The Ancient Faith of the Romans and the Romish Religion, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
SAint Paul hauing planted and proued this doctrine of iuſtification by faith in Chriſt,This doctrine of iuſtification by faith in doctrine of liberty. as he doth in the fourth chapter of this Epiſtle to the Romans, and elſe where in many places: hee then teacheth that in reſpect of this grace, we ſhould be ſo far from being imboldened to ſin, that on the contrary we are the more bound therby to holines of life.Rom. 6. 2. 3. & caet. For whoſoeuer is dead to ſin, muſt not liue to ſin. But we if we be not baptiſed into Chriſt, are dead to ſin: Therfore ſuch as are baptiſed into Chriſt, may not liue to ſin or in ſin. Yea it is good reaſon that the ſeruant obey his Maſter, but we are Gods ſeruants by promiſe in baptiſme, therefore him we muſt obey: then we cannot obey him, which God hateth, forbiddeth, and puniſheth, but we muſt ſerue God our Maſter in holines and righteouſnes. And whereas no man euer more plainely taught, our frée iuſtification in Chriſt, without our workes or merites, or any inherent righteouſneſſe, euen by the forgiuenes of our ſinnes, then the Apoſtle S. Paul, both in this epiſtle and elſe where: yet no man more earneſtly and effectually then he, exhorteth to holines of life, good workes, and all Chriſtian duties: ſinne and ſecurity hauehave not a ſharper enemie then he is.1. Pet. 2. 24. S. Peter alſo teacheth vsus that Chriſt his Owne ſelfe, bare our ſinnes, in his body, vponupon the tree. Whereby he ſheweth the ſatiſfaction that he hath made, to be the attonement betwéene God and vsus: and that without vsus he hath done it, himſelfe I ſay in his owne body hath paid that price, and taken away the condemnation due to the ſinne that we hauehave committed. Hee hath done it vponupon the trée by his death and paſſion, purchaſing thereby eternall redemption. What can the Apoſtle ſay more plainely, to teach vsus that the ſatiſfaction for al our ſinnes is alreadie perfected ſo in and by Chriſt, that our owne workes can be nothing auayleable to ſatiſfie for them, or that there is not to that vſe any neede of them? What then? Séeing he beareth our ſinnes ſhall we lay loade vponupon him, and by our ſinne and vngodly life, doe what wee can to make his burthen heauier? No no, he hath done all this that wee who (by this benefite of Chriſt) are dead to ſinne, ſhould liue to righteouſneſſe. For if GOD bee our God, wee muſt be his people: If hee bee our louing Father, hee looketh that wee ſhoulde be his obedient children, If he bee our gratious Lorde and Maſter, we muſt not be vngracious but duetifull ſeruantes. For as God doth couenant with vsus to bee our God, ſo do we alſo by vowe and promiſe, binde our ſelues vntounto him to bée his ſeruantes. And this alſo doth the Apoſtle Saint Peter teache vsus, who in the firſt Chapter hath plentifully ſet forth Gods greate merrie towardes vsus, euen in this queſtion of our free iuſtification, as alſo in this place he hath done, and yet wil not in any wiſe that any Chriſtian duties ſhould of vsus be vnperformed, but exhorteth vsus to bee occupied in them as we may ſee. Chap. 4. 1. 2. 3. 4. and to accompt them as a debt that we owe vntounto God,Ephe. 2. 10. and muſt pay him. For we are Gods workmanſhip created in Chriſt Ieſus vntounto good workes, which God hath before ordained that we ſhould walke in them. Saint Marke reporteth vntounto vsus that our Sauiour Chriſt preachd often forgiuenes of ſinnes, as in his third, and fourth Chapters it may appeare, which forgiuenes of ſin, doth quite ouerthrow that inherent righteouſnes, and iuſtification by worke that the papiſtes ſtriue to eſtabliſh. And yet the ſame S. Marke doth regiſter and record, among many other godly exhortations, that our Sauiour Chriſt made to his diſciples this neceſſary caueat. Take heed watch and pray, for you know not when the time is: Marke. 13. 33.By all which this doth appeare, that ſanctification and holines, muſt followe iuſtification and forgiuenes of ſinne (for we are waſhed that we ſhould not againe defile our ſelues with the filth of ſin) and that Gods louelove, doth more effectually tie vsus to obey him, and to indeuour our ſelues to doe his will. And looke howe much the more we are inſtructed, and aſſuredly perſwaded of the free louelove of God, ſo much the more, will our inner man be inflamed with louelove to him againe. I ſay euen with ſuch louelove, as will thruſt vsus forwardes to walke in good workes. And this is notably proued by our Sauiour Chriſt who gathereth that the ſinfull woman in S. Luke felt,Luc. 7. 47. That many ſinnes were forgiuen her becauſe ſhe loued ſo much. And thus we ſée that the auncient Roman faith was this, that ſuch as hauehave receiued and felt Gods free grace in forgiuing their iniquities, as in trueth they are,Detemp. ſer. 237. ſo in duety they muſt be alwaies ready to ſerue him. So that I may boldly ſay with S. Auguſt. It can hardly bée that he that beléeueth well ſhould liue euil.
