state of the Church vnder the gospell being free the true beleeuers being children of that church are iustified through faith made heires of God through hope and remaine in Gods house for euer And as Hagar being a bondseruant her sonne could bee no otherwise but a bond slaue and so both were cast out of Abrahams house for euer So the couenant of workes and the estate of the church vnder the law in them which sought righteousnes any where but in the promise made afore vnto Abraham in as much as no man is able to performe the law engendreth vnto the bondage of sinne death and damnation and as many as seeke to bee iustified by their workes are vnder the curse and therefore to bee cast out of Gods house for euer euen as in the examples of Iewes and gentils the Apostle speaketh plainely c Rom. 9.30 What shall we say then that the Gentils which followed not righteousnes haue attained vnto righteousnesse euē to the righteousnes which is of faith But Israel which followed the law of righteousnesse could not attaine to the law of righteousnes wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the workes of the law Here I do humbly confesse that I should neuer haue beene able to haue read this doctrine in these great letters if the hand of the master builder the Apostle of the gentils had not pointed it out vnto mee by the finger of Gods spirit For in the Epistle to the Galathians hauing proued and declared by many arguments that we are iustified by faith and not by workes at all and shewing the vse of the law to bee so farre from iustifying by workes that it was ordained onely to driue vs from works vnto Christ to be iustified by faith in him At the length he calleth his reader to looke vpon this table wherin this doctrine is purtraied in the house of Abraham and so plainly interpreteth it that euerie nouice in religion may perceiue it saying a Gal. 4.21 Tell me ye that will be vnder the law do ye not heare the law for it is written that Abraham had two sonnes one by a seruant and one by a free woman but he which was of the seruant was borne after the flesh hee which was of the free woman was borne by promise By the which things an other thing is ment for these mothers are the two testaments the one which is Agar of mount Sina which gendereth vnto bondage for Agar or Sina is a mountaine in Arabia aunswereth to Hierusalem which now is she is in bondage with her children but Hierusalem which is aboue is free which is mother of vs all c. Now that we may heare Moses consent this verie doctrine doth the law it selfe teach For although it be called the ministerie b 2. Cor. 3.9 Rom. 4.15 of condemnation and that which causeth wrath yet is it not in the nature of the law so to doe for it is c Rom. 7.12 holy and pure but in the corruption of our nature infected with originall sinne Who first are vnable either with d Verse 24. Iacob 4.2 grace or e Rom. 8.7 without grace to fulfill it and therfore the law accurseth vs saying f Deut. 27.26 Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euerie one which continueth not in all the wordes of this law to do them And secondly without the speciall grace of God wee cannot vse the law of God aright for there g Cor. 3.13.14 hangeth a vaile of ignorance and hardnes of heart ouer our eyes in reading of the law that we can not see the end why the law serueth and so we are enthralled as were the Iewes as the Apostle teacheth h They being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and going about to establish their owne righteousnes haue not submitted themselues to the righteousnesse of God But if wee turne to the Lord and his spirit set vs at libertie then shall wee see how that the law and couenant of workes which vnto vnbeleeuers and them which seeke to bee iustified by their workes engendereth bondage is a verie good and necessarie seruant and handmaide to the gospel as it is written a Rom. 3.21 The righteousnes of God is made manifest without the law hauing witnesse of the law and the prophets to wit the righteousnesse of God by faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And this seruice of the lawe vnto the gospell in bearing witnesse the Apostle most liuely expresseth where hee saith b Gal. 3.22 Is the law then against the promise of God God forbid For if there had beene a law which could haue giuen life surely righteousnesse should haue beene by the law but the scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ shoulde bee giuen to them that beleeue Whereby you may learne that the lawe is so farre from iustifying that thereby it should hinder the iustifying by faith onely in the promise that it determineth all men to bee sinners and maketh it manifest that if wee desire to bee iustified we must runne to the promise by faith in Iesus Christ And in another place he sheweth a further witnesse of the law saying c Rom. 5.20 The law entred that the offence might abound neuerthelesse where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more Whereby he teacheth vs two thinges first that the law making sinne appeare as hee saith els where d Cap. 7.13 out of measure sinfull was a schoolemaster to driue men to Christ that beleeuing in him they might bee righteous by not imputing their sinnes The second that by so much as by the law man seeth his owne corruption and cursed estate for breaking the law by so much the more aboundantly doeth appeare vnto him the rich grace of God in Iesus Christ And this is not all the witnesse of the lawe For all the priesthoode of Aaron and of the Leuites the Tabernacle Altars the Arke and all the instrumentes sacrifices washinges feastes c. What doe they argue but as the holy ghost saith e Heb. 10.7 a remembraunce of sinne euerie yeare and so declared that they neede a better sacrifice which was Christ by which they should bee purged as it is taught els where f Heb. 9.15 For this cause is Christ the mediator of the new testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions that were in the former testament they which are called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritance So did the g 1. Cor. 10.1.2 rocke streaming out water after them sende them to Christ and the man was a spirituall meate to shew them Christ Yea this verie way of iustification did the brasen serpent teach them when they were stunge with fierie serpents in the wildernesse Numb 21.4.8.9 for tempting of God That as they had nothing in or of themselues to ease them or free them from
present death and God caused this brasen serpent to be set vp that by onely looking thereon they should be healed so did it signifie that by onely faith in Iesus Christ the sting of sin being done away wee should bee iustified and saued As our sweet Sauiour himselfe doth testifie saying b Ioh. 3.14.15 As Moses lift vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man bee lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Now the prophets draw neere and are readie to protest vnto vs and to shew their witnesse First to teach vs that wee cannot bee iustified nor satisfie by workes Thus they crie out c Psal 150.3 If thou Lord straitly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand c. d Psal 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth bee iustified And that faith onely iustifieth God himselfe saith e Esai 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for hee shall beare their iniquities And againe f Aback 2.4 Behold hee that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright in him but the iust shall liue by faith Who can speake more plainely Therefore the Apostle by this place excludeth workes saying g Gal. 3.11 That no man is iustified by the law in the sight of God it is manifest for the iust shall liue by faith And againe he alleadgeth it to teach that by faith wee are iustified saying that by the gospell h Rom. 1.17 The righteousnesse of God is reueiled from faith to faith as it is written the iust shall liue by faith Heare wee also what the gospell saith i Ioh. 20.31 These thinges are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God that in beleeuing yee might haue life through his name Which is opened in another place excluding workes of merite or satisfaction k Rom. 3.23 There is no difference for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glorie of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set foorth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood And that it may appeare that workes are altogether shut out and faith the onely instrument of iustification he saith a little after vpon diuers arguments a ver 28. We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law and in an other place b Eph. 2.8.9 By grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man should bost himselfe vnto al which the church of England subscribeth and calleth the Lorde c Hier. 26.6 our righteousnes and saith d Artic. 11. of the iustification of man we are accompted righteous before God onely for the merit of our Lord and Sauiour Christ by faith and not for our owne workes or deseruings Wherefore that we are iustified by faith onely it is a most wholsom doctrin c. Thus we see the honor of faith onely that is to iustifie and saue through the apprehending of Iesus Christ So learned Abraham Moses the Prophets and Apostles being taught of God and so beleeueth and professeth the Church and Realme of England The Lord increase it more and more in vs and among vs in all heauenly wisedom and spirituall vnderstanding according to the blessed Gospell of our louing Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ The seuenth article of the estate of the regenerate in regard of his sanctification or inherent righteousnes 7. In this life the regenerate in Christ offend in many thinges through sinfull concupiscence and the best workes of the iust man were it not for his faith could not abide the seueritie of God IN this article are two things imperfection in the good workes of the regenerate and many escapes into euill and in both the cause is this that there is in the regenerate concupiscence remaining after Baptisme which is sin and rebelling against the spirit it bringeth forth sin and staineth our well doing Yet being vnder grace through faith it should not haue dominion ouer vs to destroy vs because as in the former article we are iust and saued by faith in Christ onely so that the gift of regeneration newnes of life is but as it were a thing begun in this life as the knowledge of a childe is vnperfect But when corruption and mortalitie shal be done away in the resurrection of the iust we shal be deliuered into the glorious libertie of the sons of God and then shall we be perfect resting in the place e 2. Pet. 3.13 Wherein dwelleth righteousnes This imperfection you shal see in Abraham if you consider how through weakenesse he f Gen. 12. 20. 16. 11. twise hazarded his wiues honestie to saue his owne life that his wife deuised and he consented to take his bond seruant lastly that he greeued to put away the bond seruant and her son although God accepting for their faiths sake the good workes of his seruants doth couer their sins and therefore doth not bewray or expresse Abrahams wants in the good things for which he is commended as namely and especially in offering vp of his son Isaack yet for so much as the holy ghost declareth that the excellencie and a Heb. 11.6.17 goodnes of them stoode in this that they were done by faith and so by faith pleased God it argueth that God couereth their corruption in his free couenant of grace to encourage all other his children that although her workes cannot bee but vnferfect yet they would walke in faith and truth as did their father Abraham A witnes hereof was his alter wherein he offering praier and sacrifices to be accepted in Christ did by this maner of dooing acknowledge his wants euen in the best of his dooinges otherwise hee needed not to approach vnto God vnder the shadowe of a mediator But that which is not so plainly set downe in Abrahā is more apparantly reueiled in his seed by Moses Moses Aaron and Miriam who seemed to be the most sanctified of sixe hundred thousand are yet found guiltie by their workes of Gods displeasure b Exod. 32. Aaron maketh the golden calfe c Num. 12. Miriam for murmuring against Moses is made a leaper for certaine daies and d Cap. 20.10.11.12 Moses for his vnaduised words that he sanctified not God at the waters of Meribah hath this marke of imperfection set vpon him that hee must not passe ouer Iordan into that good lande which was promised to their fathers and for which hee brought Israel out of Aegypt There haue you e Leuit. 12. 13. 14. 15 a punishment for him that smiteth his neighbour vnawares or against his will and 4. and 5. there haue you a sacrifice for the magistrate neer whose city any man is found
slaine yea there is a sacrifice for the leaper the running issue for women newely deliuered of child and for touching any vncleane thing for vnwittingly speking or doing any euil which one perceiueth not all sins of ignorance had their sacrifice what doe all these mean but the sin of concupiscence imperfection in the regenerate And whē he saith thou f Exod. 20.17 Rom. 7.7 shalt not lust he declareth plainly that this concupiscence in the regenerate is sin as the holie Apostle doth expound it And as touching the want or vncleanes in good works there is an especial feast g Leuit. 16. of reconciliation to purge the holie sanctuary the tabernacle of the congregation to cleanse the alter to make atonement for the priest for al the people of the congregation that this shal be don once euery yere where in euerie soule shal humble himselfe what doth this argue but that the best things and workes of the best men are vncleane and haue neede to be cleansed by faith in Iesus Christes holie sacrifice But the prophets speake yet more plainely First the Psalmist saith a Psal 19.12 Who can vnderstand his faultes cleanse me from secrete faultes b Psal 119.5 O that my waies were directed to keepe thy statutes c Psal 141.4 Set a watch before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips incline not my hart vnto euill c. These wordes shewe directly and expresly the sinfull concupiscence in man regenerate to cause sinne vnawares and secret and that the children of God saw their owne inhabilitie vnto good thinges and that no regenerate man could doe all Gods commandements especially at all times to which the preacher accordeth saying d Eccl. 7.22 Surely there is no man iust in the earth that doth good and sinneth not and as touching the sinne of their good workes they teach the Church to confesse and say e Esai 69.6 Wee haue been all as an vncleane things and all our righteousnes as filthie cloutes vpon this the gospell speaking of the regenerate saith f Gal. 5.17 The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrarie one to an other so that ye cannot doe the same thinges that yee woulde wherefore the regenerate man confesseth this and saith g Rom. 7.19 I doo not the good things which I would but the euill which I would not that doo I which sheweth expressely the imperfection of the regenerate and righteous man in this life that hee hath sinne in him and cannot but sinne yea in his best deeds For where such resistance is there must needes be weakenesse and sinne and therefore in this place h ver 7. concupiscence in the regenerate is directly called sinne And Saint i Iacob 3.2 Iames confesseth that in manie thinges wee sinne all And that wee may further see our imperfection in our best dooings this also doth the regenerate k 1. Cor. 4.4 acknowledge that although in some one thing he doo knowe nothing by him selfe as the Apostle in his ministerie yet he is not thereby iustified thereby teaching that a good man cannot see what escapes there be in his perfectest doings as God can therfore he wil not cleere himselfe no not in that wherin he cannot accuse himselfe for seeing as elsewhere he affirmeth l Rom. 7.21 When he would doo good euil is present with him it must needs follow that although the regenerate man do not in euerie action perceiue it yet this euill concupiscence which is alway present with him doth make his good deedes vnperfect and sinne that it cannot aunswere to the righteousnes of the law nor stand before Gods iudgment seate if he should iudge by mans deeds according to the law and not by his faith according to the gospel and therfore the spirit of God a 1. Ioh. 5.3.4 teacheth that the reason why Gods commandemēts are not greeuous to the beleeuer is our faith by which we haue victorie ouer the worlde Then may I boldly conclude that Abraham Moses the Prophets and Apostles felt and found this doctrin to be true that in the regenerate man there is sinful concupiscence which dwelling in our harts and resisting the spirit doth not onely make vs sin in many things but also stayneth our best deedes with greeuous spottes of corruption and imperfection in Gods sight so that only faith in Christ must be our b Ephe. 6.16 shield against the firie darts of the Diuel and c 1. Pet. 1.5 by faith onely doth God preserue vs through his power vnto eternal saluation And this is for certainty the doctrine which the church of England now holdeth For we publish to all the worlde that Although for Christ sake d Artic. 9. of original sin there is no condemnation to the regenerate and beleeuing yet concupiscence in it selfe is verie sin and that e Artic. 12. of good workes our good workes which are fruits of faith and follow after iustification cannot put away our sins and endure the seueritie of Gods iudgement And that f Artic. 15. Christ onely without sin Christ onely was without sin as a lambe without spot but we although we be baptised and borne againe in Christ yet we offend in many things g Apolog. cap. 19. diuis 1. The most righteous person is an vnprofitable seruant the law of God is perfect and requireth of vs perfect and ful obedience we are able by no meanes to fulfill that law in this worldly life Therefore it is clere that in this article also we consent and agree to the most ancient and catholike faith of the fathers law Prophets and Apostles of Christ The eight article of the right place and vse of good woorkes 8. Good workes are the fruits of the iustified Christians and do make knowen their true and liuely faith and where they are not their faith is dead THis article doth declare that although by faith onely we are iust in Gods sight made heires of saluation without any workes of our owne as causes adiuuant and concurrent and that the law cannot iustifie or saue any man yet in the true religion allowed of God good workes are not excluded altogether neither is the law so abolished as that it were not our dutie to liue godly and vprightly according to the law But according to the law of iustice they hauing no place in the matter and causing of saluation should yet haue their own proper right place and honour according to their dignity vse and vertue For if by the law and good workes wee all haue been iustified it had been their due place to haue ioined them in that article of iustification and to haue honored them with the glorie of merite and deseruing but because we men are so corrupt that in this life our good workes attaine not to the righteousnes which the law exacteth wee must graunt them a lower place euen so great
Gen. 20.7 cap. 49 1. prophets did tel of things to come ordred the church in the families as they were g 2. Pet. 1.21 Gen. 15. 17. 21. c. guided by the spirite of God in prophesie or receiued commandement by vision or dreame from God Vnder the law there is the h This is taught in Exodus Numbers Leuiticus expounded in Deuteronomy all the prophets priesthood in the house of Aaron the Leuites vnder thē attend vpon the holy administration by diuers orders and ordināces keeping the people vnder the pure religion of faith loue Vnder the gospel there be also diuers i 1. Cor. 12.4.5.6 c. Mat. 28.19 Ephes 4.11 Rom. 15.18.19 administrations giftes and works set in the church to rule and feede the flocke of Christ to make them obedient to the faith in worde and deed And the k Math. 13.17 cap. 11.11 2. Cor. 3. manifestation of the spirit is more excellent abundant in the latter times then in the former Now in these three times you may see touching these ceremonies and maner of gouernment great difference and that the word of God doth not esteeme of these outward thinges as of the substance of religion vnchangeable as he doth of the inward and spirituall namely faith and loue And first as touching the time before the law Christ teacheth that the Iewes could not be Abrahams children l Ioh. 8.39 because they did not the works of Abraham which workes are not in ceremonies and maner of gouernment for they were two curious in those things and therefore Christ saith in another place m Math. 9.13 Go and learne what this meaneth I will haue mercie and not sacrifice Thereby declaring the morall duties of loue to be substantiall in a religious profession not ceremonies as sacrifice washing tithinge c. And S. Paul on the other side saith thus a Rom. 4.10.11.12 Abrahams faith was imputed to him for righteousnes before hee was circumcised and that after he receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnesse of the faith which he had when he was vncircumcised that he should bee the father of all them that beleeue Where hee sheweth that Abrahams religion whereby hee was iust before God was his faith and that was before hee was circumcised and without circumcision then his circumcision was onely a signe and a seale to strengthen his faith in sealing vp of his righteousnesse but not of the matter or substaunce of his righteousnesse Secondly that this was so deuided that the gentilles which were not circumcised might bee iustified through the same faith without the obseruing of the lawe and the Iewes though circumcised were not iustified except they walked in the steppes of Abrahams faith So that herein consisteth Abrahams religion euen in his faith and walking in the steppes thereof the ceremonies were onely ornamentes and outward helpes to the same After which manner the prophetes also do interprete the law For when the people preferred the ceremonies and maner of gouernment before the morall dueties and faith Esay saith vnto them b Esai 1.10 Heare the word of the Lord O princes of Sodom herken vnto the law of our God O people of Gomorrah What haue I to do with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord c. Where he calleth thē frō the foolish and curious obseruation of ceremonies and maner of gouernment c vers 16. Repentance and the fruites thereof according to loue and of faith in the consent and obedience to Gods word and mercy d vers 19. And in another place he saith that e cap. 66.1.2 God esteemeth neither temple nor sacrifice but the humble and contrite heart who trembleth at his word Hereof Hieremie f Hier. 7.3.4 Amend your waies and your works I will let you dwell in this place trust not in lying wordes saying the temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord c. For this cause the Psalmist sheweth that the end g Psal 78.5.7 why God gaue Israel his law that they should teach it there posteritie was this That they might set their hope on God and not forget the workes of God but keepe his commandements And the cause of all the plagues was not in regard of ceremonies or maner of gouernment for he saith h Psal 50.8 I wil not reproue thee for thy sacrifices but for their falling away from faith as it is written a Psal 106.13.14.24 They forgat his workes waited not for his counsell but lusted with concupiscence c. and beleeued not his worde And therefore it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrewes b Heb. 3.2 The word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it So likewise in the whole tenor of the gospell what is the principall aime of the holy Ghost to make men religious are not these two namely faith and loue is not the summe of the gospel in these two c Marc. 1.15 Repent beleeue the gospell Did not Paul say that when he taught the Ephesians all the counsell of God that he taught them d Act. 20.20.21 Repentance towardes God faith in Iesus Christ and what is this els but that wee should leaue the wickednesse of our heartes and liues and walke in all dueties of loue to God and man and hold fast his holy couenant by a true liuely faith Therefore he saith els where that e Gal. 5.6 in Iesus Christ neither circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Where by circumcision he meaneth the ceremonies and maner of gouernment of the law as hee expoundeth it verse 3. and so contrarily vncircumcision signifieth the order and maner of the gentils Therefore these outward thinges are not the maine substance but onely faith and loue Hereof it is that the spirite of God commendeth the f Eph. 1.15 Coloss 1.4 1. Thes 1.3 churches for their faith and loue hope and patience and Saint Paul speaking of himselfe sheweth how hee became a religious Christian saying g 1. Tim. 2.13 Before I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and an oppressor but I was receiued to mercie c. but the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and loue which is in Christ Iesus Whereby you see that a wicked life and vnbeliefe make a prophane and irreligious person but faith and loue a true and religious Christian And hereof followeth the difference betweene an hipocrite and a true Christian the one is altogether superstitious in outward thinges h Mat. 23.5 labouring by such obseruations to appeare righteous religious vnto men but within is full of hipocrisie and iniquitie the other hath i 1. Tim. 1.5 loue out of a pure heart and of a good conscience of faith vnfained And this is the cause that
call his name wonderfull counseller the mightie God c. m cap 53.10 he shall make his soule an offering for sinne a Zach. 6.12.13 Behold the man whose name is the branch and he shall grow vp out of his place and hee shall build the temple of the Lord euen he shall build the temple of the Lord and he shall beare the glorie and shall sit and rule vpon his throne and he shal be a priest vpon his throne and the counsell of peace shall be betweene them both And many other places where his godhead manhood mediatorship priesthood kingly office are expresly described But yet most abundantly and most euidently in the gospel where of his person it is said b Rom. 1.3.4 He was made of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh and declared mightely to be the sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead c Rom. 9.5 Of the Israelites concerning the fleshe Christ came who is God ouer all blessed for euer Touching both person and office When the fulnes of time was come God sent forth his son made of a woman made vnder the law that he might redeeme them which were vnder the law that we might receiue the adoption of sons d 1. Pet. 3.18 Christ hath once suffered for sins the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to God and was put to death concerning the flesh but was quickned in the spirit His kingly office thou hast where it is said e Eph. 1.20.21 God set him at his right hand in heauenly places far aboue all principalitie power and might and domination and euerie name that is named not in this worlde only but also in that is to come and hath made all things subiect vnder his feete and hath appointed him ouer all things to be head to his church and his priestly office in these words f Heb. 7.24 This man because hee endureth for euer hath an euerlasting priesthood Wherefore hee is able perfectly to saue them which come vnto God by him seeing hee euer liueth to make intercession for them O blessed harmony and sweet consent in so ioyfull a description of our louing God and sauiour Happie art thou O England who hast fellowship with Abraham Moses the prophets Apostles in so heauenly holy g 1. Tim. 3.16 great misterie of godlinesse Which God doth not reueile to all people but only to his h Colos 1.26 Saints All thanks therefore bee giuen vnto the most glorious name of our good God for his most excellent gift and rich grace Amen The sixt Article of the applying of Christ Faith onely iustifieth and who so euer beleeueth in Christ shal be saued THe meaning of this Article is that there is not in man either before or after hee beleeue any inherent righteousnesse or goodnes of mind neither any kind of workes done by him which can either deserue any thing at Gods handes or in any part satisfie his wrath wherby we should be accounted righteous in his sight but that Christ alone hath paid our ransome for our sinnes and wee are saued by the meere and free grace of God thorow his bloud and wee are then onely accounted iust and iustified before God made inheritors of saluatiō when by a true vnfained faith beliefe in Christ bloud wee acknowledge embrace and receaue this grace and fauour of God and this faith onely in this sort apprehending Christ maketh vs righteous and iustified before God And thus surely it befell vnto Abraham our father For first he was taught it Secondly hee found and felt it Thirdly God wrote it for euer with great and golden letters in the image of his house that all posteritie might reade it and learne it to their euerlasting comfort That he was taught it is apparant in that God finding him void of all goodnesse and righteousnesse as is before declared gaue him the promise that a Gen. 12.3 in him all the families of the earth should bee blessed This the Apostle interpreteth to bee meant that the nations should bee iustified by faith in Christ and not by works saying b Gal. 3.8 The scripture foreseeing that God wold iustifie the Gentils through faith preached before the gospell vnto Abraham saying In thee shall all the gentils bee blessed Where thou mayest obserue two thinges First that this vttering of this promise to Abraham was the preaching of the gospell Secondly that the summe of the gospell is Iustification is by faith onely And that all nations should haue no other but the same order of iustification which God taught Abraham namely by faith onely In the second place Abraham found and felt this when he c Gen. 15.2 mourned to God because he had no child and God shewed him the starres and said looke now vp into heauen and tell the starres if thou be able to number them and hee said vnto him So shall thy seede bee And Abraham beleeued the Lord and hee counted that to him for righteousnesse Which the Apostle doth interprete to be vnderstood that faith without workes doth iustifie not onely in the person of Abraham but also that it pertayneth to all other in the like and verie same manner to be iustified and in none other First of Abraham he saith a Rom. 4.1 What shall we say that Abraham our father hath found concerning the fleshe for if Abraham were iustified by workes hee hath wherein to reioyce but not with God For what saith the scripture Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnes In which wordes it is plaine that Abraham was iustified by faith onely and if hee had beene by workes hee had had no reioycing with God And as touching all other that it is the onely and perpetuall rule of iustification hee saith b Verse 23. Now it is not written for him onely that it was imputed to him for righteousnesse but also for vs to whom it shall be imputed for righteousnesse which beleeue in him which raysed vp Iesus our Lorde from the dead Thirdly the great and golden letters wherewith this doctrine is written in Abrahams house be Sarah his wife and her sonne Isaack and Hagar his bond seruant and her sonne Ismael in whom God hath set forth as in a wide open book the two couenants the couenant of works and the couenant of mercie the one of the law and the other of the gospell For Sarah representeth the couenant of mercie and the estate of the Church vnder the gospell and her sonne the true and faithfull beleeuers in Iesus Christ Read Gen. 16. 21. Hagar representeth the couenaunt of workes and the state of the Church vnder the lawe and her sonne Ismael such as seeke righteousnesse by their workes Now as Sarah being the free woman her sonne Isaack was the heire vnto Abraham and remayned in his house for euer so the couenaunt of mercie and the
dignitie as they doo properly and naturally require Namely that it is a 1. Thess 4.3.4.5 Gods pleasure that they whom hee freely iustifyeth by his grace and clenseth by faith should not wallow in the puddle and filth of sin like the gentils who know not God but shew thēselues to be the redeemed of the Lord his saints and children by their godly life and honest conuersation And for this cause sanctifying those whom he iustifieth he would haue them approue their faith by their good works as it is written b Eph. 2.10 We are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordained that wee should walke in them c 1. Ioh. 3.9 whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede remaineth in him c. In which two places first you may obserue our sanctification in the words creation and seed For by the one is signified our new birth and renewing of the holie ghost and by the other the spirit sanctifying which as seed beginneth a godly life in vs. Secondly our faith in being in Christ and gods children for we are no otherwise in Christ and gods children but by faith The doctrin of these places agreeth with the article that they which are made Gods children by faith are so farre sanctified and renued by Gods spirit that they walking a more vpright course of life then infidels do make manifest their faith by their workes and they which be otherwise haue no faith Heere me thinketh I see Abraham approouing himselfe to haue a liuely faith by a most constant change of life in following of God and attending vpon his worde First he frankely left d Gen. 12.1.3.8 Heb. 11.8.9 his countrie and kindred and forsooke all strange religions and idolatrie to follow God Secondly he contentedly abode in the land of Canaan as in a strange land and walking from place to place remained in tentes and in euerie place shewed his godly deuotion in making an altar and calling vpon the name of the Lord a Cap. 13.8 he kindly yeelded to his nephew Lot 14.19 for auoiding of contention 24.1 18.23 20.17 charitablie rescued him when hee was taken prisoner carefully prouided a wife for his sonne Isaack feruently intreated for the Citie of Sodom meekly praied for him that had taken away his wife 23. 25. decently prouided for his wiues buriall and wisely before his death set an order betweene his children concerning his substance according to Gods word And is b Cap. 18.19 honourably commended by God himselfe for his good instruction to his houshold children posteritie that they might walke in the waies of the Lord. But aboue all other he approued his fayth in this that vpon Gods commandement he so readily offered vp his sonne Isaack being after Ismaels expulsion his onely sonne his beloued sonne and concerning whom hee had receiued the promise of life and saluation and the establishment of the couenaunt by this worke hee made knowen to men and Angels that hee had a true and a liuely faith whereupon Saint Iames interpreting this fact of Abraham to be wrought by faith bringeth this example to proue that faith without workes is dead And thus hee speaketh c Iacob 2.20.21 But wilt thou vnderstande O vaine man that fayth without workes is deade Was not Abraham our father iustified through workes when hee offered Isaacke his sonne vppon the Altar Seest thou not that fayth wrought with his woorkes and through the workes the faith was made perfect and the scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes c. Heere I am enforced because of S. Iames maner of speaking to clere a doubt before I can conclude this point For in as much as Saint Paul d Rom. 4. contendeth that Abraham was not iustified at all by workes but by faith without workes and heere saint Iames seemeth to auoutch the contrarie saying was not Abraham our father iustified through workes it is to be considered how these two may be reconciled For the clearing of which difference I aunswere that in deed they both vse one worde but not in one meaning nor to one and the same ende For Saint Paul by this woord iustified meaneth that God freely imputeth righteousnes vnto him as namlie Read Rom. 4.1.4.5.6.15.16 and cap. 3.24.25.28 iustified by faith in saint Pauls mind is as much as to say righteousnes is imputed vnto him for his beleefes sake and for nothing else And his end was to prooue that no man can be iustified by workes in the sight of God but that this blessednes to bee iuste before God commeth by faith without workes But Saint Iames hauing to doo with such as boasted of faith and tooke to them selues licence to sin had this end namely to proue that faith without workes was in deed no faith properly and in the sight of God but a dead faith and therfore by this word iustified meaneth onely this that by workes a man is declared and made knowen tn be iustified by faith that is that he hath not a vaine dead and fruitles faith And therefore seeing that Abraham was so iustified that is declared and made knowen to be a iust man of a true and liuely faith testified by such a notable woorke he being our father we must be found to haue such a woorking faith or els we cannot be knowen to bee any other but hypocrites of a dead and counterfait faith And that this is the true and proper meaning of Saint Iames First consider that this word iustified is diuersly vsed and to be taken in the holy scriptures as all other wordes be according to the scope and purpose of euerie place For Rom. 6. where he sayth a Rom. 6.7 He that is dead is iustified from sinne there it signifieth to be free as it is by som translated And in b Cap. 7.29 Luke it is said that the Publicans iustified God being baptized with the Baptisme of Iohn where it signifieth to praise God for his mercy goodnes and righteousnes In c Math. 11.19 Mathew it is said Wisedome is iustified of her children where it signifieth acknowledged or professed or declared iust In which places this worde of necessitie hath such sence and meaning as the scope of the seueral places aforde So here Saint Iames intention being to teach the vanitie of him that boasteth of faith and yet liueth wickedly by all reason must be vnderstood to meane by the word iustified the declaring of the righteousnes of his faith by his workes And this wil easilie appeare if you marke his propounding of this question the order of his reasoning and his conclusion First his proposition vers 14. What auaileth it my brethren though a man saith he hath faith when he hath no workes can the faith saue him where you may perceiue he speaketh against pratlers and hypocrites which say they haue
faith and secondly that such a faith which is onely in saying and bringeth foorth no woorkes cannot saue where you are to note that he proposeth to himselfe the confutation of a vain and idle faith which is only in saying and that he doth not enter to entreat of this question whether faith onely being true and liuely do iustifie or so far to prefer workes that they iustifie or saue vs with or without faith And this meaning doth all the order of his reasoning declare First ver 15.16.17 where he teacheth that as to make a shew of liberalitie in wordes and in deede to minister nothing doth beway but a counterfait liberalitie So faith without woorkes is dead in it selfe where marke that he saith in it selfe or by it selfe for thereby he sheweth that if it were the true iustifying and liuely faith in it selfe it would bring foorth liuelie fruits to declare the same and hereupon he openeth the meaning of his proposition ver 18. that a man is to shewe his faith by his workes namely that it is a thing which a man will aske for of him that saith he hath faith then ver 9. he sheweth that such an idle faith is that of the diuell which beleeueth there is a GOD and trembleth So these vaine pratlers may haue a generall beleefe and sometime tremble to thinke vpon Gods power and yet neuer haue the true faith in Iesus Christ which iustifieth wherewith whosoeuer is rightly endowed he hath Christ a Rom. 8. ver 9.10 dwelling in him by his spirit by whom the bodie of sinne is slaine and the life of righteousnes is as it were a new created as it is said else where b 2. Cor. 5.17 if any be in Christ he is a new creature but the diuels and wicked men destitute of this true faith are voide of this grace and therefore doo not bring foorth good workes Nowe then Saint Iames bringing in the storie of Abraham offering vp his sonne vpon this proposition and order of reasoning and namelie prefixing these woords But wilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that faith without workes is dead What other thing can hee meane by the woord iustified except he abruptlie goe contrarie to all his owne former speech but onlie the declaring shewing and making knowen of his faith not to bee dead vaine or onelie in saying and not that workes make a man iust before GOD which appeareth by his reason in this example in that he sayth Faith wrought with his workes and through workes was faith made perfect which signifieth that in offering vp of his Sonne his faith wrought to bring foorth this worke and that this worke being atchieued it made manifest that hee had a true and perfect faith his workes then in Saint Iames meaning perfected his faith that is made it appeare perfect but it did not meddle with the making of the man Abraham to be iust and righteous in the eies of GOD by that worke so wrought And then adding The scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes he vnderstandeth that the offering vp of his Sonne did make manifest that Abraham beleeued in deede and a right and therefore that scripture was approoued true that God imputed righteousnes to him not for a vaine saying and hypocriticall dissimulation but for a true beleefe and an vnfayned faith in Gods promise In the same sense verse 25. hee alleageth the storie of Rahab Nowe lastely the conclusion being by a comparison of a mā to be dead which hath not a spirit that so faith without works is dead sheweth that there is a spiritual working of faith which if it appeare not by works it declareth that