the son No. S. Ambrose anno 380. saith n in comm ad 4 cap. ad Hebr. Faith is a great thing and wholesome and with out which it is impossible to be saued but only faith doth not suffice it is necessarie that faith doe worke by loue and be in conuersation worthy of God S. Augustine anno 400 saith o de fide operibus cap. 14. Because this opinion of only faith did then beginne the Apostles S. Peter Iohn Iames and Iude did chiefly direct their epistles to shew and affirme that faith with out workes did not profit Againe p lib. 15 de Trinit cap. 18. He doth not make faith it selfe profitable but by Charitie for it is true faith may be with out Charitie but not profit And q with out loue faith profiteth othing Againe r Tract 10. in Ioan. now some man doth beleeue in Christ but he hateth Christ he maketh his coÌ„fession of faith for the feare of punishment not for the loue of a reward add to this faith loue that there may be such a faith whereof the Apostle speaketh ad Gal. cap. 5. v. 6. Faith which worketh by charitie Againe Å¿ Serm. 16. de verbis Apostoli Man beginneth at faith but because the Diuells also beleeue it is necessarie to add hope and Charitie Againe t Serm 22. lib de Praedest Sanctorum c. 7. The house of God is founded in belieuing erected by hoping and perfected by louing Againe v Enchirid. cap. 8. therfore the Apostle saith a man is iustified by faith and not by workes because faith is first giuen wherby all other thinges are obtayned which properly are called workes wherin a maÌ„ doth liue iustly Againe x lib. de grat lib. arbitr Men not withstanding what the Apostle saith doe thinke a man to be iustified by faith without the workes of the law they thought he had said faith was sufficient for a man although he liue wickedly and haue no good workes which God forbid that the vessell of election should thinke so Againe y Praefat. in Psalm â—1 How therfore is a man iustified by faith with out workes The Apostle himself doth answere Therfore I said this to thee o man lest thou shouldest as it were presume of thy workes and through the merite of thy workes think thou hast receaue the grace of faith Doe not therfore presume of thy workes before faith know that faith found thee a sinner Againe z Serm. 16. de verbis Apostoli Wee are iustified but that iustice when wee doe well doth increase S. Prosper anno 250. saith a lib. 1. de vita contemplat cap. 19. neither vvorkes vvith out faith nor faith with out workes doth iustifie Againe b in respons ad cap. 6. ad Callor A man being iustified that is of a vvicked become pious vvith out any good merit going before he doth receaue a gift by vvhich meanes he doth obteyne merit that vvhich vvas begunne in him by the grace of Christ is increased by the industrie of freevvill the help of God being alvvayes present LVTHERS DOCTRINE Luther saith c in comm in cap. 15. Genesin I knovv these virtues are excellent giftes of God I knovv that faith with out these giftes caÌ„not stand Et infra wee know that faith is not alone but doth bring with it charitie and many giftes Et ibid. heere I speake plainly what faith alone doth not as it is ioyned with other virtues Faith only doth obteyne remission of sinnes Hence also is it that he saith d in cap. 2. ad Gallat Faith with out and before Charitie doth iustifie And. Faith is the formale iustice for which man is iustified not for Charitie And. only faith is necessarie to make vs iust all other thinges are free neither commaunded nor prohibited more or lesse Againe e in argum eiusdem epist the greatest or chiefest art and Christian wisdome is not to know the law to be ignorant of good workes and all actiue iustice Againe f lib. de libert Christiana a Christian man hath no need of any worke or law being free from all law by faith Againe g Serm. de nouo Test siue de missa Let vs take heed of sinnes but much more of lawes and good workes only let vs attend vnto the promise of God and faith Also the Lutherans of Saxonie affirme as much saying in Colloquio Altembeigensi amongst vs there is no doubt but the holy scripture doth call that iustice of Christ by which wee are iustified before God and by which wee are iust the passion and obedience of Christ Et ibid. the obedience and the merit of Christ is the thinge it selfe which is imputed vnto vs yea the very iustice which is giuen and bestowed vpoÌ„ vs. I wherfore they conclude saying good woorkes and new obedience perteyne not vnto the kingdome of Christ but to the world so that good workes are so fare from being necessarie as that they are also pernicious and vnprofitable to saluation Finally wee ought to pray that wee may perseuere vnto the end in faith with out all good workes These they Luther yet saith i lib. de captiuit Babylon