A learned discourse of iustification, workes, and how the foundation of faith is overthrowne. By Richard Hooker, sometimes fellow of Corpus Christi College in Oxford Hooker, Richard, 1553 or 4-1600. 1612 Approx. 131 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 49 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A03586 STC 13708 ESTC S121045 99856234 99856234 21763 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A03586) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 21763) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1311:9) A learned discourse of iustification, workes, and how the foundation of faith is overthrowne. By Richard Hooker, sometimes fellow of Corpus Christi College in Oxford Hooker, Richard, 1553 or 4-1600. Jackson, Henry, 1586-1662. Spenser, John, 1559-1614. [4], 69, [3] p. Printed by Joseph Barnes, and are to be sold by John Barnes, dwelling neere Holborne Conduit [, London], At Oxford : 1612. Editor's note "To the Christian reader" signed: Henry Iackson. Edited under the direction of John Spenser (DNB, under Jackson). Cf. Folger catalogue, which gives signatures: [par.]² A-I⁴. Reproduction of the original in the British Library. Page 48 print faded; title page and pages 40-55 from the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery copy spliced at end. Created by converting TCP files to TEI P5 using tcp2tei.xsl, TEI @ Oxford. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Justification -- Early works to 1800. 2005-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-04 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2005-05 Jonathan Blaney Sampled and proofread 2005-05 Jonathan Blaney Text and markup reviewed and edited 2005-10 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion A LEARNED DISCOVERSE OF IVSTIFICATION , WORKES , and how the foundation of faith is over throwne . By RICHARD HOOKER , sometimes Fellow of Corpus Christi College in Oxford . AT OXFORD , Printed by Joseph Barnes , and are to be sold by John Barnes , dwelling neere Holborne Conduit . 1612. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER . WHereas many , desirous of resolutiō in some points handled in this learned Discourse , were earnest to haue it copied out : to ease so many labours , it hath beene thought most worthy and very necessarie to bee printed , that not only they might be satisfied , but the whole Church also hereby edified . The rather because it will free the Author from the suspition of some errours , which he hath been thought to haue favoured . Who might well haue answered with Cremutius in Tacitus , a Verbamea arguuntur , adeò factorum innocens sum . Certainely , the event of that time , wherein he lived , shewed that to be true , which the same b Authour spake of a worse , Cui deerat inimicus , per amicos oppressus ; and that there is not c minus periculum ex magna fama , quàm ex mala . But he hath so quit himselfe , that all may see , how , as it was said of Agricola , Simul suis virtutibus , simul vitijs aliorum in ipsam gloriam praeceps agebatur . Touching whom I will say no more , but that which my Authour said of the same man , Integritatem , &c. in tanto viro referre , iniuria virtutum fuerit . But as of all other his writings , so of this I wil adde that , which d Velleius spake in commendation of Piso , Nemo fuit , qui magis , que agenda erant , curaret , sine vlla ostentatione agendi . So not doubting , Good Christian Reader , of thy assent herein , but wishing thy favourable acceptance of this worke , ( which will be an inducement to set forth others of his learned labours ) I take my leaue ; from Corpus Christi College in Oxford . Thine in Christ Iesus HENRY IACKSON . Abak . 1. 4. The wicked doth compasse about the righteous ; therefore perverse iudgement doth proceede . FOR the better manifestation of the Prophets meaning in this place , we are first to cōsider the wicked , of whom he saith ▪ That they compasse about the righteous : secondy , the righteous , that are compassed about by them : and thirdly , that which is inferred ; therefore perverse iudgement proceedeth . Touching the first , there are two kinds of wicked men , of whom , in the fift of the former to the Corinthians , the blessed Apostle speaketh thus : Doe yee not iudge them that are within ? But God iudgeth them that are without . There are wicked therfore whom the church may iudge , & there are wicked whom God only iudgeth : wicked within , and wicked without the walls of the Church . If within the church particular persons be apparently such , as cannot otherwise bee reformed ; the rule of the Apostolicall iudgement , is this ; Seperate them from among you : if whole assemblies , this ; Seperate your selues from among them : for what society hath light with darknesse . But the wicked , whom the Prophet meaneth , were Babilonians , and therefore without . For which cause we haue heard at large heretofore in what sort he vrgeth God to iudge them . 2 Now concerning the righteous , there neither is nor ever was any meere natural man absolutely righteous in him selfe : that is to say , voide of all vnrighteousnes , of all sinne . We dare not except no not the blessed Virgin her selfe ; of whom although we say with S. Augustine , for the honour sake which we owe to our Lord and Saviour Christ , we are not willing in this cause to moue any question of his mother : yet for asmuch as the schooles of Rome haue made it a questiō ; we may answere with a Eusebius Emissenus : who speaketh of her and to her in this effect ; Thou diddest , by speciall prerogatiue , nine moneths togither intertaine within the closet of thy flesh , the hope of all the ends of the earth ; the honor of the world , the common ioy of men : he from whom all things had their beginning , had his beginning from thee , of thy body he tooke the blood which was to be shed for the life of the world , of thee he tooke that which even for thee he payed . Apeccati enim veteris nexu , b per se non est immunis , nec ipsa genetrix redemptoris : the mother of the redeemer , her selfe , is not otherwise loosed from the bond of ancient sinne , then by redemption ; if Christ haue paide a ransome for all , even for her , it followeth that al with out exception were captiues . If one haue died for al , then all were dead in sinne : all sinfull therefore : none absolutely righteous in themselues ; but we are absolutly righteous in Christ. The world then mus●●●ew a righteous man , otherwise it is not able to shew a man that is perfectly righteous . Christ is made to vs wisdome , iustice , sanctification , and redemption : wisdome , because he hath revealed his fathers will ; Iustice , because hee hath offered vp him selfe a sacrifice for sinne ; sanctification , because he hath given vs his spirit ; redemption , because he hath appointed a day to vindicate his children out of the hands of corruption , into liberty , which is glorious . How Christ is made wisedome , and how redemption , it may be declared , whē occasion serveth . But how Christ is made the righteousnesse of men , we are nowe to declare . 3 There is a glorifying righteousnes of men in the world to come ; as there is a iustifying and sanctifying righteousnes here . The righteousnes wherwith we shal be cloathed in the world to come , is both perfect & inherent . That whereby here we are iustified , is perfect , but not inherent . That whereby we are sanctified , is inherent , but not perfect . This openeth a way to the vnderstanding of that grand question , which hangeth yet in controversie , betweene vs & the Church of Rome , about the matter of iustifying righteousnes . 4 First , although they imagine , that the mother of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ , were for his honour , and by his speciall protection , preserved cleane from all sinne : yet touching the rest they teach as wee doe ; that infants which never did actually offend , haue their natures defiled , destitute of iustice , averted from God ; that in making man righteous , none do efficiently worke with God , but God. They teach as we do , that vnto iustice no man ever attained , but by the merits of Jesus Christ. They teach as we do , that although Christ as God , be the efficient ; as man , the meritorious cause of our iustice : yet in vs also there is somthing required . God is the cause of our naturall life , in him we life : but he quickneth not the body without the soule in the bodie . Christ hath merited to make vs iust : but as a medicine which is made for health , doth not heale by being made , but by being applied : so by the merits of Christ there can be no iustification , without the application of his merits . Thus far we ioine hands with the Church of Rome . 5 Wherein then doe we disagree ? We disagree about the nature and essence of the medicine , whereby Christ cureth our disease ; about the manner of applying it , about the number , and the power of meanes , which God requireth in vs for the effectuall applying thereof to our soules comfort . When they are required to shew what the righteousnes is , whereby a Christian man is iustified : they * answere that it is a divine spirituall quality , which qualitie receaued into the soul , doth first make it to be one of them who are borne of God , and secondly indue it with power , to bring forth such workes , as they doe that are borne of him ; even as the soule of man being ioined to his body , doth first make him to be of the number of reasonable creatures , and secondly inable him to performe the naturall functions which are proper to his kind : that it maketh the soule amiable and gratious in the sight of God , in regard whereof it is tearmed grace ; that it purgeth , purifyeth , and washeth out all the staines , and pollutions of sinne ; that by it through the merite , we are delivered as from sinne , so from eternall death and condemnation the reward of sinne . This grace they will haue to be applied by infusion : to the end that as the body is warm by the heate which is in the body ; so the soule might be righteous by the inherent grace : which grace they make capable of increase , as the body may be more and more warme , so the soule more and more iustified , according as grace shall be augmented , the augmentation whereof is merited by good workes , as good works are made meritorious by it . Wherefore , the first receipt of grace in their divinity , is the first iustification ; the increase thereof , the secōd iustification . As grace may be increased by the merit of good workes : so it may be diminished by the demerit of sinnes veniall ; it may be lost by mortall sinne . In asmuch therefore as it is needfull in the one case to repaire ; in the other : to recover the losse which is made : the infusion of grace hath her sundry after meales , for the which cause , they make many waies to apply the infusion of grace . It is applied to infants through baptisme , without either faith , or works and in them really it taketh away originall sinne , & the punishment due vnto it : it is applied to Infidels and wicked men in the first iustification , through baptisme without works , yet not without faith ; and it taketh away both sinnes actuall and originall together , withall whatsoever punishment eternall or temporall thereby deserved . Vnto such as haue attained the first iustification , that is to say , the first receipt of grace , it is applyed farther by good workes to the increase of former grace , which is the second iustification . If they worke more and more ; grace doth more and more increase and they are more and more iustified . To such as diminished it by veniall sinnes , it is applyed by holy water , Ave maries , crossings , papall salutations , & such like , which serue for reparations of grace decayed . To such as haue lost it through mortall sinne , it is applyed by the sacrament ( as they terme it ) of Pennance : which sacrament hath force to conferre grace anew , yet in such sort , that being so conferred it hath not altogither so much power as at the first . For it only cleanseth out the staine or guilt of sinne committed ; and changeth the punishment eternall into a temporall satisfactory punishment , here , if time do serue ; if not , hereafter to be indured , except it be lightened by masses , workes of charity , pilgrimages , fasts , and such like ; or else shortened by pardon , for terme , or by plenary pardon quite removed , and taken away . This is the mistery of the mā of sinne . This maze the Church of Rome doth cause her followers to treade when they aske her the way to iustification . I cannot stand now to vnrip this building , and to sift it piece by piece ; only I will passe by it in few words , that that may befall Babilon in the presence of that which God hath builded , as happened vnto Dagon before the arke . 6 Doubtlesse saith the Apostle a I haue counted all things losse , and iudge them to be dounge , that I may winne Christ ; and to be found in him not having my owne righteousnes , but that which is through the faith of Christ , the righteousnes which is of God through faith . Whether they speake of the first , or second iustification , they make it the essence of a divine quality inherent , they make it righteousnesse which is in vs. If it be in vs , then is it ours , as our souls are ours , though we haue them from God , and can hold them no longer then pleaseth him ; for if he withdraw the breath of our nostrils we fall to dust : but the righteousnesse wherein we must be found if we wil be iustified , is not our owne : therefore we cannot be iustified by any inherent quality . Christ hath me rited righteousnesse for as many as are found in him . In him God findeth vs , if we be faithfull , for by faith we are incorporated into Christ. Then although in our selues we be altogither sinnefull , and vnrighteous , yet even the man which is impious in him selfe , full of iniquitie , full of sin , him being found in Christ through faith , and having his sin remitted through repentance : him God vpholdeth with a gracious eie ; putteth away his sinne by not imputing ; taketh quite away the punishment due therevnto , by pardoning it ; and accepteth him in Iesus Christ , as perfectly righteous , as if he had fulfilled all that was commanded him in the lawe : shall I say more perfectly righteous , then if him selfe had fulfilled the whole law ? I must take heed what I say ; but the Apostle saith* God made him to bee sinne for vs , who knew no sinne , that we might be made the righteousnes of God in him . Such wee are in the sight of God the father , as is the very sonne of God him selfe . Let it bee counted folly , or frensie , or furie whatsoever ; it is our comfort , and our wisdome ; we care for no knowledge in the world but this : that man hath sinned and God hath suffered ; that God hath made himselfe the sonne of man , and that men are made the righteousnesse of God. You see therefore that the Church of Rome in teaching iustification by inherent grace , doth pervert the truth of Christ , and that by the handes of the Apostles wee haue received otherwise then shee teacheth . Now concerning the righteousnesse of sanctification , we deny it not to be inherent ; wee graunt that vnlesse we worke , we haue it not : only we distinguish it a thing different in nature from the righteousnesse of iustification : we are righteous the one way by the faith of Abraham ; the other way , except wee doe the workes of Abraham , we are not righteous . Of the one , S. Paule ; To him that worketh not but beleeueth , faith is counted for righteousnesse . Of the other S. Iohn . Quifacit iustitiam iustus est : He is righteous which worketh righteousnes . Of the one , S. Paul doth proue by Abrahams example , that we haue it of faith without workes . Of the other , S. Iames , by Abrahams example , that by workes wee haue it , and not only by faith . S. Paul doth plainely sever these two parts of Christian righteousnes one frō the other . For in the 6. to the Rom. thus hee writeth , Being freed from sinne , and made servants to God ; yee haue your fruite in holinesse , and the end everlasting life . Yee are made free from sinne , and made servants vnto God : this is the righteousnesse of iustification : yee haue your fruite in holinesse ; this is the righteousnesse of sanctification . By the one we are intressed in the right of inheriting ; by the other we are brought to the actuall possession of eternall blisse , and so the end of both is everlasting life . 