the phisition And why Is it not euery one that standeth in neede may haue the medicine applyed yes verily For it will not otherwise doe them any good Now saith he faith giueth vs this spirituall health which vnlesse the minde receiue withall the heart it doth no good but rather hurt As therefore it doth no good to a diseased body to know that he may haue helpe vnlesse the physicke be ministred to him euen so in these sicknesses of our soule the assaultes of sinne without this particular applicution there can be no helpe Let therefore Master Bellarmine tel vs if he will that his fellow Catholickes of the Romish stamp do hold it rather a presumption then faith To be assured of the promise of speciall grace or mercy yet will we rather holde fast that auncient faith of Rome approued also by sundry fathers then wander with them in their wauering opinion and desperate doctrine But our new Romish teachers can abide nothing lesse then that we should teach men to assure themselues by faith of their saluation And therefore they teach this faith to be but an assent not a confidence and that it may be a generall knowledge not a particular and vndoubted persuasion or trust that we are iustifyed by Christ They take for a patterne of their faith that faith that the diuels haue as before out of Saint Iames I taught that they beleeue yea feare and tremble And while they make faith to be but a bare assent they thinke it an easy matter to beleeue for in deed the most wicked may haue such a fayth by this meanes it commeth to passe that they speake euill of our doctrine which they knowe not For wee doe not teach that popish faith doth iustify which is but an historicall assent to those thinges that are spoken of GOD but we say that that assured persuasion which Sainte Paul commendeth in Abraham and whereof himselfe reioyceth And whereby we are kept by the power of GOD vnto saluation wee teach that that doth not onely iustifie vs before God because it apprehendeth and taketh holde of him by and in whom onely wee are accompted righteousse in Gods sight but God by it doth also purifie our heartes Because it cannot be but that wee will haue a delight in Gods commaundementes if once this assured and vndoubted persuasion of Gods eternall goodnesse towardes vs be planted in our heartes Although therefore we still teach constantlie with our Sauiour Christ his Apostles that fayth without workes doth iustifie speaking of a true fayth and an assured confidence which was the olde Roman fayth yet we wil also say with the new Romanistes that the fayth of the nowe Church of Rome or that fayth which the diuels may haue cannot iustifye But this doth nothing hinder our cause for wee accompt not that bastard Roman faith worthy the name of faith So that in this latter assertion wee yeelde to them And in the former wherein we affirme that faith as it is an assured confidence taking holde of Gods mercy in Christ doth iustifie I would they also woulde yeelde vnto the trueth CHAP. VIII WEe haue séene then the most auncient doctrine of iustification by faith grounded vpon the first promise of the womans seede that shoulde breake the head of the serpent taught by the Apostles who yet ment not thereby to open a gap to licentious life because they speak not there of a deuelish faith a popish faith a dead faith that may be fruitlesse but of such a persuasion and so assured a confidence setled in the heart of the faithfull as will not suffer them to be idle or vnoccupied in godly workes as occasion shall bee offered And if wee looke further into the doctrine taught by the Apostles we shall also learne out of it not onely that it is necessary to doe good works but also howe and to what ende wee shoulde doe them For if our affection in doing them be not sincere if our direction and rule be not Gods holy word if our intention and ende be not Gods glory and the performance of our dutifull obedience vnto our Lord and Lawgiuer whatsoeuer our worke be called in name or seeme in shew it is not in deede a good worke First therefore for our affection not onely our Sauiour Christ who is a heauenly and true teacher of all trueth telleth vs that the trée of our heart cannot bring forth good fruite vnlesse it I meane the tree be good it selfe but also S. Paul teacheth vs that the flesh that is that part of man that is not regenerate striueth against the spirit whereby he is brought to that that Hee doth not the good thing which hee woulde but the euill which he would not And that through The rebelling Lawe in his members rebelling I say against the lawe of his mind and leading him captiue vnto the Lawe of sinne which is in his members Nowe if we marke why the Apostle maketh this complaint and addeth that grieuous and pitifull exclamation O wretched man that I am we must confesse that he was forced thereto because that Although he woulde doe good and had delight in the Lawe of God concerning the inner man yet his rebellious fleshe did trouble and molest him so that he could not so freely so holily and sincerely serue God as he shoulde haue done And that is it that in the sixt chapter he perswadeth vs that we ought not to sinne because we are dead to sinne so that we should not any more haue to doe therewith but should haue our affections freed from the same and wholly bent to serue God in holines And for this cause afterwardes when he beginneth to come to exhortations he layeth this as the ground and foundation of al That we must offer vp our selues euen our owne bodies a sacrifice to God For if we beginne not with our selues euen with our owne affections to haue them sanctified whatsoeuer we doe cannot bee holy And therefore S. Peter also who plentifully exhorteth to the performance of Christian dueties yet telleth vs before that we are elect vnto Sanctification For heereby our affections are reformed that in doing of al our works we may do them with a good heart And afterward he saith Seeing your hearts are purified in obeying the trueth through the spirite to loue brotherly without fayning loue one another with a pure heart feruently In which wordes we cannot but see how sincere an effection the Apostle requireth in performance of this dutie of loue which must also bee a patterne for vs to doe all good workes by for thy heart not béeing sincere thy workes are not pure though they seeme good As for the second point which is that our workes if we will that God shoulde accompt them good should be commaunded in Gods word and agréeable to his will it may appeare to be the auncient faith
