thinketh he is able to atteyne vnto it of him selfe albeit he neuer reacheth thereunto August in praesation Psal 31. and loseth the hope of al his trauayle bicause he presumeth of him selfe and God condemneth euen that presumption yet hath he a desire to lyue wel and a care to doe good workes But who so is persuaded that faith onely suffiseth to obteyne both Iustification and saluation let him be well ware leste he falle into the goulfe and saye Aug. ibid. Faciam ergo quicquid volo I will doo then what I liste for though I haue no good woorkes and doe no more but beleeue in God my faith shall be reputed to me for iustice If he haue so saied and determined with him selfe he is fallen in and drowned If he be yet but thinking thereof and wauering he is in daunger Further if it be true that the Philosopher saieth Aristote Ethic. lib. 2. cap. 8. that of twoo vices contrarie to one vertue the more daungerouse and greater vice is that whereunto menne are more geuen We doubte not but the greater number of men is rather prone and contente of them selues to beleue only and put the reste in Gods mercie then desirous to leade a seuere and strayte life and payne them selues with good workes Which thing the diuel wel knowing hath in sundry ages gone about to put this opinion in the heades of such as he could abuse Ca. 12. as I shal shewe hereafter Wherefore to auoide this goulfe whiche is most perillouse I wil declare that faith alone suffiseth not in any sorte of true vnderstanding to our Iustification or saluation That is to say that faith alone is neither able to iustifie and bring to the state of iustice him that is a sinner nor alone able to keepe and increase our Iustification when it is gotten nor able alone to bring him that is iustified to the perfection of iustice in life euerlasting In which three degrees consisteth the absolute and perfecte Iustification of man In the first Chap. as I haue shewed before VVhence the opinion came that onely faith iustifieth and of diuers kindes of mainteyning the same THE II. CHAPTER August de gratia liber arbit c. 7. Rom. 3. Gal. 3. THE opinion that moued some menne to thinke onely faith sufficiente to saluation tooke his firste grounde of misconstruing the wordes of S. Paule Homines enim non intelligentes c. For men saieth S. Augustine not vnderstanding these wordes of the Apostle we thinke a man is iustified by faith without workes of the law thought he said that it is sufficient for a man to haue faith although he liue yll and doe no good workes But God forbid the chosen vessel should be of that opinion And vppon this and other places of Scripture Aug. in praefat Psa 31. de fid oper c. 14. whiche also they misconstrued they perswaded them selues that a Christian man needed not to doe any good woorkes for that he might be saued by faith though he liued vngodlie Others when they sawe the Scriptures so euidently commending good workes Caluin in instit ca. de iustific ca. 10. Brent in confess VVirtēber de bonis operibus and setting foorth the necessitie of doing them being ashamed to mainteine that they were nedelesse to be done haue saied that men must liue godly to testifie and declare their faith but yet that their good woorkes deserue no rewarde of lyfe euerlasting neither can stand in the iudgement of God. And to minse this matter more finely some haue yet gone further And whereas the Catholike Churche folowing the manifest Srciptures hath euer taught that a sinner is iustified through the merite of Christ and his Sacramentes by faith hope charitie and penance they haue taught that he is iustified by faith only and although they graunt that he must haue both hope and charitie that shal be iustified yet is it faith onely saie they that striketh the stroke in the acte of Iustification hope and charitie standing by as lookers on but working nothing Into these three kindes of dangerous errours men haue fallen by teaching and beleeuing the Iustification of faith alone not onely barring the necessitie of doinge good woorkes and penance but also abasing the worthines of hope and charity and th'estimation and dignitie of Christ his Sacramentes Against the first opinion S. Augustine both preached and disputed in sundrie places of his learned woorkes and namely wrote his booke of faith and woorkes against the same which thou hast here gentle Reader together with this Treatie translated vnto thee Concerning the seconde which the Authors would faine haue appeare different from the firste and yet in effecte seemeth all one In the 2. Chapt of the firste booke I haue saied somewhat before and plainely proued that good woorkes doe not onely keepe and increase our iustice here but shal be rewarded also in the ende with life euerlasting whereof I shall saie more hereafter In the. 13. Chapter To the thirde opinion I shall nowe answere and euidently shew that it is not faith alone that worketh th'acte of our Iustification but that hope charitie and the Sacramentes haue their partes in working it also And by this shall the Reader perceiue that after their meaning it can in no wise be truely said that faith alone iustifieth And here must I aduertise the Reader that this thirde opinion is newe and lately come out of the forge neuer heard of to my knowledge before these our daies For as there hath ben in sundrie ages carnal men which thought them selues August de fid oper c. 27 and went about to perswade others that faith and the Sacramentes of Christ might saue a man without good workes so haue I not read of any that plainely said faith without hope charitie and the Sacraments of Christ can iustifie a man. And therfore as diuers or rather al the auncient Fathers haue in some places of their woorkes gone about to pul the one opinion out of mennes heades so do I not finde that they make any mention of th' other and much lesse that any one of them before this our age hath affirmed it to be true That Faith excludeth not Charitie in our Iustification that is to saie Faith alone iustifieth no man without the helpe and woorking of Charitie THE III. CHAPTER AND nowe to beginne with the moste excellente vertue that is in a Christian man Of Charitie Faith alone iustifieth no man without the helpe and working of charitie It hath ben declared before In the. 4. Chapter that our Iustification in Christe is but the restoring of that whiche was lost by Adam And as Adam sinned not onely by lacke of faith but rather and much more by lacke of good wil and right loue so is not a man once fallen restored againe by recouering onely righte faith vnlesse he recouer also righte loue The sinne of Adam was chiefely a peruerse desire
