gra naturalia, & nothing at all to faith, when as faith onelye next vnder God, is the roote and fountaine of all well dooyng: as in the fruites of a good tree, albeit the planter or the husbandsman be the principall agent thereof, and some cause also may be in þ^e good ground, yet the next and unmediate cause is the roote that maketh the tree fruitefull. In like maner the grace of God, in a soft & repentaunt mollified hart planteth the gift of fayth. Fayth as a good roote can not lye dead or vnoccupied, but springeth foorth and maketh both the tree fruitefull, and also the tree thereof to be good. which otherwise had no acceptatiō nor goodnes in them, were it not for the goodnes of the roote from whence they spring.MarginaliaWorkes are not to be called good but by reason of fayth.So Paule although he had certeine workes in him such as they were, before his conuersion, yet had he no good workes before the grace of Christ had rooted fayth in him. So Mary Magdelene the sinner, and Zacheus the Publicane. So all the nations of the Gentiles began to bryng foorth frute, and especially good fruit, when they began to bee ingrafted in Christ, and to receaue the roote of hys fayth, whose fruites before that were all damnable and vnsauery.MarginaliaThe office of fayth to iustifie.As touchyng the cause therefore of good workes, there is no other in man but fayth,MarginaliaThe effect of fayth to bring forth good workes.whose office as it is to iustifie vs in heauen so the nature of it is here in earth to worke by loue, as the roote worketh by the sappe. For as a man seeth and feeleth by fayth, the loue and grace of God toward him in Christ his sonne: so begynneth he to loue agayne both God and man, and to doe for his neyghbour as God hath done to him.MarginaliaFides per dilectionē operans. Gal. 5.And hereof properly springeth the runyng fountaine of al good works and deedes of charitie.

MarginaliaThe 3. errour of the Papistes touching the end of the law & good works. The end of the law and good workes peruerted.Thirdly, as they erre in the cause of good works, so do they erre much more in the ende of the lawe, and of good workes: for where Saint Paule teacheth the lawe to be gyuen to thys vse and ende, to conuict our transgressions, to prooue vs sinners, to shewe and condemne our infirmitye, and to dryue vs to Christ: they take and applye no other ende to the lawe, but to make vs perfect, to keepe vs from wrath, and to make vs iust before God. And likewise where Saint Paule prooueth al our good works to be vnperfect, and vtterly secludeth them from the ende of Iustifying, they contrariwise doe teache, as though the ende of good workes were to merite remission of synnes, to satisfye vnto God, to deserue grace, to redeeme soules from Purgatory, and that by them the person of the regenerate man doth please God, and is made iust before God.MarginaliaThom. Aquinas. Hosius in 2. tom, conses. Cap. 1.For so they teach most wickedly and horribly, saying. That christ suffered for originall sinne, or sinnes going before Baptisme, but the actuall sinnes, which followe after Baptisme, must be done away by mens meryts. And so they assigne to Christ the begynning of saluation, or obteyning of the fyrst grace (as they call it) but the perfection or cōsūmation of grace, they giue to works & our own strēgth. Neither can they in any case abide, that we be iustified frely by the mercy of God through fayth onely apprehending the merites of Christ. Howbeit neyther doe all Papistes in this their erroue agree in one.MarginaliaThe diuers opinions of their Catholicke Papistes, how faith iustifieth.For some make distinction and say: that we are iustified by Christ principaliter. i. principally: & minus principaliter i. lesse principally, by the dignitie of our owne deedes, contrary to the eight principle before mentioned, page. 24. Other holde that we are made ryghteous before God, not by works that go before fayth: but by our vertues that follow after. Some againe do thus expound þ^e saying of Saint Paule: We are iustified by faith: þ^t is (say they) by fayth, preparing vs or setting vs in a good way to be iustified. Other expoūde by it þ^e figure Sinecdoche, that is, by faith conioyned together with other vertues. Other thus: by faith, that is, being formed with charytie, &c. Thus all these doe derogate from the benefite of Christ,MarginaliaThe Popes doctrine agaynst the principles of Scripture.and attribute vnto works a great or the greatest part of our iustification, directly against the true veine of Saint Paules doctryne and first institucion of the auncient Church of Rome, and against all the principles of holy Scripture.

