their beggerly byhang decrees as that they shame not to denie That the Gospel is the only and absolute promise of eterternal life without any condition of obseruing the law and the coÌmaundements of God and again that our iustification doth consist not of the free fauour of the Lord not of gracious imputation not of onely râmission of sinnes but of holinesse and of renuing the inward man through voluntarie acceptaunce of grace for so they speake and of spiritual giftes whereby we are not only reputed but also are called and be truly righteous in deede euery man receyuing of himselfe his owne rightuousnesse not by any other meane ne yet that rightuousnesse properly which is of Christ Iesus but which is proper and peculiar to euerie particular person himself By meanes wherof it commeth to passe that faith vnlesse she be accompanied with hope as they say and charitie doth not vnite any person vnto Christ perfectly nor is able to make any man to bee a liuely member of his bodie Neither are those other fables any whit more sauââie which those graue Tridentine BeÌchers haue dreamed of workes and eternal life For although fayth as wee confesse be for many great and vrgent causes with charitie by a certain necessarie and vnseparable coupling togither of most absolute societie for what is more âgreeable to conuenience of reason then that these which be endued with a through feeling of their renuing in Christ vnto euerlasting life of their free admission into heauen should after so many so manifold benefites receiued not shew theÌselues vnthankful nor disobedient should not welter in fleshly appetites shuld not be caried away with the tickling delights of this world should not be drowned in carelesse securitie nor slumber in slouth but so fashion and frame themselues as men enflamed with a voluntary serious earnest cheerfulnes of mind should not slacke any point of most industrious endeuor to serue the Lord faithfully shoulde commit no accion whatsoeuer to the preiudice and hurt of his neighbor Admit I say that we grauÌt all these to bee as they bee in verie deede most true and withall confesse such an vnauoydable and necessarie coniunction betwixt them that fayth neyther possibly can nor ought in any wise be sequestred from godly conuersation of life what theÌ Shal we therfore yeeld ouer to good works this most souerain benefit of euerlasting life which the heauenly Maiestie hath vouchsafed to be free by the onely free mercie of God as the proper and peculiar ofâice of fayth and adnihilate make frustrate the grace of God So that mans obedience shall be an esâoppell to Gods mercie so that the lawe shall foreclose the Gospel and merit be an hinderaÌce preiudice to grace But where did these famous Clearkes learne this Logike so to iumble and choppe the verie things themselues which differ so farre asunder in their endes and effectes and to make such a confused mingle mangle of them in one lump as it were without al order without any respect of choise as the Cooke sâirreth his pottage about What bicause fayth doth alwayes associate her self and is delighted with the sweete and ioyful felowship of most excellent vertues worketh alwayes through loue shall shee therefore not be alone in iustifying bycause she is fruitfull and industrious in woorking or shall shee therefore not onely and alone iustifie vs in heauen without woorkes bicause shee is full of woorkes on earth Or when shee dooth iustifie vs in heauen before Godâ shall this our iustification bee therefore sayde to bee ascribed to anie our charitie or vnto Iesus Christ in respect of any reward or of the only gift of God for any our merit or deseruing of works or of the free promise of god If God doe accomplish the whole action of our iustification for his promise sake with what scriptures at the length will these Romish Rabbines vnderprop that their ruynous relike shrined in their notable Councel of Trent for a matter vnreprouable whereby they giue the worlde to vnderstande That eternal life is to be proclaymed to them that be good workers Again where they giue out that by the promise of God eternal life shall bee rendered to good woorkes as an vndoubted rewarde But where did God euer make anie such promise that the heauenly inheritaunce shoulde be giuen vpon any such condition as a rewarde vnto them which shall offer themselues vnto the dreadfull Assise of the high Iudge with a white stoale as they tearme it of vndefiled renouation For suche is the doctrine of these graue Fathers which kind of doctrine if bee too bee admitted for infallible I beseeche you what neede is there of Christe or his Gospell sithens men may so easily climbe vp into the kingdome of heauen by woorkes as it were by a paire of stayres yea to what purpose then serueth that which Saint Paule doth so earnestly and so often plod vpon That life euerlasting is the gyft of God not of any worke least any man should boast himselfe Our Lorde and Sauiour Christe vndoubtedly dyd instruct vs in his Gospell farre other wise then these Lordly Fathers as the which hath directed the onely way to heauen not to passe thither by woorkes but by faith He that beleeueth in me sayth he hath life euerlasting Againe setting downe a speciall marke promiseth That he that seeth the Sonne and beleeueth on him shall haue life euerlasting And redoubling the same promise else where He that beleeueth in mee shall not die for euer And why rather did he not vse these speaches with these gay woorkemaisters To wit that they which did lead heere in this worlde an holy and vpright life ful of good woorkes shoulde thereby purchase heauen What then because all thinges bee ascribed vntoo faith passing ouer all mention of woorkes shal we therfore condemne this doctrine as an vtter aduersary too works making no estimate of holy and vertuous liuing God forbid But these Romanists ouermuch sweating and moyling in theyr Summularies Sententionaries Decretaries Thomists and resolutions and I had almoste saide altogeather blinded in theyr Philosophicall quiddities doe not conceiue aright of the heauenly purpose and meaning of Christe neither do they sufficiently enter into due consideration of the purpose force and inwarde kernell of the Euangelicall Philosophie neyther do discerne the difference betwixt the Lawe and the Gospell as they ought to doe For whereas the whole force of the lawe consisteth in prescribing certaine rules whereby this transitorie life may be directed in holynes integritie whereby may be knowne what is to be ensued and what to be eschewed by what meanes Gods wrath kindled against vs may bee pacified and howe his punishmentes and corrections may be mitigated and in what wise other inconueniences and calamities of this life may eyther be âurned quite away or otherwise quallified by petition And where as on the other side that othâr