right and constant hope in God that nothing perteining to saluatiō can be auaileable to him that wanteth it Aug. Enchi cap. 8. No true charitie can be without it No faith can iustifie but by the helpe and direction of it A good mans faith is the substance of things that are to be hoped Hebr. 11. Take awaie hope then from faith and faith must nedes fainte and quaile The thing that kepte the Fathers of whome S. Paule speaketh so faithfull to God was that they had a strong hope and trust to enioye his promises And that which was said of Moyses may be truely said of them al Hebr. 11. Aspiciciebat ad remunerationem They looked to the rewarde which can not be without hope The Diuelles beleue and tremble Aug. Enchi cap. 8. but as S. Augustine saith they neither hope nor loue In like manner euil Christians may beleue and yet remaine stil vngodly and voide of iustice bicause they want hope and loue I haue proued before that faith without charitie iustifieth no man Propter quod Apostolus Paulus Aug. ibid. For which cause the Apostle Paule commendeth the faith which hath her woorking through charitie Quae vtique sine spe esse non potest Which can in no wise be without hope For sith a man may beleeue that whiche he hopeth not for what auaileth him to beleeue 1. Timo. 2. that Christe is the Sauiour of all men vnlesse he hope also to be partaker of that saluation Or howe shoulde he be moued to loue him for the benefite of our redemption if he trust not to enioy it And therefore saith S. Augustine Nec amor sine spe Euch. c. 8 nec sine amore spes nec vtrumque sine fide Neither is there loue without hope nor hope without loue nor both without faith And so doth faith woorke our Iustification through hope and loue So is it true that fides spes August epist 121. charitas ad Deum ducunt faith hope and charitie leade vs to God to whom we are assured not to come if either of the three want in vs. And therefore as it is saied Ephes 2. Rom. 8. by grace are ye saued through faith So is it also said Spe salui facti sumus By hope are we saued Hope ioyning with faith and charity ingēdreth an affiance in God and maketh a strong hoping faith vnto whiche affiance euerlasting life is promised Qui habet fiduciam mei haeredit abit terram Esai 57. possidebit montem sanctum meum He that hath affiance in me shall inherite the earth and possesse my holie Hill. So dothe S. Paule call hope the safe and sure anker of the sowle Heb. 6. Whervnto as many as flee for refuge haue a most strong comforte For as the ancor staieth the shippe so doth hope the sowle faith would be weake and charitie colde if hope mainteined and staied them not S. Paule saieth to the Colossians Coloss 1. Gratias agimus Deo Patri We geue thankes to God and the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe euer praying for you For that we heare of your faith in Christe Iesu and of the loue you beare towarde all the holie Propter spem quae reposita est vobis in coelis For the hopes sake that is laid vppe for you in heauen He maketh the ende of our hope the marke wherevnto both faith and charitie haue their respecte And if the Philosophers sayinges be true that the ende is it whiche is last done Hope by some reason is the principall vvorker in our Iustification and first in our intente a man may reason vppon this place that in the acte of our Iustification Hope dothe not onely worke but hath the chiefe place and principal woorking Bicause his obiecte is the ende wherevnto faith and charitie referre all their dooinges and consequently the cause that moueth faith to beleeue and charitie to loue without the direction of hope faith and loue may be fruitlesse A man may haue faith and doe good woorkes August in Praefat. Psal 31. and yet lacking a right hope he shall not be a good man For saith S. Augustine Quid si de ijs omnibus bonis operibus c. What if by all these good woorkes either thou hope for that is to be hoped but not at his hande of whom it shoulde be hoped or hope after that is not to be hoped though it be at his hande of whome euerlasting life is to be hoped To put an Example For thy good workes thou hopest to get thy selfe a worldly felicitie Thou arte a wicked man. And therfore he saith in the same place Corrige fidem dirige fidem Correcte thy faith directe thy faith And what is the direction of faith but to referre and applye it to life euerlasting which we ought to hope and trust for in al our doinges If faith then can not iustifie vnlesse it be rightly directed and direction of faith is hope howe shoulde faithe iustifie without hope Ser. 16. de ver apost Adde ergo fidei spem Therefore put hope to faith saieth S. Augustine And what hope is there without some good conscience put charitie then also to hope These three ioyntly together beginne to woorke our iustice These three increase our iustice These three bring vs to the rewarde and perfection of iustice faith hope and charitie leade vs to God fide spe charitate colendus est Deus By faith hope and charitie God muste be serued Et nos fide spe Aug. epistol 121. charitate cum capite nostro sumus in coelo By faith hope and charitie we be in heauen with Christe our heade Ench. ca. 2 6. August in Psalm 26 enarr 2. let vs make no diuorce betwene these vertues whome God hath so ioyned to worke our iustice and saluation But as we be assured that without hope the acte of our Iustification is not wroughte so it behoueth vs to vnderstande howe hope muste be nurisshed and mainteyned The lesson is shorte but of greate proffite vttered by him that had good experience thereof August in praefation Psalm 31. Cupiditas refrenetur charitas excitetur Lette luste be brydeled lette charitie be stirred vp The very charitie of a man that worketh well geueth him the hope of a good conscience For good conscience is it that beareth hope As an yll conscience is all in dispayre so the good conscience is all in hope We see then that it is charitie and godly life which fostereth and mainteyneth hope And as without hope faithe suffiseth not for whiche cause it is saied by S. Augustyne Putte hope vnto faith Augu. ser 16. de ver Apost so hope without charitie wil not be had For what hope is there without some good conscience Put charitie then to hope also Thus is faith directed and stayed by hope hope mainteyned by charitie and a man made acceptable to God by all three
