by his workes deserues the same Ans. Euerlasting life is called a crowne onely in resemblance For as he which runneth a race must continue and runne to the ende and then be crowned euen so must we continue to walke in good works vnto the end and then receiue eternall life And it is called a crowne of righteousnes not because it belongs to any man by due and desert but because God hath bound himselfe by a promise to giue it in performing whereof he is tearmed iust and by vertue of this promise it is obtained and no otherwise These are the principall obiections by which we may iudge what the rest are And thus we see what is the truth namely that merit is necessarie to saluation yet neither merite of mans worke or person but the merit of Christ imputed to vs whereby we beeing in him do procure and deserue the fauour of God and life eternall The sixt point Of satisfaction Our consent Conclus I. First we acknowledge and hold Ciuill or Politike satisfaction that is a recompence for iniuries and damages offered any way to our neighbours This Zacheus practised when at his conuersion he restored foure-fold things gotten by forged cauillation Againe by ciuill satisfaction I vnderstand the imposition of fines mulcts and penalties vpon offenders and the inflicting of death vpon malefactours For all these are satisfactions to the lawe and societies of men when they are wronged All these we maintaine as necessarie for neither Church nor common wealth can well be without them considering they are notable meanes to vphold ciuill peace and otherwhiles they are fruites of true faith as the satisfuction of Zacheus was Conclus II. We acknowledge canonicall or Ecclesiasticall
hauing his first iustification may afterward by grace make himself more iust Therefore they hold these two things I. That good workes are meritorious causes of the second iustification which they tearme Actuall II. that good workes are means to increase the first iustificatiō which they call Habituall Now let vs see how farreforth we must ioyne with them in this point Our consent therefore stands in three conclusions I. That good workes done by them that are iustified doe please God and are approoued of him and therefore haue a reward II. Good workes are necessarie to saluation two waies first not as causes thereof either conseruant adiuvant or procreant but onely as consequents of faith in that they are inseperable companions and fruits of that faith which is indeede necessarie to saluation Secondly they are necessarie as markes in a way and as the way it selfe directing vs vnto eternall life III. We hold and beleeue that the righteous man is in some sort iustified by works for so the holy Ghost speaketh plainely and truly Iam. 2. 21. that Abraham vvas iustified by works Thus farre we ioyne with them and the very difference is this They say we are iustified by works as by causes thereof we say that we are iustified by workes as by signes fruits of our iustification before God and no otherwise and in this sense must the place of S. Iames be vnderstoode that Abraham was iustified that is declared and made manifest to be iust indeede by his obedience and that euen before God Nowe that our doctrine is the truth it will appeare by reasons on both parts Our reasons I. Rom. 3. 28. We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the vvorkes of the lavv Some answer that ceremoniall works be excluded here some that morall workes some works going before faith But let them deuise what they can for themselues the truth is that Paul excludeth all works whatsoeuer as by the very text will appeare For v. 24. he saith We are iustified FREELY by his grace that is by the meere gift of God giuing vs to vnderstand that a sinner in his iustification is meerely passiue that is doing nothing on his part whereby God should accept him to life euerlasting and v. 27. he saith iustification by faith excludeth all boasting and therefore all kinde of workes are thereby excluded and specially such as are most of all the matter of boasting that is good workes For if a sinner after that he is iustified by the merit of Christ were iustified more by his owne workes then might he haue some matter of boasting in himselfe And that we may not doubt of Pauls meaning consider and read Eph. 2. 8 9. By grace saith he you are saued through faith that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of vvorks least any man should boast himselfe Here Paul excludes all and euery worke and directly workes of grace themselues as appeares by the reason following For vve are his workemanship CREATED in Christ Iesus VNTO GOOD VVORKS VVHICH GOD HATH ORDAINED that vve should vvalke in them Nowe let the Papists tell me what be the workes which God hath prepared for men to walke in and to which they are regenerate vnles they be the most excellent works of grace and let them marke how Paul excludes them wholly from the worke of iustification and saluation II. Gal. 5. 3. If ye be circūcised ye are bound to the vvhole lavv and ye are abolished from Christ. Here Paul disputeth against such men as would be saued partly by Christ and partly by the workes of the lawe hence I reason thus If a man will be iustified by workes he is bound to fulfill the whole law according to the rigour thereof that is Pauls ground I now assume no man can fulfill the lawe according to the rigour thereof for the liues and workes of most righteous men are imperfect and stained with sinne and therefore they are taught euery daie to say on this manner forgiue vs our debts Againe our knowledge is imperfect and therefore our faith repentance and sanctification is answerable And lastly the regenerate man is partly flesh and partly spirit and therfore his best works are partly frō the flesh in part onely spirituall Thus then for any man to be bound to the rigour of the whole law is as much as if he were bound to his owne damnation III. Election to saluation is of grace without workes therefore the iustification of a sinner is of grace alone without works For it is a certen rule that the cause of a cause is the cause of a thing caused Now grace without workes is the cause of election which election is the cause of our iustification and therefore grace without workes is the cause of our iustification IIII. A man must first be fully iustified before he can doe a good worke for the person must first please God before his workes can please him But the person of a sinner cannot please God till he be perfectly iustified and therefore till he be iustified he can not doe so much as one good worke And thus good works cannot be any meritorious causes of iustification after which they are both for time and order of nature In a word whereas they make two distinct iustifications we acknowledge that there be degrees of sanctification yet so as iustificatiō is onely one standing in remission of sinnes and Gods acceptation of vs to life euerlasting by Christ and this iustification hath no degrees but is perfect at the very first Obiections of Papists Psal. 7. 8. Iudge me according to my righteousnesse Hence they reason thus if Dauid be iudged according to his righteousnes then may he be iustified thereby but Dauid desires to be iudged according to his righteousnes and therefore he was iustified thereby Ans. There be two kinds of righteousnes one of the person the other of the cause or action The righteousnes of a mans person is whereby it is accepted into the fauour of God into life eternall The righteousnes of the action or cause is when the action or cause is iudged of God to be good and iust Now Dauid in this psalme speaketh onely of the righteousnes of the action or innocency of his cause in that he was falsly charged to haue sought the kingdome In like manner it is said of Phineas Psal. 166. 31. that his fact in killing Zimri and Cosbie was imputed to him for righteousnes not because it was a satisfaction to the lawe the rigour whereof could not be fulfilled in that one worke but because God accepted of it as a iust worke and as a token of his righteousnes and zeale for Gods glory II. Obiect The Scripture saith in sundrie places that men are blessed which doe good workes Psal. 119. 1. Blessed is the man that is vpright in heart and walketh in the law of the Lord. Ans. The man is blessed that endeauoureth to keepe Gods commandements Yet is he not
satisfaction and that is when any hauing giuē offence to the church of God or any part thereof do make an open publike testimonie of their repentance Mirian for murmuring aganst Moses was striken with leprosie and afterward by his prayer shee was clensed and yet for all that shee must go seuen dayes out of the tent and congregation that shee might make a kinde of satisfaction to the people for her trespasse And in the old testament sackcloth and ashes were signes of their satisfaction Conclus III. We hold that no man can be saued vnles he make a perfect satisfaction to the iustice of God for all his sinnes because God is infinite in iustice and therefore will either exact an euerlasting punishment or satisfaction for the same The dissent or difference The points of our difference and dissent are these The Church of Rome teacheth and beleeueth that Christ by his death hath made a satisfaction for all the sinnes of men and for the eternall punishment of them all yet so as they themselues must satisfie the iustice of God for the temporall punishment of their offences either on earth or in purgatorie We teach and beleeue that Christ by his death and passion hath made a perfect and all-sufficient satisfaction to the iustice of God for all the sinnes of men and for the whole punishment thereof both eternal and temporall Thus we differ and herein we for our parts must for euer stand at difference with thē so as if there were no more points of variance but this one it should be sufficient to keepe vs alwaies from vniting our religions and cause vs to obey the voice of Christ Come out of her my people For as in the former points so in this also the Papists erre not in circumstance but in the very foundation and life of religion Our reasons I. A satisfaction that is made