7 The Prophet Abak . doth here tearme the Iewes righteous men , not only because being iustified by faith they were free from sinne , but also because they hadde their measure of fruits in holines . According to whose example of charitable iudgement , which leaueth it to God to discerne what we are , and speaketh of them according to that which they doe professe themselues to be , although they be not holy men whom men doe thinke , but whom God doth know indeed to bee such : yet let every Christian man knowe , that in Christian equitie , he standeth bound for to thinke and speake of his brethren , as of men that haue measure in the fruite of holinesse , and a right vnto the titles , wherewith God in token of speciall favour and mercy , vouchsafeth to honour his chosen servants . So we see the Apostles of our Saviour Christ , do evse every where the name of Saints ; so the Prophet , the name of righteous . But let vs all be such as we desire to be tearmed . Reatus impij est pium nomen , saith Salvianus . Godly names , doe not iustifie godlesse men . Wee are but vpbraided when we are honored with names & titles , wherevnto our liues & manners are not sutable . If indeed we haue our fruit in holinesse ▪ notwithstanding wee must note , that the more we abound therein , the more neede wee haue to craue that we may be strengthned and supported . Our very vertues may be snares vnto vs. The enimie that waiteth for all occasions to worke our ruine , hath foūd it harder , to overthrow an humble sinner , then a proud Saint . There is no mans case so dangerous , as his whom Sathan hath perswaded , that his owne righteousnesse shall present him pure and blamelesse in the sight of God. If we could say we were not guilty of any thing at all in our consciences ( we know our selues far from this innocencie ; we cannot say we knowe nothing by our selues ; but if we could , ) should we therefore pleade not guiltie before the prefence of our iudge , that sees further into our hearts , then we ourselues can doe ? If our handes did never offer violence to our brethren , a bloody thought , doth proue vs murderers before him ; if we had never opened our mouth to vtter any scandalous , offensiue , or hurtfull word , the cry of our secret cogitations is heard in the eares of God. If we doe not commit the sinnes which dayly and hourely , either in deed , word , or thoughts , wee doe commit : yet in the good things which we do , how many defects are there intermingled ? God in that which is done , respecteth the mind & intention of the doer . Cut of then all these things wherein wee haue regarded our owne glory , those things which men doe to please men , and to satisfie our owne liking , those things which we doe by any respect , not sincerely , & purely for the loue of God : and a smal score wil serue for the number of our righteous deeds . Let the holiest and best thing we doe , bee considered : we are never better affected vnto God , then when we pray ; yet when we pray , how are our affections many times distracted ? How little reverence do we shew vnto the grand maiestie of God vnto whom wee speake ? How little remorse of our owne miseries ? How little taste of the sweet influence of his tender mercies doe we feele ? Are we not as vnwilling many times to begin , and as glad to make an end ; as if in saying , call vpon me , he had set vs a very burdensome taske ? It may seeme somewhat extreame which I will speake : therefore let every one iudge of it , even as his owne heart shall tell him , and no otherwise ; I will but onely make a demaund . If God should yeeld vnto vs , not as vnto Abraham ; if fiftie , fortie , thirtie , twentie , yea or if ten good persons coulde bee found in a citty , for their sakes that citty should not be destroyed : but an if hee should make vs an offer thus large ; Search all the generations of men , sithence the fall of our father Adam , finde one man that hath done one action which hath past from him pure , without any staine or blemish at al ; and for that one mans one only action , nether man nor Angell , shall feele the torments which are prepared for both : doe you thinke that this ransome to deliver men and Angels , could be found to be among the sonnes of men ? The best things which we doe , haue somewhat in them to be pardoned . How then can wee doe any thing meritorious , or worthy to be rewarded ? Indeed God doth liberally promise whatsoever appertained to a blessed life , to as many as sincerely keepe his lawe , though he be not exactly able to keepe it . Wherefore we acknowledge a dutifull necessity of doing well ; but the meritorious dignity of doing well , wee vtterly renounce . We see how far we are from the perfect righteousnesse of the law ; the little fruite which wee haue in holinesse , it is , God knoweth , corrupt and vnsound : we put no confidence at all in it , we challenge nothing in the world for it , we dare not call God to reckning , as if we had him in our debt bookes : our continuall suite to him , is and must be , to beare with our infirmities , and pardon our offences . 8 But the people of whom the prophet speaketh were they all , or were the most part of thē such as had care to walke vprightly ? Did they thirst after righteousnesse ? Did they wish , did they long with the righteous Prophet : O that our waies were made so direct that wee might keepe thy statutes ? Did they lament with the righteous Apostle : O miserable men , the good which we wish , and purpose , and striue to do , we cannot ? No , the words of the other Prophet concerning this people , do shew the contrary . How grievously doth Esay mourne over thē ? O sinfull nation , laden with iniquity , wicked seed , corrupt children . All which notwithstanding , so wide are the bowels of his compassion inlarged , that hee denyeth vs not , no not when we were laden with iniquity , leaue to commune familiarly with him , liberty to craue and intreate , that what plagues soever we haue deserved , wee may not be in worse case then vnbeleevers , that wee may not be hemmed in by Pagans , and infidels . Ierusalem is a sinfull polluted Cittie : but Ierusalem compared with Babilon is righteous . And shall the righteous be overborne , shal they be compast about by the wicked ? But the Prophet doth not only complaine ; Lorde how commeth it to passe , that thou handlest vs so hardly ; of whom thy name is called ; and bearest with the heathen nations that dispise thee ? No he breaketh out through extremity of griefe , and inferreth violently ; This procesding is perverse : the righteous are thus handled ; therefore perverse iudgement doth proceede . 9 Which illation containeth many things whereof it were better much both for you to heare , & me to speake , if necessity did not draw me to an other taske . Paule and Barnabas being requested to preach the same things againe which once they had preached , thought it their dueties to satisfie the godly desires of men sincerely affected to the truth . Nor may it seeme burdenous to me , or for yee vnprofitable , that I follow their example , for the like occasiō vnto theirs being offered me . When we had last the Epistle of S. Paule to the Hebrewes in hand , and of that Epistle these words ; In these last daies he hath spoken vnto vs by his Sonne : After we had thēce collected the nature of the visible Church of Christ ; & had defined it to be a community of men a sanctified through the profession of the truth which God hath taught the world by his Son ; and had declared , that the scope of Christian doctrine is the comfort of them whose harts are overcharged with the burden of sin ; and had proved that the doctrine professed in the Church of Rome , doth bereaue men of comfort both in their liues and in their deathes : the conclusion in the end , wherevnto we came was this ; the church of Rome being in faith so corrupted as shee is , and refusing to be reformed as shee doth , we are to sever our selues from her . The example of our fathers may not retaine vs in communion with that church ; vnder hope , that we so continuing , may be saved as well as they . God I doubte not , was mercifull to saue thousands of them , though they lived in Popish superstitions , in asmuch as they sinned ignorantly . But the truth is now laide before our eies . The former part of this last sentence , namely these wordes , I doubt not but God was mercifull to saue thousands of our fathers living in popish superstitions , in as much as they sinned ignorantly : this sentence I beseech you to marke , and to sift it with the severity of austere iudgement ; that if it be found to be golde , it may be sutable to the precious foundation , whereon it was then laid : for I protest , that , if it bee hay or stubble , my owne hand shall set fire to it . Two questions haue risen by reason of this speech before alleaged . The one , whether our fathers infected with Popish errors and superstitions ▪ may be saved . The other , whether their ignorance be a reasonable inducement to make vs thinke , they might . We are then to examine : first , what possibility ; then , what probability there is , that God might be mercifull vnto so many of our fathers . 10 So many of our fathers living in popish superstitions , yet by the mercie of God to be saved ? No ; this could not be : God hath spoken by his angell from heaven , vnto his people concerning Babilon ( by Babilon we vnderstand the church of Rome ; ) Go out of her my people , that you be not pertaker of her plagues . For answere wherevnto , first , I doe not take the words to bee meant only of temporall plagues , of the corporal death , sorrow , famine , & fire , wherevnto God in his wrath hath condemned Babilon ; and that to saue his chosen people from these plagues , he saith , Go out , with like intent , as in the Gospel , speaking of Hierusalems desolations , he saith , Let thē that are in Iudaea fly vnto the mountaines , and them that are in the midst thereof depart out ; or , as in the former times to Lot , Arise take thy wife , & thy daughters which are there , lest thou be destroied in the punishment of the Cittie : but for as much as here it is said , Go out of Babilon ; we doubt , their everlasting destruction , which are partakers therein , is either principally meant , or necessarily implied in this sentence . How then was it possible for so many of our fathers to bee saved : sith they were so far from departing out of Babylon , that they tooke her for their mother , and in her bosome yeelded vp the ghost ? 11 First for the plagues being threatned vnto thē that are partakers in the sinnes of Babylon , wee can define nothing concerning our fathers , out of this sentence : vnlesse we shew what the sinnes of Babylon bee , and what they bee which are such partakers of them , that their everlasting plagues are inevitable . The sinnes which may bee common both to them of the Church of Rome , and to others departed thence , must bee severed from this question . He which saith , Depart out of Babylon , least you be partakers of her sinnes : sheweth plainly , that he meaneth such sinnes , as , except we separate our selues , we haue no power in the world to avoid , such impieties , as by the law they haue established , & wherevnto all that are among them , either doe indeed assent , or else are by powerable meanes , forced , in shew and apparance , to subiect themselues . As for example , in the Church of Rome it is maintained , that the same credit and reverence that wee giue to the Scriptures of God , ought also to be given to vnwritten verities ; that the Pope is supreame head ministeriall over the vniversall Church militant ; that the bread in the Eucharist is transubstantiated into Christ ; that it is to be adored , & to be offered vp vnto God as a sacrifice propitiatorie for quicke and dead ; that Images are to bee worshipped ; Saints to be called vpon as intercessors , and such like . Now , because some heresies doe concerne things only beleeved , as the transubstantiation of the sacramentall elements in the Eucharist : some concerne things which are practised and put in vre , as the adoration of the elements transubstantiated : wee must note , that erroniously , the practise of that is sometime received ; whereof the doctrine that teacheth it , is not heretically maintained . They are all partakers in the maintenance of heresies , who by worde or deed allow them , knowing them , although not knowing them to be heresies ; as also they , and that most dangerously of all others , who knowing heresie to bee heresie , do notwithstanding in worldly respects , make semblance of allowing that , which in hart & iudgment they condemne : but heresie is heretically maintained , by such as obstinately hold it , after holesome admonition . Of the last sort , as of the next before , I make no doubt , but that their condemnation , without an actual repentāce , is inevitable . Least any mantherefore should think , that in speaking of our fathers , I should speak indifferently of them all : let my words I beseech you bee wel marked ; I doubt not but God was merciful to saue thousands of our fathers : which thing I will now by Gods assistance set more plainely before your eies . 12 Many are partakers of the error , which are not of the heresie of the Church of Rome . The people following the conduct of their guides , and observing as they did , exactly that which was prescribed , thought they did God good service , when indeed they did dishonor him . This was their error : but the heresie of the church of Rome , their dogmatical positions opposite vnto Christian truth , what one man amongst ten thousand , did ever vnderstand ? Of them which vnderstand Romane heresies , and allow them , all are not alike partakers in the action of allowing . Some allow them as the first founders and establishers of them : which crime toucheth none but their Popes , and Councels ; the people are cleare & free from this . Of them which maintain popish heresies , not as authors , but receivers of them from others , all mainetaine them not as masters . In this are not the people partakers neither , but only the predicauts and schoolemen . Of them which haue beene partakers in this sinne of teaching Popish heresie , there is also a difference ; for they haue not all beene teachers of all Popish heresies . Put a difference , saith S. Iude ; haue compassion vpon some . Shall wee lay vp all in one condition ? Shall we cast them all headlong ? Shall we plunge them all into that infernall and everlasting flaming lake ? Them that haue beene partakers of the errors of Babylon , together with them which are in the heresie ? Them which haue beene the authors of heresie , with them that by terror and violence haue beene forced to receiue it ? Them who haue taught it , with them whose simplicitie hath by sleights and conveiances of false teachers , beene seduced to belieue it ? Them which haue beene partakers in one , with them which haue bin partakers in many ? Them which in many , with them which in all ? 