cap. de Euch. a man can talke or deall with God no other way then by faith he careth not for workes Againe a Christian is so rich that he cannot perish although he would how wickdly soeuer he liue vnlesse he will not beleeue Againe k in exposit Epist in die Dominico a natali Christ proximo ex cap. 3. Gal. Moreouer saith he there is no other thing required vnto saluation but to heare and beleeue our lord Iesus Christ Againe l loc comm c class â— c. 68. pag. 68. as nothing iustifieth but faith so nothing sinneth but vnbeliefe Againe m in 2 Parte Postillae ger pr. Argente raâ—â— 1537. fal 140. No sinne saith he is so great as to condemne a man for only infidelity condemneth all men that are condemned on the contrary only faith maketh all meÌ„ blessed The same affirmeth his Scholler Tindall saying n in Fox Act mon. pag. 1 37. That Christ ordayned there should be no sin but infidelitie no iustice but faith M. Whitaker saith o de Ecclesia contra Bellarm controu 29.5 pag. â—01 wee say that if a man haue the acte of saith synne doth not hurt him which also Luther affirmeth and all wee maintayne These M. Whitaker CALVINS DOCTRINE Caluin saith p in Antidoto Conciliâ— Trid. ad can 11. Sess 6. lib. 3. instit cap. 11. ¶ 23. ¶ cap. 16. ¶ 1. it is faith only that iustifieth yet faith that iustifieth is not alone as the heat of the sunne is not alone which warmeth the earth Againe thou seest that our iustice is not in vs but in Christ wherfor then are wee iustified by faith because wee apprehend the iustice of Christ by faith by which only wee are reconciled
wherefore this title he would haue to be reiected c. but it is neuerthelesse euident by other places that Gregory thought that the charge and principallitie of the whole church was committed to Peter c. and yet Gregory thought not that Peter was for this can so the forerunner of Antichrist These he which is so plaine that in place of much more that might be said I think this may suffice especially when to this day the Pope doth no lesse detest the title of vniuersall Bishop wherby he should acknowledg no Bishop in Gods church but himself then Gregory or Pelagius did THE 16. ARTICLE OF FREEVVILL THE CATHOLICKE DOCTRINE A man hath alwayes freewill as well in morale thinges that are good as euill and also perteining either to the saluation or destruction of the soul he is neuer bound or constrayned to any necessitie of syninge SCRIPTVRE a Reg 24.11 CHoyse is giuen thee of three thinges choose one of these which thou wilt that I may doe it to thee b 3. Reg. 3.9 Ask what thou wilt that I may giue it thee c Deut. â—0 25 Consider that I haue set before thee this day life and good and contrariwise death and euill c d V. 19. I haue proposed to you life and death blessing and cursing choose therefore life that both thou and thy seed may liue e Ica 14 8. Behold I giue before you the way of life and the way of death f Ecclesiasticus 15. V 14.17.18 He hath set before thee water and sier to which thou wilt stretch forth thine hand before man there is life and death good and euill what pleaseth him shal be giuen him g Ibid. cap. 30.10 Hee that could transgresse and hath not transgressed and doe euils and hath not done h Matth. 23. â—7 O Hierusalem Hierusalem how often would I gather together thy ChildreÌ„ as the hen doth gather together her chickens vnder her winges and thou wouldest not i Ioh. 7. â—7 Yf any man thirst let him com vnto me and let him him drinke k 2. Cor. 7.1 Hauing therefore these promises my Deerest let vs cleanse our selues from all inquination of the slesse and spirit l Ephes 5.14 A rise thou that sleepest and a rise from the dead and Christ will illuminat thee see therfore brethren how you walke warily not as vnwise but as wise redeeming the tyme because the dayes are euill m Phil. 4. â—â— I can all thinges in him that strengtheneth me n Coloss 4 5. Walke with wisdome to wardes them that be without redeeming the tyme. o 1. Tim. q 16. Attend to thy self and Doctrine p 1. Tim. 2.19 Let euery one departe from iniquitie that nameth the name of our lord c. if any man therfore shall cleanse him self from these c. q Hebr. 4.18 Let vs goe therfore with confidence to the throne of grace r Ibid. cap. 12 1â— For wich cause stretch vp the slacke handes and the loose knees and make straight the steps of your feet that no man halting erre but rather be healed Å¿ Ioan. 4.8 Approch to God and he will approch to you cleanse your handes yee sinners and purifie your hartes you double of mynd t 1. Pet. 1.22 In the syncere loue of Fraternitie from the harte loue yee one an other earnestly v 1. Ioan. â— 7 Little Children let no man seduce you x Apoc. â— 20 Behold I stand at the dore and knocke if any man shall heere my voice and