A LEARNED DISCOVERSE OF JUSTIFICATION, WORKS, and how the foundation of faith is over thrown.  
By RICHARD HOOKER, sometimes Fellow of Corpus Christi College in Oxford.  
AT OXFORD, Printed by Joseph Barnes, and are to be sold by John Barnes, dwelling near Holborn Conduit. 1612.   

TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.  
WHereas many, desirous of resolution in some points handled in this learned Discourse, were earnest to have it copied out: to ease so many labours, it hath been thought most worthy and very necessary to be printed, that not only they might be satisfied, but the whole Church also hereby edified. The rather because it will free the Author from the suspicion of some errors, which he hath been thought to have favoured. Who might well have answered with Cremutius in Tacitus, 
a Lib. 4. Ann.  Verbamea arguuntur, adeò factorum innocens sum. Certainly, the event of that time, wherein he lived, showed that to be true, which the same 
b Lib. 1. Hist.  Author spoke of a worse, Cui deerat inimicus, per amicos oppressus; and that there is not 
c In vita Agricolae.  minus periculum ex magna fama, quam ex mala. But he hath so quit himself, that all may see, how, as it was said of Agricola, Simul suis virtutibus, simul vitijs aliorum in ipsam gloriam praeceps agebatur. Touching whom I will say no more, but that which my Author said of the same man, Integritatem, etc. in tanto viro refer, iniuria virtutum fuerit. But as of all other his writings, so of this I will add that, which 
d Lib. a.  Velleius spoke in commendation of Piso, Nemo fuit, qui magis, que agenda erant, curaret, sine ulla ostentatione agendi. So not doubting, Good Christian Reader, of thy assent herein, but wishing thy favourable acceptance of this work, (which will be an inducement to set forth others of his learned labours) I take my leave; from Corpus Christi College in Oxford.  
Thine in Christ jesus HENRY JACKSON.   
Abak. 1. 4. The wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore perverse judgement doth proceed. 
FOR the better manifestation of the Prophet's meaning in this place, we are first to consider the wicked, 
1  of whom he saith▪ That they compass about the righteous: secondy, 
2  the righteous, that are compassed about by them: and thirdly, that which is inferred; therefore perverse judgement proceedeth. Touching the first, there are two kinds of wicked men, of whom, in the fifth of the former to the Corinthians, the blessed Apostle speaketh thus: 
1. Cor. 5. 12. 13.  Do ye not judge them that are within? But God judgeth them that are without. There are wicked therefore whom the church may judge, & there are wicked whom God only judgeth: wicked within, and wicked without the walls of the Church. If within the church particular persons be apparently such, as cannot otherwise be reform; the rule of the Apostolical judgement, is this; Separate them from among you: if whole assemblies, this; Separate yourselves from among them: for what society hath 
2. Cor. 6 v 7.  light with darkness. But the wicked, whom the Prophet meaneth, were Babylonians, and therefore without. For which cause we have heard at large heretofore in what sort he urgeth God to judge them.  
2 Now concerning the righteous, there neither is nor ever was any mere natural man absolutely righteous in himself: that is to say, void of all unrighteousness, of all sin. We dare not except no not the blessed Virgin herself; of whom although we say with S. Augustine, for the honour sake which we owe to our Lord and Saviour Christ, we are not willing in this cause to move any question of his mother: yet for as much as the schools of Rome have made it a question; we may answer with 
a Or whosoever it be that was the author of those Homilies that go under his name.  Eusebius Emissenus: who speaketh of her and to her in this effect; Thou didst, by special prerogative, nine months together entertain within the closet of thy flesh, the hope of all the ends of the earth; the honour of the world, the common joy of men: he from whom all things had their beginning, had his beginning from thee, of thy body he took the blood which was to be shed for the life of the world, of thee he took that which even for thee he paid. Apeccati enim veteris nexu, 
b Knowing how the Schoolmen hold this question, some critical wits may perhaps half suspect that these two words, pierce, are inmates. But if the place which they have, be their own, their sense can be none other than that which I have given them by a paraphta sticall interpretation.  per se non est immunis, nec ipsa genetrix redemptoris: the mother of the redeemer, herself, is not otherwise loosed from the bond of ancient sin, then by redemption; if Christ have paid a ransom for all, even for her, it followeth that all with out exception were captives. If one have died for all, than all were dead in sin: all sinful therefore: none absolutely righteous in themselves; but we are absolutely righteous in Christ. The world than mus●●●ew a righteous man, otherwise it is not able to show a man that is perfectly righteous. Christ is made to us wisdom, justice, sanctification, and redemption: wisdom, because he hath revealed his father's will; justice, because he hath offered up himself a sacrifice for sin; sanctification, because he hath given us his spirit; redemption, because he hath appointed a day to vindicate his children out of the hands of corruption, into liberty, which is glorious. How Christ is made wisdom, and how redemption, it may be declared, when occasion serveth. But how Christ is made the righteousness of men, we are now to declare.  
3 There is a glorifying righteousness of men in the world to come; as there is a justifying and sanctifying righteousness here. The righteousness wherewith we shallbe clothed in the world to come, is both perfect & inherent. That whereby here we are justified, is perfect, but not inherent. That whereby we are sanctified, is inherent, but not perfect. This openeth a way to the understanding of that grand question, which hangeth yet in controversy, between us & the Church of Rome, about the matter of justifying righteousness.  
4 First, although they imagine, that the mother 
They teach as we do, that God doth justify the soul of man alone without any coeffective cause of justice.  of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ, were for his honour, and by his special protection, preserved clean from all sin: yet touching the rest they teach as we do; that infants which never did actually offend, have their natures defiled, destitute of justice, averted from God; that in making man righteous, none do efficiently work with God, but God. They teach as we do, that 
Deus sine medi● coeffectiv● animam justificat. Casal. de quadr. part. just. lib. 1. cap. 8.  unto justice no man ever attained, but by the merits of Jesus Christ. They teach as we do, that although Christ as God, be the efficient; as man, the meritorious cause of our justice: yet in us also there is something required. 
Idem l. 3. c. 9  God is the cause of our natural life, in him we life: but he quickeneth not the body without the soul in the body. Christ hath merited to make us just: but as a medicine which is made for health, doth not heal by being made, but by being applied: so by the merits of Christ there can be no justification, without the application of his merits. Thus far we join hands with the Church of Rome.  
5 Wherein then do we disagree? We disagree about 
The difference betwixt the Papists & us about justification.  the nature and essence of the medicine, whereby Christ cureth our disease; about the manner of applying it, about the number, and the power of means, which God requireth in us for the effectual applying thereof to our soul's comfort. When they are required to show what the righteousness is, whereby a Christian man is justified: they 
* Tho. Aquin. 1. 2. quaest. 100 Gratia gratum faciens, id est, iustificans, est in anima quiddam real & positivii qualitas quaeda [artic. 2 concls] supernaturalis, non eadem cum virtute infusa, ut Magister; sed aliquid [art 3.] praeter virtutes insusas, sidem, spem, charitatem; habitudo quaeda [artic 3. ad 3.] quae praesupponitur in virtutibus istis, sicut earum principium & radix, essentiam anime tanquam subiectum occupat non potentias; sed ab ipsa [artic. 4. ad 1.] effluunt virtutes in potentias animae, per quas potentiae moventur ad actus. plura vid. quaest. 113. de justificatione.  answer that it is a divine spiritual quality, which quality received into the soul, doth first make it to be one of them who are borne of God, and secondly endue it with power, to bring forth such works, as they do that are borne of him; even as the soul of man being joined to his body, doth first make him to be of the number of reasonable creatures, and secondly enable him to perform the natural functions which are proper to his kind: that it maketh the soul amiable and gracious in the sight of God, in regard whereof it is termed grace; that it purgeth, purifieth, and washeth out all the stains, and pollutions of sin; that by it through the merit, we are delivered as from sin, so from eternal death and condemnation the reward of sin. This grace they will have to be applied by infusion: to the end that as the body is warm by the heat which is in the body; so the soul might be righteous by the inherent grace: which grace they make capable of increase, as the body may be more and more warm, so the soul more and more justified, according as grace shall be augmented, the augmentation whereof is merited by good works, as good works are made meritorious by it. Wherefore, the first receipt of grace in their divinity, is the first justification; the increase thereof, the second justification. As grace may be increased by the merit of good works: so it may be diminished by the demerit of sins venial; it may be lost by mortal sin. In as much therefore as it is needful in the one case to repair; in the other: to recover the loss which is made: the infusion of grace hath her sundry after meals, for the which cause, they make many ways to apply the infusion of grace. It is applied to infants through baptism, without either faith, or works and in them really it taketh away original sin, & the punishment due unto it: it is applied to Infidels and wicked men in the first justification, through baptism without works, yet not without faith; and it taketh away both sins actual and original together, withal whatsoever punishment eternal or temporal thereby deserved. Unto such as have attained the first justification, that is to say, the first receipt of grace, it is applied farther by good works to the increase of former grace, which is the second justification. If they work more and more; grace doth more and more increase and they are more and more justified. To such as diminished it by venial sins, it is applied by holy water, Ave maries, cross, papal salutations, & such like, which serve for reparations of grace decayed. To such as have lost it through mortal sin, it is applied by the sacrament (as they term it) of Penance: which sacrament hath force to confer grace anew, yet in such sort, that being so conferred it hath not altogether so much power as at the first. For it only cleanseth out the stain or guilt of sin committed; and changeth the punishment eternal into a temporal satisfactory punishment, here, if time do serve; if not, hereafter to be endured, except it be lightened by masses, works of charity, pilgrimages, fasts, and such like; or else shortened by pardon, for term, or by plenary pardon quite removed, and taken away. This is the mystery of the man of sin. This maze the Church of Rome doth cause her followers to tread when they ask her the way to justification. I cannot stand now to unrip this building, and to sift it piece by piece; only I will pass by it in few words, that that may befall Babylon in the presence of that which God hath builded, as happened unto Dagon before the ark.  
6 Doubtless saith the Apostle 
a Phil. 3. v. 8.  I have counted all things loss, and judge them to be dung, that I may win Christ; and to be found in him not having my own righteousness, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God through faith. Whether they speak of the first, or second justification, they make it the essence of a divine quality inherent, they make it righteousness which is in us. If it be in us, then is it ours, as our souls are ours, though we have them from God, and can hold them no longer then pleaseth him; for if he withdraw the breath of our nostrils we fall to dust: but the righteousness wherein we must be found if we willbe justified, is not our own: therefore we cannot be justified by any inherent quality. Christ hath me rited righteousness for as many as are found in him. In him God findeth us, if we be faithful, for by faith we are incorporated into Christ. Then although in ourselves we be altogether sinful, and unrighteous, yet even the man which is impious in himself, full of iniquity, full of sin, him being found in Christ through faith, and having his sin remitted through repentance: him God upholdeth with a gracious eye; putteth away his sin by not imputing; taketh quite away the punishment due thereunto, by pardoning it; and accepteth him in jesus Christ, as perfectly righteous, as if he had fulfilled all that was commanded him in the law: shall I say more perfectly righteous, then if himself had fulfilled the whole law? I must take heed what I say; 
2. Cor. 5. 21.  but the Apostle saith* God made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Such we are in the sight of God the father, as is the very son of God himself. Let it be counted folly, or frenzy, or fury whatsoever; it is our comfort, and our wisdom; we care for no knowledge in the world but this: that man hath sinned and God hath suffered; that God hath made himself the son of man, and that men are made the righteousness of God. You see therefore that the Church of Rome in teaching justification by inherent grace, doth pervert the truth of Christ, and that by the hands of the Apostles we have received otherwise then she teacheth. Now concerning the righteousness of sanctification, we deny it not to be inherent; we grant that unless we work, we have it not: only we distinguish it a thing different in nature from the righteousness of justification: we are righteous the one way by the faith of Abraham; the other way, except we do the works of Abraham, we are not righteous. Of the one, S. Paul; To him that worketh not but believeth, faith is counted for 
Rome 4. 5.  righteousness. Of the other S. john. Quifacit justitiam 
1. joh. 3. 7.  justus est: He is righteous which worketh righteousness. Of the one, S. Paul doth prove by Abraham's example, that we have it of faith without works. Of the other, S. james, by Abraham's example, that by works we have it, and not only by faith. S. Paul doth plainly sever these two parts of Christian righteousness one from the other. For in the 6. to the Rom. thus he writeth, Being freed from sin, and made servants to God; ye have 
Rom. 6.  your fruit in holiness, and the end everlasting life. Ye are made free from sin, and made servants unto God: this is the righteousness of justification: ye have your fruit in holiness; this is the righteousness of sanctification. By the one we are interested in the right of inheriting; by the other we are brought to the actual possession of eternal bliss, and so the end of both is everlasting life.  
