Concerning the Doctrine of Faith and of the Law, Title page – To the reader
A MOST EXCELENT AND FRVITFVL TREATISE, CALLED PATERICKS PLACES, concerning the doctrine of Fayth, and the doctrine of the Law: which being knowen, you hauehave the pith of all Diuinitie.
With a briefe collection or exposition of a summe of S. Pauls doctrine touching iustification by Fayth, in Iesus Christ: which is the only marke to shoote at, and the only meanes to obtaine saluation.
Selected and reduced into this volume by I. D. 1598.
These thinges are written, that ye might beleeue that Ies… is the Christ, the sonne of God: And that in beleeuing… ye might hauehave life through his name.
Iohn. 20.
Reade diligently, Iudge soberly, and pray earnestly to God, for the true vnderstanding hereof.
AT LONDON Printed by William White dwelling in Cow-lane neare Holborne Condite, and are there to be solde. 1598.
TO THE GENTLE AND FRIENDLY READER.
LIKE as in a Garden, there grow diuers Hearbes and Flowers of sundry sortes, which do so amaze the beholders, as that they are in doubt which to make their choyce off: So the holy Scriptures are a plentifull Garden, being full replenished with all maner of heauenly comforts, and spirituall consolation for the soule of man, doth offer vntounto vsus many sweete flowers, and pleasant fruites; the chiefe whereof is (Fayth in Christ Iesus.) Our sauiour Christ, speaking of the nature and vertue of this Hearbe, sayth, If ye had Fayth as much as is a grayne Luk. 17. Math. 17.of Mustard-seede, and should say to this Mulberie-tree, Plucke thy selfe vp by the rootes, and plant thy selfe in the Sea, it shoulde obey you. Luk. 17. & Math. 17 And in an other place. Whatsoeuer ye shall aske in Math. 21.prayer (if ye beleeue) ye shall receaue it. Math. 21. And againe I say vntounto you, Whatsoeuer ye desire when ye pray, beleeue that ye shal hauehave it, & it shalbe done vntounto Mark. 11.you. Mark. 11. And S. Paule saith, The Scripture hath concluded all vnderunder sinne, that the Promise, by the fayth of Iesus Christ, should be geuen to them that beleeue. And againe: Before Fayth came, we were kept vnderunder the Law, and shut vp vntounto the Promise, which should afterwardes be reuealed: wherfor the Law was our Scholemaister: for we are all the sonnes of God, by fayth in Christ Iesus. For allyee that are baptised into Christ, hauehave put on Christ. Galla. 3. And S. Paule in the. 10. to the Romans, speaking of the Israelites fayth, saith: They being ignorant of the righteousnes Rom. 10.of God, and going about to establish their owne righteousnes, hauehave not submitted them selues to the righteousnes of God. For, saith he: Christ is the ende of the Law for righteousnes vntounto eueryevery one that beleeueth. And sayth further: If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus, and shalt beleeue in thine hart, that God raysed him vp from the death, thou shalt be saued. For with the hart man beleeueth vntounto righteousnes, and with the mouth man confesseth vntounto saluation. Therefore was it, that one being desirous to obtayne saluation, asked of the Apostles, What must I do, that I may be saued? Who answered: Beleeue Act. 16.in the Lord Iesus Christ, and thou shalt be saued, and thine houshold. Act. 16. This is that Hearbe, the vertue wherof our sauiour Christ sheweth, saying: Whosoeuer beleeued in him, should not perish, but hauehave Iohn. 3.eternall lyfe. Iohn. 3. Holy Iob in his affliction, feeling the strength and vertue of this Hearbe, did flie vntounto Iesus, saying: I hauehave heard of thee by the hearing Iob. 42.of the eare: But now mine eye seeth thee. Iob. 42. The woman of Samaria, through the sweete sauour of this Hearbe, desired him, to giuegive her of that water, that she might not thirst, neither come to the Iohn. 4.Well to draw. Iohn. 4. The operation and strength of this hearbe, enforced the woman that was a sinner, to stand at the feete of Iesus, behinde him weepeing, and began to wash his feete with her teares, and did wipe Luk. 7.them with the heares of her head, and kissed his feete, and annoynted them with oyntment. Luk. 7. So also an other woman lifted vp her voice, and sayd vntounto him, Blessed is the wombe that bare thee, and the Luk. 11.pappes which thou hast sucked. Luk. 11. And certaine men that were in the Shippe came to him, and worshypped him, saying: Of a trueth thou art the Math. 14.Sonne of God. Math. 14. This caused Symon Peter to say, Thou art the Christ, the sonne of the lyuing God. Math. 16.Mat. 16. The Centurion by the scent of this hearbe, was prouoked to sende vntounto Iesus, beseeching him that he would come, and heale his seruant being sicke. And Iesus comming, being not faire from the house, the Centuryon sent his friendes to him, saying: Lord trouble not thy selfe, for I am not Luk. 7 Math. 8.worthy that thou shouldest come vnderunder my roufe: But say the worde, and my seruant shalbe whole. Luk. 7. & Math. 8. This also caused a