How to live, and that well in all estates and times, specially when helps…How to liue, and that well in all estates and times, specially when helps…

Thus then it is manifest, that every person must have a faith of his own. Hence we learn, that the doctors of the Romish Church err and are ⟨p. 95⟩deceived,^a when they teach, that a man may rest himself in the faith of his teachers, believing in sundry things only as the Church believes, though he knew not distinctly what is the faith of the Church. Again, here the Popes pardons fall to ground. For in vain doth the Pope by the power of the keys, apply the meritorious works and the satisfactory sufferings of one man to an other, considering every man is saved only by his own faith. The wise virgins professed that they had oil no more then served their own turns. They knew not the popish doctrine, that men might have good works enough for themselves, and an overplus ⟨p. 96⟩for others.² Hilary gathereth hence, that one mans good works cannot be applied to an other. Hierome saith,³ Every man shall receive a reward for his own works: and that one mans works cannot cover another mans faults in the day of judgement. The speech of Leo may stop the mouths of all Papists.⁴ Though (saith he) the death of the Saints be precious in the sight of God, yet the killing of no innocent is the reconciliation of the world. The righteous have received crowns but they have not given crowns. And the fortitude of believers ministers examples of patience, but not gifts of justice. For the deaths of them all were private or particular: neither did any of them by his funeral discharge ⟨p. 97⟩another mans debt: considering among the sins of men, Christ our Lord is only found in whom all are crucified, dead, and buried, and rise again. Paul indeed saith to the Corinthians,⁵ that he desired to be bestowed for their souls: and,