A Learned Discourse of Justification

*Abak. 1. 4.* The wicked does compasse about the righteous; therefore perverse iudgement does proceede.

For the better manifestation of the Prophets meaning in this place, we are first to consider the wicked, of whom he says that they compasse about the righteous: secondly, 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 fifth of the former to the Corinthians, the blessed Apostle speaketh thus: 'Do you not iudge them that are within? But God iudgeth them that are without.' There are wicked therefore whom the church may iudge, and 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 has light with darknesse. But the wicked, whom the Prophet meaneth, were Babilonians, and therefore without. For which cause we have heard at large heretofore in what sort he vrgeth God to iudge them.

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 Saint Augustine, for the honor sake which we owe to our Lord and Savior Christ, we are not willing in this cause to moue any question of his mother: yet for asmuch as the schooles of Rome have made it a question, we may answere with Eusebius Emissenus: who speaketh of her and to her in this effect; 'You did, by speciall prerogatiue, nine moneths togither intertaine within the closet of your 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 you, of your body he tooke the blood which was to be shed for the life of the world, of you he tooke that which even for you he payed.' *Apeccati enim veteris nexu, 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 have paide a ransome for all, even for her, it followeth that all without exception were captiues. If one have died for all, then all were dead in sinne: all sinfull therefore: none absolutely righteous in themselues; but we are absolutely righteous in Christ. The world then must shew 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 has revealed his fathers will; iustice, because hee has offered up him selfe a sacrifice for sinne; sanctification, because he has given vs his spirit; redemption, because he has appointed a day to vindicate his children out of the hands of corruption, into liberty, which is glorious. How Christ is made wisdome, and how redemption, it may be declared, when occasion serveth. But how Christ is made the righteousnesse of men, we are now to declare.

There is a glorifying righteousnesse of men in the world to come; as there is a iustifying and sanctifying righteousnesse here. The righteousnesse wherewith we shalbe cloathed in the world to come, is both perfect and 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, between vs and the Church of Rome, about the matter of iustifying righteousnesse.

First, although they imagine, that the mother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, were for his honor, 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, have 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 to 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 live: but he quickneth not the body without the soule in the bodie. Christ has merited to make vs iust: but as a medicine which is made for health, does 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 do we disagree? We disagree about the nature and essence of the medicine, whereby Christ cures our disease; about the manner of applying it, about the number, and the power of means, which God requires in us for the effectual applying thereof to our souls' comfort. When they are required to show what the righteousness is, whereby a Christian man is justified: they answer that it is a divine spiritual quality, which quality received into the soul, does first make it to be one of them who are born of God, and secondly indue it with power, to bring forth such works, as they do that are born of him; even as the soul of man being joined to his body, does first make him to be of the number of reasonable creatures, and secondly enable him to perform the natural functions which are proper to his kind: that it makes the soul amiable and gracious in the sight of God, in regard whereof it is termed grace; that it purges, purifies, and washes out all the stains, and pollutions of sin; that by it through the merit, we are delivered as from sin, so from eternal death and condemnation the reward of sin. This grace they will have to be applied by infusion: to the end that as the body is warm by the heat which is in the body; so the soul might be righteous by the inherent grace: which grace they make capable of increase, as the body may be more and more warm, so the soul more and more justified, according as grace shall be augmented, the augmentation whereof is merited by good works, as good works are made meritorious by it. Therefore, the first receipt of grace in their divinity, is the first justification; the increase thereof, the second justification. As grace may be increased by the merit of good works: so it may be diminished by the demerit of sins venial; it may be lost by mortal sin. Inasmuch therefore as it is needful in the one case to repair; in the other: to recover the loss which is made: the infusion of grace has her sundry after meals, for the which cause, they make many ways to apply the infusion of grace. It is applied to infants through baptism, without either faith, or works and in them really it takes away original sin, and the punishment due to it: it is applied to infidels and wicked men in the first justification, through baptism without works, yet not without faith; and it takes away both sins actual and original together, with all whatever punishment eternal or temporal thereby deserved. To such as have attained the first justification, that is to say, the first receipt of grace, it is applied further by good works to the increase of former grace, which is the second justification. If they work more and more; grace does more and more increase and they are more and more justified. To such as diminished it by venial sins, it is applied by holy water, Ave Maries, crossings, papal salutations, and such like, which serve for reparations of grace decayed. To such as have lost it through mortal sin, it is applied by the sacrament (as they term it) of Penance: which sacrament has force to confer grace anew, yet in such sort, that being so conferred it has not altogether so much power as at the first. For it only cleanses out the stain or guilt of sin committed; and changes the punishment eternal into a temporal satisfactory punishment, here, if time do serve; if not, hereafter to be endured, except it be lightened by masses, works of charity, pilgrimages, fasts, and such like; or else shortened by pardon, for term, or by plenary pardon quite removed, and taken away. This is the mystery of the man of sin. This maze the Church of Rome does cause her followers to tread when they ask her the way to justification. I cannot stand now to unrip this building, and to sift it piece by piece; only I will pass by it in few words, that that may befall Babylon in the presence of that which God has built, as happened to Dagon before the ark.

Doubtless says the Apostle I have counted all things loss, and judge them to be dung, that I may win Christ; and to be found in him not having my own righteousness, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God through faith. Whether they speak of the first, or second justification, they make it the essence of a divine quality inherent, they make it righteousness which is in us. If it be in us, then is it ours, as our souls are ours, though we have them from God, and can hold them no longer than pleases him; for if he withdraw the breath of our nostrils we fall to dust: but the righteousness wherein we must be found if we will be justified, is not our own: therefore we cannot be justified by any inherent quality. Christ has merited righteousness for as many as are found in him. In him God finds us, if we be faithful, for by faith we are incorporated into Christ. Then although in ourselves we be altogether sinful, and unrighteous, yet even the man which is impious in himself, full of iniquity, full of sin, him being found in Christ through faith, and having his sin remitted through repentance: him God upholds with a gracious eye; puts away his sin by not imputing; takes quite away the punishment due thereunto, by pardoning it; and accepts him in Jesus Christ, as perfectly righteous, as if he had fulfilled all that was commanded him in the law: shall I say more perfectly righteous, than if himself had fulfilled the whole law? I must take heed what I say; but the Apostle says God made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Such we are in the sight of God the Father, as is the very Son of God himself. Let it be counted folly, or frenzy, or fury whatever; it is our comfort, and our wisdom; we care for no knowledge in the world but this: that man has sinned and God has suffered; that God has made himself the Son of man, and that men are made the righteousness of God. You see therefore that the Church of Rome in teaching justification by inherent grace, does pervert the truth of Christ, and that by the hands of the Apostles we have received otherwise than she teaches. Now concerning the righteousness of sanctification, we deny it not to be inherent; we grant that unless we work, we have it not: only we distinguish it a thing different in nature from the righteousness of justification: we are righteous the one way by the faith of Abraham; the other way, except we do the works of Abraham, we are not righteous. Of the one, Saint Paul; To him that works not but believes, faith is counted for righteousness. Of the other Saint John. Qui facit iustitiam iustus est: He is righteous which works righteousness. Of the one, Saint Paul does prove by Abraham's example, that we have it of faith without works. Of the other, Saint James, by Abraham's example, that by works we have it, and not only by faith. Saint Paul does plainly sever these two parts of Christian righteousness one from the other. For in the 6th chapter of Romans (Romans 6) thus he writes, Being freed from sin, and made servants to God; you have your fruit in holiness, and the end everlasting life. You are made free from sin, and made servants to God: this is the righteousness of justification: you have your fruit in holiness; this is the righteousness of sanctification. By the one we are interested in the right of inheriting; by the other we are brought to the actual possession of eternal bliss, and so the end of both is everlasting life.

7 The Prophet Abak. does 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 does 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 have measure in the fruite of holinesse, and a right to the titles, wherewith God in token of speciall favor and mercy, vouchsafeth to honor his chosen servants. So we see the Apostles of our Savior 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, says 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 have our fruit in holinesse▪ notwithstanding wee must note, that the more we abound therein, the more neede wee have to craue that we may be strengthned and supported. Our very vertues may be snares to vs. The enimie that waiteth for all occasions to worke our ruine, has foūd it harder, to overthrow an humble sinner, then a proud Saint. There is no mans case so dangerous, as his whom Sathan has 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, does 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 have 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 to God, then when we pray; yet when we pray, how are our affections many times distracted? How little reverence do we shew to the grand maiestie of God to 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 upon 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 to vs, not as to 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 has done one action which has 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, have somewhat in them to be pardoned. How then can wee doe any thing meritorious, or worthy to be rewarded? Indeed God does liberally promise whatever appertained to a blessed life, to as many as sincerely keepe his lawe, though he be not exactly able to keepe it. Therefore 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 have 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 your 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 does 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 have 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 does not only complaine; Lorde how commeth it to passe, that you handlest vs so hardly; of whom your name is called; and bearest with the heathen nations that dispise you? No he breaketh out through extremity of griefe, and inferreth violently; This procesding is perverse: the righteous are thus handled; therefore perverse iudgement does 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 you unprofitable, that I follow their example, for the like occasion to theirs being offered me. When we had last the Epistle of Saint Paule to the Hebrewes in hand, and of that Epistle these words; In these last daies he has spoken to us by his Sonne: After we had from there collected the nature of the visible Church of Christ; & had defined it to be a community of men sanctified through the profession of the truth which God has 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, does bereaue men of comfort both in their liues and in their deathes: the conclusion in the end, whereunto we came was this; the church of Rome being in faith so corrupted as shee is, and refusing to be reformed as shee does, we are to sever our selues from her. The example of our fathers may not retaine us in communion with that church; under 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 have 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 us thinke, they might. We are then to examine: first, what possibility; then, what probability there is, that God might be mercifull to 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 has spoken by his angell from heaven, to 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 whereunto, first, I doe not take the words to bee meant only of temporall plagues, of the corporal death, sorrow, famine, & fire, whereunto God in his wrath has condemned Babilon; and that to saue his chosen people from these plagues, he says, Go out, with like intent, as in the Gospel, speaking of Hierusalems desolations, he says, Let them that are in Iudaea fly to the mountaines, and them that are in the midst thereof depart out; or, as in the former times to Lot, Arise take your wife, & your daughters which are there, lest you 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 up the ghost?