7 The Prophet Abak. doth here term the jews righteous men, not only because being justified by faith they were free from sin, but also because they had their measure of fruits in holiness. According to whose example of charitable judgement, which leaveth it to God to discern what we are, and speaketh of them according to that which they do profess themselves to be, although they be not holy men whom men do think, but whom God doth know indeed to be such: yet let every Christian man know, that in Christian equity, he standeth bound for to think and speak of his brethren, as of men that have measure in the fruit of holiness, and a right unto the titles, wherewith God in token of special favour and mercy, vouchsafeth to honour his chosen servants. So we see the Apostles of our Saviour Christ, do euse every where the name of Saints; so the Prophet, the name of righteous. But let us all be such as we desire to be termed. Reatus impij est pium nomen, saith Salvianus. Godly names, do not justify godless men. We are but upbraided when we are honoured with names & titles, whereunto our lives & manners are not suitable. If indeed we have our fruit in holiness▪ notwithstanding we must note, that the more we abound therein, the more need we have to crave that we may be strengthened and supported. Our very virtues may be snares unto us. The enemy that waiteth for all occasions to work our ruin, hath found it harder, to overthrow an humble sinner, than a proud Saint. There is no man's case so dangerous, as his whom Satan hath persuaded, that his own righteousness shall present him pure and blameless in the sight of God. If we could say we were not guilty of any thing at all in our consciences (we know ourselves far from this innocency; we cannot say we know nothing by ourselves; but if we could,) should we therefore plead not guilty before the presence of our judge, that sees further into our hearts, than we ourselves can do? If our hands did never offer violence to our brethren, a bloody thought, doth prove us murderers before him; if we had never opened our mouth to utter any scandalous, offensive, or hurtful word, the cry of our secret cogitations is heard in the ears of God. If we do not commit the sins which daily and hourly, either in deed, word, or thoughts, we do commit: yet in the good things which we do, how many defects are there intermingled? God in that which is done, respecteth the mind & intention of the doer. Cut of then all these things wherein we have regarded our own glory, those things which men do to please men, and to satisfy our own liking, those things which we do by any respect, not sincerely, & purely for the love of God: and a small score will serve for the number of our righteous deeds. Let the holiest and best thing we do, be considered: we are never better affected unto God, then when we pray; yet when we pray, how are our affections many times distracted? How little reverence do we show unto the grand majesty of God unto whom we speak? How little remorse of our own miseries? How little taste of the sweet influence of his tender mercies do we feel? Are we not as unwilling many times to begin, and as glad to make an end; as if in saying, call upon me, he had set us a very burdensome task? It may seem somewhat extreme which I will speak: therefore let every one judge of it, even as his own heart shall tell him, and no otherwise; I will but only make a demand. If God should yield unto us, not as unto Abraham; if fifty, forty, thirty, twenty, yea or if ten good persons could be found in a city, for their sakes that city should not be destroyed: but an if he should make us an offer thus large; Search all the generations of men, sithence the fall of our father Adam, find one man that hath done one action which hath passed from him pure, without any stain or blemish at all; and for that one man's one only action, neither man nor Angel, shall feel the torments which are prepared for both: do you think that this ransom to deliver men and Angels, could be found to be among the sons of men? The best things which we do, have somewhat in them to be pardoned. How then can we do any thing meritorious, or worthy to be rewarded? Indeed God doth liberally promise whatsoever appertained to a blessed life, to as many as sincerely keep his law, though he be not exactly able to keep it. Wherefore we acknowledge a dutiful necessity of doing well; but the meritorious dignity of doing well, we utterly renounce. We see how far we are from the perfect righteousness of the law; the little fruit which we have in holiness, it is, God knoweth, corrupt and unsound: we put no confidence at all in it, we challenge nothing in the world for it, we dare not call God to reckoning, as if we had him in our debt books: our continual suit to him, is and must be, to bear with our infirmities, and pardon our offences.  
8 But the people of whom the prophet speaketh were they all, or were the most part of them such as had care to walk uprightly? Did they thirst after righteousness? Did they wish, did they long with the righteous Prophet: O that our ways were made so direct that we might keep thy statutes? Did they lament with the righteous Apostle: O miserable men, the good which we wish, 
Rom. 7. 19  and purpose, and strive to do, we cannot? No, the words of the other Prophet concerning this people, do show the contrary. How grievously doth Esay mourn over them? 
Cap. 1. V. 4.  O sinful nation, laden with iniquity, wicked seed, corrupt children. All which notwithstanding, so wide are the bowels of his compassion enlarged, that he denieth us not, no not when we were laden with iniquity, leave to commune familiarly with him, liberty to crave and entreat, that what plagues soever we have deserved, we may not be in worse case than unbelievers, that we may not be hemmed in by Pagans, and infidels. jerusalem is a sinful polluted City: but jerusalem compared with Babylon is righteous. And shall the righteous be overborne, shall they be compassed about by the wicked? But the Prophet doth not only complain; Lord how cometh it to pass, that thou handlest us so hardly; of whom thy name is called; and bearest with the heathen nations that despise thee? No he breaketh out through extremity of grief, and inferreth violently; This procesding is perverse: the righteous are thus handled; therefore perverse judgement doth proceed.  
9 Which illation containeth many things whereof it were better much both for you to hear, & me to speak, if necessity did not draw me to an other task. Paul and Barnabas being requested to preach the same things again which once they had preached, thought it their duties to satisfy the godly desires of men sincerely affected to the truth. Nor may it seem burdenous to me, or for ye unprofitable, that I follow their example, for the like occasion unto theirs being offered me. When we had last the Epistle of S. Paul to the Hebrews in hand, and of that Epistle these words; In 
Hob. 1. V. 2.  these last days he hath spoken unto us by his Son: After we had thence collected the nature of the visible Church of Christ; & had defined it to be a community of men ᵃ sanctified through the profession of the truth which 
By sanctification I mean a separation from others, not professing as they do. For true holiness consisteth not in professing, but in obeying the truth of Christ.  God hath taught the world by his Son; and had declared, that the scope of Christian doctrine is the comfort of them whose hearts are overcharged with the burden of sin; and had proved that the doctrine professed in the Church of Rome, doth bereave men of comfort both in their lives and in their deaths: the conclusion in the end, whereunto we came was this; the church of Rome being in faith so corrupted as she is, and refusing to be reform as she doth, we are to sever ourselves from her. The example of our fathers may not retain us in communion with that church; under hope, that we so continuing, may be saved as well as they. God I doubt not, was merciful to save thousands of them, though they lived in Popish superstitions, in as much as they sinned ignorantly. But the truth is now laid before our eyes. The former part of this last sentence, namely these words, I doubt not but God was merciful to save thousands of our father's living in popish superstitions, in as much as they sinned ignorantly: this sentence I beseech you to mark, and to sift it with the severity of austere judgement; that if it be found to be gold, it may be suitable to the precious foundation, whereon it was then laid: for I protest, that, if it be hay or stubble, my own hand shall set fire to it. Two questions have risen by reason of this speech before alleged. The one, whether our fathers infected with Popish errors and superstitions▪ may be saved. The other, whether their ignorance be a reasonable inducement to make us think, they might. We are then to examine: first, what possibility; then, what probability there is, that God might be merciful unto so many of our fathers.  
10 So many of our father's living in popish superstitions, yet by the mercy of God to be saved? No; this could not be: God hath spoken by his angel from heaven, unto his people concerning Babylon (by Babylon we understand the church of Rome;) Go out of her my people, that you be not partaker of her plagues. For answer 
Apocal. 18. 4.  whereunto, first, I do not take the words to be meant only of temporal plagues, of the corporal death, sorrow, famine, & fire, whereunto God in his wrath hath condemned Babylon; and that to save his chosen people from these plagues, he saith, Go out, with like intent, as in the Gospel, speaking of Hierusalems' desolations, he saith, Let them that are in judaea fly unto the mountains, 
Math. 24 16.  and them that are in the midst thereof depart out; or, as in the former times to Lot, Arise take thy wife, & thy daughters 
Gen. 19 15.  which are there, lest thou be destroyed in the punishment of the City: but for as much as here it is said, Go out of Babylon; we doubt, their everlasting destruction, which are partakers therein, is either principally meant, or necessarily implied in this sentence. How then was it possible for so many of our fathers to be saved: sith they were so far from departing out of Babylon, that they took her for their mother, and in her bosom yielded up the ghost?  
11 First for the plagues being threatened unto them that are partakers in the sins of Babylon, we can define nothing concerning our fathers, out of this sentence: unless we show what the sins of Babylon be, and what they be which are such partakers of them, that their everlasting plagues are inevitable. The sins which may be common both to them of the Church of Rome, and to others departed thence, must be severed from this question. He which saith, Depart out of Babylon, lest you be partakers of her sins: showeth plainly, that he meaneth such sins, as, except we separate ourselves, we have no power in the world to avoid, such impieties, as by the law they have established, & whereunto all that are among them, either do indeed assent, or else are by powerable means, forced, in show and appearance, to subject themselves. As for example, in the Church of Rome it is maintained, that the same credit and reverence that we give to the Scriptures of God, ought also to be given to unwritten verities; that the Pope is supreme head ministerial over the universal Church militant; that the bread in the Eucharist is transubstantiated into Christ; that it is to be adored, & to be offered up unto God as a sacrifice propitiatory for quick and dead; that Images are to be worshipped; Saints to be called upon as intercessors, and such like. Now, because some heresies do concern things only believed, as the transubstantiation of the sacramental elements in the Eucharist: some concern things which are practised and put in ure, as the adoration of the elements transubstantiated: we must note, that erroneously, the practice of that is sometime received; whereof the doctrine that teacheth it, is not heretically maintained. They are all partakers in the maintenance of heresies, who by word or deed allow them, knowing them, although not knowing them to be heresies; as also they, and that most dangerously of all others, who knowing heresy to be heresy, do notwithstanding in worldly respects, make semblance of allowing that, which in heart & judgement they condemn: but heresy is heretically maintained, by such as obstinately hold it, after wholesome admonition. Of the last sort, as of the next before, I make no doubt, but that their condemnation, without an actual repentance, is inevitable. Lest any mantherefore should think, that in speaking of our fathers, I should speak indifferently of them all: let my words I beseech you be well marked; I doubt not but God was merciful to save thousands of our fathers: which thing I will now by God's assistance set more plainly before your eyes.  
12 Many are partakers of the error, which are not of the heresy of the Church of Rome. The people following the conduct of their guides, and observing as they did, exactly that which was prescribed, thought they did God good service, when indeed they did dishonour him. This was their error: but the heresy of the church of Rome, their dogmatical positions opposite unto Christian truth, what one man amongst ten thousand, did ever understand? Of them which understand Roman heresies, and allow them, all are not alike partakers in the action of allowing. Some allow them as the first founders and establishers of them: which crime toucheth none but their Popes, and Counsels; the people are clear & free from this. Of them which maintain popish heresies, not as authors, but receivers of them from others, all maintain them not as masters. In this are not the people partakers neither, but only the predicauts and schoolmen. Of them which have been partakers in this sin of teaching Popish heresy, there is also a difference; for they have not all 
Ver. 22.  been teachers of all Popish heresies. Put a difference, saith S. Jude; have compassion upon some. Shall we lay up all in one condition? Shall we cast them all headlong? Shall we plunge them all into that infernal and everlasting flaming lake? Them that have been partakers of the errors of Babylon, together with them which are in the heresy? Them which have been the authors of heresy, with them that by terror and violence have been forced to receive it? Them who have taught it, with them whose simplicity hath by sleights and conveyances of false teachers, been seduced to believe it? Them which have been partakers in one, with them which have been partakers in many? Them which in many, with them which in all?  
