A Reformed Catholic, Doctrine 20
The XX. point. Of sauing faith: or, the way to life.
Our consent.
Conclus. I. They teach it to be the propertie of faith, to beleeue the whole word of God, and especially the redemption of mankind by Christ.
Conclus. II. They auouch that they beleeue and looke to be saued by Christ and by CHRIST ALONE, and by the MEERE MERCY of God in Christ.
Conclus. III. Thirdly, the most learned among thē hold and confesse, that the obedience of Christ is imputed vntounto them for the satisfaction of the lawe, and for their reconciliation with God.
Conclus. IV. They auouch that they put their whole trust and confidence in Christ, and in the meere mercy of God, for their saluation.
Conclus. V. Lastly they hold that eueryevery man must apply the promise of life euerlasting by Christ, vntounto himselfe: and this they graunte we are bound to doe. And in these fiue points doe they and we agree, at least in shewe of wordes.
By the auouching of these 5. Conclusions, Papists may easily escape the hands of many magistrats. And vnles the mysterie of popish doctrine be well known, any common man may easily be deceiued, and take such for good protestants that are but popish priests. To this ende therefore that we may the better discerne their guile, I will shewe wherein they faile in each of their conclusions, and wherein they differ from vsus.
The difference.
Touching the first conclusion, they beleeue indeede all the written word of God, and more then all: for they also beleeue the bookes Apocriphal, which antiquitie for many hundred yeares hath excluded from the canō: yea they beleeue vnwrittē traditiōs receiued (as they say) from Councils, the writings of the Fathers, and the determinations of the Church: making them also of equall credit with the written worde of God, giuen by inspiration of the spirit. Nowe we for our partes dispise not the Apocripha, as namely the bookes of the Macchabees, Ecclesiasticus and the rest, but we reuerence them in all conuenient manner, preferring them before any other bookes of men, in that they hauehave bin approued by an vniuersall consent of the Church: yet we thinke them not meete to be receiued into the Canon of holy scripture, and therefore not to be beleeued, but as they are consenting with the written word. And for this our doing we hauehave direction from Athanasius, Origen, Hierome, and the Councel of Laodicea. As for vnwritten Traditions they come not within the compasse of our faith, neither can they: because they come vntounto vsus by the hāds of men, that may deceiue and be deceiued. And we hold and beleeue, that the right Canon of the books of the old and new Testament, containes in it sufficient direction for the Church of God to life euerlasting, both for faith an manners. Here then is the point of difference, that they make the obiect of faith larger then it should be, or can be: and we keepe our selues to the written word; beleeuing nothing to saluation out of it.
In the second conclusion, touching saluation by Christ alone, there is a manifest deceit: because they craftely include and couch their own works vnderunder the name of Christ. For (say they) workes done by men regenerate, are not their owne, but Christs in them; and as they are the workes of Christ; they saue, & no otherwise. But we for our partes looke to be saued onelyonly by such workes as Christ himselfe did in his owne person: and not by any worke at all done by him in vsus. For all workes done, are in the matter of iustification & saluation, opposed to the grace of Christ: Rom. 11. 6. Election is of grace not of workes: if it be of workes, it is no more of grace. Againe whereas they teach that we are …aued by the workes of Christ, which he worketh in vsus, and maketh vsus to worke; it is flatte against the word. For Paul saith, We are not saued by such works as God hath ordained that men regenerate should walke in. Eph. 2. 10. And he saith further, that he counted ALL THINGS euen after his conuersion losse vntounto him, that he might be founde in Christ, not hauing his ovvne righteousnesse which is of the lawe. Phil. 3. 8. Again Heb. 1. 3. Christ washed away our sinnes by himselfe: which last wordes exclude the merit of all workes done by Christ within man. Thus indeede the Papists ouerturne all, that which in word they seeme to holde touching their iustification and saluation. We confesse with them that good workes in vsus are the workes of Christ: yet are they not Christs alone, but ours also, in that they proceed from Christ by the minde and will of man: as water from the fountaine by the channell. And looke as the chanel defiled, defiles the water, that is without defilement in the fountaine: euen so the minde and will of man defiled by the remnants of sinne, defile the workes, which as they come from Christ, are vndefiled. Hence it is that the workes of grace which we doe by Christ, or, Christ in vsus, are defectiue: and must be seuered from Christ in the act of iustification, or, saluation.