faith is dead in it selfe So that Saint Iames speaketh onely against a dead faith meaning not by any termes to derogate from a liuely faith as though it had helpe of workes in the matter of iustification before God Further if we consider the story of Genesis out of which it is taken you shall finde that Saint Iames could not haue any other meaning For it was before a Gen. 15.16 17.11.25 21.5 22. Ismaell was borne that Abraham was iustified by his faith without respect of workes Then Ismaell was fourteene yeeres ould when Isaack was borne and Isaack was of some pretie yeres that he was able to beare a bundel of wood wherewith he should haue been burned therefore it must needs be between twentie and thirtie yeeres after the time of Abrahams iustifying that he offered vp Isaack which being so it cannot be vnderstood that that worke iustified him least it should destroy and b Read Rom. 4 10.11 Gal. 3.17 disanul his iustifying by faith so long before And therfore God himselfe doth expresse the power and vse of this worke not any whit to iustify him but only to make his faith to be knowen where hee saith c Gen. 22.12 Now I knovv that thou fearest God seeing for my sake thou hast not spared thine onely sonne And therefore doth the holy ghost interpret it thus d Heb. 11.17 By faith Abraham offered vp Isaack when hee was tried c. teaching vs that this was a fruit of the iust mans faith and not a worke to make him iust or meritorious in Gods sight Therefore we may boldly conclude that Saint Iames in saying Abraham was iustified by workes when he offered vp his son doth onely contend for this that it was of necessitie that faith shoulde be declared and made knowen by woorkes because our father Abraham did so by workes shew himselfe to be iustified by faith therefore we his children are bastards and not sons if our faith be idle and vnfruitful euen as Christ saith to the Iewes a Ioh. 8.39 If ye were Abrahams children ye would doe the workes of Abraham which wordes doe directly shew this article we haue in hand First that Abraham did workes approouing his faith and secondly that this also is to be looked for of his children that is of all beleeuers that they quite themselues to haue a true faith by their good life and obedience to God or els they bee no beleeuers or children of Abraham The same faith doth the church of England professe namely b Articl 12. of good workes Good woorkes are the fruits of faith and follow after iustification they doo spring out necessarily of a true and liuely faith in so much as by them a liuely faith may be as liuely knowen as a tree discerned by the fruit and againe c Apolog. cap 20. diuis 1. A true faith is liuely and can in no wise bee idle d Exod. 20. Moses consent in this doctrine may be found where God pronounceth the lawe of the ten commandements teaching all dueties of good workes to God and man saying I am the Lorde thy God and vpon this inferreth all their obedience to those commandements for what is I am the Lord thy God but the
whereby God hath been truely serued and worshipped his elect saued and the true faith confessed from the beginning of the world and namely from Abraham euen vnto our daies which is now 5528. yeeres and the gates of hell could never preuaile against it no power of men subdue it no heresies ouerthrow it no wisdom or learning confute it no persecutions destroy it no pollicie nor crueltie subuert it no tract of time weare it out no changes or subuersions of kingdoms countries or states ouer whelme it no lawes edicts counsels canons cursses decrees or decretals put it down or banishe it Magna est veritas preualet Great is the truth and preuaileth Blessed be the God of truth And herein is fulfilled that which the prophet saith a Psal 19.9 102.27.28 The feare of the Lord is cleane and endure for euer And thou O God art the same and thy yeeres faile not the children of thy seruants shall continue and their seed shall stand fast in thy sight The second part of the newnes of Poperie CHAP. I. How the Romish superstition disagreeth with the true auncient catholike religion and faith of Gods elect where is declared 1. How manie waies in this sort disagreement is to bee founde 2. And that in all the former fifteene articles they disagree very greatly THere are two things which doo euidently argue the new and late begetting and birth of Romish heresie The Ante-christianitie or disagreement it hath with the pure holie and old faith which God hath once giuen to the Saints and the conformitie and agreement it hath with all heretical prauitie For seeing that all men know and the papists themselues must needs confesse that it is come foorth within these last times of the world for the face thereof neuer sawe the sonne before if it agree not with the wholsome truth of the inspired scriptures of God and so not of the auncient catholike faith of Gods chosen but resembleth and beareth the expresse and indeleble charecter of filthie new borne heresie it must needs leese those dainty terms of vnitie antiquitie vniuersalitie visible succession and of the olde and catholike religion And so the truth is For as then the Popes of Rome became most loftie and proud and aduanced themselues aboue all estates when they vsed in their stile the lowlie termes of seruus seruorum Seruant of Seruants so seased they then to bee truely and in deed Catholike or vniuersall when cutting of themselues from the true vniuersall church and religion they tyed the name and honor of Catholicke church to one place calling it contrarie to the holie creed The catholike church of Rome Therefore as I haue in the former part shewed the auncient and vnchangeable religion what it is and how it hath continued vnto this our age so now I doubt not but that it shall appeare through Gods grace to euerie honest conscience of any reasonable capacitie not forestalled with the preiudice of willful blindnes that the church of Rome and the religion thereof is not of the same generation hath no affinitie with God and his truth but is altogether earthly sensual and diuelish And first of the disagreement it hath with the true faith that is what it is not then of the agreement with heresie that is what it is In the first part the reader is to vnderstand that disagreement is in diuers sortes sometime direct and plaine contrarie as light and darkenes sometime contradictorie where one saying is the destruction of an other as to say A man is a reasonable creature and to say a man is not a reasonable creature Sometime they disagree by hauing a differing nature though not so directly set on against an other as a stone an egge and a tree differ from a man sometime the disagreement is hidden and vnderhand when there is a shewe to maintaine the truth in words and yet in deeds comming in by some hidden and closely carried circumstance men ouerthrew the same truth 2. Sam. 3.27 As Ioab spake with his mouth peaceable vnto Abner and with his hand he smote him vnder the fift ribbe that hee died And there is yet an other difference which is expresly named in holie scripture that is wheÌ„ in a matter taught in the scripture definitiuely men either take awaie something and make it too short or too little or else adde something and make it too long or too great Wheresoeuer there is any of these disagreements they cannot be said to be one and the same and so the church of Rome in all points of Christian religion differing in some one of these kindes cannot be said to bee of the true catholicke religion As in the first kinde the true religion a 1. Tim. 4.1.2.3 saith It is the spirit of errors and doctrine of diuels to forbid mariage and to abstaine from meats The sea of Rome say directly contrarie that by the holie ghost and spirit of truth they forbid mariage and to abstaine from meats In the second kind the true religion saith b Rom. 3.28 A man is iustified by faith without workes they say A man is not iustified by faith without workes In the thirde kind the true religion saith c Heb. 1.3 Iesus Christ hath by himselfe purged our sins they say we are purged also by satisfaction purgatorie indulgences and diuers other things In the fourth kinde the true religion saith that d Iacob 1.21 the woorde of God is able to saue our soules The synagogue of Rome do so say also in words but in deed they cut the throat of Gods word by equalling or preferring of traditions canons decrees decreâ—als and humaine customes euen as Christ e Matth. 15.6 speaketh of the pharisees who also in woords pretended Gods woord that they make the woord of God of no effect or authoritie by their tradition But as touching the last disagreement that shameles whoore of Babilon diminisheth and taketh from Gods word when they keepe the cup from the comon people and adde vnto Gods word when they cause the sacrament to be lifted vp and adored and verie many such things they doo Therefore if I shew that in al parts of religion they disagree from the truth in one of these kinds it will be sufficient to prooue that their abhominations are nothing sauouring of the true auncient religion 2. And this I will do God willing in two sorts First in this Chapter by shewing how they disagree with the articles taught out of Gods word in the former part and secondly in the next Chapter howe dissent from the doctrin of S. Paul S. Peter whoÌ„ they say to haue bin at Rome and to bee planters of that church in this first I must desire the reader to looke vpon euerie article as before cap. 2. and he shal easilie see the disagreement for I wil but a little open and briefely point out their error and the disagreement will bee manifest of it selfe Marke therefore