13 Notwithstanding I grant, that, although the condemnation of them, be more tolerable then of these: yet from the man that laboureth at the plough, to him that sitteth in the Vatican; to all partakers in the sins of Babylon; to our Fathers, though they did but erroneously practise that which the guides heretically taught; to all, without exception, plagues were due. The pit is ordinarily the end, aswell of the guide, as of the guided in blindness. But woe worth the hour wherein we were borne, except we might promise ourselves better things; things which accompany man's solvation, even where we know, that worse, and such as accompany condemnation are due. Then must we show some way how possibly they might escape. What way is there that sinners can find to escape the judgement of God, but only by appealing to the seat of his saving mercy? Which mercy, with Origen, we do not extend to devils and damned spirits. God hath mercy upon thousands, but there be thousands also which he hardeneth. Christ hath therefore set the bounds, he hath fixed the limits of his saving mercy, within the compass of these terms: God sent not his 
joh. 3. 17.  own son to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. In the third of S. john's Gospel mercy is restrained to believers; He that believeth shall not be condemned; he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he heleeved not in the Son of God. In the 2. of the Revelation, mercy is restrained to the penitent. For of jesabel and her sectaries, thus he speaketh; I gave her space to repent and she repented not. Behold I will cast her into 
Rev. 2. 22.  a bed, and them that commit fornication with her, into a great affliction, except they repent them of their works, & I will kill her children with death. Our hope therefore of the Fathers, is, if they were not altogether faithless & impenitent.  
14 They are not all faithless that are weak in assenting to the truth, or stiff in maintaining things any way opposite to the truth of Christian doctrine. But as many as hold the foundation which is precious, though they hold it but weakly, and as it were with a slender thread, although they frame many base and unsuitable things upon it, things that cannot abide the trial of the fire, yet shall they pass the fiery trial and be saved, which indeed have builded themselves upon the rock which is the foundation of the Church. If then our Fathers did not hold the foundation of faith, there is no doubt but they were faithless. If many of them held it, then is therein no impediment, but many of them might be saved. Then let us see what the foundation of faith is and whether we may think, that thousands of our fathers, being in Popish superstitions, did notwithstanding hold the foundation.  
15 If the foundation of faith do import the general ground, whereupon we rest, when we do believe the writings of the Evangelists, and the Apostles are the foundation of the Christian faith, Credimus quia legimus, saith S. jerom: o that the Church of Rome did as 
* They misinterpret, not only by making false and corrupt glosses upon the scripture, but also by forcing the old vulgar translation as the only authentical: howbeit they refuse no book which is Canonical though they admit sundry which are not  sound interpret these fundamental writings, whereupon we build our faith, as she doth willingly hold and embrace them.  
16 But if the name of foundation do note the principal thing which is believed: then is that the foundation of our faith, which S. Paul hath to Timothy; God minifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, etc. that of Nathaniel, Thou art the son of the living God, thou art the king of Israel; that of the inhabitants of Samaria; 
1. Tim. 3. 16.  
john 1. 49.  This is Christ the Saviour of the world: he that directly denieth 
Ioh 4. 42.  this, doth utterly raze the very foundation of our faith. I have proved heretofore, that although the Church of Rome hath played the harlot worse than ever did Israel, yet are they not as now the Synagogue of the jews, which plainly deny Christ jesus, quite and clean excluded from the new covenant. But as Samaria compared with Jerusalem is termed Aholath, a Church or Tabernacle of her own; chose, jerusalem, Aholibath, the resting place of the Lord: so whatsoever we term the Church of Rome, when we compare her with reformed Churches, still we put a difference, as then between Babylon and Samaria, so now between Rome and the heathenish assemblies. which opinion, I must, and will recall. I must grant, & will that the Church of Rome, together with all her children, is clean excluded. There is no difference in the world between our fathers, & Saracens, Turks, & Paynims: if they did directly deny Christ crucified for the salvation of the world.  
17 But how many millions of them were known, so to have ended their mortal lives, that the drawing of their breath hath ceased with the uttering of this faith, Christ my Saviour, my redeemer jesus. Answer is made that this they might unfeignedly confess, and yet be far enough from salvation. For behold, saith the Apostle, I Paul say unto you, that if you be circumcised, 
Gal. 5. 2.  Christ shall profit you nothing. Christ in the work of man's salvation is alone: the Galathians were cast away by joining Circumcision, and the other rites of the law, with Christ: the Church of Rome doth teach her children to join other things likewise with him; therefore their faith, their belief, doth not profit them any thing at all. It is true that they do indeed, join other things with Christ: but how? Not in the work of redemption itself, which they grant that Christ alone hath performed sufficiently for the salvation of the whole world; but in the application of this inestimable treasure, that it may be effectual to their salvation: how demurely so ever they confess that they seek remission of sins, no other wise then by the blood of Christ, using humbly the means appointed by him to apply the benefit of holy blood; they teach, indeed, so many things pernicious in Christian faith, in setting down the means, whereof they speak, that the very foundation of faith which they hold, is thereby 
* Plainly in all men's sight whose eyes God hath enlightened to behold his truth. For they which are in error are in darkness & see not that which in light is plain. In that which they teach concerning the natures of Christ, they hold the same which Nestorius fully, the same which Eutiches about the proprieties of his nature.  plainly overthrown, and the force of the blood of jesus Christ extinguished. We may therefore dispute with them, urge them even with as dangerous sequels as the Apostle doth the Galatians. But I demand, if some of those Galatians heartily embracing the gospel of Christ, sincere and sound in faith (this one only error excepted,) had ended their lives before they were ever taught how perilous an opinion they held: shall we think that the damage of this error did so overway the benefit of their faith, that the mercy of God might not save them? I grant they overthrew the very foundation of faith by consequent: doth not that so likewise which the 
a The opinion of the Lutherans though it be no direct denial of the foundation, may notwithstanding be damnable unto some: and I do not think but that in many respects it is less damnable, as at th●● day some maintain it, than it was in them which held it at first, as Luther and others, whom I had an eye unto in this speech. The question is not whether our error with such and such circumstances: but simply, whether an error overthrowing the foundation do exclude all possibility of salvation, if it be recanted and expressly repent of.  Lutheran Churches do at this day so stiffly and so firmly maintain? For mine own part I dare not here deny the possibility of their salvation, which have been the chiefest instruments of ours: albeit they carried to their grave a persuasion so greatly repugnant to the truth. Forasmuch therefore as it may be said of the Church of Rome, she hath yet a little strength, she doth not directly deny the foundation of Christianity: I may I trust without offence persuade myself, that thousands of our fathers in former times living and dying within her walls, have found mercy at the hands of God.  
18 What although they repented not of their errors? God forbid that I should open my mouth to gainsay that which Christ himself hath spoken; Except ye repent, ye shall all perish. And if they did not repent, they perished. But withal note that we have the benefit of a double repentance, the least sin which we commit in deed, thought, or word, is death, without repentance. Yet how many things do escape us in every of these which we do not know? how many, which we do not observe to be sins? And without the knowledge, without the observation of sin, there is no actual repentance. It cannot then be chosen but that for as many as hold the foundation: and have all holden sins & errors in hatred: the blessing of repentance for unknown sins and errors, is obtained at the hands of God through the gracious mediation of jesus Christ for such suitors as cry with the Prophet David; Purge me O Lord from my secret sins.  
19 But we wash a wall of lome; we labour in vain; all this is nothing; it doth not prove; it cannot justify, that which we go about to maintain. Infidels and heathen men are not so godless, but that they may no doubt, cry God mercy, and desire in general to have their sins forgiven them. To such as deny the foundation of faith there can be no salvation (according to the ordinary course which God doth use in saving men) without a particular repentance of that error. The Galatians thinking that unless they were circumcised, they could not be saved, overthrew the foundations of faith directly: therefore if any of them did die so persuaded, whether before or after they told of their error, their end is dreadful; there is no way with them but one, death and condemnation. For the Apostle speaketh nothing of men departed, but saith generally of all, If you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. You are abolished from Christ whosoever are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace, Gal. 5. Of them in the Church of Rome, the reason is the same. For whom Antichrist hath seduced, concerning them did not S. Paul speak long before, that they received not the word of truth, they might not be saved? therefore God would send them 
2. Thess. 2. 11.  strong delusions to believe lies, that all they might be damned which believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. And S. john, All that dwell upon the earth shall worship 
Apoc, 13. v. 8.  him, whose names are not written in the book of life. Apoc. 13. Indeed many in former times, as their books and writings do yet show, held the foundation, to weet salvation by Christ alone, & therefore might be saved. God hath always had a church amongst them▪ which firmly kept his saving truth. As for such as hold with the church of Rome, that we cannot be saved by Christ alone without works: they do not only by a circle of consequence, but directly deny the foundation of faith; they hold it not, no not so much as by a thread.  
20 This to my remembrance, being all that hath been opposed with any countenance or show of reason, I hope if this be answered, the cause in question is at an end. Concerning general repentance therefore, what? a murderer, a blasphemer, an unclean person, a Turk, a Jew, any sinner to escape the wrath of God, by a general repentance; God forgive me? Truly it never came within mine heart that a general repentance doth serve for all sins: it serveth only for the common oversights of our sinful life, and for the faults which either we do not mark, or do not know that they are faults. Our fathers were actually penitent for sins, wherein they knew they displeased God, or else they fall not within the compass of my first speech. Again, that otherwise they could not be saved, then holding the foundation of Christian faith, we have not only affirmed, but proved. Why is it not then confessed that thousands of our fathers which lived in Popish superstitions, might yet by the mercy of God be saved? First, if they had directly denied the very foundations of christianity, without repenting them particularly of that sin: he which saith there could be no salvation for them according to the ordinary course which God doth use in saving men, granteth plainly, or at the least closely insinuateth, that an extraordinary privilege of mercy might deliver their souls from hell; which is more than I required. Secondly, if the foundation be denied, it is denied for fear of some heresy, which the church of Rome maintaineth. But how many were there amongst our fathers, who being seduced by the common error of that Church, never knew the meaning of her heresies? So that although all popish heretics did perish: thousands of them which lived in popish superstitions, might be saved. Thirdly, seeing all that held popish 
3  heresies, did not hold all the heresies of the Pope: why might not thousands, which were infected with other leaven, live and die unsowred with this, and so be * saved? Fourthly, if they all held this heresy, many there were 
4  
For this is the only thing alleged to prove the impossibility of their salvation: The church of Rome joineth works with Christ, which is a denial of the foundation, & unless we hold the foundation we cannot be saved.  that held it, no doubt, but only in a general form of words, which a favourable interpretation might expound in a sense differing far enough from the poisoned conceit of heresy. As for example, did they hold that we cannot be saved with Christ without good works? We ourselves do I think all say as much, with this construction, salvation being taken as in that sentence, Cord creditur ad justitiam, o'er fit confessio ad salutem, except infants, and men cut off upon the point of their conversion: of the rest none shall see God, but such as seek peace and holiness, though not a cause of their salvation, yet as a way which they must walk, which will be saved. Did they that hold without works that we are not justified, take justification so as it may also imply sanctification? And S. james doth say as much. For except there be an ambiguity in the same term, S. Paul and S. james do contradict each the other, which can not be. Now there is no ambiguity in the name either of faith, or of works, being meant by them both in one and the same sense. Finding therefore that justification is spoken of by S. Paul without implying sanctification, when he proveth that a man is justified by faith without works; finding likewise that justification doth some time imply sanctification also with it: I suppose nothing to be more sound, then so to interpret S. james, speaking not in that sense, but in this.  
