MarginaliaAn. 1555. Iuly.And so for Iustification likewise, if the question be asked, why the Publicane was iustified, and not the Pharisey? Luk. 18. why Mary the sinner, and not Symon the inuiter? Luk. 11. why harlots and publicanes goe before the Scribes and Phariseys in the kingdome? Math. 21. why the sonne of the free woman was receyued, and the bondwomans sonne being his elder, reiected? Genes. 21. why Israell whych so long sought for righteousnes, found it not: and the Gentiles which sought not for it, found it? Rom. 9. MarginaliaIustification by faith only.we haue no other cause hereof to render, but to say wyth S. Paul, because they sought for it by works of the law, and not by fayth: whych fayth as it cōmeth not by mans wyll (as the Papist falsly pretēdethMarginaliaThe Papist falsely pretendeth that Actus credendi, is in mans power. Read before pag. 1799. col. 1. lin. 14.) but only by the Election and free gift of God: so it is onely the immediate cause wherunto the promyse of our saluation is annexed, accordyng as we read: And therefore of fayth is the inheritāce geuen, as after grace, that the promise myght stand sure to euery seede. Rom. 4. Item in the same chapter: Faith beleuing in him which iustifieth the wicked, is imputed to righteousnes.

MarginaliaHow fayth and election are lincked together in the act of Iustifying.And thus concerning the cause of our saluation, ye see how fayth in CHRIST, only and immediatly wythout any condition doth iustify vs, being so lynked wyth Gods mercy and election, that where so euer Election goeth before, there fayth in CHRIST must nedes folow after. And againe, whosoeuer beleueth in CHRIST Iesu, through the vocation of God, he must nedes be partaker of Gods election.

MarginaliaThe third consideration.VVherupon resulteth now the thyrd note or consideration: whych is to consider, whether a man in thys lyfe may be certein of hys Election. To answere to which question, this first is to be vnderstand: that MarginaliaElection knowne to God simply.although our election and vocation simply in dede be known to God only in him self, a priore: yet notwithstāding MarginaliaElection knowne to mā by meanes.it may be known to euery particular faithful man, a posteriore: that is, by meanes, whych meanes is fayth in CHRIST IESVS crucified. For so much as by hys faith in CHRIST, a man is Iustified, and therby made the childe of saluatiō, reason must nedes lead the same to be then the childe of Election, chosen of God vnto euerlasting life. For how can a man be iustified, but he must nedes be saued? and how can a man be saued, but by consequence it foloweth, that he must also be elected?

MarginaliaFayth is the meanes wherby we be certified of our election.And therfore of Election it is truely said: De electione iudicandum est a posteriore:MarginaliaDe electione iudicandū est a posteriore. that is to say, we must iudge of election by that which commeth after, that is, by our faith and belefe in CHRIST: which faith although in time it foloweth after Election, yet is it the proper and immediate cause assigned by the scripture, which not only iustifieth vs, but also certifieth vs of this Election of God.

Wherunto likewise well agreeth this present letter of M. Bradford wherin he sayth: MarginaliaElection first knowen to God, and last opened to man.Election albeit in God it be the first: yet to vs it is the last opened. And therefore beginning first (saith he) with creation, I come from thence to redemption, and iustification by fayth, and so to election. Not that faith is the cause efficient of Election, being rather the effect therof, but is to vs the cause certificatorie, or the cause of our certification, wherby we are brought to the feling and knowledge of our Election in CHRIST. For albeit that Election first be certein in the knowledge of God. yet in our knowledge, faith only that we haue in CHRIST, is the thing that geueth to vs our certificate and comfort of this Election.

Wherefore, who so euer desireth to be aßured that he is one of the elect number of God, let him not clime vp to heauen to know, but let him descend into him selfe, and there search his fayth in CHRIST the sonne of God: which if he finde in him not fayned by the working of gods holy spirit accordingly: MarginaliaEuery man to stay him selfe vpon Gods generall promise.therupon let him stay, and so wrappe himself wholy both body and soule vnder Gods generall promise, and cumbre his head with no further speculations: knowing this, that who so euer beleueth in him, shall not perish. Ioh. 3. shall not be confounded. Rom. 9. shall not see death. Ioh. 8. shall not enter into iudgement. Ioh. 5. shall haue euerlasting life. Ioh. 3. 7. shall be saued, Math. 28. Act. 16. shall haue remißion of all hys sinnes. Act. 10. shall be iustified. Rom. 3. Gal. 2. shall haue floudes flowing out of him of water of life Iohn. 7. shall neuer die. Ioh. 11. shal be raised in the last day. Ioh. 6. shall finde rest to his soule, and shall be refreshed. Mat. 11.

