Faith
Of Saving faith: or, the way to life.
Our consent.
Conclusion. I.
They teach it to be the property of faith, to believe the whole word of God, and especially the redemption of mankind by Christ.
Conclusion. II.
They avouch that they believe and look to be saved by Christ and by CHRIST ALONE, and by the MEERE MERCY of God in Christ.
Conclusion. III.
Thirdly, the most learned among thē hold and confess, that the obedience of Christ is imputed onto them for the satisfaction of the law, and for their reconciliation with God.
Conclusion. IV.
They avouch that they put their whole trust and confidence in Christ, and in the mere mercy of God, for their salvation.
Conclusion V.
Lastly they hold that every man must apply the promise of life everlasting by Christ, onto himself: and this they grant we are bound to doe. And in these five points do they and we agree, at least in show of words.
By the avouching of these 5. Conclusions, Papists may easily escape the hands of many magistrates. And unless the mystery of popish doctrine be well known, any common man may easily be decided,
and take such for good Protestants that are but popish priests. To this end therefore that we may the better discern their guile, I will shew wherein they fail in each of their conclusions, and wherein they differ from us The difference.
Touching the first conclusion, they believe indeed all the written word of God, and more then all: for they also believe the books
Apocryphal, which antiquity for many hundred years hath excluded from the canon: yea they believe unwritten traditiōs received (as they say) from Councils, the writings of the Fathers, and the determinations of the Church: making them also of equal credit with the written word of God, given by inspiration of the spirit. Now we for our partes despise not the Apocrypha, as namely the books of the Maccabees, Ecclesiasticus and the rest, but we reverence them in all convenient manner, preferring them before any other books of men, in that they have bin approved by an universal consent of the Church: yet we think them not meet to be received into the Canon of holy scripture, and therefore not to be believed, but as they are consenting with the written word. And for this our doing we have direction from Athanasius, Origen, Hierome, and the Council of Laodicea. As for unwritten Traditions they come not within the compass of our faith, neither can they: because they come onto us by the hānds of men, that may deceive and be deceived. And we hold and believe, that the right Canon of the books of the old and new
Testament, contains in it sufficient direction for the Church of God to life everlasting, both for faith an manners. Here then is the point of difference, that they make the object of faith larger then it should be, or can be: and we keep ourselves to the written word; believing nothing to salvation out of it.
In the second conclusion, touching salvation by Christ alone, there is a manifest deceit: because they craftily include and couch their own works under the name of Christ. For (say they) works done by men regenerate, are not their own, but Christ's in them; and as they are
the works of Christ; they save, & no otherwise. But we for our partes look to be saved only by such works as Christ himself did in his own person: and not by any work at all done by him in us For all works done, are in the matter of justification & salvation, opposed to the grace of Christ: Rom. 11. 6. Election is of grace not of works: if it be of works, it is no more of grace. Again whereas they teach that we are saved by the works of Christ, which he worketh in us, and maketh us to work; it is flat against the word. For Paul saith, We are not saved by such works as God hath ordained that men regenerate should walk in. Eph. 2. 10. And he saith further, that he counted ALL
THINGS even after his conversion loss unto him, that he might be found in Christ, not having his own riotousness which is of the law.
Phil. 3. 8. Again Heb. 1. 3. Christ washed away our sins by himself: which last words exclude the merit of all works done by Christ within man. Thus indeed the Papists overturned all, that which in word they seem to hold touching their justification and salvation. We confess with them that good works in us are the works of Christ: yet are they not Christ's alone, but ours also, in that they proceed from Christ by the mind and will of man: as water from the fountain by the channel.
And look as the channel defiled, defiles the water, that is without defilement in the fountain: even so the mind and will of man defiled by the remnants of sin, defile the works, which as they come from Christ, are undefiled. Hence it is that the works of grace which we doe by Christ, or, Christ in us, are defective: and must be severed from Christ in the act of justification, or, salvation.
The third conclusion is touching the imputation of Christ's obedience, which some of the most learned among them acknowledge: and the difference between us stands on this manner.