imperfect either directly or by consequent is indeede no satisfaction at all But the Papists make Christs satisfaction imperfect in that they do adde a supply by humane satisfactions thus much a learned schoolman Biel in plain words confessed Although saith he the passion of Christ be the principall merit for which grace is conferred the opening of the kingdome and glorie yet IS IT NEVER THE ALONE AND TOTAL MERITORIOVS CAVSE it is manifest because alwaies vvith the merit of Christ there concurreth some vvorke as the merit of congruitie or condignitie of him that receiueth grace or glorie if he be of yeares and haue the vse of reason or of some other for him if he want reason For that which admitts a supply by an other is imperfect in it selfe Therefore humane satisfactions cannot stand Learned Papists make answere that Christs satisfaction and mans may stand well togither For say they Christs satisfactions is sufficient in it selfe to answer the iustice of God for all sinne and punishment but it is not sufficient to this or that man till it be applyed and it must be applied by our satisfaction made to God for the temporall punishment of our sinnes But I say againe that mans satisfaction can be no meanes to apply the satisfaction of Christ and I prooue it thus The meanes of applying Gods blessings and graces vnto man are twofold some respect God himselfe and some respect man Those which respect God are such whereby God on his part doth offer and convay his mercies in Christ vnto man of this sort are the preaching of the word baptisme and the Lords supper and these are as it were the hand of God whereby he reacheth downe and giueth vnto vs Christ with all his benefits The other meanes of applying on mans part are those whereby the saide benefites are receiued Of this sort there is onely one namely faith whereby we beleeue that Christ with all his benefits belong vnto vs. And this is the hand of man whereby he receiueth Christ as he is offered or exhibited by God in the word and sacraments As for other meanes beside these in Scripture we finde none Foolish therefore is the answere of the Papist that make mens satisfactions meanes to apply the satisfaction of Christ vnto vs for by humane satisfactions Christs is neither offered on Gods part nor yet receiued on mans part let them prooue it if they can Others not content with this their former answer say that our satisfactions doe nothing derogate from the satisfaction of Christ because our works haue their dignitie merit from Christs satisfaction he meriting that our workes should satisfie Gods iustice for temporall punishments But this is also absurd and false as the former was For if Christ did satisfie that man might satisfie then Christ doth make euery beleeuer to be a Christ a Iesus a Redeemer a Priest in the same order with his owne selfe But to make sinfull man his owne redeemer though it be but from temporall punishments is a doctrine of deuils For the holy Ghost teacheth that the priesthood of Christ is incommunicable cannot passe from him to any other Nowe to make satisfaction for sinne or any part of the punishment thereof is a dutie or a part of Christ his priesthood and therefore to make satisfaction is a worke that cannot passe frō his person to the person of any man Againe if Christ by his satisfaction giue power to man to satisfie then man doth satisfie by Christ and Christ beside his owne satisfaction vpon the crosse must daily satisfie in man to the ende of the world but this cannot be for Christ vpon the crosse when death was vpon him said It is finished that is I haue fully satisfied for all the sinnes of mankind both in respect of the fault and punishment As for Christs buriall and resurrection which followed his death they serued not to satisfie but to confirme and ratifie the same Againe Paul saith 2. Cor. 5. 12. He that knew no sinne was made sinne for vs that is the punishment of sinne for vs but if the Church of Rome say true that Christ doth daily satisfie then Paul spake too short and should haue saide further that Christ was made sinne for vs and in vs too and that God was not onely in Christ but also in vs reconciling the world to himselfe But Paul neuer knew this learning and therefore let them turne themselues which way they will by putting a supplement to Christs satisfaction they doe indeed annihillate the same Reason II. In sundrie places of Scripture especially in the Epistles of Paul we are are said to be redeemed iustified and saued Freely which word freely doth import that we are iustified and saued without any thing done on out part or by our selues in the matter of our saluation and if this be so then can we doe nothing at all that may satisfie the iustice of God for the least punishment of our sinnes If we satisfie in our own persons we are not saued freely and if we be saued freely we make no satisfaction
it In the second conclusion touching saluation by Christ alone there is a manifest deceit because they craftely include and couch their own works vnder the name of Christ. For say they workes done by men regenerate are not their owne but Christs in them and as they are the workes of Christ they saue no otherwise But we for our partes looke to be saued onely by such workes as Christ himselfe did in his owne person and not by any worke at all done by him in vs. For all workes done are in the matter of iustification saluation opposed to the grace of Christ Rom. 11. 6. Election is of grace not of workes if it be of workes it is no more of grace Againe whereas they teach that we are â—aued by the workes of Christ which he worketh in vs and maketh vs to worke it is flatte against the word For Paul saith We are not saued by such works as God hath ordained that men regenerate should walke in Eph. 2. 10. And he saith further that he counted ALL THINGS euen after his conuersion losse vnto him that he might be founde in Christ not hauing his ovvne righteousnesse which is of the lawe Phil. 3. 8. Again Heb. 1. 3. Christ washed away our sinnes by himselfe which last wordes exclude the merit of all workes done by Christ within man Thus indeede the Papists ouerturne all that which in word they seeme to holde touching their iustification and saluation We confesse with them that good workes in vs are the workes of Christ yet are they not Christs alone but ours also in that they proceed from Christ by the minde and will of man as water from the fountaine by the channell And looke as the chanel defiled defiles the water that is without defilement in the fountaine euen so the minde and will of man defiled by the remnants of sinne defile the workes which as they come from Christ are vndefiled Hence it is that the workes of grace which we doe by Christ or Christ in vs are defectiue and must be seuered from Christ in the act of iustification or saluation The third conclusion is touching the imputation of Christs obedience which some of the most learned among them acknowledge and the difference betweene vs stands on this manner They hold that Christs obedience is imputed onely to make satisfaction for sinne and not to iustifie vs before God We hold beleeue that the obedieÌ„ce of Christ is imputed to vs euen for our righteousnes before God Paul saith 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is made vnto vs of God vvisedome RIGHTEOVSNES SANCTIFICATION and redemption Hence I reason thus If Christ be both our sanctification and our righteousnes then he is not onely vnto vs inherent righteousnes but also righteousnes imputed But he is not onely our sanctification which the Papists themselues expound of inherent or habituall righteousnes but also our righteousnes for thus by Paul are they distinguished Therefore he is vnto vs both inherent and imputed righteousnes And very reason teacheth thus much For in the end of the worlde at the barre of Gods iudgement we must bring some kinde of righteousnesse for our iustification that may stande in the rigour of the lawe according to which wee are to be iudged But our inherent righteousnesse is imperfect and stained with manifold defects and shall be as long as we liue in this world as experience tells vs and consequently it is not sutable to the iustice of the law and if we goe out of our selues we shall finde no righteousnesse seruing for our turnes either in men or Angels that may or can procure our absolution before God and acceptation to life euerlasting Wee must therefore haue recourse to the person of Christ and his obedience imputed vnto vs must serue not onely to be a satisfaction to God for all our sinnes but also for our perfect iustification in that God is content to accept of it for our righteousnesse as if it were inherent in vs or performed by vs. Touching the fourth conclusion they hold it the safest and surest course to put their trust and confidence in the mercie of God alone for their saluation yet they condescend that men may also put there confidence in the merit of their owne works and in the merits also of other men so it be in sobrietie But this doctrine quite marres the conclusion because by teaching that men are to put confidence in the creature they ouerturue all confidence in the Creatour For in the very first commandement we are taught to make choise of the true God for our God which thing we do wheÌ„ we giue to God our hearts and we giue our hearts to God when we put our whole confidence in him for the saluation of our soules Nowe then to put confidence in men or in workes is to make them our Gods The true and ancient forme of making confession was on this manner I beleeue in God the Father In Iesus Christ and In the holy Ghost without mentioÌ„ making of any confidence in works or creatures the ancieÌ„t Church neuer knew any such confession or confidence Cyprian saith He beleeueth not in god who putteth not affiance concerning his saluation in God alone And indeede the Papists them-selues when death comes forsake the confidence of their merits and flie to the meere mercie of God in Christ. And for a confirmation of this I alleadge the testimonie of one Vlinbergius of Colen who writeth thus There was a booke found in the vestrie of a certain parish of Colen writteÌ„ in the Dutch tongue in the yeare of our Lord 1475. which the Priests vsed in visiting of the sicke And in it these questions be found Dost thou beleeue that thâ—u canst not be saued but by the death of Christ The sicke person ansvvered Yea. Then it is said vnto him Goe too then while breath remaines in thee put thy confidence in this DEATH ALONE haue affiance in nothing else commit thy selfe vvholly to this death with it alone couer thy selfe dive thy selfe in euery part into this death in euery part pearse thy selfe with it infold thy selfe in this death And if the Lord wil iudge thee say Lord I put the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betweene me and thy iudgement and BY NO OTHER MEANES I contend with thee And if he shall say vnto thee that thou art a sinner say Lord the death of my Lord Iesus Christ I put betweene thee and my sinnes If he shall say vnto thee that thou hast deserued damnation say Lord I oppose the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betweene thee and my euill merits and I OFFER HIS MERIT FOR THE MERIT VVHICH I SHOVLD HAVE AND HAVE NOT. If he shall say that he is angrie vvith thee say Lord I oppose the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betvveene me and thine anger Here we see what Papists doe haue done in the time of death And that which they hold and practise
