Rejoinder to Bristows Reply, Part 1 · Chapter 5
CAP. V.
What reason he rendreth, why they in those auncient time…, Bristowe.had the true church notwithstanding these their errors.
First repeating my confessions: That the true church Fulke.may erre, that it hath erred in some articles wherein we erre, & in many other wherein we do not erre, wherof it followeth plainly (qd Bristowe) that neither our erring, nor these our errors, no nor any other our errors, are alone sufficient for him to depriue vsus of the true church. Marke this consequens of Bristowe, some errors which the Papistes, hold common with the olde church, cannot depriue them of the true church, ergo none other errors that they hold, contrary to the auncient church, are alone sufficient to depriue them. This is popish logike. And yet I will in this argument, charge his conscience rather then his science: for common sense abhorreth such reasoning, from the particular to the vniuersall.
But let vsus see, if such reason as alloweth the fathers to hauehave had the true church, notwithstanding their errors, may serue the Papistes to proue them the true church, their errors notwithstanding. The reason I alledge, that the fathers had the true church, is because they held the onelyonly foundation Iesus Christ, and the article of iustification by the onelyonly merciemercy of God. Now (sayth Bristowe) who knoweth not, that we beleeue in the onelyonly sonne of God, and in the onelyonly mercy of God, and that therefore wee looke not to be saued by our owne works, that is, which we did without him, in Paganisme, Iudaisme, or Caluinisme, in heresie or deadly sinne, &c. but onelyonly by his workes, that is, by his sacraments and the good deedes that of his great mercy, he hath created in vsus in Christ Iesus? &c. therefore the same reason serueth vsus, notwithstanding our errors.
I answere, your minor is false: you beleue not in the onelyonly begotten sonne of God, because you beleue not in God. Cyprian de duplici Martyrio, sayeth: Non credit in Deum, qui non in eo solo collocat totius foelicitatis suae fiduciam: He beleueth not in God, which placeth not in him alone the trust of all his felicitie. You place not your trust in God alone, for you trust in your merites, yea, in the merites of others, both liuing and dead, and in an hundreth things beside God alone. Secondly, where you say, you beleeue in the onelyonly mercy of God, it is false: for you beleeue no iustification by the only mercy and grace of God, which excludeth all workes and merites, as the Apostle sayeth, Rom. 11. Thirdly, you says you beleue to be saued by his sacraments, which in deede after a sort, are sayde to saue vsus, namely, not as principal …fficient causes, but as instruments and meanes that god …seth to confirme his promises, which proceede of his onelyonly grace and mercy. Fourthly you saye, you beleeue to be saued by those good deeds, that God of his mercy hath created in vsus: which plainly declareth that you looke not to be saued, by the onelyonly grace & mercy of God, purchased by the redemption of Christ: but by such good workes as proceede from your selues, although you ascribe vntounto the grace of God, that you be able to do them, as both the Pharisee did, which iustified him selfe by his owne workes, and yet acknowledged God to be the author of them, in him, Luk. 18. And the Pelagians also affirmed generally, that by Gods grace we are saued, because God of his grace hath giuen such a lawe, by keeping whereof, wee might attaine to saluation.
But you cite S. Paul, Tit. 3. to shewe, that his merciemercy & sacrament may stande together, which no man denyeth: yet can you not shewe, that his merciemercy is so tyed to his sacrament, that he saueth not without it. For Abraham was iustified by faith, before he was circumcised, and receiued circumcision as a seale of the faith he had, being vncircumcised: Rom. 4.
And where the Apostle speaketh of workes generally, excluding them from being cause of our saluation, you restreine thē only to works done before baptisme: for this cursed glose you make vponupon ye text, Not for any workes of * righteousness which we did (before baptisme say you) but for his merciemercy, hee hath saued vsus by baptisme. But that S. Paul excludeth al maner of works, done by vsus, from iustification, the sentence following declareth: That being iustified by his grace, we might be made heires according to the hope of eternall life. For grace and workes can neuer stande as a ioynt efficient cause, Rom. 11. but the one of necessitie, excludeth the other. As for the receiuing of the Sacramentes is no worke of ours, as you truely say, but an accepting of the grace, which God giueth. The place Ephes. 2. which you …ite to proue, that we are saued by good workes, done after baptisme, is cleane against you, if you had rehetsed the whole text. You are saued (saith S. Paul) by grace, through faith, (and this not of your selues, it is the gift of God) not of workes, least any man shoulde boast. For we are his workemanship, created in Christ Iesus vntounto good works, which God hath prepared, that we should walke in them.
The argument of S. Paul is taken out of the effect, Good workes are the effect and aide of our iustification, ergo not the efficient cause thereof. And marke againe, that hee saith we are saued by grace and not of workes. Marke also the reason why we are not saued by any workes done by man: namely least any shoulde boast. For boasting of man, is not excluded, so long as any workes that he doth, may be the cause of his saluation. For if Abraham be iustified by workes, hee hath whereof to boast, but not with God: Rom. 4. where is then boasting? It is excluded. By what lawe? of works? No, but by the lawe of faith. Wherefore not onelyonly the workes done before baptisme, but all other are excluded from iustification, that no man should boast as the Pharisee, but that all glory of our saluation, might be ascribed wholy to God by Iesus Christ. You therefore building saluation vponupon good workes, done after baptisme, doe manifestly builde vponupon another foundation, then the onelyonly true foundation Iesus Christ: and therefore, your errors notwithstanding, you cannot (as the olde fathers erring in small matters) be yet the church of God. What Flaccius Illyricus an intemperate man iudged of S. Hierom, I hauehave not to aunswere for him.