froÌ what auÌcieÌt brood were broached at y â first their absoluâions pardons ââpish buls romish stations continual gaddings to the apostles toÌbs dedication of temples shryâing of saincts conâuringâ of salt water of coâps bowgâs that endles consecration of such like trumperies couple heerewith also mââkishe vowes rules shauings plates myters attires besmearings palls iubiles and I maruel that circumcision and the sacrifices of the olde lawe were not likewyse chopt in amongst the rest But when the Apostolique doctrine displayed his bright beames to the world first as it was heauenly and auaileable for the sauety of the world so did they proclaim nothing else but that which they sawe with their eyes heard with their eares they published nothing but what was foreshadowed before by many waies figures foretold agreable with the oracles of the Prophets And where I pray you at the leÌgth haue these meÌ euer heard with eares which they debate so lustely of purgatory of satisfactorie merites of choise of meates not to be receaued with thanksgiuing of matrimony not free nor grauÌted indifferently to al men of ymages setvp to bee woorshipped or out of what puddle were plumped first their proude crakes of the absolute power of the vniuersal bishop of the Apostolique succession of the Romish Sea of the keye that neuer erred of the absolute authoritie therof which ought to be esteemed better then al councelles not to be comptrolled of any person The Apostles which established the principal part of our saluation in the power of faith taught vs long ago on this wise namely that Christ was our rightuousnes our wisdom sanctification redemption And from whence then receaued these men this which they wil enforce vs to beleue that man of his own power worketh works meritorious that wee meritte euerlasting life euen by due desert That the blessed virgin may commaund her sonne reigning with the father to graunt this or that mans petitions In the Apostles tyâne it was decreed by publique authoritie and by inspiration of the holy ghoste that it should not be lawful for any man to charge the Gentiles with grieuous tradiâions neither did any man wheÌ Paul preached grieâe his brother for eating fleshe so that it were priuately and without offence to the weak brother And from whence now haue âssued these so great fluddes of mâns traditionsâ wâerewith consciences are clâgged both publiquely and priuately far more rigorous then the state of the Iewes so that he shal be in daunger of losse of life as an heretique whosoeuer shal dare touch an egge in the lent or oughâ else then that which the Pope authoriseth yea though sicknes or necessitie require him therto Is any man so madde as to think these burdeins and clogges proceeded froâ the holy ghost whom sithence it pleased to make churches free in the time of the holy Apostles surely it is not likely that he would now alter his good pleasure and charge the churches w t more grieuous burdeins then before In like manner in times past Bishops were created by the voices of the people not without the consent of Princes Emperours this also vpon due examination of learning life according to the institution of the old Canons Now to passe ouer many other things at the naming wherof godly hartes may tremble for feare fain would I haue them aunswere me how this canonical election without al examination whithout the peoples voices without allowaunce of the prince hath bene poasted ouer to a fewe Cardinales or peraduenture solde to the faâtest in purse where this tooke thâ original of antiquitie or when it first sprang vp Therfore to conclude this discourse of antiquitie if according to Tertulâ iudgement that which is most auÌcient must be deemed most true again whatsoeuer is crept vp of lâte must be taken for couÌterfait if Irene combatâng against the heretiques of his time bee adiudged to haue don wel in that he appealed to the most auÌcieÌt churches as the w t drawing neerest vnto christ were beleued to erre lest finally if we ought to holde that for autentick w t was established by the authority of the Nicene câuÌcel Lât the ancient determinaâioÌ stand if likewise we following tâeir âxaÌple be willing to returne to that purest pateâne of the most ancient Church which you haue forsaken wil cal backe our selues al our acâions to the direction therof wil any maÌ accompt this in vs to be a departure from the Church or an accesse rather to the primitiue Church But much matter is vsually obiected heere touching the visible church wherin for as much as both good and bad be conuersaunt they say that the good ought to be receaued and the ill neuerthelesse not to be reiected for the churches sake wherin they abide We deny not that in y e visible church be alway resideÌt both good euil so also as we do embrace the good we do not cast out the euil rashly for the churches sake And yet foloweth no good coÌsequenâ herevpon that they w t do shunne the coÌpany of the wicked in the church do therfore reiect the church it self For although in the church the wicked are mixed togither w t the good yet be not these euil persoÌs the church of christ It behoueth therfore to make euideÌt now which be those good ones which be those wicked ones of whome weâ speke here now an âstimaâ must be made not in respect of their conuersation but in respect of their religion that so as oâ the one side we may deeme theÌ properly good w t teach purely sincerely Iesus Christ the sacrameÌts so on the other side we cal theÌ euil which defile the sinceritie of Christian faith depraue his sacramentes vnder colour of the church do persecute the true churche of Christ. Such to haue bene in al Churches and in al ages of the Churche euen from the first age of the Patriarches Prophetes and Aposâles alwaies vntil this prâsent is more then manifest which hauing no sparke of true religion but a false vysor of counterfaicte holynes haue abused the name and title of pietie chiefly to ouerthrow true pietie Of this number were Ismael and Esau in the tyme of Isaac and Iacob â in the tyme of Ioseph his owne naturall brethren who lyke treacherous traytoures conspireâ the murthering of their innoceÌt brother Those also that ioyned in confederacy against Moyses with Dathan and Abyron and many other times likewyse they that ioyned traiterously in armes against Dauid their liege Lorde and king Such were the false prophets that withstood Elias Michea Esaias and the true prophets of God such were they who when Ieremy did prophecy exclamed against him The teÌple of the Lord The temple of the Lord when as in deede their speech was nought else but very lyes like as the scribes pharisees vpbraided Christ himself that they were the generation of Abraham when