is not able to worke the effecte of saluacion for which purpose it serueth vnlesse it be accumpanied with charitie the Mother of al vertues of which wordes S. Augustine gathereth a rule that when we find in the Scriptures faith commended for Iustificacion or saluacion we should euer vnderstād it meant of faith which worketh through charitie saying Hanc fidem definiuit Apostolus c. This faith hath the Apostle defined and determined to be it And in that sense both S. Augustine and other aunciente fathers cal that many times the trewe faith the Christian mannes faith and the faith in deede The trewe faith in respecte of the ende whiche is saluacion not bicause the faith whereby we onely beleue the Scriptures is not a trewe Faith. For we saie in the Creede of Athanasius that the Catholique Faith is a full perfecte and inuiolable Faith. A beleeuing faith and a sauing faith But it is perfecte in beleuing not perfecte in sauing And therefore it is not saide in the ende who so beleueth it shal be saued but vnlesse a man beleue and keepe it inuiolable he shal without doubte be damned For though he beleue the Scriptures in profession and keepe them not in deede that is if he beleue them in worde and mouth and trangresse them in acte and deede he shall not be saued Faith alone and of it selfe maie be perfecte for beleuing but the faith that is trewe and perfecte for sauing is euer accompanied neuer alone It is one thing then to haue trewe faith in assente and opinion which is faith in his owne nature and an other thing to haue faith in obedience of harte and affection which is faith accompanied with charitie and other vertues of whiche difference I onely putte the Reader in remembrance bicause I will more largely speake thereof in the. 7. Chapter of the second booke to the whiche I referre him Thus haue I thought good to open vnto the Reader what is properly meante by the name of faith alone August de Trinitate Lib. 15. cap. 18. in Euchirid cap. 8. and what it taketh of other vertues Sine quibus esse potest sed prodesse non potest Without the whiche it may be but it can not auaile nor attaine to the life euerlasting Faith properly is to beleue and to beleue is to assente to trewth This faith the age of S. Augustine S. Chrysostome and Vincentius Lirinensis did knowe and teache willing men for their saluation to ioyne vnto it charitie with other vertues If any man deuise an other faithe beside this he bringeth vs not the consent of Antiquitie but an inuention of noueltie As concerning the faith whereby miracles and wunderous actes are wroughte it is none other but the Catholique faith whereof I haue spoken Ioan. 20 which to aduance and commende God doth miracles in some that professe it through his name Whiche faith as both a good and ill man may haue so may both a good and ill man doo miracles as appeareth plainely by the wordes of Christe in S. Mathew and by S. Paule to the Corinthianes Math. 7. 1. Cor. 13. th one saying that many hauing done miracles shal be shutte owt of the kingdome of heauen The other affirming that a man maie be able to remoue mountaines and yet lacke charitie without the whiche he is nothing VVherein the controuersie of Iustificacion resteth and what is the rediest way to know how the same is wrought in vs. THE III. CHAP. THERE is emong parties at this time no greate controuersie touching the original cause of our Iustificacion For the Scriptures plainely shew and al men agree that it is God that iustifieth Rom 8. But the controuersy resteth specially in two pointes the first point first what our Iustification is and wherein it standeth whether it be onely a forgeuenes of sinnes paste or whether there be also required in it a change of the man and a newnes of life the secōd point The other pointe is how our Iustification is wrought in vs to witte albeit God iustifie vs yet how he worketh it in vs and by what meanes we comme to it by faith alone or by faith ioined with other vertues and Sacramentes which doubtes I thinke shal be much cleared if we consider our owne corrupte and sinfull estate and the cause thereof whiche is our carnall Birthe and descente from Adam By whom sinne entred into the worlde Rom 5. and by sinne death and so wente through all in whom all haue sinned Seing then that his fall was our fall and the cause of our vniustice if we vnderstande in what case he was created and what was in him loste wounded and weakened by sinne cōtraries being knowen by one rule and teaching we know also what our Iustification is Aristotle For the repairing of that which was in him loste is our restoring and the saluing of that which was in him wounded is our health the changing of the olde estate wherein through him we were borne is our renewing And our restoring healing and renewing is our Iustification Esai 53. Luc. 19. For Christ that came to iustifie sinners came to seeke and saue that which was loste and to make whole that which was wounded VVhat was loste in Adam by sinne and what is restored by Christe in our Iustification the comparing of Christ with Adam And in what thinges our Iustification standeth THE IIII. CHAPTER IT is a matter of vndoubted trewthe and confessed of all right beleuers that God created Adam in most excellent and perfecte estate For the Scripture saith in the person of God Gen. 1. Faciamus hominem ad imaginem similitudinem nostram Lette vs make manne after our image and lykenes Wherefore as God him selfe is wisedome trueth rightuousenes temperance loue strength vertue and in goodnes moste free so made he manne wise trewe rightuous and iuste temperate strong indued with perfecte loue vertuous and to all goodnes willinge and free Psal 48. But man vnderstanding not when he was in honor abusing his libertie to ill and transgressing Goddes commandement did not onely lose that perfect estate and beautie of vertues but broughte him selfe also into a base mortall and miserable condition fell into vices contrarie to the former vertues and became displeasant and hatefull vnto God his bodie condemned to death and his sowle vnlesse mercie had deliuered him to endlesse damnation And albeit it might suffise to say that he loste all the vertues wherewith he was by God indued yet to expresse some parte thereof particularly Prosper Aquitanus sayth Perdidit primitus fidem c. Contra Collatorē cap. 10. He loste first and chifely faith He loste continence he loste charitie he was berefte of wisedome and vnderstanding He was lefte without counsell and strength he dranke the poison of all vices and with the dronkennesse of his intemperance wetted through and soked the whole nature of man he loste profitable and