Now then for so much as we see faith to bee the ground

wherupon dependeth the whole condition of our iustifying, let vs discusse in like maner what is this faith MarginaliaWhat faith is.wherof the scripture so much speaketh, for the more plaine vnderstanding of the simple. For MarginaliaDiuers kindes of fayth.many kindes there be of faith: as a man may beleue euery thing that is true, yet not euery truth doth saue, neither doth the beleuing of euery truth iustify a mā.MarginaliaEuery truth hath his faith, but euery truth iustifieth not, no more doth euery fayth. He that beleueth that God created all things of nought, beleueth truly. He that beleueth that God is a iust God, that he is omnipotent, that he is mercifull, that hee is true of promise, beleueth well and holdeth the truth. So he that beleueth that God hath his election from the beginning, and that he also is one of the same elect and predestinate, hath a good beliefe, and thinketh well: but yet this beliefe alone, except it be seasoned with an other thyng, will not serue to saluation: as it auailed not the old Iewes, which so thought of themselues, and yet thinke to thys day, to be only Gods elect people.

MarginaliaFayth the action: Christ the obiect of fayth.Only the faith which auayleth to saluation is that, whose obiecte is the body and passion of IESVS CHRIST crucified. So that in the act of iustifying these two, faith and Christ haue a mutuall relation, and must alwayes concurre together,MarginaliaFayth and Christ correlatiues. faith as the action which apprehendeth: CHRIST as the obiect which is apprehended.

MarginaliaChrist without fayth saueth not. Fayth without Christ helpeth not.For neyther doth the paßion of CHRIST saue wythout faith, neyther doth faith helpe, except it be in CHRIST: As we see the body of man sustayned by bread & drynke, not except the same be receiued, & cōueyed into the stomacke: and yet neither doth the receiuing of euery thing sustaine mās body, except it be meat and drinke, which haue power to geue nourishment. In like sort it is wyth fayth: for neither doth the beleuyng of euery thyng saue, but only fayth in the bloud of CHRIST: neyther againe doth the same bloud of CHRIST profite vs, except by fayth it be receyued. And as the sonne being the cause of all lyght, shineth not but to them only which haue eyes to see: nor yet to them neyther, vnlesse they wil open theyr eyes to receiue the lyght: so the paßion of CHRIST is the efficient cause of saluation: but fayth is the condition wherby the sayd passion is to vs effectuall.

MarginaliaGrace, Election, Vocation, Christes death causes externe of our saluation.And that is the cause, why we say wyth the scripture, that fayth only iustifieth vs, not excluding therby all other externe causes that goe before fayth, as grace, mercy, election, vocation, the death of CHRIST, &c. all whych be externe causes working our saluation through fayth.MarginaliaFayth the only interne cause of mans saluation. But whē we say that fayth only iustifieth vs, the meanyng therof is this: that of all internall actions, motions, or operations in man geuen to him of God, there is no other that contenteth and pleaseth God, or stādeth before hys iudgement, or can helpe any thyng to the iustifying of man before him,Marginalia>Fayth is an action in man, but not of mā. but only thys one action of fayth in IESVS CHRIST the sonne of God.

For although the action of praying, fasting, almes, pacience, charitye, repentance, the feare and loue of God be hye gifts in man, and not of man.MarginaliaVertues and workes of charity though they be good giftes of God in man, yet they serue not to iustification. geuen of God to man, yet be none of all these actions in man, imputed of God to saluation, but only this one action of faith in mā vpō CHRIST IESVS the sonne of God. Not that the action it self of beleuing, as it is a quality in mā, doth so deserue, but because it taketh that dignity of the obiect.MarginaliaFayth taketh hys dignitie of his obiect. For as I sayd, in the act of iustifying, faith, as it is an action in mā, is not to be cōsidered alone, but must euer goe with his obiect & taketh his vertue therof. Lyke as the loking vp of the olde Israelites did not of it self procure any health vnto them, but the promise made in the obiect, which was the brasen serpent wherupon they loked, gaue them helth by theyr loking vp.MarginaliaLoking vp to the brazen Sarpent and beleuing vpon the body of Christ cōpared. Euen so after like sort are we saued by our faith and spiritual loking vp to the body of CHRIST crucified. Which faith to define is this:

To beleue IESVS CHRIST to be the sonne of the liuyng God sent into this world, by his death to satisfy for our sinnes, and so to receiue the same.

And thus much touching Election and faith, with the order and explication of the causes necessary to bee considered in our saluation. MarginaliaThe error of the Papistes peruerting the minde of Gods testament, how and wherin.VVherby may apeare, how far the pretensed catholikes do swarue frō the right mind of the scriptures. For where the scriptures in declaring the causes of saluation, do send vs only to faith as the only cōdition wherby these causes haue their working, these Catholykes doe quite leaue out faith, and in stead thereof place in other conditiōs of doings, merits, wilworks, pardons, masses, and especially auricular cōfeßion, with penaunce and satisfaction for our sinnes. &c.