21 We have already showed that there be two kinds of Christian righteousness: the one without us, which we have by imputation; th'other in us, which consists of faith, hope, and charity, and other Christian virtues. And S. james doth prove that Abraham had not only the one, because the thing believed was imputed unto him for righteousness: but also the other, because he offered up his son. God giveth us both the one justice and the other: the one, by accepting us for righteous in Christ; th'other, by working christian righteousness in us. The proper and most immediate efficient cause in us of this later, is the spirit of adoption we have received into our hearts. That whereof it consisteth, where of it is really and formally made, are those infused virtues proper and particular unto Saints, which the spirit in the very moment when first it is given of of God, bringeth with it: the effects whereof are such actions as the Apostle doth call the fruits of works, the operations of the spirit. The difference of the which operations from the root whereof they spring, maketh it needful to put two kinds likewise of sanctifying righteousness; Habitual, and Actual. Habitual, that holiness wherewith our souls are inwardly endued, the same instant, when first we begin to be the temples of the Holy Ghost: Actual, that holiness which afterwards beautifieth all the parts and actions of our life; the holiness for the which Enoch, job, Zacharie, Elizabeth, & other Saints are in the Scriptures so highly commended. If here it be demanded which of these we do first receive; I answer that the spirit, the virtues of the spirit, the habitual justice which is engrafted, the external justice of jesus Christ, which is imputed: these we receive all at one and the same time; whensoever we have any of these, we have all; they go together. Yet sith no man is justified except he believe, and no man believeth except he have faith, and no man except he have received the spirit of adoption, hath faith, for as much as they do necessarily infer justification, and justification doth of necessity presuppose them: we must needs hold that imputed righteousness, in dignity being the chiefest, is notwithstanding in order the last of all these: but actual righteousness, which is the righteousness of good works, succeed all, followeth after all, both in order and time. Which being attentively marked, showeth plainly how the faith of true believers cannot be divorced from hope and love; how faith is a part of sanctification, and yet unto justification necessary; how faith is perfected by good works, and no work of ours without faith; finally, how our fathers might hold that we are justified by faith alone, and yet hold truly, that without works we are not justified. Did they think that men do merit rewards in heaven, by the works they perform on earth? The ancient use meriting for obtaining, and in that sense they of Wittenberg have it in their confession; We teach that good works commanded of God, are necessarily to be done, and by the free kindness of God they merit their certain rewards. Therefore speaking as our fathers did, and we taking their speech in a sound meaning as we may take our fathers, and might for as much as their meaning is doubtful, and charity doth always interpret doubtful things favourably: what should iuduce us to think that rather the damage of the worst construction did light upon them all, than that the blessing of the better was granted unto thousands? Fiftly, if in the worst construction that may be made, they had generally all embraced it living, might not many of them dying utterly renounce it? Howsoever men when they sit at ease do vainly tickle their hearts with the wanton conceit of I know not what proportionable correspondence between their merits & their rewards, which in the trance of their high speculations they dream that God hath measured, weighed, & laid up, as it were, in bundles for them: notwithstanding we see by daily experience, in a number even of them, that when the hour of death approacheth, when they secretly hear themselves summoned forthwith to appear, and stand at the bar of that judge, whose brightness causeth the eyes of the Angels themselves to dazzle, all these idle imaginations do then begin to hide their faces, to name merits is then to lay their souls upon the rack, the memory of their own deeds is loathsome unto them, they forsake all things wherein they have put any trust or confidence, no staff to lean upon, no ease, no rest, no comfort then, but only in jesus Christ.  
22 Wherefore if this proposition were true; To hold in such wise, as the Church of Rome doth, that we cannot be saved by Christ alone without works, is directly to deny the foundation of faith; I say that if this proposition were true: 
* They may cease to put any confidence in works, and yet never think, living in Popish superstition, they did amiss, Pighius died popish, and yet denied Popery in the article of justification by works long before his death.  nevertheless so many ways I have showed, where by we may hope that thousands of our fathers which lived in popish superstition, might be saved. But what if it be true? what if neither that of the Galatians concerning circumcision; nor this of the church of Rome, by works, be any direct denial of the foundation, as it is affirmed that both are? I need not wade so far as to discuss this controversy, the matter which first was brought into question being so clear as I hope it is. Howbeit, because I desire that the truth even in that also should receive light, I will do mine endeavour to set down somewhat more plainly: first, the foundation of faith, what it is; secondly, what it is directly to deny the foundation; thirdly, whether they whom God hath chosen to be heirs of life, may fall so far as directly to deny it; fourthly, whether the Galatians did so by admitting the error about circumcision and the law; last of all, whether the Church of Rome for this one opinion of works may be thought to do the like, and thereupon to be no more a Christian church then are the assemblies of Turks and Jews.  
23 This word foundation being figuratively used 
What the foundation of faith is.  hath always reference to somewhat which resembleth a material building, as both that doctrine of laws and the community of Christians do. By the Masters of civil 
Vocatâ ad concionem multitudine, quae coalescere in p●pis li unius corpus nulla re praeterquam legibus poterat, Liv. de Rom. lib. 1.  policy nothing is so much inculcated, as that commonweals are founded upon laws; for that a multitude cannot be compacted into one body otherwise then by a common acception of laws, whereby they are to be kept in order. The ground of all civil laws is this; No man ought to be hurt or injured by an other. Take away the persuasion, and ye take away all the laws; take away laws & what shall become of commonweals? So it is in our spiritual christian community: I do not mean that body mystical, whereof Christ is only 
a Eph. 1. 23. & 4▪ 15.  the head; that building undiscernible by mortal eyes, wherein Christ is the 
b Ephes. 2. 20.  chief corner stone: but I speak of the visible church, the foundation whereof is the 
c Eph. 2. 20.  doctrine which the Prophets & Apostles professed. The mark whereunto their doctrine tendeth, is pointed at in these words of Peter unto Christ, 
d joh. 6. 68  Thou hast the words of eternal life; in these words of Paul to Timothee, The holy Scriptures 
2. Tim. 3. 15.  are able to make thee wise unto salvation. It is the demand of nature herself, what shall we do to have eternal life? The desire of immortality and of the knowledge of that whereby it may be obtained, is so natural unto all men, that even they who are not persuaded that they shall, do notwithstanding wish that they might know away how to see no end of life. And, because natural means are not able still to resist the force of death: there is no people in the earth so savage which hath not devised some supernatural help or other to fly for aid & succour in extremities against the enemies of their laws. A longing therefore to be saved, without understanding the true way how, hath been the cause of all the superstitions in the world. O that the miserable state of others which wander in darkness, and wot not whither they go, could give us understanding hearts, worthily to esteem the riches of the mercy of God towards us, before whose eyes the doors of the kingdom of heaven are set wide open: should we offer violence unto it? it offereth violence unto us, and we gather strength to withstand it. But I am beside my purpose when I fall to bewail the cold affection which we bear towards that whereby we should be saved; my purpose being only to set down what the ground of salvation is. The doctrine of the gospel proposeth salvation as the end, and doth it not teach the way of attaining thereunto? Yet the damosel possessed with a spirit of divination, spoke the truth; 
a Act. 16. 17.  These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation; 
b Heb. 10. 20.  A new and living way which Christ hath prepared for us, through the vail that is his flesh; salvation purchased by the death of Christ. By this foundation the children of God before the written law, were distinguished from the sons of men; the reverend patriarchs both possessed it living, and spoke expressly of it 
c Gen. 49.  at the hour of their death. It 
d job. 19  comforted job in the midst of grief; it was afterwards the anchor hold of all the righteous in Israel, from the writing of the law, to the time of grace. Every Prophet maketh mention of it. It was famously spoken of about the time, when the coming of Christ to accomplish the promises, which were made long before it, drew near, that the sound thereof was heard even amongst the Gentiles. When he was come, as many as were his, acknowledged that he was their salvation; he, that long expected hope of Israel; he, that seed, in whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed. So that now he is a name of ruin, a name of death and condemnation, unto such as dream of a new Messias, to as many as look for salvation by any other then by him. For 
e Act. 4. 12.  amongst men there is given no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved. Thus much S. Mark doth intimate by that which he doth put in the front of his book, making his entrance with these words; The beginning of the Gospel of jesus Christ the son of God. His doctrine he termeth the Gospel, because it teacheth salvation; the Gospel of jesus Christ the son of God, because it teacheth salvation by him. This is then the foundation whereupon the frame of the Gospel is erected; that very jesus whom the Virgin conceived of the holy Ghost, whom Simeon embraced in his arms, whom Pilate condemned, whom the jews crucified, whom the Apostles preached, he 
f Luk. 2. 11.  is Christ, the Lord, the only Saviour of the world: 
g 1, Cor. 3.  Other foundation can no man lay. Thus I have briefly opened that principle in Christianity, which we call the foundation of our faith. It followeth now, that I declare unto you what is directly to overthrow it. This will be better opened, if we understand what it is to hold the foundation of faith.  
24 There are which defend that many of the Gentiles who never heard the name of Christ, held the foundation of Christianity, & why? they acknowledged many of them, the providence of God; his infinite wisdom, strength, power; his goodness, and his mercy towards the children of men; that God hath judgement in store for the wicked, but for the righteous which serve him, rewards, etc. In this which they confessed, that lieth covered which we believe; in the rudiments of their knowledge concerning God, the foundation of our faith concerning Christ, lieth secretly wrapped up, and is virtually contained: therefore they held the foundation of faith, though they never had it. Might we not with as good a colour of reason defend, that every ploughman hath all the sciences wherein Philosophers have excelled? For no man is ignorant of their first principles, which do virtually contain whatsoever by natural means, is or can be known. Yea, might we not with as great reason affirm, that a man may put three mighty oaks wheresoever three acorns may be put? For virtually an akorne is an oak. To avoid such paradoxes, we teach plainly that to hold the foundation, is in express terms, to acknowledge it.  
25 Now, because the foundation is an affirmative proposition: they all overthrow it who deny it; they directly overthrow it, who deny it directly; and they overthrow it by consequent, or indirectly, which hold any one assertion whatsoever, whereupon the direct denial thereof, may be necessarily concluded. What is the question between the Gentiles and us, but this, whether salvation be by Christ? What between the jews and us, but this, Whether by this jesus, whom we call Christ, yea or no? This to be the main point whereupon Christianity standeth, it is clear by that one sentence of Festus concerning Paul's accusers, They brought no crime of such things as I supposed, but had certain questions against him of their superstition, and of one jesus which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive. Where we see that jesus, dead and raised for the salvation of the world, is by jews denied, despised by a Gentile, by a Christian Apostle maintained. The Fathers therefore in the Primitive Church, when they wrote; Tertullian, the book which he calleth Apologeticus; Minucius Foelix, the book which he entitleth Octavius; Arnobius, the seven books against the Gentiles; Chrysostome▪ his Orations against the jews; Eusebius, his ten books of evangelical demonstration: they stand in defence of Christianity against them, by whom the foundation thereof was directly denied. But the writings of the Fathers against Novatians, Pelagians, and other heretics of the like note, refel positions, whereby the foundation of Christian faith, was overthrown by consequent only. In the former sort of writings, the foundation is proved; in the later, it is alleged as a proof, which to men that had been known directly to deny, must needs have seemed a very beggarly kind of disputing. All Infidels therefore deny the foundation of faith directly; by consequent, many a Christian man, yea whole Christian Churches have denied it, and do deny it at this present day. Christian Churches, the foundation of Christianity? Not directly; for than they cease to be Christian Churches: but by a consequent, in respect whereof we condemn them as erroneous, although for holding the foundation, we do, and must hold them Christian.  