be found which being famous raysed aloft as a citie builded vpon an high hill may bee seene of al people a farre of and ought to bee credited of all the Nations of the earth And bicause this shape of a Church can not be seene any where at this present but amongst that people and nation onely ouer whom the Bishop of Rome must be acknowledged for chief head hereof must it follow of necessitie That there is no true and glorious Church of Christ except this onely Romish Church and that al other Churches besides be foreiners infamous and no Churches at al as the which being not able to deriue any certenâie of their discent and antiquity ought not in any respect beare the name of Christian Churches but must be accounted rather for dennes and conuenticles of heretiques And thus much nowe by the way touching the Church the treatie whereof God willing shall bee sette forth with larger discourse in other bokes hereafter This lesson in the meane âpace will not bee amisse to bee foretolde That if it bee true that Christ himselfe did plainly pronounce that his kingdome was not of this worlde and this also as true which hee doth else where affirme that the things which doe seeme mightie and glorious to the iudgement of men are accounted for vile drosse and abhomination in the sight of God finally if the estate of the most holy Apostles and Martyrs of Christ was alwayes such as it became rather odious to the worlde then accepted or of any estimation that such as applied neerest to Christ were alwayes despised most and that the Disciple cannot bee greater than his maister certes it can not possibly bee that this Churche of the Pope so mightie and glorious in the worlde so renowmed and famous in worldly pompe and excâsse so magnified and fawned vpon with the wel likings and alliances of Princes should haue any affânitie or alliance at all with Christ the onely head of the Church or any fellowship with the Apostles I come nowe to other partes of the Romish doctrine in the which the Papists do seeme no lesse Iewish then in the shaping and fashioning of their Church as I sayd before For if the doctrine of Paule bee most true where discoursing of the reiection of the Iewes that sought their iustification by the lawe he rendered a reason wherefore they could not attaine thereto Bycause sayth he they sought to be come righâeous not by faith but by workes Lât vs see I pray you what else doth the Romish religion proclaime at this day then that wee oughâ to make our way passable to heaueÌ by industrious works precepts of good life reposing the whole shoote anker of assured affiance trust in the same not bycause we beleue on him that doth iustifie the sinner but in doing workes of this life which do exclude all impietie How shall we say that the great Clearkes and Doctours which teach this such like doctrine do differ from naturall Iewishnesse If the Iewes seeking to be iustiâied by woorkes were for this only cause cleane cut of from true rightuousnesse according to the testimonie of Paule what hope may they conceyâe at the length to attaine true rightuousnesse which thrusting faith into a corner do raise vppe the whole building of their iustification vpon that tickle and sandle foundation of workes But thou wilt say these men doe not so altogether abrogate fayth but that they couple her together with works by a necessarie and an inseparable coniunction I do know indeede that fayth is peraduenture in some estimation amongst them yet such an estimation this is as that they will in no wise yeeld vnto her her true dignitie and due place of estate For whereas no one thing is resiant in vs nor giueÌ vnto vs miserable wretches fâoÌ aboue that may make vs acceptable vnto God may obteine his fauour may cure our diseases may deliuer from the fetters and chaines of sinne may turne away wrath and vengeance may ouercome the worlde may crush in peeces the horrible tyrannie of death and the deuill may stande boldely and vnuanquishable in the face âf hell gates finally which may ouerspreade vs poore forlorne caââiues drowned in the doung and durt of the earth with the gladsome sunneshine of heauenly life and vnspeakeable glorie of immortalitie besides this onely inestimable Iewel namely fayth in Christ in the which all our hope and riches togither with all the promises of God are fast locked vp as it were in a certaine Arke of couenant when as also the selfe same fayth linked and vnited togither with other vertues doth not onely farre surmount al those vertues in her singular excellencie and power but also of her owne force onely and alone satisfie and accomplish all the partes of our redemption yea and so accomplishe the same as that where she leadeth alwaies whole troups of most excellent vertues with her needeth not neuerthelesse any their helpe at al towards the procuring of Gods fauour I beseech you for the loue you beare to Christ what peruerse peuishnâsse and I know not whether more malicious or shamelesse impudencie of men is this I say of the false docâors of Rome which being addicted to the Romish ragges seeme by a certaine destinie as it were borne of purpose for the vtter ouerthrowe of Christes Church so to embase this same faith in Christ euen vnder al other vertues as a very naked bare fruitlesse thing of it selfe as that they scarcely can finde in their heartes to graunt her any commendation in heauen or any place of acceptance in earth For what else doe these wordes of theirs import wherewith they tearme this fayth onely onely rashnesse yea and no fayth at al but impudencie temeritie and arrogancie Where they affirme the Gospel whereof we make mention to be sediâious full of fraude and deceyte Moreouer where in all their bookes and writings they doe so vtterly suppresse this fayth of Christ as that they dare presume to say that there is no passable way to heauen but that which is purchased with holy workes and most excellent integritie of life I will couple herewith though not out of the foresayd Authour but out of the publike instrument and decree of the late Tridentine Councell In which Councell whereas those gay iolly gallants did most filthily erre in many thinges yet played they not the Philosophers in any one decree more perilously then where they vttered their Stoicall opinion in the doctrine of Iustification by Christ. Which being proclaymed vnto vs throughout the whole tenour of the Scriptures to bee freely giuen without all mediation of any other thing besides the onely promise of God through fayth in Iesus Christ our Lorde contrariwise those gracious fathers do so iumble and wrappe vp this grace of God full of sauing health and freely offered wholy replenished with most comfortable consolation and safety in one hotchpot mingled as it were with