A Comparison betweene the auncient fayth of the Romans and the new Romish Religion Set foorth by Frauncis Bunny sometime fellowe of Magdalen College in Oxforde MATTHEW 15. 13. Euerie plant which my heauenly Father hath not planted shalbe rooted vp Printed by Robert Robinson for Raph Jackeson 1595. To the Right Honourable my verie good Ladie Katheren Countise of Huntingdon Frauncis Bunny wisheth increase of honour here and euerlasting life elsewhere * ⎠* IF trueth shame not more of anie thing then when she is hid as Tertullian truely writeth then it behooueth her friends to do her that fauor that by all meanes possible they will earnestly indeuor to bring her to light that shee may be seene of them that seeke her and knowen of them that loue her And although this may perchance seeme a hard attempt in these our dayes wherein falsehoode maketh so fayre a shew and hath so great appearaunce of that it is not and euery man claimeth to the trueth be their doctrines neuer so diuers yet since God hath giuen vs meanes to driue awaye those thicke cloudes of errour and ignoraunce that the sunne of trueth may shine vnto the worlde I haue indeuoured in this short treatise to take away that colourable shewe of trueth from the Church of Rome that the vndoubted trueth of the Church of Christ may the better appeare For we haue a touchstone the word of God that cannot lye a rule that cannot deceaue by which whatsoeuer we trie and examine it wil soone bee seene whether it bee true or false Truth also is a thing that is auncient and hath bin alwayes sayth Tertullian and like the good corne that was first sowen but errour is that bad seed which was cast after into that field by the enuious man Seeing therefore that is true that was first and what so euer commeth after is false howe easie a matter is it for such as search to see the light and for them that inquire after her to finde the trueth For if it bee true that the Scriptures teach that onely then al that is not agreable to that truth must needs bee false And if that onely be nowe true which in the Apostles times was true no number of dayes or yeares shall prooue that not to bee false nowe which then was not true Therefore for the benefite of all such as loue the truth I haue in this treatise set downe the doctrine which was first taught and preached at Rome in the Apostles dayes whereof no man doubteth but that it must bee the infallible worde of God and Christian religion Then also I haue added thereunto that which is nowe holden for the Romishe religion and Catholicke fayth there And because these two doe verie much differ as hee that readeth will soone see for indeede they are nothing like and wee are assured that that which Gods worde deliuereth and was first must needes bee currant that which hath no warrant in the worde and commeth after must needes be counterfeite I haue endeuoured to bee short because I hoped it woulde be the more willingly read and the better remembred And for that cause I haue not aunswered the argumentes which the Romish Catholickes vse for defence of their opinions and the rather because it is performed in an other treatise But I trust in this it will appeare that hee that will imbrace the Catholicke Fayth that was then when the faith of the Romans was commended whereof the Papistes make greate bragges must needes detest that Romish fayth that is now and accompt it most blasphemous This little worke I haue beene bold to dedicate vnto your good Ladiship not onely as a discharge of my duetie of thankefulnesse toward your Honour to whome you bounde mee long since by manie vndeserued courtesies but also because that then I knewe your great zeale and feruent desire and loue to the trueth and your Christian care to augment your knowledge of the will of GOD Whereof I nothing doubt but the Lorde hath giuen vnto you great and happie increase To whose abundant mercies in Christ I commit your good Ladishippe alwayes praying that hee will here confirme you in his trueth and continue all his good graces tovvardes you vntill hee shall take you out of this vale of miserie to raigne vvith him in endlesse glorie Amen A Comparison betweene the auncient faith of the Romans and the new Romish Religion set forth by Frauncis Bunny sometime fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford CHAP. I. IT is a daungerous stombling blocke which the Church of Rome hath cast in the waies of the ignorant whereby they are made to fall into the déepe dungeon of Popish heresies and superstitions when they beare the worlde in hand as much as they can that the Apostle in commending the faith of the Romans that then was or rather in testifying that it was published through the world doth approue the faith also that now is there taught True it is that onely they that are starke blind would stumble at that stone for hée that is but halfe sighted may plainely sée that the Apostle speaketh but of the faith of the Romans that then was and doth not promise or prophecy that it should be so alwaies In the beginning God planted true Religion the feare of him in the hearts of men and women but in continuance of time that plant of the Lords own plaining was so ouergrowen with the wéeds of wickednes of life and superstitions seruing of God that it was hardly to be séene emongst men In so much as of the times of Enos it is written as if the world had for a long time forgotten that there is any God that then he began to call vpon the name of the Lord. Yea that which was at the first deliuered from God as a perfect rule of life and written in the heart of man Yet was by the corruption of man so blotted out and by the darknes of our minds so defaced that God was forced as it were to write it a new that it might the better be remembred in the tables of stone Yea and such is the force of our naturall and hereditary infection that we cannot long kéep the truth sincerly deliuered vnto vs without mingling or mangling of the same And therfore Tertulian teacheth vs truly that the trueth must be before heresy euen as the body is before the shadow And he proueth it by that parable of our Sauiour Christ wherin the good séed is said first to be sowen after the â—ares And so concludeth that that doctrine is from the Lord true that is first that which commeth after is false and strange And Ciprian also confirmeth the same when for reformation of any error he teacheth vs to haue recourse to the fountain Which rule of Ciprian S. Augustin also commendeth vnto vs as a very good rule and worthy to be followed And Vincentius Lirinensis in his
his scholler would haue been ashamed to haue taugh it to any Christians CHAP. VI. SAint Paul hauing planted and proued this doctrine of iustification by faith in Christ as he doth in the fourth chapter of this Epistle to the Romans and else where in many places hee then teacheth that in respect of this grace we should be so far from being imboldened to sin that on the contrary we are the more bound therby to holines of life For whosoeuer is dead to sin must not liue to sin But we if we be not baptised into Christ are dead to sin Therfore such as are baptised into Christ may not liue to sin or in sin Yea it is good reason that the seruant obey his Master but we are Gods seruants by promise in baptisme therefore him we must obey then we cannot obey him which God hateth forbiddeth and punisheth but we must serue God our Master in holines and righteousnes And whereas no man euer more plainely taught our frée iustification in Christ without our workes or merites or any inherent righteousnesse euen by the forgiuenes of our sinnes then the Apostle S. Paul both in this epistle and else where yet no man more earnestly and effectually then he exhorteth to holines of life good workes and all Christian duties sinne and security haue not a sharper enemie then he is S. Peter also teacheth vs that Christ his Owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body vpon the tree Whereby he sheweth the satisfaction that he hath made to be the attonement betwéene God and vs and that without vs he hath done it himselfe I say in his owne body hath paid that price and taken away the condemnation due to the sinne that we haue committed Hee hath done it vpon the