and luste through a loue settled where it should not be pulled from God and delyte heauenly and settled on him selfe and thinges transitorie And as that peruerse loue which is called luste made him of good and righteouse August in Praefat. Psal 31. August in Titul Psal 64. euill and sinnefull so in all that descende of his race yll loue and luste maketh an yll man and good loue which is called Charitie maketh a good man. Interoget se quisque quid amet inueniet vnde sit Ciuis Lette euery man aske of him selfe what he loueth and he shall finde whereof he is a Citizen That is to saie whether he be of the Citie of God or of the Diuell Charitie yt ys that altereth and chaungeth the hearte and the hearte is it that chaungeth the woorkes Muta cor mutabitur opus August Serm. 12. de verb. Dom. Change the heart saith S. Augustine and the woorke will be changed And howe the hearte is changed it foloweth Extirpa cupiditatem planta charitatem Roote out luste and ill desire plante charitie for as luste is the roote of all yll so is charitie the roote of all good No man is iustified but he that is made a good man and charitie it is that maketh a man good Aug. Enchi c. 117 For when the question is asked whether any one be a good man it is not demaunded what he beleueth or what he hopeth but what he loueth For who so loueth rightly without doubt he beleueth rightly Al men wil confesse that no man can be iustified vnlesse he know God be new borne of God translated from death of the sowle to lyfe fourmed of newe and graffed in Christe and finally made a new creature For who so euer remaineth without knowledge of God and continueth in the olde estate of Adam is the childe of anger in the state of iuste damnation and farre from iustice If then it plainely appeare that all these fiue pointes be wroughte in vs especially by charitie wee must needes confesse that charitie doth not onely worke but singularly worke in the acte of our Iustification To proue the firste and seconde pointe S. Iohn saith Euerie man that loueth 1. Ioan. 4. is borne of God and knoweth God. He that loueth not knoweth not God for God is charitie The thirde pointe he proueth by these wordes 1. Ioan. 3. Nos scimus We knowe that we are translated from death to lyfe bicause we loue our brethren he that loueth not remaineth in death August in expo epist ad Galat. Of the fourth point S. Augustine saith formatur Christus in eo qui formam accepit Christi Christ is formed in him that hath receiued the fourme and shape of Christ but he it is that receiueth the shape of Christ who cleaueth faste to Christe by a gostely and spirituall loue The fifte pointe is proued by S. Paule who taketh it for al one to be made a newe creature and to haue faith that worketh throughe charitie For as he saieth Galat. 5. In Christe Iesu neither circumcision Galat. 6. nor to be without circumcision auaileth ought but faith that worketh through charitie So he saith Neither circumcision nor to be without circumcision auaileth ought but the newe creature This being proued that man knoweth God is borne of God translated from death to life newe fourmed in Christe and finally made a newe creature by Charitie it is also proued consequentely that man is iustified especially through Charitie I go not abowte here to abase the excellente gifte of faith nor to saie charitie onely iustifieth excluding faith which is the foundation of all rightuousenes my intente is onely to shewe howe shamefull a diuorce they make that parte these so wel agreeing vertues in the acte of our Iustification whiche God hath ioined together Matth. 19 Leo serm 7. de quadrag For trewely it is saied Charitas robur est fidei fides fortitudo est charitatis Charitie is the force of faith faith is the strength of Charitie and then is the name trewe and trew fruite of bothe when eche remayneth sure and faste knitte to other Seing then that Iustification is the greatest fruite that can come of faith it foloweth that the same can not be had without thaid of charity Faith may be in a man without charitie but it maketh no man rightuouse and iuste but by charitie S. Augustine saith A man may beleue that Christ is Christ by faith without hope and charitie but he can not beleue in Christe whiche is as muche to saie as to be vnited and made a member of Christe without hope and charitie Aug. Ser. 61. De ver De. Qui credit in Christum c. who so beleueth in Christe by his beleuing Christe commeth vnto him and by some meanes he is made one with Christ and a member of his body which can not be done vnlesse hope and charitie be ioined also In which place three thinges are to be noted first he saith that faith alone is sufficiente for vs to beleue that Christe is Christe Next he saith that faith alone is not inough to make a man the member of Christ Thirdely he saith that faith hope and charity ioined together make a man the member of Christ Wherefore seing that to be iustified is nothing els but to be made a member of Christ it is a plaine matter with S. Augustine that faith only can not iustifie bicause it can not make a man the member of Christe And for as muche as that effecte is wroughte by the three vertues ioined together it foloweth also that hope and charitie worke in the acte of our Iustification as well as Faith. Faith can not onely iustifie no man without charitie but as S. Bernarde saieth dieth if charitie be pulled from it Bernar. Ser. 24. super Canti Mors fidei est separatio charitatis It is the death of Faith to be parted from charitie And he that diuideth them saith he is fideicida a murtherer of Faith. A deade faith can not geue life to the sowle Mortuam Apostolus definit eamesse Iaco. 2. And the Apostle S. Iames determineth that faith to be deade that worketh not by loue Quasi non habens animam ipsam dilectionem Bernar. Epist 42. Bicause she hath not loue whiche is her very sowle If faith when she is without charitie wanteth her sowle and life without the which she can doo no acte howe should she without charitie worke that greate acte of our Iustification To make the matter plaine we shall neede but one argument grounded vppon the wordes of S. Paule Gala. 5. In Christ Iesu neither circumcision nor to be without circumcision auaileth any thing but faith that worketh through charitie If that be the Faithe that auaileth whiche worketh through charitie then faithe alone destitute of charitie auaileth nothing If it auaile nothing muche lesse dothe it worke our Iustification For that is not onely somewhat but