13 Notwithstanding I graunt , that , although the condemnation of them , bee more tollerable then of these : yet from the man that laboureth at the plough , to him that sitteth in the Vatican ; to all partakers in the sinnes of Babylon ; to our Fathers , though they did but erroneously practise that which the guides heretically taught ; to all , without exception , plagues were due . The pit is ordinarily the end , aswel of the guid , as of the guided in blindnesse . But wo worth the houre wherein we were borne , except wee might promise our selues better things ; things which accompany mans solvatiō , even where we knowe , that worse , and such as accompany condemnation are due . Then must we shew some way how possibly they might escape . What way is there that sinners can finde to escape the iudgement of God , but onely by appealing to the seate of his saving mercy ? Which mercy , with Origen , wee doe not extende to divells and damned spirites . God hath mercy vpon thousandes , but there bee thousands also which he hardeneth . Christ hath therefore sette the bounds , he hath fixed the limittes of his saving mercy , within the compasse of these tearmes : God sent not his owne sonne to condēne the world , but that the world through him might be saved . In the third of S. Iohns Gospel mercy is restrained to beleevers ; He that beleeveth shall not be condemned ; he that beleeueth not , is condemned already , because he heleeued not in the Sonne of God. In the 2. of the Revelation , mercy is restrained to the penitent . For of Iesabell and her sectaries , thus he speaketh ; I gaue her space to repent and she repented not . Behold I wil cast her into a bed , and them that commit fornication with her , into a great affliction , except they repent them of their workes , & I will kill her children with death . Our hope therefore of the Fathers , is , if they were not altogether faithlesse & impenitent . 14 They are not all faithlesse that are weake in assenting to the truth , or stiffe in maintaining things any way opposit to the truth of Christian doctrine . But as many as hold the foundatiō which is pretious , though they hold it but weakely , and as it were with a slender thread , although they frame many base and vnsutable things vpon it , things that cannot abide the tryall of the fire , yet shall they passe the fierie triall and be saved , which indeed haue builded themselues vpon the rocke which is the foundation of the Church . If then our Fathers did not hold the foundation of faith , there is no doubt but they were faithlesse . If many of them held it , then is therein no impediment , but many of thē might be saved . Then let vs see what the foundation of faith is and whether we may thinke , that thousands of our fathers , being in Popish superstitions , did notwithstanding hold the foundation . 15 If the foundation of faith doe import the generall ground , wherevpon we rest , when wee doe belieue the writings of the Evangelists , and the Apostles are the foundation of the Christian faith , Credimus quia legimus , saith S. Ierom : o that the Church of Rome did as * soundly interpret these fundamentall writings , wherevpon we build our faith , as shee doth willingly hold and imbrace them . 16 But if the name of foundation do note the principall thing which is believed : then is that the foundation of our faith , which S. Paul hath to Timothy ; God minifested in the flesh , iustified in the spirit , &c. that of Nathaniel , Thou art the sonne of the living God , thou art the king of Israel ; that of the inhabitants of Samaria ; This is Christ the Saviour of the world : he that directly denieth this , doth vtterly rase the very foundation of our faith . I haue proved heretofore , that although the Church of Rome hath played the harlot worse then ever did Israel , yet are they not as now the Synagogue of the Iewes , which plainely deny Christ Iesus , quite and cleane excluded from the new covenant . But as Samaria compared with Hierusalem is tearmed Aholath , a Church or Tabernacle of her owne ; contrariwise , Ierusalem , Aholibath , the resting place of the Lord : so whatsoever we tearme the Church of Rome , when we compare her with reformed Churches , still we put a difference , as then betweene Babylon and Samaria , so now betweene Rome and the heathenish assemblies . which opinion , I must , and will recall . I must graunt , & will that the Church of Rome , together with all her children , is cleane excluded . There is no difference in the world betweene our fathers , & Saracens , Turks , & Paynims : if they did directly deny Christ crucified for the salvation of the world . 17 But how many millions of them were known , so to haue ended their mortall liues , that the drawing of their breath hath ceased with the vttering of this faith , Christ my Saviour , my redeemer Iesus . Answere is made that this they might vnfainedly confesse , and yet be farre enough from salvation . For behold , saith the Apostle , I Paul say vnto you , that if you bee circumcised , Christ shall profit you nothing . Christ in the worke of mans salvation is alone : the Galathians were cast away by ioining Circumcision , and the other rites of the law , with Christ : the Church of Rome doth teach her children to ioine other things likewise with him ; therefore their faith , their beliefe , doth not profitte them anye thing at all . It is true that they doe indeed , ioine other things with Christ : but how ? Not in the worke of redemption it selfe , which they graunt that Christ alone hath perfourmed sufficiently for the salvation of the whole world ; but in the application of this inestimable treasure , that it may bee effectual to their salvation : how demurely so ever they confesse that they seeke remission of sinnes , no other wise then by the blood of Christ , vsing humbly the meanes appointed by him to apply the benefite of holy blood ; they teach , indeed , so many things pernicious in Christian faith , in setting downe the meanes , whereof they speake , that the very foundation of faith which they hold , is thereby * plainely overthrowne , and the force of the blood of Iesus Christ extinguished . Wee may therefore dispute with them , vrge them even with as dangerous sequels as the Apostle doth the Galatians . But I demand , if some of those Galatians hartily imbracing the gospell of Christ , sincere and sound in faith ( this one only errour excepted , ) had ended their liues before they were ever taught how perilous an opinion they held : shall we thinke that the damage of this error did so overway the benefit of their faith , that the mercy of God might not saue them ? I graunt they overthrew the very foundatiō of faith by cōsequent : doth not that so likewise which the a Lutheran Churches doe at this day so stifly and so firmely mainetaine ? For mine own part I dare not here deny the possibility of their salvation , which haue beene the chiefest instruments of ours : albeit they caryed to their graue a perswasion so greatly repugnant to the truth . Forasmuch therefore as it may be said of the Church of Rome , shee hath yet a little strength , shee doth not directly denie the foundatiō of Christianity : I may I trust without offence perswade my selfe , that thousands of our fathers in former times living and dying within her wals , haue founde mercy at the hands of God. 18 What although they repented not of their errours ? God forbid that I should open my mouth to gainsay that which Christ himselfe hath spoken ; Except yee repent , yee shall all perish . And if they did not repent , they perished . But withall note that wee haue the benefit of a double repentance , the least sinne which wee commit in deed , thought , or word , is death , without repentance . Yet how manie things do escape vs in everie of these which we do not know ? how many , which we do not obserue to be sins ? And without the knowledge , without the observation of sin , there is no actuall repētance . It cannot then be chosen but that for as many as hold the foundation : and haue all holden sins & errors in hatred : the blessing of repentance for vnknowne sins and errors , is obtained at the hands of God through the gracious mediation of Iesus Christ for such suiters as cry with the Prophet David ; Purge me O Lord from my secret sinnes . 19 But we wash a wall of lome ; we labor in vaine ; all this is nothing ; it doth not proue ; it cannot iustifie , that which we go about to mainetaine . Infidels and heathen men are not so godlesse , but that they may no doubt , cry God mercie , and desire in generall to haue their sinnes forgiven them . To such as deny the foundation of faith there can be no salvation ( according to the ordinary course which God doth vse in saving mē ) without a particular repentance of that error . The Galatians thinking that vnlesse they were circūcised , they could not be saved , overthrew the foundations of faith directly : therefore if any of them did die so perswaded , whether before or after they told of their errour , their end is dreadfull ; there is no way with them but one , death and condemnation . For the Apostle speaketh nothing of men departed , but saith generally of all , If you be circumcised , Christ shall profit you nothing . You are abolished from Christ whosoever are iustified by the law ; ye are fallen from grace , Gal. 5. Of them in the Church of Rome , the reason is the same . For whom Antichrist hath seduced , concerning them did not S. Paul speake long before , that they received not the word of truth , they might not bee saved ? therefore God would send them strong delusions to belieue lyes , that all they might be damned which beleeved not the truth , but had pleasure in vnrighteousnes . And S. Iohn , All that dwell vpon the earth shall worship him , whose names are not written in the booke of life . Apoc. 13. Indeed many in former times , as their bookes and writings do yet shew , held the foundation , to weet salvation by Christ alone , & therefore might be saved . God hath alwaies had a church amongst them ▪ which firmly kept his saving truth . As for such as hold with the church of Rome , that we cannot bee saved by Christ alone without workes : they doe not onely by a circle of consequence , but directly deny the foundation of faith ; they hold it not , no not so much as by a threed . 20 This to my remembraunce , being all that hath beene opposed with any countenance or shew of reason , I hope if this be answered , the cause in question is at an end . Concerning generall repentance therefore , what ? a murtherer , a blasphemer , an vncleane person , a Turke , a Jew , any sinner to escape the wrath of God , by a generall repentance ; God forgiue me ? Truely it never came within mine hart that a generall repentance doth serue for all sinnes : it serveth only for the common oversights of our sinfull life , and for the faults which either we do not marke , or doe not know that they are faults . Our fathers were actually penitent for sins , wherein they knew they displeased God , or else they fal not within the compasse of my first speech . Againe , that otherwise they could not be saved , then holding the foundation of Christian faith , we haue not only affirmed , but proved . Why is it not then confessed that thousands of our fathers which liued in Popish superstitions , might yet by the mercy of God be saved ? First , if they had directly denied the very foūdations of christianity , without repenting them particularlie of that sin : he which saith there could be no salvation for them according to the ordinary course which God doth vse in saving men , granteth plainly , or at the least closely insinuateth , that an extraordinary priviledge of mercie might deliver their soules from hell ; which is more thē I required . Secondly , if the foundation be denied , it is denied for feare of some heresie , which the church of Rome maintaineth . But how many were there amōgst our fathers , who being seduced by the common errour of that Church , never knew the meaning of her heresies ? So that although all popish heretiques did perish : thousands of them which lived in popish superstitions , might bee saved . Thirdly , seeing all that held popish heresies , did not hold all the heresies of the Pope : why might not thousands , which were infected with other leven , liue and die vnsowred with this , and so be * saved ? Fourthly , if they all held this heresie , many there were that helde it , no doubt , but only in a generall forme of words , which a favourable interpretation might expound in a sense differing farre enough from the poysoned conceipt of heresie . As for example , did they holde that wee cannot bee saved with Christ without good works ? We our selues do I thinke al say as much , with this construction , salvation being taken as in that sentence , Corde creditur ad iustitiam , ore fit confessio ad salutem , except infants , and men cut off vpon the point of their conversion : of the rest none shall see God , but such as seeke peace and holines , though not a cause of their salvation , yet as a way which they must walke , which will be saved . Did they that hold without works that we are not iustified , take iustification so as it may also imply sanctificatiō ? And S. Iames doth say as much . For except there be an ambiguitie in the same tearme , S. Paul and S. Iames do contradict each the other , which can not be . Now there is no ambiguity in the name either of faith , or of workes , being meant by them both in one and the same sense . Finding therefore that iustification is spoken of by S. Paul without implying sanctification , when he proveth that a man is iustified by faith without workes ; finding likewise that iustificatiō doth some time imply sanctification also with it : I suppose nothing to be more sound , then so to interpret S. Iames , speaking not in that sense , but in this . 21 Wee haue already shewed that there bee two kindes of Christian righteousnes : the one without vs , which we haue by imputation ; th' other in vs , which cōsisteth of faith , hope , and charitie , and other Christian vertues . And S. Iames doth proue that Abraham had not only the one , because the thing beleeved was imputed vnto him for righteousnes : but also the other , because he offered vp his son . God giveth vs both the one iustice and the other : the one , by accepting vs for righteous in Christ ; th' other , by working christian righteousnes in vs. The proper and most immediate efficient cause in vs of this later , is the spirit of adoptiō we haue received into our hearts . That whereof it consisteth , where of it is really and formally made , are those infused vertues proper and particular vnto Saints , which the spirit in the very moment when first it is given of of God , bringeth with it : the effects whereof are such actions as the Apostle doth call the fruits of works , the operations of the spirit . The difference of the which operations from the root whereof they spring , maketh it needfull to put two kinds likewise of sanctifying righteousnes ; Habituall , and Actuall . Habituall , that holinesse wherewith our soules are inwardly indued , the same instant , when first we begin to be the temples of the Holy Ghost : Actuall , that holynesse which afterwards beautifieth all the parts and actions of our life ; the holynes for the which Enoch , Iob , Zacharie , Elizabeth , & other Saints are in the Scriptures so highly commended . If here it be demanded which of these we do first receiue ; I answere that the spirit , the vertues of the spirit , the habituall iustice which is ingrafted , the externall iustice of Iesus Christ , which is imputed : these wee receiue all at one and the same time ; whensoever we haue any of these , we haue all ; they goe together . Yet sith no man is iustified except he beleeue , and no man beleeueth except he haue faith , and no man except he haue received the spirit of adoption , hath faith , for asmuch as they doe necessarily inferre iustification , and iustification doth of necessity presuppose them : we must needs hold that imputed righteousnes , in dignitie being the chiefest , is notwithstanding in order the last of all these : but actuall righteousnesse , which is the righteousnes of good workes , succeedeth all , followeth after al , both in order and time . Which being attentiuely marked , sheweth plainely how the faith of true beleevers cannot bee divorced from hope and loue ; how faith is a part of sanctification , and yet vnto iustification necessarie ; howe faith is perfected by good workes , and no worke of ours without faith ; finally , how our fathers might hold that we are iustified by faith alone , and yet hold truely , that without works we are not iustified . Did they think that men doe merit rewards in heaven , by the workes they performe on earth ? The ancient vse meriting for obtaining , and in that sense they of Wittenberg haue it in their confession ; We teach that good workes commaunded of God , are necessarily to be done , and by the free kindnes of God they merit their certaine rewards . Therefore speaking as our fathers did , and we taking their speech in a sound meaning as we may take our fathers , and might for asmuch as their meaning is doubtfull , and charity doth alwaies interprete doubtfull things favourably : what should iuduce vs to thinke that rather the dammage of the worst construction did light vpon them all , thē that the blessing of the better was granted vnto thousands ? Fiftly , if in the worst construction that may bee made , they had generally al imbraced it living , might not many of them dying vtterly renounce it ? Howsoever men when they sit at ease do vainely tickle their hearts with the wanton conceipt of I knowe not what proportionable correspondence betweene their merits & their rewards , which in the trance of their high speculations they dreame that God hath measured , weighed , & laid vp , as it were , in bundles for them : notwithstanding we see by dayly experience , in a number even of them , that when the houre of death approcheth , when they secretly heare themselues summoned forthwith to appeare , and stand at the barre of that Iudge , whose brightnesse causeth the eies of the Angels themselues to dazle , all these idle imaginations doe then begin to hide their faces , to name merits is then to lay their soules vpon the racke , the memorie of their own deeds is lothsome vnto them , they forsake all things wherein they haue put any trust or confidence , no staffe to leane vpon , no ease , no rest , no comfort then , but only in Iesus Christ. 