himselfe sometime with that the Church Romish hath formerly taught Lambertus Danaeus in the place before alleaged reckoneth at the least 37. or 38. who haue taken such paines and yet as not hauing reckoned all referreth them who are desirous to know of mo vnto Trithemius This great Doctor of the chaire for Schoole-diuinitie in a Preface he writeth before his Commentaries vpon Pauls Epistles in the very latter end thereof gathering a briefe and summe of the former part of Pauls Epistle to the Romanes hath these wordes Pluribus modis ostendit iustitiam salutem Lombard Praefat in Comment in Epi. Paul aequè Iudaeis Gentibus esse non per legem sed per fidem Iesu Christi vt à lege eos tollat in sola fide Christi eos constituat The Apostle many wayes proueth that righteousnesse and saluation is both to Iewes and Gentiles alike not by the Law but by faith of Iesus Christ that he may with-draw them from the Law and settle them in the only faith of Christ. And after in the very beginning of his exposition vpon the third Chapter of the Epistle vnto the Philippians Lombard in Epist ad Philip. c. 3. Contra Pseudo-apostolos eos monuit ne legalia ab eis recipiant sed fidem Christi solam sufficere credant Against false Apostles he hath admonished them that they receiue not of them precepts of the Law but beleeue that the only faith of Christ sufficeth Yet haue we the Doctor of Doctors behinde that Angellical Doctor for so they call him whose wordes at Rome are Oracles and his writings with too many haue more credit then the sacred Scriptures Yet in this I beleeue he will proue a Lutheran or Caluinist I know not whether but sure I am a Paulinist Yee shall heare his owne words that you may know I wrong him not Moralium legitimus vsus est saith he vt homo non attribuat eis Tho. Aquin. 1. Tim. 1. Ier. 3. quam quod in eis continetur Data est lex vt cognoscatur peccatum Rom. 7. Concupiscentiam nesciebam nisi lex diceret Non concupisces quod dicitur in decalogo Notable good counsell it is which in these wordes hee giueth and sound and Christian instruction which I would it were well marked The lawfull vse saith he of the morall precepts is when a man ascribeth not any thing to them but what in them is contayned The Law is giuen that sinne might bee knowne Rom. 7. I knew not lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust as is said in the Decalog Now marke the conclusion which he hereupon inferreth Non est ergo in eis spes iustificationis sed in sola fide Rom. 3. Arbitramur hominem iustificari per fidem absque operibus legis Therefore there is not in them the precepts of the Law any hope of iustification but in faith only Rom. 3. We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law I haue the more carefully set downe his words because they are so plaine and pregnant for vs. For first he teacheth that the lawfull vse of the morall Law is to let vs see our sinne not to seeke for iustification by it as after he sheweth And why should wee bee taught this if not to driue vs vnto Christ Then also he affirmeth that there is no hope of saluation therein but in faith only And that which doth much contradict our now Romish Catholikes he gathereth this doctrine of Iustification by faith only euen out of these wordes of Paul as we doe How now can we be Heretikes and your Angellical Doctor a Catholike No no hee writeth as plainely for Iustification by faith only as any of vs. It is high time the purgers of mens writings should be set on work to mend their Index Expurgatorius that Thomas may bee taught to speake otherwise then thus or else he will marre all for he speaketh here not Romish For to make it more plaine what hee thinketh elsewhere too concerning iustification by workes when duly and indifferently he considereth of the word it selfe and examineth that he writeth by the true touch-stone one place more out of the said Thomas I trust shall not be thought tedious Expounding the wordes of S. Paul to the Galathians Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the workes of the Law are vnder the curse He sheweth the Apostle speaketh here of all workes Aquin. in Gal. 3. Lect. 4. Ceremoniall or Morall Opera enim non sunt causa quòd aliquis sit iustus apud Deum sed potiùs executiones manifestationes iustitiae Nam nullus per opera iustificatur apud Deum sed per habitum fidei non quidem acquisitum sed infusum Et ideo quicunque ex operibus legis iustificari quaerunt sub maledicto sunt quia per ea peccata non remouentur nec aliquis quo ad Deum iustificatur sed per habitum fidei charitate informatum For saith he workes are not the cause why a man is iust before God but the executions rather or manifestations of iustice For by workes is no man iustified before God but by the habit of faith and that not gotten but giuen Whosoeuer then by the workes of the Law seeke to be iustified are vnder the curse because by works our sinnes are not put away neyther is any iustified before God but by faith beautified with loue These two sentences of Thomas of Aquine being duly weighed doe as plainely auow Iustification by faith only and disproue Iustification by Workes and our owne Merits as any thing we doe say or write insomuch as if he were aliue I make no doubt but he should be forced eyther to recant or would be accounted a Caluinist hee followeth so truly the trace of Saint Pauls Doctrine herein But what if our Countriman Stapleton bee of this minde too I know that if hee were aliue he would not say so for any thing he hath alwayes beene so pestilent and peruerse an enemie to the same calling the Doctrine of Iustification by faith only Stap. Antid in Act. 15.10 Antid in Ro. 3. v. 21. A most wicked and most pestilent Doctrine Yea elsewhere too he is nothing better perswaded thereof but sayth It is impious and full of shame so shamefully doth this impious wretch write of this most comfortable Doctrine But we will not moue him to say it plainly wee will not stand vpon termes so hee teach the substance of the Doctrine we will beare with him And with a little helpe hee will be brought to that We will but lend him a Maior proposition much like that which I vsed in the beginning of this discourse of Iustification by faith only and he will fit himselfe of a Minor and so iumpe with vs in Doctrine If the Apostle exclude from Iustification all workes so as they haue no power to iustifie then faith only doth iustifie but he excludeth all workes from
workes necessarie is the Iustification that is by inherent righteousnesse This I confesse is a goodly ornament vnto a Christian But if wee looke well about vs we shall find it too short to couer our imperfections and therefore must wee seeke otherwise to appeare righteous before God namely in the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ by whom wee haue forgiuenesse of sinnes And whereas the Apostle denyed that wee are iustified by workes would you not thinke hee spoke very absurdly to take this word as the Romish Church vnderstandeth it For to say a man is made godly without good workes and this they must say is as if I should affirme any thing to be burnt in the fire without heate Againe Iustification in our aduersaries sence is alwayes in doing For it is our regeneration or new birth our renouation or sanctification which can neuer bee perfected so long as wee are in this flesh and carry about with vs this bodie subiect to sinne Heere wee are militant and striuing after wee must looke for the crowne Heere we are Pilgrimes after this wee shall be Citizens and rest in ioy For now wee know but in part wee prophecie in part 1. Cor. 13.9 10. But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be abolished And as our knowledge is but in part euen so yea much more is our obedience heere very maimed and vnperfect That Paul himselfe confesseth Our inward man is renewed daily sayth he 2. Cor. 4.16 And hee whose prayse is in the Scripture for wisdome doth verie aptly liken the way of the righteous to the morning Pro. 4.18 that shineth as the light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day By which fit similitude Salomon setteth forth vnto vs the continuall increase in godlinesse that an inherent righteousnesse that I may so terme our maimed and vnperfect obedience can bring forth Saint Bernard pithily and prettily expresseth as much comparing man in respect of his fall vnto one that falleth vpon a heape of stones and in the myre too Bernardus de Coena Domini Cecidimus super aceruum lapidum sayth he in luto vnde non solum inquinati sed etiam vulnerati grauiter quassati sumus lauari quidem cito possuinus ad sanandum vero opus est curatione multa We haue falne vpon a heape of stones and in the mire so as wee are not only defiled but wounded also and sore bruised Wee may quickly be washt but to heale vs there must bee long time By washing away our myre he meaneth our Iustification which he saith may soone be but by healing our wounded and bruised nature he vnderstandeth our sanctification Aug. de Trinit lib. 14. cap. 17. which is long in doing Therefore most truly sayth Saint Augustine Sanè renouatio ista non fit in momento Truly this renewing or new birth is not wrought of a sudden And now to adde an Assumption to that proposition that righteousnesse of which Saint Paul speaketh Iustification already perfited Rom. 5.1 is alreadie in them that are iustified We are iustified sayth hee as speaking of a thing alreadie perfited as also elsewhere being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God The same Apostle telling the Corinthians that Fornicatours Idolaters c. shall not inherit the Kingdom of God applying this vnto them 1. Cor. 6.11 saith Such were some of you but you are iustified These reasons then being wel considered of giue vs to vnderstand that there is so great difference betweene that sence of this word Iustification which our aduersaries would haue and that which is agreeable to the Apostles meaning as that their exposition of this word heere cannot be good and true But as I mislike and that iustly of that they teach so is it needful I should shew what is the true meaning of this word We seeke no strange signification of the word neyther force it to any other then that in the Scriptures most commonly it hath and most properly belongeth vnto it This I might proue by infinite testimonies I will produce but some few Hee that iustifieth the wicked sayth Salomon and hee that condemneth the iust Prou. 17.15 euen they both are abomination vnto the Lord. In like sort in Esay God by that Prophet denounceth Esa 5.23 Woe to them that iustifie the wicked I know our aduersaries will not say that woe shall be to them that shall make a wicked man righteous and reforme his vngodlinesse but to such as call euill good or good euill Esay 5 20. The Prophet Dauid acknowledgeth his sinnes to be verie great that GODS faithfulnesse in shewing mercie to him may bee confessed that thou sayth hee maist be iustified in thy sayings which words the Apostle in this verie Chapter alleadgeth as before is said But that God standeth in need to be iustified in the Popish sence our aduersaries dare not for shame say To be short the Prophet Dauid prayeth thus Enter not into iudgement with thy seruants O Lord