11 First for the plagues being threatned to them 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 from there, must bee severed from this question. He which says, 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 have no power in the world to avoid, such impieties, as by the law they have established, & whereunto 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 give 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 up to God as a sacrifice propitiatorie for quicke and dead; that Images are to bee worshipped; Saints to be called upon 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 repentance, is inevitable. Least any man therefore 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 heresy 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 heresy of the church of Rome, their dogmatical positions opposite to Christian truth, what one man among ten thousand, did ever understand? Of them which understand Roman 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 touches none but their Popes, and Councils; the people are clear and free from this. Of them which maintain popish heresies, not as authors, but receivers of them from others, all maintain them not as masters. In this are not the people partakers neither, but only the predicants and schoolmen. Of them which have been partakers in this sin of teaching Popish heresy, there is also a difference; for they have not all been teachers of all Popish heresies. Put a difference, says Saint Jude; have compassion upon some. Shall we lay up all in one condition? Shall we cast them all headlong? Shall we plunge them all into that infernal and everlasting flaming lake? Them that have been partakers of the errors of Babylon, together with them which are in the heresy? Them which have been the authors of heresy, with them that by terror and violence have been forced to receive it? Them who have taught it, with them whose simplicity has by sleights and conveyances of false teachers, been seduced to believe it? Them which have been partakers in one, with them which have been partakers in many? Them which in many, with them which in all?

13 Notwithstanding I grant, that, although the condemnation of them, be more tolerable than of these: yet from the man that labors at the plough, to him that sits in the Vatican; to all partakers in the sins of Babylon; to our Fathers, though they did but erroneously practice that which the guides heretically taught; to all, without exception, plagues were due. The pit is ordinarily the end, as well of the guide, as of the guided in blindness. But woe worth the hour wherein we were born, except we might promise ourselves better things; things which accompany man's salvation, even where we know, that worse, and such as accompany condemnation are due. Then must we show some way how possibly they might escape. What way is there that sinners can find to escape the judgment of God, but only by appealing to the seat of his saving mercy? Which mercy, with Origen, we do not extend to devils and damned spirits. God has mercy upon thousands, but there be thousands also which he hardens. Christ has therefore set the bounds, he has fixed the limits of his saving mercy, within the compass of these terms: God sent not his own son to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. In the third of Saint John's Gospel mercy is restrained to believers; he that believes shall not be condemned; he that believes not, is condemned already, because he believed not in the Son of God. In the 2nd of the Revelation, mercy is restrained to the penitent. For of Jezebel and her sectaries, thus he speaks; I gave her space to repent and she repented not. Behold I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit fornication with her, into a great affliction, except they repent them of their works, and I will kill her children with death. Our hope therefore of the Fathers, is, if they were not altogether faithless and impenitent.

14 They are not all faithless that are weak in assenting to the truth, or stiff in maintaining things any way opposite to the truth of Christian doctrine. But as many as hold the foundation which is precious, though they hold it but weakly, and as it were with a slender thread, although they frame many base and unsuitable things upon it, things that cannot abide the trial of the fire, yet shall they pass the fiery trial and be saved, which indeed have built themselves upon the rock 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 faithless. If many of them held it, then is therein no impediment, but many of them might be saved. Then let us see what the foundation of faith is and whether we may think, that thousands of our fathers, being in Popish superstitions, did notwithstanding hold the foundation.

15 If the foundation of faith does import the general ground, whereupon we rest, when we do believe the writings of the Evangelists, and the Apostles are the foundation of the Christian faith, Credimus quia legimus, says Saint Jerome: o that the Church of Rome did as soundly interpret these fundamental writings, whereupon we build our faith, as she does willingly hold and embrace them.

16 But if the name of foundation does note the principal thing which is believed: then is that the foundation of our faith, which Saint Paul has to Timothy; God manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, &c. That of Nathaniel, You are the son of the living God, you are the king of Israel; that of the inhabitants of Samaria; This is Christ the Savior of the world: he that directly denies this, does utterly raze the very foundation of our faith. I have proved heretofore, that although the Church of Rome has played the harlot worse than ever did Israel, yet are they not as now the Synagogue of the Jews, which plainly deny Christ Jesus, quite and clean excluded from the new covenant. But as Samaria compared with Jerusalem is termed Aholah, a Church or Tabernacle of her own; contrariwise, Jerusalem, Aholibah, the resting place of the Lord: so whatever we term the Church of Rome, when we compare her with reformed Churches, still we put a difference, as then between Babylon and Samaria, so now between Rome and the heathenish assemblies. Which opinion, I must, and will recall. I must grant, and will that the Church of Rome, together with all her children, is clean excluded. There is no difference in the world between our fathers, and Saracens, Turks, and Pagans: if they did directly deny Christ crucified for the salvation of the world.

17 But how many millions of them were known, so to have ended their mortal lives, that the drawing of their breath has ceased with the uttering of this faith, Christ my Savior, my redeemer Jesus. Answer is made that this they might unfeignedly confess, and yet be far enough from salvation. For behold, says the Apostle, I Paul say to you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. Christ in the work of man's salvation is alone: the Galatians were cast away by joining Circumcision, and the other rites of the law, with Christ: the Church of Rome does teach her children to join other things likewise with him; therefore their faith, their belief, does not profit them anything at all. It is true that they do indeed, join other things with Christ: but how? Not in the work of redemption itself, which they grant that Christ alone has performed sufficiently for the salvation of the whole world; but in the application of this inestimable treasure, that it may be effectual to their salvation: how demurely soever they confess that they seek remission of sins, no other wise then by the blood of Christ, using humbly the means appointed by him to apply the benefit of holy blood; they teach, indeed, so many things pernicious in Christian faith, in setting down the means, whereof they speak, that the very foundation of faith which they hold, is thereby plainly overthrown, and the force of the blood of Jesus Christ extinguished. We may therefore dispute with them, urge them even with as dangerous sequels as the Apostle does the Galatians. But I demand, if some of those Galatians heartily embracing the gospel of Christ, sincere and sound in faith (this one only error excepted,) had ended their lives before they were ever taught how perilous an opinion they held: shall we think that the damage of this error did so outweigh the benefit of their faith, that the mercy of God might not save them? I grant they overthrew the very foundation of faith by consequent: does not that so likewise which the Lutheran Churches do at this day so stiffly and so firmly maintain? For mine own part I dare not here deny the possibility of their salvation, which have been the chiefest instruments of ours: albeit they carried to their grave a persuasion so greatly repugnant to the truth. Forasmuch therefore as it may be said of the Church of Rome, she has yet a little strength, she does not directly deny the foundation of Christianity: I may I trust without offence persuade myself, that thousands of our fathers in former times living and dying within her walls, have found mercy at the hands of God.

18 What although they repented not of their errors? God forbid that I should open my mouth to gainsay that which Christ himself has spoken; Except you repent, you shall all perish. And if they did not repent, they perished. But withal note that we have the benefit of a double repentance, the least sin which we commit in deed, thought, or word, is death, without repentance. Yet how many things do escape us in every of these which we do not know? How many, which we do not observe to be sins? And without the knowledge, without the observation of sin, there is no actual repentance. It cannot then be chosen but that for as many as hold the foundation: and have all holden sins and errors in hatred: the blessing of repentance for unknown sins and errors, is obtained at the hands of God through the gracious mediation of Jesus Christ for such suitors as cry with the Prophet David; Purge me O Lord from my secret sins.

19 But we wash a wall of loam; we labor in vain; all this is nothing; it does not prove; it cannot justify, that which we go about to maintain. Infidels and heathen men are not so godless, but that they may no doubt, cry God mercy, and desire in general to have their sins forgiven them. To such as deny the foundation of faith there can be no salvation (according to the ordinary course which God does use in saving men) without a particular repentance of that error. The Galatians thinking that unless they were circumcised, they could not be saved, overthrew the foundations of faith directly: therefore if any of them did die so persuaded, whether before or after they told of their error, their end is dreadful; there is no way with them but one, death and condemnation. For the Apostle speaks nothing of men departed, but says generally of all, If you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. You are abolished from Christ whoever are justified by the law; you are fallen from grace (Galatians 5). Of them in the Church of Rome, the reason is the same. For whom Antichrist has seduced, concerning them did not Saint Paul speak long before, that they received not the word of truth, they might not be saved? Therefore God would send them strong delusions to believe lies, that all they might be damned which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. And Saint John, All that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life (Revelation 13). Indeed many in former times, as their books and writings do yet show, held the foundation, to wit salvation by Christ alone, and therefore might be saved. God has always had a church among them which firmly kept his saving truth. As for such as hold with the church of Rome, that we cannot be saved by Christ alone without works: they do not only by a circle of consequence, but directly deny the foundation of faith; they hold it not, no not so much as by a thread.