trée by his death and passion purchasing thereby eternall redemption What can the Apostle say more plainely to teach vs that the satisfaction for al our sinnes is alreadie perfected so in and by Christ that our owne workes can be nothing auayleable to satisfie for them or that there is not to that vse any neede of them What then Séeing he beareth our sinnes shall we lay loade vpon him and by our sinne and vngodly life doe what wee can to make his burthen heauier No no he hath done all this that wee who by this benefite of Christ are dead to sinne should liue to righteousnesse For if GOD bee our God wee must be his people If hee bee our louing Father hee looketh that wee shoulde be his obedient children If he bee our gratious Lorde and Master we must not be vngracious but duetifull seruantes For as God doth couenant with vs to bee our God so do we also by vowe and promise binde our selues vnto him to bée his seruantes And this also doth the Apostle Saint Peter teache vs who in the first Chapter hath plentifully set forth Gods greate merrie towardes vs euen in this question of our free iustification as also in this place he hath done and yet wil not in any wise that any Christian duties should of vs be vnperformed but exhorteth vs to bee occupied in them as we may see Chap. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4. and to accompt them as a debt that we owe vnto God and must pay him For we are Gods workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath before ordained that we should walke in them Saint Marke reporteth vnto vs that our Sauiour Christ preachd often forgiuenes of sinnes as in his third and fourth Chapters it may appeare which forgiuenes of sin doth quite ouerthrow that inherent righteousnes and iustification by worke that the papistes striue to establish And yet the same S. Marke doth register and record among many other godly exhortations that our Sauiour Christ made to his disciples this necessary caueat Take heed watch and pray for you know not when the time is By all which this doth appeare that sanctification and holines must followe iustification and forgiuenes of sinne for we are washed that we should not againe defile our selues with the filth of sin and that Gods loue doth more effectually tie vs to obey him and to indeuour our selues to doe his will And looke howe much the more we are instructed and assuredly perswaded of the free loue of God so much the more will our inner man be inflamed with loue to him againe I say euen with such loue as will thrust vs forwardes to walke in good workes And this is notably proued by our Sauiour Christ who gathereth that the sinfull woman in S. Luke felt That many sinnes were forgiuen her because she loued so much And thus we sée that the auncient Roman faith was this that such as haue receiued and felt Gods free grace in forgiuing their iniquities as in trueth they are so in duety they must be alwaies ready to serue him So that I may boldly say with S. August It can hardly bée that he that beléeueth well should liue euil But our popish spiders out of this sweete flower doe gather their poyson They burtheÌ„ this doctrine which in expresse words is taught by S. Paul and the effects of it by S. Peter also that we are iustified by faith without the workes of the Law with this slaunder that it is a doctrine of liberty and occasion of licentious life a hinderance to good workes And thus this doctrine which they cannot confute with reason they couer with shame and reproches And that which they cannot with all their learning proue false by this shameles shift they seeke to make odious Far otherwise did the ancient fathers both speak write Iustinus Martyr lerned of the Apostle S. Peter to say that faith profiâ—eth our hearts Ciprian saith to cease from sin that beginneth of faith Tertulian affirmeth that faith sheweth vs the way whither to licentious life No but by which we must come to God Basil ascribeth vnto it great force to allure draw and perswade the mind because as in another place he telleth vs it strengheneth the powers of the same it obtayneth getteth indeuour in vs and Gods helpe which both are necessary in al our works Epiphanius writeth that it preserueth euery faithful man he meaneth from euil no doubt And Theophilact telleth vs that faith in Christ is truely a holy and perfect worke and doth sanctifie or make holy him that hath it And on the other side that such as lead an vncleane life are not truely faithfull who professe that they know God but in workes they deny him By all which it is plaine to see that these holy fathers did thinke that faith doth both quench all the firie dartes of the wicked and nourish or maintaine within vs the good motions of the spirit and so is as it were the fountaine from whence doth spring whatsoeuer good work we can performe But the papistes would beare the worde in hande that the more
from performing their dutyfull obedience as he doth many times by his priuiledges As for indulgences and pardons any bodie that will pray and pay for them may haue them And they that dwell at Rome get yet another maner of blessing with his two fingers wherwith he blesseth the people that gaze at him when he is caried abroad To be short at certain times he blesseth those that are called blessed graines or Agnus dei or such like stuffe and causeth these to be sent into Countries far and neer deluding and deceiuing by such toyes the hearts of the simple therwithall filling their owne panches and purses as though they had gotten or those had giuen some great spirituall gift when they haue some such toy consecrated by the Pope These are his gifts such are his blessings If you would haue better he cannot afford them For he is not for the most part able to preach teach It is against honour and estimation to seek to comfort the afflicted conscience No neither the Pope nor his Colledge of Cardinals will busie themselues in the Ministerie of the word in the abundant blessing wherof Saint Paule reioyceth Is the darknesse more contrarie to the light then are these vain promises or shewes of spirituall comfort verie cloudes without water and trees without fruit of true consolation to that perfect peace of mind and ioy of conscience which the Apostle promiseth vnto them and purposed to work among them by the powerful preaching of the Gospell of peace This this is in deed a true consecrated sword which shall pierce euen to the heart and conscience of the sinner and make a deeper wound then all the hallowed swords that the Popes can sanctifie And thus to be short we see that where Paule commeth he bringeth with him spirituall gifts euen abundance of blessing by the ministerie of the word But the Pope because he cannot skill of such blessings vseth other be blesseth fire water salt oyle swords roses books belles candles palmes ashes wax paper parchments lead pictures or payntings falsely perswading sillie soules that hee is able to put holinesse into them And thus it appeareth that if we consider the doctrine of the Church of Rome examining it with that that was taught in the dayes of Saint Paul and Saynt Peter they are nothing like If their practise they are cleane contrarie so that the new Romish Church hath no cause to brag of that old faith of the Romanes CHAP. XIX AND these are if I bee not deceaued all the points of religion in controuersie betweene vs and the Church