22 Wherefore if this proposition were true ; To hold in such wise , as the Church of Rome doth , that we cannot be saved by Christ alone without workes , is directly to denie the foundation of faith ; I say that if this proposition were true : * nevertheles so many waies I haue shewed , where by we may hope that thousandes of our fathers which lived in popish superstition , might be saved . But what if it be true ? what if neither that of the Galatians concerning circumcision ; nor this of the church of Rome , by works , be any direct denial of the foūdatiō , as it is affirmed that both are ? I neede not wade so farre as to discusse this controversie , the matter which first was brought into question being so cleere as I hope it is . Howbeit , because I desire that the truth even in that also should receiue light , I will doe mine indevour to set downe somewhat more plainely : first , the foundation of faith , what it is ; secondly , what it is directly to denie the foundation ; thirdly , whether they whom God hath chosen to be heires of life , may fall so farre as directlie to denie it ; fourthly , whether the Galatians did so by admitting the errour about circumcision and the law ; last of all , whether the Church of Rome for this one opinion of works may be thought to do the like , and therevpon to be no more a Christian church then are the assemblies of Turkes and Jewes . 23 This word foundation being figuratiuely vsed hath alwaies reference to somwhat which resembleth a materiall building , as both that doctrine of lawes and the community of Christians do . By the Masters of civill policie nothing is so much inculcated , as that commōweales are founded vpon lawes ; for that a multitude cannot bee compacted into one body otherwise then by a common acception of lawes , whereby they are to bee kept in order . The ground of all civill lawes is this ; No man ought to be hurt or iniured by an other . Take away the perswasion , and ye take away all the lawes ; take away lawes & what shall become of commonweales ? So it is in our spirituall christian community : I do not meane that body mysticall , whereof Christ is only a the head ; that building vndiscernable by mortall eies , wherein Christ is the b chiefe corner stone : but I speake of the visible church , the foundation whereof is the c doctrine which the Prophets & Apostles profest . The mark whervnto their doctrin tendeth , is pointed at in these words of Peter vnto Christ , d Thou hast the words of eternall life ; in these words of Paule to Timothee , The holy Scriptures are able to make thee wise vnto salvation . It is the demand of nature her selfe , what shal we do to haue eternal life ? The desire of immortalitie and of the knowledge of that whereby it may be obtained , is so natural vnto all men , that even they who are not perswaded that they shall , do notwithstanding wish that they might know away how to see no end of life . And , because natural meanes are not able still to resist the force of death : there is no people in the earth so savage which hath not devised some supernaturall helpe or other to fly for aide & succour in extremities against the enemies of their lawes . A longing therefore to be saved , without vnderstāding the true waie how , hath beene the cause of al the superstitions in the world . O that the miserable state of others which wander in darknes , and wote not whither they goe , could giue vs vnderstanding harts , worthelie to esteeme the riches of the mercy of God towards vs , before whose eies the doores of the kingdome of heaven are set wide open : should we offer violence vnto it ? it offereth violence vnto vs , and we gather strength to withstand it . But I am besides my purpose when I fall to bewaile the cold affection which we beare towards that whereby we should be saved ; my purpose being only to set downe what the ground of salvation is . The doctrine of the gospell proposeth salvation as the end , and doth it not teach the way of attaining therevnto ? Yet the damosell possest with a spirit of divinatiō , spake the truth ; a These men are the servants of the most high God , which shew vnto vs the way of salvation ; b A new and living way which Christ hath prepared for vs , through the vaile that is his flesh ; salvation purchased by the death of Christ. By this foundation the children of God before the written law , were distinguished from the sonnes of men ; the reverend Patriarks both possest it living , and spake expresly of it c at the houre of their death . It d comforted Iob in the midst of griefe ; it was afterwards the anker hold of all the righteous in Israell , from the writing of the law , to the time of grace . Every Prophet maketh mention of it . It was famously spoken of about the time , when the comming of Christ to accomplish the promises , which were made long before it , drewe neere , that the sound thereof was heard even amongst the Gentils . When he was come , as many as were his , acknowledged that he was their salvation ; he , that long expected hope of Israel ; he , that seed , in whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed . So that now he is a name of ruine , a name of death and condemnation , vnto such as dreame of a new Messias , to as many as looke for salvation by any other then by him . For e amongst men there is given no other name vnder heaven whereby we must be saved . Thus much S. Marke doth intimate by that which hee doth put in the front of his booke , making his entrance with these words ; The beginning of the Gospell of Iesus Christ the son of God. His doctrine he tearmeth the Gospell , because it teacheth salvation ; the Gospell of Iesus Christ the sonne of God , because it teacheth salvation by him . This is then the foundation wherevpon the frame of the Gospell is erected ; that very Iesus whome the Virgin conceived of the holy Ghost , whom Simeon imbraced in his arms , whom Pilat condemned , whom the Iewes crucified , whom the Apostles preached , he f is Christ , the Lord , the only Saviour of the world : g Other foundation can no man lay . Thus I haue briefly opened that principle in Christianity , which we call the foundatiō of our faith . It followeth now , that I declare vnto you what is directly to overthrow it . This wil be better opened , if we vnderstand what it is to hold the foundation of faith . 24 There are which defend that many of the Gentils who never heard the name of Christ , held the foundation of Christianitie , & why ? they acknowledged many of them , the providence of God ; his infinit wisdome , strength , power ; his goodnesse , and his mercy towards the children of men ; that God hath iudgemēt in store for the wicked , but for the righteous which ferue him , rewardes , &c. In this which they confessed , that lieth covered which we beleeue ; in the rudiments of their knowledge concerning God , the foundation of our faith concerning Christ , lieth secretly wrapt vp , and is vertually contained : therefore they held the foūdation of faith , though they never had it . Might wee not with as good a colour of reason defend , that every ploughman hath al the sciences wherein Philosophers haue exceld ? For no man is ignorant of their first principles , which doe vertually containe whatsoever by naturall meanes , is or can be knowne . Yea , might wee not with as great reason affirme , that a man may put three mighty oakes wheresoever three akornes may be put ? For vertually an akorne is an oake . To avoid such paradoxes , we teach plainely that to hold the foundation , is in expresse tearmes , to acknowledge it . 25 Now , because the foundation is an affirmatiue proposition : they all overthrowe it who deny it ; they directly overthrow it , who deny it directly ; and they overthrow it by consequent , or indirectly , which hold any one assertion whatsoever , wherevpon the direct denial thereof , may be necessarily concluded . What is the question betweene the Gentiles and vs , but this , whether salvation bee by Christ ? What betweene the Iewes and vs , but this , Whether by this Iesus , whom wee call Christ , yea or no ? This to be the maine point wherevpon Christianity standeth , it is cleere by that one sentence of Festus concerning Paules accusers , They brought no crime of such things as I supposed , but had certain questions against him of their superstition , and of one Iesus which was dead , whome Paul affirmed to be aliue . Where we see that Iesus , dead and raised for the salvation of the world , is by Iewes denied , despised by a Gentile , by a Christian Apostle maintained . The Fathers therefore in the Primitiue Church , when they wrote ; Tertullian , the booke which hee calleth Apologeticus ; Minucius Foelix , the booke which he intitleth Octavius ; Arnobius , the seavē bookes against the Gentiles ; Chrysostome ▪ his Orations against the Iewes ; Eusebius , his tenne bookes of Evangelicall demonstration : they stand in defence of Christianity against them , by whom the foundation thereof was directly denyed . But the writings of the Fathers against Novatians , Pelagians , and other heretikes of the like note , refell positions , whereby the foundation of Christian faith , was overthrowne by consequent onely . In the former sort of writings , the foundation is proved ; in the later , it is alleaged as a proofe , which to men that had beene knowne directly to deny , must needes haue seem'd a very beggerly kind of disputing . All Infidels therefore deny the foundation of faith directly ; by consequent , many a Christian man , yea whole Christian Churches haue denied it , and doe deny it at this present day . Christian Churches , the foundation of Christianity ? Not directly ; for then they cease to be Christian Churches : but by a consequent , in respect whereof we condemne them as erroneous , although for holding the foundation , we doe , and must hold them Christian. 26 We see what it is to hold the foundation ; what directly , and what by consequent , to deny it . The next thing which followeth , is , whether they whome God hath chosen to obtaine the glory of our Lord Iesus Christ , may , once effectually called , and through faith iustified truely , afterwards fall so farre , as directly to deny the foundation , which their hearts haue before imbraced with ioy and comfort in the holy Ghost : for such is the faith which indeed doth iustifie . Devilles knowe the same things which wee beleeue , and the mindes of the most vngodly may bee fully perswaded of the truth : which knowledge in th' one and in the'other is sometimes termed faith , but equivocally , being indeed no such faith as that whereby a Christian man is iustified . It is the spirit of adoption which worketh faith in vs , in them not : the things which wee beleeue , are by vs apprehended , not only as true , but also as good , and that to vs : as good , they are not by them apprehended ; as true , they are . Wherevpon followeth the third difference ; the Christian man the more hee increaseth in faith , the more his ioy , and comfort aboundeth : but they , the more sure they are of the truth , the more they quake and tremble at it . This begetteth an other effect , where the harts of th' one sort haue a different disposition from the other . Non ignoro plerosque conscientia meritorum , nihil se esse per mortem magis optare , quàm credere . Malunt enim extingui penitus quā ad supplicia reparari . I am not ignorant , saith Minutius , that there bee many , who being conscious what they are to looke for , do rather wish that they might , then thinke that they shall , cease , when they cease to liue : because they hold it better that death should consume them vnto nothing , then God receiue them into punishment . So it is in other articles of faith , whereof wicked men thinke , no doubt , many times they are too true : on the the contrary side , to the other , there is no griefe or torment greater , then to feele their perswasion weake in things , whereof when they are perswaded , they reape such comfort and ioy of spirit : such is the faith whereby we are iustified ; such , I mean , in respect of the qualitie . For touching the principall obiect of faith , longer then it holdeth the foundation whereof wee haue spoken , it neither iustifieth , nor is , but ceaseth to bee faith , when it ceaseth to beleeue that Iesus Christ is the onlie Saviour of the world . The cause of life spirituall in vs is Christ , not carnally or corporally inhabiting , but dwelling in the soule of man , as a thing which ( whē the minde apprehendeth it ) is said to inhabite or possesse the minde . The minde conceiveth Christ by hearing the doctrin of Christianitie , as the light of nature doth the minde to apprehend those truths which are merelie rationall , so that saving truth which is farre aboue the reach of humane reason , cannot otherwise then by the spirit of the Almightie be conceived . All these are implyed wheresoever anie of them is mentioned as the cause of the spirituall life . Wherefore if we haue read that a The spirit is our life ; or , b the word our life ; or , c Christ our life : we are in everie of these to vnderstād , that our life is Christ , by the hearing of the gospell apprehended as a Saviour , and assented vnto through the power of the holy Ghost . The first intellectuall conceipt and comprehension of Christ so imbraced , S. Peter calleth . d the seed whereof we be new borne : our first imbracing of Christ is our first e reviving from the state of death and condemnation . f He that hath the sonne hath life , saith S. Iohn , and he that hath not the sonne of God hath not life . If therefore he which once hath the sonne may cease