20 This to my remembrance, being all that has been opposed with any countenance or show of reason, I hope if this be answered, the cause in question is at an end. Concerning general repentance therefore, what? A murderer, a blasphemer, an unclean person, a Turk, a Jew, any sinner to escape the wrath of God, by a general repentance; God forgive me? Truly it never came within mine heart that a general repentance does serve for all sins: it serves only for the common oversights of our sinful life, and for the faults which either we do not mark, or do not know that they are faults. Our fathers were actually penitent for sins, wherein they knew they displeased God, or else they fall not within the compass of my first speech. Again, that otherwise they could not be saved, then holding the foundation of Christian faith, we have not only affirmed, but proved. Why is it not then confessed that thousands of our fathers which lived in Popish superstitions, might yet by the mercy of God be saved? First, if they had directly denied the very foundations of Christianity, without repenting them particularly of that sin: he which says there could be no salvation for them according to the ordinary course which God does use in saving men, grants plainly, or at the least closely insinuates, that an extraordinary privilege of mercy might deliver their souls from hell; which is more than I required. Secondly, if the foundation be denied, it is denied for fear of some heresy, which the church of Rome maintains. But how many were there among our fathers, who being seduced by the common error of that Church, never knew the meaning of her heresies? So that although all popish heretics did perish: thousands of them which lived in popish superstitions, might be 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 leaven, live and die unsoured with this, and so be saved? Fourthly, if they all held this heresy, many there were that held it, no doubt, but only in a general form of words, which a favorable interpretation might expound in a sense differing far enough from the poisoned conceit of heresy. As for example, did they hold that we cannot be saved with Christ without good works? We ourselves do I think all 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 upon the point of their conversion: of the rest none shall see God, but such as seek peace and holiness, though not a cause of their salvation, yet as a way which they must walk, which will be saved. Did they that hold without works that we are not justified, take justification so as it may also imply sanctification? And Saint James does say as much. For except there be an ambiguity in the same term, Saint Paul and Saint James do contradict each the other, which can not be. Now there is no ambiguity in the name either of faith, or of works, being meant by them both in one and the same sense. Finding therefore that justification is spoken of by Saint Paul without implying sanctification, when he proves that a man is justified by faith without works; finding likewise that justification does some time imply sanctification also with it: I suppose nothing to be more sound, than so to interpret Saint James, speaking not in that sense, but in this.

21 We have already showed that there be two kinds of Christian righteousness: the one without us, which we have by imputation; the other in us, which consists of faith, hope, and charity, and other Christian virtues. And Saint James does prove that Abraham had not only the one, because the thing believed was imputed to him for righteousness: but also the other, because he offered up his son. God gives us both the one justice and the other: the one, by accepting us for righteous in Christ; the other, by working Christian righteousness in us. The proper and most immediate efficient cause in us of this later, is the spirit of adoption we have received into our hearts. That whereof it consists, whereof it is really and formally made, are those infused virtues proper and particular to Saints, which the spirit in the very moment when first it is given of God, brings with it: the effects whereof are such actions as the Apostle does call the fruits of works, the operations of the spirit. The difference of the which operations from the root whereof they spring, makes it needful to put two kinds likewise of sanctifying righteousness; Habitual, and Actual. Habitual, that holiness wherewith our souls are inwardly endued, the same instant, when first we begin to be the temples of the Holy Ghost: Actual, that holiness which afterwards beautifies all the parts and actions of our life; the holiness for the which Enoch, Job, Zacharie, Elizabeth, and other Saints are in the Scriptures so highly commended. If here it be demanded which of these we do first receive; I answer that the spirit, the virtues of the spirit, the habitual justice which is ingrafted, the external justice of Jesus Christ, which is imputed: these we receive all at one and the same time; whenever we have any of these, we have all; they go together. Yet since no man is justified except he believe, and no man believes except he have faith, and no man except he have received the spirit of adoption, has faith, for as much as they do necessarily infer justification, and justification does of necessity presuppose them: we must needs hold that imputed righteousness, in dignity being the chiefest, is notwithstanding in order the last of all these: but actual righteousness, which is the righteousness of good works, succeeds all, follows after all, both in order and time. Which being attentively marked, shows plainly how the faith of true believers cannot be divorced from hope and love; how faith is a part of sanctification, and yet to justification necessary; how faith is perfected by good works, and no work of ours without faith; finally, how our fathers might hold that we are justified by faith alone, and yet hold truly, that without works we are not justified. Did they think that men do merit rewards in heaven, by the works they perform on earth? The ancient use meriting for obtaining, and in that sense they of Wittenberg have it in their confession; We teach that good works commanded of God, are necessarily to be done, and by the free kindness of God they merit their certain 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 as much as their meaning is doubtful, and charity does always interpret doubtful things favorably: what should induce us to think that rather the damage of the worst construction did light upon them all, than that the blessing of the better was granted to thousands? Fifthly, if in the worst construction that may be made, they had generally all embraced it living, might not many of them dying utterly renounce it? However men when they sit at ease do vainly tickle their hearts with the wanton conceit of I know not what proportionable correspondence between their merits and their rewards, which in the trance of their high speculations they dream that God has measured, weighed, and laid up, as it were, in bundles for them: notwithstanding we see by daily experience, in a number even of them, that when the hour of death approaches, when they secretly hear themselves summoned forthwith to appear, and stand at the bar of that Judge, whose brightness causes the eyes of the Angels themselves to dazzle, all these idle imaginations do then begin to hide their faces, to name merits is then to lay their souls upon the rack, the memory of their own deeds is loathsome to them, they forsake all things wherein they have put any trust or confidence, no staff to lean upon, no ease, no rest, no comfort then, but only in Jesus Christ.

22 Therefore if this proposition were true; To hold in such wise, as the Church of Rome does, that we cannot be saved by Christ alone without works, is directly to deny the foundation of faith; I say that if this proposition were true: nevertheless so many ways I have showed, whereby we may hope that thousands 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 foundation, as it is affirmed that both are? I need not wade so far as to discuss this controversy, the matter which first was brought into question being so clear as I hope it is. Howbeit, because I desire that the truth even in that also should receive light, I will do my endeavor to set down somewhat more plainly: first, the foundation of faith, what it is; secondly, what it is directly to deny the foundation; thirdly, whether they whom God has chosen to be heirs of life, may fall so far as directly to deny it; fourthly, whether the Galatians did so by admitting the error 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 thereupon to be no more a Christian church than are the assemblies of Turks and Jews.

23 This word foundation being figuratively used has always reference to somewhat which resembles a material building, as both that doctrine of laws and the community of Christians do. By the masters of civil policy nothing is so much inculcated, as that commonweales are founded upon laws; for that a multitude cannot be compacted into one body otherwise than by a common acception of laws, whereby they are to be kept in order. The ground of all civil laws is this; No man ought to be hurt or injured by another. Take away the persuasion, and you take away all the laws; take away laws and what shall become of commonweales? So it is in our spiritual christian community: I do not mean that body mystical, whereof Christ is only the head; that building undiscernable by mortal eyes, wherein Christ is the chief corner stone: but I speak of the visible church, the foundation whereof is the doctrine which the Prophets and Apostles professed. The mark whereunto their doctrine tends, is pointed at in these words of Peter to Christ, You have the words of eternal life; in these words of Paul to Timothy, The holy Scriptures are able to make you wise to salvation. It is the demand of nature herself, what shall we do to have eternal life? The desire of immortality and of the knowledge of that whereby it may be obtained, is so natural to all men, that even they who are not persuaded that they shall, do notwithstanding wish that they might know a way how to see no end of life. And, because natural means are not able still to resist the force of death: there is no people in the earth so savage which has not devised some supernatural help or other to fly for aid and succor in extremities against the enemies of their laws. A longing therefore to be saved, without understanding the true way how, has been the cause of all the superstitions in the world. O that the miserable state of others which wander in darkness, and know not whither they go, could give us understanding hearts, worthily to esteem the riches of the mercy of God towards us, before whose eyes the doors of the kingdom of heaven are set wide open: should we offer violence to it? It offers violence to us, and we gather strength to withstand it. But I am besides my purpose when I fall to bewail the cold affection which we bear towards that whereby we should be saved; my purpose being only to set down what the ground of salvation is. The doctrine of the gospel proposes salvation as the end, and does it not teach the way of attaining thereunto? Yet the damsel possessed with a spirit of divination, spoke the truth; These men are the servants of the most high God, which show to us the way of salvation; a new and living way which Christ has prepared for us, through the veil 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 sons of men; the reverend Patriarchs both possessed it living, and spoke expressly of it at the hour of their death. It comforted Job in the midst of grief; it was afterwards the anchor hold of all the righteous in Israel, from the writing of the law, to the time of grace. Every Prophet makes mention of it. It was famously spoken of about the time, when the coming of Christ to accomplish the promises, which were made long before it, drew near, that the sound thereof was heard even among the Gentiles. 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 ruin, a name of death and condemnation, to such as dream of a new Messiah, to as many as look for salvation by any other than by him. For among men there is given no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved. Thus much Saint Mark does intimate by that which he does put in the front of his book, making his entrance with these words; The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the son of God. His doctrine he terms the Gospel, because it teaches salvation; the Gospel of Jesus Christ the son of God, because it teaches salvation by him. This is then the foundation whereupon the frame of the Gospel is erected; that very Jesus whom the Virgin conceived of the holy Ghost, whom Simeon embraced in his arms, whom Pilate condemned, whom the Jews crucified, whom the Apostles preached, he is Christ, the Lord, the only Savior of the world: Other foundation can no man lay. Thus I have briefly opened that principle in Christianity, which we call the foundation of our faith. It follows now, that I declare to you what is directly to overthrow it. This will be better opened, if we understand what it is to hold the foundation of faith.