of Rome at this day Whereof out of the Apostles epistle to the Romanes wee may gather any certayne doctrine Wherein if we dissent from the religion of the Romish Church that now is that we may iumpe and ioyne with the auncient faith of the Romanes commended by thapostle as spoken of and that worthilie in all the worlde I trust no indifferent Christian that in singlenesse of heart seeketh the trueth either will or can iustly reprooue vs. And as hitherto I haue shewed what consent there is in the groundes of their doctrines betweene S. Paul who wrote to Rome to confirme them in the faith S. Peter who they say wrote from Rome and S. Marke also who wrot his Gospell at Rome as in histories it is recorded so now in one point let vs see what Saint Peter thinketh in one poynt I say not touched by Saint Paule in that epistle although in other places plentifully enough by him deliuered Saint Peter therefore in handling the dueties betweene man and wife doth thereby commend the honourable estate of marriage as a state of life whereof God hath a care and therefore giueth lawes and rules in obseruing whereof husbands and wiues may serue and please God And if he had so verie well liked of single life as they who call themselues his successours doe hee woulde no doubte haue taken occasion to haue put in some caueat for the same But himselfe was maried as the Rhemistes themselues confesse and though out of Hierome they would proue that being called to be an Apostle he forsooke his wife yet how false that is Saint Peter himselfe doth plainely enough declare For he exhorteth Husbands to dwel with their wiues according to knowledge that is to kéepe and continue holily and kindly with them not vngodly and vncourteously to forsake them And shall we imagine that S. Peter would teach others and not himselfe or say one thing and doe another or that in wordes exhorting them not to depart from their wiues by his example he would moue them to leaue them That be farre from vs once to imagine And this we may be sure of that if he had forsaken his wife as our popish Catholickes now or some other in former times iniurious to that holy ordinance did surmise he woulde yet so haue tempered this his general commaundement that his example shoulde not haue béene manifestly repugnant to his doctrine Therefore that he was maried the scriptures report and it is by our aduersaries confessed but that he forsooke his wife it hath no shewe of proofe no colour of trueth Yea further the Apostle doth insinuate that the dwelling together of man and wife in knowledge is a furtheraunce to their prayers And therefore vnto that former exhortation he addeth these wordes That your prayers be not hindred Thereby declaring that the dwelling together of man and wife as they ought to doe is a furtheraunce to their prayers Whereas on the contrarie their separating of themselues in bodie may breede such an alienation of mindes with other great inconueniences as may interrupt their prayers And although S. Peter meane not héereby that they shoulde so continually dwel together as that they might neuer withdraw themselues the more fréely to consecrate as it were and wholly giue them selues to prayer and fasting yet woulde he doubtlesse according to S. Paules rules haue such their abstinence when anie is To be by consent for a time and againe to come together that Sathan shoulde not tempt them for their incontinencie For all men and women are in danger of his assaultes and therefore To auoyd fornication let euery man haue his wife and let euery woman haue her owne husband saith his fellow apostle And although men or women may for a time feele themselues voide of wanton and vnchast lustes yet because Not all men can receiue this thing saue they to whom it is giuen séeing I say it is not in their power but a rare gift of God which how long they shal haue it they are not certain yea to know who giueth it is a high point of wisdome the wiseman saith what madnes is it to promise that which thou canst not performe Or to séeke for that which is not necessarie for thee or to indeuor to please God with that which he requireth not of thée How much better is it
to require that of them that S. Paule doth assure himselfe that he shal find in them namely that they are so filled with all knowledge that they can admonish one an other Yea this knowledg is so necessary for all Christians that Saint Paule alwaies wisheth it to be in such as he writeth vnto and prayeth that they may haue it But séeing this hope that is in vs is grounded vpon the word for otherwise it is but a foolsh fancy and no sound hope the knowledge whereby wee must be made able to aunswer of the same must be the knowledge of Gods worde Yea whatsoeuer besides that we doe know it may perchaunce some way satisfie our humour and serue for some turnes but this one knowledge is that onelie that is necessary and without which we cannot but erre as Saint Marke himselfe reporteth vnto vs that Christ told the Iewes Doe you not erre because you know not the Scriptures So that we sée that the auncient doctrine of the Church of Rome was this That to knowe Gods word is the meanes or power whereby God saueth vs and the séede of euerlasting life And therfore as the knowledge thereof is comfortable and profitable so to be ignorant thereof is very dangerous for any Christian man or woman But the now Romish Church doth not onely suffer without any publike shewing of their mislike the sacred Scriptures and Gods written worde to be most reprochfully disgraced and blasphemously scorned at by comparing it to a leaden rule a nose of wax Inkye diuinitie and with such like prophane and godlesse scornes but also they teach that that word of trueth wherewith Saint Iames saith God hath begotten vs is doubtfull and may be wrested any way it is not sufficient to teach vs all trueth without the helpe of traditions it is harde to be vnderstoode and therefore the people must not reade it And that it is best for the people to be ignorant still for ignorance is the mother of deuotion So that we see the auncient Church of Rome commended vnto vs Gods word as most necessary for Christians the now Church of Rome condemneth the same not as needlesse onely but euen as hurtfull and dangerous They hated ignorance as a sworne enemy to Christianitie these reuerence her as a fruitfull and the onely mother of popery Therefore the olde faith of the Romans and the newe Romish religion are in this nothing like And yet there is not any greater disgrace that they can lay vpon this powerfull worde then that which blasphemously they affirme and prophanely maintaine that eùen this power of GOD and immortall seede hath no power at all or authoritie vnlesse the Church authorize the same As though this power of God that it may be powerfull must receiue power from man and this seede that GOD that sower went forth to sowe cannot growe vnlesse man giue it increase CHAP. III. THere is also in these daies great question what is Gods word that is to say what that word is that should be the rule of religion and conuersation For the which the old religion of Rome was this That in any wise they should take héede of such as make diuision and giue occasion of euill contrarye to that doctrine which they had learned And S. Paule prayeth that they may be Confirmed according to his gospel and preaching of Iesus Christ As for other