can not giue consent vnto them and by naturall indgement approoue of them but contrariwise thinketh them to be foolishnesse III. that no man can giue assent to the things of God vnlesse he be enlightened by the spirit of God And hence I reason thus If a man by nature doth not knowe and perceiue the things of God and when he shall know them can not by nature giue assent vnto them then hath he no power to will them But the first is euidently true Ergo. For first the minde must approoue giue assent before the will can choose or will and when the mind hath not power to conceiue nor giue assent there the will hath no power to will Reason III. Thirdly the holy Ghost auoucheth Eph. 2. ◠Colloss 2. 13. that all men by nature are dead in sinnes and trespasses not as the Papists say weak sick or half dead Hence I gather that mā wāteth naturall power not to will simply but freely and franckly to will that which is truly good A dead mā in his graue cannot stirre the least finger because he wāts the very power of life sense motiō no more can he that is dead in sin will the least good nay if he could either will or do any good he could not be dead in sinn And as a dead mā in the graue cānot rise but by the power of God no more can he that is dead in sinne rise but by the power of Gods grace alone without any power of his owne Reason IV. Fourthly in the conversion and saluation of a sinner the scripture ascribeth al to God and nothing to mans freewil Iohn 3. 3. Except a man be borne againe he cannot see the kingdome of God Eph. 2. 10. We are his worekmanship CREATED in Christ Iesus to good workes And c. 4. v. 24. the nevv man is CREATED to the image of God Nowe to be borne againe is a worke of no lesse importance then our first creation and therefore wholly to be ascribed to God as our creation is Indeede Paul Philip. 2. 12. 13. biddeth the Philippians worke out their saluation with feare and trembling not meaning to ascribe vnto them a power of doing good by themselues And therefore in the next verse he addeth It is God that worketh both the will and the deede directly excluding all naturall freewill in things spirituall and yet withall he acknowledgeth that mans will hath a worke in doing that which is good not by nature but by grace Because when God giues man power to will good things then he can will them and when he giueth him a power to doe good then he can doe good and he doth it For though there be not in mans conuersion a naturall cooperation of his will with Gods spirit yet is there a supernaturall cooperation by grace enabling man when he is to be conuerted to will his conuersion according to which S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 15. 10. I haue laboured in the faith but least any man should imagine that this was done by any naturall power therefore he addeth yet not I that is not I by any thing in me but Gods grace in me inabling my will to doe the good I doe Reason V. The iudgement of the auncient Church August The will of the regenerate is kindled onely by the holy Ghost that they may therefore be able because they will thus and they will thus because God VVORKES IN THEM TO VVILL And We haue LOST OVR FREEVVILL to loue God by the greatnes of our sinne Serm. 2. on the words of the Apostle Man when he was created receiue a great strēgth in his freewil but by sinning HE LOST IT Fulgētius God giueth grace freely to the vnvvorthy whereby the wicked man being iustified is inlightened VVITH THE GIFT OF GOOD VVILL and with a FACVLTIE OF DOING GOOD that by mercy preventing him he may BEGIN TO VVILL VVEL and by mercy cōming after he may doe the good he will Bernard saith It is VVHOLLY THE GRACE OF GOD that we are created healed saued Council Arausic 2. cap. 6. To beleeue and to vvill is GIVEN from aboue by INFVSION and inspiration of the holy Ghost More testimonies and reasons might be alleadged to prooue this conclusion but these shall suffice now let vs see what reasons are alledged to the cōtrary III. Obiections of Papists Obiect I. First they alledge that man by nature may doe that which is good therfore will that which is good for none can doe that which he neither willeth nor thinketh to doe but first he must will and then doe Nowe say they men can doe good by nature as giue almes speake the trueth doe iustice and practise other duties of ciuill vertue and therfore will that which is good I ansvver that a naturall man may do good workes for the substance of the outwarde worke but not in regard of the goodnes of the manner these are two diuers things A man without supernaturall grace may giue almes do iustice speake the truth c. which be good things considered in themselues as God hath commanded them but he cannot doe them well To thinke good things and to doe good things are naturall workes but to think good things in a good manner and to doe them well so as God may accept the action done are works of grace And therefore the good thing done by a naturall man is a sinne in respect of the doer because it failes both for his right beginning which is a pure heart good conscience and faith vnfained as also for his ende which is the glory of God Obiect II. God hath commaunded all men to beleeue and repent therefore they haue natural free wil by vertue whereof being helped by the spirit of God they can beleeue and repent Ansvv. This reason is not good for by such commaundements God sheweth not what men are able to doe but what they should do and what they can not doe Againe the reason is not well framed it ought rather to be thus Because God giues men commaundement to repent and beleeue therefore they haue power to repent beleeue either by nature or by grace then we hold with them For when God in the Gospell commaundeth men to repent and to beleeue at the same time by his grace he inableth them both to will or desire to beleeue and repent as also actually to repent and beleeue Obiect III. If man haue no freewill to sinne or not to sinne then no man is to be punished for his sinnes because he sinneth by a necessitie not to be auoided Ansvv. The reason is not good for though man can not but sinne yet is the fault in himselfe therefore he is to be punished as a bankrupt is not therefore freed from his debts because he is not able to pay them but the bils against him stande in force because the debt comes thorough his owne default The second point of Originall sinne The next point to be handled
8. Secondly God in making promise of saluation respects not mens worthinesse For he chose vs to life euerlasting when we were not he redeemed vs from death beeing enemies and intitles vs to the promise of saluation if vve acknovvledge our selues to be sinners Matth. 9. If vve labour and trauaile vnder the burden of them Matth. 11. If we hunger and thirst after grace Ioh. 7. 37. And these things we may certenly and sensibly perceiue in our selues and when wee finde them in vs though our vnworthines be exceeding great it should not hinder our assurance For God makes manifest his power in our weaknes 2. Cor. 12. and he will not breake the bruised reede nor quench the smoking flaxe Isa. 42. Thirdly if a man loue God for his mercies sake and haue a true hope of saluation by Christ he is in Christ and hath fellowship with him and he that is in Christ hath all his vnworthines wants laid on Christ and they are couered and pardoned in his death and in respect of our selues thus cōsidered AS VVE ARE IN CHRIST we haue no cause to wauer but to be certen of our saluatiō that in regard of our selues The fourth point touching the iustification of a sinner That we may see how farre we are to agree with them and where to differ first I will set downe the doctrine on both parts secondly the maine differences wherein we are to stande against them euen to death Our doctrine touching the iustification of a sinner I propound in fowre rules Rule I. That iustification is an action of God whereby he absolueth a sinner and accepteth him to life euerlasting for the righteousnes and merit of Christ. Rule II. That iustification stands in two things first in the remission of sinnes by the merit of Christ his death secondly in the imputation of Christ his righteousnes which is an other action of God whereby he accounteth and esteemeth that righteousnes which is in Christ as the righteousnes of that sinner which beleeueth in him By Christ his righteousnes we are to vnderstand two things first his sufferings specially in his death and passion secondly his obedience in fulfilling the law both which goe togither for Christ in suffering obeied obeying suffered And the very shedding of his blood to which our saluation is ascribed must not onely be considered as it is passiue that is a suffering but also as it is actiue that is an