24 There are which defend that many of the Gentiles who never heard the name of Christ, held the foundation of Christianity, and why? They acknowledged many of them, the providence of God; his infinite wisdom, strength, power; his goodness, and his mercy towards the children of men; that God has judgment in store for the wicked, but for the righteous which serve him, rewards, etc. In this which they confessed, that lies covered which we believe; in the rudiments of their knowledge concerning God, the foundation of our faith concerning Christ, lies secretly wrapped up, and is virtually contained: therefore they held the foundation of faith, though they never had it. Might we not with as good a color of reason defend, that every ploughman has all the sciences wherein Philosophers have excelled? For no man is ignorant of their first principles, which do virtually contain whatever by natural means, is or can be known. Yes, might we not with as great reason affirm, that a man may put three mighty oaks wherever three acorns may be put? For virtually an acorn is an oak. To avoid such paradoxes, we teach plainly that to hold the foundation, is in express terms, to acknowledge it.

25 Now, because the foundation is an affirmative proposition: they all overthrow 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 whatever, whereupon the direct denial thereof, may be necessarily concluded. What is the question between the Gentiles and us, but this, whether salvation be by Christ? What between the Jews and us, but this, Whether by this Jesus, whom we call Christ, yes or no? This to be the main point whereupon Christianity stands, it is clear by that one sentence of Festus concerning Paul's accusers, They brought no crime of such things as I supposed, but had certain questions against him of their superstition, and of one Jesus which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. Where we see that Jesus, dead and raised for the salvation of the world, is by Jews denied, despised by a Gentile, by a Christian Apostle maintained. The Fathers therefore in the Primitive Church, when they wrote; Tertullian, the book which he calls Apologeticus; Minucius Foelix, the book which he entitles Octavius; Arnobius, the seven books against the Gentiles; Chrysostome his Orations against the Jews; Eusebius, his ten books of Evangelical demonstration: they stand in defence of Christianity against them, by whom the foundation thereof was directly denied. But the writings of the Fathers against Novatians, Pelagians, and other heretics of the like note, refell positions, whereby the foundation of Christian faith, was overthrown by consequent only. In the former sort of writings, the foundation is proved; in the later, it is alleged as a proof, which to men that had been known directly to deny, must needs have seemed a very beggarly kind of disputing. All Infidels therefore deny the foundation of faith directly; by consequent, many a Christian man, yes whole Christian Churches have denied it, and do 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 condemn them as erroneous, although for holding the foundation, we do, 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 whom God has chosen to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, may, once effectually called, and through faith justified truly, afterwards fall so far, as directly to deny the foundation, which their hearts have before embraced with joy and comfort in the holy Ghost: for such is the faith which indeed does justify. Devils know the same things which we believe, and the minds of the most ungodly may be fully persuaded of the truth: which knowledge in the one and in the other is sometimes termed faith, but equivocally, being indeed no such faith as that whereby a Christian man is justified. It is the spirit of adoption which works faith in us, in them not: the things which we believe, are by us apprehended, not only as true, but also as good, and that to us: as good, they are not by them apprehended; as true, they are. Whereupon follows the third difference; the Christian man the more he increases in faith, the more his joy, and comfort abounds: but they, the more sure they are of the truth, the more they quake and tremble at it. This begets another effect, where the hearts of the one sort have a different disposition from the other. Non ignoro plerosque conscientia meritorum, nihil se esse per mortem magis optare, quàm credere. Malunt enim extingui penitus quam ad supplicia reparari. I am not ignorant, says Minutius, that there be many, who being conscious what they are to look for, do rather wish that they might, then think that they shall, cease, when they cease to live: because they hold it better that death should consume them to nothing, then God receive them into punishment. So it is in other articles of faith, whereof wicked men think, no doubt, many times they are too true: on the contrary side, to the other, there is no grief or torment greater, than to feel their persuasion weak in things, whereof when they are persuaded, they reap such comfort and joy of spirit: such is the faith whereby we are justified; such, I mean, in respect of the quality. For touching the principal object of faith, longer than it holds the foundation whereof we have spoken, it neither justifies, nor is, but ceases to be faith, when it ceases to believe that Jesus Christ is the only Savior of the world. The cause of life spiritual in us is Christ, not carnally or corporally inhabiting, but dwelling in the soul of man, as a thing which (when the mind apprehends it) is said to inhabit or possess the mind. The mind conceives Christ by hearing the doctrine of Christianity, as the light of nature does the mind to apprehend those truths which are merely rational, so that saving truth which is far above the reach of human reason, cannot otherwise than by the spirit of the Almighty be conceived. All these are implied wherever any of them is mentioned as the cause of the spiritual life. Therefore if we have read that the Spirit is our life; or, the word our life; or, Christ our life: we are in every of these to understand, that our life is Christ, by the hearing of the gospel apprehended as a Savior, and assented to through the power of the holy Ghost. The first intellectual concept and comprehension of Christ so embraced, Saint Peter calls the seed whereof we be new born: our first embracing of Christ is our first reviving from the state of death and condemnation. He that has the Son has life, says Saint John, and he that has not the Son of God has not life. If therefore he which once has the Son may cease to have the Son, though it be for a moment, he ceases for that moment to have life. But the life of them which have the Son of God is everlasting in the world to come. But because as Christ being raised from the dead, dies no more, death has no more power over him: so the justified man being allied to God in Jesus Christ our Lord, does as necessarily from that time forward always live, as Christ by whom he has life, lives always. I might, if I had not other where largely done it already, show by many and sundry manifest and clear proofs, how the motions and operations of life, are sometimes so indiscernible and so secret, that they seem stone dead, who notwithstanding are still alive to God in Christ. For as long as that abides in us, which animates, quickens, and gives life, so long we live, and we know that the cause of our faith abides in us for ever. If Christ the fountain of life, may flit, and leave the habitation where once he dwells: what shall become of his promise, I am with you to the world's end? If the seed of God which contains Christ, may be first conceived and then cast out, how does Saint Peter term it immortal? How does Saint John affirm, it abides? If the spirit which is given to cherish, and preserve the seed of life, may be given and taken away: how is it the earnest of our inheritance until redemption; how does it continue with us for ever? If therefore the man which is once just by faith, shall live by faith, and live for ever: it follows, that he which once does believe the foundation, must needs believe the foundation for ever. If he believe it for ever, how can he ever directly deny it? Faith holds the direct affirmation; the direct negation, so long as faith continues, is excluded. But you will say, that as he that is today holy, may tomorrow forsake his holiness, and become impure; as a friend may change his mind, and be made an enemy; as hope may wither: so faith may die in the heart of man, the spirit may be quenched, grace may be extinguished, they which believe may be quite turned away from the truth. The cause is clear, long experience has made this manifest: it needs no proof. I grant we are apt, prone, and ready to forsake God: but is God ready to forsake us? Our minds are changeable: is his so likewise? Whom God has justified, has not Christ assured that it is his Father's will to give them a kingdom? Notwithstanding it shall not be otherwise given them, than if they continue grounded and established in the faith, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel; if they abide in love and holiness. Our Savior therefore, when he spoke of the sheep effectually called, and truly gathered into his fold; I give to them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hands; in promising to save them, he promised, no doubt, to preserve them in that without which there can be no salvation as also from that whereby it is irrecoverably lost. Every error in things appertaining to God, is repugnant to faith every fearful cogitation to hope; to love, every straying inordinate desire; to holiness, every blemish, wherewith either the inward thoughts of our minds, or the outward actions of our lives are stained. But heresy, such as that of Ebion, Cerinthus, and others, against whom the Apostles were forced to bend themselves both by word and also by writing; that repining discouragement of heart, which tempts God, whereof we have Israel in the desert for a pattern: coldness; such as that in the Angels of Ephesus; foul sins, known to be expressly against the first, or second Table of the Law, such as Noah, Manasses, David, Solomon, and Peter committed; these are each in their kind so opposite to the former virtues, that they leave no place for salvation without an actual repentance. But infidelity, extreme despair, hatred of God and all goodness, obduration in sin, cannot stand where there is but the least spark of faith, hope, love, and sanctity: even as cold in the lowest degree, cannot be where heat in the highest degree is found. Whereupon I conclude, that, although in the first kind, no man lives which sins not; and, in the second, as perfect as any do live; may sin: yet since the man which is born of God, has a promise that in him the seed of God shall abide, which seed is a sure preservative against the sins that are of the third sort: greater and clearer assurance we cannot have of any thing, than of this, that from such sins God shall preserve the righteous as the apple of his eye for ever. Directly to deny the foundation of faith is plain infidelity; where faith is entered, there infidelity is for ever excluded; therefore by him which has once sincerely believed in Christ, the foundation of Christian faith can never be directly denied. Did not Peter? Did not Marcellinus? Did not others both directly deny Christ after that they had believed, and again believe after they had denied? No doubt, as they confess in words, whose condemnation is nevertheless their not believing (for example we have Judas:) so likewise they may believe in heart, whose condemnation, without repentance, is their not confessing. Although therefore Peter and the rest, for whose faith Christ has prayed, that it might not fail, did not by denial sin the sin of infidelity, which is an inward abnegation of Christ (but if they had done this, their faith had clearly failed:) yet because they sinned notoriously and grievously committing that which they knew to be expressly forbidden by the law, which says, You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve; necessary it was that he which purposed to save their souls, should, as he did, touch their hearts with true unfeigned repentance, that his mercy might restore them again to life, whom sin had made the children of death and condemnation. Touching this point therefore, I hope I may safely set down, that if the justified err, as he may, and never come to understand his error, God does save him through general repentance; but if he fall into heresy, he calls him at one time or other by actual repentance: but from infidelity, which is an inward direct denial of the foundation, he preserves him by special providence for ever. Whereby we may easily know what to think of those Galatians, whose hearts were so possessed with the love of the truth, that if it had been possible, they would have plucked out their eyes to bestow upon their teachers. It is true that they were greatly changed both in persuasion and affection: so that the Galatians when Saint Paul wrote to them; were not now the Galatians, which they had been in former time, for that through error they wandered, although they were his sheep. I do not deny, but that I should deny that they were his sheep, if I should grant that through error they perished. It was a perilous opinion that they held; perilous, even in them which held it only as an error, because it overthrows the foundation by consequent. But in them which obstinately maintain it, I cannot think it less than a damnable heresy. We must therefore put a difference between them, which err of ignorance, retaining nevertheless a mind desirous to be instructed in truth, and them, which, after the truth is laid open, persist in the stubborn defence of their blindness, heretical defenders, froward and stiffnecked teachers of circumcision the blessed Apostle calls dogs: silly men, who were seduced to think they thought the truth, he pities, he takes up in his arms, he lovingly embraces, he kisses, and with more than fatherly tenderness does so temper, qualify, and correct the speech he uses toward them, that a man cannot easily discern whether did most abound, the love which he bore to their godly affection, or the grief which the danger of their opinion bred them. Their opinion was dangerous: was not theirs also, who thought the kingdom of Christ should be earthly? Was not theirs which thought the Gospel only should be preached to the Jews? What more opposite to prophetical doctrine concerning the coming of Christ, than the one? Concerning the Catholic Church, than the other? Yet they which had their fancies, even when they had them were not the worst men in the world. The heresy of free-will was a millstone about the Pelagians' neck; shall we there give sentence of death inevitable against all those Fathers in the Greek Church, which being mispersuaded, died in the error of free-will? Of these Galatians therefore which first were justified and then deceived, as I can see no cause why as many as died before admonition might not by mercy be received, even in error: so I make no doubt, but as many as lived till they were admonished, found the mercy of God effectual in converting them from their error, lest any one that is Christ's, should perish. Of this I take it, there is no controversy; only against the salvation of them which died, though before admonition, yet in error, it is objected that their opinion was a very plain direct denial of the foundation. If Paul and Barnabas had been persuaded, they would happily have used the terms otherwise speaking of the masters themselves who did first set that error abroach, certain of the sects of the Pharisees which believed. What difference was there between 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 circumcision were Christians; the other, enemies of Christianity? Why then should these be termed so distinctly believers, if they did directly deny the foundation of our belief, besides which there was no other thing that made the rest to be no believers? We need go no further than Saint Paul's very reasoning against them, for proof of this matter: seeing you know God, or rather are known of God, how turn you again to impotent rudiments? The law engenders servants, her children are in bondage; they which are gotten by the Gospel are free. Brethren we are not children of the servant, but of the free woman, and will you not be under the law? That they thought it to salvation necessary, for the Church of Christ, to observe days, and months, and times, and years, to keep the ceremonies and sacraments of the law, this was their error. Yet he which condemns their error, confesses, that notwithstanding, they knew God, and were known of him; he takes not the honor from them to be termed sons begotten of the immortal seed of the Gospel. Let the heaviest words which he uses, be weighed; consider the drift of those dreadful conclusions: If you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing; as many as are justified by the law, are fallen from grace. It had been to no purpose in the world, so to urge them: had not the Apostle been persuaded, that at the hearing of such sequels, No benefit by Christ, A defection from grace, their hearts would tremble and quake within them: and why? Because that they knew, that in Christ, and in grace, their salvation lay; which is a plain direct acknowledgement of the foundation. Least I should herein seem to hold, that which no one learned, or godly has done: let these words be considered, which import as much as I affirm. Surely those brethren, which in Saint Paul's time, thought that God did lay a necessity upon them to make choice of days, and meats; spoke as they believed, and could not but in words condemn the liberty which they supposed to be brought in against the authority of divine Scripture. Otherwise it had been needless for Saint Paul to admonish them not to condemn such as eat without scrupulosity, whatever was set before them. This error if you weigh what it is of itself, 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 drew with it the denial of Christ utterly: in so much that Saint Paul complains, that his labor was lost upon the Galatians, to whom this error was obtruded, affirming that Christ, if so be they were circumcised, should not profit them any thing at all. Yet so far was Saint Paul from striking their names out of Christ's book, that he commands others to entertain them, to accept them with singular humanity, to use them like brethren; he knew man's imbecility; he had a feeling of our blindness which are mortal men how great it is, and being sure that they are the sons of God, whoever be endued with his fear, would have them counted enemies of that whereto they could not as yet frame themselves to be friends, but did ever upon a very religious affection to the truth, willingly reject the truth. They acknowledged Christ to be their only, and perfect Savior, but saw not how repugnant their believing the necessity of Mosaical ceremonies was to their faith in Jesus Christ. Hereto a reply is made, that if they had not directly denied the foundation, they might have been saved; but saved they could not be, therefore their opinion was not only by consequent, but directly a denial of the foundation. When the question was about the possibility of their salvation, their denying of the foundation was brought to prove that they could not be saved; now that the question is about their denial of the foundation, the impossibility of their salvation, is alleged to prove, they denied the foundation. Is there nothing which excludes men from salvation, but only the foundation of faith denied? I should have thought, that besides this, many other things are death to as many as be given to understand, that to cleave thereto, was to fall from Christ, did notwithstanding cleave to it. But of this enough. Therefore I come to the last question, whether that the doctrine of the Church of Rome, concerning the necessity of works to salvation, be a direct denial of our faith.