est By the which onely he is trewly iuste who so euer is iust But to declare that his minde was not to make any such separation Ib. cap. 70. he saith it is the charitie that commeth from a pure harte a good conscience and vnsained faith He might allege for him th' authoritie of S. Ihon th'Euangelist who being required by his scholers a litle before his death to teach them some perfecte lesson Hier. li. 3. com in epist ad Galat. cap. 6. whereby they might liue well and haue cause to remembre him said my children loue one an other And when they looked for more he repeted the same againe and said It is our Lords commaundement and if there be no more done but that it is inough He should haue Prosper to say for him De vit contēpla li. 3. ca. 13 Charitie is a summarie and abbridgement of all good doings of the which euery good worke taketh his life without the which neuer man pleased God. S. Bede would say Homi. aestiua in lita maio Ser. 7. de Epipha Chrysost tom 1. fol. 176. Charitie is the principall vertue in so muche that without that vertue other principall vertues can not be Leo would call her the mother of all vertues and Chrysostome the mother of all goodnes And thus haue I proued not only that faith without charitie iustifieth no man but also that charitie hath a souereine working in the acte of our Iustification without the which faith auaileth nothing and so doth not faith alone iustifie nor exclude charitie An answere to obiections that be made to proue that faith alone iustifieth without charitie THE IIII. CHAPTER BVT leste the mainteiners of Iustification by onely faith should seeme to be without all ground and to exclude charitie without colour of reason they frame one especiall argument which for the readers better satisfaction I will put forth and answere here The argument is this We be iustified by faith without all workes of the Lawe Charitie is a worke of the Lawe Ergo we be iustified by faith without charitie To the which I answere with S. Augustine that their second proposition deceiueth them for that charitie is not onely a worke of the lawe but also the gifte of the holy Ghost in the newe testament Rom 5. S. Paule saith the charitie of God is powred abrode in our hartes through the holy Ghost that is geuen vs. 1. Ioha 4. And S. Iohn saith Moste dearely beloued let vs loue one an other for loue commeth of God. Vppon which wordes S. Augustines answere is De grat li. arb cap. 18. Cùm dicitur diligamus inuicem lex est Cùm dicitur quia dilectio ex Deo est gratia est When it is said Lette vs loue one an other it is the lawe when it is said for loue commeth of God it is grace He maketh this the greatest differēce betwene th' old and new testament that where as in the old God lead his people by terror and feare in the newe he geueth them plenty of his charitie and loue Contr. Adiman cap. 17. De spirit lit cap. 17. Item cap. 21. ca. 16. Haec est breuissima c. This is the shortest and plainest difference of both testaments feare and loue Ibi in tabulis lapideis There the holy Ghost wrought in tables of stone here in mens hartes And what be the lawes of God writen by God him self in mennes hartes but the presence of the holy Ghost who is the singer of God by whose presence charitie is powred abrode in our hartes which is the fulfilling of the law Thus doo we see that charitie is not onely a worke of the law but also the fruite of the holy Ghost the speciall token of the new testament wrought in our hartes by the holy Ghost And so hath S. Augustine answered this argument xi hundred yeares before they were borne that lately haue made it And whereas it is saied that faith onely iustifieth What it is truely to apprehēd Christe bicause faith onely apprehendeth Christe I aske what is meant by the terme of Apprehension If it be to beleue onely that Christ died for sinners that alone iustifieth no man for the Diuelles beleue it and tremble Iacob 2. bicause they hope not to be partakers of that benefite nor loue him that purchased it If to apprehend Christe be vnderstanded to dwell in Christe and to haue him dwell in vs it is not true that Christe is apprehended in that sorte by onely faith without charitie For it is saied 1 Ioan 4. God is charitie and he that dwelleth in charitie dwelleth in God and God in him And Christ him selfe saith Si quis diligit me Ioan. 14. sermonem meum seruabit Pater meus diliget eum ad eum veniemus mansionem apud eum faciemus If a man loue me he will kepe my saying and my Father wil loue him and to him will we come and make our abode with him By these woordes let the Reader learne what it is truely and profitably to apprehend Christe He apprehendeth Christ truly Aug. ser 61. de ver Dom. tract in Ioan. 29. that is vnited and made a member of Christe whiche as I haue proued in the last Chapter can not be done without hope and charitie He apprehendeth Christ truely that cleaueth vnto Christ and the glue whereby the sowle is fastned vnto Christe saith S. Augustine is charitie Ipsum gluten est charitas In Psal 62 If it be said that faith apprehendeth the promise Christ hath promised lyfe euerlasting to suche as become his friendes Ioan. 15. Heb. 5. And they be his friendes that keepe his commaundements He is made a cause of life euerlasting but to such as obey him The promise is made to the children of Abraham that is to suche as haue the faith and obedience of Abraham whereof I shall speake at large hereafter Chapt. 23. And so is it true that faith alone neither apprehendeth Christe nor his promise profitablie vnlesse hope and Charitie be ioyned vnto it That Faith excludeth not Hope in the acte of our Iustification THE V. CHAPTER Of Hope AS God requireth of such as come to his seruice that they stedfastly beleeue in him and with all their heartes loue him So doth he also require of them to repose al hope and affiance in him onely saying by his Prophete Iere. 17. Maledictus homo qui confidit in homine Cursed is the man that putteth his trust in man. And by the same Prophete Iere. 9. 1. Cor. 1. Psal 107. Psal 33. Let not the wise bragge in his wisedome neither lette the strong boast in his strength Nor lette the riche glorie in his riches But lette him that boasteth boast in our Lorde Wherefore as mans power to saue is vaine and he vnhappie that trusteth in it so happie is the man that trusteth in God. Of so great force is a