open the gate I will enter into him and will supp with him and he with me FATHERS Pope ClemeÌ„t whoe liued in the Apostles tyme An. 80. lib. 3. recognit saith Y speake how doth God iudge euery man by his deeds according to truth if he haue not in his power to doe a thing if this be held all thinges are frustrate in vayne shall the studie be of following better thinges also in vayne are Iudges ouer lawes and punish them which do evill for they had not in their poweÌ„ to resist sin lib. de diâ—in nomi cap. 4. par 4. S. Dionisius Areopag anno 80. saiâ—k z But some man may say infirmitie doth not deserue punishment but pardon if therfore he could not resist perchaunce it might righty be obiected but if there begiuen forces from the chiefest good God whoe as holy writinges teach doth giue simply sufficient to all it is not to be pardoned S. Ignatius Disciple to S. Iohn Euangelist a in epist ad Magne sianos saith for as much as our actions themselues haue their rewardes and Life is promised to obedience but death to disobedieÌ„ce and euerie one that hath chosen either this or that doth follow that which he hath choseÌ„ let vs fly death and choose Life And a little beneath if any man giue himselfe to pietie he is the man of God if to wickednes of the Diuell this is not done by nature but by the seedome of the mynde S. Iustine Martyr anno 150. saith b in Apolegia ad imperatorem Antoninum vnlesse mankinde caÌ„ both fly foul and vndecent thynges and follow fayre and good thinges of his owne freewill it is without all cause and blame of theires howsoeuer thinges be done But wee teach that he can of his owne free will and accord both doe well and ill And in the same places nei-should he be worthy of reward or prayse if he did not choose a good thing of his owne accord S. Iraenaus anno 160. saith c lib. 4 ca. 71. where Christ saith how often would I gather together thy sons thou wouldest not doth manifest the Law of freewil in man because God made him free from the begining And he Concludeth they which doe good workes shall receaue glorie and honour because they haue done good when they might doe euill but those which doe not worke this good shall receaue the iust iudgment of God because they haue not done good when they might haue done it Obserue also heere an excellent testimonie of the merites of good and evill workes S. Clâ—â—â— Alexand. anno 190. saith d lib. 1. 〈◊〉 because free Chov and desire doth first make sinnes punishementes are worthyly inflicted Et infra which thinges when they are so both to be free from ignorance and from euell and delightfull choise and aboue althinges not to assent vnto those deceiptfull phantasies and sightes is placed in our power S. Athanasius anno 340. saith e oratione contra idola circa principiuÌ„ The soul is free and at this owne will for as it can incline it selfe vnto good Et infra which when it doth behold the free commaund and will of it self it doth perceaue it self to be able to vse the members of the bodie vnto both partes both vnto those which are and vnto those which are not but those which are I call good those which are not
endeuour not as if vvee vvill not vvithout thy vvill the iustice of God shall not be in thee he that made thee vvithout thee doth not iustifie thee vvithout thee Againe d lib. despiritâ— â—littera ad Marceâ—â—num cap 34. To consent to vocation or not to consent is of mans ovvne freevvill Againe e lib de praedest Sanctor cap â— Both is ours to vvill sci to belieue and to loue for freevvill and both are giuen by the spirit of faith and charitie Againe f Ibid. ca. 5. Not because to beleeue or not to beleeue is not in the vvill of man but the vvill in the elect is prepared by our Lord. LVTHERS DOCTRINE Luther saith g lib qui scribitur operationes in psalmos It is an errour to say and hold that freevvill hath some captiuitie in a good vvorkâ— vvhen vvee speake of the internall vvorke For to will as vvee haue said is to beleeue to hope and loue motion plucking and leading of the vvorde of God is a cerâ—en continuall purgation and renouatioÌ„ of the mynd and vnderstanding from day to day in the knovvledg of God although it be not alvvayes of like feruencie yet that passion is alvvayes a passioÌ„ behold euen as clay in the hand of the potter so is the house of Israel in my hand vvhat authority I pray you hath the clay vvhen the Potter giueth a forme vnto it is there not there a mere passion Heere vvee may se that Luther vvill haue the hart of man vvhen it is conuerted to be no other vvise then as clay vvhen a pot is made of it or vvoode vvherof Mercuties statue is made CALVINS DOCTRINE Caluin saith h lib. 2. Instit c. 5. ¶ 7. But therbesome vvho vvill graÌ„t that the vvill being contrarie to its ovvne