27 I seek not to obtrude to you any private opinion of mine own; the best learned in our profession are of this judgment, that all the corruptions of the Church of Rome, do not prove her to deny the foundation directly; if they did, they should grant her simply to be no Christian Church. But I suppose, says one, that in the Papacy some Church remains, a Church crased, or, if you will, broken quite in pieces, forlorn, misshapen, yet some Church: his reason is this, Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God. Least any man should think such sentences as these to be true, only in regard of them, whom that Church is supposed to have kept by the special providence of God, as it were in the secret corners of his bosom, free from infection, and as sound in the faith, as we trust, by his mercy, we ourselves are: I permit it to your wise considerations, whether it be more likely, that as frenzy, though it itself take away the use of reason, does notwithstanding prove them reasonable creatures which have it, because none can be frantic but they: so Antichristianity being the bane, and plain overthrow of Christianity, may nevertheless argue the Church wherein Antichrist sits, to be Christian. Neither have I ever, hitherto heard or read any one word alleged of force to warrant, that God does otherwise, than so as in the two next questions before has been declared, bind himself to keep his elect from worshipping the Beast, and from receiving his mark in their foreheads: but he has preserved and will preserve them from receiving any deadly wound at the hands of the man of sin, whose deceit has prevailed over none to death, but only to such as never loved the truth, such as took a pleasure in unrighteousness: they in all ages, whose hearts have delighted in the principal truth, and whose souls have thirsted after righteousness, if they received the mark of error, the mercy of God, even erring and dangerously erring, might save them; if they received the mark of heresy, the same mercy did, I doubt not, convert them. How far Romish heresies may prevail over God's elect, how many God has kept falling into them, how many have been converted from them, is not the question now in hand: for if heaven had not received any one of that coat for these thousand years, it may still be true that the doctrine which this day they do profess, does not directly deny the foundation, and so prove them simply to be no Christian Church. One I have alleged, whose words, in my ears, sound that way: shall I add another, whose speech is plain? I deny her not the name of a Church, says another, no more than to a man, the name of a man, as long as he lives, what sickness soever he has. His reason is this; salvation in Jesus Christ, which is the mark which joins the head with the body, Jesus Christ with the Church, is so cut off by many merits, by the merits of Saints, by the Pope's pardons, and such other wickedness, that the life of the Church holds by a very thread, yet still the life of the Church holds. A third has these words, I acknowledge the Church of Rome, even at this present day for a Church of Christ, such a Church as Israel did Jeroboam, yet a Church. His reason is this; every man sees except he willingly hoodwink himself, that as always, so now, the Church of Rome holds firmly and steadfastly the doctrine of truth concerning Christ, and baptizes in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, confesses and avouches Christ for the only redeemer of the world, and the judge that shall sit upon quick and dead, receiving true believers into endless joy, faithless and godless men being cast with Satan and his angels into flames unquenchable.