But our popiſh ſpiders out of this ſweete flower doe gather their poyſon.Romiſh reproches againſt this true doctrine. They burthē this doctrine, which in expreſſe words is taught by S. Paul, and the effects of it by S. Peter alſo (that we are iuſtified by faith without the workes of the Law) with this ſlaunder, that it is a doctrine of liberty, and occaſion of licentious life, a hinderance to good workes. And thus this doctrine, which they cannot confute with reaſon, they couer with ſhame and reproches. And that which they cannot with all their learning proue falſe: Dialog. cum Tripho.by this ſhameles ſhift they ſeeke to make odious. Far otherwiſe did the ancient fathers both ſpeak & write.Act. 15. 9. li. 2. Iuſtinus Martyr lerned of the Apoſtle S. Peter to ſay that faith profi…eth our hearts.Epiſt. 2. Ciprian ſaith to ceaſe from ſin,Aduerſ. Marce. onem. li. 4. that beginneth of faith. Tertulian affirmeth that faith ſheweth vsus the way (whither?In pſal. 115. to licentious life? No, but) by which we muſt come to God. Baſil aſcribeth vntounto it, great force to allure, draw and perſwade the mind,Constit. Mon…ſt. cap. 16. becauſe as in another place he telleth vsus, it ſtrengheneth the powers of the ſame, it obtayneth & getteth indeuour in vsus, and Gods helpe, which both are neceſſary in al our works.Hereſi. 76. Epiphanius writeth that it preſerueth eueryevery faithful man,In Ioh. 6. he meaneth from euil no doubt. And Theophilact telleth vsus, that faith in Chriſt is truely a holy and perfect worke, and doth ſanctifie or make holy him that hath it:In Ioh. 3. And on the other ſide,Ti…. 1. 16. that ſuch as lead an vncleane life, are not truely faithfull, who profeſſe that they know God, but in workes they deny him. By all which it is plaine to ſee,Eph. 6. 16. that theſe holy fathers did thinke that faith doth both quench all the firie dartes of the wicked, and nouriſh or maintaine within vsus, the good motions of the ſpirit, and ſo is as it were the fountaine from whence doth ſpring whatſoeuer good work we can performe. But the papiſtes would beare the worde in hande, that the more wee teach them to beleeue, the wider we open them a doore to ſinne. But woulde you in deede finde out that doctrine, that doth let looſe the raynes of lycentious life? and giueth liberty to doe what you will? Looke then to our newe Romiſh religion that ſelleth ſinnes for money, and pardons for faultes both paſt and to come alſo. Faith (whereby wee apprehend this free iuſtification) is Gods gift, and therefore not eaſie for vsus to get, ſeeing wee cannot hauehave it at all, vnleſſe hee will giuegive it, increaſe whereof the Apoſtles themſelues craued of God, becauſe of themſelues they coulde not get it. But as much mony as will buy a pardon is not harde to come by. Eſpecially rich men might by their doctrine, be bolde to ſinne, becauſe money woulde buy pardons enowe. Nowe whether the auncient faith of the Romans, or this new Romiſh religion, giuegive greater liberty to licentious life, let the indifferent Reader iudge.