perfecto magistro reuelatam fideliter custodimus vt ab incontemptibili dispensatore mandatam We alone be the innocente lyuers what maruayle if it muste needes be so In deede it muste of force be so We that haue learned of God innocencie and good life bothe knowe it perfectely bycause it is reueled by a perfyte Maister and we keepe it faithfully bicause it is commaunded by an officer that maye not be despised Take this lesson Christian Reader learne of Christ for thy Iustification not onely to beleeue but also to lyue godly and vertuously whiche lesson as thou seeste they kepte whom thou canst not but commende and so shalte thou be like them whome thou doeste rightely commende Thou knowest by that which hath benne saied before in the twelth chaptre of this second Booke what a false and dissolute doctrine concerning Iustification is able to doo When Simon Magus Carpocrates and Valentinus had taught that menne might be saued by grace fayth and knowledge without good woorkes they re scholers gaue them selues to luste and licentiouse lyfe To auoyd that mischiefe beleue assuredly this godly and learned saying Non dormiētibus prouenit regnum coelorum Leo. ser 2. in Epipha ser 5. ibid. sed in mandatis Dei laborantibus atque vigilantibus vt si dona illius irrita nō fecerimus per ea quae dedit mereamur accipere quod promisit The kingdome of heauen commeth not to sleapers but to such as labour in Gods commandementes and watche to th' ende that if we make not his giftes ydle and voide by such thinges as he hath geuen we may deserue to receiue that which he hath promised The right and assured way to come to this fruite of Iustification Miche 6. is to followe the counsel of the Prophete To do iustice to loue mercie to walke carefully in Gods sight Circūspiciat se omnis anima Christiana Leo. ser 1. de Qua. drag Let euery Christiā soule saith S. Leo looke about it selfe and by straite examination discusse the inwarde thoughtes of her harte let it see that no debate cleaue there that no couetousnes settle let chastitie driue away incontinencie let the light of truth driue away the darckenesse of lying c. Let pride asswage let humilitie be taken in let anger amende let vengeance cease and wronges be forgotten Aug. Ser. 15. de ver Apost The like counsel geueth S. Augustine Proficite fratres mei c. Increase my bretherne serche your selues euer without guyle and flattery Especially folow one shorte rule which he maketh for euery man Augustin Tract 6. in epistol Ioan. saying Interroga cor tuum si est ibi dilectio fratris Examine thy harte whether the loue of thy brother be there Si inueneris te habere charitatem habes spiritū Dei. If thou finde that thou haste charitie thou haste the spirite of God And then if his spirite that raysed Iesus from the deade dwell in you Rom 8. he that raysed Iesus from the deade will also geue life to your mortall bodies And thus do we see that the way to examine and trie our selues and thereby to iudge of our Iustification is not only to serche whether we haue faith but also whether we loue 2. Cor. 7. and liue godly Perficientes sanctificationem in timore Dei. Doing holinesse in the feare of God. The Conclusion and ende of the VVoorke THVS haue I nowe by Gods helpe finished the second parte of this Treatie wherein mine intente hath ben to aduertise the Christian Reader See the Preface how to eschewe the second great or rather most dangerouse fal on the lefte hande whiche S. Augustine willeth all that teache or speake of Iustification to beware of Aug. in praefat Psal 31. The perill is for men to presume only of Goddes mercie dooing nothing them selues towarde their owne saluation whiche opinion he saieth if any man folowe leadeth him vndoubtedly to euerlasting ruine of sowle and bodie And bicause the onely or readiest meane to leade a man to that fall is to thinke that faith alone may suffise to iustifie and saue vs I haue at good length prooued that faith alone is not inough to bring a sinner from sinnefull estate to Gods fauour nor of wicked to make him righteouse without the woorking and helpe of hope charitie penance and the Sacramentes of Christ wherein I haue ben the longer bicause this opinion is lately crepte into the worlde and nowe spred farre and wide For albeit in times past some thought they might be saued without good woorkes yet did they not saie they might be saued without the Sacramentes De fide oper c. 27 As by this booke of S. Augustine thou maiest see And so all be it they waded deepe inough to drowne them selues yet wente they not so farre into the bottomelesse goulfe as sundrie haue done in this our age who saie that nothing woorketh in the acte of our Iustification but onely faith And therevppon haue brought in this proposition and made it a common speache emong them selues and theirs Faith alone iustifieth excluding therby from the acte of our Iustification not onely hope charitie and penance but also the very Sacramentes For if faith alone iustifie a sinner and make him of wicked rightuouse then is there none of these requisite or necessary for that effecte whiche neuer anie aunciente man learned that I haue seene didde maineteine I haue further declared that faith alone can continue no man in the state of grace muche lesse increase him in iustice and least of all bring him to the ende and perfectiō of iustice in life euerlasting without the helpe of good woorkes And so is the opinion of Iustification by onely faith in trueth and deede disprooued and founde vntrue in no sense maintenable as they take it I saie as they take it For although certaine aunciente Fathers sometime vsed these woordes Faith alone iustifieth yet doe they not meane thereby as these doe to exclude any of the vertues afore named or Sacramentes as I haue plainely shewed In the .18 Chapt. of this secōd booke I haue according to my promise in this whole Treatie affirmed nothing of my selfe that whiche I haue saied I haue prooued by euidente Scriptures folowing euery where the interpretation of suche as God hath placed in his Churche Ephes 4. to be Pastours and Doctours to the perfiting of the holie and to the building vp of Christes body which is his Churche The labour hath ben bestowed to the ende that the godly man whiche is the Christian man might be perfite and sownde 2. Timo. 3. readie and instructed to all good woorkes Whiche God graunte thee and mee with thee good Reader Once the beste exhortation and righte encouragemente to doe good workes See the .23 chapter is truely to thinke and beleeue that no man hauing time and opportunitie to doe them shal be saued without them Thus endeth the Seconde Booke of this