worde then that hee did teach or other gospell then that he did preach as he héere teacheth the Romans that they ought not to beléeue so he flatly writeth to the Galathians that If he or an Angell from heauen preach any other gospell they shoulde be so farre from receiuing it that they shoulde hold him accursed that bringeth it And S. Peter commending the worde whereby men by their sinfull nature mortall are made immortall poynting vnto that word sheweth what it is And this is saith he the word which by the gospell is preached vnto you And in the end of this his first epistle he protesteth This is the true grace of God wherein ye stand That is to say this faith or religion that you haue béene taught this doctrine of the gospell which you haue learned is the true faith the true religion a true doctrine For so do Claudius Guilliandus and Iac. Faber no enemies to popery expound it Then by the old faith of Rome we sée that that which they then preached and that which was agréeably to that rule is the truth euen that which was then Depositum committed or taught not any thing that should be afterward committed to them or taught And this is in trueth that old worde of God which was then acknowledged for Gods word and had not any beginning from later times this is in déed an auncient religion Which was promised before by the Prophets in the holy Scriptures But the now Romish faith cannot abide this doctrine And therfore our new M. of Rome haue decreed that al the books of the old and new testament as wel the Apocrypha as Canonical and also the traditions themselues concerning faith or maners shal with like affection bee beleeued and with like reuerence receiued Yea they are not ashamed to teach that these their traditions are more necessary and profitable then Gods word We see then that the old religion of Rome taught both by Peter and Paule is to rest in that worde that then was taught without adding thereto The Romish religion that now is doth arrogate vnto themselues alwaies to adde as they see cause which their additions are nothing else but an augmenting of the heapes of their superstitions whereas August Hierom. others appoint the listes and limites of Gods word to be the Law the Prophets the Euangelistes and Apostles CHAP. IIII. THen let vs come to the question of iustification which is y e very summe of true Christian diuinity And it is the intent and purpose of the Apostle in the Epistle to the Romans most exactly to teach the same For when the good séed of our frée iustification in and for Christ was sowen in the ground of their harts then came the enuious man and sought to sowe sundry sorts of bad wéeds there also For some there were that were altogether enemies to the gospell of Christ as were the obstinate Iewes who could not abide to heare of this saluation by Christ Others beléeued in part the gospell but thought yet that the ceremonies which God commanded not knowing that they were appointed but vntill the time of reformation should come should not be abrogated and therefore would mingle the Law with the gospell Who also looked to be iustified by the Law and the works therof because it was promised Hee that doth these things shall liue thereby There were also a third sort perchance namely such as were conuerted from Gentilisme that being proud of that grace that was broght
from thence And for proofe héereof let vs looke vpon some good worke and with indifferent iudgement let vs trie whether as it commeth from vs it can be perfect or not And what better worke can we finde then prayer which is that sweet sacrifice of perfume that God delighteth in If any man will say that he can offer vp vnto GOD his sacrifice without any wante or imperfection he proclaimeth thereby vnto the worlde that hee knoweth not what it is to pray or hath no feeling of his owne weakenes I speake not heere of popish prayers which are full of horrible blasphemies both in respect of him to whome they pray and of the mediatours by whome they seeke to obtaine and of the merite which they looke for because they haue numbred vp a certaine number of prayers Let the Church of Rome affoorde vs but one man that iustly and truely can say that he can at any time with sincere heart and vnpolluted lippes so earnestly and confidently as God requireth being lifted vp from earth and earthly cogitations talke with God and sue vnto him for necessarie graces onely or especially respecting Gods glorie without wauering in fayth or wandering in affections or forgetting that hee is talking with GOD and then we will yeelde that our works there may be perfection But if in so holy a worke wherunto our owne wantes may stirre vp vs to be the more sincere yet wee shall alwaies finde imperfection how then can our other workes be voyde of sinne But if any man in his excesse of folly and depth of ignoraunce eyther of that he can doe or of that he shoulde doe woulde make the worlde beleeue that he is able to offer vnto GOD the sacrifice of prayer without faulte or blemish his owne thoughtes will testifie against him his knowledge will accuse him and his conscience will condemne him that hee deceaueth himselfe and that there is no trueth in him For this is the perfection which we can looke for and which Saint Paule desireth to bring the Romans vnto not that they shoulde haue no sinne for that he knewe was impossible but that they should not let sinne raigne in this their mortall body that they shoulde thereunto obey by the lustes of it And that our prayer cannot be altogether voyde of wantes what can be more playne to proue then that which S. Paule himselfe teacheth the Romans that Wee knowe not what to desire as we ought For how can wee performe that perfectly which thing we knowe not howe to doe as we ought The spirit of GOD sendeth vp I confesse in deed requests for vs that is maketh vs to request with groninges vnspeakable But what is that to vs and to our nature to the perfection of our worke We are like bad tooles in a good hand I speake of the regenerate The toole being sharpened by the workeman hath an edge and can cut So we when God hath reformed our will by the spirit of regeneration haue a readines or desire to doe good But this edge if it méete with any thing that is harde as iron or stone is broken and made blunt or dull So is this our willingnesse or readinesse taken away when our carnall affections and desires doe oppose themselues So that although Gods spirite that worketh in vs and by vs is holye yet because it worketh by such euill instrumentes as we are looke howe much wee want of the perfection of our regeneration which heere cannot be perfected for whilest heere we liue we are but children and are not come to our perfect groweth so much must needes our worke want of the cleare light of the minde to direct it or of the sincere obedience of the heart to performe And because the Apostle â—newe thus much therefore that wee shoulde not be altogether discouraged in respect of the imperfection of our actions or the corruption of our nature he telleth vs that The lawe of the spirit of life in Christ Iesus marke that this Law of the spirit of life is in Christ not inherent in vs hath freed vs from the Lawe of sinne and death So that we haue no other remedie for our wantes and imperfections then that that holines which is in Christ shoulde by imputation become ours By the which in the ende that