26 We see what it is to hold the foundation; what directly, and what by consequent, to deny it. The next thing which followeth, is, whether they whom God hath chosen to obtain the glory of our Lord jesus Christ, may, once effectually called, and through faith justified truly, afterwards fall so far, as directly to deny the foundation, which their hearts have before embraced with joy and comfort in the holy Ghost: for such is the faith which indeed doth justify. Devilles know the same things which we believe, and the minds of the most ungodly may be fully persuaded of the truth: which knowledge in th'one and in the'other is sometimes termed faith, but equivocally, being indeed no such faith as that whereby a Christian man is justified. It is the spirit of adoption which worketh faith in us, in them not: the things which we believe, are by us apprehended, not only as true, but also as good, and that to us: as good, they are not by them apprehended; as true, they are. Whereupon followeth the third difference; the Christian man the more he increaseth in faith, the more his joy, and comfort aboundeth: but they, the more sure they are of the truth, the more they quake and tremble at it. This begetteth an other effect, where the hearts of th'one sort have a different disposition from the other. Non ignoro plerosque conscientia meritorum, nihil se esse per mortem magis optare, quam credere. Malunt enim extingui penitus quam ad supplicia reparari. I am not ignorant, saith Minutius, that there be many, who being conscious what they are to look for, do rather wish that they might, then think that they shall, cease, when they cease to live: because they hold it better that death should consume them unto nothing, than God receive them into punishment. So it is in other articles of faith, whereof wicked men think, no doubt, many times they are too true: on the the contrary side, to the other, there is no grief or torment greater, then to feel their persuasion weak in things, whereof when they are persuaded, they reap such comfort and joy of spirit: such is the faith whereby we are justified; such, I mean, in respect of the quality. For touching the principal object of faith, longer than it holdeth the foundation whereof we have spoken, it neither justifieth, nor is, but ceaseth to be faith, when it ceaseth to believe that jesus Christ is the only Saviour of the world. The cause of life spiritual in us is Christ, not carnally or corporally inhabiting, but dwelling in the soul of man, as a thing which (when the mind apprehendeth it) is said to inhabit or possess the mind. The mind conceiveth Christ by hearing the doctrine of Christianity, as the light of nature doth the mind to apprehend those truths which are merely rational, so that saving truth which is far above the reach of human reason, cannot otherwise then by the spirit of the Almighty be conceived. All these are implied wheresoever any of them is mentioned as the cause of the spiritual life. Wherefore if we have read that 
a Rom. 8. 10.  The spirit is our life; or, 
b Philip. 2. 15.  the word our life; or, 
c Col. 3 4.  Christ our life: we are in every of these to understand, that our life is Christ, by the hearing of the gospel apprehended as a Saviour, and assented unto through the power of the holy Ghost. The first intellectual conceit and comprehension of Christ so embraced, S. Peter calleth. 
d 1 Pet 1.  the seed whereof we be new borne: our first embracing of Christ is our first 
e Eph 2. 5.  reviving from the state of death and condemnation. 
f 1. joh. 5. 12.  He that hath the son hath life, saith S. john, and he that hath not the son of God hath not life. If therefore he which once hath the son may cease to have the son, though it be for a moment, he ceaseth for that moment to have life. But the life of them which have the son of God 
g 1. joh. 5. 13.  is everlasting in the world to come. But because as Christ being raised from 
Perpetuity of faith.  the dead, dieth no more, death hath no more power over him: so the justified man 
a Rome 6. 10.  being allied to God in jesus Christ our Lord, doth as necessarily from that time forward always live, as Christ 
b joh. 14 19  by whom he hath life, liveth always. I might, if I had not other where largely done it already, show by many and sundry manifest and clear proofs, how the motions and operations of life, are sometimes so indiscernible and so secret, that they seem stone dead, who notwithstanding are still alive unto God in Christ. For as long as that abideth in in us, which animateth, quickeneth, and giveth life, so long we live, and we know that the cause of our faith abideth in us for ever. If Christ the fountain of life, may flit, and leave the habitation where once he dwelleth: what shall become of his promise, I am with you to the world's end? If the seed of God which containeth Christ, may be first conceived and then cast out▪ how doth S. Peter term it 
c 1. Pet. 1.  immortal? How doth S. john affirm, 
d 1. joh. 3 9  it abideth? If the spirit which is given to cherish, and preserve the seed of life, may be given and taken away: how is it 
e Ephes. 1. 14.  the earnest of our inheritance until redemption; how doth it continue with us for ever? If therefore 
joh. 4. 16.  the man which is once just by faith, shall live by faith, and live for ever: it followeth, that he which once doth believe the foundation, must needs believe the foundation for ever. If he believe it for ever, how can he ever directly deny it? Faith holdeth the direct affirmation; the direct negation, so long as faith continueth, 
Ob.  is excluded. But you will say, that as he that is to day holy, may to morrow forsake his holiness, and become impure; as a friend may change his mind, and be made an enemy; as hope may wither: so faith may die in the heart of man, the spirit may be quenched, grace may be extinguished, they which believe may be quite 
Sol.  turned away from the truth. The cause is clear, long experience hath made this manifest: it needs no proof. I grant we are apt, prone, and ready to forsake God: but is God ready to forsake us? Our minds are changeable: is his so likewise? Whom God hath justified, hath not Christ assured that it is his Father's will to give them a kingdom? Notwithstanding it shall not be otherwise given them, then if they continue 
a Col. 1. 23  grounded and established in the faith, and be not moved away from the 
1. Tim. 2. 15.  hope of the Gospel; if they abide in love and holiness. Our Saviour therefore, when he spoke of the sheep effectually called, and truly gathered into his fold; 
b Ioh 10.  I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hands; in promising to save them, he promised, no doubt, to preserve them in that without which there can be no salvation as also from that whereby it is irrecoverably lost. Every error in things appertaining unto God, is repugnant unto faith every fearful cogitation unto hope; unto love, every straggling inordinate desire; unto holiness, every blemish, wherewith either the inward thoughts of our minds, or the outward actions of our lives are stained. But heresy, such as that of Ebion, Cerinthus, & others, against whom the Apostles were forced to bend themselves both by word and also by writing; that repining discouragement of heart, which tempteth God, whereof we have Israel in the desert for a pattern: coldness; such as that in the Angels of Ephesus; fowl sins, known to be expressly against the first, or second Table of the Law, such as Noah, Manasses, David, Solomon, and Peter committed; these are each in their kind so opposite to the former virtues, that they leave no place for salvation without an actual repentance. But infidelity, extreme despair, hatred of God & all goodness, obduration in sin, cannot stand where there is but the least spark of faith, hope, love, & sanctity: even as cold in the lowest degree, cannot be where heat in the highest degree is found. Whereupon I conclude, that, although in the first kind, no man liveth which sinneth not; and, in the second, as perfect as any do live; may sin: yet sith the Man which is borne of God, hath a promise that in him 
a 1. joh. 3 9  the seed of God shall abide, which seed is a sure preservative against the sins that are of the third sure: greater and clearer assurance we cannot have of any thing, then of this, that from such sins God shall preserve the righteous as the apple of his eye for ever. Directly to deny the foundation of faith is plain infidelity; where faith is entered, there infidelity is for ever excluded; therefore by him which hath once sincerely believed in Christ, the foundation of Christian faith can never be directly denied. Did not Peter? did not Marcellinus? did not others both directly deny Christ after that they had believed, and again believe after they had denied? No doubt, as they confess in words, whose condemnation is nevertheless their not believing (for example we have judas:) so likewise they may believe in heart, whose condemnation, with out repentance, is their not confessing. Although there fore Peter and the rest, for whose faith Christ hath prayed, that it might not fail, did not by denial sin the sin of infidelity, which is an inward abnegation of Christ (but if they had done this, their faith had clearly failed:) yet because they sinned notoriously & grievously committing that which they knew to be expressly forbidden by the law, which saith, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve; necessary it was that he which purposed to save their souls, should, as he did, touch their hearts with true unfeigned repeutance, that his mercy might restore them again to life, whom sin had made the children of death & condemnation. Touching this point therefore, I hope I may safely set down, that if the justified err, as he may, and never come to understand his error, God doth save him through general repentance; but if he fall into heresy▪ he calleth him at one time or other by actual repentance: but from infidelity, which is an inward direct denial of the foundation, he preserveth him by special providence for ever. Whereby we may easily know what to think of those Galatians, whose hearts were so possessed with the love of the truth, that if it had been possible, they would have plucked out their eyes to bestow upon their teachers. It is true that they were greatly 
* Howsoever men be changed (for changed they may be, even the best amongst men) if they that have received, as it seemeth some of the Galatians which fell into error, had received, the gifts and graces of God which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as faith, hope, and charity are, which God doth never take away from him, to whom they are given, as if it repented him to have given them; if such might be so far changed by error▪ as that the very root of faith should be quite extinguished in them, and so their salvation utterly lost▪ it would shake the hearts of the strongest and stoutest of us all See the contrary in Beza his observations upon the harmony of Confessions.  changed both in persuasion and affection: so that the Galatians when S. Paul wrote unto them; were not now the Galatians, which they had been in former time, for that through error they wandered, although they were his sheep. I do not deny, but that I should deny that they were his sheep, if I should grant that through error they perished. It was a perilous opinion that they held; perilous, even in them which held it only as an error, because it overthroweth the foundation by consequent. But in them which obstinately main- ta'en it, I cannot think it less than a damnable heresy▪ We must therefore put a difference between them, which err of ignorance, retaining nevertheless a mind desirous to be instructed in truth, and them, which, after the truth is laid open, persist in the stubborn defence of their blindness, heretical defenders, froward and stiffnecked teachers of circumcision the blessed Apostle calls dogs: silly men, who were seduced to think they thought the truth, he pitieth, he taketh up in his arms▪ he lovingly embraceth, he kisseth, and with more than fatherly tenderness doth so temper, qualify, and correct the speech he useth toward them, that a man cannot easily discern whether did most abound, the love which he bore to their godly affection, or the grief which the danger of their opinion bred them. Their opinion was dangerous: was not theirs also, who thought the kingdom of Christ should be earthly? was not theirs which thought the Gospel only should be preached to the Jews? What more opposite to prophetical doctrine concerning the coming of Christ, than the one? Concerning the Catholic Church, than the other? Yet they which had their fancies, even when they had them were not the worst men in the world. The heresy of Free-will was a millstone about the Pelagians neck; shall we there give sentence of death inevitable against all those Fathers in the Greek Church, which being mispersuaded, died in the error of free-will? Of these Galatians therefore which first were justified and then deceived, as I can see no cause why as many as died before admonition might not by mercy be received, even in error: so I make no doubt, but as many as lived till they were admonished, found the mercy of God effectual in converting them from their 
* Error convicted, and afterwards maintained, is more than error: for although opinion be the sane it was, in which respect I still call it error, yet they are not now the sane they were when they are taught what the truth is, & plainly taught  error, lest any one that is Christ's, should perish. Of this I take it, there is no controversy; only against the salvation of them which died, though before admonition, yet in error, it is objected that their opinion was a very plain direct denial of the foundation. If Paul & Barnabas had been persuaded, they would haply have used the terms otherwise speaking of the Master's themselves who did first set that error abroach, 
a Act. 15, 5.  certain of the sects of the Pharisees which believed. What difference was there between these Pharisees, and other Pharisees, from whom by a special description they are distinguished, but this? These which came to Antioch, teaching the necessity of circumcision were Christians; the other, enemies of Christianity? Why then should these be termed so distinctly believers, if they did directly deny the foundation of our belief, besides which there was no other thing that made the rest to be no believers? We need go no father then S. Paul's very reasoning against them, for proof of this matter: seeing you know God, or rather are known of God, how turn you again to impotent rudiments? 
b Gal. 3. 24. 25  The law engendereth servants, her children are in bondage; 
c V 28.  they which are gotten by the Gospel are free. 
d V. 31.  Brethren we are not children of the servant, but of the free 
e V. 21.  woman, and will ye not be under the law? That they thought it unto salvation necessary, for the Church of Christ, to observe days, and months, and times, and years, to keep the ceremonies and sacraments of the law, this was their error. Yet he which condemneth their error, confesseth, that notwithstanding, they knew God, and were known of him; he taketh not the honour from them to be termed sons begotten of the immortal seed of the Gospel. Let the heaviest words which he useth, be weighed; consider the drift of those dreadful conclusions: If ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing; AS many as are justified by the law, are fallen from grace. It had been to no purpose in the world, so to urge them: had not the Apostle been persuaded, that at the hearing of such sequels, No benefit by Christ, A defection from grace, their hearts would tremble and quake within them: and why? because that they knew, that in Christ, and in grace, their salvation lay; which is a plain direct acknowledgement of the foundation. Lest I should herein seem to hold, that which no one learned, or godly hath done: let these words be considered, which import as much as I affirm. 