Gods mercy and to doe no good workes Fol. 33. b. Chap. 2 VVhence the opinion came that onely Faith iustifieth And of diuers kindes of mainteining the same Fol. 34. b. Chap. 3 That Faith excludeth not Charity in our Iustification 36. a Chap. 4 An Aunswere to Obiections that be made to proue that Faith alone iustifieth without Charitie Fol. 40. a. Chap. 5 That Faith excludeth not Hope in the acte of our Iustification Fol. 41. b. Chap. 6 That Faith excludeth not the working of Sacramentes in our Iustification Fol. 43. b. Chap. 7 VVhat is the true meaning of these woordes in the Scripture VVe are iustified by Faith or saued by Faith. Fol. 47. a. Chap. 8 That S. Paule teacheth not Iustification by onely Faith excluding Charitie And in what sense the Fathers sometime saie Faith alone iustifieth Fol. 51. a. Chap. 9 How Abraham was iustified VVhat his Faith was and who be the true children of Abraham Fol. 56. a. Cha. 10 That there is no contrarietie betwene S. Paul and S. Iames concerning the Doctrine of Iustification Fol. 60. a. Cha. 11 That Faith alone without good workes saueth not And what it is to be iustified freely by Grace Fol. 62. b. Cha. 12 VVhat they were who in sundrie ages haue taught that men should be saued without good vvorkes Fol. 65. b. Cha. 13 The cause why good works are don and that they are rewarded in this life with increase of grace and in the world to come with life euerlasting and why thei be so rewarded 67. a Cha. 14 An Answere to certaine Obiections made against the reward of good workes Fol. 72. a. Cha. 15 VVhat assurance of his Iustification and saluation a Christian man may haue in this life Fol. 75. b. Cha. 16 Of the fruites and ende of our Iustification and what strength in wel doing God geueth thereby where it is truely receiued and effectually put in vre and the waie to come to it Fol. 80. a. FINIS CERTAINE TREATIES OF THE AVNCIENT HOLY FATHERS TOVCHING THE DOCTRINE OF good woorkes Namely A Treatie of S. Augustine whiche he Intituled Of Faith and VVorkes Item a Sermon of S. Chrysostome of Praying vnto God. Item a Sermon of S. Basil of Fasting Item certaine Sermons of S. Leo the Great of the same matter Last of al a notable Sermon of S. Cyprian of Almes dedes Al newly translated into English by Thomas Coppley esquier Tobia 12. Bona est Oratio cum Ieiunio Eleemosyna magis quà m Thesauros auri recondere Quoniam Eleemosyna à morte liberat ipsa est quae purgat peccata facit inuenire vitam aeternam Prayer is good with Fasting and Almes better then to hide vppe treasures of golde For Almes deliuereth from death and shee it is which purgeth sinnes and maketh to finde life euerlasting LOVANII Apud Ioannem Foulerum Anno. 1569. CVM PRIVILEGIO The Translatour to the Reader THE loue that naturally men beare to peace and quiet is so great that there can fall no controuersie emong such as be of the better sorte but they seeke meanes euer to compounde and pacifie it Either they referre the decision of it to the Iudge ordinarie of the lawe or if they mistruste th' execution thereof either bicause the iudge doth not fullie vnderstande the matter or els for that they thinke him partiall of either side they seeke the arbitrement and sentence of some good man whome they thinke bothe to vnderstande perfitely right and iustice and take him to be affectionate of neither parte In which doing they flee not from the lawe but seeke the true and right vnderstanding thereof without affection at his handes I considering this order Christian Reader and moued with the Charitie that should binde vs all 2. Cor. 5. waying with my selfe the great controuersie that hath benne in this age about sundrie pointes of Religion namely in the article of our Iustification seing also that the matter tendeth not to the losse of patrimonie or landes but to the plaine disherison of life euerlasting and that emong vs who all professe to be the children of peace I haue bene desirouse to propounde some meane of Pacification And bicause I see the trauaile that sundrie men haue taken as it were pleading in this cause hath not ended the controuersie either bicause the doers were thoughte to be parties of the one side and thereby affectionat either bicause being borne in this age and liuing in the time of the controuersie they had not the autoritie and credite of Iudges I haue thought good to moue all such as finde in them selues either controuersie or doubt concerning that matter to putte their owne opinion in arbitrement and compromisse Not calling them hereby from the holy Scriptures which as a Soueraine lawe the diuine wisedome hath lefte vnto vs but leading them to the true vnderstanding of the holy Scriptures vttered by such as God hath placed in his Churche Ephe. 4. Danie 12. to be Pastor us and teachers to instructe manie to rightuousnes I offer for Arbitrators not men of this age such as may be thought any waie partiall or suspected but such as in all mens iudgementes and for all respectes be or should be without exception For the principall pointe of Iustification I offer S. Augustine a reuerend and most lerned Bishop in the Catholike Churche not onely in high estimation in all Christian Regions emong all estates and degrees during his life but also for his excellent vertue worthely after his death taken for a Saincte and for his singuler learning and knowledge in holy Scriptures taken for one of the foure Doctours and that the principallest of the Latin Churche as one meete whome all learned menne should followe as a lanterne and light in decision of matters of greatest weight Who also in expounding of the holy Scriptures may be the more safely trusted for that he had in all his writinges a speciall care not to seeke his priuate and singular opinion in the vnderstanding of them Lib. Confess 12. cap. 25. as appereth by his owne woordes saying that God hath terribly geuen vs warning that wee should not drawe his truthe to our owne priuate construction leste wee were depriued of it Luther in Sermone Germa ad mulieres partus Infelicita afflictas Phi. Melanc in decla de S. Augustino Caluinus Institut cap. 18. And therefore hauing his opinion thou arte sure to haue the opinion of that moste learned age that he liued in Againe bicause that time framed vnto it selfe no newe doctrine thou knowest also by him what was the opinion of the Church before his time euen from the Apostles vnto his age And bicause he hath not ben contraried in that matter of any godly and learned before this oure age yea and in this our age is highly commended of suche as haue bene of greatest credite euen of the contrary side thou knowest by him what hath bene the opinion of the Churche in all times