them vnderstand persuade themselues thus That wheresoeuer the true church of Christ is resiaunt there we do plead in possession iustifie our true and vndoubted tenure therein Of which church they be called tenauÌts in deed by name but haue vtterly lost their whole interest and right therof To make the same more plainly discernable let vs with due consideration make a proportion of both the churches of Rome to wit the auncient first church there and this new vpstart synagogue that is nowe and compare togither our popishe massemongers that bee nowe with those auncient ministers doctors of that first age by line by leuel as they say So wil it appeare easily how much they differ eche from other For how carefully reuerently did those auncient fathers behaue themselues in the old tyme in that holy fuÌction of mynistery which by lawful calling was committed vnto them whose only delight and endeuor consisted wholy in instructing them that went astray in conuincing the stifnecked with the powâr of the word in curing the canker of them that were wounded To this painful trauail in teaching was annexed no lesse carefulnesse to leade a blamelesse life as that they might not only vaunte them of an vndefiled conscience which might boldly appeare before God but also that no such blemish might be found in their conuersation as might bee offensiue to man whose whole trade of life was employed not in idlenes pleasurable delights but in the earnest study of holy scriptures in the enlargement of the kingdom of Christ. They were shepherds of the flock neuerthelesse sheepe of the flock also themselues not woolues amongst the sheep they were not garded with train of souldiours but in mightines of faith in soundnes of doctrine in exercise of holines in sincerity of loue not so lofty in glory as affable and friendly in speeche finally endued with such a sweetnes of maners and mildnes of minde as that they would not willingly endamage their enemies They âxecuted nothing with violence their only weapon was the sword of the spirit power of the word they threw none into prison they drew none to the stake they polled none of their possessions or goods they sauored not of warres nor breathed out bloodthirstines nor teazed meÌ to armes ne set Princes togither by the eares at any time as they were themseluâs peacemakers messengers of peace so did they allure al men to peace by al meanes possible They neuer groaped after tiâles of vniuersality nor trusted at any time in the confederacy of treachorâ in seditiouse factions in conspiracies nor in crafây couÌcels They neuer haled scepters from out princes possessions nor tread euer vpon Princes neckes but liued quietly vnder Ethnicke magistrates with an especial foresight prouiding alwaies that they mynistred no occasion of sedition yelding honor humbly to whome honor was dew paying taxe tribute where taxe tribute was payeable They vsed continual exhortation to the nouices in Christ to huÌble themselues duetifully euen too al Idolatrous magistrates and too pray dayly for their good preseruation to God On this wise did those ancient Apostles Apostolicke fathers traine the world at the first therby enlarged the Churche dayly To the furtherance whereof it is skarse credible to be spoken how much auailed not only the force of their miracles butâ with aâ the sweetnes of their demeanor vprightnes of life their cheerful courage in afflictions their lenity in suffring iniuries of minde milde and gentle imagining no hurt to any and endeuouring to deserue wel of al raysing it self aboue wordly poÌpe making no accompt of this life exempt from al encombrance of wordly affaires to the end they might the more freely attend the preaching of the word So also were the bishops of that most happy age mainteined with the only beneuolence of the people contented with the basenes of their own estate In the meane time if there remained any surplus beyond dayly necessities the same was deliuered back to the poore At what tyme palaces of prelats were nought els but treasuries of the poore For as yet the royalties of S. Peter rolled on no mans toung what shal we say to this that of that beadrol of bishops many liued so beggerly that at the time of their death skarse one penny could be fouÌd to pay for their graue as we reade recorded of Theodoret But this kind of men are loÌg sithence dead and rotten yea there remaineth skarse at this day any sparckles of their manners The Catte is so altogither tourned in the panne amongst these Romishe reuellers that whoso wil now compare these present prelates with the first proportionally and enter into dewe consideration of the licentiousnes of these shauelinges of their cruelty ambition tyraÌny fraudes coÌspiracies loftines delicacy idlenes riches brauery troupes of attendants pallaces lauishnes of life greedines of reuenge shal finde theÌ more like lordings then bishops rather monarches theÌ muÌcks shal skarsely discerne whether a maÌ may rightly cal theÌ preachers or treachors Teachers or deceauers prelates or Pylaâes as Bernard did And yet after al this howe they blush nothing at al to bee deemed their successors from whome they haue so degendred in al actions of their liues as that not so much as any memorial at al of that primitiue auncient integrity may be fouÌd to shine in theÌ And yet might this somewhat bee borne withal if they woulde permitte vs quietly to enioye the same doctrine at the least which those auncient elders and Apostolical founders left behind thâm to be receaued of Christian congregations But as nowe euen on this behalfe al things are so vnlike that any may wel doubt whether their life seeme lesse Apostolike or their doctrine more agreeable with Apostasie The nature and nouelty of which doctrine being altogither so newfangled as that it carieth no resemblaunce of Apostolical spirit no likenes of auÌcient antiquitie it is a wonder to see how these fyne fellows wil not cease in the meane time to accuse vs of nouelty as though al antiquitie both of the scriptures of the Apostles and most learned fathers did not by all maner of meanes cry open warres against them If this bee not true let them discouer vnto vs from what antiâuitie this Laterane transubstantiation and confession as they tearme it auricular receaued to bee publiquely authorised at the first both which Pope Innocent the 3. did in that barbarons age thrust vpon the church by force and power without any probable reason of the scriptures but enacted by the coÌspiring decrees of certeine euil disposed persons Again out of what progeny peeped priuate masses first Trentals yerely obites that dayly sacriâice of the Altar ordeined for the clensing of sinnes the one parte of the coÌmunion cut of by the ruÌpâ pilgrimages prayers for the dead prayers in an vnknoweÌ barbarous louÌg muÌbled in a bâadrol by roat Or