a Bucer. de unit. Eccles. s●● vanda.  Surely those brethren, which in S. Paul's time, thought that God did lay a necessity upon them to make choice of days, and meats; spoke as they believed, and could not but in words condemn the liberty which they supposed to be brought in against the authority of divine Scripture. Otherwise it had been needless for S. Paul to admonish them not to condemn such as eat without scrupulosity, whatsoever was set before them. This error if you weigh what it is of itself, did at once overthrow all Scriptures, whereby we are taught salvation by faith in Christ, all that ever the Prophets did foretell, all that ever the Apostles did preach of Christ, it drew with it the denial of Christ utterly: in so much that S Paul complaineth, that his labour was lost upon the Galatians, unto whom this error was obtruded, affirming that Christ, if so be they were circumcised, should not profit them any thing at all. Yet so far was S. Paul from striking their names out of Christ's book, that he commandeth others to entertain them, to accept them with singular humanity, to use them like brethren; he knew man's imbecility; he had a feeling of our blindness which are mortal men how great it is, and being sure that they are the sons of God, who soever be endued with his fear, would have them counted enemies of that whereunto they could not as yet frame themselves to be friends, but did ever upon a very religious affection to the truth, willingly reject the truth. They acknowledged Christ to be their only, and perfect Saviour, but saw not how repugnant their believing the necessity of Mosaical ceremonies was to their faith in jesus Christ. Hereunto a reply is made, that if they had not directly denied the foundation, they might have been saved; but saved they could not be, therefore their opinion was not only by consequent, but directly a denial of the foundation. When the question was about the possibility of their salvation, their denying of the foundation was brought to prove that they could not be saved; now that the question is about their denial of the foundation, the impossibility of their salvation, is alleged to prove, they denied the foundation. Is there nothing which excludeth men from salvation, but only the foundation of faith denied? I should have thought, that besides this, many other things are death unto as many as be given to understand, that to cleave thereunto, was to fall from Christ, did notwithstanding cleave unto it. But of this enough. Wherefore I come to the last question, whether that the doctrine of the Church of Rome, concerning the necessity of works unto salvation, be a direct denial of our faith.  
27 I seek not to obtrude unto you any private opinion of mine own; the best learned in our profession are of this judgement, that all the corruptions of the Church of Rome, do not prove her to deny the foundation directly; if they did, they should grant her simply to be no Christian Church. But I suppose, saith 
Calv. ep. 104.  one, that in the Papacy some Church remaineth, a Church crazed, or, if you will, broken quite in pieces, forlorn, misshapen, yet some Church: his reason is this, Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God. Lest any man should think such sentences as these to be true, only in regard of them, whom that Church is supposed to have kept by the special providence of God, as it were in the secret corners of his bosom, free from infection, and as sound in the faith, as we trust, by his mercy, we ourselves are: I permit it to your wise considerations, whether it be more likely, that as frenzy, though itself take away the use of reason, doth notwithstanding prove them reasonable creatures which have it, because none can be frantic but they: so Antichristianitie being the bane, and plain overthrow of Christianity, may nevertheless argue the Church wherein Antichrist sitteth, to be Christian. Nether have I ever, hitherto heard or read any one word alleged of force to warrant, that God doth otherwise, then so as in the two next questions before hath been declared, bind himself to keep his elect from worshipping the Beast, and from receiving his mark in their foreheads: but he hath preserved and will preserve them from receiving any deadly wound at the hands of the man of sin, whose deceit hath prevailed over none unto death, but only unto such as never loved the truth, such as took a pleasure in unrighteousness: they in all ages, whose hearts have delighted in the principal truth, and whose souls have thirsted after righteousness, if they received the mark of error, the mercy of God, even erring and dangerously erring, might save them; if they received the mark of heresy, the same mercy did, I doubt not, convert them. HOW far Romish heresies may prevail over Gods elect, how many God hath kept falling into them, how many have been converted from them, is not the question now in hand: for if heaven had not received any one of that coat for these thousand years, it may still be true that the doctrine which this day they do profess, doth not directly deny the foundation, and so prove them simply to be no Christian Church. One I have alleged, whose words, in my ears, sound that way: shall I add 
* Morn. de Eccles.  another, whose speech is plain? I deny her not the name of a Church, saith another, no more then to a man, the name of a man, as long as he liveth, what sickness soever he hath. His reason is this; Salvation in jesus Christ, which is the mark which joineth the head with the body, jesus Christ with the Church, is so cut off by many merits, by the merits of Saints, by the Pope's pardons, and such other wickedness, that the life of the Church holdeth by a very thread, yet still the life of the Church holdeth. A 
* Zanch praefat de relig.  third hath these words, I acknowledge the Church of Rome, even at this present day for a Church of Christ, such a Church as Israel did jeroboam, yet a Church. His reason is this; Every man seeth except he willingly hoodwink himself, that as always, so now, the Church of Rome holdeth firmly and steadfastly the doctrine of truth concerning Christ, and baptizeth in the name of the father, the son and the Holy Ghost, confesseth and avowcheth Christ for the only redeemer of the world, & the judge that shall sit upon quick and dead, recieving true believers into endless joy, faithless and godless men being cast with Satan and his angels into flames inquenchable.  
28 I may & will rain the question shorter than they do. Let the Pope take down his top, and captivate no more men's souls by his Papal jurisdiction; let him no longer count himself Lord Paramount over the Princes of the world, no longer hold kings as his servants paravaile; let his stately Senate submit their necks to the yoke of Christ, & cease to die their garment like Edom, in blood; let them from the highest to the lowest, hate and forsake their idolatry, abjure all their errors and heresies wherewith they have any way perverted the truth; let them strip their Churches till they leave no polluted rag, but only this one about her, By Christ alone without works we cannot be saved: it is enough for me if I show, that the holding of this one thing doth not prove the foundation of faith directly denied in the Church of Rome.  
29 Works are an addition: be it so: what then? the foundation is not subverted by every kind of addition. simply to add unto those fundamental words, is not to mingle wine with water, heaven with earth, things polluted with the sanctified blood of Christ: of which crime indict them which attribute▪ those operations in whole or in part to any creature, which in the w●● of our salvation wholly are peculiar unto Christ, and 〈◊〉 open my mouth to speak in their defence, if I hold my peace and plead not against them as long as breath is within my body, let me be guilty of all the dishonour that ever hath been done to the Son of God. But a dreadful thing it is to deny salvation by Christ alone; the more slow and fearful I am, except it be too manifest, to lay a thing so grievous to any man's charge. Let us beware, lest if we make too many ways of denying Christ, we scarce leave any way for ourselves truly and sound to confess him. Salvation only by Christ is the true foundation whereupon indeed Christianity standeth. But what if I say you cannot be saved only by Christ, without this addition, Christ believed in heart, confessed with mouth, obeyed in life and conversation? Because I add, do I therefore deny that which I did directly affirm? There may be an additament of explication, which overthroweth not, but proveth & concludeth the proposition whereunto it is annexed. He which saith, Peter was a chief Apostle, doth prove that Peter was an Apostle, he which saith, Our salvation is of the Lord, 
a 2. Thess. 2. 13.  through sanctification of the spirit and faith of the truth, proveth that our salvation is of the Lord. But if that which is added be such a privation as taketh away the very essence of that whereunto it is added, then by the sequel it overthroweth. He which saith judas is a dead man, though in word he granteth judas to be a man, yet in effect he proveth him by that very speech no man; because death depriveth him of being. In like sort, he that should say, our election is of grace for our works sake, should grant in sound of words, but indeed by consequent deny that our election is of grace; for the 
a Rome 11. ●.  grace which electeth us, is no grace, if it elect us for our sake.  
30 Now whereas the Church of Rome addeth works, we must note farther that the adding of 
* I deny not but that the Church of Rome requireth some kinds of works which she ought not to require at men's hands. But our question is general about the adding of good works, not whether such or such works be good. In this comparison it is enough to touch somuch of the matter in question between S. Paul and the Galatians, as inferreth those conclusions, Ye are fallen from grace; Christ can profit you nothing▪ which conclusions will follow upon circumcision and rites of the law ceremonial, if they be required as things necessary to salvation. This only was alleged against me, & need I touch more than was alleged?  works is not like the adding of circumcision unto Christ. Christ came not to abrogat & put away good works: he did, to change circumcision; for we see that in place thereof, he hath substituted holy baptism. To say, ye cannot be saved by Christ, except ye be circumcised, is to add a thing excluded, a thing not only not necessary to be kept, but necessary not to be kept by them that will be saved. On th'other side, to say, ye cannot be saved by Christ without works, is to add things, not only not excluded, but commanded, as being in their place and in their kind necessary, and therefore subordinated unto Christ, by Christ himself, by whom the web of salvation is spun; ᵃ except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and pharisees, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. They were 
c Luk 11. 39  rigorous of things not utterly to be neglected, and left undone washings and tithing, etc. As they were in these, so must we be in judgement, and the love of God. Christ in works ceremonial, giveth more liberty; in 
d Matth. 5. 21.  moral much less, than they did. Works of righteousness therefore are not so repugnantlie added in the one pro position; as in the other, circumcision is.  
31 But we say our salvation is by Christ alone, therefore howsoever, or whatsoever we add unto Christ in the matter of salvation▪ we overthrew Christ. Our case were very hard, if this argument so universally meant, as it is proposed, were sound and good. We ourselves do not teach Christ alone, excluding our own faith, unto justification; Christ alone, excluding our own works, unto sanctification; Christ alone, excluding the one or the other unnecessary unto salvation. It is a childish cavil wherewith in the matter of justification our adversaries do so greatly please themselves, exclaiming that we tread all Christian virtues under our feet, and require nothing in Christians but faith, because we teach that faith alone justifieth: whereas by this speech we never meant to exclude either hope, or charity from being always joined as inseparable mates with faith in the man that is justified; or works from being added as necessary duties required at the hands of every justified man: but to show that faith is the only hand, which putteth on Christ unto justification; and Christ, the only garment, which being so put on, covereth the shame of our defiled natures, hideth the imperfections of our works, preserveth us blameless in the sight of God, before whom otherwise, the weakness of our faith were cause sufficient to make us culpable, yea to shut us from the kingdom of heaven, where nothing that is not absolute, can enter. That our dealing with them be not as childish as theirs with us, when we hear of salvation by Christ alone, considering that [alone] as an exclusive particle, we are to note what it doth exclude, & where. If I say, such a judge only, aught to determine such a case, all things incident to the determination thereof, besides the person of the judge, as laws, dispositions, evidences, etc. are not hereby excluded; persons are not excluded from witnessing herein, or assisting, but only from determining and giving sentence. How then is our salvation wrought by Christ alone? It is not our meaning that nothing is requisite to man's salvation but Christ to save, and he to be saved quietly without any more ado. As we have received, so we teach, that besides the bare and naked work, wherein Christ without any other associate finished all the parts of our redemption, & purchased salvation himself alone, for conveyance of this eminent blessing unto us, many things are of necessity required: as to be known and chosen of God before the foundation of the world; in the world to called, justified, sanctified; after we have left the world, to be received unto glory; Christ in every of these hath somewhat which he worketh alone. Through him according to the eternal purpose of God, before the foundation of the world, borne, crucified, buried raised, etc. we were in a gracious acception known unto God, long before we were seen of men: God 
a Eph. 1. 6. 2. 7  knew us, loved us, was kind to us in Jesus Christ; in him we were elected to be heirs of life. Thus far God through Christ hath wrought in such sort alone, that ourselves are mere patients, working no more than dead & senseless matter, wood, or stone, or iron, doth in the artificers hands, no more than the clay when the potter appointeth it to be framed for an honourable use: nay, not so much: for the matter whereupon the craftsman worketh, he chooseth being moved by the fitness which is in it to serve his turn; in us no such thing. Touching the rest which is laid for the foundation of our faith, importeth farther; that 
b Gal. 5. 8.  by him we are called; that 
c 1. Pet 2. 9  we have redemption, 
d Eph 1. 7.  remission of sins through 
1. Pet 5 3.  his blood, 
e Esai 53. 11.  health by his stripes, 
f jerem. 23. 6  justice by him; that he 
g Ephes. 8. 26  doth sanctify his Church, & make it glorious to himself; that ʰ entrance into joy shallbe given us by him, yea 
Mat. 25 23.  all things by him alone. Howbeit not so by him alone, 
2. Thes. 2. 14.  as if in us to ⁱ our vocation, the hearing of the Gospel; 
Gal. 2. 16.  