sanctification which by the spirit is heere begotten in vs shall be also fulfilled in vs as is promised afterwards For that righteousnes of the Law that there is spoken of that it is not or cannot be fulfilled of vs so long as we cary about vs this body subiect to sinne and correuption experience teacheth and I thinke the papists themselues that haue any shame will not deny For so long as we haue any lust or concupiscence which so long as we liue we shall haue Admit that lust were not sinne as the patrons of lust the papistes woulde haue vs to beléeue and falsly teach yet whilest that remaineth no body can say that the very righteousnes of the Law or whatsoeuer the Lawe required is fulfilled of vs. For euen themselues confesse that lust is aswaruing from the Lawe and is not according to the direction thereof Whereby it appeareth that these wordes of righteousnes of the Lawe that must be fulfilled in vs are to be vnderstoode of that that shall be performed in vs héereafter and not of that righteousnesse that we can now attaine vnto I cannot therefore but maruell at our Rhemistes that by these wordes woulde prooue that we may fulfill the Law For besides that which I haue said that it must be vnderstood of the perfection which we shall haue the wordes themselues also teach vs that this is done not by vs for we cannot attaine to that holines but in vs now if Christ in vs fulfill the Lawe it is not thereby proued that our selues fulfill the Law or that it is possible that we should attaine to the perfect obedience therof I trust that it appeareth that the ancient faith of the Romans which was commended by S. Paul doth so proclaime our vnworthinesse and debase our owne workes if we will consider them how God in his iustice may iudge of them that we may iustly confesse with the people of God Wee haue all beene as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnes as filthy cloutes we all doe fade as the leafe and our iniquities as the winde haue taken vs away So that we alwaies haue good cause to pray that God whatsoeuer thing we take in hande should Forgiue vs our trespasses For as saith Saith Bernard we want trueth charitie and courage Yea and the more we looke into and the better we knowe our selues the more plainely shal we see that these will alwaies be heere vnperfect Reason saith hee fayleth through ignoraunce of the trueth will is weake because affection fainteth the flesh is vnable through scante of courage In so much as reason doth not well vnderstande what it
birth of Tamars children For Zarah being first néere the birth yet Phares his brother came forth before him So these godly motions béeing first thought vpon yet euen in Gods good and obedient children such corrupt and vngodly affections will first shew themselues Of which dangerous battell commeth this troublesome effect troublesome I say to Gods children that their loue eyther of God or man is not without want their faith not without feare their obedience not without blemish their seruice not without negligence to be shorte in any good thing that we will attempt we shall not be without euil to hinder the same Which thinges being well considered of I trust it wil easely appeare that our will though it be good in the regenerate yet is not at any time altogether free to doe as it would in respect of these corrupt lusts of the flesh And that this is the auncient faith of the Romans that was in S. Paules time it is more plaine then that with any good shew of reason it may be denied For the Apostle teacheth the Romans thus much euen by his own example Who féeling within himselfe this spirituall battel betwéene the spirit and the flesh which onely Gods children do féele so by experience being taught that when he had done what he could he was notable to doe that which willingly he would haue done he plainely confesseth The good that I would do I not but the euill which I would not that do I. Now I trust no man will answere that he speaketh not of that he could doe but of that he did I trust no body wil imagine but that the Apostle did what he could to doe good and not to doe euill and yet when he had striuen therein to the vttermost his regenerate and godly will was not of power to performe his godly desires But if any man would iudge so grosly of S. Paule as that he might haue done more then he did to stand against sinne yet would they be sufficiently confuted by that which the same apostle addeth almost immediately whereby he sheweth by what meanes it came to passe that he was so driuen and drawen to doe against his will Euen because There was a Lawe in his members rebelling against the Lawe of his minde and leading him captiue to the Lawe of sinne although concerning the inward man he had delight in the Lawe of God Now if S. Paule had not free will as no doubt in these wordes he plainely teacheth the Romans that hee had not to doe good shall we imagine that we who are much lesse fréed from corruption of sinne then he was haue any such fréedome or power in vs Shall we that are in comparison drye stumpes and fruitlesse plantes deceiue our selues in this vaine conceit that we are better able to bring forth the fruit of good works then he was God forbid No I am verily perswaded that whosoeuer doth but consider what a good work is according to that I haue before said especially in the viii Chapter and on the other side how weake wee are of our selues because our regeneration is not heere perfected and how stirring and striuing our lustes are whereby we are hindred in our good indeuours he wil vtterly detest that deceitfull doctrine of mans free will to doe good and abhorre it as a proud presumption And hee will not onely with Saint Paule humbly confesse his owne weakenes but with S. Peter also heartely giue thankes vnto our gratious God who hath Kept vs by his power not by the power or free wil that we haue vnto saluation So that we see we to acknowledge this weaknes in our selues yea although we be regenerate to doe good and the power whereby we are preserued to saluation that we should not quite fall from it to be from God and in him is the Catholicke doctrine that then when these Apostles taught was receiued at Rome According to the which also the fathers in the Auraâ—ican counsell did affirme That many good thinges are wrought in man which man worketh not But man doth no good at all but that God giueth power that he may worke it And Theophilact most plainely speaking of the workes that we doe after baptisme wherein the papistes especially brag of their fréewill Our will saith he is dead but his that is Christes liueth and doth gouerne this our life If then our life be gouerned by Christes will where is the power of our owne will which our aduersaries so much extol I said saith FulgeÌ„tius that thou wast preuented not onely with that loue wherewith GOD loued thee but with that also which hee freely powred into thee that he might be loued of thee Therefore all euen whatsoeuer holy loue thou hast towardes thy husband thou hast it in deede in thee but not of thy selfe Much might be alledged out of the fathers to this ende whereby it might appeare how they did follow this ancient faith of the Church of Rome but I will take my leaue with Arnobius his wordes You saith he repose in your selues the saluation of your soules and hope to be made Gods by your owne inward indeuour But we promise not to our