trumpe of Euangelicall Embassy soundeth a farre higher and more shrill note nothing so meanely exercised of it selfe about those present thinges whiche concerne this present life though otherwise it doe minister many holsome restoritiues for the good preseruation thereof but proclaimeth a far more happy league and hostage of a better euerlasting felicitie against infinite and the neuer ceassing vexations and calamities not of this worlde only but which presse downe and oppresse the whole frame of the vniuersall creation it rayseth vpp and geueth vndaunted courage against the vnaoydable assaultes of death and the Diuell it displayeth also remedie a ready coÌquest therof Yea it properly layth down and discouereth the passable way which doth bring vs home againe vnto God and the meanes also whereby we may vntwyne our soules out of the entangled Laberinth of sinnes and conuey vs too the heauenly glory that neuer shal haue end And because to attaine too this so vnspeakeable surpassing excellencie of immortall felicitie may no possible passage be founde else but through the bowels and blood of Gods owne sonne and our faith in the same heereof commeth it that glauncing ouer the name of woorkes many times though not altogeather suppressing the vse of them the whole ministerie of Euangelicall doctrine doeth exercise it selfe chiefly aboute those thinges which may best certifie distressed consciences of the merites of Christe not of any our deseruinges of the supercelestiall bountie of Gods mercy and of the vnuanquishable force of faith Not because the good works of the godly are meane whiles nothing auaileable beyng perfourmed acording to Gods lawe for they profite very muche not them only to whom they bee imparted but be acceptable also vnto God By meanes whereof they procure great commendation not only in the sight of men but be many times bountifully rewarded of God yea euen to great benefite and gayne of the authors therof Let vs therfore graunt vnto the lawe of the Lord her due honour that it be holy and immaculate conuerting soules Which wee do not embase but establishe rather Let the commendable industrie of the godly employed in the exercise of Gods commaundements haue her proper dignitie her glorious and manifold rewardes in this life which we do not abridge but encrease and aduance more highly For what one thing can allure Christian heartes to pursue the way of good life more seriously and cheerefully then when as being made familiarly acquainted with Gods mercie they feele and conceiue throughly first and especially theyr duetie towardes God next what they owe towards their neighbours for gods sake Or what can be more agreeable with conuenience of naâurall reason then that each person ought so to behaue himselfe towards others as either by proof he hath fouÌd god affecâed towards himself or doth trust y t in time to come he shal be Goe to let vs imagine this in our minde that mans lewdnesse is growne so altogeather dissolute as that it will not bee enclined to any gratefull remembraunce of dutifull requital nor bee enduced to any couenable thankfulnesse what shal we beleeue that the dulnesse of mens natures will be sooner reclaimed with seuere aâsteritie of disicpline and feare of the whippe and that the Lawe shall preuaile further with her sterne lookes then the sweete and amiable embrasings of the louing Gospell but be the matter as it will yea let vs moreouer graunt this also That âo âame the licentiousnesse of sinne is none other way reserued but the very snaffle and mozeroll âf correction what shall wee say when the moste bountiful father of heauen and earth geueth out in speciall charge to powre out plentifully vpon all fleshe indifferently the incomprehensible riches of his free mercy shall wee speake nothing thereof And when as the maister of the housholde is of his owne nature so bountifull and liberall as Ianuensis reporteth shall his stewarde pinch and be a Niggard Finally to reach yet one step further and too confesse as the trueth is that amongst all the chaunces changes of this life nothing is more honorable nothing more excellent then the commendation of vertue and that they haue perfourmed matter of great valour which do with rules of good lawes and preceptes of commendable maners endue the mindes of men and reduce them from vice to treade the tracke of vertue and âo admit this also that in all ciuill societie this point of doctrine is of all others most necessarie yet doe I demauâd this one question of these men what benefite or aduantage all those our trauailes and labouresâ bee they neuer so holy may procure vs at the handes of God in all these naturall corruptions of this life which cannot possibly be altogether reclaimed with any lawe nor with any coÌmandementes You wyl say that they will auaile very much for we yeeld to God dutifull thankfulnesse and to our neighbour necessary ayde and thereby many times doe obteine of God honour and estimation not only to our selues but for the common weale also and bee many times preserued wonderfully rewarded by god the most assured rewarder of all godly actions according to the most euident testimonie of the Psalmographe saying on this wise For thy seruant keepeth them and in keeping of them is great reward Admit this I say to bee true Neuerthelesse for as much as this rewarde it selfe and recompencing of good workes doth not stretch it selfe beyond the limitted boundes of this present life this is also vndoubted true that when wee haue made a curious collection of all the most famous and most exquisite workes yea of the best holy ones in the worlde yet in respect of the principall fountaine and originall cause of iustification all this huge heape of our woorkes and merites doe nothing at al auaile to purchase immortalitie of eternal life with God and his holy Angels nor to obteine to be raised from the deadâ nor to the destroying the force of death and the Deuill ne to the cleansing of our sinfull fleshe nor yet to winne that glorious crowne of that endlesse kingdome in the worlde to come To procure those so many I say so meruâylous vnmeasurable benefits so infinitly and incredibly surmounting all capacitie and reach of our nature and hope our merites and woorkes bee they neuer so holy yeelde not any furtheraunce or benefite at al. To bring this to passe is the only workmanship of Iesu Christ This is the only benefite of the sonne of God not due too any our desertes but a free gift proceeding from his onely meere liberalitie and mercie and receiued of vs by faith not as any recompence of workes but powred foorth oftentimes euen into the bosome of the moste vnworthie which seeme too bee farthest of from all hope without any regarde had of those which doe feede theyr owne fancies most vpon confidence and good opinion of their own wel doing euen of his own free mercy bounteous liberalitie