28 I may and will rein the question shorter than they do. Let the Pope take down his top, and captivate no more men's souls by his Papal jurisdiction; let him no longer count himself 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, and cease to dye their garment like Edom, in blood; let them from the highest to the lowest, hate and forsake their idolatry, abjure all their errors and heresies wherewith they have any way perverted the truth; let them strip their Churches till they leave no polluted rag, but only this one about her, By Christ alone without works we cannot be saved: it is enough for me if I show, that the holding of this one thing does not prove the foundation of faith directly denied in the Church of Rome.

29 Works are an addition: be it so: what then? The foundation is not subverted by every kind of addition. Simply to add to those fundamental 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 way of our salvation wholly are peculiar to Christ, and [illegible] open my mouth to speak in their defense, if I hold my peace and plead not against them as long as breath is within my body, let me be guilty of all the dishonor that ever has been done to the Son of God. But a dreadful thing it is to deny salvation by Christ alone; the more slow and fearful I am, except it be too manifest, to lay a thing so grievous to any man's charge. Let us beware, lest if we make too many ways of denying Christ, we scarce leave any way for ourselves truly and soundly to confess him. Salvation only by Christ is the true foundation whereupon indeed Christianity stands. But what if I say you cannot be saved only by Christ, without this addition, Christ believed in heart, confessed with mouth, obeyed in life and conversation? Because I add, do I therefore deny that which I did directly affirm? There may be an additament of explication, which overthrows not, but proves and concludes the proposition whereunto it is annexed. He which says, Peter was a chief Apostle, does prove that Peter was an Apostle; he which says, Our salvation is of the Lord, through sanctification of the spirit and faith of the truth, proves that our salvation is of the Lord. But if that which is added be such a privation as takes away the very essence of that whereunto it is added, then by the sequel it overthrows. He which says Judas is a dead man, though in word he grants Judas to be a man, yet in effect he proves him by that very speech no man; because death deprives him of being. In like sort, he that should say, our election is of grace for our works' sake, should grant in sound of words, but indeed by consequent deny that our election is of grace; for the grace which elects us, is no grace, if it elects us for our sake.

30 Now whereas the Church of Rome adds works, we must note further that the adding of works is not like the adding of circumcision to Christ. Christ came not to abrogate and put away good works: he did, to change circumcision; for we see that in place thereof, he has substituted holy baptism. To say, you cannot be saved by Christ, except you be circumcised, is to add a thing excluded, a thing not only not necessary to be kept, but necessary not to be kept by them that will be saved. On the other side, to say, you cannot be saved by Christ without works, is to add things, not only not excluded, but commanded, as being in their place and in their kind necessary, and therefore subordinated to Christ, by Christ himself, by whom the web of salvation is spun; except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. They were rigorous of things not utterly to be neglected, and left undone washings and tithings, &c. As they were in these, so must we be in judgment, and the love of God. Christ in works ceremonial, gives more liberty; in moral much less, than they did. Works of righteousness therefore are not so repugnantly added in the one proposition, as in the other, circumcision is.

31 But we say our salvation is by Christ alone, therefore however, or whatever we add to Christ in the matter of salvation, we overthrow Christ. Our case were very hard, if this argument so universally meant, as it is proposed, were sound and good. We ourselves do not teach Christ alone, excluding our own faith, to justification; Christ alone, excluding our own works, to sanctification; Christ alone, excluding the one or the other unnecessary to salvation. It is a childish cavil wherewith in the matter of justification our adversaries do so greatly please themselves, exclaiming that we tread all Christian virtues under our feet, and require nothing in Christians but faith, because we teach that faith alone justifies: whereas by this speech we never meant to exclude either hope, or charity from being always joined as inseparable mates with faith in the man that is justified; or works from being added as necessary duties required at the hands of every justified man: but to show that faith is the only hand, which puts on Christ to justification; and Christ, the only garment, which being so put on, covers the shame of our defiled natures, hides the imperfections of our works, preserves us blameless in the sight of God, before whom otherwise, the weakness of our faith were cause sufficient to make us culpable, yes, to shut us from the kingdom of heaven, where nothing that is not absolute, can enter. That our dealing with them be not as childish as theirs with us, when we hear of salvation by Christ alone, considering that [alone] as an exclusive particle, we are to note what it does exclude, and where. If I say, such a judge only, ought to determine such a case, all things incident to the determination thereof, besides the person of the judge, as laws, dispositions, evidences, etc. are not hereby excluded; persons are not excluded from witnessing herein, or assisting, but only from determining and giving sentence. How then is our salvation wrought by Christ alone? It is not our meaning that nothing is requisite to man's salvation but Christ to save, and he to be saved quietly without any more ado. As we have received, so we teach, that besides the bare and naked work, wherein Christ without any other associate finished all the parts of our redemption, and purchased salvation himself alone, for conveyance of this eminent blessing to us, many things are of necessity required: as to be known and chosen of God before the foundation of the world; in the world to be called, justified, sanctified; after we have left the world, to be received to glory; Christ in every of these has somewhat which he works alone. Through him according to the eternal purpose of God, before the foundation of the world, born, crucified, buried, raised, etc. we were in a gracious acceptation known to God, long before we were seen of men. God knew us, loved us, was kind to us in Jesus Christ; in him we were elected to be heirs of life. Thus far God through Christ has wrought in such sort alone, that ourselves are mere patients, working no more than dead and senseless matter, wood, or stone, or iron, does in the artificer's hands, no more than the clay when the potter appoints it to be framed for an honorable use: nay, not so much: for the matter whereupon the craftsman works, he chooses being moved by the fitness which is in it to serve his turn; in us no such thing. Touching the rest which is laid for the foundation of our faith, it imports further; that by him we are called; that we have redemption, remission of sins through his blood, health by his stripes, justice by him; that he does sanctify his Church, and make it glorious to himself; that entrance into joy shall be given us by him, yes, all things by him alone. Howbeit not so by him alone, as if in us to our vocation, the hearing of the Gospel; to our justification, faith; to our sanctification, the fruits of the Spirit; to our entrance into rest, perseverance in hope, in faith, in holiness, were not necessary.

32 Then what is the fault of the Church of Rome? Not that she requires works at their hands which will be saved: but that she attributes to works a power of satisfying God for sin; yes, a virtue to merit both grace here, and in heaven glory. That this overthrows the foundation of faith, I grant willingly; that it is a direct denying thereof, I utterly deny: what it is to hold, and what directly to deny the foundation of faith, I have already opened. Apply it particularly to this cause, and there needs no more ado. The thing which is handled, if the form under which it is handled, be added thereunto, it shows the foundation of any doctrine whatever. Christ is the matter whereof the doctrine of the Gospel treats; and it treats of Christ, as of a Savior. Salvation therefore by Christ is the foundation of Christianity: as for works, they are a thing subordinate, no otherwise than because our sanctification cannot be accomplished without them; the doctrine concerning them, is a thing builded upon the foundation; therefore the doctrine which adds to them the power of satisfying or of meriting, adds to a thing subordinated, builded upon the foundation, not to the very foundation itself: yet is the foundation by this addition consequently overthrown, for as much as out of this addition, it may be negatively concluded; He which makes any work good, and acceptable in the sight of God, to proceed from the natural freedom of our will; he which gives to any good works of ours, the force of satisfying the wrath of God for sin, the power of meriting either earthly or heavenly rewards; he which holds works, going before our vocation, in congruity to merit our vocation, works following our first, to merit our second justification, and by condignity our last reward in the kingdom of heaven; pulls up the doctrine of faith by the roots; for out of every of these the plain direct denial thereof may be necessarily concluded. Not this only, but what other heresy is there, that does not raze the very foundation of faith by consequent? How be it, we make a difference of heresies, accounting in the next degree to infidelity which directly deny any one thing to be, which is expressly acknowledged in the articles of our belief; for out of any one article so denied, the denial of the very foundation itself is straightway inferred. As for example; if a man should say, There is no Catholic Church, it follows immediately thereupon that this Jesus, whom we call the Savior, is not the Savior of the world; because all the Prophets bear witness, that the true Messiah should show light to the Gentiles, that is to say, gather such a Church as is Catholic, not restrained any longer to one circumcised nation. In the second rank we place them, out of whose positions the denial of any the foresaid articles may be with like facility concluded: such as are they, which have denied either the divinity of Christ with Hebion, or with Marcion his humanity; an example whereof may be that of Cassianus defending the incarnation of the Son of God, against Nestorius Bishop of Antioch; which held that the Virgin when she brought forth Christ, did not bring forth the Son of God, but sole and a mere man: out of which heresy the denial of the articles of the Christian faith he deduces thus: If you do deny our Lord Jesus Christ; in denying the Son you cannot choose but deny the Father: for according to the voice of the Father himself, He that has not the Son, has not the Father. Therefore denying him which is begotten, you deny him which does beget. Again denying the Son of God to have been born in the flesh, how can you believe him to have suffered? Believing not his passion, what remains but that you deny his resurrection? For we believe him not raised, except we first believe him dead: neither can the reason of his rising from the dead stand without the faith of his death going before. The denial of his death and passion infers the denial of his rising from the dead. Whereupon it follows that you also deny his ascension into heaven. The Apostle affirms that he which ascended, did first descend, so that as much as lies in you, our Lord Jesus Christ has neither risen from the dead, nor is ascended into heaven, nor sits at the right hand of God the Father, neither shall he come at the day of final account which is looked for, nor shall judge the quick and dead. And do you yet dare set foot in the church? Can you think yourself a Bishop when you have denied all those things whereby you do obtain a Bishoplike calling? Nestorius confessed all the articles of the Creed; but his opinion did imply the denial of every part of his confession. Heresies there are of the third sort; such as the Church of Rome maintains; which be removed by a greater distance from the foundation, although indeed they overthrow it. Yet because of that weakness, which the Philosopher notes in men's capacities, when he says, that the common sort cannot see things which follow in reason, when they follow as it were a far off by many deductions; therefore the repugnancy of such heresy and the foundation, is not so quickly or so easily found, but that a heretic of this, sooner than of the former kind, may directly grant and consequently nevertheless, deny the foundation of faith.