steale no more and so foorth where more at large he prosecuteth the same matter teaching what it is to put of the olde manne and to put on the newe Ephes 4. And yet if they woulde haue marked but these very woordes of S. Peter whiche they alleage they might haue had good cause better to consider of the matter For when he had said Doe ye penance Actor 2. and be ye baptised euery one of you in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christe into remission of your sinnes and ye shall receiue the gifte of the holy Ghoste For to vs is this promise made and to our children and to all as many as it shall please our Lorde God to call be they neuer so farre of He that wrote the booke immediately added these woordes And he testified this in many other woordes saying Withdrawe your selues from this wicked worlde And they moste greedily receiuinge and embracing his woordes beleeued and were baptised and three thowsande sowles gained and wonne in that one daie Nowe who seeth not here that in those many other woordes whiche the writer of the Actes S. Luke for length omitteth S. Peter earnestly laboured that they should withdraw them selues from this wicked worlde For euen the sentence it selfe is briefly shewed for the inforcing and perswading whereof S. Peter vsed those many other woordes For the summe and effecte of his whole perswasion is plainely sette downe when it is sayed Withdrawe your selues from this wicked worlde But howe this thinge shoulde be donne Peter gaue proofe in many other woordes In whiche woordes no doubt was comprised the condemnation of deadde woorkes which the louers of this worlde wickedly doe committe and the commendation of good lyfe whiche they should obserue and followe that withdrawe them selues from this wicked worlde Nowe therefore if they thinke good lette them perswade vs that he withdraweth him selfe from this wicked worlde whoe beleeueth onely in Christe yea though he purpose to perseuer in suche vices as he liketh euen to the very open profession of adulterie Whiche if it be abhominable to saie then lette them whiche are to be baptised not onely heare what they oughte to beleeue but also howe they may withdrawe them selues from the woorkes of this wicked worlde For at that time and place muste they learne howe they oughte to liue after they dooe beleeue VVhat it is to preache Christe And of the Baptisme of the Eunuche THE IX CHAPTER THE Eunuche saie they whome Philip baptised An Obiection Act. 8. Ansvvere saied nothing els but I beleeue that Iesus Christe is the Sonne of God. And in this profession he was presently baptised What Will you therefore that menne shoulde onely make that aunswere and so be baptised foorthwith Is there nothing to be asked by the instructor or to be professed by the beleeuer touching the holy Ghoste Nothing touching the holy Churche The holy Churche professed in the Creede by the Catecumenes Nothing touchinge the remission of sinnes Nothing touching the resurrection of the dead Lastly nothing touchinge Ihesus Christe him selfe but that he is the Sonne of God Is there nothing to be learned or professed touching his incarnation of the Virgin His Passion his death on the Crosse his buriall Resurrection the thirde daie or of his Ascension and sitting on the righte hande of his Father For if when the Eunuche had answered I beleeue that Iesus Christe is the Sonne of God it seemed he had done that whiche was sufficiente to be presently baptised and so to goe his waie then why doe we not followe that onely and let passe those other thinges whiche we must needes expresse euen when the streightnesse of time dothe vrge present Baptisme by asking questions wherevnto he that is to be baptised must in al pointes aunswere yea though he haue not ben able to knowe them without the booke But if the Scripture forbare the reporting and left to our supposing and vnderstanding those other thinges which Philip did with the Eunuche then to be baptised and in that it saith Philip baptised the Eunuche would vs to vnderstand that all other thinges requisite therevnto were firste complete and finished whiche although for shortnesse sake they be not in the Scripture spoken of yet by the course of the tradition Traditiō vvher Scripture faileth we know they were to be fulfilled then in like sorte also where it is written that Philip preached the Gospell and our Lorde vnto the Eunuche We can not doubt but in that instruction al was said vnto him that perteine vnto the life and maners of him that beleueth in our Lord Iesu For to preache Christ is not onely to tell what is to be beleeued concerning Christ but also what things are to be obserued of him who commeth to the vnitie of his mystical body yea and throughly to open al things which are to be beleued of Christ not onely whose Sonne he is of whome he was begotten as touching his Diuinitie and of whom as touching his humanitie what he suffered and wherefore what is the vertue of his resurrection what gift of the holy Ghost he promised and gaue vnto the faithfull but also what manner of members he seeketh to be head vnto to teach to loue to deliuer and bring to euerlasting lyfe and glorie When these thinges are opened at some tyme briefely and in fewe woordes at an other tyme largely and amplely then Christ is preached And yet not only that which perteineth to faith but also that which concerneth the manners and woorkes of the beleeuers is declared VVhat it is to knowe Christe crucified and who loueth God and his neighbour THE X. CHAPTER IN this sense also is that to be taken An other Obiectiō which they alleage out of S. Paule saying I saied among you 1. Cor. 2. I knowe nothing but Iesu Christ and him crucified Which wordes they thinke to haue ben so spoken as though nothing els had ben taught them but that they should firste beleeue and afterward being baptised should learne al such things as appertayne to lyfe and manners This say they did at the ful suffise the Apostle who sayed vnto them that although they had many schoolemasters in Christe 1. Cor. 4. yet had they not many Fathers for he had by the Ghospell begotten them in Iesu Christe If then he which begat them thorough the Ghospell Ansvver allthough he thanked God that he had baptised none of them but Crispus Gaius and the familie of Stephana taught them no more but Christe crucified what if some man should also say they had neuer heard of Christe his Resurrection when they were begotte thorough the Ghospell 1. Cor. 1. Which if these men wil not sticke to graunte to then let them remembre what he saied in an other place to the very same his scholers Thus he saieth I haue firste opened vnto you that Iesus died according to the Scriptures was buried and rose againe the thirde daye according to