for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified In all which and infinite moe places that I might produce the word iustifying is so taken as that a man is absolued or acquited that hee is pronounced not guiltie and so must it in these words be vnderstood when the Apostle sayth wee are iustified by faith that is by faith wee stand before GOD and may plead not guiltie For confirmation of that which I haue said I vse this argument Saint Paul speaketh heere of such Iustification Iustification bringeth peace Rom. 5.1 as maketh vs to haue peace with God For so are the words of the Apostle Being iustifi'd by faith wee haue peace with God But Iustification in the Popish sence maketh vs not to haue peace with GOD and in our sence it bringeth peace with God therefore Saint Paul speaketh not of Iustificatiō in the Popish sence but in ours My Minor only is to be proued for I haue alreadie shewed that the Apostle auerreth the Maior and that hath two parts the one negatiue wherein I deny Iustification in their sence to bring peace with God the other affirmatiue that in our sence it doth That Iustification as it is a doing of good workes and a liuing righteously so farre forth as mans frailetie will permit which is the sence that our aduersaries say belongs to this word heere cannot procure our peace with God I proue because the perfection of the Law which wee are commanded to obserue and keepe is such as man can neuer attaine to the fulfilling thereof None can fulfill the Law For who is hee that can so rule his affections by the Spirit that hee can in all sincerity and soundnesse serue the Lord Not any Man but Christ could euer doe it as the godly most plainely confesse The reason is because the Law commandeth perfection and our weakenesse is not able to performe it The Apostle teacheth vs so much saying
Howsoeuer that gracelesse wretch Boniface the eighth who instituted the first Romish Iubile giuing therein immunitie both from sinne and the punishment thereof would make the world beleeue that hee hath power to forgiue sinnes too Anton. part 3. cap. 8 tit 20. §. 2. The fruit of application Praefat. exhort ad Martyr ad Fortunatuâ— Job 19.25.26 Micah 7.7 â— Tim. 1.15 But as Antoninus Bishop of Florence writing that Historie sayth God only forgiueth sinne But to returne from whence for a few lines I haue digressed When we can in this sort apply vnto our selues the mercy of God and thus make a garment fitting our selues to couer therewith our shame of the wooll of the Lambe as Cyprian in one place prettily speaketh for so he calleth the Scripture Oh with what assurance will wee bee able with Iob to say I am sure my Redeemer liueth I shall see God in my flesh And with Micah I will waite for God my Sauiour my God will heare me And with the Apostle Christ Iesus came into the World to saue sinners whereof I am chiefe Notwithstanding for this cause was I receiued to mercie that Iesus Christ should first shew on me all long suffering vnto the example of them who shall in time to come beleeue in hir 〈◊〉 eternall life But the Apostle sheweth in many places vnspeakeable comfort by applying to himselfe in particular the mercies of God in so much as hee assureth himselfe that none could charge Gods seruants to indanger them none could condemne them Rom. 8.33.35.38.39 Yea who shall separate vs sayth hee from the loue of Christ I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor the Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature is able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Thus wee see what wonderfull assurance and confidence they haue whom Gods Spirit guideth to apply vnto their wounded consciences the most Soueraigne salue of the promises and examples of Gods mercie Whereas others in the time of feare and danger languish in perplexitie Luk. 23 30. Bernard de Annunt serm 3. and could wish the mountaines would fall vpon them and the hills would couer them For truly sayth Bernard as it were speaking vnto God Non reponis â—leum misericordiae nisi in vase fiduciae Thou Lord puttest not the oyle of mercie but into the vessell of confidence This this I say is the faith commended by the Apostle this is the faith that iustifieth before God which beginning with knowledge of Gods mercy in Christ Iesus out of it gathereth confidence and boldnes And thus with good warrant out of the Word I trust wee may affirme that this faith which doth assuredly know and comfortably apply vnto vs the promised mercies of God causeth vs with boldnesse to stand before God without feare of condemnation yet not for the merit or worthinesse of the act of beleeuing but because the office yea the very nature of faith is to apprehend and take hold of Christ through whom wee are found righteous before God in that he is made vnto vs of God wisedome 1. Cor. 1.30 and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption as before I haue said The last wordes in this sentence What workes of the Law are meant whereof there is any question betweene our aduersaries and vs are these The workes of the Law Out of these arise two doubts The first is what Law the Apostle speaketh of in these wordes For some euen very ancient haue beene in that error that he speaketh of the Law ceremoniall as Origen and others Now the Romish Church not seeing how they might maintayne their doctrine of Merits and Iustification by workes vnlesse they were of that minde also were in former times of that mind too being glad that they might shrowd themselues vnder the name of ancient â—â—â—rs I need not speake in particular of these Popish Writers seeing Bellarmine confesseth as much as I say Nonnulli saith he è Catholicis Bellar. de Iustific l 1. cap. 19. docent per opera quae Apostolus à iustificatione excludit intelligi obseruationem legalium ceremoniarum Many of the Catholikes teach that by the workes which the Apostle excludeth from iustification the obseruation of the ceremoniall Law is meant But how many or how great in learning Not works ceremoniall Rom. 2.13 or accompt soeuer they be S. Paul affordeth vs proofe enough to conuince them of error When he saith The doers of the Law shall be iustified is there any colour of reason to imagine that they who obserue the ceremonies of the Law shall bee iustified Wee see in the first and last Chapters of the Prophet Esay Micah the 6. the 50. Psalme and in other places of Scripture that many who were most diligent performers of the ceremonies were notwithstanding misliked of God yea reproued for satisfying themselues with that externall seruice What haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices Esa 1.11 saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offrings of Rams and of the fat of fed beasts and I desire not the bloud of Bullocks nor of Lambs nor of Goates That also which the Apostle writeth of the effect of the Law written in mens hearts by reason whereof we haue thoughts accusing excusing cannot be vnderstood of the Law ceremonial But to come yet neerer to the purpose S. Paul euen in that place where hee handleth this question concluding the former part of this discourse and hauing proued Iewes and Gentiles to be transgressors of the Law either written or of nature thus saith Therefore by the workes of the Law Rom. 3.20 shall no flesh be iustified in Gods sight And lest we might make any doubt what Law hee meaneth of he yeeldeth a reason of his former assertion which maketh the matter plaine For by the Law is knowledge of sinne And yet that it may be more manifest what Law is here meant elswhere in plaine wordes he expoundeth himselfe Rom 7.7 I knew not sinne but by the Law For I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust Out of which wordes I reason thus The Apostle speaketh of that Law that maketh vs to know sinne but that is not the Law ceremoniall therefore the Apostle speaketh not of the Law ceremoniall Yea this place seemed to S. Augustine to haue such force as that thereupon he groundeth that which we teach August de Spir. lit cap. 8. Ac ne quisquam putaret hic Apostolum ea lege dixisse hominem iustificari quae in Sacramentis veteribus multa continet figurata praecepta c. And lest any man should thinke the Apostle to haue said that a man is iustified by that which in the old Sacraments haue many figuratiue precepts from whence commeth circumcision which children were commended to receiue he by and by sheweth what Law
he meant and saith For by the Law is knowledge of sinne But the Apostle himselfe is best Interpreter of his owne meaning Out of that he had said some perchance would gather that he had little regard to the Law whereby the Iewes would be offended for they knew the Law was giuen of God Others would take occasion thereupon more boldly to transgresse to meet therefore with these inconueniences hee maketh vnto himselfe this obiection Rom. 3.31 Doe wee then make the Law of no effect through faith Yea we establish the Law But the Law ceremoniall is not by the Gospell established Hebr. 10.1 Rom. 10.4 but abolished For that Law had but the shaddow of good things to come But the end of the Law is Christ So that he offering himselfe vpon the Altar of the Crosse to God the Father Iob. 19.30 a sacrifice for sin did vpon good ground say It is finished So as Christ being come if wee will still tye our selues to the obseruation of that Law Gal. 5.2 Paul telleth vs that Christ shall profit vs nothing 4. Yee are saith he abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the Law yee are fallen from grace Therefore were the Apostles in their dayes very carefull to teach men to rest vpon Christ and not to imagine that now in the time of the Gospell they are tyed to those impotent and beggerly rudiments Gal. 4.9 as the Apostle calleth them This may appeare by that notable Councell Act. 15. and in diuers places Much more might bee alleaged to proue that the Law ceremoniall cannot in this place be vnderstood But this I trust is sufficient and had indeed beene more then enough but that our Aduersaries of later time Bellar. de Iustif l. 1. c. 19. Andrad Orthodox Explic. l 6. although they dare not defend that opinion yet would they make it seeme lesse absurd as doth Bellarmine in pointing to some places that their errour is grounded vpon as if they had reason so to teach and Andradius nameth some Fathers of that minde Well then by the Law without all question wee must vnderstand the Law morall But here ariseth another doubt what works are here excluded in these wordes What workes are excluded Without the workes of the Law And here our aduersaries doe earnestly contend not to haue all workes excluded from Iustification but such only as are done before they beleeued For if they should confesse that no works can iustifie then falleth downe that doctrine of Merits to the ground a most gainefull doctrine to Pope and Popish Priests who must supply with their store that which other want of their owne merits But we teach that all workes All works before after excluded from Iustification aswell such as follow our iustification this our aduersaries denie as the workes that wee doe afore our iustification which themselues confesse are in these wordes excluded from being any causes of our iustification before God And to auerre this