MarginaliaThe 4. errour of the Papistes touching the imperfection of man in satisfiyng the perfection of the law.Furthermore, as touching the sayde doctryne of the lawe and good workes, they erre in misunderstanding the nature of the lawe and workes. For where Saint Paule disputeth that the lawe is spirituall, and requireth of vs perfect obedience of the whole power of man, which wee beyng carnall are neuer able to accomplish: they affirme otherwise that the lawe doth require but onely outward obedience of man, and therewith is contented: And this obedience they say, man is not onely able to performe, but also to do more and greater things then the law requireth. Wherof riseth þ^e works of supererogatiō, contrary to þ^e 6. and 8. principles aboue specified, page. 24.MarginaliaAgaynst the principles of Scripture.Also there be say they, among other certaine workes of the lawe, which pertayne not to all men, but are consilia, counsayles, left forperfect men, as matter for them to merite by, and these they call opera perfectionis, or opera indebita,MarginaliaPreceptes and Counsayles.adding also to these newe deuises to ferue God after their owne traditions besides the worde of God, as Monasticall vowes, wilfull pouerty, difference of meates and garmentes, pilgrimage to reliques and Saints, worshipping of þ^e dead, superstitious ceremonies, rosaries, &c.MarginaliaWorkes of supererogation.With such like, and these they call workes of perfection, which they preferre before the other commaunded in the lawe of God.MarginaliaMens traditions preferred before the workes of Gods law.In so much that in comparison of these, the other necessary duties commaunded and commended by the worde of God (as to beare office in the common wealth, to liue in þ^e godlye state of matrimony, to susteine the office of a seruant in a house) is contemned, and accounted as prophane in cōparison of these, contrary to the 10. principle aboue mentioned. pag. 24.MarginaliaAgaynst the principle of Scripture.

OF Sinne likewise they teach not rightly, nor after the institution of the Apostles, and the auncient Church of Rome,MarginaliaErroneous doctrine of the latter Church of Rome concerning sin.while the consider not the deepenes and largenes of sinne, supposing still to be nothing els but inwarde actions with consent of will, or outwarde, such as are agaynst will: whereas the strength of sinne extendeth not onely to these, but also comprehendeth the blyndnes and ignorance of the minde, lacke of knowledge and true feare of God, the vntowardnes of mans minde to Godwarde, the priuy rebellion of the hart against the lawe of God, the vndeliting will of man to God and his worde. The sense of ffesh S; Paule also calleth an enimie against God, and feeleth in himselfe, that is, in his fleshe nothing dwelling but sinne.

As toucning also originall sinne,MarginaliaOriginall sinne what it is.wherin we are borne which is the destruction of original iustice, and of gods Image in vs (remayning in vs and bringiug foorth in vs wicked cogitations, affections, and motions of naughtynes, against the law of God, and neuer ceaseth so loug as man liueth) this originall sinne the Popes doctrine doth not deny, but yet doth much extenuate the same aud holdeth that this inwarde concupiscence & vicious affections not brasting out in vs with consent of will, are of no mortall nor damnable sinne, but only fomes peccati:MarginaliaFomes peccati.And say moreouer, that this concupiscentia in vs,MarginaliaConcupiscentia.is no deprauation of the higher, but onely of the lower partes of man, beyng as a thingἀδιάφορον  

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Summary of Roman Catholic heresies

Foxe text Greek

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Foxe text translation

indifferent

Comment

An accurate translation: alternative: "not different"

OF Penaunce,MarginaliaFalse doctrine of the latter Church of rome, touching penaunce.this latter Latterane Church of Rome, of late hath made a Sacrament (contrary to the fourth principle before pag. 24.) which penaunce say they, standeth of three partes. Contrition, Confession, and Satisfaction canonicall. Contrition (as they teach) may be had by strength of free will, without the lawe, and the holy Ghost per actus elicitos, through mans owne action and endeuour. Which contritionMarginaliaContrition.first must be sufficient, and so it meriteth remission of sinne. In confession,MarginaliaConfession. they require a full rehearsall of all sinnes, whereby the Priest knowing the crymes, may minister satisfaction accordingly. And this rehearsing of sinnes, ex opero operato deserueth remission, contrary þ^e to 14. principle before, pag. 24. SatisfactionsMarginaliaSatisfaction.they call opera indebita, enioyned by the ghostly father. And this satisfaction (say they) taketh away, and chaungeth eternall punishment, into temporall paynes, which paines also it doth mittigate. And againe, these satisfactions may be taken away by the Popes indulgence. &c.

This vnsauery and hethenish doctrine of penaunce farre differeth from the true teaching of holye Scripture.MarginaliaTrue doctrine of repentaunce by the scripture.By the which teaching repentaunce properly conteineth these three partes, contrition, fayth, and new life.MarginaliaPartes of repentance. 1. Contrition. 2. Fayth. 3. New obedience.Contrition is called in Scripture the sorrow of hart, rysing vpō the consideration of sinne committed and of the anger of God prouoked, which sorrowe dryueth a man to Christ for succour: wherevpon ryseth fayth. Fayth bringeth, afterward amendement or newenes of life, whiche wee call new obedience, working fruites worthye of repentaunce.

AS there is nothing more necessary and cōfortable for troubled consciences, then to be well instructed in the