Who as is only holy who only as hath power of life and death and of al authoritie in heauen and earth so is he onely alone able to beââow his graces vpon whom he will being tyed to none nor holden bound to any law Nowe therefore sith by his glorious Gospel as by the antentique seale of his euerlasting wil he hath deliuered vnto vs so manifest and determinate a demonstration of his vnchangeable will witnessing thereby That whosoeuer beleâueth in him shal of his gift enioy euerlasting life and the glory of his kinâdome what may godly ministers doe in discharge of theyr function more duetifully but by faithfull proclaiming theyr commission to put in executioÌ the charge committed vnto them by their Lorde and Maister What and wil the Pope of Rome with his councell of Trident require vs to renounce the Gospel of Christ and to post ouer vpon their pelting war raâmâ the crowne of glory to the lawe of workes which Christe hath already warranted too faith yea will they haue vs so saucie as to challendge them as a duetie which Christe assured to all of free gift or do these holy fathers thinke it to bee reasonable that we shoulde hearken vnto them rather then vnto Christe Christe doeth very plainly and expresly set downe in the Gospell Thy faith hath made thee whole And shal we say on the contrary part Thy workes hath made thee whole Christ saith Beleeue onlyâ al things are possible to him that beleeueth And shal we turning the cart before the horse yeelding chiefe preheminence to works promise al things to become possible to them that worke and not to them that beleeue only I beseech you what notable peece of worke wrought they towards the curing of their maladies which were commaunded but to lift vp their eies only and too looke earnestly vpon the brasen Serpent Finally where the holsome doctrine of the gladsome Gospel seemeth to enterlace heere and there many graue and weightie councels to the embracing of most absolute integritie to prescribe many âules to allure to liue wel If a man would discend into the due consideration of the end scope of the Euangelicall exhortatioÌs he shal find nothing y t doth more nearely resemble the meaning purpose of Christ our Sauior that doth approch more neerely to the direct end of al his speaches actions myracles then this one thing chiefly aboue al other namely to draw all men to faith the knowledge of Christ as who did very wel know that all our safetie righteousnesse doth depende wholy vpon this only faith in him Paul likewise treating vpon nothing else almost throughout al his Epistles how learnedly how industrioâsly doth he vrge al his force of skil to acquaint vs throughly with this doctrine that the whole substance of our saluation strongest piller of our righteousnes was grouÌded not vpon the saâdes of y e law not propt vp w t the slimie morter of works not raised vp w t any our sweating or moyling but promysed by the free mercy of god accomplished by the only workmaÌship of Christ geuen receiued through our only faith and beliefe in him and yet not excluding meane whiles the works of the law so as they might not be alwaies attendaunt vppon the man that is iustified as fruites and effects of faith but that they shuld in no wise be taken for the original cause of iustification and againe neither making this cause of iustificatioÌ to depeÌd so wholy vpoÌ faith as that we might therfore slacke any part of our dutie in doing good al the rest of our life But to the end we shuld not be carried away with vaine confidence of works nor grounde our righteousnesse which wee receiue only at Christes handes else where in the only faith in Iesus Christe And for this cause Of faith saith S. Paule that the promise might be made sure by grace which otherwyse woulde bee alwaies whirled aboute in vnstable vncertaintie if it rested wholy vppon perfection of workes and by the same meanes woulde it come too passe withal that the promise should be thrust cleane out of credite For if we bee adopted into inheritance by the law then is faith become void the promise is of none effect â which the Apostle doth with like phrase of speache vrge againe in his Epistle to Titus For iâ inheritaunce come by the law sayth he then not of promise nowe And againe to the Romanes to the same effect If of grace then not of workes now otherwise grace shuld not be graceâ And why so I pray you is it because the law is so manifestly repugnaÌt against the promise or that grace is so dirâctly contrary to good works as that they cannot come togegether vnder one roofe but the one wyll stiffle vp the other Let vs heare the answere of the Apostle God forbid that any man shal thus think with himselfe that there is any such mortal enmitie betwixt grace good works as that who so cleaueth to grace must foorthwith become a deadly foe to good works or as though who so take holde of the promises of God the same may in no wise walk in the coÌmauÌdements of the law For what can be more familiar together theÌ the grace of god the fruits of good works Who was stronger in faith then AbrahaÌ who more excellent then he in all maner of vertues Grace and good works therfore doth not simply differ ech froÌ other but acording to the diuersity of the obiect wherunto they be referred Wherfore the state of the question must be aduisedly coÌsideratly noted For the question in this place doth not tend heereunto whether the person that is alredy inuested in the inheritance of grace ought to liue welâ but how the possessioÌ of this inheritance may be woÌne namely whether it come of free gift to the vnworthie or to theÌ that deserue it by force of the lawe or by promise for any respect of works or of the speciall and onely benefite of faith without workes Here loe the shamelesse sacriledge of the Popes iuggling bewrayeth it self which directly against the authoritie of Gods worde would vnder a very sâye and suttle but most pernicious pretânce of magnifying and establishing the commaundementes of God restreigne against al equitie right al whatsoeuer Christ his Apostles and the most euident meaning of the holy Ghost vouchsafed to endue poore forlorne man with all of very free and franke liberalitie for the incredible comfort and coâsolation of the godly to the slippery state of miserable workes From out which one platfourme very ill fauouredly framed it is incredible to be spoken what rotten ruinâs haue ensued what monstruous superstitâon what beggerly and patched religion and howe troublesome a confusion of doctrine hath heretofore too to long preuailed against Gods church yea euen to this day doth holde captiue miserably entangle the coÌsciences of