which we say we haue many strong reasons The first is taken from the wordes themselues being mightily strengthned with the faithfulnesse of him who teacheth this doctrine and with his sincerity in teaching For as hee requireth in other disposers of the secrets of God that euery man be found faithfull 1. Cor. 4.2 so he testifieth of his owne faithfulnesse in his ministery speaking vnto the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Act. 20.20 I kept backe nothing saith he that was profitable but haue shewed you and taught you openly and throughout euery house And againe 27. I haue kept nothing backe but haue shewed you all the counsell of God Neither can wee in reason suppose he would deale more sincerely with them of Ephesus then with the Romanes of whose instruction in the faith how carefull hee was may well bee seene in his first and fifteenth Chapters of that Epistle The Apostle therefore All without exception speaking of workes without any exception as hee doth without the workes of the Law if any workes should not haue beene excluded from iustification he might haue beene charged by the Romanes that he kept backe somwhat from them namely what workes were to be admitted as causes of iustification and what not and so did not shew them all the counsell of God For if he had beene of our aduersaries opinion sincerity would haue forced him to haue said When I say we are iustified without workes I speake only of workes done afore we are iustified not of all workes For when we are once iustified by God then by our workes wee must iustifie our selues So that if any workes may be accounted as causes of our iustification the Apostles manner of speaking would rather haue beseemed some acquiuocating Priest or Iesuite who haue taught their hearts to dissemble and their tongues to lye yea who professe to teach the arte of dissimulation and cogging and glory in their falshood whereby they deceiue the world then this faithfull Apostle It is most certayne therefore that the Apostle being as he was a most faithfull disposer of the mysteries of God one that detested all such doubtfull or double dealing in Gods matters especially 1. Cor. 2.4 Whose preaching standeth not in the iniycing speech of mans wisedome but in the plaine euidence of Spirit and power excepting no workes excludeth all And many such like speeches we haue in Scriptures in which such indefinite propositions as Logicians call them are vniuersally to bee vnderstood Hebr. 4.15 Christ is said to bee without sinne Now seeing there is sinne Originall and Actuall of commission and of omission shall we imagine that because the Apostle saith not without all sinne therefore Christ is subiect to some sinne Zach. 2.4 God maketh promise to his people that Ierusalem shall be inhabited without wall Now because there are sundry sorts of walls some of stone some of earth or of other matter as men fancy shall some cauilling companion say Though they had no stone walls yet had they some other walls for their strength But infinite such places might bee brought wherein it may easily appeare that though this vniuersall signe all be not added yet it must be vnderstood as also it must be in these wordes of S. Paul as well all workes going before or following iustification as all Lawes either Naturall or Morall or Ceremoniall Againe if the Apostle had meant only to exclude the workes done in our infidelity he needed not so carefully to haue set down the manner of our Iustification as he doth immediatly before these words That it is by the righteousnesse of God Rom. 3.22.24 by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And that Wee are iustified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation 25. through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes In all which there
GOD had done no doubt many good Workes and offered many Sacrifices vnto God yet without respect vnto any of his Workes that hee now the childe and seruant of God had done Abraham beleeued God Gen. 15 6. Gal. 4.9.3 Rom. 4.13 and that his beleeuing was imputed to him for righteousnesse And therefore Paul is bolde to vse such exclusiue words The promise was not giuen through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith And Sicut Abrahae nostra filiorum eius per gratiam sayth Primasius Primas in Epist ad Rom. 4. As was the Iustification of Abrahams so is ours also who are his children by grace But to be short I suppose we may bee bold to gather out of that which is said this reason As Abraham was iustified so shall wee bee but Abraham was iustified by faith without the workes that he did being Gods seruant therefore we also shall so be iustified All this argument may well and strongly be prooued out of this fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes But what neede many Arguments Confitentem habemus reum Stapleton our Countriman a sure friend to the Romish Church and as loth as any of them to write any thing that might any way impugne their Popish Maximes seeing the deadly wound which these words of the Apostle giue to their Doctrine of Merits is very carefull to salue that sore yet the force of truth driueth him to grant that heere the Apostle Antidot in Rom. 3.28 Our works cannot merit forgiuenesse of sinnes Excludit opera à virtute iustificandi absolutè id est à virtute remittendi peccata Excludeth Workes from hauing power simply or absolutely to iustifie that is to remit sinne or from power to remit sin What can be more plaine Good Workes cannot obtaine remission of sins sayth Stapleton and therefore not iustifie absolutely or perfitly Now an vnperfit Iustification we are not acquainted withal neither hath Christ or any of his Apostles taught vs any such But we know that a perfect cause hath her perfect effect a perfit Sacrifice such an one was that which Christ offered hath obtained perfect Iustification before God for all beleeuers But heere I would faine haue asked a question of Stapleton if he had beene aliue or of some other friend of his seeing hee is gone to giue an account how well he hath vsed his talent whether to gaine soules to Christ or to Antichrists how Parish Priests shall doe hereafter When men and women come to bee shriuen and haue confessed their sinnes shall their Ghostly Father bid them fast so many Frydayes Wednesdayes or Saints Eeues gad on Pilgrimage to Hales or Buxton to Compostel to Rome or to Loretta weare Haire-cloth next their skinne goe bare-foote and bare-legged shall they torment their bodie with Whips or other punishments Popish penances plaine cozenages or begger their Posteritie in building Chaunteries and such like places for satisfaction for sinne All this is to no purpose For Stapleton assureth vs there is in these or any other though better workes by farre such as GOD hath commanded no power to remit sinne so that Iustification must bee sought for some better way And so it seemeth the World hath beene couzened a great while by these cogging Companions which haue made men and women beleeue that by such Workes they may satisfie for their sinnes And thus I trust vpon so good a confession of Stapleton so good warrant of the Word and sure grounds of doctrine wee may conclude that a man is iustified and accounted guiltlesse before God by faith apprehending Christ Iesus in whom we haue redemption by forgiuenesse of our sinnes without any Merit of our Wrokes whether before or after our Iustification Now that which out of these words we conclude doth of necessitie follow but that our Aduersaries fearing lest their Diana of Merits should be nothing esteemed if they cast not a mist before mens eyes to hinder from them seeing the cleere light of truth that shineth in our Doctrine Act. 19.25.28 assemble as did the Siluersmiths at the call of Demetrius who told them by that craft they got their goods and with such other speeches made them full of wrath insomuch as they cried out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians Euen so is it with vs. The Romish Demetrius that getteth much by selling such as they call good Workes with his followers seeking to defend the Doctrine of Merits cry out of that which teacheth Iustification by faith only whereby they may haue much losse if want of euill gotten goods may bee counted losse I confesse we teach that Faith only doth iustifie that is that a true and liuely faith wrought in our hearts by Gods Spirit working by loue True faith only iustifieth fruitfull in good workes adorned and beautified with holinesse of life for these are badges whereby to know a true faith doth iustifie and acquite vs before God so as wee boldly stand and plead not guiltie Whereby our Aduersaries may see how vniustly they slander vs and our Doctrine as if wee were enemies to all good Workes And yet we only teach that such a true faith as I haue now described without respect of the Workes that alwayes accompanie it doth iustifie not by the Merit of this faith but in that it is our hand whereby we apprehend and hold fast that Iustification which we haue in Christ through the vnspeakeable mercie of God And this our Doctrine is so warranted in Sacred Scripture as nothing more Saint Paul doeth often vse exclusiue words Exclusiue words Negatiue Equiualent as these are without the Law without Workes Sometime plaine negatiue words Not by Workes not by the Law Otherwhile words equiualent or of such like force As by grace Freely These manners of speech when I consider of I cannot but like well of the good and Christian counsell giuen by Primasius an ancient Writer Audi gratis tace de Meritis Heare what the Apostle sayth freely and speake not a word of Merits Thus therefore I reason for our Doctrine of Iustification by faith only If Workes are not to be ioyned with faith in the matter of Iustification then faith only euen by the confession of our Aduersaries doth iustifie For our Romish Catholikes denie not this our Doctrine but in respect of workes neyther doe they in any their Bookes or Writings seeke to match any thing with faith as cause of Iustification but workes only But workes are not to be ioyned with faith in the matter of Iustification as the Apostle most plainly proueth Gal. 2.16 Know ye that a man is not iustified by the Workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ Againe Ye are saued by grace Eph. 2.8.9 through faith not of your selues it is the gift of God not of Workes lest any man should boast himselfe Lastly these words to the Romanes are very effectuall Rom. 1.28 Therfore wee conclude that a man is iustified