selues any such thing of our infirmitie seeing our nature to be of no strength and that it is ouercome by the affections thereof whensoeuer it striueth But now would they teach vs to speake with new tongues not the wonderfull workes of God but the straunge strength that is in vs to serue God straunge I say because we haue neither seene it in the godly nor heard it in the pure and auncient Roman Church nor can finde or feele it in our selues vnlesse it be when wee are past feeling that wée feele not our selues But thus they teach vs that being once stirred vp and holpen for these are their owne termes by grace man hath afterwardes such power that hee is freely moued to God to dispose and prepare himselfe to obtaine the grace of iustification Yea that our lustes or desire of sinne are subiected to reason and free will with such subiection as scarsely there can be any greater And thus whereas God because the olde heart of man is naught and hath nothing in it that will further nay that will not hinder vs to walke vprightly in the wayes of godlinesse promiseth to giue vs another heart A newe heart saith God will I giue you and a newe spirite will I put within you they woulde make vs beleeue that this olde hearte of ours will serue with a little chaunge And yet that wee may know that to stirre vp and to helpe our olde heart will not serue the turne God by Ezechiel in the place alledged saith I will take away the stony heart out of your body and I will giue you a heart of flesh By which wordes of giuing a newe hearte taking away that we haue of stone giuing vs one of fleshe God woulde haue vs to learne that
principall intent and meaning of the Apostle is the sinceritie that euery one in these duties must performe For he would haue vs faithful in the office that is committed vnto vs whatsoeuer it be and that according to the measure of Faith the grace that is gyuen to vs we occupy well our talent vntill our Lord master come Saint Peter is also of that mind If any man speak let him speak as the words of God By these things it may appear to what end the offices were appointed in the ancient Roman Church what was required at the hand of each Officer But afterwards as superstition began to grow so these functions heer spoken of by thapostle began to be lesse regarded and other were had in a greater accompt For these are the orders in the Romish Church Priests Deacons Subdeacons Candle snuffers or Candle-cariers Exorcists or Coniurers Readers Porters Some also reckon the Singers amongst their orders And although euen the meanest of these might performe some necessarie seruice in the Church yet by what reason can they imagine that their Candle-cariers or Porters are neerer to the Priests office then other that haue no such office in the Church As for their Priests who are to supply the place of Prophets teachers and exhorters they haue in a maner altered that function and giuen them another work to doe For when they take orders the Bishop giuing them in their hand the Chalice with wine and the couer of the chalice with one of their cakes vpon it saith to them Receiue power to offer a sacrifice to God and to say Masse both for them that liue and for the dead in the name of the Lord. So preaching is no part of their dutie but only to sacrifice and say Masse And if any man will obiect that we our selues haue also want of such learned Ministers as are able truely and soundly to teach and rightly to deuide the word of life I must needs confesse that we are neither as we should neither as we would be for that point but wish and pray daily that the Lord would increase mightily the number or paynfull and faithfull labourers in his vineyard But yet we are not either so sencelesse or shamelesse that we dare alter Christes ordinance We are not so sawcy that when he biddeth his seruants doe one thing we will commaund them to doe another If he say go teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost We dare not say goe offer Sacrifice and say Masse for the quicke and the dead For that is quite to alter Gods ordinance to make them pastours that I say not cannot but must not feede and teachers that neede not teach It is a scorne saith one Gilbert as Durand citeth him A watchman to be blinde a forerunner to be lame a prelate to be negligent a teacher to be vnsauery or ignorant and a cryer to be dumb No man therfore can deny but that there is in the Church of Rome a great degenerating and swaruing from the auncient offices which S. Paule speaketh of so that as in their doctrines they wholy dissent from that pure antiquitie so in their doings they disagree from their perfect patterne How vnlike in affection are these men to the godly fathers who commended in times past the faith of Rome Ciprian is much â—greeued that he could not come to the people of Assuris as I take it that he might vse his ministery among them to the comforting of euery particular man God forbid saith Gregory Nazianzen that I shoulde play the euill sheephearde which deuoureth the milke clotheth himselfe with the wool and doth sell and kill the fat of the flocke leauing the rest among the wild beastes and rockes God forbid that I shoulde feede my selfe and not my flocke If I exhorte not you saith S. Augustine to agree with your aduersary I shall continue in srife with him He that biddeth you doe commandeth vs to speake If you become his aduersaries because you doe not that he willeth we also shall be his foes in not saying that he chargeth vs. Yea Gregorie himselfe a Bishop of Rome howsoeuer it is now enough for a priest to say Masse and lift faire for that is a fine qualitie and much commended doth flatlie pronounce that a priest going in and out must die for it if hee make not his voyce to be heard and that he prouoketh against him the wrath of the iudge whom now we see not if the voyce of his preaching sound not so that in his time as in the daies of S. Paule pristes must be preachers which now is not very necessarie or requisite with them CHAP. XV. AS for obedience to princes without sinne it cannot be denyed vnto them because Christ commaundeth to Giue to Caesar that which is Caesars So that it is a debt that we owe vnto them and is due to be paid a duety that they may claime of vs yea that God inioyneth vs to doe and therefore it must be performed For this cause the Apostle S. Paul commandeth euery soule to be subiect to the higher powers Noting thereby not onely the outward shew of subiection which many times may be where is a trayterous heart but euen that hartie true submittnig of our selues with duetiful affection which he calleth the subiection of the soule The same lesson S. Peter did teach who they say was Bishop of Rome and wrote this Epistle at Rome Submit your selues to al maner of ordinance of man for the Lordes sake And againe Honor the king And this subiection as not onely lay men are bound to performe but euen priestes and monkes yea Apostles Euangelists Prophets if we 〈◊〉 beléeue Chrisostome vpon this place so the bishops of Rome for some hundreds of yers dutifully obserued the same reuerencing as their Lords the mighty potentates as by some of their owne writings and in the histories it may appeare and also patiently suffering vnder them reproches and death But the Church of Rome that now is doth many waies seeke to rase out this Law and to disanull this commandement First in that the Bishops of Rome haue so exalted themselues aboue the Emperours who are the greatest Monarches that they haue made them to cary their meate to them to giue them water to wash and bowe and kneele to them to leade their horse cary their canapy hold their stirrop waite at their gates barefooted and bare legged to lie prostrate at their feete with such other most reprochfull disgraces as they haue offered vnto them And who knoweth not the constitution of Boniface the eight That if a man wilbe saued he must beleeue that euery creature is subiect to the bishop of Rome God commaundeth euery soule to be subiect to princes Not so saith the Pope all princes yea the Emperour himselfe shalbe subiect to me nay