to haue the sonne , though it be for a moment , he ceaseth for that moment to haue life . But the life of them which haue the sonne of God g is everlasting in the world to come . But because as Christ being raised frō the dead , dieth no more , death hath no more power over him : so the iustified man a being alied to God in Iesus Christ our Lord , doth as necessarily from that time forward alwaies liue , as Christ b by whom he hath life , liveth alwaies . I might , if I had not other where largely done it already , shew by many and sundry manifest and cleere proofes , how the motions and operations of life , are sometimes so indiscernable and so secret , that they seeme stone dead , who notwithstanding are still aliue vnto God in Christ. For as long as that abideth in in vs , which animateth , quickneth , and giveth life , so lōg we liue , and we knowe that the cause of our faith abideth in vs for ever . If Christ the fountaine of life , may flit , and leaue the habitation where once hee dwelleth : what shall become of his promise , I am with you to the worlds end ? If the seed of God which cōtaineth Christ , may be first conceived and then cast out ▪ how doth S. Peter tearme it c immortall ? How doth S. Iohn affirme , d it abideth ? If the spirit which is given to cherish , and prescrue the seed of life , may be given and taken away : how is it e the earnest of our inheritance vntill redemption ; how doth it continue with vs for ever ? If therefore the man which is once iust by faith , shall liue by faith , and liue for ever : it followeth , that he which once doth beleeue the foundation , must needes beleeue the foundation for ever . If hee beleeue it for ever , how can he ever directly deny it ? Faith holdeth the direct affirmation ; the direct negation , so long as faith continueth , is excluded . But you will say , that as hee that is to day holy , may to morrow forsake his holinesse , and become impure ; as a friend may change his mind , and bee made an enimie ; as hope may wither : so faith may die in the heart of man , the spirit may be quenched , grace may be extinguished , they which beleeue may be quite turned away from the truth . The cause is cleere , long experience hath made this manifest : it needs no proof . I grant we are apt , prone , and ready to forsake God : but is God ready to forsake vs ? Our minds are changeable : is his so likewise ? Whom God hath iustified , hath not Christ assured that it is his Fathers will to giue them a kingdome ? Notwithstanding it shall not bee otherwise given them , then if they continue a grounded and stablished in the faith , and bee not moved away from the hope of the Gospell ; if they abide in loue and holinesse . Our Saviour therefore , when he spake of the sheepe effectually called , and truly gathered into his fold ; b I giue vnto them eternall life , and they shall never perish , neither shall any pluck them out of my hands ; in promising to saue them , he promised , no doubt , to preserue them in that without which there can be no salvation as also from that whereby it is irrecoverably lost . Every errour in things appertaining vnto God , is repugnant vnto faith every fearefull cogitation vnto hope ; vnto loue , every stragling inordinate desire ; vnto holines , every blemish , wherewith either the inward thoughts of our minds , or the outward actions of our liues are stained . But heresy , such as that of Ebion , Cerinthus , & others , against whom the Apostles were forced to bēd thēselus both by word and also by writing ; that repining discouragement of heart , which tempteth God , whereof we haue Israell in the desert for a patterne : coldnesse ; such as that in the Angels of Ephesus ; fowle sins , knowne to bee expresly against the first , or second Table of the Law , such as Noah , Manasses , David , Salomon , and Peter committed ; these are each in their kind so opposit to the former vertues , that they leaue no place for salvation without an actuall repentance . But infidelitie , extreame despaire , hatred of God & all goodnesse , obduration in sin , cannot stād where there is but the least sparke of faith , hope , loue , & sanctity : even as cold in the lowest degree , cannot be where heate in the highest degree is found . Wherevpon I conclude , that , although in the first kinde , no man liveth which sinneth not ; and , in the second , as perfect as any do liue ; may sin : yet sith the Man which is borne of God , hath a promise that in him a the seede of God shall abide , which seed is a sure preservatiue against the sinnes that are of the third sure : greater and clearer assuraunce we cannot haue of any thing , then of this , that frō such sins God shal preserue the righteous as the apple of his eie for ever . Directly to denie the foundation of faith is plaine infidelitie ; where faith is entred , there infidelitie is for ever excluded ; therefore by him which hath once sincerely beleeved in Christ , the foundation of Christian faith can never be directly denied . Did not Peter ? did not Marcellinus ? did not others both directlie deny Christ after that they had beleeved , and againe beleeue after they had denied ? No doubt , as they confesse in words , whose condemnation is neverthelesse their not beleeving ( for example we haue Iudas : ) so likewise they may beleeue in heart , whose condemnation , with out repentance , is their not confessing . Although there fore Peter and the rest , for whose faith Christ hath praied , that it might not faile , did not by deniall sin the sin of infidelitie , which is an inward abnegation of Christ ( but if they had done this , their faith had cleerely failed : ) yet because they sinned notoriously & grievously committing that which they knew to bee expresly forbidden by the law , which saith , Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God , and him only shalt thou serue ; necessarie it was that he which purposed to saue their souls , should , as he did , touch their hearts with true vnfeined repeutance , that his mercy might restore them againe to life , whom sin had made the children of death & condemnation . Touching this point therefore , I hope I may safely set downe , that if the iustified erre , as he may , and never come to vnderstand his errour , God doth saue him through generall repentance ; but if he fall into heresie ▪ he calleth him at one time or other by actuall repentance : but from infidelitie , which is an inward direct denial of the foundation , he preserveth him by speciall providence for ever . Whereby wee may easilie know what to thinke of those Galatians , whose heartes were so possest with the loue of the truth , that if it had bin possible , they would haue pluckt out their eies to bestow vpon their teachers . It is true that they were greatly * changed both in perswasion and affection : so that the Galatians when S. Paul wrote vnto them ; were not now the Galatians , which they had been in former time , for that through errour they wandered , although they were his sheepe . I do not deny , but that I shoulde deny that they were his sheepe , if I shoulde graunt that through error they perished . It was a perilous opinion that they held ; perillous , even in them which held it onlie as an error , because it overthroweth the foundation by consequent . But in them which obstinatelie maine - taine it , I cannot thinke it lesse then a damnable heresie ▪ Wee must therefore put a difference betweene them , which erre of ignorāce , retaining neverthelesse a mind desirous to be instructed in truth , and them , which , after the truth is laide open , persist in the stubborne defence of their blindnesse , hereticall defenders , frowarde and stiffnecked teachers of circumcision the blessed Apostle cals dogs : sillie men , who were seduced to think they thought the truth , he pitieth , hee taketh vp in his armes ▪ he lovingly imbraceth , he kisseth , and with more then fatherlie tendernesse doth so temper , qualifie , and correct the speech he vseth toward them , that a man cannot easilie discerne whether did most abounde , the loue which hee bare to their godlie affection , or the griefe which the daunger of their opinion bred them . Their opinion was dangerous : was not theirs also , who thought the kingdome of Christ should be earthly ? was not theirs which thought the Gospell onelie should be preached to the Jewes ? What more opposite to propheticall doctrine concerning the comming of Christ , then the one ? Concerning the Catholicke Church , then the other ? Yet they which had their fansies , even when they had them were not the worst men in the world . The heresie of Free-will was a milstone about the Pelagians necke ; shall wee there giue sentence of death inevitable against all those Fathers in the Greeke Church , which being misperswaded , died in the errour of free-will ? Of these Galatians therefore which first were iustified and then deceived , as I can see no cause why as many as died before admonition might not by mercie be received , even in error : so I make no doubt , but as manie as lived till they were admonished , found the mercie of God effectuall in converting them from their * error , least any one that is Christs , should perish . Of this I take it , there is no cōtroversie ; only against the salvation of them which died , though before admonition , yet in error , it is obiected that their opinion was a very plaine direct deniall of the foundation . If Paul & Barnabas had bin perswaded , they would happly haue vsed the tearmes otherwise speaking of the Masters thē selues who did first set that error abroach , a certaine of the sects of the Pharisees which beleeved . What difference was there betweene these Pharisees , and other Pharisees , from whom by a special description they are distinguished , but this ? These which came to Antioch , teaching the necessity of circuncision were Christians ; the other , enimies of Christianitie ? Why then shoulde these be tearmed so distinctly beleevers , if they did directlie denie the foundation of our beliefe , besides which there was no other thing that made the rest to be no beleevers ? We neede go no father then S. Paules very reasoning against them , for proofe of this matter : seeing you know God , or rather are knowne of God , how turne you againe to impotent rudiments ? b The law ingendreth servants , hir children are in bondage ; c they which are gotten by the Gospell are free . d Brethren we are not children of the servant , but of the free e woman , and will yee not be vnder the law ? That they thought it vnto salvation necessarie , for the Church of Christ , to obserue daies , and monthes , and times , and yeares , to keepe the ceremonies and sacraments of the law , this was their errour . Yet hee which condemneth their error , cōfesseth , that notwithstanding , they knew God , and were knowne of him ; hee taketh not the honour from them to be tearmed sonnes begotten of the immortall seed of the Gospell . Let the heaviest wordes which he vseth , be waighed ; consider the drift of those dreadfull conclusions : If yee be circumcised , Christ shal profit you nothing ; AS many as are iustified by the law , are fallen from grace . It had beene to no purpose in the world , so to vrge them : had not the Apostle beene perswaded , that at the hearing of such sequels , No benefit by Christ , A defection from grace , their heartes would tremble and quake within them : and why ? because that they knew , that in Christ , and in grace , their salvation lay ; which is a plaine direct acknowledgement of the foundation . Least I should herein seeme to holde , that which no one learned , or godly hath done : lette these words be considered , which import as much as I affirm . a Surely those brethren , which in S. Pauls time , thought that God did lay a necessitie vpon them to make choise of daies , and meats ; spake as they beleeved , and could not but in wordes condemne the libertie which they supposed to be brought in against the authoritie of divine Scripture . Otherwise it had beene needlesse for S. Paul to admonish them not to condemne such as eate without scrupulosity , whatsoever was set before them . This error if you weigh what it is of it selfe , did at once overthrow all Scriptures , whereby we are taught salvation by faith in Christ , all that ever the Prophets did foretell , all that ever the Apostles did preach of Christ , it drewe with it the deniall of Christ vtterly : in so much that S Paul complaineth , that his labour was lost vpon the Galatians , vnto whom this error was obtruded , affirming that Christ , if so bee they were circumcised , should not profit them any thing at all . Yet so far was S. Paul from striking their names out of Christs book , that he commandeth others to entertaine them , to accept them with singular humanity , to vse them like brethren ; he knewe mans imbecilitie ; he had a feeling of our blindnesse which are mortall men how great it is , and being sure that they are the sonnes of God , who soever be indued with his feare , would haue them coūted enimies of that wherevnto they could not as yet frame themselues to be friends , but did ever vpon a very religious affection to the truth , willingly reiect the truth . They acknowledged Christ to be their only , and perfect Saviour , but saw not how repugnant their believing the necessitie of Mosaicall ceremonies was to their faith in Iesus Christ. Herevnto a reply is made , that if they had not directly denied the foundatiō , they might haue beene saved ; but saved they could not bee , therefore their opinion was not onely by consequent , but directly a deniall of the foundation . When the question was about the possibilitie of their salvation , their denying of the foundation was brought to proue that they could not be saved ; now that the question is about their deniall of the foundation , the impossibilitie of their salvation , is alleaged to proue , they denied the foundation . Is there nothing which excludeth men frō salvation , but only the foundation of faith denied ? I should haue thought , that besides this , many other things are death vnto as many as be given to vnderstād , that to cleaue therevnto , was to fall from Christ , did notwithstanding cleaue vnto it . But of this enough . Wherefore I come to the last question , whether that the doctrine of the Church of Rome , concerning the necessitie of workes vnto salvation , be a direct deniall of our faith . 