The third conclusion is touching the imputation of Christs obedience, which some of the most learned among them acknowledge: and the difference betweene vsus stands on this manner. They hold that Christs obedience is imputed onelyonly to make satisfaction for sinne, and not to iustifie vsus before God. We hold & beleeue that the obediēce of Christ is imputed to vsus, euen for our righteousnes before God. Paul saith, 1. Cor. 1. 30. Christ is made vntounto vsus of God, vvisedome, RIGHTEOVSNES, SANCTIFICATION, and redemption. Hence I reason thus. If Christ be both our sanctification, and our righteousnes: then he is not onelyonly vntounto vsus inherent righteousnes, but also righteousnes imputed. But he is not onelyonly our sanctification (which the Papists themselues expound of inherent or habituall righteousnes) but also our righteousnes: for thus by Paul are they distinguished. Therefore he is vntounto vsus both inherent and imputed righteousnes. And very reason teacheth thus much. For in the end of the worlde at the barre of Gods iudgement, we must bring some kinde of righteousnesse for our iustification, that may stande in the rigour of the lawe according to which wee are to be iudged. But our inherent righteousnesse is imperfect and stained with manifold defects and shall be as long as we liue in this world, as experience tells vsus: and consequently it is not sutable to the iustice of the law: and if we goe out of our selues we shall finde no righteousnesse seruing for our turnes either in men or Angels, that may or can procure our absolution before God and acceptation to life euerlasting. Wee must therefore hauehave recourse to the person of Christ, and his obedience imputed vntounto vsus, must serue not onelyonly to be a satisfaction to God for all our sinnes, but also for our perfect iustification: in that God is content to accept of it for our righteousnesse, as if it were inherent in vsus, or performed by vsus.
Touching the fourth conclusion, they hold it the safest and surest course to put their trust and confidence in the merciemercy of God alone for their saluation: yet they condescend, that men may also*Bellar. l. 5. …. 7. de iustif. put there confidence in the merit of their owne works, and in the merits also of other men, so it be in sobrietie. But this doctrine quite marres the conclusion: because by teaching that men are to put confidence in the creature, they ouerturue all confidence in the Creatour. For in the very first commandement, we are taught to make choise of the true God for our God, which thing we do whē we giuegive to God our hearts: and we giuegive our hearts to God, when we put our whole confidence in him for the saluation of our soules. Nowe then to put confidence in men, or, in workes, is to make them our Gods. The true and ancient forme of making confession was on this manner: I beleeue in God the Father, In Iesus Christ, and In the holy Ghost, without mentiō making of any confidence in works or creatures: the anciēt Church neuer knew any such confession or confidence. CyprianDe duplici Martyr. saith, He beleeueth not in god, who putteth not affiance concerning his saluation in God alone. And indeede the Papists them-selues when death comes, forsake the confidence of their merits, and flie to the meere merciemercy of God in Christ. And for a confirmation of this I alleadge the testimonie of one VlinbergiusLib. de causis cur Evang. p. 436. of Colen, who writeth thus. There was a booke found in the vestrie of a certain parish of Colen, writtē in the Dutch tongue in the yeare of our Lord 1475. which the Priests vsed in visiting of the sicke. And in it these questions be found.cSupposed to be questions of Anselme. Dost thou beleeue that th…u canst not be saued but by the death of Christ? The sicke person ansvvered, Yea. Then it is said vntounto him, Goe too then, while breath remaines in thee, put thy confidence in this DEATH ALONE: hauehave affiance in nothing else▪ commit thy selfe vvholly to this death: with it alone couer thy selfe: dive thy selfe in eueryevery part into this death; in eueryevery part pearse thy selfe with it: infold thy selfe in this death. And if the Lord wil iudge thee, say: Lord, I put the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betweene me and thy iudgement, and BY NO OTHER MEANES I contend with thee. And if he shall say vntounto thee, that thou art a sinner; say, Lord the death of my Lord Iesus Christ, I put betweene thee and my sinnes. If he shall say vntounto thee, that thou hast deserued damnation, say: Lord, I oppose the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betweene thee and my euill merits, and I OFFER HIS MERIT FOR THE MERIT VVHICHWHICH I SHOVLD HAVE, AND HAVE NOT. If he shall say, that he is angrie vvith thee, say: Lord, I oppose the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betvveene me and thine anger. Here we see, what Papists doe, & hauehave done in the time of death. And that which they hold and practise, when they are dying; they should hold & practise eueryevery day while they are liuing.
In the last cōclusiō they teach that we must not onelyonly beleeue in generall but also apply vntounto our selues the promises of life euerlasting. But they differ from vsus in the very manner of applying. They teach that the promise is to be applied, not by faith assuring vsus of our owne saluation; but onelyonly by hope, in likelihood coniecturall. We hould that wee are bound in dutie to apply the promise of life by faith without making doubt thereof, and by hope to continue the certentie after the apprehension made by faith. We doe not teach that all and euerie man liuing within the precincts of the Church, professing the name of Christ, is certen of his saluation, and that by faith: but that he ought so to be, and must indeauour to attaine thereto. And here is a great point in the mysterie of iniquitie, to be considered: for by this vncerten application of the promise of saluatiō, and this wauering hope they ouerturne halfe the doctrine of the gospell. For it inioynes two things: first to beleeue the promises therof to be true in themselues: secondly to beleeue, & by faith to applie them vntounto our selues. And this latter part, without which the former is voide of comfort, is quite ouerturned. The reasons which they alleadge against our doctrine, I hauehave answered before: now therfore I let them passe.
To conclude, though in coloured tearmes they seeme to agree with vsus in doctrine concerning faith; yet indeed they deny & abolish the substance therof, namely, the particular & & certen application of Christ crucified and his benefits, vntounto our selues. Again they faile in that they cut off the principall dutie & office of true sauing faith, which is to apprehend and to applie the blessing promised.