Gal 5. 23.  to our justification, faith; to our sanctification, the 
2. Thes. 2. 15.  fruits of the spirit; to our entrance into rest, perseverance in hope, in faith, in holiness, were not necessary.  
32 Then what is the fault of the Church of Rome? Not that she requireth works at their hands which will be saved: but that she attributeth unto works a power of satisfying God for sin; yea a virtue to merit both grace here, and in heaven glory. That this overthroweth the foundation of faith, I grant willingly; that it is a direct denying thereof, I utterly deny: what it is to hold, and what directly to deny the foundation of faith, I have already opened. Apply it particularly to this cause, and there needs no more ado. The thing which is handled, if the form under which it is handled, be added thereunto, it showeth the foundation of any doctrine whatsoever. Christ is the matter whereof the doctrine of the Gospel treateth; and it treateth of Christ, as of a Saviour. Salvation therefore by Christ is the foundation of Christianity: as for works, they are a thing subordinate, no otherwise then because our sanctification cannot be accomplished without them; the doctrine concerning them, is a thing builded upon the foundation; therefore the doctrine which addeth unto them the power of satisfying or of meriting, addeth unto a thing subordinated, builded upon the foundation, not to the very foundation itself: yet is the foundation by this addition consequently overthrown, for as much as out out of this addion, it may be negatively concluded; He which maketh any work good, and acceptable in the sight of God, to proceed from the natural freedom of our will; he which giveth unto any good works of ours, the force of satisfying the wrath of God for sin, the power of meriting either earthly or heavenly rewards; he which holdeth works, going before our vocation, in congruity to merit our vocation, works following our first, to merit our second justification, and by condignity our last reward in the kingdom of heaven; pulleth up the doctrine 
Haec ratio Eccle stastici sacrameti & Catholicae fidei est, ut qui partem divini sacramenti negat, partem non valcat confiteri Ita enim sibi connexa & con corporata sunt omnia ut aliud sine alio stare non possit, & qui unum ex omnibus denegaverit, alia ei omniacredidisse non profit, Cassian lib. 6 de Incarn Dom. If he obstinately stand in denial p. 193.  of faith by the roots; for out of every of these the plain direct denial thereof may be necessarily concluded. Not this only, but what other heresy is there, that doth not raze the very▪ foundation of faith by consequent? How be it, we make a difference of heresies accounting in the next degree to infidelity which directly deny any one thing to be, which is expressly acknowledged in the articles of our belief; for out of any one article so denied, the denial of the very foundation itself is straightway inferred. As for example; if a man should say, There is no Catholic Church, it followeth immediately thereupon that this Jesus, whom we call the Saviour, is not the Saviour of the world; because all the Prophets bear witness, that the true Messias should 
a Act. 26. 23.  show light unto the Gentiles, that is to say, gather such a Church as is Catholic, not restrained any longer unto one circumcised nation. In the second rank we place them, out of whose positions the denial of any the foresaid articles may be with like facility concluded: such as are they, which have denied either the Divinity of Christ with Hebion, or with Martion his Humanity; an example whereof may be that of Cassianus defending the incarnation of the son of God, against Nestorius' Bishop of Antioch; which held that the Virgin when she brought forth Christ, did not bring forth the son of God, but sole and a mere man: out of which heresy the denial of the articles of the Christian faith he deduceth thus: If thou dost deny our Lord jesus 
Lib. 6. de Ircar.  
Dom. cap. 16.  Christ; in denying the son thou▪ canst not choose but deny the father: for according to the voice of the father himself, He that hath not the son, hath not the father. Wherefore denying him which is begotten, thou deniest him which doth beget. Again denying the son of God to have been borne in the flesh, how canst thou believe him to have suffered? believing not his passion, what remaineth but that thou deny his resurrection? For we believe him not raised, except we first believe him dead: neither can the reason of his rising from the dead stand without the faith of his death going being before. The denial of his death and passion inferreth the denial of his rising from the depth. Whereupon it followeth that thou also deny his ascension into heaven. The Apostle affirmeth that he which ascended, did first descend, so that as much as lieth in thee, our Lord jesus Christ hath neither risen from the depth, nor is ascended into heaven, nor sitteth at the right hand God the father, neither shall he come at the day of final account which is looked for, nor shall judge the quick and dead. And darest thou yet set foot in the church? Canst thou think they self a Bishop when thou hast denied all those things whereby thou dost obtain a Bishoply calling? Nestorius' confessed all the articles of the Creed; but his opinion did imply the denial of every part of his confession. Heresies there are of the third sort; such as the Church of Rome maintaineth; which be removed by a greater distance from the foundation, although indeed they over throw it. Yet because of that weakness, which the Philosopher noteth in men's capacities, when he saith, that the common sort cannot see things which follow in reason, when they follow as it were a far of by many deductions; therefore the repugnancy of such heresy and the foundation, is not so quickly or so easily found, but that an heretic of this, sooner than of the former kind, may directly grant and consequently nevertheless, deny the foundation of faith.  
33 If reason be suspected, trial will show that the Church of Rome doth no otherwise by teaching the doctrine she doth teach concerning good works, offer them the very fundamental words: and what man is there, that will refuse to subscribe unto them? Can they directly grant, and directly deny one and the very self-same thing? Our own proceedings in disputing against their works satisfactory, & meritorious, do show not only that they hold, but that we acknowledge them to hold the foundation, notwithstanding their opinion. For are not these our arguments against them? Christ alone hath satisfied and appeased his father's wrath: Christ hath merited salvation alone. We should do fond to use such disputes, neither could we think to prevail by them, if that whereupon we ground, were a thing which we know they do not hold, which we are assured they will not grant. Their very answers to all such reasons as are in this controversy brought against them, will not permit us to doubt, whether they hold the foundation, or no. Can any man that hath read their books concerning this matter, be ignorant how they draw all their answers unto these heads? That the remission of all our sins, the pardon of all whatsoever punishments thereby deserved, the rewards which God hath laid up in heaven, are by the blood of our Lord jesus Christ purchased, and obtained sufficiently for all men: but for no man effectually, for his benefit in particular, except the blood of Christ be applied particularly unto him, by such means as God hath appointed that to work by. That those means of themselves, being but dead things; only the blood of Christ is that which putteth life, force, and ifficacie in them to work, and to be available, each in his kind, to our salvation. Finally, that grace being purchased for us by the blood of Christ, & freely without any merit or desert at the first bestowed upon us, the good things which we do, after grace received, be thereby made satisfactory, and meritorious. Some of their sentences, to this effect, I must allege for mine own war rant. If we desire to hear foreign judgements, we find in one, this confession; He that could reckon how many the virtues and merits of our Saviour Christ have been, might 
Lews of Grana Meditat. c. last 3.  likewise understand how many the benefits have been, that are to come to us by him; for so much as men are made partakers of them all by means of his passion: by him is given unto us remission of our sins, grace, glory, liberty, praise, salvation, redemption, justification, justice, satisfaction, sacraments, merits, and all other things which we had, & were behoveful for our salvation. In another we have these oppositions, and answers made unto them; All grace 
Panigarola letti. 11.  is given by Christ jesus; True, but not except Christ jesus be applied. He is the propitiation for our sins; by his stripes we are healed; he hath offered himself up for us: all this is true; but apply it: we put all satisfaction in the blood of jesus Christ; but we hold that the means which Christ hath appointed for us in this case to apply it, are our penal works. Our Countrymen in Rheims, make the like answer, that 
Annot in. 1. joh. 1.  they seek salvation no other way, then by the blood of Christ; & that humbly they do use prayers, fastings, alms, faith, charity, sacrifice, sacraments, priests, only as the means appointed by Christ, to apply the benefit of his holy blood unto them: touching our good works, that in their own natures they are not meritorious, nor answerable to the joys of heaven; it cometh by the grace of Christ, & not of the work itself, that we have by well doing a right to heaven, and deserve it worthily. If any man think that I seek to varnish their opinions, to set the better foot of a lame cause foremost: let him know, that since I began thoroughly to understand their meaning, I have found their halting greater, than perhaps it seemeth to them which know not the deepness of Satan, as the blessed divine speaketh. For although this be proof sufficient, that they do not directly deny the foundation of faith: yet if there were no other leaven in the whole lump of their doctrine but this; this were sufficient to prove, that their doctrine is not agreeable unto the foundati-of Christian faith. The Pelagians being over great friends unto nature, made themselves enemies unto grace, for all their confessing, that men have their souls, and all the faculties thereof, their wills, and all the ability of their wills from God. And is not the Church of Rome still an adversary unto Christ's merits, because of her acknowledging that we have received the power of meriting by the blood of Christ? St Thomas More, setteth 
In his book of consolation  down the odds between us and he Church of Rome in the matter of works thus; Like as we grant them that no good work of man is rewardable in heaven of his own nature, but through the mere goodness of God, that list to set so high a price upon so poor a thing; and that this price God setteth through Christ's passion, and for that also they be his own works with us; for good works to Godward worketh no man, without God work in him; and as we grant them also, that no man may be proud of his works, for his imperfect working, and for that in all that man may do, he can do God no good, but is a servant improfitable & doth but his bare duty; as we, I say, grant unto them these things: so this one thing, or twain, do they grant us again, that men are bound to work good works, if they have time and power, and that who so worketh in true faith monst, shall be most rewarded; but then set they thereto, that all his rewards shall be given him for his faith alone, & nothing for his works at all, because his faith is the thing, they say, that forceth him to work well. I see by this of St Thomas More, how easy it is for men of the greatest capacity, to mistake things written or spoken as well on the one side as on the other. Their doctrine, as he thought, maketh the work of man rewardable in the world to come, through the goodness of God, whom it pleaseth to set so high a price upon so poor a thing; and ours, that a man doth receive that eternal and high reward, not for his works, but for his faith's sake, by which he worketh: whereas in truth our doctrine is no other than that we have learned at the feet of Christ, namely, that God doth justify the believing man, yet not for the worthiness of his belief, but for the worthiness of him which is believed; God rewardeth abundantly every one which worketh, yet not for any meritorious dignity, which is, or can be in the work, but through his mere mercy, by whose commandment he worketh. chose their doctrine is, that as pure water of itself hath no savour, but if it pass through a sweet pipe, it taketh a pleasant smell of the pipe through which it passeth: so, although before grace received, our works do neither satisfy, nor merit; yet after, they do both the one and the other. Every virtuous action hath then power in such to satisfy, that if we ourselves commit no mortal sin, no heinous crime whereupon to spend this treasure of satisfaction in our own behalf, 
Works of supererogation.  it turneth to the benefit of other men's release, on whom it shall please the steward of the house of God to bestow it, so that we may satisfy for ourselves & others, but merit only for ourselves. In meriting, our actions do work with two hands; with one they get their morning stipend, the increase of grace; with the other, their evening hire, the everlasting crown of glory. Indeed they teach that our good works do not these things, as they come from us, but as they come from grace in us: which grace in us is another thing in their divinity, then is the mere goodness of God's mercy towards us in Christ jesus.  
34 I fit were not a strong deluding spirit which hath possession of their hearts: were it possible but that they should see how plainly they do herein gainsay the very ground of Apostolic faith? Is this that salvation by grace, whereof so plentiful mention is made in the scriptures of God? Was this their meaning which first taught the world to look for salvation only by Christ? By grace, the Apostle saith, and by grace in such sort as a gift, a thing that cometh not of ourselves, not of our works, lest any man should boast, & say, I have wrought out my own salvation. By grace they confess; but by grace in such sort, that as many as wear the diadem of bliss, they wear nothing but what they have won. The Apostle, as if he had foreseen, how the church of Rome would abuse the world in time by ambiguous terms, to declare in what sense the name of grace must be taken when we make it the cause of our salvation, saith, He saved us according to his mercy: which mercy although it exclude not the washing of our new birth, the renewing of our hearts by the holy Ghost, the means, the virtues, the duties which God requireth of their hands which shall be saved, yet is it so repugnant unto merits, that to say we are saved for the worthiness of any thing which is ours, is to deny we are saved by grace. Grace bestoweth freely: and therefore justly requireth the glory of that which is bestowed. We deny the grace of our Lord jesus Christ; we abuse, disannul, and annihilate the benefit of his bitter passion: if we rest in these proud imaginations that life is deservedly ours, that we merit it, and that we are worthy of it.  