27 I seeke not to obtrude vnto you any private opinion of mine owne ; the best learned in our profession are of this iudgement , that all the corruptions of the Church of Rome , doe not proue her to deny the foundation directly ; if they did , they should grant her simply to be no Christian Church . But I suppose , saith one , that in the Papacie some Church remaineth , a Church crased , or , if you will , broken quite in peeces , forlorne , mishapen , yet some Church : his reason is this , Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God. Least any man should thinke such sentences as these to be true , only in regard of thē , whome that Church is supposed to haue kept by the speciall providence of God , as it were in the secret corners of his bosome , free from infection , and as soūd in the faith , as we trust , by his mercy , we our selues are : I permit it to your wise considerations , whether it bee more likely , that as frenzie , though it selfe take away the vse of reason , doth notwithstanding proue them reasonable creatures which haue it , because none can be franticke but they : so Antichristianitie being the baine , and plaine overthrow of Christianitie , may neverthelesse argue the Church wherein Antichrist sitteth , to be Christian. Nether haue I ever , hitherto heard or read any one worde alleadged of force to warrant , that God doth otherwise , then so as in the two next questions before hath beene declared , bind himselfe to keepe his elect from worshipping the Beast , and from receiving his marke in their foreheads : but he hath preserved and will preserue them from receiuing any deadly wound at the hands of the man of sinne , whose deceit hath prevailed over none vnto death , but only vnto such as never loved the truth , such as took a pleasure in vnrighteousnesse : they in all ages , whose hearts haue delighted in the principall truth , and whose soules haue thirsted after righteousnesse , if they received the marke of error , the mercy of God , even erring and dangerously erring , might saue them ; if they received the mark of heresie , the same mercy did , I doubt not , convert them . HOW far Romish heresies may prevaile over Gods elect , how many God hath kept falling into them , how many haue bin converted from them , is not the question now in hād : for if heaven had not received any one of that coate for these thousand yeares , it may still be true that the doctrine which this day they do professe , doth not directly denie the foundation , and so proue them simplie to be no Christian Church . One I haue alleaged , whose words , in my eares , sound that waie : shall I adde * another , whose speech is plaine ? I deny her not the name of a Church , saith another , no more then to a man , the name of a man , as long as he liveth , what sicknesse soever he hath . His reason is this ; Salvation in Iesus Christ , which is the marke which ioineth the head with the bodie , Iesus Christ with the Church , is so cut off by many merits , by the merits of Saints , by the Popes pardons , and such other wickednesse , that the life of the Church holdeth by a very thread , yet still the life of the Church holdeth . A * third hath these words , I acknowledge the Church of Rome , evē at this present day for a Church of Christ , such a Church as Israel did Ieroboam , yet a Church . His reasō is this ; Every mā seeth except he willingly hoodwinke himselfe , that as alwaies , so now , the Church of Rome holdeth firmely and stedfastly the doctrine of truth concerning Christ , and baptizeth in the name of the father , the sonne and the Holy Ghost , confesseth and avowcheth Christ for the only redeemer of the world , & the iudge that shall sit vpon quicke and dead , recieving true beleevers into endlesse ioy , faithlesse and godlesse men being cast with Satan and his angels into flames inquenchable . 28 I may & will reine the questiō shorter thē they do . Let the Pope take downe his top , and captivate no more mens soules by his Papall iurisdiction ; let him no longer count himselfe Lord Paramount over the Princes of the world , no longer hold kings as his servants paravaile ; let his stately Senate submit their necks to the yoke of Christ , & cease to dye their garment like Edom , in blood ; let them from the highest to the lowest , hate and forsake their idolatry , abiure all their errors and heresies wherewith they haue any waie perverted the truth ; let them strippe their Churches till they leaue no polluted ragge , but only this one about hir , By Christ alone without workes we cannot be saved : it is enough for me if I shew , that the holding of this one thing doeth not proue the foundatiō of faith directly denied in the Church of Rome . 29 Workes are an addition : be it so : what then ? the foundation is not subverted by everie kind of addition . simplie to adde vnto those fundamentall words , is not to mingle wine with water , heaven with earth , things polluted with the sanctified blood of Christ : of which crime indict them which attribute ▪ those operations in whole or in part to any creature , which in the w●● of our salvation wholy are peculiar vnto Christ , and 〈◊〉 open my mouth to speake in their defence , if I holde my peace and pleade not against them as long as breath is within my body , let me be guiltie of al the dishonor that ever hath been done to the Sonne of God. But a dreadful thing it is to denie salvation by Christ alone ; the more slow and fearefull I am , except it be too manifest , to lay a thing so grievous to anie mās charge . Let vs beware , least if we make too manie waies of denying Christ , wee scarse leaue any way for our selues truely and soundly to confesse him . Salvation onely by Christ is the true foundation wherevpon indeed Christianitie standeth . But what if I say you cannot be saved only by Christ , without this addition , Christ beleeved in hart , confessed with mouth , obeied in life and conversation ? Because I adde , doe I therefore deny that which I did directlie affirme ? There may be an additament of explication , which overthroweth not , but proveth & concludeth the proposition wherevnto it is annexed . He which saith , Peter was a chiefe Apostle , doth proue that Peter was an Apostle , hee which saith , Our salvation is of the Lord , a through sanctification of the spirit and faith of the truth , proveth that our salvation is of the Lord. But if that which is added be such a privation as taketh away the verie essence of that wherevnto it is added , then by the sequell it overthroweth . He which saith Iudas is a dead man , though in word he granteth Iudas to be a man , yet in effect he proveth him by that very speech no man ; because death depriveth him of being . In like sort , he that should saie , our election is of grace for our workes sake , should grant in soūd of words , but indeed by consequent deny that our election is of grace ; for the a grace which electeth vs , is no grace , if it elect vs for our sake . 30 Now whereas the Church of Rome addeth works , we must note farther that the adding of * works is not like the adding of circumcision vnto Christ. Christ came not to abrogat & put away good workes : he did , to change circumcision ; for we see that in place thereof , he hath substituted holy baptisme . To say , yee cannot be saved by Christ , except yee be circumcised , is to adde a thing excluded , a thing not only not necessarie to be kept , but necessarie not to be kept by thē that will be saved . On th' other side , to saie , yee cannot be saved by Christ without workes , is to adde things , not only not excluded , but commāded , as being in their place and in their kind necessarie , and therefore subordinated vnto Christ , by Christ himselfe , by whom the webbe of salvation is spun ; a except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharises , yee shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven . They were c rigorous of things not vtterly to be neglected , and left vndone washings and tithings , &c. As they were in these , so must we be in iudgement , and the loue of God. Christ in workes ceremoniall , giueth more liberty ; in d morall much lesse , then they did . Workes of righteousnesse therefore are not so repugnantlie added in the one pro position ; as in the other , circumcision is . 31 But we say our salvation is by Christ alone , therefore howsoever , or whatsoever wee adde vnto Christ in the matter of salvation ▪ we overthrow Christ. Our case were very hard , if this argument so vniversally meant , as it is proposed , were sound and good . We our selues doe not teach Christ alone , excluding our owne faith , vnto iustificatiō ; Christ alone , excluding our own works , vnto sanctification ; Christ alone , excluding the one or the other vnnecessarie vnto salvation . It is a childish cavill wherewith in the matter of iustification our adversaries do so greatly please themselues , exclaiming that we tread all Christian vertues vnder our feet , and require nothing in Christians but faith , because wee teach that faith alone iustifieth : whereas by this speech we never meant to exclude either hope , or charitie frō being alwaies ioined as inseparable mates with faith in the man that is iustified ; or workes from being added as necessarie duties required at the hands of every iustified man : but to shew that faith is the only hand , which putteth on Christ vnto iustification ; and Christ , the only garment , which being so put on , covereth the shame of our defiled natures , hideth the imperfections of our workes , preserveth vs blameles in the sight of God , before whom otherwise , the weaknesse of our faith were cause sufficiēt to make vs culpable , yea to shut vs frō the kingdome of heaven , where nothing that is not absolute , can enter . That our dealing with them bee not as childish as theirs with vs , when wee heare of salvation by Christ alone , considering that [ alone ] as an exclusiue particle , we are to note what it doth exclude , & where . If I say , such a iudge only , ought to determine such a case , all things incident to the determination thereof , besides the person of the Iudge , as lawes , dispositions , evidences , &c. are not hereby excluded ; persons are not excluded from witnessing herein , or assisting , but onely from determining and giving sentence . How then is our salvation wrought by Christ alone ? It is not our meaning that nothing is requisite to mans salvatiō but Christ to saue , and he to be saved quietly without anie more adooe . As we haue received , so we teach , that besides the bare and naked worke , wherein Christ without anie other associate finished all the partes of our redemption , & purchased salvation himselfe alone , for conveiance of this eminent blessing vnto vs , manie things are of necessitie required : as to bee knowne and chosen of God before the foundation of the world ; in the world to called , iustified , sanctified ; after wee haue left the world , to be receiued vnto glorie ; Christ in everie of these hath somwhat which he worketh alone . Through him according to the eternall purpose of God , before the foundation of the world , borne , crucified , buried raised , &c. wee were in a gratious acceptiō knowne vnto God , long before we were seene of men : God a knew vs , loved vs , was kinde to vs in Jesus Christ ; in him we were elected to be heires of life . Thus farre God through Christ hath wrought in such sort alone , that our selues are meere patients , working no more then dead & senselesse matter , wood , or stone , or yron , doth in the artificers hands , no more then the clay whē the potter appointeth it to be framed for an honourable vse : nay , not so much : for the matter wherevpon the craftsman worketh , he chooseth being moved by the fitnesse which is in it to serue his turne ; in vs no such thing . Touching the rest which is laid for the foundation of our faith , importeth farther ; that b by him we are called ; that c we haue redēptiō , d remissiō of sins through his blood , e health by his stripes , f iustice by him ; that he g doth sanctifie his Church , & make it glorious to himself ; that h entrance into ioie shal be givē vs by him , yea all things by him alone . Howbeit not so by him alone , as if in vs to i our vocatiō , the hearing of the Gospell ; to our iustification , faith ; to our sanctification , the fruits of the spirit ; to our entrance into rest , perseverance in hope , in faith , in holinesse , were not necessarie . 32 Then what is the fault of the Church of Rome ? Not that shee requireth workes at their handes which will be saved : but that shee attributeth vnto workes a power of satisfying God for sin ; yea a vertue to merite both grace here , and in heaven glorie . That this overthroweth the foundation of faith , I graunt willingly ; that it is a direct denying thereof , I vtterlie deny : what it is to hold , and what directly to deny the foundation of faith , I haue already opened . Apply it particularly to this cause , and there needs no more adooe . The thing which is handled , if the forme vnder which it is handled , be added therevnto , it sheweth the foundation of any doctrine whatsoever . Christ is the matter whereof the doctrine of the Gospell treateth ; and it treateth of Christ , as of a Saviour . Salvation therefore by Christ is the foundation of Christianitie : as for works , they are a thing subordinate , no otherwise then because our sanctification cannot be accomplished without them ; the doctrine concerning them , is a thing builded vpon the foundation ; therefore the doctrine which addeth vnto them the power of satisfying or of meriting , addeth vnto a thing subordinated , builded vpon the foundation , not to the verie foundation it selfe : yet is the foundation by this addition consequently overthrowne , for as much as out out of this addion , it may be negatiuely concluded ; He which maketh any worke good , and acceptable in the sight of God , to proceede from the naturall freedome of our will ; he which giveth vnto any good workes of ours , the force of satisfying the wrath of God for sin , the power of meriting either earthly or heavenly rewards ; he which holdeth works , going before our vocation , in congruity to merite our vocation , works following our first , to merite our second iustification , and by condignitie our last reward in the kingdome of heaven ; pulleth vp the doctrin of faith by the roots ; for out of every of these the plain direct deniall thereof may bee necessarilie concluded . Not this only , but what other heresie is there , that doth not raze the very ▪ foundation of faith by consequent ? How be it , we make a difference of heresies accoūting in the next degree to infidelitie which directly denie any one thing to be , which is expreslie acknoweledged in the articles of our beliefe ; for out of any one article so denied , the deniall of the very foundation it selfe is streightway inferd . As for example ; if a man should saie , There is no Catholicke Church , it followeth immediatlie therevpon that this Jesus , whom wee call the Saviour , is not the Saviour of the world ; because all the Prophets beare witnesse , that the true Messias should a shew light vnto the Gentiles , that is to say , gather such a Church as is Catholicke , not restrained any longer vnto one circumcised nation . In the second rancke we place them , out of whose positions the deniall of any the foresaid articles may be with like facilitie concluded : such as are they , which haue denyed either the Divinitie of Christ with Hebion , or with Martion his Humanitie ; an example whereof may be that of Cassianus defending the incarnation of the sonne of God , against Nestorius Bishop of Antioch ; which held that the Virgin when shee brought forth Christ , did not bring forth the sonne of God , but sole and a mere man : out of which heresie the deniall of the articles of the Christian faith he deduceth thus : If thou dost denie our Lord Iesus Christ ; in denying the sonne thou ▪ canst not choose but denie the father : for according to the voice of the father himselfe , He that hath not the sonne , hath not the father . Wherefore denying him which is begotten , thou deniest him which doth beget . Againe denying the sonne of God to haue beene borne in the flesh , how canst thou beleeue him to haue suffred ? beleeving not his passion , what remaineth but that thou deny his resurrection ? For we beleeue him not raised , except wee first beleeue him dead : neither can the reason of his rising from the dead stand without the faith of his death going being before . The deniall of his death and passion inferreth the deniall of his rising from the depth . Wherevpon it followeth that thou also denie his ascension into heaven . The Apostle affirmeth that he which ascended , did first descend , so that as much as lyeth in thee , our Lord Iesus Christ hath neither risen from the depth , nor is ascended into heaven , nor sitteth at the right hand God the father , neither shall he come at the day of finall account which is looked for , nor shall iudge the quicke and dead . And darest thou yet set foot in the church ? Canst thou thinke they selfe a Bishop when thou hast denyed all those things whereby thou dost obtaine a Bishoply calling ? Nestorius confessed all the articles of the Creed ; but his opiniō did imply the denial of every part of his cōfessiō . Heresies there are of the third sort ; such as the Church of Rome maintaineth ; which be removed by a greater distance frō the foundation , although indeed they over throw it . Yet because of that weakenes , which the Philosopher noteth in mens capacities , when he saith , that the common sort cannot see things which followe in reason , when they follow as it were a farre of by manie deductions ; therefore the repugnancie of such heresie and the foundation , is not so quickly or so easily found , but that an hereticke of this , sooner then of the former kinde , may directly graunt and consequently neverthelesse , denie the foundation of faith . 