They hold that Christ's obedience is imputed only to make satisfaction for sin, and not to justify us before God. We hold & believe that the obedience of Christ is imputed to us, even for our righteousness before God. Paul saith, 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is made unto us of God, wisdom, RIGHTEOUSNESS, SANCTIFICATION, and redemption. Hence I reason thus. If Christ be both our sanctification, and our righteousness: then he is not only unto us
inherent righteousness, but also righteousness imputed. But he is not only our sanctification (which the Papists themselves expound of inherent or habitual righteousness) but also our righteousness: for thus by Paul are they distinguished. Therefore he is unto us both inherent and imputed righteousness. And very reason teacheth thus much. For in the end of the world at the bar of Gods judgement,we must bring some kind of righteousness for our justification, that may stand in the rigour of the law according to which wee are to be judged But our inherent righteousness is imperfect and stained with manifold defects and shall be as long as we live in this world, as experience tells us: and consequently it is not suitable to the justice of the law: and if we go out of ourselves we shall find no righteousness serving for our turns either in men or Angels, that may or can procure our absolution before God and acceptation to life everlasting. Wee must therefore have recourse to the person of Christ, and his obedience imputed unto us, must serve not only to be a satisfaction to God for all our sins, but also for our perfect justification: in that God is content to accept of it for our righteousness, as if it were inherent in us, or performed by us
Touching the fourth conclusion, they hold it the safest and surest course to put their trust and confidence in the mercy of God alone for their salvation: yet they condescend, that men may also* put there confidence in the merit of their own works, and in the merits also of other men, so it be in sobriety. But this doctrine quite mars the conclusion: because by teaching that men are to put confidence in the creature, they overturn all confidence in the Creator. For in the very first commandment, we are taught to make choice of the true
God for our God, which thing we do when we give to God our hearts: and we give our hearts to God, when we put our whole confidence in him for the salvation of our souls. Now then to put confidence in men, or, in works, is to make them our Gods. The true and ancient forme of making confession was on this manner: I believe in God the Father, In Jesus Christ, and In the holy Ghost, without mentioninḡ making of any confidence in works or creatures: the ancient Church never knew any such confession or confidence. Cyprian* saith, He
believes not in god, who putteth not affiance concerning his salvation in God alone. And indeed the Papists themselves when death comes, forsake the confidence of their merits, and fly to the mere mercy of God in Christ. And for a confirmation of this I allege the testimony of one Vlinbergius* of Colen, who writeth thus. There was a book found in the vestry of a certain parish of Colen, written in the Dutch tongue in the year of our Lord 1475. which the Priests used in visiting of the sick. And in it these questions be found. Dost thou believe that though you canst not be saved but by the death of Christ? The sick person answered, Yea. Then it is said unto him, Go too then, while breath remains in thee, put thy confidence in this DEATH ALONE: have affiance in nothing else▪ commit thy self wholly to this death: with it alone cover thy self: dive thy self in every part into this death; in every part pearce thyself with it: infold thy self in this death. And if the Lord will judge thee, say: Lord, I put the death of our Lord Jesus
Christ between me and thy judgement, and BY NO OTHER MEANES I contend with thee. And if he shall say unto thee, that thou art a sinner; say, Lord the death of my Lord Jesus Christ, I put between thee and my sins If he shall say unto thee, that thou hast deserved damnation, say: Lord, I oppose the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between thee and my evil merits, and I OFFER HIS MERIT FOR THE MERIT WHICH I SHOVLD HAVE, AND HAVE NOT. If he shall say, that he is angry with thee, say: Lord, I oppose the death of our
Lord Jesus Christ between me and thine anger. Here we see, what Papists doe, & have done in the time of death. And that which they hold and practise, when they are dying; they should hold & practise every day while they are living.
In the last conclusion they teach that we must not only believe in general but also apply unto ourselves the promises of life everlasting.
But they differ from us in the very manner of applying. They teach that the promise is to be applied, not by faith assuring us of our own salvation; but only by hope, in likelihood conjectural. We hold that we are bound in duty to apply the promise of life by faith without making doubt thereof, and by hope to continue the certainty after the apprehension made by faith. We doe not teach that all and every man