into wantonnesse gathered out of the Apostles words that so they beleeued they needed no regard or care how they liued as Augustine saith in moe places then one Therefore Saint Iames teacheth how men shall know that wee are iustified and what manner of faith this true faith is For faith without workes as it is not a true or liuing but a counterfeit and dead faith so it auaileth nothing to Iustification So that the word of Iustification hath not the like signification in S. Iames that it had in S. Paul For in S. Paul it is taken for our iustification before God as in the beginning I haue declared plentifully And in S. Iames it signifieth that Iustification before men whereby we are knowne to be righteous S. Iames his words tend to that end Iam. 2.18 Shew me thy faith by thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes He would haue a faith shewed to men which cannot be but by workes for works are the touchstone whereby a true and liuely faith is discerned from a false and dead faith when oportuniry is offered to vs to bring forth that fruit Otherwise the faith that many speake of will proue no better scarse so good Vers 19. as that the Deuils haue who beleeue and tremble Therefore as S. Peter exhorteth vs to beautifie our selues with that better then any golden chaine of Christian vertues which will make vs neither idle nor vnfruitfull 2 Pet. 1.8 in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ so doth S. Iames giue them of his time to vnderstand how they haue mistaken a bare name of faith and knowledge of Christ for an effectuall and a iustifying faith He therefore speaketh in this sort Thou saist thou hast faith I see it not for thy workes shew no such matter Proue then before men that thou hast this confidence in God that thou hast this assurance within thee of thy atonement with him Primasius who wrote about 1100. yeeres since so expoundeth these wordes reconciling that which seemed to bee contradiction in the Apostles S. Iames saith he speaketh of the workes that shew a man to be faithfull Primas in Rom. cap. 3. as himselfe in that which followeth expoundeth it Shew me by workes thy faith It is workes whereby faith is knowne Venerable Bede also is of that minde Bede vpon Iam. 2. that Iames would vt fidem suam per opera probarent That they should proue their faith by their workes But Thomas of Aquine the Angellicall Doctor whose authority in the Romish Church will beare the sway will loose this knot For reconciling those wordes of PAVL Gal. 3.11 No man is iustified by the Law with these wordes of Iames Iam. 2.21 ABRAHAM was iustified by workes He telleth that the iustification that is of workes is an execution or manifestation of righteousnesse whereby he is shewed to be iust And by and by after The righteousnesse before God is in the inner heart Tho. Aquin. in Gal. 3. Lect. 4. but the righteousnes that is of workes that is that maketh knowne or manifest him that is iust is before men What can be spoken more plaine S. Paul teacheth how with boldnes we may stand before God pleading not guilty now this confidence is alwayes within vs S. Iames would haue this by their fruit to appeare vnto others Lest men deceiue their owne hearts Iam. 1.26 and the Religion of such men proue vaine as himselfe saith elsewhere Thus then truly considering in what sense the one and the other Apostle doe take the word Iustification the difference appeareth to be none at all and so the matter is easily compounded And thus I trust it will appeare the premises truly considered that our interpretation of the Apostles wordes A man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law is both true and Catholike Rom. 3.28 our conclusion that out of them we gather is sound and agreeable to the Apostles doctrine hauing a very great consent of most approued antiquitie yea and of Popish writers too And our workes how good soeuer haue not in them any worthinesse or merit but are in mercy rewarded according to promise So that the seruant of God must learne with good Bernard to say Bern. super Cantic ser 67. Gratia reddit me mihi iustificatum gratis sic liberatum a seruitute peccati Grace restoreth me to my selfe iustified freely and so deliuered from the thraldome of sinne Luk. 2.23.24 Then shall we sing with that multitude of heauenly Souldiers praysing God and saying Glory be to God on high Yea with those many Angels round about the Throne Reuel 5.11 and about the Beasts and the Elders and those thousand thousands Saying with a lowd voice Worthy is the Lambe that was killed to receiue power and riches 12. and wisedome and strength and honor and glory and prayse because O Lord Thou hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud 9. Reuel 1.5 yea thou hast loued vs and in it hast washed vs from our sinnes Which Meditations will teach vs casting off all confidence in our selues or our owne righteousnesse 1. Iob. 3.8 Mat. 1.21 to rest only vpon him that came to destroy the workes of the Deuill and to saue his people from their sinnes who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body vpon the tree that we being deliuered from sinne should liue in righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed To him therefore with the Father and the holy Ghost bee all honor and praise now and euer AMEN FINIS
the roote and heat and light from the Sunne but the question which is now to be answered is how the word iustified must here in these wordes of S. Paul be taken Phil. 3.5 I say then it is most likely that S. Paul being of the kindred of Israel of the tribe of Beniamin an Hebrew of the Hebrewes as hee was best acquainted with the Hebrew phrase so he would rather vse it then the Latine Nay this is more then likely because in this very Chapter before he hath vsed this very word according to the Hebrew phrase and in that sense that it hath commonly in the Scripture as our aduersaries themselues must needes confesse in his allegation out of the 51. Psalme It is therefore very absurd Rom. 3.4 that our aduersaries to confirme their sense of this word are forced so to vnderstand it as it is neuer or at the least very seldome vnderstood in the Scripture so that hardly they can alleage any testimonies where of necessitie it must bee taken in their sense whereas we are able to bring very many which they confesse must haue our sense Another absurditie I find in their interpretation Iustification and sanctification confounded by the Popish interpretation that they confound these two notable benefits which we haue by Christ that is our iustification our sanctification Of the first he speaketh in this place to the end of the fift Chap and of the latter he begins to speake in the sixt Chap. as to the end I need not stand long in proofe hereof Tho. of Aquine whom I know our aduersaries wil trust in a greater matter then this is shall testifie for vs in these wordes After the Apostle hath shewed that by the grace of Christ we are freed from sinnes past Tho. Aquin. in Rom. 6. Lec 1. as well that which hath beene brought in by the first man as that which by the Law aboundeth here he sheweth that by the grace of Christ power is giuen vs to resist sinne afterward And this he teacheth entring into his exposition vpon the sixt Chapter of this Epistle to the Romans prouing directly that which I haue said Now the confounding of these two benefits which the Apostle here and else-where distinguisheth is very absurd But here by the way I would aske a question of our Romish Masters what they thinke of these wordes of their Angellical Doctor For if it be true that he saith as it is indeed most true and well warranted by the Word it selfe then is it most false that our aduersaries here say that the Apostle speaketh of an inherent righteousnesse which I thus proue Inherent righteousnesse is for the auoiding of sinne to come but the Apostle speaketh not of the auoiding of sinne to come before the beginning of the sixt Chapter therefore before the beginning of the sixt Chapter he speaketh not of inherent righteousnesse The Minor which is onely by them to be denyed is taken out of the words of Tho. Aquinas Besides these absurdities we haue strong arguments whereby to refell their interpretation As first The Apostles meaning the intent and meaning of the Apostle who from the 16. verse of the first Chapter vnto these words proueth that all both Iewes and Gentiles stand in need of the mercy of God because they are all found guiltie before him The Gentiles not hauing the Law written All are sinners yet had such light of nature shining in their heart as taught them so far forth to know what was good and what was bad that they had their thoughts accusing one another when they did euill or excusing if they liued according to that knowledge But they walked not after that light neither followed that which their owne conscience told them was good â—â—m 2.15 they shewed not in their life the effect of the Law written in their hearts but might say with that vnhappy woman MEDEA Video meliora proboque deteriora sâ—quor I see and approue that which is better I follow that which is worse As for the Iewes among whom were the Lawes of God written in tables of stone and that they might neuer bee vnmindfull thereof they had their Priests for an ordinarie meane of their instruction yea the Prophets also as Gods extraordinary remembrancers to put them in remembrance of their duty and of Gods Law they I say who had greater helps to haue beene better yet liued so little according to that Law that the Apostle thus chargeth them Rom. 2.24 Rom. 3.20 The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles for you Hereupon the Apostle thus concludeth That by the works of the Law shall no flesh be iustified in Gods sight Vers 23. But the Apostle hauing thus proued that all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God will not leaue vs in that vncomfortable case but sheweth by and by how we are deliuered And as he hath taught vs that all both Iewes and Gentiles are transgressors of the Law and by transgression guiltie so now most comfortably he declareth how we shall be acquitted of our transgression Our deliuery from sinne that we may plead not guilty The question then being how we being breakers of Gods Law may appeare before our God and with confidence and plead not guilty This we can neuer doe by any inherent righteousnesse no goodnesse no holinesse that in this vale of misery while wee carry about vs this lumpe of sinfull flesh wee can attayne vnto may acquire vs before God but this must be by faith in Iesus Christ as the Apostle teacheth Now by this it is plaine enough that the Apostle saying wee are iustified by Faith and bringing this as the conclusion of all his former discourse should speake nothing to the purpose if he would here tell vs how we may liue righteously who must rather teach vs how we may be freed from the danger wherein hee hath proued that all men are And as the Apostle had in these words no meaning to shew how wee are inabled to walke in holinesse for of that he meaneth afterward to speake as before I shewed so the words themselues doe sufficiently confute our aduersaries as by this argument may bee proued The Apostle speaketh in these words of such Iustification as is not gotten or had by workes Not by workes but the Iustification in the Popish sence is only by workes therefore the Popish Iustification is not that which the Apostle mentioneth The Maior is plaine by the words of this text A man is iustified without workes The Minor they will not deny For that increase of righteousnesse which our aduersaries so much speake of is nothing else 2. Peâ— but to ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue Such a continuall labouring to be adorned with all goodnesse Good