Certes al these are contrarie to the true religion which in the olde Testament saith g Gen. 6.5 All the imaginations of the thoughts of mans hart are onely euil continually and in the new h 2. Cor. 3.5 we are not sufficient of our selues to thinke anie thing as of our selues but our sufficiency is of God As touching the fourth article howe we are deliuered from the corruption damnable estate wherinto we fell by Adams transgression There be many waies and religions forged in the great cage of Antechrist ful of vnclean birds out of which as out of the botomles pit come great swarmes of locustes bringing with them a mist and cloud of darknes which hideth all godlines and true religion But to leaue out verie many deuises till another place I onely wishe the reader to cal to mind the holie Eremits Munks Friers and Nuns and namly amongst the manifold broods one Frances and an other Dominick This latter bread the religion of the obseruant preaching black friers the former the deuout host of the beggerly minorites and out of these two many seckes of diuers rules names of religions who by their vow and streight obseruation by them deuised set downe diuers rules to subdue this corruption and to obtain eternall life therefore they are by an excellency of speech called by the name a Gratian decret pars 2. caus 19. Quest 3. Bonauentur de profectu religios Antho. de Rampegol fig. Biblia Catholicon a Iohan. de Ianua in virgo of religion or religions al other are called seculer because they renounce the world and by fulfilling of three perfections which they obserue that is to say Pouertie chastity and obedience by which they are compared vnto angels the blessed crown which is giuen vnto such as they say they shal obtaine euen the special reward of the learned being presented vnto Christ in the heauenlie kingdom And the opinion deuotion of these religions grew to be so highly esteemed of men their life to be so angelical that in steed of christ his merits men would leaue al things whatsoeuer to follow them ye the very coule garment of Frances was thought to be of such vertue that some b Ioh. Sleiden lib. 12. noble men som very learned of those times haue taken order to be buried in them yea they are not afraid c Iere. Bouch. in his conformities to compare him with Christ in al things Therfore you may perceiue they had forgotten the true religion way of saluation which is in christ d Gen. 12.3 in the old testamēt is called the seed of Abrahā in whom al the families of the earth were appointed to be blessed and in the new testament he is called e Ioh. 14.6 the way the truth the life and the rule of this religion is that f cap. 3.16 that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue eternal life Therefore here is no agreement betweene these popish religions and the true ancient and catholike religion seeing they teach many other waies to heauen beside that which God hath taught vs to be the onely way for all the families of the earth to be blessed Concerning the fift article these bastardly counterfeites of Rome are more like the strange beast of Arabia and Ethiopia then the obseruers of the true religion For they greatly wound the doctrine of Christes person vnder a colour of honouring him and they ouerthrow his mediatorship by pretence of deuotion For while they giue godly honour to his bodie in the sacrament and make him to be a verie man vnder the formes of bread and wine inuisible in all places where the priest doth consecrate doe they not make him a man in fansie to haue an heauenly bodie in no part to bee like a true naturall man doe they not hereby make him to haue but one nature which is God or els that the manhood is swallowed vp or confounded with the Godhead for it is the nature of God and not of man to bee inuisible incircumscriptible and in many places at once therefore in stead of the seede and sonne of Dauid and Abraham they teach vs to beleeue they cannot tell what But as touching his office all men know how many mediators and intercessors they call vpon beside Christ Though a 1. Tim. 2.5 Gods word say there is but one mediator Marie Peter Paul all the Apostles martirs and foolishly canonized Saintes are made mediators Then against Christs sacrifice by whose perfection all sacrifice should cease as b Heb. 10.18 God teacheth they haue a new deuised sacrifice for quicke dead they haue masses diriges pilgrimage shrift penance purgatorie indulgencies satisfaction merite deuout obseruations numbring of prayers Auemaries creedes fastes almes workes of supererogation vowes vestementes crosses tapers relickes shrines ointinges coniurings and I know not what other trumperie and beggerly rudimentes of this world by which they wold make perfect the works of Christes mediation for our redemption righteousnesse and saluation Which the more they be aboundant and ouerflowing the greater is their disagreement with the true religion of God which teacheth in the old testament thus a Esai 53.5.6 God laide vpon Christ the iniquitie of vs all namely that hee was wounded for our transgressions and broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes we are healed And in the new testament thus b 1. Ioh. 1.7 The bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne cleanseth vs from all sinne Now if Christ bloud cleanse vs from all sinne and by his stripes wee bee healed alas what neede we make so much adoe why doe we forsake the c Ioh. 1.24 Esai 55.1.2.3 lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the worlde with the sure mercies of Dauid and seeke after vaine thinges in which there is no helpe why should we commit these d Hier. 2.23 two euils to forsake God the fountaine of liuing waters and to digge vnto our selues pittes euen broken pittes which will hold no water In the sixt Article the opposition is plaine and apparant for although they whom Christ teacheth say that all e Philip. 3.4 righteousnesse taught by workes is but dunge in comparison of the doctrine of righteousnesse which is by faith onely yet they of this whoorish Babilon deny it and f Antidigma Coloniens cap. de iustificat per quas causas Concil Trident sess 6. make faith with hope and loue the formall cause of our righteousnesse they make an inherent righteousnesse And affirme directly that a man is not iustified by faith onely but also by workes Is not this a verie great disagreement where as the true religion teacheth the Church of God to say as in the olde testament thus g Psal 143. Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified And in the
worketh together with the grace of God vnto merit and deseruing of saluation S. Paul taught the Romanes that c Rom. 8.8 they which are in the flesh that is the vnregenerate can not please God And again d Cap. 3.12 They haue all gone out of the way they haue beene made altogether vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one And he openeth himselfe els where saying e Eph. 4.17.18 The Gentils walke in the vanitie of their mind hauing their cogitation darkened being straungers from the life of God through the ignoraunce that is in them c. that is to say their ignoraunce is so great that they cannot doe any thing but sinne which he confirmeth by this maxime to the same Romans f Rom. 14.23 Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Therefore his doctrine to them is this that by their exceeding ignoraunce the vnregenerate did nothing but such as was sinne in Gods eye-sight These late Romistes doe g Concil trident Ses 6. canon 7. accurse this doctrine of Saint Paule and all them that say that all the workes of the vnregenerate to bee truely sinne Saint Peter taught the Iewes h Act. 4.12 That there is saluation in none other meaning none other but Christ for that there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby we must be saued These degenerate pretenders of Peter place saluation in others as in merites satisfaction and workes of supererogation and say there bee other names by which wee must bee saued as diriges religious orders and vowes pilgrimage pardons relickes and many other names by them deuised Saint Paule taught the auncient Romanes that i Rom. 4.25 8.33.34 Christ dyed for our sinnes and rose to make vs righteous and being hereby iustified of God nothing can bee layed to our charge nor condemne vs. By which it appeareth that the obedience and suffering of Chryst was the perfect working of our saluation These bastarde Romanes doe saye that wee yet neede the sacrifice of the Masse for quicke and deade and that the doing and fulfilling of Gods commaundementes and the Church is the condition on our part S. Peters doctrine saith that all the faithful k 1. Pet. 2.5.9 are an holy priesthood To offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ These counterfet successors of Peter adde a new deuise saying that their priests haue an especial office to offer vp sacrifice namely their Hoste S. Paul taught the old Romanes that l Rom. 8.34 Christ sitteth at the right hand of God to make intercession for vs. These declined Romistes say that the virgin Marie Peter and Paul and the Saints are intercessors for vs. Saint Peter taught the Iewes that he the said a 1. Pet. 5.1.2 Peter was an elder as other elders ministers of Christ and that such elders should not be Lordes ouer Gods heritage but that Christ was the chiefe shepheard These stately prelates make themselues Lords of sea and land disdaining at the low estate of the Apostles and elders of the primitiue church Saint Paule taught the Christian Romanes that b Rom. 3.28 A man is iustified by faith without workes These Antechristian Romanes say that by doing good workes a man is iust and iustified and not by faith alone Saint Paul taught the Christian Romans that c Rom. 7.7 Concupiscence in the regenerate was sinne and though he did will that which was good yet hee could not performe it These Antechristian Romanes do say that concupiscence is not sinne in the regenerate after Baptisme but onely left for the spirituall battell to bee resisted Saint Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith That we must doe good workes d 1. Pet. 2.12.15 to shew forth the vertues of God and to glorifie him and to put to silence the ignoraunce of foolish men The new learning of these men is that we must do good workes that we might winne heauen thereby Saint Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith e 1. Pet. 1.23 2.1 epist 2. cap. 3.1.15 That the Gospell is the word of God by which we are borne again that it is sincere milke and commendeth vnto them his owne and also S. Paules epistles And S. Paule taught the faithfull Romanes f Rom. 1.2 16.26 That God promised the gospell before by his prophetes in the holy scriptures and that God commaunded that it should bee taught all nations by the scriptures of the prophets These Romanes of the new learning do say that the g Reade Martin Peresius Aila de traditionibus scripture can not teach all the gospell but we must learne somewhat touching faith and saluation by tradition canons and the magisteriall power of the Church and equall these with holy scripture to teach that which cannot be found and learned in the written word of God Saint Paul taught the Romans the vniuersalitie of the Church when he said a Rom. 10.12 there is no difference betweene the Iew and the Grecian for hee that is Lord ouer all is right vnto all that call vpon him S. Peters doctrine agreeth thereunto where he saith b Act. 10.34.35 God is no accepter of persons but in euery nation hee that feareth him and worketh righteousnes is accepted with him These late builders place the Church in the citie of Rome and call it the Catholike Church of Rome S. Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith c 1. Pet. 1.3 2 5.17 that he prayed and blessed God and that the Christians should feare God and offer spirituall sacrifices vnto God And S. Paul d Rom. 1. 10 15. 16. taught the beleeuing Romanes by his own ensample in diuers prayers and by a generall example of the Church in these words whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord c. that they should worship and pray to God onely These new deuisers giue this honour of God to Saints relickes and images and teach men to serue worship and pray to them S. Paul taught the Romanes of the Primatiue Church that after e Rom. 4.11 iustification by faith the sacraments are signes to seale the righteousnes of faith and S. Peters doctrine to the Iewes saith that f 1. Pet. 3. Baptisme saueth vs but not by the outward washing away of the filth of the flesh but by the spirit working in our hearts a good conscience to God 21. These new forgers of doctrine and sacraments make the sacraments in the worke wrought to containe to conferre grace and to iustifie together with faith and that without baptisme there happeneth no iustification Saint Paul and S. Peter wrote both in the Greeke tongue which was fittest for all nations to learne Gods word and wheresoeuer they gaue instructions a This appeareth Act. 2. all the whole storie following they did it in that language which might best be vnderstood of the people but these new religion makers deliuer instructions teach men
it is not of the willer nor of the runner but that we be saued it is of God which hath mercie Tenthly to confesse that pardon is geuen to them that aske according to the grace and mercie of God not according to their merites seeing the Apostle sayth that repentance it selfe is the gift of God where he saith of certaine men least God should giue them repentance which catholike faith is contrary to the new religion of Rome in those things First for the preparation vnto grace and workes of condignitie for they say then grace were no grace Secondly for the concurrence of free will to worke with the grace of God so to merite for they giue all to Gods grace and all pardon and saluation to Gods free mercie Loe here christian reader thou seest that the papists can tell vs of the particuler originall of the most part of their trumperie that the old christian churches in their counsels determinations were protestants touching the authoritie of Bishops and prouinces touching mariage eating of flesh priuate masse and receiuing the communion touching the holie scriptures and the reading of them touching weomens Baptisme and appeales to Rome and touching the grace of God freewill and merite therefore the heresie of the church of Rome being gathered since those primatiue times must needs be of a new generation lately sprong vp and come abroad into the worlde 5 And that thou maist yet further see Poperie hath lost the life breath of christianitie how they haue lost the verie life and breath of all religion and so are cleane fallen away from being any member in Christs church and to haue no part in the communion of Saints as in any sort to be called Gods visible people I wil shew thee fiue other points which are fundamentall and so farre of the foundation of christian religion that without them no man can be a mēber visible nor inuisible of the catholike church wherein thou shalt see that the protestant was the ancient true primatiue christian church of God Fiue fundamental points of christianity rased by poperie the papist a verie apostata comming in deed of a contrarie race euen of the very stocke of antechrist The first is of adoring God only the second of the condition of the couenant with God on our behalfe the third of the seales of the couenant the fourth of the writings of the couenant the fift of the soueraigntie and headship of Christ ouer his church And that these are foundamental consider with me that in the * 2. Idolatrie first they breake the spiritual wedlocke with God which giue his worship and honor to idols and images as thou mayst see God in a Cap. 16. Ezechiel complaining and saying Thou hast taken thy faire Iewels of my gold and of my siluer which I had giuen thee and madest to thy self images of men and diddest commit whooredom with thē c. * Merits of workes 2. In the second when they ioine workes and the fulfilling of the commandements with faith for they shut themselues from the righteousnes in the couenant whereby they should reioice with God as the Apostle saith b Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath wherein to reioice but not with God yea they abrogate the grace of God and make Christ die in vaine as the same Apostle teacheth saying c Gal. 2.21 I doo not abrogate the grace of God for if righteousnes be by the law then Christ died without a cause * 3. Sacramēts In the third they annihilate and ouerthrow Christs institution in the seales of the couenant by their transubstantiation and vnbloudie sacrifice adored and make but a fanatical body of Christ and an imaginatie manhood where as Christ saith d 1. Cor. 11.24.25.26 Doe this in remembrance of me and Saint Paul expoundeth it saying As often as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup ye shewe the Lords death till he come For if he bee contained in heauen as Saint Peter e Act. 3. 21. saith till the restoring of al things and that this sacrament is to remember and shewe his death till hee come what is it but a newe institution when they say it is turned into his person and adore him as present and what can that bodie or manhood which is in heauen bee in the sacrament really and corporally any otherwise but in fansie and imagination seeing in the same till he come to iudgement he is in heauen In the * 4. Scriptures fourth they blot out the writinges of the couenant when as Christ a Mat. 15. sayth They make the lawe of God of none effect by their traditions while they equall their own deuises with the written word of God make it in sufficient to saluation and set the church which shoulde bee ruled by it and obedient to it to be aboue it the people aboue the lawe and the ladie vnder the handmaide * 5. Supremacy Lastlie they commit treason against the person of Christ when they set the pope in his place without his assignement that a mortall man shoulde bee head of the vniuersall Church and bodie of Christ For Christ onely is called b Eph. 1.22.28 1. Cor. 3.11 The head in all thinges ouer his Church and the foundation thereof excluding all other Nowe then seeing that there can bee no foundation of Christianitie nor Church of God where the couenant is broken by spirituall whooredome and where there is no reioicing with God and the grace of God and Christ death is made vaine and where the seales of Gods letters patentes and his glorious image which is Christ is defaced and his holie writinges blotted and abased and man aduanced in the chaire of the son of God and office of Christ it must needes followe that they being guiltie in these thinges there cannot bee any part of the visible Church of Christ amongest them I thinke it therefore good to take some more paines in these fiue points that thou maist see howe that in the first primatiue ages the Catholike truth was to be founde amonge the Christian protestants and that the popishe heresie in these pointes came vppe afterwardes to bee openlie seene and closelie grewe vnder them Consider therefore good Christian reader what I say and the Lord giue thee the spirit of true discretion and wisedome in all that thou readest First in the question of adoring God the papist thinke they doo not commit fornication because they haue a fine shift to say they doe not adore the image as to account it their God to put their trust in it but onely reuerence it as a representation of God by bowing before it kissing it praying before it c. they adore him which the image representeth And they thinke themselues verie wel discharged from idolatry seeing their images are not dedicated vnto diuels and false Gods but vnto the true God Christ and his Saints
lib. 4. Orthod fid cap. 7. Who is there which can make the image of God who is inuisible without body circumscription without figure therefore it is extreme madnesse to counterfeit fashion the deuine power Guillermus Durandi helpeth vs a little further vntill An. 480. b De rational diuin lib. 1. de pictur affirming that the councell of Agatha forbad pictures to bee made in the church and that that should bee painted in the wales which is worshipped adored Now this c 16. Durandi d De rit eccles lib. 1. cap. 4. sect 1. Durantus with old father Gratian e De consecrat distinct 3. cap. perlatum do patiently abide and beare that these images had little entertainment into the churches of Christians vntill An. 600. But then they are bold to bring forth Gregorie liuing about that time that they might shew the first originall decree of their error Namely that about this time there were images crept into the church to bee lay mens bookes but not to be adored For this Gregorie f Lib. 7. epist 109. reproueth one Serenus Bishop of Massilia for breaking images in the church whē he saw them worshipped but yet he commendeth him that hee would not haue the people to worship them wishing to teach the people not to sinne by worshipping them and yet to learne the storie in the wales which they could not reade in bookes So that it can not be found that vnto this time of 600. yeares images got any further honour but to stand or to be painted in the church as bookes to teach the rude people and then they began about that time to forget the scriptures of God which saith g Hier. 10.15 Aback 2. 