35 How be it considering how many virtuous & just men, how many Saints, how many Martyrs, how many of the ancient fathers of the church, have had their sundry perilous opinions, and amongst sundry of their opinions, this, that they hoped to make good some part of amends for their sins, by the voluntary punishments which they laid upon themselves, because by a consequent it may follow hereupon, that they were injurious unto Christ: shall we therefore make such dead lie epitaphs and set them upon their graves; They denied the foundation of faith directly; they are damned; there is no salvation for them? S. Austin saith of himself, Errare possum, haereticus essemolo. And except we put a difference between them that err, and them that obstinately perfist in error: how is it possible, that ever any man should hope to be saved? Surely in this case, I have no respect of any person alive or dead. Give me a man of what state or condition soever, yea a Cardinal, or a Pope whom in the extreme point of his life affliction hath made to know himself, whose heart God hath touched with true sorrow for all his sins, and filled with love towards the Gospel of Christ, whose eyes are opened to see the truth, and his mouth to renounce all heresy and error any wise opposite thereunto (this one opinion of merits excepted) he thinketh God will require at his hands, and because he wanteth, therefore trembleth and is discouraged; It may be, I am forgetful, and unskilful, not furnished with things new and old as a wise learned scribe should be, nor able to allege that, whereunto, if it were alleged, he doth bear a mind most willing to yield, and so to be recalled as well from this, as from other errors. And shall I think because of this only error, that such a man toucheth not so much as the hem of Christ's garment? If he do, wherefore should not I have hope that virtue may proceed from Christ to save him? Because his error doth by consequent overthrow his faith? Shall I therefore cast him off as one that hath utterly cast of Christ? one that holdeth not so much as by a slender thread? No, I will not be afraid to say unto a Pope or Cardinal in this plight, be of good comfort, we have to do with a merciful God; rather to make the best of a little which we hold well, and not with a captious sophister, which gathereth the worst out of every thing, wherein we err. Is there any reason that I should be suspected, or you offended for this speech? 
a Let all affection be laid aside; let the matter indifferently be considered.  Is it a dangerous thing to imagine, that such men may find mercy? The house may come when we shall think it a blessed thing to hear, that if our sins were the sins of the Popes and Cardinals, the bowels of the mercy of God are larger. I do not propose unto you a Pope with the neck of an Emperor under his feet; a Cardinal riding his horse to the bridle in the blood of Saints: but a Pope or Cardinal, sorrowful, penitent, disrobed, stripped not only of usurped power, but also delivered and recalled from error; Antichrist converted and lying prostrate at the foot of Christ: and shall I think that Christ will spurn at him? And shall I cross and gainsay the merciful promises of God generally made unto penitent sinners by opposing the name of a Pope, of a Cardinal? What difference is there in the world between a Pope and a Cardinal, and john Style in this case? If we think it impossible for them, after they be once come within that rank, to be afterwards touched with any such remorse, let that be granted. The Apostle saith, If I or an Angel from heaven preach unto, etc. Let it be as likely that Saint Paul or an Angel from heaven should preach heresy, as that a Pope or a Cardinal should be brought so far forth to acknowledge the truth: yet if a Pope or a Cardinal should, what find we in their persons, why they might not be saved? It is not the persons, you will say, but the error, wherein I suppose them to die, which excludeth them from the hope of mercy; the opinion of merits doth take away all possibitie of salvation from them. What, if they hold it only as an error? although they hold the truth truly and sincerely in all other parts of Christian faith? although they have in some measure all the virtues and graces of the spirit, all other tokens of Gods elect children in them? although they be far from having any proud presumptuous opinion, that they shall be saved by the worthiness of their deeds? although the only thing which troubleth and molesteth them, be but a little too much dejection, somewhat too great a fear, rising from an erroneous conceit, that God will require a worthiness in them, which they are grieved to find wanting in themselves? although they be not obstinate in this persuasion? although they be willing and would be glad to forsake it, if any one reason were brought sufficient to disprove it? although the only let why they do not forsake it ere they die, be the ignorance of the means, by which it might be disproved? although the cause why the ignorance in this point is not removed, be the want of knowledge in such as should be able, and are not, to remove it? Let me die, if ever it be proved, that simply an error doth exclude a Pope or a Cardinal in such a case utterly from hope of life. Surely, I must confess unto you, if it be an error, that God may be merciful to save men, even when they err: my greatest comfort is my error; were it not for the love I bear unto this error, I would never wish to speak nor to live.  
36 Wherefore, to resume that mother sentence, whereof I little thought that so much trouble would have grown; I doubt not but that God was merciful to save thousands of our father's living in Popish superstitions, in as much as they sinned ignorantly: alas what bloody matter is there contained in this sentence, that it should be an occasion of so many hard censures? Did I say that thousands of our fathers might be saved? I have showed which way it cannot be denied. Did I say, I doubted not but they were saved? I see no impiety in this persuasion, though I had no reason for it. Did I say, their ignorance doth make me hope they did find mercy, and so were saved? What hindereth salvation but sin? Sins are not equal: and ignorance, though it doth not make to be no sin; yet seeing it did make their sin the less, why should it not make our hope concerning their life, the greater? We pity the most, and doubt not, but God hath most compassion over them that sin for want of understanding. As much is confessed by sundry others, almost in the self same words which I have used. It is but only my evil hap, that the same sentences which savour verity in other men's books, should seem to bolster heresy when they are once by me recited. If I be deceived in this point, not they, but the blessed Apostle hath deceived me. What I said of others, the same he said of himself, I obtain mercy for I did it ignorantly. Construe his words, and you cannot misconstrue mine. I speak no otherwise. I meant no otherwise then he did.  
37 Thus have I brought the question concerning our Fathers, at the length unto an end. Of whose estate upon so fit an occasion▪ as was offered me, handling the weighty causes of separation between the Church of Rome and us, and the weak motives which are commonly brought to retain men in that society; amongst which motives, the examples of our Fathers deceased is one, although I saw it convenient to utter that sentence, which I did to the end, that all men might there by understand, how untruly we are said to condemn as many as have been before us otherwise persuaded than we ourselves are; yet more than that one sentence I did not think it expedient to utter, judging it a great deal meeter for us to have regard to our own estate, then to sift over curiously, what is become of other men▪ And fearing lest that such questions as these, if voluntarily they should be to far waded in, might seem worthy of that rebuke, which our Saviour thought needful in a case not unlike; What is this unto thee? when I was forced much beside mine expectation, to render a reason of my speech, I could not but yield at the call of others, and proceed so far as duty bound me, for the fuller satisfying of minds. Wherein I have walked as with reverence, so with fear: with reverence, in regard of our Fathers, which lived in former times; not without fear, considering them that are alive.  
38 I am not ignorant, how ready men are to feed and soothe up themselves in evil. Shall I, will the man say that loveth the present world more than he loveth Christ, shall I incur the high displeasure of the mightiest upon earth? shall I hazard my goods? endanger my estate? put myself in jeopardy, rather than yield to that which so many of my fathers embraced, and yet found favour in the sight of God? Curse Meroz, saith 
judg. 5. 23.  the Lord, curse her inhabitants, because they helped not the Lord, they helped him not against the mighty. If I should not only not help the Lord against the mighty, but help to strengthen them that are mighty, against the Lord: worthily might I fall under the burden of that curse, worthy I were to bear my own judgement. But if the doctrine which I teach, be a flower gathered in the garden of the Lord; a part of the saving truth of the Gospel; from whence notwithstanding poisoned creatures do suck venom: I can but wish it were otherwise, and content myself with the lot that hath befallen me, the rather because it hath not befallen me alone. Saint Paul teached a truth, and a comfortable truth, when he taught, that the greater our misery is, in respect of our iniquities, the readier is the mercy of God for our release. If we seek unto him, the more we have sinned, the more praise, and glory, and honour unto him that pardoneth our sin. But mark what lewd collections were made hereupon by some. Why then am I condemned for a sinner? and the Apostle (as we are blamed, and as some affirm that we say; Why do we not evil that good may come of it?) he was accused to teach that which ill disposed men did gather by his teaching, though it were clean not only beside, but against his meaning. The Apostle addeth, Their condemnation (which thus do) is just. I am not hasty to apply sentences of condemnation. I wish from mine heart their conversion, whosoever are thus perversely affected. For I must needs say, their case is fearful, their estate dangerous, which harden themselves, presuming on the mercy of God towards others. It is true that God is merciful; but let us beware of presumptuous sins: God delivered jonah from the bottom of the sea; will you therefore cast yourselves headlong from the tops of rocks, and say in your hearts, God shall deliver us? He pitieth the blind that would gladly see; but will he pity them that may see, and hardeneth himself in blindness? No. Christ hath spoken too much unto you, to claim the privilege of your fathers.  
39 As for us that have handled this cause concerning the condition of our Fathers, whether it be this thing, or any other, which we bring unto you, the counsel is good which the wise man giveth, Stand thou fast in thy sure understanding, in the way and knowledge of the Lord, and have but one manner of word, and follow the word of peace and righteousness. As a loose tooth is a grief to him that eateth: so doth a wavering and unstable word in speech, that tendeth to instruction, offend Shall a wise man speak words of the wind, saith Eliphas, light, unconstant, unstable words? Surely the wisest may speak words of the wind, such is the untoward constitution of our nature, that we do neither so perfectly understand the way and knowledge of the Lord, nor so steadfastly embrace it, when it is understood nor so graciously utter it when it is embraced; nor so peaceably maintain it, when it is uttered; but that the best of us are overtaken sometime through blindness, sometime through hastiness, sometime through impatience, sometime through other passions of the mind, whereunto (God doth know) we are too subject. We must therefore be contented, both to pardon others, and to crave that others must pardon us for such things. Let no man that speaketh as a man, think himself, whiles he liveth, always freed from 'scapes and oversights in his speech. The things themselves which I have spoken unto you are sound, howsoever they have seemed otherwise unto some: at whose hands I have in that respect received injury. I willingly forget it, although indeed considering the benefit which I have reaped by this necessary speech of truth, I rather incline to that of the Apostle, They have not injured me at all. I have cause to wish them as many blessings in the kingdom of heaven, as they have forced me to utter words and syllables in this cause; wherein I could not be more sparing of speech than I have been. It becometh no man, saith St. Jerome, to be patient in the crime of heresy. Patient, as I take it, we should be always, though the crime of heresy were intended; but silent in a thing of so great consequence I could not, beloved I durst not be: especially the love that I bear to the truth of Christ jesus, being hereby somewhat called in question. Whereof I beseech them in the meekness of Christ, that have been the first original cause, to consider that a watchman may cry (an enemy) when indeed a friend cometh. In which cause as I deem such a watchman more worthy to be loved for this cause, then misliked for his error: so I have judged it my own part in this, as much as in me lieth, to take away all suspicion of any unfriendly intent or meaning against the truth, from which, God doth know, my heart is free.  
40 Now to you, beloved, which have heard these things, I will use no other words of admonition, than those which are offered me by St james, My brethren have not the faith of our glorious Lord jesus in respect of persons. Ye are not now to learn, that as of itself it is not hurtful, so neither should it be to any scandalous and offensive in doubtful cases, to hear the different judgements of men. Be it that Cephas hath one interpretation, and Apollo's hath another; that Paul is of this mind, that Barnabas of that; if this offend you, the fault is yours. Carry peaceable minds, and you may have comfort by this variety. Now the God of peace give you peaceable minds, and turn it to your everlasting comfort.  
FINIS.