is not one word of Workes but all is ascribed to Christ Wherein the Apostle also writeth so carefully and so warily as if he feared nothing more then that man should rest any thing vpon his Merits To conclude therefore this my first argument I say with the Apostle If it be of grace it is no more of Workes Rom. 11.6 or else were grace no more grace but if it bee of Workes it is no more grace for then were Workes no more Workes So that because the Apostle sayth it is of grace and by faith without Workes therefore Workes are wholly excluded as Andradius himselfe will warrant me to say For Mercedis ratio Andrad Orthodox Explicat lib. 6. cum gratiae nomine ex aduerso pugnat For the consideration of reward or Merit is cleane contrarie to grace A second argument I take from the finall causes of this doctrine of Iustification by faith only which are two set downe by the Apostle The one in this Chapter immediately before the words of my Text namely to exclude our reioycing or boasting But if all workes bee not disabled as insufficient causes of our Iustification some workes should be left wherein we might reioyce To exclude reioycing in our selues For by reioycing the Apostle meaneth nothing else but that confidence that men haue whereby they content themselues as if they were out of danger of Gods wrath Saint Paul then concluding out of that he hath taught of Iustification by faith that our reioycing is thereby taken away teacheth vs thus much that whoso apprehendeth with an assured faith this Iustification that we haue by Christ resteth nothing vpon his owne workes or contenteth not himselfe with the righteousnesse that is by the Law But on the contrarie our Aduersaries suppose their reioycing is not taken away In so much as a great man among them dareth affirme Andrad Orthodox Explicat lib. 6. That heauenly blisse is not so freely giuen of God and liberally as in respect of their workes it is due And by and by after We gather that eternall felicitie ought not to bee imputed according to grace but according to debt And therefore within a few words after he also defineth Merit Merit A free action whereunto a reward is due Which Doctrine of Andradius because it is also the Doctrine of the Romish Church wee may truly affirme of them that they doe what in them lyeth to make the Apostle a Lyer when hee affirmeth that reioycing is taken away by the Law of faith seeing they still reioyce and content themselues in their workes But I will end this with one short argument If Iustification may bee by workes then is not our reioycing in the Law taken away by faith but it is by faith taken away therefore Iustification is not by workes The Minor proposition is the wordes of the Apostle Rom. 11.6 The Maior is proued by that which a little before out of the Apostle I alleadged that workes and grace cannot both stand as causes of our Iustification But notably for this purpose doth Chrysostome gather out of these words Chrys in Epist ad Rom. hom 7 If the faithfull man and he who is saued would thinke well of himselfe in this respect that he regardeth the Law doe heare in these words how by the Law it selfe his mouth is stopped how by the Law hee is accused how the Law it selfe denieth as it were saluation to sinners and excludeth all boasting and he who as yet beleeueth not being hereby deiected and humbled may take occasion to draw neere vnto faith thou seest how great force faith hath how it driueth vs from whatsoeuer we had before not suffering vs to reioyce though neuer so little in them And a little before he hath sayd that God saueth Nullis ad hoc vsus operibus sed fidem tantum exigens Not vsing for our Iustification any workes but requiring faith only Sedul in Epist ad Rom. cap. 3. Sedulius also verie well noteth thus Talis gloriatio quae veniebat ex operibus legis excluditur Such reioycing is excluded as commeth of the workes of the Law Our comfort Another end why our Iustification is by faith is for our vnspeakeable comfort That it might come by grace and the promise might bee sure to all the seed Rom. 4.16 Whereas if wee should seeke to get the inheritance by the Law Gal. â— 18 we could not thinke to haue it by promise and so in respect of our owne manifold imperfections wee might alwayes bee doubtfull and wauering and farre from that comfort that Gods children finde in themselues In this respect then it is good that we perswade our selues that we are saued by grace Bell. de Iustific l. 5. c. 7 that we may looke vnto Christ only Yea Bellarmine himselfe giueth this aduice Propter incertitudinem propriae iustitiae periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia ponere In respect of the vncertaintie of our owne righteousnesse and the danger of vaine glorie the safest way is to put all our confidence only in Gods mercy and goodnesse Very well writeth vpon these words of the Apostle Theophilact Theophil in Epist ad Rom. 4. Quum vniuersa sint in Dei tum gratia tum misericordia fita profecto quae ab eoconferuntur stabilia fore certa omni semini id est credentibus cunctis existimanda sunt Seeing all things are of Gods grace and mercie sure the things that are giuen from him as it may be thought are stable and sure to all the seed that is to all beleeuers Ambros in Epist ad Rom. 4. Saint Ambrose also sayth Firma esse non potest promissio omni semini hoc est omni homini ex omni gente nisi fuerit ex fide The promise cannot bee firme vnto all the seed that is to all men of euery Nation vnlesse it bee of faith And he after yeeldeth a reason of that he hath said because by the Law we are found guiltie and the promise cannot be giuen to them that are guiltie vnlesse they bee purified which must bee done by faith Thus then I reason The promise of Iustification must be sure but vnlesse it be of faith it cannot be sure therefore the promise of Iustification must bee of faith The Maior is Saint Pauls Rom. 4.16 The Minor is the former wordes of Saint Ambrose A third argument to proue that euen the workes of them that are regenerate cannot iustifie and are excluded by Saint Paul from hauing that force is taken from the example of Abraham who is set forth as a patterne in whom wee may learne how wee all can attaine to Iustification as it is plaine to see in the fourth Chapter of this Epistle to the Romanes Abraham Abraham not iustified by workes a good while after he was called out of Vr of the Chaldees had liued a good time in obedience vnto
by faith without the workes of the Law As if he would haue said We the Apostles of Iesus Christ appointed to bee the Scholemasters and Teachers of the World vpon good ground teach this as a doctrine not to be denied a principle in Religion not to be doubted of Faith only And howsoeuer our Aduersaries impugne this Doctrine and would perswade the simple that it is strange and hath no warrant yet are we able to produce such as many hundreds of yeeres since haue taught the same and gathered it out of these words of the Apostle Origen who liued about fourteene hundred yeeres since in verie few words Orig. in Ro. lib. 3. cap. 3. doth twice auerre the same Dixit Apostolus sayth he fide solius iustificationem sufficere ita vt credens quis tantummodo iustificetur The Apostle hath said that Iustification of faith only will suffice so that he who beleeueth only is iustified Isichius wrote at the least a thousand yeeres since and he sayth much like as Origen before him Isich in Leuit l. 4. c. 18 Gratia misericordia fide comprehenditur sola non ex operibus vt dicit Apostolus Grace and mercy is obtained by faith only not by Workes as Paul saith We cannot then be iustly charged as Teachers of new Doctrine heerein seeing wee affirme nothing but that others long before vs haue taught But because this is so much misliked as it is and so scornefully reiected of our aduersaries although all truth must bee grounded vpon the word of truth Iam. 1.18 as S. Iames calleth the Word of God neither needeth it the testimonie of any man which God in the Sacred Scriptures so plainly hath deliuered yet for the satisfying of the simple and the stopping of the slanderous mouthes of our obstinate enemies I purpose to let you see such a consent with vs in Doctrine for this point of Ancient Fathers and Learned Writers long before our time as in no one article or piece of doctrine wherein our aduersaries dissent from vs I suppose a greater can be shewed neither mo seuerall Authors alleaged So that I may well impanell for tryall of this controuersie two Grand-Iuries of famous men well reported of for godlinesse and learning among all men many of them and the meanest of them of such reputation in the Church of Rome as they are thought sufficient to goe vpon tryall of as great a matter as this is although it be of great importance And S. Paul himselfe shall speake for all as you heare hee hath done and bee Fore-man of this Iurie for they all haue learned of him that they say euen in these wordes which now I intreat vpon And first I will second him with some of them Commentaries vpon these wordes that wrote their Commentaries vpon this Epistle of S. Paul to the Romanes All I haue not out of such as I haue I will alleage but out of euery one one place although out of diuers of them I might produce very many Of Origen I haue spoken before and therefore I now omit him S. Ambrose is next who affordeth very good choice of testimonies he hath such plenty Amb. in Rom. 3. Iustificati sunt gratis saith hee quia nihil operantes neque vicem reddentes Sola fide iustificati sunt dono Dei They are iustified freely because working nothing neither recompensing they are iustified by faith only by Gods gift S. IEROME very briefly but as plainely writeth Hieron in Rom. 4. Per solam fidem iustificat Deus God iustifieth by faith only Then haue we Sedulius writing thus Ad Christum veniens sola quum credit fide saluatur Sedul in Rom. 3. He that commeth vnto Christ is saued by faith only when he beleeueth And the last of this ranke shall Primasius be who writeth thus Primas in Rom. 4. Impium per solam fidem iustificat God iustifieth the vngodly by faith only Another sort of them whom I meane to produce in this matter Other expounding other Scriptures are such as expounding other places of Scripture haue in such their Commentaries taught the same doctrine Among whom the first is Hilarie as most ancient in yeeres so most worthy to haue the first roome because he setteth downe the very wordes in question betweene vs now Hil. in Mat. Con. 8. Sola fides iustificat saith he Only faith iustifieth The next shall be Chrysostome who as he was next him in yeeres of all this company so hee differeth very little in wordes Ex sola quippe fide nos saluauit For by faith only he hath saued vs. Chrysost in Eph. hom 5. Augustine a man most famous in Gods Church for learning and his great labours against Heretikes well agreeth with the rest saying Aug. in Ps 88 Conc. 2. Sola fides Christi mundat The faith only of Christ cleanseth To whom may Cyril also be added who though he haue not the same wordes yet teacheth he that substance of doctrine in these wordes Cyril Alex. in Iob. lib. 9. cap. 30. Per fidem namque non aliter saluamur By faith for no other way we are saued ISYCHIVS I haue before produced I will not therefore mention him againe in this place But venerable Bede the glory of our North Country speaketh more plainely Per iustitiam factorum nullus saluabitur Beda in Ps 77. sed per solam iustitiam fidei By righteousnesse of workes shall no man be saued but by the righteousnesse of faith only Theophil in Gal. 3. After him Theophilact writeth thus Demonstrat Apostolus fidem vel solam habere iustificandi virtutem The Apostle sheweth that euen only faith hath power to iustifie Very well also and agreeably to the rest writeth Haimo who liued about some 800. yeeres since Haimo in Gal. 3. Bernard in Cantic ser 22. Fides sola saluat Faith only saueth And most comfortably as in many things writeth good BERNARD Quisquis pro peccatis compunctus esurit sitit iustitiam credat in te qui iustificat impium solam iustificatus per fidem pacem habebit apud Deum Whoso feeleth remorce for sinne and so doth hunger and thirst after righteousnesse let him beleeue in thee who dost iustifie the vngodly and being iustified by faith only he shall haue peace with God And Oecumenius telleth vs Oecumen in Iam 2. That ABRAHAM was an image of iustification by faith only when it was imputed to him for righteousnes that he beleeued Then haue we Rupert Rupert in Reg. cap. 39. lib. 2. who writeth that sola iustificare potest fides Iesu Christi The only faith of Iesus Christ can iustifie Sundry other Fathers also and learned Writers we haue who in their seuerall Treatises affirme that also Fathers in their seuerall Treatises which we out of the Apostle doe gather To begin with Cyprian as most ancient Fides tantùm prodest saith he Faith only profiteth Next vnto