33 If reason be suspected , triall will shew that the Church of Rome doeth no otherwise by teaching the doctrine she doth teach concerning good works , offer them the verie fundamentall words : and what man is there , that will refuse to subscribe vnto them ? Can they directly graunt , and directly deny one and the very self-same thing ? Our own proceedings in disputing against their works satisfactorie , & meritorious , do shew not onely that they hold , but that we acknowledge them to hold the foundation , notwithstanding their opiniō . For are not these our arguments against them ? Christ alone hath satisfied and appeased his fathers wrath : Christ hath merited salvation alone . We should doe fondly to vse such disputes , neither could we thinke to prevaile by them , if that wherevpon wee ground , were a thing which we know they do not hold , which wee are assured they will not graunt . Their very answers to all such reasons as are in this controversie brought against thē , will not permit vs to doubt , whether they hold the foūdation , or no. Can any man that hath read their books concerning this matter , be ignorant how they draw all their answers vnto these heads ? That the remission of all our sinnes , the pardon of all whatsoever punishments thereby deserved , the rewards which God hath laid vp in heaven , are by the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ purchased , and obtained sufficiently for all men : but for no man effectually , for his benefit in particular , except the blood of Christ bee applied particularly vnto him , by such meanes as God hath appointed that to worke by . That those meanes of themselues , being but dead things ; only the blood of Christ is that which putteth life , force , and ifficacie in them to worke , and to be availeable , each in his kind , to our salvation . Finally , that grace being purchased for vs by the blood of Christ , & freely without any merit or desert at the first bestowed vpon vs , the good things which we doe , after grace receiued , be thereby made satisfactorie , and meritorious . Some of their sentences , to this effect , I must alleage for mine owne war rant . If we desire to heare forraine iudgements , we find in one , this confession ; He that could reckon how many the vertues and merits of our Saviour Christ haue beene , might likewise vnderstand how many the benefits haue beene , that are to come to vs by him ; for so much as men are made partakers of them all by meanes of his passion : by him is given vnto vs remission of our sinnes , grace , glorie , libertie , praise , salvation , redemption , iustification , iustice , satisfaction , sacraments , merits , and all other things which we had , & were behouefull for our salvation . In another wee haue these oppositions , and answers made vnto them ; All grace is given by Christ Iesus ; True , but not except Christ Iesus be applied . He is the propitiation for our sinnes ; by his stripes we are healed ; he hath offered himselfe vp for vs : all this is true ; but apply it : we put all satisfactiō in the blood of Iesus Christ ; but we hold that the meanes which Christ hath appointed for vs in this case to apply it , are our penall workes . Our Countrimen in Rhemes , make the like answere , that they seeke salvation no other way , then by the blood of Christ ; & that humbly they doe vse prayers , fastings , almes , faith , charitie , sacrifice , sacraments , priests , onely as the meanes appointed by Christ , to apply the benefit of his holy blood vnto them : touching our good workes , that in their owne natures they are not meritorious , nor answerable to the ioyes of heaven ; it commeth by the grace of Christ , & not of the work it selfe , that we haue by well doing a right to heaven , and deserue it worthily . If any man thinke that I seeke to varnish their opiniōs , to set the better foot of a lame cause foremost : let him know , that since I began throughly to vnderstand their meaning , I haue found their halting greater , then perhaps it seemeth to them which knowe not the deepnesse of Satan , as the blessed divine speaketh . For although this be proofe sufficient , that they doe not directly deny the foundation of faith : yet if there were no other leaven in the whole lumpe of their doctrine but this ; this were sufficient to proue , that their doctrine is not agreeable vnto the foundati-of Christiā faith . The Pelagians being over great friends vnto nature , made themselues enimies vnto grace , for all their confessing , that men haue their soules , and all the faculties thereof , their wils , and all the abilitie of their wils from God. And is not the Church of Rome still an adversarie vnto Christs merits , because of her acknowledging that we haue received the power of meriting by the blood of Christ ? St Thomas More , setteth downe the oddes betweene vs and he Church of Rome in the matter of works thus ; Like as wee graunt them that no good worke of man is rewardable in heaven of his owne nature , but through the meere goodnesse of God , that list to set so high a price vpon so poore a thing ; and that this price God setteth through Christs passion , and for that also they bee his owne workes with vs ; for good workes to God-ward worketh no man , without God worke in him ; and as we grant thē also , that no man may be proud of his works , for his imperfect working , and for that in all that man may doe , he can doe God no good , but is a servant improfitable & doth but his bare dutie ; as we , I say , graunt vnto them these things : so this one thing , or twaine , do they grant vs againe , that men are bound to worke good workes , if they haue time and power , and that who so worketh in true faith mōst , shall be most rewarded ; but then set they thereto , that all his rewards shall be given him for his faith alone , & nothing for his workes at all , because his faith is the thing , they say , that forceth him to work well . I see by this of St Thomas More , how easie it is for men of the greatest capacitie , to mistake things written or spoken as well on the one side as on the other . Their doctrine , as hee thought , maketh the worke of man rewardable in the world to come , through the goodnesse of God , whom it pleaseth to set so high a price vpon so poore a thing ; and ours , that a man doth receiue that eternall and high reward , not for his workes , but for his faiths sake , by which he worketh : whereas in truth our doctrine is no other then that we haue learned at the feet of Christ , namely , that God doth iustifie the beleeving man , yet not for the worthinesse of his beleife , but for the worthines of him which is beleeved ; God rewardeth abundantly every one which worketh , yet not for any meritorious dignity , which is , or can be in the worke , but through his meere mercy , by whose commandement hee worketh . Contrariwise their doctrine is , that as pure water of it selfe hath no savour , but if it passe throug a sweet pipe , it taketh a pleasant smell of the pipe through which it passeth : so , although before grace received , our works do neither satisfie , nor merit ; yet after , they do both the one and the other . Every vertuous action hath then power in such to satisfie , that if we our selues commit no mortall sinne , no hainous crime wherevpon to spend this treasure of satisfaction in our owne behalfe , it turneth to the benefit of other mens release , on whō it shall please the steward of the house of God to bestow it , so that we may satisfie for ourselues & others , but merit only for our selues . In meriting , our actions doe worke with two hands ; with one they get their morning stipend , the increase of grace ; with the other , their evening hire , the everlasting crowne of glorie . Indeed they teach that our good workes doe not these things , as they come from vs , but as they come from grace in vs : which grace in vs is another thing in their divinitie , then is the meere goodnesse of Gods mercy towards vs in Christ Iesus . 34 I fit were not a strong deluding spirit which hath possession of their harts : were it possible but that they should see how plainely they do herein gaine-saie the very ground of Apostolique faith ? Is this that salvation by grace , whereof so plentifull mention is made in the scriptures of God ? Was this their meaning which first taught the worlde to looke for salvation onely by Christ ? By grace , the Apostle saith , and by grace in such sort as a gift , a thing that commeth not of our selues , not of our workes , lest anie man should boast , & say , I haue wrought out my own salvatiō . By grace they cōfesse ; but by grace in such sort , that as many as weare the diademe of blisse , they wear nothing but what they haue wonne . The Apostle , as if he had foreseene , how the church of Rome would abuse the world in time by ambiguous termes , to declare in what sense the name of grace must be taken when we make it the cause of our salvation , saith , He saved vs according to his mercie : which mercie although it exclude not the washing of our new birth , the renuing of our harts by the holy Ghost , the meanes , the vertues , the duties which God requireth of their hands which shall be saved , yet is it so repugnant vnto merits , that to say wee are saved for the worthines of anie thing which is ours , is to denie wee are saved by grace . Grace bestoweth freely : and therefore iustlie requireth the glorie of that which is bestowed . We denie the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ ; we abuse , disanull , and annihilate the benefit of his bitter passion : if we rest in these proud imaginations that life is deservedly ours , that we merit it , and that we are worthy of it . 35 How be it considering how many vertuous & iust men , how many Saints , how many Martyres , how manie of the ancient fathers of the church , haue had their sundry perilous opinions , and amongst sundrie of their opinions , this , that they hoped to make good some part of amends for their sins , by the voluntarie punishments which they laid vpon themselues , because by a consequent it may follow herevpon , that they were iniurious vnto Christ : shall we therefore make such dead lie epitaphes and set them vpon their graues ; They denied the foundation of faith directly ; they are damned ; there is no salvation for them ? S. Austin saith of himselfe , Errare possum , haereticus essemolo . And except we put a difference betweene them that erre , and them that obstinatlie perfist in error : how is it possible , that ever any man should hope to be saved ? Surely in this case , I haue no respect of any person aliue or dead . Giue me a man of what state or condition soever , yea a Cardinall , or a Pope whom in the extreame point of his life affliction hath made to know himselfe , whose hart God hath touched with true sorrow for all his sinnes , and filled with loue towards the Gospell of Christ , whose eies are opened to see the truth , and his mouth to renounce all heresie and error any wise opposite therevnto ( this one opinion of merits excepted ) he thinketh God will require at his hands , and because he wanteth , therefore trembleth and is discouraged ; It may be , I am forgetfull , and vnskilfull , not furnished with things newe and olde as a wise learned scribe should bee , nor able to alleage that , wherevnto , if it were alleaged , hee doth beare a minde most willing to yeeld , and so to be recalled as well from this , as from other errors . And shall I thinke because of this only error , that such a man toucheth not so much as the hemme of Christs garment ? If he doe , wherefore shoulde not I haue hope that vertue may proceede from Christ to saue him ? Because his errour doth by consequent overthrow his faith ? Shall I therefore cast him off as one that hath vtterly cast of Christ ? one that holdeth not so much as by a slender threed ? No , I wil not be afraid to saie vnto a Pope or Cardinall in this plight , be of good comfort , we haue to doe with a mercifull God ; rather to make the best of a little which we hold well , and not with a captious sophister , which gathereth the worst out of everie thing , wherein wee erre . Is there any reason that I should be suspected , or you offended for this speech ? a Is it a dangerous thing to imagine , that such men may finde mercy ? The house may come when wee shall thinke it a blessed thing to heare , that if our sins were the sins of the Popes and Cardinals , the bowels of the mercie of God are larger . I do not propose vnto you a Pope with the neck of an Emperour vnder his feet ; a Cardinall riding his horse to the bridle in the blood of Saints : but a Pope or Cardinal , sorrowful , penitent , disrobed , stript not only of vsurped power , but also delivered and recald from errour ; Antichrist converted and lying prostrate at the foote of Christ : and shall I thinke that Christ will spurne at him ? And shall I crosse and gainesaie the mercifull promises of God generally made vnto penitent sinners by opposing the name of a Pope , of a Cardinal ? What difference is there in the world betweene a Pope and a Cardinall , and Iohn Style in this case ? If wee thinke it impossible for them , after they be once come within that ranke , to be afterwards touched with anie such remorse , let that be graunted . The Apostle saith , If I or an Angell from heaven preach vnto , &c. Let it bee as likely that Saint Paule or an Angel from heaven should preach heresie , as that a Pope or a Cardinall should be brought so farre forth to acknowledge the truth : yet if a Pope or a Cardinall should , what finde wee in their persons , why they might not bee saved ? It is not the persons , you will saie , but the errour , wherein I suppose them to die , which excludeth them from the hope of mercie ; the opinion of merits doth take awaie all possibitie of salvation from them . What , if they hold it onlie as an error ? although they hold the truth truelie and sincerelie in all other partes of Christian faith ? although they haue in some measure all the vertues and graces of the spirite , all other tokens of Gods elect children in them ? although they be farre from having anie prowde presumptuous opinion , that they shall be saved by the worthynesse of their deedes ? although the onelie thing which troubleth and molesteth them , bee but a little too much deiection , somewhat too great a feare , rising from an erroneous conceipt , that God will require a worthynesse in them , which they are grieved to finde wanting in themselues ? although they bee not obstinate in this perswasion ? although they be willing and would be glad to forsake it , if any one reason were brought sufficient to disproue it ? although the only let why they doe not forsake it ere they die , be the ignorance of the meanes , by which it might be disproued ? although the cause why the ignorance in this point is not removed , bee the want of knowledge in such as should be able , and are not , to remoue it ? Let me die , if ever it be proved , that simply an error doth exclude a Pope or a Cardinall in such a case vtterly from hope of life . Surely , I must confesse vnto you , if it be an errour , that God may bee mercifull to saue men , even when they erre : my greatest comfort is my errour ; were it not for the loue I beare vnto this errour , I would never wish to speake nor to liue . 