woman, hauing a boxe Mark. 14.of oyntment of Spicknard very costly, to breke the box, & to power it vponupon his head. Mark. 14. And an other woman, who was troubled with a bloody Issue twelue yeeres, to say in her selfe: If I may touch but Math. 9.his garment only, I shalbe whole. Math. 9. The Theife through this Fayth, sayd vntounto Iesus, Lord remember Luk. 23.me when thou cōmest into thy kingdome. Luk. 23. Therfore as the Passion of Christ serueth to none, but such as do beleeue: so neyther doth Fayth (as it is only a bare qualitie or action in mans minde) it selfe iustefie, vnles it be directed to the body of Christ crucified, as to her obiect, of whom she receaueth all her vertue. And therefore these two must alwayes ioyntly concurre and holde togeather, Fayth, & Christ Iesus, crucified. This Treatise following (gentle Reader) teacheth the vse, nature, and vertue of Fayth, in such abundant and excellent manner, as it were all one for me to cast a drop of water into the Sea, as to take vponupon me to enlarge any matter therevpon: And yf I should, or could; I can but reiterate or repeate that which already hath been set downe. For the Booke doth so set foorth it selfe (as in my poore vnderstanding) needeth lytle helpe: sauing that some few wordes that were wrong placed, I hauehave amended, & some others I hauehave added, for the better explanation of the Authour: And I hauehave els folowed the former Coppie, with a briefe collection or exposition of a summe of S. Paules doctrine deliuered vponupon the same, set foorth before (but lying hid as it were) in a great volume: which I hauehave also thought meete & very necessary, were put into a smaller volume, to the intent to be caried about with vsus (as a flower or hearbe in our bosome) for our oftener remembraunce & instruction. This Hearbe being once knowen, it is sayd by the Authour, you hauehave the pith of al Diuinitie: written and set foorth by that learned, godly, and zelous Martire, M. Patericke Hamelton, being a Scottishman borne, and of the kings blood: who (as is set foorth in the booke of Martyrs) taught, and earnestly preached the trueth to the people, and refelled their abuses, constantly & stoutly susteining the quarrell of Gods Gospell, in the time of ignorance and blindnesse: Through which occasion (as is also there set foorth) he was cited to appeare before the Archbyshyp of Sainct Andrew, named Iames Beton, and his Colledge of Priestes, the first day of March Ann. 1527. And the same day at after dinner in all haste, was had away to the fyer, and burned; the king then being but a childe, which made the Archbyshoppe more bolde. The which Treatise (gentle Reader) as I cannot commende vntounto you in that measure, as it deserueth or requireth: So do I confesse in my selfe such want of habilitie, knowledge, and skill, as most vnworthy of al others, to set foorth so excellent a matter, of so high a nature or mysterie. But it pleaseth Almightie God by troubles and affliction, to bring his chyldren to the exercise of many of those vertues, that do belong to a Christian man; And in tribulation, Fayth is chiefly exercised, in considering the cause of Gods exercising of vsus: and in beleeuing most assuredly the promises he hath made for our delyuerance. In which consideration, I hauing passed somtyme in my greeuous and sorrowfull troubles of aduersaries, I spent that time chiefly, in vnderstanding and collecting this Treatise folowing; which is able so to instruct, teach, and geue such heauenly lyght and comfort vntounto vsus (yf we be desirous and willing to seeke thereaster) as may vndoubtedly redounde to our euerlasting lyfe and saluation; as our sauiour Christ him selfe teacheth vsus: This is lyfe eternall, that they know thee to be the only true God, and whom Iohn. 17.thou hast sent, Iesus Christ. Iohn. 17. VntoUnto whom let vsus still be praying incessantly, that it wil please him to lighten the darknes of our hartes & vnderstanding, and to encrease our Fayth and knowledge in his Sonne Iesus Christ, our onley Sauiour and Redeemer: which is the onelyonly key & meanes for vsus to attayne to the true knowledge and feelyng of this Fayth, whereby we may be found worthy to be numbred amongst those whom our Sauiour Christ prayeth for. Father, I will that they whom thou hast geuen me, be with me euen where I am, that Iohn. 17.they may beholde my glory, which thou hast geuen me. Iohn. 17. Of the which his glory, as he hath power to make vsus partakers: so, yf we lay all our Fayth, hope, and trust, vponupon him, he wil then say vntounto vsus, as he sayd vntounto the blind man, Receaue thy sight, thy Fayth hath saued thee. Luk. 18. Farewell in him, Luk. 18.whom we are all to follow and beleeue. Amen.
Your welwiller in the Lord, and most vnworthy: I. D.
This is a true or faythfull saying, and by all meanes worthy to be receaued, that Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue sinners: of whom I am chiefe.
1. Tim. 1. 15.