him commeth Basil Cypr. l. 3. ad Quir. c. 42. Basil Hom. 22. whose wordes are these Ea demum perfecta omnimoda gloriatio est in Deo quandoneque propter suam ipsius iustitiam quis extollitur sed agnoscit se quidem vera destitui iustitia verum sola in Christum fide iustificatum esse That is perfit reioycing and altogether in the Lord when a man is not proud no not of his owne righteousnesse but confesseth himselfe to be destitute thereof and that hee is iustified only by faith in Christ GREG. NAZIAN who for the great opinion of learning that was conceiued of him was called the Diuine as he was in Basils time so was he of his mind too as these his wordes doe shew Nazian Orat. 21. Confiteri Christum credat illum a mortuis suscitatum esse saluaberis Siquidem credere solum iustitia est Confesse Christ and beleeue that he is raised from the dead and thou shalt be saued For to beleeue only is righteousnesse PAVLINVS also is of the same minde that the rest are as wee may see in an Epistle which is among S. Augustines Epistles his wordes are Epist 58. Aug. Salus fide sola quaeritur Saluation is sought for by faith only This is also the iudgement of Ruffine in his exposition of the Creede it is among Cyprians workes Ruffin in Symbolum De remissione peccatorum saith he sufficere deberet sola credulitas Concerning remission of sinnes beleeuing only should suffice And the reason of this his assertion is not to bee omitted Quis enim causas aut rationem requirat vbi indulgentia principalis est For who will inquire after causes or a reason where indulgence or pardon is principall THEODORET also as oft in other his Treatises so also in his bookes against the Idolatrie of the Gentiles and in defence of Christian Religion writeth thus Theodâ—r de curat Grae. Affect l. 7. Non vllis operibus nostris sed per solam fidem mystica bona consecuti sumus Not by any our workes but by faith only we haue gotten vnknowne good things Now vnto these I may adde Leo a Pope in an Epistle that he sent by one called Philo to Leo then Emperour It is not his 70. Epistle as Bellarmine vntruly quoteth the place but 76. But his wordes are these Catholica fides humanum genus sola vinificat Leo Epi. 76. sola sanctificat The Catholike faith doth only quicken only sanctifie mankinde But Bellarmine answereth that Leo in those wordes speaketh De fide dogmatica Of a dogmaticall faith Bellar. de Iustif l. 1. cap. 25. and such as is opposed against Heretikes As if he had said that the Arrian faith or that of the Eutycheans caÌ„not sanctifie but that faith which is true and Catholike Be it so yet he must needes grant that no dogmaticall faith that is no externall profession of Religion how earnest in shew soeuer it is be it also neuer so true can quicken and sanctifie vntil it be as a seed sowne in the heart taking hold of Christ for the remission of sinnes and so it I say it only giueth true life to a Christian I haue also read these very wordes cited out of Alcuine whom some call Albine the booke I confesse Alcuin Praefat. ad Carol. Mag. I haue not seene But if he haue such words he seemeth well to approue that which Leo hath written because hee hath alleaged his very wordes without any change I will cloze vp this ranke with one well esteemed of in the Church of Rome Rich. de S. Victor decisione dubi Apostoli Ecce saith he habes apertè quòd possit homo aliquando iustificari ex sola fide absque legis opere Behold thou seest plainely that a man may sometime be iustified by faith only without any worke of the Law Which seeing hee will grant to be sometime I see no reason why he should doubt but that it is so alwayes For there is but one way of iustifying Iew or Gentile Rom. 3.22 one or other Euen the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue Christian Poets There are then three ancient Christian Poets who sing the same song with these Fathers and learned Writers Iuuencus is first Hier. Catal. Script eccl Hieron in Mat. 2. Iuueac hist Euang. l. 2. who liued about the 330. yeere of Grace of whom S. Ierome maketh mention and also citeth a Verse out of him in his Commentaries vpon S. Matthewes Gospell This Iuuencus I say hath these wordes Namque vbi certa fides fuerit complexa salutem non erit vlla illic anceps agitatio iuris For when assured faith hath taken hold of saluation there will be no more doubtfull waging of Law Not long after him was Prudentius who in a booke intituled Psychomachia wherein hee sheweth what fights and battels the soule hath Prudent pugna concord discord speaking of faith writeth thus Haec mea sola salus This faith only is my saluation And I finde alleaged by that famous learned man of our time D. Humphrey in his answere to Campians first reason the like out of one Victor Cemensis as I take it but his wordes are these Victor writing of Abrahams faith Credidit nudae fidei consensio sola plenam ad iustitiae meritireputata coronam est ABRAHAM beleeued and this consent only of bare faith was imputed to him for a full crowne of righteousnesse and merit Popish Writers Yet haue I reserued three great Rabbies in the Romish Church for the shutting vp of this question who if they speake as their Fore-man hath done and many other before them I hope we shal be found not guiltie of errour much lesse of heresie The first of this company is Gratian the very store-house of their Canon Law who very plainely affirmeth Dist 2. de Poenit. charitas est a q. that fidei soli vaenia promittitur To faith only is pardon promised And a little after Fide sola peccata relaxantur By faith only sinnes are remitted If any man answere that he there telleth vs but what Augustine saith true but withall he alleageth it not as misliking but as approuing it as sound doctrine After him commeth Peter Lombard though equall in time for it is said that Gratian Danaeus in Com. in Lombard in prolegomenis c. 4. and Lombard and Petrus Comestor were all brethren and the bastard children of a Nunne Lombard I say Bishop of Paris whose authority in the Church of Rome was like that Pythagoras had among his Schollers among whom it was enough to say The Master saith it His writings are in such account with them that they are the very ground of Popish or Schoole diuinitie In so much as since hee wrote his bookes of Sentences very many by their Commentaries haue laboured to explane him studying somtime to make him agree with
hauing power to iustifie therefore faith only iustifieth The Maior I haue shewed before is not to bee denyed of any Papists because that they seeke not to ioyne with faith any thing in the matter of Iustification but only workes As for my Minor Stap. Antid in Act. 3.10 it is granted by Stapleton in the words before alleadged that the Apostle excludeth Workes from hauing power to iustifie absolutely that is to forgiue sinnes Thus haue we one more on our side then we hoped for and so may be bold I trust to conclude Now although this cloud of witnesses is sufficient I hope to cleere vs from any sinister imputation of euill dealing as if wee would teach that is strange and not heard of but of late dayes yet we haue in this point a better testimonie then all men can affoord vs. For the assurance of this Doctrine is this that the holy Ghost sealeth vp this confidence in our hearts Rom. 8.16 and Gods Spirit beareth witnesse with our Spirit that wee are the children of God and hauing receiued the Sprit of adoption we are bold to cry Abba Father This this I say is the argument that more perswadeth the children of God then all that men can bring This argument did so conuince euen the very conscience of Saint Paul Phil. 3.8.9 That the righteousnesse of the Law was as I may so say but lothsome to him in comparison of that righteousnes which he longed after by Christ This righteousnesse whoso hath a true feeling of he doth but laugh to scorne the idle disputations of them that seeke to proue it must bee had by Workes But I am not ignorant how our Aduersaries doe what in them lyeth to elude the testimonies of God and all good men and as much as they can to dimme the verie light of our consciences that wee should not see this comfort Bell. de Iustif l. 1. c 25 Annot. in Iam. 2.24 And therefore Bellarmine seemeth to make some answer to some few places alleaged out of the Scriptures and Fathers against them So doe the Rhemists too in their Annotations vpon the new Testament But all in vaine the Sunne of truth shineth so cleere that all they can doe is not sufficient to dimme the light thereof For this word Faith only being so commonly vsed as it is teacheth vs that nothing but faith is that which by our Sauiour Christ iustifieth For it only cannot be said to doe it if eyther Law of Ceremonies or of the Commandements the workes eyther of the vnrighteous or of the faithfull bee ioyned with it And therefore though our Aduersaries would sometime exclude one thing from iustifying sometime another yet so long as they exclude not all but faith in Christ Iesus from being cause of our Iustification they seeke but to deceiue vs. Aug de fide operibuc 14. Good workes necessarie when we are iustified Aug. de fide operibus cap. 14. Yet I denie not but workes as S. Augustine sayth doe follow him that alreadie is iustified though they goe not before him that is to be iustified For they are as a little before I said out of Thomas of Aquine the execution and manifestation of our righteousnesse but no causes therof In which sence the Fathers very often especially Saint Augustine in many places hauing shewed plentifully out of the Apostle That we are iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Yet withall he giueth vs to vnderstand that Hoc non agit vt percepta ac professa fide opera iustitiae contemnantur hee goeth not about thereby to make vs contemne the workes of righteousnesse we once hauing