obedience in which he shewed his exceeding loue both to his father and vs and thus fulfilled the law for vs. This point if some had well thought on they would not haue placed all iustification in remission of sinnes as they doe Rule III. That iustification is from Gods meere mercie and grace procured onely by the merit of Christ. Rule IV. That man is iustified by faith alone because faith is that alone instrument created in the heart by the holy ghost wherby a sinner laieth holde of Christ his righteousnes and applieth the same vnto himselfe There is neither hope nor loue nor any other grace of God within man that can doe this but faith alone The doctrine of the Romane Church touching the iustification of a sinner is on this manner I. They holde that before iustification there goes a preparation thereunto which is an action wrought partly by the holy Ghost and partly by the power of naturall freewill whereby a man disposeth himselfe to his owne future iustification In the preparation they consider the ground of iustification and things proceeding from it The ground is faith which they define to be a generall knowledge whereby wee vnderstande and beleeue that the doctrine of the word of God is true Things proceeding from this faith are these a sight of our sinnes a feare of hell hope of saluation loue of God repentance and such like all which when men haue attained they are then fully disposed as they say to their iustification This preparation being made then comes iustification it selfe which is an action of God whereby he maketh a man righteous It hath two parts the first and the second The first is when a sinner of an euill man is made a good man And to effect this two things are required first the pardon of sinne which is one part of the first iustification secondly the infusion of inward righteousnes whereby the heart is purged and sanctified and this habite of righteousnes stands specially in hope and charitie After the first iustification followeth the second which is when a man of a good or iust man is made better and more iust this say they may proceed from works of grace because he which is righteous by the first iustification can bring forth good works by the merit wherof he is able to make himselfe more iust and righteous and yet they graunt that the first iustification commeth onely of Gods mercie by the merit of Christ. 1. Our consent and difference Now let vs come to the points of difference betweene vs and them touching iustification The first maine difference is in the matter thereof which shall be seene by the answer both of Protestant and Papist to this one question What is the very thing that causeth a man to stand righteous before God and to be accepted to life euerlasting we answer Nothing but the righteousnesse of Christ which consisteth partly in his sufferings and partly in his actiue obedience in fulfilling the rigour of the law And heare let vs consider how neare the Papists come to this answer and wherein they dissent Consent I. They graunt that in Iustificatiō sinne is pardoned by the merits of Christ that none can be iustified without remission of sinnes and that is well II. They graunt that the righteousnesse whereby a man is made righteous before God commeth from Christ from Christ alone III. The most learned among them say that Christ his satisfaction and the merit of his death is imputed to euery sinner that doth beleeue for his satisfaction before God and hitherto we agree The very point of difference is this we hould that the satisfaction made by Christ in his death and obedience to the lawe is imputed to vs and becomes our righteousnes They say it is our satisfaction and not our righteousnes whereby we stand righteous before God because it is inherent in the person of Christ as in a subiect Now the answere of the Papist to the former question is on this manner The thing saith he that maketh vs righteous before God and causeth vs to be accepted to life euerlasting is remission of sinnes and the habite of inward righteousnes or charitie with the fruits therof We condescend and graunt that the habite of righteousnes which we call sanctification is an excellent gift of God and hath his reward of God and is the matter of our iustification before men because it serueth to declare vs to be reconciled to God and to be iustified yet we denie it to be the
lay hold of any thing and to receiue a gift but the hande hath no propertie to cut a peice of wood of it selfe without saw or knife or some like instrument and yet by helpe of them it can either deuide or cut Euen so it is the nature of faith to goe out of it selfe and to receiue Christ into the heart as for the duties of the first and second table faith cannot of it selfe bring them forth no more then the hand can deuide or cut yet ioyne loue to faith and then can it practise duties commanded concerning God and man And this I take to be the meaning of this text which speaketh not of iustification by faith but onely of the practise of common duties which faith putteth in execution by the helpe of loue III. Reason Faith is neuer alone therefore it doth not instifie alone Ans. The reason is nought and they might as well dispute thus The eye is neuer alone from the head and therefore it seeth not alone which is absurd And though in regard of substance the eye be neuer alone yet in regard of seeing it is alone so though faith subsist not without loue and hope and other graces of God yet in regard of the act of iustification it is aloue without them all IV. Reason If faith alone doe iustifie then we are saued by faith alone but we are not saued by faith alone and therefore not iustified by faith alone Ans. The proposition is false for more things are requisite to the maine ende then to the subordinate meanes And the assumption is false for we are saued by faith alone if we speake of faith as it is an Instrument apprehending Christ for our saluation V. Reason We are saued by hope therefore not by faith alone Ans. We are saued by hope not because it is any cause of our saluation Pauls meaning is onely this that we haue not saluation as yet in possession but waite patiently for it in time to come to be possessed of vs expecting the time of our full deliuerance that is all that can iustly be gathered hence Nowe the doctrine which we teach on the contrarie is That a sinner is iustified before God by faith yea BY FAITH ALONE The meaning is that nothing within man and nothing that man can doe either by nature or by grace concurreth to the act of iustification before God as any cause thereof either efficient materiall formall or finall but faith alone All other gifts graces as hope loue the feare of God are necessarie to saluation as signes thereof consequēts of faith Nothing in mā concurrs as any cause to this worke but by faith alone And faith it selfe is no principall but only an instrumentall cause by we receiue apprehend and apply Christ and his righteousnes for our iustification Reason I. Iohn 3. 14. 15. As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life In these wordes Christ makes a comparison on this manner when any one of the Israelites were stung to death by fiery serpents his cure was not by any phisicke surgery but onely by the casting of his eye vp to the brasen serpent which Moses haderected by Gods commandement euen so in the cure of our soules when we are stung to death by sinne there is nothing required within vs for our recouery but onely that we cast vp and fixe the eye of our faith on Christ and his righteousnes Reason II. The Exclusiue formes of speach vsed in scripture proue thus much We are iustified freely not of the lawe not by the lawe wiihout the lawe without workes not of workes not according to workes not of vs not by the workes of the lawe but by faith Gal 2. 16. Alboasting excluded onely beleeue Luc. 8. 50. These distinctions wherby works and the law are excluded in the worke of iustification doe include thus much that faith alone doth iustifie Reason III. Very reason may teach thus much for no gift in man is apt and fit as a spirituall hand to receiue and applie Christ and his righteousnes vnto a sinner but faith Indeede loue hope the feare of God and repentance haue their seueral vses in men but none serue for this ende to apprehende Christ and his merits none of them all haue this receiuing propertie and therefore there is nothing in man that iustifieth as a cause but faith alone Reason IV. The iudgement of the auncient Church Ambr. on Rom. 4. They are blessed to whome VVITHOVT ANY LABOVR OR VVORKE DONE iniquities are remitted and sinne couered NO VVORKES OF REPENTANCE required of them but ONELY THAT THEY BELEEVE cap. 3. Neither working any thing nor requiting the like are they iustified by FAITH ALONE through the gift of God And 1. Cor. 1. This is appointed of god that whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ shalbe saued without any worke BY FAITH ALONE freely receiuing remission of sinnes Augustine There is ONE propitiation for all sinnes to beleeue in Christ. Hesyc on Levit. lib. 1. c. 2. Grace vvhich is of mercy is APPREHENDED BY FAITH ALONE and not of workes Bern. Whosoeuer is pricked for his sinnes and thirsteth after righteousnes let him beleeue in thee who iustifieth the sinner and beeing iustified by FAITH ALONE he shall haue peace with God Chrysost. on Gal. 3. They said he which resteth on faith alone is cursed but Paul shevveth that he is blessed vvhich resteth ON FAITH ALONE Basil. de humil Let man acknovvledge himselfe to want true iustice and that he is iustified ONELY BY EAITH in Christ. Origen on c. 3. Rom. We thinke that a man is iustified by faith without the works of the law and he saith that iustification by faith alone sufficeth so as a man onely beleeuing may be iustified And Therefore it lieth vpon vs to search who was iustified by faith vvithout workes And for an example I thinke vpon the theefe who beeing crucified with Christ cried vnto him Lord remember me vvhen thou commest into thy kingdome and there is no other good worke of his mentioned in the Gospell but for this alone faith Iesus saith vnto him This night thou shalt be with me in Paradise III. Difference The third difference about iustification is concerning this point namely how farforth good works are required thereto The doctrine of the Church of Rome is that there be two kindes of iustification the first and the second as I haue saide The first is when one of an euill man is made a good man and in this workes are wholly excluded it beeing wholly of grace The second is when a man of a iust man is made more iust And this they will haue to proceed from works of grace for say they as a man when he is once borne can by eating and drinking make himselfe a bigger man though he could not at the first make himselfe a man euen so a sinner