19. They are vanitie and the worke thereof errors there is no profite in them but they are teachers of lies But this Romish and hethenish idolatrous worship which is now among the papistes had so many enemies of godly Christians that from time to time it suffered the repulse till about the yeare 785. And then in the second counsel of Nice it was hatched hardened made bolde to come abroad into open light and to beard to face downe the pure adoration and seruice of God with this prety h By these two verses Nam Deus est quod imago docet sed non Deus ipsa Hanc videas sed mente colas quod cernis in ipsa deuise and colour to hide their idolatrie that they honor not the image it selfe but in it they worship him whom the image doth represent A thing so manifestly condemned by the auncient Christians that this is the greatest and the strongest antiquity which the papists haue for the grounding and first full birth of their idolatrie as thou shalt verie well perceiue if thou reade the aforesaid authors of this matter and the Antididagma of the reuerende canons of Colen and B. Boner vpon the 10. commandements and the counsell of Trent or any other that declare faithfully the true storie of antiquitie Therefore let the Christian reader iudge if this bee not of a newe and late generation and whether such daintie cloakes of humane folly will shrowde them well and safely agaynst the powring showers of the fierie wrath of God which i Esai 45.23 hath once sworne by himselfe saying Euerie knee shall bow vnto mee and euerie tongue shall sweare by mee And againe hee saith k Cap. 42.8 I am the Lorde this is my name and my glorie will I not giue vnto an other 2. Faith onely iustifieth neither my praise vnto grauen images The second foundation is of the condition on our part of the couenant with God wherein because the gospell requireth no other condition but onely faith in Iesus Christ therfore the catholike religion holdeth this principle Faith in Iesus Christ onely without workes doth iustifie Which to be the ancient catholike beliefe of Christians Eusebius Pamphilus a very learned diuine of the primitiue age doth testifie he liued about Anno 325. who writing the storie of the primitiue Church sheweth that this was the faith of the Christians from the Apostles vnto that age For speaking of the heresie of the Hebionites whose beginning was in the verie first age of Christianitie he calleth them poore alluding to their name in the knowledge of the glorie of Christ Histor eccles lib. 3. cap. 27. and he telleth that they were reputed erronious in this that they held that the obseruation of the law was to be kept and that faith onely in Christ was not sufficient to saluation Which is confirmed by Irenaeus who b Aduers heres lib. 1. ca. 26 saith that Ebion refused Paul calling him an Apostata from the law Now if it were not the common and vniuersall faith of the Church that faith onely iustifieth how could Ebion all that 300. yeares bee accounted an hereticke for holding the contrarie But this will more appeare if we heare the auncient fathers and elder protestants both before and after Eusebius time to speake and vtter their profession Cyprian c Anno 255. before Eusebius d Epist 3. Caecilio saith thus Si Abraham Deo credidit c. If Abraham beleeued God it was imputed to him for righteousnes truely whoseouer beleeueth God and liueth by faith is found righteous Origin e Anno. 235. a little before him speaketh thus vpon the words of S. Paul Rom. 3. vers 27.28 f In epist ad Rom. cap. 3. lib. 3. He saith the iustification of faith onely to suffice So that whosoeuer beleeueth onely is iustified although hee fulfill no part of workes And to proue this he bringeth the example of the thiefe on the crosse namely That no whit of good workes is declared to bee done by him in the gospell but for his faith onely Iesus said vnto him this day shalt thou be with me in paradise Hilarius g 345. liued much about that time or not long after Eusebius and h Cap. sine Canon 8. hee saith vpon Mathew Fide sola iustificat He iustifieth onely by faith Basilius Magnus as it were i Anno 370. presently after him saith The k de humilitate Apostle saith let him that glorieth glory in the Lord where he said that Christ is made of God vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption that as it is written let him that glorieth glorie in the Lord for that is perfect euerie way glorying in the Lord when a man is not extolled for his owne righteousnesse but acknowledgeth himselfe indeed void of true righteousnesse and to bee iustified by onely faith in Christ Ambrose was not long l 380. after when he m Epist 71. wrote to one Irenaeus saying Let no man glorie in his works because no man is iustified by his doings but he that is iust hath it giuen him because that after the washing he is iustified therfore it is faith
which deliuereth by the bloud of Christ because he is blessed whose sinne is remitted pardoned Hierome n 390. ioyneth close vnto him and o Vpon Rom. 4. saith God iustifieth by faith onely the wicked man when he conuerteth and not workes which hee hath not And againe vpon p Vpon Gal. 3. these wordes Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse he saith so also vnto you onely faith is sufficient vnto righteousnesse And a little after Because that in the law c. because no man keepeth it therefore it is said that by faith onely the beleeuers are iustified S. Augustin a Anno 400. homil 6. Vpon these words loue your enemies standeth vp as it were with him and protesteth No man is made iust but of a sinner as wee haue often song blessed are they whose sinnes are forgiuen hee said not blessed are they which not committed sinne but blessed are they whose sinnes are forgiuen them For if thou aske who hath not committed thou shalt find no man Whereby then shall any man be blessed vnlesse he bee pardoned that he hath done and couered that hee hath committed And a little after Thinke not that by thy merites thou art made such an one because the grace of God hath made thee such an one The Milenitane councell doeth b Anno 420. close vp this faith when it will haue nothing giuen to mans will or workes but ascribeth all to the mercie grace of God as is shewed but a little before c Anno 450. sermo 30. Petrus Chrysologus expoūdeth this matter by the cause where he saith Non veni vocare iustos I came not to call the righteous but sinners he putteth not backe the iust but because that without Christ no man is counted iust in the earth I came not to call the righteous but sinners in so saying hee putteth not backe the righteous but because hee findeth all men sinners harken to the Psalmist The Lord looked downe from heauen vpon the sonnes of men that hee might see if there were any that vnderstood or sought after God all haue gone out of the way c. Let vs bee brethren let vs be sinners by our owne confession that by the pardon of Christ we may not be sinners Theophilact commeth d Anno 760. some pretie while after and yeeldeth to this veritie saying vpon e Vpon 3. vers 11. these wordes And that no man is iustified by the law in the sight of God c. he hath therefore shewed that men are made accursed by the law and are vnder the curse but the blessinges are heaped vp by faith Now he doth plainely shew that verie faith yea euen alone hath in it selfe the vertue of iustifying c. The ordinarie glosse vpon the bible ioyned with Lyra being of f Lyra wrote about 1320. later and more corrupted time by euidence of truth is drawne to the same confession g Vpon Rom. 3 4. saying Workes follow him that is iustified but do not go before him that is to bee iustified but by onely faith without workes going before a man is made iust And againe Vnto him who hath not time to worke if he beleeue onely faith is sufficient to righteousnesse Bernard h Bernardus Clarenallensis liued in Anno 1120. liuing some good time before this finding the same truth in Gods booke giueth like witnesse i Vpon Cantic sermon 22. saying Quisquis propeccatis compunctus esurit c. Whosoeuer being pricked for his sinnes doth hunger and thirst for righteousnesse let him beleeue in thee who dost iustifie the wicked being iustified onely by faith he shall haue peace with God Here the Christian reader may see that protestantes flourished in the primitiue church and that the ages after did not want witnesses of this truth Now if I be asked how the opinion of righteousnesse by workes came into the Christian societie and corrupted it I desire the reader to cast his eies vpon the matter it selfe consider with me that the way of saluation is Christ only he is made ours by faith for vnlesse wee learne beleeue in Christ we can not be saued The deuill therfore by all meanes hath laboured to keepe men from the knowledge of Christ first he drew away the wise learned of al nations many ages together that they thought themselues happie by their wisdome vertue lawes works with other deuises but knew not the true God and the righteousnes saluation which is by Christ yet God hauing an eye to his elect whom he called maugre the malice of sathan this was otherwise in the church of God And God called and taught Abraham a Gal. 3.8 the gospel namely that men should be righteous by faith onely Here the Deuil hath a new worke and in processe of time vnder colour of the righteousnes of the law he caused the church of the Iewes to fall from God by forsaking faith and seeking to bee iust by their workes for as Saint Paul witnesseth Rom. 9.31 Israel which followed the law of righteousnesse could not attaine vnto the law of righteousnesse Wherefore Because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the workes of the law Heere God resisted Sathan and opened the way of life vnto all nations For in the fulnesse of time when the promise of the gospell vnto Abraham of iustifying the gentiles through faith was now to be accomplished God sent forth his sonne to be the light of the world and he his Apostles preached repentance to all nations and taught them righteousnesse saluation by faith in Christ onely And then as S. Paul also teacheth c Vers 30. The gentils which followed not righteousnesse attained vnto righteousnes euen the righteousnesse which is of faith Here the Deuil bestirreth himselfe and first euen in the Apostles time hee raiseth vp the Iewes who being d Act. 21.20 zealous for Moses fight eagerly for the law e Gal. 3.1.2.3 and that the workes of Gods commandements be ioyned vnto faith f 1. Thess 2.14 15.16 or to bee aduanced aboue faith Against which Saint Paule laboureth and writeth to the Romains and Galathians most strongly proouing that onely faith in Iesus Christ doth iustifie that God had so decreed it by his word c Act. 15. and the Apostles by a counsell determine that the Gentils are free from the law of Moses Afterward the diuel prepared diuers heretikes to this battaile who in diuers sortes assayled this faith some fighting against the person of Christ as Simon Magus and Arius and their followers some stroue for their owne perfection and righteousnes as Ebion Pelagious Donatus Cathari and such like Against all which God stirred vp learned valiant and faithful men who defended and maintained the faith by the sword of the spirit and kept it found many yeres so that the heretickes preuailed not But in this verie time