receiued and professed faith No we when once we are iustified are Gods workemanship Ephes 2.10 created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Againe they tell vs some of the Fathers speake of faith as it is Dogmaticall for our profession or Religion and that in such sence only they affirme Faith only to iustifie because it is the true and not a false faith that must saue Of which I sayd somewhat before when I alleadged the words of Leo for confirmation of our Doctrine But yet somewhat more to explane the matter wee must consider that faith hath two respects Outward Doctrine The one as it is an outward thing which is taught or wee may reade of it in Bookes That pierceth the eares it hath also consent of the minde and vnderstanding when we yeeld to the truth therof But this though a true faitht yet vntill it be planted in the heart and beleeued iustifieth not As for example the Deuill may and did know the true faith as when he said Iesus the Sonne of God Mat. 8.29 Mark 1.24 what haue wee to doe with thee Againe What haue we to doe with thee Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs I know what thou art That holy ome of God We reade also elsewhere in Saint Marke Mark 3.11 When the vncleane Spirits saw Christ they fell downe before him and cryed saying Thou art the Sonne of God And Saint Iames sayth plainely Iam. 2.19 The Deuils beleeue that there is one God and tremble But our Aduersaries will grant that although it is a Catholicke faith that the Deuils haue yet it furthereth them not to saluation That faith in Christ Iesus doth iustifie is a true faith that is a true Doctrine yet no doubt acknowledged of many that shall neuer find with comfort the sweetnesse thereof But when this perswasion is well rooted in the heart Inward assurance so that it maketh vs to rest and repose our selues vpon God which we call beleeuing in God then doth it iustifie Thus then although it is most true that it must be a Catholike not an Hereticall faith that saueth yet euen that true Catholike faith doth not quicken it doth not sanctifie or iustifie vnlesse to our endlesse comfort we receiue the same into the heart And so as the Catholike faith is only auaileable so vntill it be receiued into the heart it helpeth not and then it only iustifieth But many things are out of the Scripture obiected against this Doctrine whereby the simple and such as are not acquainted with the Word Heb. 3.14 neyther by long custome haue their wits exercised to discerne both good and euill as the Apostle to the Hebrewes speaketh may soone be deceiued For to such as haue not iudgement to trye Metals euen Tinne will seeme Siluer and Copper Gold because in colour they are somewhat like To say nothing of such places it may bee dangerous in these our euill dayes lest thereby some that desire to know the truth by the name of Scripture wrested to a wrong sence may be led into errour And yet to speak of euery particular place alleadged would bee verie tedious for they are many I haue therefore thought good to draw them into some few heads and so
answering their principall allegations it will not be hard to iudge of all others also I will beginne with such Scriptures as seeme to ascribe Worthinesse vnto men For out of them doth Bellarmine thus gather Dignum esse praemio De Iustific lib. 5. ca. 2 3 What worthinesse in men Wisd 3.5 mereri praemium idem sunt To bee worthy of a reward and to deserue a reward is all one And to proue this worthinesse in men he alleadgeth foure places The first is taken out of the Booke of Wisedome God tryed them and found them worthie of himselfe The Booke from whence this testimonie is taken is knowne not to be Canonicall Scriptures and therfore of no such credit in Gods Church as that vpon places out of it wee may ground any Article of Religion And this answere might serue verie well to this obiection But yet the words themselues doe not of necessity proue merit or worthinesse of the workes that we doe And that first in respect of the person that trieth thē also in regard of them that are tryed He that tryeth his seruants is I know wise enough to examine and spye faults iust also to punish them But he is also content to couer with the righteousnes of his Sonne our faults and to hide our iniquities not beholding vs as in our selues we are sinners Who are found righteous or worthy Dan. 9.24 but as we are in Christ righteous Then also who are they that being tryed are found righteous Euen they whose debt Christ hath paid for whose sinnes hee hath satisfied and sealed vp as Daniel sayth that they may bee no more remembred Whose iniquitie he hath reconciled to bring in euerlasting righteousnesse Of such we see who bring with them nothing whereby they should be found worthy but haue all from Christ it is said he found them worthy Other two places hee bringeth for which wee are much beholding to him because by them we may learne how to answere such testimonies as seeme to ascribe worthinesse vnto men One is out of the answere that Christ maketh vnto the Sadduces a Sect which thought there is no resurrection who thought to intrappe him in a subtile question The question was of one woman that married seuen husbands who all dying they would know whose wife she should be at the Resurrection To whom Christ answeres thus They who shall be counted worthy to enioy that world Luk. 20.35 and the resurrection from the dead neither marry wiues nor are married The other is much like this 2. Thes 1.5 That yee may be counted worthy of the Kingdome of God for which yee also suffer saith S. Paul to the Thessalonians Now who knoweth not that we may bee counted worthy of that which in due consideration we cannot be worthy of So that they are accounted worthy proueth not that they are worthy indeed as shall God willing by and by plainely appeare The fourth place then must serue the turne or else nothing is said That is the wordes of our Sauiour Christ of some of Sardi They shall walke with me in white for they are worthy Reuel 3.4 As if Christ had said they shall triumph with me or raigne in glory and life euerlasting for they are worthy But what are they worthy in respect of their worke or for the merit thereof For if not it helpeth not our Aduersaries And that neither they nor any other No man worthy of eternall life but Christ that is conceiued as we all are of vncleane seede can be worthy in respect of workes I proue thus No man is worthy of eternall life in respect of works but hee who can fulfill the Law but no man can fulfill the Law therefore by their workes no man can be worthy of eternall life My first Proposition I proue thus God himselfe saith to his people of Israel If thou keepe my Statutes thou shalt liue in them Leuit. 18.5 In which wordes as we see a promise of life so must we obserue the condition of keeping Gods statutes if we will looke to be partakers of the promise And no doubt the Apostle S. Paul out of these and such like words hath learned that which he teacheth vs of the iustification which is of the Law The man that doth these things Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.12 Deut 27.26 Gal. 3.10 shal liue thereby But if the condition bee not obserued then marke what followeth Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all the wordes of this Law to doe them This continuance in doing the Law and keeping the Statutes of God teacheth vs neither to be idle nor euill occupied and that wee must not swarue either to the right hand or left leauing the right path of Gods Law at any time For S. Iames hath truly out of this place gathered Iam. 2.10 that whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet faileth in one point is guilty of all Not because whoso breaketh one Commandement breaketh all A thiefe in that he is a thiefe is not a murderer or adulterer but the meaning is he is guilty of transgression and therefore cannot bee saued by the Law If then eternall life be promised to them only that keepe the whole Law as is proued much lesse shall it be merited by any that fulfill not the same My Minor or second Proposition is that no man can fulfill the Law For confirmation whereof I minde rather to point vnto arguments We cannot perfitly fulfill the Law then any way to dilate them First therefore it is a perfection belonging only to Christ to keepe the whole Law He only was without sinne because he neuer did transgresse Hee only could offer the sacrifice of perfect and holy obedience so that in this respect hee only could make the atonement betweene God and vs. As for his Apostles though no doubt good men yet they prayed Luk. 17.5 Mar. 9.24 as they had good cause Increase our faith Helpe our vnbeliefe And our Sauiour himselfe taught them and in them the perfectest that euer was Mat. 6.12 Hebr. 7.26 to pray Forgiue vs our trespasses Our imperfections then being so many and so great Such a high Priest it became vs to haue as is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners made higher then the heauens For but by such a Mediator our sinnes are so great as that wee neuer could haue beene reconciled to God because we are farre from keeping the Law Our conscience teacheth this Secondly our owne consciences will so testifie with me herein and against our selues that I hope I neede not produce much proofe hereof Let vs but examine our selues by that rule which the Author of all truth gaue vnto some who would get as our Papists say they can doe eternall life by doing by which hee meant they should trie and examine themselues Luk. 10.25 Master saith a certaine expounder of the Law what shall I doe to inherit eternall life 26.27 And hee said