crueltie therfore now repent of thine iniquitie and breake off these thy sinnes testifie they repentance by doing iustice and giue almes to the poore whome thou hast oppressed Therfore here is nothing spoken of satisfaction for sinne but onely of testification of repentance by the fruits thereof Obiect VI. Math. 3. 2. Doe penance and bring forth fruits worthy of penance which say they are works of satisfaction inioyned by the priest Ans. This text is absurd for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth thus much change your mindes from sinne to God and testifie it by good workes that is by doing the duties of the morall lawe which must be done not because they are meanes to satisfie Gods iustice for mans sinne but because they are fruits of that faith and repentance which lies in the heart Obiect VII 2. Cor. 7. 10. Paul setteth downe sundrie fruits of repentance whereof the last is revenge wherby repētant persons punish themselues thereby to satisfie Gods iustice for the temporall punishment of their sinnes Ans. A repentant sinner must take reuēge of himselfe that is onely to vse all means which serue to subdue the corruption of his nature to bridle carnall affections and to mortifie sinne and these kinde of actions are restrainments properly and not punishments and are directed against the sinne and not against the person Lastly they make three workes of satisfaction praier fasting and almes deeds For the first it is meere foolishnes to thinke that man by prayer can satisfie for his sinnes It is all one as if they had said that a begger by asking of almes should deserue his almes or that a debter by requesting his creditour to pardon his debt should thereby pay his debt Secondly fasting is a thing indifferent of the same nature with eating drinking and of it selfe conferreth nothing to the obtainement of the kingdome of heauen no more then eating and drinking doth Thirdly and lastly almes deedes cannot be workes of satisfaction for sinnes For when we giue them as we ought we doe but our dutie wherevnto we are bound And we may as well say that a man by paying one debt may discharge another as to say that by doing his dutie he may satisfie Gods iustice for the punishment of his sinnes These we confesse be fruits of faith but yet are they no workes of satisfaction but the onely and all-sufficient satisfaction made to Gods iustice for our sinns is to be found in the person of Christ beeing procured by the merit of his death his obedience And thus our doctrine touching satisfaction is cleared and it is to be learned carefully of our common people because the opinion of humane satisfaction is natural and stickes fast in the heart of naturall men Herevpon when any haue sinned and feele touch of conscience any way their manner is then to performe some outward humiliation and repentance thinking thereby to stoppe the mouth of conscience and by doing some ceremoniall duties to appease the wrath of God for their sinnes Yea many thinke to satisfie Gods iustice by repeating the Creede the Lords prayer and the tenne Commandements so foolish are they in this kinde The seuenth point Of Traditions Traditions are doctrines deliuered from hand to hand either by word of mouth or by writing beside the written word of God Our consent Conclus I. We hold that the very word of God hath beene deliuered by tradition For first God reuealed his will to Adam by word of mouth and renewed the same vnto the Patriarkes not by writing but by speach by dreames and other inspirations and thus the word of God went from man to man for the space of two thousand and foure hūdred yeres vnto the time of Moses who was the first pen-mā of holy scripture For as touching the prophesie of Enoch we commōly hold it was not penned by Enoch but by some Iewe vnder his name And for the space of this time men worshipped God held the articles of their faith by tradition not from men but immediatly from God himselfe And the historie of the newe testament as some say for eightie yeares as some others thinke for the space of twenty yeares and more went from hand to hand by tradition till penned by the Apostles or being penned by others was approoved by them Conclus II. We hould that the Prophets our Sauiour Christ and his Apostles spake and did many things good and true which were not writtē in the scriptures but came either to vs or to our ancetours onely by tradition As 2. Tim. 3. 20. it is saide that Iannes and Iambres were the Magitians that withstood Moses nowe in the books of the old testament we shall not finde them once named and therefore it is like that the Apostle had their names by tradition or by some writings then extant amōg the Iewes So Hebr. 12. 21. the author of the Epistle recordeth of Moses that when he sawe a terrible sight in Mount Sinai he saide I tremble and am afraid which wordes are not to be found in all the bookes of the old testament In the Epistle of Iude mention is made that the deuill stroue with Michaell the Archangel about the body of Moses which point as also the former considering it is not to be found in holy writ it seemes the Apostle had it by tradition from the Iewes That the Prophet Isai was killed with a fullers clubbe is receiued for truth but yet not recorded in Scripture and so likewise that the virgine Marie liued and died a virgine And in Ecclesiasticall writers many worthy sayings of the Apostles and other holy men are recorded and receiued of vs for truth which neuertheles are not set downe in the bookes of the old or new Testament And many things we hold for truth not writtē in the word if they be not against the worde Conclus III. We hold that the Church of God hath power to prescribe ordinances rules or traditiōs touching time place of Gods worshippe and touching order and comelines to be vsed in the same and in this regard Paul 1. Cor. 11. 2. commendeth the Church of Corinth for keeping his traditions and Act. 15. the Councell at Ierusalem decreed that the Churches of the Gentiles should abstaine from blood and from things strangled This decree is tearmed a tradition and it was in force among them so long as the offence of the Iewes remained And this kind of traditions whether made by generall Councels or particular Synods we haue care to maintaine and obserue these caueats being remembred first that they prescribe nothing childish or absurd to be done secondly that they be not imposed as any parts of Gods worship thirdly that they be seuered from superstition or opinion of merit lastly that the Church of God be not burdened with the multitude of them And thus much we hold touching Traditions The difference Papists teach that beside the written word there be certain vnwritten traditions which must
be beleeued as profitable and necessarie to saluation And these they say are two fold Apostolicall namely such as were deliuered by the Apostles and not written and Ecclesiasticall which the Church decreeth as occasion is offered We holde that the Scriptures are most perfect containing in them all doctrines needfull to saluation whether they concerne faith or manners and therefore we acknowledge no such traditions beside the written word which shall be necessarie to saluation so as he which beleeueth them not cannot be saued Our reasons Testimonie I. Deutr. 4. 2. Thou shalt not adde to the wordes that I command thee nor take any thing there from therefore the written word is sufficient for all doctrines pertaining to saluation If it be said that this commandement is spoken as well of the vnwritten as of the written word I answere that Moses speaketh of the written word onely for these very words are a certen preface which he set before a long cōmentatie made of the written lawe for this ende to make the people more attentiue obediēt Testimonie II. Isai 8. 20. To the lawe and to the testimonie If they speake not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Here the Prophet teacheth what must be done in cases of difficultie Men must not runne to the wizard or southsaier but to the lawe and testimony and here he commends the written word as sufficient to resolue all doubtes and scruples in conscience whatsoeuer Testimonie III. Iohn 20. 31. These things were written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ and in beleeuing might haue euerlasting life Here is set downe the full ende of the Gospell and of the whole written word which is to bring men to faith and consequently to saluation and therefore the whole scripture alone is suffient to this ende without traditions If it be said that this place must be vnderstood of Christs miracles onely I answere that miracles without the doctrine of Christ and knowledge of his sufferings can bring no man to life euerlasting therefore the place must be vnderstood of the doctrine of Christ and not of his miracles alone as Paul teacheth Gal. ◠1 8. If we or an Angel from heauen preach vnto you any thing BESIDE THAT which we haue preached let him be accursed And to this effect he blames them that taught but a diuers doctrine to that which he had taught 1. Tim. 1. 3. Testimonie IIII. 2. Tim. 3. 