33 If reason be suspected, trial will show that the Church of Rome does no otherwise by teaching the doctrine she does teach concerning good works, offer them the very fundamental words: and what man is there, that will refuse to subscribe to them? Can they directly grant, and directly deny one and the very selfsame thing? Our own proceedings in disputing against their works satisfactory, and meritorious, do show not only that they hold, but that we acknowledge them to hold the foundation, notwithstanding their opinion. For are not these our arguments against them? Christ alone has satisfied and appeased his Father's wrath: Christ has merited salvation alone. We should do fondly to use such disputes, neither could we think to prevail by them, if that whereupon we ground, were a thing which we know they do not hold, which we are assured they will not grant. Their very answers to all such reasons as are in this controversy brought against them, will not permit us to doubt, whether they hold the foundation, or no. Can any man that has read their books concerning this matter, be ignorant how they draw all their answers to these heads? That the remission of all our sins, the pardon of all whatever punishments thereby deserved, the rewards which God has laid up in heaven, are by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ purchased, and obtained sufficiently for all men: but for no man effectually, for his benefit in particular, except the blood of Christ be applied particularly to him, by such means as God has appointed that to work by. That those means of themselves, being but dead things; only the blood of Christ is that which puts life, force, and efficacy in them to work, and to be available, each in his kind, to our salvation. Finally, that grace being purchased for us by the blood of Christ, and freely without any merit or desert at the first bestowed upon us, the good things which we do, after grace received, be thereby made satisfactory, and meritorious. Some of their sentences, to this effect, I must allege for my own warrant. If we desire to hear foreign judgments, we find in one, this confession; He that could reckon how many the virtues and merits of our Savior Christ have been, might likewise understand how many the benefits have been, that are to come to us by him; for so much as men are made partakers of them all by means of his passion: by him is given to us remission of our sins, grace, glory, liberty, praise, salvation, redemption, justification, justice, satisfaction, sacraments, merits, and all other things which we had, and were behooveful for our salvation. In another we have these oppositions, and answers made to them; All grace is given by Christ Jesus; True, but not except Christ Jesus be applied. He is the propitiation for our sins; by his stripes we are healed; he has offered himself up for us: all this is true; but apply it: we put all satisfaction in the blood of Jesus Christ; but we hold that the means which Christ has appointed for us in this case to apply it, are our penal works. Our countrymen in Rheims, make the like answer, that they seek salvation no other way, than by the blood of Christ; and that humbly they do use prayers, fastings, alms, faith, charity, sacrifice, sacraments, priests, only as the means appointed by Christ, to apply the benefit of his holy blood to them: touching our good works, that in their own natures they are not meritorious, nor answerable to the joys of heaven; it comes by the grace of Christ, and not of the work itself, that we have by well doing a right to heaven, and deserve it worthily. If any man think that I seek to varnish their opinions, to set the better foot of a lame cause foremost: let him know, that since I began throughly to understand their meaning, I have found their halting greater, than perhaps it seems to them which know not the deepness of Satan, as the blessed divine speaks. For although this be proof sufficient, that they do not directly deny the foundation of faith: yet if there were no other leaven in the whole lump of their doctrine but this; this were sufficient to prove, that their doctrine is not agreeable to the foundation of Christian faith. The Pelagians being over great friends to nature, made themselves enemies to grace, for all their confessing, that men have their souls, and all the faculties thereof, their wills, and all the ability of their wills from God. And is not the Church of Rome still an adversary to Christ's merits, because of her acknowledging that we have received the power of meriting by the blood of Christ? Saint Thomas More, sets down the odds between us and the Church of Rome in the matter of works thus; Like as we grant them that no good work of man is rewardable in heaven of his own nature, but through the mere goodness of God, that lists to set so high a price upon so poor a thing; and that this price God sets through Christ's passion, and for that also they be his own works with us; for good works to God-ward works no man, without God work in him; and as we grant them also, that no man may be proud of his works, for his imperfect working, and for that in all that man may do, he can do God no good, but is a servant unprofitable and does but his bare duty; as we, I say, grant to them these things: so this one thing, or twain, do they grant us again, that men are bound to work good works, if they have time and power, and that whoever works in true faith most, shall be most rewarded; but then set they thereto, that all his rewards shall be given him for his faith alone, and nothing for his works at all, because his faith is the thing, they say, that forces him to work well. I see by this of Saint Thomas More, how easy it is for men of the greatest capacity, to mistake things written or spoken as well on the one side as on the other. Their doctrine, as he thought, makes the work of man rewardable in the world to come, through the goodness of God, whom it pleases to set so high a price upon so poor a thing; and ours, that a man does receive that eternal and high reward, not for his works, but for his faith's sake, by which he works: whereas in truth our doctrine is no other than that we have learned at the feet of Christ, namely, that God does justify the believing man, yet not for the worthiness of his belief, but for the worthiness of him which is believed; God rewards abundantly every one which works, yet not for any meritorious dignity, which is, or can be in the work, but through his mere mercy, by whose commandment he works. Contrariwise their doctrine is, that as pure water of itself has no savor, but if it pass through a sweet pipe, it takes a pleasant smell of the pipe through which it passes: so, although before grace received, our works do neither satisfy, nor merit; yet after, they do both the one and the other. Every virtuous action has then power in such to satisfy, that if we ourselves commit no mortal sin, no heinous crime whereupon to spend this treasure of satisfaction in our own behalf, it turns to the benefit of other men's release, on whom it shall please the steward of the house of God to bestow it, so that we may satisfy for ourselves and others, but merit only for ourselves. In meriting, our actions do work with two hands; with one they get their morning stipend, the increase of grace; with the other, their evening hire, the everlasting crown of glory. Indeed they teach that our good works do not these things, as they come from us, but as they come from grace in us: which grace in us is another thing in their divinity, than is the mere goodness of God's mercy towards us in Christ Jesus.