17. Gregâry in his 4 booke the 38 Epiâtlâ to Luâoâ Peter was neither head of the Church nor vniuersall Apoââlâ Galat. 2. Chrysâst vpon Paules Epâstle to the Romanâs The vniuersall Iurisdiction of the Pope confuted Iohn .6 Luke .14 Iohn .13 Matth. 23. Luke .16 Matth. 5. In what sense Peter was calleâ prince of the Apostles Peter called prince of the Apostles as Cicero was called prince of eloquence in reâpect of eâcellencie not of superâoritie Mat. 4. Luke 5. Iohn 21. Peter made fisher of men not prince of men Actes .8 Pope Alexander the 3. Hâstiensis Extrauagan dâ eâectâ electi poââstate Hadriân Clâmânt 5â Honârius 3. Gregory 9. Vrbanus 4. Innocent 4. Clement 4. All the French in Sicile yong and olde were slaine at the sound of a bell Martin 4â Honorius 4. Nicholâs 4. Boniface 8. Clement .5 Iohn .22 Vrbane .6 Clement Martine .5 Pius .2 Sixtus .4 Iulius .2 Paulus .3 The succession of the Pope discouered and confuted 2. Quest. 7. Omnes Dist. 40. âerome writing to Helyodore The councel of Constance The ordinary succession prefiteth nothing in the sight of God Maâasses Caiaphas The Iâwes Iohn .9 Mat. 3. Luâe 2. Mat. 23. Iames .1 Ephe. 5. No resemblaÌce betwixt Peter and the Pope The state of the chayre of the Romish Monarchyâ Betwixt the Pope and Peter Esay 5. 2. Ezechiel .34 It is not the chayre but the good life that maketh a man Apostolical Neanthus sonnâ of Pittacus The continuance of succeeding Bishops in the Church is no sufficient cloke to coulor error The ordinary succession of popeâ hath bin discontinued broken of The light of doctrine and trueth restoreâ The Popâs Bullâs against the faithfâl sâruants of Christâ The slaunders of the Pope against the Queene of Englandâ The Oration of Queene Elizabeth to the Pope Matth. 5. Lââius The cause of the Popes malice against Elâzabeâh Queene of England How this saying without the Churche is no hope of saluation must be conâtrued The Câtholâkâ fayâh Athanasius Creede The Nycene Creede The Romish fayth Bââââ in his 78. Epiââle The Catholike church amongst the Grecians eâempt from the Church of Rome We read in our Creeâ the holy and Catholike Church but not the Romain Church The onely faiâh and doâtrine of Christ doth vnite Câristiââs to the Câuâchâ Three Tabernacles â Thessal 2. Luke â2â Matâ 20. 2ââ Luke 18. A compaâison betwixt the auncieÌt church of Rome and the Romish prelates nowe The life and conuârsation of the auncient aâd Apostolical âhurche Great differeÌce betwixt the biâhops of the ancâent and the new churche of Rome Bernard in his Epistle to Eâgenius â The life of the Bishoppes of Rome may seeme lesse Apostolike then Apostatique The Popes doctrine conninced in nouelty The nouâlây of the Popes docâryne was in many things vnknown to the auncieÌt fathers In howe many how weighty matters the Apostolicke doctryne varyeth from the popes Tertullianusâ Apocal. 2. Apoca. â3 Cicero in his Tusculanes the 3. booke Apoc. 13. Though the Pope with his crew be part of the church yet be they not the vniuersall church The Popes arguments deducted from the vniuersalitie The Papiââââ obiection Two sortes of men in the visible Church A disagreement not a departure bâtwiât the protestantes and the Papistes Osâc â The errours filthines of the Popes doctryâe A comparison betwixt the Iewes and the Romish catholikes The persecution of Christians by the pope and his papâsts The ceremonies of the Iewes and the Papistes compared together The superstitioÌ of the Romanists in defending their traditions is more than Iewish As the Iewes do looke for a worldly Messiâas so the Papists doe expect a worldly vicar Like Pope like Church The very pattâââe ââage of the Romish Church The Papists do play the Iewes in establishing the doctrine of rightuousnesse by workes âom 9 10â How fayth is esteemed with the Papistes Only faith with out works âoâh accomplish the whole worke of our iusâiâicatioâ Oâorâ agaynst Haddon pagâ 94. Oâor in his Epistle to the Queene of England pag. 27. 32. Tridâââin Conc. Ses. 6. cap. 7. How fayth dotâ beget good workes Faith as oportunitie is offred can neuer cease from doing good working alwayes throââ loue Fayth in iustification is onely and alone but in working is not alone Tridentin Conc. Ses. 6. cap. 16. The infallible doâtrine of the Tridântine Councâll Sâssiâ 6 Cap. 7 Ephesians 2. Iohn .6 Iohn .11 Euerlasting life promised to the beleeuers The diffeâence betwixt the law and the Gospel The vse and duetie of the lawe Wherein the vse of the law consisteth properly The Euangelicall faith The preaching of faith * 2. Cor 3. Who hath made vs able ministârs of tâe new Testament not of the letter but of the spirite The fruite and prayse of good workes Psalm â5 In what respect good workes be auayleable and what they bring to passe Ianuensis is his booke called Cathoâico Psal. 1ââ From whence ariseth the welâspring of eternal life Iustificaâion is proper to faith only Mark .9 Good woorkes do not procure a man to be iustâfiâd but bee fruites and effectes of him that is iustified alâeady August de graâia ãâã Cap. 3. Romans 4â Titus .3 Obiection The answeres of the Apostle Howe faith and good woorkes doe agree and disagree ech with other Tully in his orâtion for Milo The obiectioâ is confuted Eâhe 5. A brief Catalogue of the popish doctrine Osor. in his 7. booke de Iustitia âala 3. A comparison betwixt the preachers of the lawe and the Gospel and betwixt theÌ which plod vpon nothing els then the rightâousnes of the lawe and workes The supremacâ of the Pâpe confuted Luke 22.26 Inuocation of saintes confuted Hebr. 7. Pictures and images of saintes Uowes of vâmaried life Masses and sâârifices Satisfactions âor âiânes 1. Iohn 2â Actes 1â Osor. In his Epistle to the Queene of Englande Rightuousnes by faith Iustification free One only oblation The Papistes suppâr without wyne The holy ghost the vicar of Christ. Tertullian de praescrip aduersus Haereticos Being taken hence into heauen to the right hande of the father hee sent his vicar power of the holy Ghoste which might comfort the faithful Christ the ende of the lawe The ende and mark of romish doctryne Iohn .5 An vnknowne toung doth not edifie Mat. 24. Idolatroâs pilgrimages Peter the Apostle is denied to haue beene bishop of Rome The functions of Apostles and Bishoppes bee diuerse The Pope of Rome is falsely supposed to bee Peteâs successor How much the popes doctryne is swarued froÌ the disciplyne Apostolique 1. Peter .2 Of the sacramentes The abhominable corruptions of the papists in the Lordes supâer * Aug. ad Infantes is cyted by Bedâ 1. Cor. 10. That which you see is bread and wine which also your eyes do declare maniâeââly * Augustâ de trinitate 3. booke cap. â Myracles are properly applyed too declare to our senses some supernatural and heauenly power In the sacrament nothing