16 17. The vvhole Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnes that the man of God may be absolute beeing made perfect vnto euery good vvorke In these words be cōtained two arguments to proue the sufficiencie of Scripture without vnwritten verities The first that which is profitable to these foure vses namely to teach all necessarie truth to confute all errours to correct faults in manners and to instruct in righteousnes that is to informe all men in all good duties that is sufficient to saluation But Scripture serueth for all these vses and therefore it is sufficient and vnwritten traditions are superfluous The secōd that which can make the man of God that is Prophets and Apostles and the ministers of the word perfect in all the duties of their callings that same word is sufficient to make all other men perfect in all good workes But Gods word is able to make the man of God perfect Therefore it is sufficient to prescribe the true and perfect way to eternall life without the helpe of vnwritten traditions V. The iudgement of the Church Tertull saith Take from heretickes the opinions vvhich they maintaine vvith the heathen that they may defende their questions by SCRIPTVRE ALONE and they cannot stande Againe We neede no curiositie after Christ Iesus nor inquisition after the Gospell When we beleeue it we desire to BELEEVE NOTHING BESIDE for this we first beleeue that there is NOTHING MORE which we may beleeue Hierome on Matth. 23. writing of an opinion that Iohn Baptist was killed because hee foretold the comming of Christ saith thus This because it hath not authoritie from Scriptures may as easily be contemned as approoued In which wordes there is a conclusion with a minor and the maior is to be supplied by the rules of logick thus That which hath not authoritie from Scriptures may as easily be contemned as approoued but this opinion is so therefore Beholde a notable argument against all vnwritten traditions Augustine booke 2. c. 9. de doct Christ. In those things which are plainely set downe in Scripture are found ALL THOSE POINTES VVHICH CONTAINE FAITH AND MANNERS of liuing well Vicentius Lirinen saith the Canon of the Scripture is perfect and fully sufficient to it selfe FOR AL THINGS Beside these testimonies other reasons there be that serue to prooue this point I. The practise of Christ his Apostles who for the confirmation of the doctrine which they taught vsed alwaies the testimony of Scripture neither can it be prooued that they euer confirmed any doctrine by tradition Act. 26. 22. I continue vnto this day witnessing both to small and great saying NONE OTHER THINGS THEN THOSE which the Prophets and Moses did say should come And by this we are giuen to vnderstand that we must alwaies haue recourse to the written word as being sufficient to instruct vs in mattes of saluation II. If the beleeuing of vnwritten traditions were necessarie to saluation then we must as well beleeue the writings of the auncient Fathers as well as the writings of the Apostles because Apostolicall traditions are not else where to be found but in their bookes And we may not beleeue their sayings as the word of God because they oftē erre being subiect to errour and for this cause their authoritie when they speake of traditions may be suspected and we may not alwaies beleeue them vpon their word Obiections for Traditions First they alleadge 2. Thess. 2. 15. where the Apostle biddes that Church keepe the ordinances which he taught them either by worde or letter Hence they gather that beside the written worde there be vnwritten traditions that are indeede necessarie to be kept and obeied Ans. It is very likely that this Epistle to the Thessalonians was the first that euer Paul writ to any Church though in order it haue not the first place and therefore at the time when this Epistle was penned it might well fall out that some things needefull to saluation were deliuered by word of mouth not being as yet written by any Apostle Yet the same things were afterward set downe in writing either in the second epistle or in the epistles of Paul Obiect II. That Scripture is Scripture is a point to be beleeued but that is a tradition vnwritten and therefore one tradition there is not written that we are to beleeue Answ. That the bookes of the old and new Testament are Scripture it is to
present yet was he not actually offered till the fulnes of time came and once offering of himselfe he remaineth a priest for euer al other priests beside him are superfluous his one offering once offered beeing all-sufficient The twelfth point Of fasting Our consent Our consent may be set downe in three conclusions I. We doe not condemne fasting but maintain three sorts therof to wit a morall ciuill and a religious fast The first being moral is a practise of sobrietie or temperance when as in the vse of meates and drinkes the appetite is restrained that it doe not exceede moderation And this must be vsed of all Christians in the whole course of their liues The second beeing ciuill is when vpon some particular and politicke considerations men abstaine from certaine meates as in this our common-wealth the Law inioynes vs to abstaine from flesh-meat at certain seasons of the yere for these special ends to preserue the breed of cattell and to maintaine the calling of the fisherman The third namely a religious fast is when the duties of religion as the exercise of prayer and humilatiō are practised in fasting And I doe now specially intreat of this kind Conclus II. We ioyne with them in the alloweance of the principall and right endes of a religious fast and they are three The first is that thereby the minde may become attentiue in meditation of the duties of godlinesse to be performed The second is that the rebellion of the flesh may be subdued for the flesh pampered becomes an instrument of licentiousnes The third and as I take it the cheefe ende of a religious fast is to professe our guiltinesse and to testifie our humiliation before God for our sinnes and for this ende in the feast of Nineve the very beast was made to abstaine Conclus III. We yelde vnto them that fasting is an helpe and furtherance to the worship of God yea a good worke also if it be vsed in a good manner For though fasting in it selfe being a thing indifferent as eating and drinking are is not to be tearmed a good worke yet being applyed and considered in relation to the right endes before spoken of and practised accordingly it is a worke allowed of God and highly to be esteemed of all the seruants and people of God The difference or dissent Our dissent from the Church of Rome in the doctrine of fasting standes in three things I. They appoint prescribe set times of fasting as necessarie to be kept but we hould and teach that to prescribe the time of a religious fast is in the libertie of the Church and the gouernours thereof as special occasiō shall be offered When the disciples of Iohn asked Christ why they and the Pharises fast often but his disciples fasted not he answered Can the children of the marriage chamber mourne as long as the bridegrome is with them but the daies will come when the bridgrome shall be taken away from them and THEN SHALL THEY FAST Math. 9. 15. where he giues them to vnderstand that they must fast as occasiōs of mourning are offered Where also I gather that a set time of fasting is no more to be inioyned then a set time of mourning It was the opinion of Augustine that neither Christ nor his Apostles appointed any times of fasting and Tertullian saith that they of his time fasted of their owne accords freely without lawe or commandement as occasions and times serued And Eusebius saith that Montanus was the first that made laws of fasting It is obiected that there is a set time of fasting prescribed Lev. 16. 29. Ans. This set and prescribed fast was commanded of God as a part of the legall worship which had his ende in the death of Christ therefore it doth not iustifie a set time of fasting in the new testament where God hath left man to his owne libertie without giuing the like commandement It is againe alleadged that Zacharie 7. 5. there were set times appointed for the celebration of religious fasts vnto the Lord the fifth and the seauenth moneths Ans. They were appointed vpon occasion of the present afflictions of the Church in Babylon and they ceased vpon their deliuerance The like vpon like occasion may we appoint It is further obiected that some Churches of the Protestants obserue set times of fasting Ansvv. In some Churches there be set daies and times of fasting not vpon necessitie or for conscience or religions sake but for politicke or ciuill regardes whereas in the Romish Church it is held a mortall sinne to deferre the set time of fasting till the next day following Secondly we dissent from the Church of Rome touching the manner of keeping a fast For the best learned among them allow the drinking of wine water electuaries that often within the compasse of their appointed fast yea they allowe the eating of one meale on a fasting day at noon tide and vpō a reasonable cause one houre before the time of fasting not yet ended But this practise indeede is absurd contrarie to the practise of the old testament yea it doth frustrate the end of fasting For the bodyly abstinence is an outward meanes and signe whereby we acknowledge our guiltines and vnworthines of any of the blessings of God Againe they prescribe a difference of meates as white-meat onely to be vsed on their fasting daies and that of necessity and for conscience sake in most cases But we hold this distinction of meates both to be foolish and wicked Foolish because in such meats as they prescribe there is as much filling and delight as in any other meates as namely in fish fruits wine c. which they permit And its against the end of a religious fast to vse any refreshing at all so farre as necessitie of health and comelines will permit Thus the Church in times past vsed to abstain not onely frō meat drinke but from all delights whatsoeuer euen from soft apparel and sweet ointments Ioel 2. 15. Sanctifie a fast let the BRIDGROME GOE FORTH OF HIS CHAMBER and the bride out of hir bride chamber Dan. 10. 3. I eate no PLEASANT bread neither came FLESH NOR VVINE within my mouth neither did I ANNOINT my selfe at all till three weekes of daies were fulfilled 1. Cor. 7. 5. Defraud not one an other EXCEPT it be with consent for a time that ye may giue your selues to FASTING and praier Againe we hold this practise to be wicked because it taketh away the libertie of Christiās by which vnto the pure all things are pure And the Apostle Gal. 5. bids vs to standfast in this libertie which the Church of Rome would thus abolish For the better vnderstanding of this let vs consider howe the Lord himselfe hath from the beginning kept in his owne handes as a master in his owne house the disposition of his creatures for the vse of man that he might depend on him and his word for