his glorie is nothing in comparison of mine And this is not onely by the pride of the Popes themselues but wheras stories teach that the godly Christians prayed for infidell Emperours now their diuines doe affirme it to be lawfull to disobey to rebell against and to depose such kings or princes as they will call heritickes yea to kill such is with them an action godly and honourable yea meritorious too Would any man haue thought that S. Peter who so humbly as a fellowe elder intreateth the elders to feed the flocke which God hath committed to them not as Lords ouer Gods heritage could euer haue had so degenerate a successour to haue sit in his chaire as they say the Pope doth and yet in pride of heart doth not onely aduance himselfe aboue al bishops but also ouer all creaturs Or would a man haue imagined these holy fathers would euer haue hatched so barbarous treasons Let this then be recorded of a memoriall to all posteritie and for a perpetuall staine to that bloudy Church of Rome the mother of all treasons and tretcheries of al vnnaturall and villainous practises that shee doth not onely directly oppose herselfe to the worde of God the doctrine of the Apostles and the very Law of nature and nations but also shee and her deere darlinges by their most vile practises doe crie it out vnto the world more shrill then the sound of any trumpet that they quite haue abandoned the affections of men Haue not we in England good cause to detest such doctrine and doctours who haue wrought so effectually in the heartes of many of our English fugitiues that their treasons haue no ende their crueltie hath no measure but that they desire and attempt to lay violent handes vpon the Lordes annoynted which the Godly of all times haue feared to purpose or thinke against the most wicked Yea doth not the Catholicke Tyrant that calleth himselfe by the name of a king but is in deede a reproch and shame to the verie name that he so hath dishonoured doth he not corrupt with gold and intice by all fayre promises subiectes to kill their princes and to murther them whome they ought to defende obey and reuerence It is too true it is too playne What kingdomes hath he not tempted what princes hath he not indaungered Howe many hath he gotten destroyed So that I am often times driuen to wonder and maruell what sluggishnesse or security possesseth the heartes of Christian kings and princes that they ioyne not their powers together against that common enemie not to princes onely but euen to mankinde His ambition increaseth as doe his daies his cruel purposes cannot be numbred He incrocheth cōtinually as he can vpon other mens right and vniustly if his might will serue dispossesseth the iust heires of their kingdomes and dominions His doings declare that he enuieth all your glory O you potentates and aspireth to euery of your inheritances and principalities And will you thus stand gazing on as men amazed at his strange attemptes whilest hauing preuailed against your neighbors he also take you in hand when his power shall be increased and yours diminished Doe you not know that it is high time for you to looke about you when your neighbours howse it set on fire Bande therefore and combine your selues together to reforme or restrayne his vnbrideled affections I doe not wishe his subiectes to rebell against him for that we see is vnlawfull but I pray God to put such a hearte and courage into his neighbours and equals that they woulde teach him to knowe that his omnipotente minde made proude with his might and wealth shall not alwaies be satisfyed with the spoyle of other But to leaue this Romish Catholicke to his Catholicke practises vntill God shall eyther conuert his heart or confound his power what cause hath the Pope so to magnifie himselfe and to claime such soueraigntie ouer them whom he ought to obey we see the Apostles would haue all without exception subiect to princes The Popes supremacy is not once mentioned although S. Paule writing to the Romans might haue had good occasion to haue commended the glory of that seate if any such thing had beene and S. Peter if he had any such soueraignty had iust cause to haue required submission to himselfe as wel as to kings and should haue made more accompt of himselfe then to be but a fellow elder with others But the Apostles haue bin taught to speake by the spirit of God The Popes haue done according to the pride of their owne heart And it is a verie strong presumption against the supposed soueraigntie which they say S. Peter had ouer all that S. Marke his fauorit and follower who also if stories be true wrote his gospell at Rome at the request of Peters wel-willers yet the same his gospell neyther maketh any mention of the great miracles which they woulde haue vs to Imagine that he wrought against Simon Magus which is one of their principall argumentes to proue Peters being at Rome neyther hath one worde more then the rest whereby we may gather any such superioritie in him And if he make any mention of Peter it is without any signification of his iurisdiction ouer others Yea when he speaketh of his calling he thus barely deliuereth it vnto vs. And Iesus passing by the sea of Galile hee sawe Simon and Andrew his brother c. And reporting the contention that was among the Apostles which of them should be chiefe he taketh no occasion to commend to them or to vs that soueraignty although the later time Iames and Iohn desired the same from him and the rest reporting how Christ reproued him he vseth no excuse no mitigation of the offence Now seeing neither when he setteth forth his calling neither in pointing to his infirmity neyther in noting these contentions he hath so much as any way signifyed his superioritie it followeth that eyther S. Marke was iniurious to his master in not giuing to him his due place or vnmindefull of his duetie to Gods Church in concealing from it so necessary an Article of religion as nowe they holde it or else that there was rather no such matter and therefore he coulde not write of it For after Christ was once ascended and the holy Ghost sent in visible forme then was it time to knowe all the Articles of religion so that our abuersaries cannot tell vs that S. Marke for modesties cause did not write of these thinges For not to write of that which is necessary to be beleeued if hee knewe it had beene greate wickednesse Subiection therefore to Princes was of the auncient faith of the first faithfull Romans But this soueraignty and Supremacy of the bishoppes of Rome is but a poynte of the newe learning or else the dregges of Simon Magus his pride CHAP. XVI THE Apostle hauing exhorted vnto such Christian dueties as we may not omit