Questions of religion cast abroad in Helvetia by the aduersaries of the same: and aunswered by M. H. Bullinger of Zurick: reduced into .17. common places. Translated into Englishe by Iohn Coxe. 1572

The Answere.

THE Apostles coulde not* 1.1 make an ende with their aduersaries, excepte they would reuoke some part of their doctrine, and bring it more neare to the doctrine of their aduersaries, and that their aduersaries woulde gladly

haue had them done. But there can be no similitude of agréement, betwéene these two sentences: Faith in Christ iu∣stifieth men vvithoute the vvoorkes of the lavve: And this, The lavv or vvorks dothe iustifie men before God, and not faithe in Christe Neither was it méete that the Apostles shoulde retracte any part of their Doctrine, and yéelde vnto their aduersaries. For Paule speaketh héereof, saying: To vvhome vvee gaue not place by subiection for an houre, that the truth of the gospel might con∣tinue vvith you. Knovving that a man is not iustified by the vvorks of the law, but by the faith of Iesus Christ. If then vvhile vve seeke to bee made righteous by Christe, vve oureselues are founde sinners, is Christe therfore the minister of sinne▪ god forbid. For if I build again the things vvhich I haue destroyed, I make myselfe a trespasser.

Héereby it euidently appeareth that the Apostles could not agree with their aduersaries, neither at Antioch, neither at Jerusalem, nor yéelde to any part of their doctrine, neither yet would they.

Neither came they to Ierusalem, to the* 1.2 ende they would make agréement, and ioyne with their aduersaries, much lesse then to intreate Peter that he woulde pacifie the matter betwéene them. But the chéefest cause of their going, was, for that the Heretickes did bragge them selues to be sent from the Apostles that were at Ierusalem, and that they agréed in their doctrine, and that the doctrine of Paule and Barnabas touching the gospell, did not agrée with the doctrine of the other Apostles. Wherfore, to the ende it mighte euidently appeare, that this their bragge was false, they went to Ierusalem, and thereuppon the Apo∣stles, and the whole churche of Ierusa∣lem writte to the churches of the Gen∣tiles, amongst whom the hereticks had scattered these things vntruely against Paul, & so among others they vse these words: Bicause vve haue heard that cer∣taine are come from vs, and haue trou∣bled you vvith their vvords, to vvhome vvee haue giuen no commaundement. &c. Read the fiftéenth of the Actes, and the second to the Galathians.

Notes

• * 1.1

  It was not lawful for the Apostles to haue any agreement with their ad¦uersaries. Galat. 2.
• * 1.2

  Why Paule vvent to Hie∣rusalem.