some fewe but all and euery commaundement of the lawe of God as Dauid saith psal 119. 6. Then should I not be confounded when I haue respect to AL THY COMMANDEMENTS And this endeauour is a fruite of perfection in that it proceedes from a man regenerate For as all men through Adams fall haue in them by nature the seedes of all sinne none excepted no not the sinne against the holy Ghost so by grace of regeneration through Christ all the faithfull haue in them likewise the seedes of all vertues needefull to saluation and hereupon they both can and doe indeauour to yeelde perfect obedience vnto God according to the whole law And they may be tearmed perfect as a childe is called a perfect man though it want perfection of age and stature and reason yet hath it perfection of parts because it hath all and euery part and faculty both of body soule that is required to a perfect man Conclus II. There be certaine works of supererogation that is such works as are not onely answerable to the law and thereupon deserue life euerlasting but goe beyonde the lawe and merit more then the lawe by it selfe can make any man to merit But where may we finde these works not in the person of any meere man or angel nor in all men and angels but onely in the person of Christ God and man whose workes are not onely answerable to the perfection of the law but goe farre beyond the same For first the obedience of his life cōsidered alone by it selfe was answerable euen to the rigour of the lawe and therefore the sufferings of his death and passion were more then the lawe could require at his hand considering it requireth no punishment of him that is a doer of all things conteyned therein Secondly the very rigour of the lawe requireth obedience onely of them that are meere men but the obedience of Christ was the obedience of a person that was both God man Thirdly the lawe requires personall obedience that is that euery man fulfill the lawe for himselfe and it speaks of no more Now the obedience which Christ performed was not for himselfe alone but it serueth also for all the elect and considering it was the obedience of God as Paul signified whē he said feede the Church of God which HE purchased VVITH HIS BLOOD it was sufficient for many thousand worlds and by reason the law requireth no obedience of him that is God this obedience therefore may truely be tearmed a worke of supererrogation This one we acknowledge and beside this we dare acknowledge none And thus farre we agree with the Church of Rome in the doctrine of the estate of perfection and further we dare not goe The difference The Papists hold as the writings of the learned among them teach that a man being in the state of grace may not onely keepe all the commandements of the law and thereby deserue his owne saluation but also goe beyond the law and doe workes of supererrogation which the lawe requireth not as to performe the vow of single life and the vow of regular obedience c. And by this means they say men deserue a greater degree of glorie then the law can afoard Of perfection they make two kinds one they cal necessarie perfection which is the fulfilling of the law in euery commandement whereby eternall life is deserued The second is profitable perfection when men do not onely such things as the lawe requires but ouer and besides they make certen vowes and performe certaine other duties which the lawe inioynes not for the doing whereof they shall be rewarded with a greater measure of glorie then the lawe designeth This they make plaine by comparison Two soldiers fight in the field vnder one and the same captaine the one onely keepes his standing and thereby deserues his pay the other in keeping of his place doth also winne the enemies standard or doe some other notable exploit now this man besides his pay deserues some greater reward And thus say they it is with all true Catholickes in the state of grace they that keepe the lawe shal haue life eternal but they that doe more then the law as workes of supererrogation shall be crowned with greater glorie This is their doctrine But we on the cōtrarie teach that albeit we are to striue to a perfection as much as we can yet no man can fulfill the lawe of God in this life much lesse do works of supererrogation for the confirmatiō wherof these reasons may be vsed I. In the moral law two things are commanded First the loue of God and man Secondly the manner of this loue now the manner of louing God is to loue him with all our heart and strength Luc. 10. 27. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule with all thy strength AND VVITH ALL THY THOVGHT c. As Bernard saide the measure of louing God is to loue him vvithout measure and that is to loue him with the greatest perfectiō of loue that can befall a creature Hence it followes that in louing God no man can possibly doe more then the lawe requireth and therefore the performance of all vowes whatsoeuer and all like duties comes short of the intention or scope of the law II. Reason The compasse of the law is large and comprehendeth in it more then the minde of man can at the first conceiue for euery commaundement hath two parts the negatiue and the affirmatiue In the negatiue is forbidden not onely the capitall sinne named as murther theft adulterie c. but all sinnes of the same kinde with all occasions and prouocations thereto And in the affirmatiue is commanded not onely the contrarie vertues as the loue of God and the loue of our neighbours honour life chastitie goods good name but the vse of all helps and meanes wherby he said the vertues may be preserued furthered and practised Thus hath our Sauiour Christ himselfe expounded the lawe Math. chap. 5. and 6. vpon this plaine ground I conclude that all duties pertaining to life and manners come within the list of some morall commaundement And that the Papists making their workes of supererogation meanes to further the loue of God and man must needs bring them vnder the cōpasse of the lawe Vnder which if they be they can not possibly goe beyond the same Reason III. Luc. 17. 20. When ye haue done all those things that are commanded vs we are vnprofitable seruantes we haue done that which was our duty to doe The Papists answere that we are vnprofitable to God but not to our selues but this shift of theirs is beside the very intent of the place For a seruant in doing his dutie is vnprofitable euen to himselfe and doth not so much as deserue thankes at his masters hand as Christ saith v. 9. Doth he thanke that seruant Secondly they answer that we are vnprofitable seruants in doing things cōmaunded yet
when they are dying they should hold practise euery day while they are liuing In the last cōclusiō they teach that we must not onely beleeue in generall but also apply vnto our selues the promises of life euerlasting But they differ from vs in the very manner of applying They teach that the promise is to be applied not by faith assuring vs of our owne saluation but onely by hope in likelihood coniecturall We hould that wee are bound in dutie to apply the promise of life by faith without making doubt thereof and by hope to continue the certentie after the apprehension made by faith We doe not teach that all and euerie man liuing within the precincts of the Church professing the name of Christ is certen of his saluation and that by faith but that he ought so to be and must indeauour to attaine thereto And here is a great point in the mysterie of iniquitie to be considered for by this vncerten application of the promise of saluatiō and this wauering hope they ouerturne halfe the doctrine of the gospell For it inioynes two things first to beleeue the promises therof to be true in themselues secondly to beleeue by faith to applie them vnto our selues And this latter part without which the former is voide of comfort is quite ouerturned The reasons which they alleadge against our doctrine I haue answered before now therfore I let them passe To conclude though in coloured tearmes they seeme to agree with vs in doctrine concerning faith yet indeed they deny abolish the substance therof namely the particular certen application of Christ crucified and his benefits vnto our selues Again they faile in that they cut off the principall dutie office of true sauing faith which is to apprehend and to applie the blessing promised The XXI point Of Repentance Our consent Conclus I. That repentance is the conuersion of a sinner There is a twofold conuersion passiue and actiue passiue is an action of God whereby he conuerteth man beeing as yet vnconuerted Actiue is an action wherby man beeing once turned of God turnes himselfe and of this latter must this conclusion be vnderstood For the first cōuersion considering it is a worke of God turning vs vnto himselfe is not the repentance whereof the Scripture speaketh so oft but it is called by the name of regeneration and repentance whereby we beeing first turned of God doe turne our selues and doe good works is the fruit thereof Conclus II. That repentance standes specially for practise in contrition of heart confession of mouth satisfaction in work or deede Touching contrition there be two kinds thereof Legal and Euangelical Legal contrition is nothing but a remorse of conscience for sinne in regard of the wrath and iudgement of God and it is no grace of God at all nor any part or cause of repentance but onely an occasion thereof and that by the mercie of God for of it selfe it is the sting of the law and the very entrance into the pit of hell Euangelical contrition is when a repentant sinner is greeued for his sinnes not so much for feare of hell or any other punishment as because he hath offended displeased so good mercifull a God This contrition is caused by the ministerie of the Gospell and in the practise of repentance it is alwaies necessarie and goes before as the beginning thereof Secondly we holde and maintaine that confession is to be made and that in sundrie respects first to God both publikely in the congregation and also priuately in our secret and priuate prayers Secondly to the Church when any person hath openly offended the congregation by any crime and is therefore excommunicate Thirdly to our priuate neighbour when we haue vpon any occasion offended and wronged him Mat. 5. 23. If thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee goe first and be reconciled to him now reconciliation presupposeth confession Lastly in all true repentance we holde and acknowledge there must be satisction made first to God and that is when wee intreate him in our supplications to acecpt the death and passion of Christ as a full perfect and sufficient satisfaction for all our sinnes Secondly it is to be made vnto the Church after excommunication for publike offences and it stands in duties of humiliatiō that fitly serue to testifie the truth of our repentance Thirdly satisfaction is to be made to our neighbour because if he be wronged he must haue recompence and restitution made Luc. 19. 8. and there repentance may iustly be suspected where no satisfaction is made if it lie in our power Conclus III. That in repentance we are to bring forth outward fruites worthie amendment of life for repentance it selfe is in the heart and therefore must be testified in all manner of good workes whereof the principall is to endeauour day by day by Gods grace to leaue and renounce all and euery sinne and in all things to doe the will of God And here let it be remembered that we are not patrones of licentiousnes and enemies of good workes For though we exclude them from the acte of our iustification and saluation yet we maintaine a profitable and necessarie vse of them in the life of euery Christian man This vse is threefold in respect of God of man of our selues Workes are to be done in respect of God that his commandements may be obeied 1. Ioh. 5. 12. that his will may be done 1. Thess. 4. 3. that we may shew our selues to be obedient children to God our father 1. Pet. 1. 14. that we may shewe our selues thankefull for our redemption by Christ Tit. 2. 14. that we might not grieue the spirit of God Eph. 4. 30. but walke according to the same Gal. 5. 22. that God by our good workes may be glorified Math. 5. 16. that we may be good followers of God Eph. 5. v. 1. Againe workes are to be done in regard of men that our neighbour may be helped in worldly things Luc. 6. 38. that he may be wonne by our example to godlines 1. Pet. 3. 14. that we may preuent in our selues the giuing of any offence 1. Cor. 10. 32. that by doing good wee may stop the mouthes of our aduersaries Thirdly lastly they haue vse in respect of our selues that we may shew our selues to be new creatures 2. Cor. 5. 17. that we may walke as the children of light Eph. 5. 8. that we haue some assurance of our faith and of our saluation 2. Pet. 1. 8 10. that we may discerne deade and counterfait faith from true faith I am 2. 17. that faith and the gifts of God may be exercised and continued vnto the ende 2. Tim. 1. 6. that the punishments of sinne both temporall eternall may be preuented psal 89. 32. that the rewarde may be obtained which God freely in mercie hath promised to men for their good works Gal. 6. 9. The
they worshippe not images but God and Saints in images for neither God nor the Saints doe acknowledge this kinde of honour but they abhorre it Whence it followes necessarily that they worshippe nothing beside the image or the deuise of their owne braine in which they faine to them selues such a God as will be worshipped and receiue our praiers at images It will be saide that the Papists doe no otherwise tie the worship and inuocation of God to images then God tied himselfe to the sanctuarie and the temple of Salomon And I say againe it was the will of God that he would shewe his presence and be worshipped at the Sanctuarie and the Iewes had the warrant of Gods word for it but we haue no like warrant either by promise or commandement to tie Gods presence to an image or crucifix Againe reason yet further may discouer their idolatrie They which worship they know not what worship an idol but the Papists worship they know not what I proue it thus To the coÌ„secratioÌ„ of the host there is required the intention of the priest at the lest vertually as they say if this be true it follows that none of theÌ„ can come to the Masse or praie in faith but he must alwaies doubt of that which is lifted vp by the haÌ„ds of the priest in the masse whether it be bread or the body and blood of Christ. For none can haue any certeÌ„ty of the intention of the priest in consecrating this bread and this wine but rather may haue a iust occasion of doubting by reason of the common ignorance and loosenes of life in such persons Thirdly the commaundement touching the Sabbath giues a libertie to worke sixe daies in the ordinarie affaires of our callings and this libertie cannot be repealed by any creature The Church of Rome therfore erreth in that it prescribeth set and ordinarie â—â—stiuall daies not onely to God but also to Saints inioyning them as straitly and with as much solemnitie to be obserued as the Sabbath of the Lord. Fourthly the third commandement or as they say the fourth inioynes children to obey father and mother in all things specially in matters of moment as in their marriage and choise of their callings and that euen to death and yet the Church of Rome against the intent of this commandement allowes that clandestine marriages and the vowe of religion shall be in force though they be without and against the consent of wise and careful parents Fiftly the last commandement of lust forbids the first motions to sinne that are before consent I prooue it thus Lusting is forbidden in the former commandements as well as in the last yea lusting that is ioyned with consent as in the commandement thou shalt not commit adulterie is forbidden lusting after our neighbours wife and in the next lusting after our neighbours goods c. Now if the last commandement also forbid no more but lust with consent it is confouÌ„ded with the rest and by this meanes there shal not be ten distinct words or commandements which to say is absurd it remaines therfore that the lust here forbidden goes before consent Againe the Philosophers knewe that lust with consent was euil euen by the light of nature but Paul a learned Pharise and therefore more then a philosopher knewe not Lust to be sinne that is forbidden in this commandement Rom. 7. Lust therefore that is forbidden here is without consent Wicked then is the doctrine of the Romane Church teaching that in euery mortall sinne is required an act commanded of the will and hence they say many thoughts against faith and vncleane imaginations are no sinnes 6 Lastly the words of the second commandement And shew mercy to thousands on them that loue me and keepe my commandements ouerthrowes all humane merits For if the reward be giuen of mercy to them that keepe the lawe it is not giuen for the merit of the worke done To come to the third part of the Catechisme the Lords praier is a most absolute and perfect forme of praier For which cause it was called of Tertullian the Breuiarie of the Gospell and Caelestinus saith the lawe of praying is the law of beleeuing and the lavv of vvorking Nowe in this praier we are taught to direct our prayers to God alone Our father c and that onely in the name and mediation of Christ. For God is our father onely by Christ. It is needles therefore to vse any inuocation of Saints or to make them our Mediatours of intercession vnto God and it is sufficient if we pray onely vnto God in the name of Christ alone 2. In the fourth petition we say thus Giue vs our daily bread In which words we acknowledge that euery morsell of bread is the meere gift of God VVhat madnes then is it for vs to thinke that we should merit the kingdome of heauen by works that can not merit so much as bread 3 In the next petition Forgiue vs our debts foure opinions of the Romane religion are directly ouerthrowne The first is concerning humane Satisfactions For the childe of God is here after his conuersion taught to humble himselfe day by day and to praie for the pardon of his daily sinnes now to make satisfaction and to sue for pardon be contrary The second opinion here ouerthrowne is touching merits For we doe acknowledge our selues to be debters vnto God yea bankrupts and that beside the maine summe of many thousand talents we daily increase the debt therefore we can not possiby merit any of the blessings of God It is meere madnes to thinke that they which cannot pay their debts but rather increase them day by day should deserue or purchase any of the goods of the creditors or the pardon of their debts if any fauour be shewed them it comes of merre good-will without the least desert In a word this must be thought vpon that if al we can doe will not keepe vs from increasing the maine summe of our debt much lesse shall we be able by any merit to diminnish the same By good right therefore doe all the seruants of God cast downe themselues and praie Forgiue vs our debts The 3. opinion is that punishment may be retained the fault being wholly remitted but this cannot stand for here sinne is called our debt because by nature we owe vnto God obedience for the defect of this paiment we further owe vnto him the forfiture of punishment Sinne then is called our debt in respect of the punnishment And therefore when we pray for the pardon of sinne we require the pardon not onely of fault but of the whole punishment And when a debt is pardoned it is absurd to thinke that the least paiment should remaine The fourth opinion is that a man in this life may fulfill the lawe whereas in this place euery seruant of God is taught to aske a daily pardoÌ„ for the breach of the law Answer is made that our daily sinnes are