36 Wherefore , to resume that mother sentence , whereof I little thought that so much trouble would haue growne ; I doubt not but that God was mercifull to saue thousands of our fathers living in Popish superstitions , in as much as they sinned ignorantly : alas what bloodie matter is there cōtained in this sentence , that it should be an occasion of so many hard censures ? Did I say that thousands of our fathers might be saved ? I haue shewed which way it cannot be denied . Did I say , I doubted not but they were saued ? I see no impiety in this perswasion , though I had no reason for it . Did I say , their ignorance doth make me hope they did find mercy , and so were saved ? What hindreth salvation but sinne ? Sinnes are not equall : and ignorance , though it doth not make to be no sinne ; yet seeing it did make their sinne the lesse , why should it not make our hope concerning their life , the greater ? We pittie the most , and doubt not , but God hath most compassion over them that sinne for want of vnderstanding . As much is confessed by sundry others , almost in the selfe same words which I haue vsed . It is but only my evill hap , that the same sentēces which savor veritie in other mens books , should seeme to bolster heresie when they are once by me recited . If I bee deceived in this point , not they , but the blessed Apostle hath deceived me . What I said of others , the same hee said of himselfe , I obtaine mercy for I did it ignorantly . Conster his words , and you cannot misconster mine . I speake no otherwise . I meant no otherwise then hee did . 37 Thus haue I brought the question concerning our Fathers , at the length vnto an end . Of whose estate vpon so fit an occasion ▪ as was offred me , handling the weightie causes of separation betweene the Church of Rome and vs , and the weake motiues which are commonly brought to retaine men in that society ; amongst which motiues , the examples of our Fathers deceased is one , although I saw it convenient to vtter that sentence , which I did to the ende , that all men might there by vnderstand , how vntruely we are said to condemne as many as haue beene before vs otherwise perswaded then we our selues are ; yet more then that one sentence I did not thinke it expedient to vtter , iudging it a great deale meeter for vs to haue regard to our owne estate , then to sift over curiously , what is become of other men ▪ And fearing least that such questions as these , if voluntarily they should bee to farre waded in , might seeme worthie of that rebuke , which our Saviour thought needfull in a case not vnlike ; What is this vnto thee ? when I was forced much beside mine expectation , to render a reason of my speech , I could not but yeeld at the call of others , and proceed so farre as dutie bound mee , for the fuller satisfying of mindes . Wherein I haue walked as with reverence , so with feare : with reverence , in regard of our Fathers , which lived in former times ; not without feare , cōsidering them that are aliue . 38 I am not ignorant , how readie men are to feed and sooth vp themselues in evill . Shall I , will the man say that loveth the present world more then hee loveth Christ , shall I incurre the high displeasure of the mightiest vpon earth ? shall I hazard my goods ? endanger my estate ? put my selfe in ieopardie , rather then yeeld to that which so many of my fathers embraced , and yet found favour in the sight of God ? Curse Meroz , saith the Lord , curse her inhabitants , because they helped not the Lord , they help'd him not against the mightie . If I should not only not helpe the Lord against the mightie , but helpe to strengthen them that are mightie , against the Lord : worthily might I fall vnder the burden of that curse , worthie I were to beare my owne iudgement . But if the doctrine which I teach , be a flower gathered in the garden of the Lord ; a part of the saving truth of the Gospell ; from whence notwithstanding poisoned creatures doe sucke venime : I can but wish it were otherwise , and content my selfe with the lotte that hath befallen mee , the rather because it hath not befallen me alone . Saint Paule teached a truth , and a comfortable truth , when he taught , that the greater our misery is , in respect of our iniquities , the readier is the mercy of God for our release . If wee seeke vnto him , the more we haue sinned , the more praise , and glorie , and honor vnto him that pardoneth our sinne . But marke what lewd collections were made herevpon by some . Whie then am I condemned for a sinner ? and the Apostle ( as we are blamed , and as some affirme that we say ; Whie doe we not evill that good may come of it ? ) hee was accused to teach that which ill disposed men did gather by his teaching , though it were cleane not only besides , but against his meaning . The Apostle addeth , Their condemnation ( which thus doe ) is iust . I am not hastie to apply sentences of condemnation . I wish from mine heart their conversion , whosoever are thus perversely affected . For I must needs say , their case is fearefull , their estate dangerous , which harden themselues , presuming on the mercy of God towardes others . It is true that God is mercifull ; but lette vs beware of presumptuous sinnes : God delivered Ionah from the bottome of the sea ; will you therefore cast your selues headlong from the toppes of rockes , and say in your hearts , God shall deliver vs ? Hee pittieth the blind that would gladly see ; but will hee pittie them that may see , and hardeneth himselfe in blindnesse ? No. Christ hath spoken too much vnto you , to claime the priviledge of your fathers . 39 As for vs that haue handled this cause concerning the condition of our Fathers , whether it bee this thing , or any other , which wee bring vnto you , the counsell is good which the wise man giveth , Stand thou fast in thy sure vnderstanding , in the way and knowledge of the Lord , and haue but one manner of word , and follow the word of peace and righteousnesse . As a loose tooth is a griefe to him that eateth : so doth a wavering and vnstable word in speech , that tendeth to instruction , offend Shall a wise man speake words of the winde , saith Eliphas , light , vnconstant , vnstable words ? Surely the wisest may speake words of the winde , such is the vntoward constitution of our nature , that wee doe neither so perfectly vnderstand the way and knowledge of the Lord , nor so stedfastly imbrace it , when it is vnderstood nor so graciously vtter it when it is imbraced ; nor so peaceably maintaine it , when it is vttered ; but that the best of vs are overtaken sometime through blindnesse , sometime through hastinesse , sometime through impatience , somtime through other passions of the mind , wherevnto ( God doth know ) we are too subiect . Wee must therefore be contented , both to pardon others , and to craue that others must pardon vs for such things . Let no man that speaketh as a man , thinke himselfe , whiles he liveth , alwaies freed from scapes and oversights in his speech . The things themselues which I haue spoken vnto you are sound , howsoever they haue seemed otherwise vnto some : at whose hands I haue in that respect receiued iniurie . I willingly forget it , although indeed considering the benefitte which I haue reaped by this necessarie speech of truth , I rather incline to that of the Apostle , They haue not iniured me at all . I haue cause to wish them as many blessings in the kingdome of heaven , as they haue forced mee to vtter words and syllables in this cause ; wherein I could not be more sparing of speech then I haue beene . It becommeth no man , saith St. Ierome , to bee patient in the crime of heresie . Patiēt , as I take it , we should be alwaies , though the crime of heresie were intended ; but silent in a thing of so great consequence I could not , beloued I durst not be : especially the loue that I beare to the truth of Christ Iesus , being hereby somwhat called in question . Whereof I beseech them in the meeknesse of Christ , that haue been the first originall cause , to consider that a watchman may crie ( an enimie ) when indeed a friend commeth . In which cause as I deeme such a watchman more worthie to be loved for this cause , then misliked for his errour : so I haue iudged it my own part in this , as much as in me lieth , to take away all suspicion of any vnfriendly intent or meaning against the truth , from which , God doth knowe , my heart is free . 40 Now to you , beloued , which haue heard these things , I will vse no other words of admonition , then those which are offered me by St Iames , My brethren haue not the faith of our glorious Lord Iesus in respect of persons . Yee are not now to learne , that as of it selfe it is not hurtfull , so neither should it be to any scandalous and offensiue in doubtfull cases , to heare the different iudgements of men . Bee it that Cephas hath one interpretation , and Apollos hath another ; that Paule is of this mind , that Barnabas of that ; if this offend you , the fault is yours . Carry peaceable minds , and you may haue comfort by this varietie . Now the God of peace giue you peaceable minds , and turne it to your everlasting comfort . FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A03586-e100 a Lib. 4. Ann ▪ b Lib. 1. Hist. c In vita Agricolae . d Lib. a. Notes for div A03586-e290 1 2 1. Cor. 5. 12. 13. 2. Cor. 6 v 7. a Or whosoever it be that was the author of those Homilies that go vnder his name . b Knowing how the Schoolemen hold this question , some criticall wits may perhaps halfe suspect that these two words , Perse , are inmates . But if the place which they haue , be their owne , their sense can be none other then that which I haue given them by a paraphta sticall interpretation . They teach as we doe , that God doth iustifie the soul of man alone without any coeffectiue cause of iustice . Deus sine medi● coeffectiv● animam iustificat . Casal . de quadr . part . iust . lib. 1. cap. 8. Idem l. 3. c. 9. The differēce betwixt the Papists & vs about iustification . * Tho. Aquin. 1. 2. quaest . 100. Gratia gratum faciens , id est , iustificans , est in anima quiddam reale & positivii qualitas quaeda [ artic . 2 concl ] supernaturalis , non eadem cum virtute infusa , vt Magister ; sed aliquid [ art 3. ] praeter virtutes insusas , sidem , spem , charitatē ; habitudo quaeda [ artic 3. ad 3. ] quae praesupponitur in virtutibus istis , sicut earum principiū & radix , essentiam anime tanquam subiectum occupat non potentias ; sed ab ipsa [ artic . 4. ad 1. ] effluunt virtutes in potentias animae , per quas potentiae moventur ad actus . plura vid. quaest . 113. de iustificatione . a Phil. 3. v. 8. 2. Cor. 5. 21. Rom 4. 5. 1. Ioh. 3. 7. Rom. 6. Rom. 7. 19. Cap. 1. V. 4. Hob. 1. V. 2. By sanctification I mean a separation from others , not prosessing as they doe . For true holines consisteth not in professing , but in obeying the truth of Christ. Apocal. 18. 4. Math. 24 16. Gen. 19. 15. Ver. 22. Ioh. 3. 17. Rev. 2. 22. * They misinterpret , not only by making false and corrupt glosses vpon the scripture , but also by forcing the olde vulgar translation as the only authenticall : howbeit they refuse no booke which is Canonicall though they admit sundry which are not 1. Tim. 3. 16. Iohn 1. 49. Ioh 4. 42. Gal. 5. 2. * Plainely in all mens sight whose eies God hath enlightned to behold his truth . For they which are in errour are in darknes & see not that which in light is plain . In that which they teach cō cerning the natures of Christ , they hold the same which Nestorius fully , the same which Eutiches about the proprieties of his nature . a The opiniō of the Lutherans though it be no direct deniall of the foundation , may notwithstanding bee damnable vnto some : and I doe not thinke but that in many respects it is lesse damnable , as at th●● day some maintaine it , then it was in them which held it at first , as Luther and others , whom I had an eie vnto in this speech . The question is not whether our error with such and such circumstances : but simply , whether an errour overthrowing the foundation do exclude all possibilitie of salvation , if it bee recanted and expresly repented of . 2. Thess. 2. 11. Apoc , 13. v. 8. 3 4 For this is the only thing alleaged to proue the impossibilitie of their salvatiō : The church of Rome ioyneth workes with Christ , which is a deniall of the foundation , & vnlesse we hold the foūdation we cānot be saved . * They may cease to put any confidēce in works , and yet never thinke , living in Popish superstition , they did amisse , Pighius dyed popish , and yet denied Popery in the article of iustification by workes long before his death . What the foūdatiō of faith is . Vocatâ ad concionem multitudine , quae coalescere in p●pis li vnius corpus nulla re praeterquam legibus poterat , Liv. de Rom. lib. 1. a Eph. 1. 23. & 4 ▪ 15. b Ephes. 2. 20. c Eph. 2. 20. d Ioh. 6. 68. 2. Tim. 3. 15. a Act. 16. 17. b Heb. 10. 20. c Gen. 49. d Iob. 19. e Act. 4. 12. f Luk. 2. 11. g 1 , Cor. 3. a Rom. 8. 10. b Philip. 2. 15. c Col. 3 4. d 1 Pet 1. e Eph 2. 5. f 1. Ioh. 5. 12. g 1. Ioh. 5. 13. Perpetuity of faith . a Rom 6. 10. b Ioh. 14 19. c 1. Pet. 1. d 1. Ioh. 3 9. e Ephes. 1. 14. Ioh. 4. 16. Ob. Sol. a Col. 1. 23 1. Tim. 2. 15. b Ioh 10. a 1. Ioh. 3 9. * Howsoever men be changed ( for changed they may be , even the best amongst men ) if they that haue received , as it seemeth some of the Galatians which fel into error , had received , the gifts and graces of God which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as faith , hope , and charitie are , which God doth never take away from him , to whom they are given , as if it repented him to haue given them ; if such might be so far changed by errour ▪ as that the very roote of faith should bee quite extinguished in them , and so their salvation vtterly lost ▪ it would shake the hearts of the strongest and stoutest of vs all See the contrarie in Beza his observations vpon the harmonie of Confessions . * Error convicted , and afterwards maintained , is more then errour : for although opinion be the sāe it was , in which respect I still call it errour , yet they are not nowe the sāe they were whē they are taught what the truth is , & plainly taught a Act. 15 , 5. b Gal. 3. 24. 25 c V 28. d V. 31. e V. 21. a Bucer . de unit . Eccles. s●● vanda . Calv. ep . 104. * Morn . de Eccles. * Zanch praefat de relig . a 2. Thess. 2. 13. a Rom 11. ● . * I deny not but that the Church of Rome requireth some kindes of works which she ought not to require at mens hands . But our question is generall about the adding of good workes , not whether such or such workes bee good . In this comparison it is enough to touch somuch of the matter in questiō between S. Paul and the Galatians , as inferreth those cōclusions , Yee are fallen from grace ; Christ cā profit you nothing ▪ which conclusions will follow vpon circumcision and rites of the law ceremonial , if they be required as things necessarie to saluation . This only was alleaged against me , & need I touch more then was alleaged ? c Luk 11. 39. d Matth. 5. 21. a Eph. 1. 6. 2. 7 b Gal. 5. 8. c 1. Pet 2. 9. d Eph 1. 7. 1. Pet 5 3. e Esai 53. 11. f Ierem. 23. 6 g Ephes. 8. 26 Mat. 25 23. 2. Thes. 2. 14. Gal. 2. 16. Gal 5. 23. 2. Thes. 2. 15. Haec ratio Eccle stastici sacrameti & Catholicae fidei est , vt qui partem divini sacramenti negat , partem non valcat confiteri Ita enim sibi connexa & con corporata sunt omnia vt aliud sine alio stare non possit , & qui vnum ex omnibus denegaverit , alia ei omniacredidisse non profit , Cassian lib. 6 de Incarn Dom. If he obstinately stand in deniall p. 193. a Act. 26. 23. Lib. 6. de Ircar . Dom. cap. 16. Lews of Grana Meditat. c. last 3. Panigarola letti . 11. Annot in . 1. Ioh. 1. In his booke of consolatiō Workes of supererogatiō . a Let all affection be laide aside ; let the matter indifferently be considered . Iudg. 5. 23.