is declared supernatural too our senses Ergo heere is no myracle wrought by God * Aug. in his 37. Epistle to Dardanus I am afâaide leaât we shal seeme to do iniury to our senses wheÌ by speâches we perswade that wherin plain euidence doth without any difficulty ryse aboue al our power and cunning of speeche The holy scriptures ful of Tropes and figures 2. Cor. 3. Iâân 6. Flesh profiteth nothing Augu. de doctrina Christiana 4 book 5. chapt First you must take heede least yee referre the figuratiue speeche vntoo the letter For herevnto apperteyneth that which the apostle spake The letter killeth For when a figuratiue speech is so taken as if it were properly spoken it âauoreth of the flesh Neither can any thing be called more aptly the death of the soule then when the vnderstanding is made subiect too the fleshe by folowing the letter Ierome against Rufââne * Origen .7 homily vpon Leuit. If literally yee followe the woordes that bee spoken except yee eate the fleshe of the ãâã of man yee haue ãâã life in you this letter killeth * Howe absuâdlâ the Popishe Christ makââs doe tuâne the bread into the flâsh and humanity of Christ. The Papistes doâ omit the circumstances of the words of the Supper Luke .22 1. Cor. 11. Theâe wordes of ãâã This ãâ¦ã must ãâ¦ã accârâââââo the cirââmsâancâs The fleshe of Christ doth not feede vs properly but the passion of Christ. Pascasius 43. Cap. Therefore we must thus thinke with our selues not how muche is chawed with the teeth but howe much is receyued by faith and loue c. The fruite of Christes passion can by no means be more easily discerned thân by the sacrament of the Lords supper Mat. 26. * Cyprian de Coena Our abiding and incorporation in him is our eating and drinking whereby we be vnited vnto Christe and made his body not by any corporal but by a spiritual passing into vs. c. * August contra Maximinum 22. Cap. These bee Sacramentes in the which must alwayes be considered not what they beâ but what they shew outwardly because they bee Signes of things being one thing in deede signifiyng an other thing * Gelasius contra Nestor The Image and likenesse of the body and blood of Christe is celebrated in the Action of the mysteries The death of the body must be considered in the Lordes Supper not the substance of his body The Lordes meaning is too be conâiâârâd in the supper Chrâsost Homil. 83. vppon Mat. Homi. â0 To the people of Antioche This he spake to shewe that this mysterie was his crosse and passion and to comfort his disciples hereby âoân â The body of Christ giuen 2. maâer of waiâs both to vs for vs y â one in the Supper thâs other âpon the ârosse the one to be cruciâiâd the other to be âaten The body of Christe geuen in the Supper but not to meÌs bodies neither yet corporally One selfe same body of Christ was geuen in the supper and vpon the crosse yet not after the same maner nor at one time nor to the same persons In the holy coÌmunioÌ neither is the bread only without Christes body neither the body only without the Sacramental breadâ A threfolde error of men touching the sacrament of the supper August in Iohn Tracta 26. Christe did affirme him selfe to bee the bread which came downe from heauen exhorting vs to beleeue on him for too beleeue on him is to eate the liuing bread Cyril Anathe 11. Doest thou pronouÌce this our SacrameÌt to be maÌs foodeâ and vrgest the mindes of the faithful irreligiously to grosse and carnal thoughts doest thou practise to discusse by mans sensual reasoÌ the things which are conceaued by only and most exquisite faith August in Ioh. tract 2â Why doest thou prepare thy âooth and thy belly Beleeue only thou hast eaten for to beleeue on him is to eate the âread of life Theodorete Christe did dignifie the signes which be seen by calling them his body and blood not chaunging the nature but adding therevnto grace The reseÌblance betwiât tâe sacrament and the bodie of the Sacrament Beda in LucaÌ cap. 22. Bycause bread doth comfort mans hart wine doeth make good blood in the body therefore the bread is coÌpared to the body and the wine to Christs blood mystically The âustifying of faith is established chiefly in the Sacrament OrigeÌ in Leu. cap. 7. The Lord did not put ouer nor commaunded to be reserued til the morow the bred which he gaue to his disciples saying Take ye and eate ye The fruit and efficacie of the Lordes passion August de doctrina lib. 3 cap. 16. This is a figuratiue speeche commaunding vs to participate with the Lordes passion and thankefully and profitably to lay vppe in our most gratefull remembraunce that Christ suffered his passion for vs. Gelas. coÌtra Eutichetem The substance of bread and wine doth not cease and without doubt the ymage and similitude of the bodie and blood is celebrated into the action of the mysteries Augusâân in âis 22. Epistle to âoniface There can be no sacrament of the body at all without bread The outwaâde substance of the bread * August de ciuit deâ li. 18 capâ 48. After a certaine maner doe all things significant represeÌt the properties of things which they do signifie The bread is the Sacramânt of the bodie that is to say The bread is after a sacramental maner the bodie Of the thing it selfe which is signified by the Sacrament Bernard de sanctâ Mart. A Sacrament is called an holy signe or ân holy secret Irenaeus aduersus Valentiniaâos lib. 4. cap. 34. The earthly bread receiuing denomination of the word of god is no more common bread but is made a Sacrament which consisteth of two things earthly and heauenly The SacrameÌt The thing of the sacrament * Basil in Psal. 33 Bicause our Lorde is the true bread and his flesh meate in deed it is necessarie that the delight which is receyued by the eating of that bread should through our tast become spirituall vnto vs. Lib. 4. dist 8. Why it is called by Ierome the spiritual flesh of Chrisâ Lombardââ assertion Ambros. de mysteriis Christ is in that Sacrament bycause it is the bodie of Christ. Therefore it is not corporal food but spiritual Whervpon the Apostle speaking of the figure therof Bicause our fathers did eate the same spiritual foode For the bodie of Christ is spiritual The bodie of Christ is the bodie of a diuine spirite De consecr dist Lombard confuted * Ambros. de Sacrament lib. 4. cap. 4. Euen as thou hast receyued the likenesse of death so doest thou drinke the similitude of blood Lombard against himselfe Take away the similitude and it can be no sacrameÌt but take away the bread and then all the siâilitude ceaseth ârgo Take away the bread there can be no Sacrament Metonymia a âigure whereby one thing beareth the name of