34 If it were not a strong deluding spirit which has possession of their hearts: were it possible but that they should see how plainly they do herein gainsay the very ground of Apostolic faith? Is this that salvation by grace, whereof so plentiful mention is made in the Scriptures of God? Was this their meaning which first taught the world to look for salvation only by Christ? By grace, the Apostle says, and by grace in such sort as a gift, a thing that comes not of ourselves, not of our works, lest any man should boast, and say, I have wrought out my own salvation. By grace they confess; but by grace in such sort, that as many as wear the diadem of bliss, they wear nothing but what they have won. The Apostle, as if he had foreseen, how the church of Rome would abuse the world in time by ambiguous terms, to declare in what sense the name of grace must be taken when we make it the cause of our salvation, says, He saved us according to his mercy: which mercy although it exclude not the washing of our new birth, the renewing of our hearts by the Holy Ghost, the means, the virtues, the duties which God requires of their hands which shall be saved, yet is it so repugnant to merits, that to say we are saved for the worthiness of any thing which is ours, is to deny we are saved by grace. Grace bestows freely: and therefore justly requires the glory of that which is bestowed. We deny the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; we abuse, disannul, 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 virtuous and just men, how many Saints, how many Martyrs, how many of the ancient fathers of the church, have had their sundry perilous opinions, and among sundry of their opinions, this, that they hoped to make good some part of amends for their sins, by the voluntary punishments which they laid upon themselves, because by a consequent it may follow hereupon, that they were injurious to Christ: shall we therefore make such dead lie epitaphs and set them upon their graves; They denied the foundation of faith directly; they are damned; there is no salvation for them? Saint Austin says of himself, Errare possum, haereticus esse nolo. And except we put a difference between them that err, and them that obstinately persist in error: how is it possible, that ever any man should hope to be saved? Surely in this case, I have no respect of any person alive or dead. Give me a man of what state or condition soever, yes a Cardinal, or a Pope whom in the extreme point of his life affliction has made to know himself, whose heart God has touched with true sorrow for all his sins, and filled with love towards the Gospel of Christ, whose eyes are opened to see the truth, and his mouth to renounce all heresy and error any wise opposite thereunto (this one opinion of merits excepted) he thinks God will require at his hands, and because he wants, therefore trembles and is discouraged; it may be, I am forgetful, and unskillful, not furnished with things new and old as a wise learned scribe should be, nor able to allege that, whereunto, if it were alleged, he does bear a mind most willing to yield, and so to be recalled as well from this, as from other errors. And shall I think because of this only error, that such a man touches not so much as the hem of Christ's garment? If he do, therefore should not I have hope that virtue may proceed from Christ to save him? Because his error does by consequent overthrow his faith? Shall I therefore cast him off as one that has utterly cast off Christ? One that holds not so much as by a slender thread? No, I will not be afraid to say to a Pope or Cardinal in this plight, be of good comfort, we have to do with a merciful God; rather to make the best of a little which we hold well, and not with a captious sophist, which gathers the worst out of every thing, wherein we err. Is there any reason that I should be suspected, or you offended for this speech? Is it a dangerous thing to imagine, that such men may find mercy? The hour may come when we shall think it a blessed thing to hear, that if our sins were the sins of the Popes and Cardinals, the bowels of the mercy of God are larger. I do not propose to you a Pope with the neck of an Emperor under his feet; a Cardinal riding his horse to the bridle in the blood of Saints: but a Pope or Cardinal, sorrowful, penitent, disrobed, stripped not only of usurped power, but also delivered and recalled from error; Antichrist converted and lying prostrate at the foot of Christ: and shall I think that Christ will spurn at him? And shall I cross and gainsay the merciful promises of God generally made to penitent sinners by opposing the name of a Pope, of a Cardinal? What difference is there in the world between a Pope and a Cardinal, and John Style in this case? If we think it impossible for them, after they be once come within that rank, to be afterwards touched with any such remorse, let that be granted. The Apostle says, If I or an Angel from heaven preach to, &c. Let it be as likely that Saint Paul or an Angel from heaven should preach heresy, as that a Pope or a Cardinal should be brought so far forth to acknowledge the truth: yet if a Pope or a Cardinal should, what find we in their persons, why they might not be saved? It is not the persons, you will say, but the error, wherein I suppose them to die, which excludes them from the hope of mercy; the opinion of merits does take away all possibility of salvation from them. What, if they hold it only as an error? Although they hold the truth truly and sincerely in all other parts of Christian faith? Although they have in some measure all the virtues and graces of the Spirit, all other tokens of God's elect children in them? Although they be far from having any proud presumptuous opinion, that they shall be saved by the worthiness of their deeds? Although the only thing which troubles and molests them, be but a little too much dejection, somewhat too great a fear, rising from an erroneous conceit, that God will require a worthiness in them, which they are grieved to find wanting in themselves? Although they be not obstinate in this persuasion? Although they be willing and would be glad to forsake it, if any one reason were brought sufficient to disprove it? Although the only let why they do not forsake it ere they die, be the ignorance of the means, by which it might be disproved? Although the cause why the ignorance in this point is not removed, be the want of knowledge in such as should be able, and are not, to remove it? Let me die, if ever it be proved, that simply an error does exclude a Pope or a Cardinal in such a case utterly from hope of life. Surely, I must confess to you, if it be an error, that God may be merciful to save men, even when they err: my greatest comfort is my error; were it not for the love I bear to this error, I would never wish to speak nor to live.

36 Therefore, to resume that mother sentence, whereof I little thought that so much trouble would have grown; I doubt not but that God was merciful to save thousands of our fathers living in Popish superstitions, in as much as they sinned ignorantly: alas what bloody matter is there contained 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 have showed which way it cannot be denied. Did I say, I doubted not but they were saved? I see no impiety in this persuasion, though I had no reason for it. Did I say, their ignorance does make me hope they did find mercy, and so were saved? What hinders salvation but sin? Sins are not equal: and ignorance, though it does not make to be no sin; yet seeing it did make their sin the less, why should it not make our hope concerning their life, the greater? We pity the most, and doubt not, but God has most compassion over them that sin for want of understanding. As much is confessed by sundry others, almost in the self same words which I have used. It is but only my evil hap, that the same sentences which savor verity in other men's books, should seem to bolster heresy when they are once by me recited. If I be deceived in this point, not they, but the blessed Apostle has deceived me. What I said of others, the same he said of himself, I obtain mercy for I did it ignorantly. Construe his words, and you cannot misconstrue mine. I speak no otherwise. I meant no otherwise than he did.

37 Thus have I brought the question concerning our Fathers, at the length to an end. Of whose estate upon so fit an occasion as was offered me, handling the weighty causes of separation between the Church of Rome and us, and the weak motives which are commonly brought to retain men in that society; among which motives, the examples of our Fathers deceased is one, although I saw it convenient to utter that sentence, which I did to the end, that all men might thereby understand, how untruly we are said to condemn as many as have been before us otherwise persuaded than we ourselves are; yet more than that one sentence I did not think it expedient to utter, judging it a great deal meeter for us to have regard to our own estate, than to sift over curiously, what is become of other men. And fearing lest that such questions as these, if voluntarily they should be too far waded in, might seem worthy of that rebuke, which our Savior thought needful in a case not unlike; What is this to you? When I was forced much beside my expectation, to render a reason of my speech, I could not but yield at the call of others, and proceed so far as duty bound me, for the fuller satisfying of minds. Wherein I have walked as with reverence, so with fear: with reverence, in regard of our Fathers, which lived in former times; not without fear, considering them that are alive.

38 I am not ignorant, how ready men are to feed and soothe up themselves in evil. Shall I, will the man say that loves the present world more than he loves Christ, shall I incur the high displeasure of the mightiest upon earth? Shall I hazard my goods? Endanger my estate? Put myself in jeopardy, rather than yield to that which so many of my fathers embraced, and yet found favor in the sight of God? Curse Meroz, says the Lord, curse her inhabitants, because they helped not the Lord, they helped him not against the mighty. If I should not only not help the Lord against the mighty, but help to strengthen them that are mighty, against the Lord: worthily might I fall under the burden of that curse, worthy I were to bear my own judgment. 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 Gospel; from where notwithstanding poisoned creatures do suck venom: I can but wish it were otherwise, and content myself with the lot that has befallen me, the rather because it has not befallen me alone. Saint Paul taught 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 we seek to him, the more we have sinned, the more praise, and glory, and honor to him that pardons our sin. But mark what lewd collections were made hereupon by some. Why then am I condemned for a sinner? And the Apostle (as we are blamed, and as some affirm that we say; Why do we not do evil that good may come of it?) he was accused to teach that which ill disposed men did gather by his teaching, though it were clean not only besides, but against his meaning. The Apostle adds, Their condemnation (which thus do) is just. I am not hasty to apply sentences of condemnation. I wish from my heart their conversion, whoever are thus perversely affected. For I must needs say, their case is fearful, their estate dangerous, which harden themselves, presuming on the mercy of God towards others. It is true that God is merciful; but let us beware of presumptuous sins: God delivered Jonah from the bottom of the sea; will you therefore cast yourselves headlong from the tops of rocks, and say in your hearts, God shall deliver us? He pities the blind that would gladly see; but will he pity them that may see, and hardens himself in blindness? No. Christ has spoken too much to you, to claim the privilege of your fathers.

As for us that have handled this cause concerning the condition of our Fathers, whether it be this thing, or any other, which we bring to you, the counsel is good which the wise man gives, Stand you fast in your sure understanding, in the way and knowledge of the Lord, and have but one manner of word, and follow the word of peace and righteousness. As a loose tooth is a grief to him that eats: so does a wavering and unstable word in speech, that tends to instruction, offend. Shall a wise man speak words of the wind, says Eliphas, light, unconstant, unstable words? Surely the wisest may speak words of the wind, such is the untoward constitution of our nature, that we do neither so perfectly understand the way and knowledge of the Lord, nor so steadfastly embrace it, when it is understood nor so graciously utter it when it is embraced; nor so peaceably maintain it, when it is uttered; but that the best of us are overtaken sometime through blindness, sometime through hastiness, sometime through impatience, sometime through other passions of the mind, whereunto (God does know) we are too subject. We must therefore be contented, both to pardon others, and to crave that others must pardon us for such things. Let no man that speaks as a man, think himself, while he lives, always freed from escapes and oversights in his speech. The things themselves which I have spoken to you are sound, however they have seemed otherwise to some: at whose hands I have in that respect received injury. I willingly forget it, although indeed considering the benefit which I have reaped by this necessary speech of truth, I rather incline to that of the Apostle, They have not injured me at all. I have cause to wish them as many blessings in the kingdom of heaven, as they have forced me to utter words and syllables in this cause; wherein I could not be more sparing of speech than I have been. It becomes no man, says Saint Jerome, to be patient in the crime of heresy. Patient, as I take it, we should be always, though the crime of heresy were intended; but silent in a thing of so great consequence I could not, beloved I durst not be: especially the love that I bear to the truth of Christ Jesus, being hereby somewhat called in question. Whereof I beseech them in the meekness of Christ, that have been the first original cause, to consider that a watchman may cry (an enemy) when indeed a friend comes. In which cause as I deem such a watchman more worthy to be loved for this cause, than misliked for his error: so I have judged it my own part in this, as much as in me lies, to take away all suspicion of any unfriendly intent or meaning against the truth, from which, God does know, my heart is free.

Now to you, beloved, which have heard these things, I will use no other words of admonition, than those which are offered me by Saint James, My brethren have not the faith of our glorious Lord Jesus in respect of persons. You are not now to learn, that as of itself it is not hurtful, so neither should it be to any scandalous and offensive in doubtful cases, to hear the different judgments of men. Be it that Cephas has one interpretation, and Apollos has another; that Paul is of this mind, that Barnabas of that; if this offend you, the fault is yours. Carry peaceable minds, and you may have comfort by this variety. Now the God of peace give you peaceable minds, and turn it to your everlasting comfort.

FINIS.