to him What is written in the Law How readest thou And hee answered Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength and with all thy thought 28. and thy neighbour as thy selfe Then he answered him Thou hast said right doe this and thou shalt liue If I say we examine our selues and trie our wayes by this rule which is a very true rule and cannot deceiue we will no doubt acknowledge our manifold transgressions For it is impossible that flesh and bloud so long as it hath within it this bitter roote of corruption which whilest here we liue will neuer leaue vs should so abandon the loue of our selues and our owne delights that thereby our loue of God should be nothing hindered If we consider of our best workes we shall not finde such alacrity and cheerefulnesse in our selues as is fit neither in the worke such respect to Gods will and glory as wee ought to haue So that our conscience must needes tell vs that because we are conceiued of vncleane seede Iob. 14.4 no man can make vs cleane and therefore we must sing that song that they did who thus say We haue beene as an vncleane thing Esa 64.6 and all our righteousnesse as filthy clouts And if we make tryall of our loue to our Neighbour he whose charity among vs most aboundeth will perceiue himselfe to be of his minde who said Proximus egomet mihi I am neerest neighbour to mine owne selfe So shall we be found farre short of the duty we owe either to God or Man These things are so plaine to such as haue any feeling consciences as that I need not stand vpon proofe hereof Lastly the confessions of all the godly The confessions of the godly Iob. 1.8 will teach vs what wee may thinke of our obedience and fulfilling the Law Iob was a good man None was like him vpon the earth an vpright and iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill Yet good Iob as in sundry other places he confesseth himselfe to be guiltie so in these wordes If I would iustifie my selfe Iob. 9.20 mine owne mouth would condemne me If I would be perfit he shall iudge me wicked As if he had said If I would goe about to cleere my selfe I cannot doe it I must acknowledge my transgression 1. Sam. 13.14 Dauid was a man according to Gods owne heart as Samuel reporteth yet he of himselfe and all other saith If thou O Lord straitly marke our iniquities O Lord Psal 130.3 who shall abide it That is none can stand before thee to iustifie himselfe if thou pry into their liues to examine their transgressions The Angell of the Lord calleth DANIEL a man of desires Dan. 9.23 God so delighted in him and loued him yet he in that notable prayer that he maketh for the deliuerance of Gods people now that the 70. yeeres of their captiuity were expired as it were to put God in minde of his promise of deliuerance confesseth not only the sins of their Fathers of their Princes and of the People Dan. 9.5 6 7 8 10 11. but wrappeth himselfe in that number too acknowledging that to them belonged nothing but shame and confusion to God only mercy and forgiuenesse Paul we all say was a good man also taken vp into the third heauen and heard wordes which cannot be spoken which are not possible for man to vtter Rom. 7.21 Yet this heauenly man found by the Law that when he would doe good euill was present with him whereby it came to passe 19. that he did not the good thing which hee would but the euill that he would not that did he as a little before the same Apostle hath complayned To be short S. Iames was an Apostle of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 17.1 whom he tooke to be one of the witnesses of his Transfiguration a faithfull seruant of God yet of himselfe Iam. 3.2 as well as of other his brethren he hath said In multis offendimus omnes We all offend in many things Wee I say that are chosen of God we the Apostles of Iesus Christ who haue receiued the holy Ghost in some good measure who are aided and guided by the grace of God we all I say offend in many things Such confessions of the godly haue imboldened the worthy learned Fathers Hieron in Gal. 3. to say after them as doth HIEROME Nemo legem seruat No man keepeth the Law But of that sort I will bring no mo testimonies Aquin. in Gal. 3. Lect. 4. The Angellicall Doctor shall speake for all Implere totam legem est impossibile It is a thing vnpâ—ssible to fulfill the whole Law And thus the premisses being proued this conclusion doth follow that in respect of workes no man is worthy But because Christ saith of some of Sardi that they are worthy Worthy how Ephes 1.4 there is no doubt a worthinesse in Gods seruants although in respect of merits wee iustly deny it Therefore Gods children are said to be worthy first in respect of their election in that God hath chosen them before the foundation of the world especially seeing we are chosen in Christ 11. in whom only we are found worthy For we who in our selues are not yet in him are found worthy The meditation hereof made the Apostle not to make reckoning but of this only Phil. 3.9 That he might be found in Christ not hauing his owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ Seeing then we haue all our worthinesse from Christ that we may more earnestly seeke to him it is needfull that with all the godly we acknowledge our owne vnworthinesse Now true it is Rom. 8.30 that whom God hath predestinated and chosen to be his he also calleth not only externally by outward meanes but inwardly also by his grace and whom he calleth he also iustifieth and whom he iustifieth he also glorifieth but yet our corruption being such as will not suffer vs sincerely to follow our calling and walke worthy of our profession our worthinesse in this respect will be found but vnworthinesse but as it is supplied by that worthinesse of Christ Hier. ad Clesiphontem Let vs therefore harken to that Hierome saith Haec hominibus sola perfectio est si imperfectos se esse nouerint This is the only perfection of men if they know they are vnperfect And so may we well say of our worthinesse Herein we only are found worthy if we confesse our owne vnworthines For as Saint Augustine writeth August de Spirit lit cap. 36. In ea quae perficienda est iustitia ille multùm profecit qui quà m longè sit à perfectione iustitiae proficiendo cognouit Hee hath much profited in this life in that righteousnesse that is to bee perfited who by profiting knoweth how much he wanteth of
they will not preferre themselues How then dare they so stand vpon their merits seeing these godly men haue no trust in their works but so wholy disable them Neyther is there in the Scripture any thing more plainly deliuered any Doctrine more often taught Scriptures are against doctrine of merits Tit. 3.5 then that which teacheth vs to deny our merits and to rest only vpon Gods mercy in Christ for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we haue done saith Saint Paul but according to his mercies he saued vs. And againe God hath saued vs 2. Tim. 1.9 and called vs with a holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was And againe By grace ye are saued through faith Ephes 2.8.9 and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any should boast himselfe And infinite testimonies tending to this end if it were needfull might be brought prouing plainly how little we may rest vpon our merits and how little soundnes is in our workes and therefore also shewing how little cause our aduersaries haue to write that eternall life is due to good workes not of mercy but of merit as LINDAN ANDRADIVS and the Colen Censurers doe teach The reason of this conceit they haue of their workes is because they suppose none but great sinnes hinder our perfection Leuicula vitiola Kemnitius alleageth out of Lindan a Popish Bishop Asspergines naeuuli sunt qui perse non maculant nec contaminant Kem. exam part 1. Veniall sins they lightly esteeme sed quasi puluisculo leuiter aspergunt vitam Christianam vt nihilominùs tamen per se sint perfecta vndique immaculata renatorum opera in hac vita Which if they bee the words of Lindan hee vseth so many diminitiues to lessen and make nothing our breach of Gods Law as thereby he sheweth himselfe to be a very graceles wretch without any feeling of the burden of sinne They are in English thus Little light petty sinnes are as sprinklings and small staines which doe not of themselues blot or defile but as it were with small dust doe lightly sprinkle a Christian life so as notwithstanding the workes of the regenerate are of themselues perfect and euery way vndefiled Indeed Andradius too though not in such scornfull termes as I may well call them teacheth the like Doctrine Andra. Orthodox explicat l. 5. Peccata saith he in quae iusti quotidie labuntur iustitiam euertere nullo pacto possunt ac proinde neque perfectam absolutam legis obedientiam quoquo modo impedire The sinnes whereinto euen the iust daily fall can by no meanes ouerthrow righteousnesse Cens Colon. explicat errorum Dialogi 5. and therefore cannot any thing hinder the full and perfit obedience of the Law The Censurers of Colen also though not so vnmodestly yet as vntruly as Lindan affirme speaking of veniall sins that Leuia illa nec impios nec malos efficiunt nec operum nostrâ—rum obsunt efficaciae Those light sinnes make men neyther wicked nor euill neyther doe they hinder the efficacie of their workes Which their Doctrine to bee most absurd and false wee may proue by many reasons The least sinnes hinder our obedience and staine it as first thus Euery breach of Gods Law maketh our obedience vnperfit but euery veniall sinne is a breach of Gods Law therefore euery veniall sinne maketh our obedience vnperfit My Maior I would thinke should need no proofe seeing that where breach of a Law is there is not absolute obedience to the same And Saint Iames telleth vs Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law Iam. 2.10 and yet faileth in one point hee is guilty of all But that euery veniall sinne is a breach of Gods Law is plaine For if there be no breach of Law then is not forgiuenesse needfull but forgiuenesse is needfull for the taking away of veniall sinnes as is most manifest by that place of Saint Iohn If wee acknowledge our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1.8.9 he is faithfull to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse Whereby we vnderstand that the sinnes that Saint Iohn speaketh of are by forgiuenesse to bee done away And that he speaketh of veniall sinnes not only Andradius Paiuas doth testifie Andro. Orthodox explicat lib. 5. pag. 421. Bell. de Amis grat l. 1 cap. 6. but Bellarmine also in plaine words So that by two witnesses of good credit among our Aduersaries it appeareth that veniall sinnes are no otherwise taken away then other sinnes are and therefore that our perfit obedience is by them so hindered as that it cannot stand before the iust Iudge Againe whatsoeuer sinnes are short of that obedience that God commandeth in this Law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart Deut. 6.5 with all thy soule with all thy might are hinderances vnto the perfection of obedience but the sinnes which they call venial doe that for in committing of them our whole heart minde and soule is not bent to obserue Gods Law therefore such sinnes are a hinderance to our perfit keeping of the Law But to be short If veniall sinnes be no transgression of Law they are to be much blamed that call them sinnes For where there is no Law there is no transgression but if they bee a breach of Law as before I said they are of the nature of sinnes and vnlesse they be pardoned shall also haue the reward of sinne The godly feare their venial sins But what seeke I to proue that which euery man 's owne conscience if they be not too much besotted will tell them Was it not veniall sinnes as our Aduersaries account that made Paul cry out as he doth O wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death He could neuer haue said of himselfe as he doth of being without reproofe concerning the Law if he had beene stained with notorious and such as they call mortall sinnes And shall Paul be so scarred with veniall sinnes and can wee imagine they make vs nothing the worse How much better were it for vs with good Bernard to confesse Passio tua vltimum refugium Ber. in Can. Ser. 22. singulare remedium Deficiente sapientia iustitia non sufficiente succumbentibus sanctitatis meritis illa succurrit O Lord thy passion is my last refuge a singular remedy For when wisdome wanteth Iustice sufficeth not and merits of holinesse faile that helpeth And thus I trust it doth appeare that howsoeuer our Aduersaries teach of veniall sinnes which they confesse are in the godly yet are they such staines in the garment of our righteousnesse as are not to bee shaken off with euery knocke of the brest or washed off with sprinkling a little holy-water or other such like tryfling