vnderstanding is conuerted only by the virtue of God but yet so as being prepared it hath aftervvard his ovvne povver in vvorking And he subâ—oyneth but this is vvickedly attributed to man that he should vvith his vvill as a hand mind vvayte vpoÌ„ grace going before therefor it is not vvell said of Chrysostome ¶ 10. neither can grace without the vvill not the vvill vvithout grace worke any thinge but it moueth the vvill not as it is deliuered and belieued many ages since that it should be after ward in our choise either to obey or resist the motion therfore wee must needs reiect that so often repeated by Chrysostome Whome he dravveth he dravveth him the Partie dravvne vvilling it Againe i Ibid. c. 2. ¶ 4. Chrysostome saith he hath it written some where because God hath put both good and euill in our povver he hath giuen vs freevvill of election doth not reteine vs against our vvils but imbraceth vs being vvilling Also often tymes that vvhich is euill if he vvill is changed into good and a good man that doth fall through sloth doth become euill because God hath made our nature to be of a free will neither doth he impose a necessitie but necessarie remedies being prepared doth suffer al to rest in the sickmans condition Also that vnlesse wee be holpen wee caÌ„ neuer doe any thinge as wee ought or wel so vnlesse wee on our parte endeuour what wee can wee shall neuer obtayne the fauour of God But he said first that all is not from diuine help but that wee ought also to doe some thinge soe that this word is verie familiare with him Let vs doe vvhat vvee can and God vvill supply the rest to which also that is agreable which Hierome saith it is our part to beginne but God vvill perfect it it is our part to doe vvhat vvee can his to full fill vvhat vvee cannot you see heere certaynly saith Caluin in these sentences that they giue more vnto man in the studie of virtue then is fit vvherfore he concludeth they speake therfore saith he to Philosophically of this mutter whoe boast that they are Christes Disciples THE 18. ARTICLE Faith alone doth not iustifie THE CATHOLICKE DOCTRINE The true Catholicke faith where by a man is iustified is not only distincke from Charitie and other good workes but doth oft tymes exist a part neither is any man iustified that is to say pronounced or accounted iust by God for any imputatiue extrinsicall or alien iustice to witt of Christ if he remayne still truly and really vniust and defyled with mortall sinns inherent in him But a-man is iustified that is of impious or at least not iust he is made pious and iust of not holy he is both called and truly made holy by his owne intrinsicall and inherent iustice and sanctitie which iustice or sanctitie consisteth in the habite or root of faith hope and charitie planted in the hart of man for all though the merite of Christ only According to which diuine habite of iustice infused into vs it free doe a man yet afterwardes he doth become more iust by good workes that is to say of iust and holy he doth become more iust and holy by his owne good workes and merites dignified by gods holy grace which doth accompany and follow the same SCRIPTVRE a Luc. 7.47 FOt rhis I say vnto thee many sinnes are forgiuen thee because thou hast loued much b Matt. 7.22 Many shall say vnto me in that day lord lord haue wee not Prophecied in thy name and in thy name wrought many miracles and then I will confesse vnto them that I neuer knew them or you c Rom. 2.13 Not the hearers of the law are iust before God but the doers of the lawe shal be iustified d 1. Cor. 13.2 If I should haue all faith soe that I could remoue mountaynes and haue not charitie I ame Nothinge e Bal. 5. b. For in Christ Iesus neither circumcision doth a vail any thinge nor the prepuce but faith which doth worde by charitie f Ioan. 5.24 Doe you not see that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith only g 1. Peter 4.8 Charitie couereth a multitude of sinnes h 1. Ioan. 4. n. 7.8.9 My Deerest let vs loue one an other because charitie is from God and whosoeuer doth loue is borne of God and knoweth God he which doth not loue knoweth not god Because God is charitie in this hath the charitie of God appeared in vs because God hath sent his only begotten son vnto the world that wee may liue by him FATHERS i In cap 4. epist ad Romanos Origen anno 230. saith Faith cannot be reputed for iustice vnto them that belieue in Christ and yet doe not put of the old man with their deeds k Orat. in S. Lauacrum S. Gregory Nazianz. anno 380. saith Faith without workes is dead l hom 1. in 1. ad Tim S. Chrysostome anno 380. saith There is need not only of faith but also of charitie And m hom â— in Ioannem is it sufficient vnto life euerlasting to beleeue in