A15857:535
H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which now at length being 70. years…H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which novve at length being 70. yeares…
H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which now at length being 70. years of age, he caused to be published in the name of himself & his family. Englished in sense agreeable, and in words as answerable to his own latin copy, as in so grave a mans work is requisite: for the profit of all the unlearneder sort, of English christians, that desire to know his judgement in matters of faith.H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which novve at length being 70. yeares of age, he caused to bee published in the name of himselfe & his family. Englished in sense agreeable, and in words as answerable to his ovvne latine copie, as in so graue a mans worke is requisite: for the profite of all the vnlearneder sort, of English christians, that desire to know his iudgement in matters of faith.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1599Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1599
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
IX. Errors.
We condemn therefore those: which teach, that for the worthiness of their works, there is due unto them either remission of sins, or ternall life, or any other good gift. For though we should perfectly fulfil the commandments of God, yet we should be but unprofitable servants. 1But no man yea after his ingrafting ⟨p. 169⟩into Christ, keepeth the commandments of God, as they should be kept. Meanwhile we disprove not the Fathers, in that they used the word merit: namely so far forth as thereby they meant nothing else, then a good work, done by faith, unto which of favour, and for the only merits of Christ was given a reward. Again we cannot allow of those which do so discourse of good works, as if they were things indifferent: and therefore hold that the same are not only needless, 2but also do nothing avail to salvation. For how should any man be saved without faith? and how can he have a living faith without a care to do good works? and who can also hold faith, unless he also keep a good conscience? and how can he keep a good conscience, unless he also keep a care to avoid sin, and to do good works, and to frame his whole life to the will of God? but we simply condemn all Libertines, who make it all one to keep or not to keep gods commandments, to do well or to do ill. We condemn also those, which teach that our good works do profit the very souls of the dead, which lye in a certain burning flame, which they call purgatory: