the grace of God and of the merites of the death passion and bloudsheddingâ— of his sonne Iesu Christ to attribute our iustification vnto any merites goynge before and also that it is to constrayne the glorie of the free mercy of God to yelde or geue place vnto the dignitie and worthinesse of mens workes DYDIMVS This is a verye godly sayinge and most worthy to be noted of all men Obiect 2 But yet in the meane whyle they will saye styll that although we fynde in the scriptures that fayth iustifieth yet we fynde not quod sola fides iustificat solifidians that fayth onely iustifieth so that this worde onely or alone hath beÌ„ newly added by heretykes Aunswer whom they do commonly calle Solifidians Although we haue not in the scripturs this word sola only or alone yet haue we many wordes that be of like force PHILALETHES Will ye that I tell you the truethe neyghbour Dydimus These stout champions of Antychriste doe nothinge els but seke a knot in a russhe as the common laiyne prouerbe is For alâ—houghe we haue not expresselye this worde sola onelye or alone yet haue we many other wordes that are equipollente or equiualente that is of the same importaunce force For wheÌ„ the holy ghost saith that we are iustified freli by the grace of god through the redeÌ„ption which is in Christ Iesu whome God hathe setfoorth to be a purchasser of mercye throughe faythe in his bloude doeth he not exclude all maner of works deseruinges or merits from our iustification attributinge it vnto fayth onelye wherby we do apprehende and take holde on the grace and mercye of God so surely sealed vp vnto vs with the bloud of that immaculate and vnspotted lamb our sauiour Iesu Christ Rom. 3. In the same selfe chapiter he sayth agayne we conclude that a man is iustified by fayth withoute the workes of the lawe Who doeth not see that he doth here also put away all maner of thynges from our iustification fayth onelye excepted What Paul vnderstandeth by the works of the lawe I am sure that by the workes of the lawe he vnderstandethe those workes that God doethe requyre of vs in hys word and whether ye wyll refer them to the ceremonies or to the morall preceptes and coÌ„maundementes that be conteined in the same it is all one thing to me For the holye ghost doeth testifye euery where that the works of the lawe do not iustify Of the ceremonies rites sacrifices we haue this sufficient testimony of the prophette Dauid Thou desirest no sacrifice psal 51 thoughe I wold geue it thou delitest not in burnte offeringe And therfore being sore troubled in his conscience for his hainous offence that he had coÌ„mitted he did caste the eies of his faith vpoÌ„ the bloud and merit of the sauior promised saying washe me throughly froÌ„ mine iniquity clense me from my syn psal 51. Purge me with Ysope I shal be cleane wasshe me and I shal be whyter then snowe Deliuer me from bloud o God whiche art the God of my saluation And frome thence sainct Paul semeth to haue borowed this his sayinge Heb. 10. The bloud of Bulles and Goates cann not take awaye synnes Gala. 3. And as for the workes coÌ„maunded in the morall preceptes commaundementes Deu. 28. we are sure that they canne not iustifie Abac. 1. Rom. 1. Heb. 10. For why who is able to do them with suche a perfection as God doth requyre And therfore heare what the apostel sayeth in his Epistel to the Galatians Gala. 2. As many as are of the workes of the lawe are vnder the curse For it is written Cursed is eueri man that coÌ„tinueth not in al thinges that are written in the booke of the lawe for to do theym And that no man is iustified by the law in the sight of God it is euident For the iuste shall lyue by faythe Againe in the same selfe Epistell thus doth the apostel write know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesu Christe and euen we haue beleued in Iesus Christe that we mighte be iustified by the fayth of Christe and not by the workes of the lawe Because that by the workes of the lawe no fleshe can be iustified All these sayinges do sufficiently declare that althoughe as I sayed before we haue not expressely this worde sola onely or alon yet we haue many other wordes that are of like importaunce and force The enemies of the truth are to be likened vnto the Arians So that in this point we maye likene the enemies of the trueth vnto the wicked Arians whiche because that these words homousios consubstantialis be not founde in the scriptures will in no wise admit nor alowe them although the thinges signified by them are moste infallibly and certaynly conteyned and sette oute in the booke of God EVTRAPELVS There commeth nowe in to my mynde a certaine saying of the Apostle which as I do suppose wyl serue wel for oure purpose In the Epistle to the Philyppians Phi. 3. he wryteth on this maner The things that wer vantage vnto me the same I couÌ„ted losse for Christes sake and do iudge them to be dounge that I might wynne Christ and mighte be founde in him that is not hauinge myne owne righteousnesse whyche is of the lawe but that whiche is throughe the fayeth of Christe euen the righteousnesse which is of God through fayth What they must do that wil enioy the righteousnesse of Christ It is euydente and playne that saynt Paule here in this place makethe a comparison betwixt things that are contrary shewinge that they which will obtayne or enioye the righteousnesse of Christ muste vtterly forsake their own And therfore in the Epistle to the RomaiÌ„s Rom. 10. he doeth playnelye affyrme that the cause of the ruyne and fall of the Iewes was because that thei went about to establish their own righteousnesse and wold in no wise submit them selues to the righteousenesse of God Wherunto to make the matter the more plain he doth by bi ad these words For Christ is the end of the law for righteousnesse vnâ—o euerye one that beleueth DYDI. I do not very well vnderstande this laste sentence EV. The meaninge of it is this The end of the lawe is to iustlye them that do obserue it But who dyd euer obserue it Therefore i. Cor. 1. Christ hauing fulfilled it for vs is through faith made vnto vs of god wisedom righteousnesse holinesse and redemption So that what so euer is lacking or wanting in vs it is by his perfect obedience most aboundantlye supplyed as farre foorthe as we haue felloweshyppe wyth hym throughe fayth ALBION It reioiceth my very heart to heare suche coumfortable sentences out of the scriptures and worde of God But I wolde fayne learn whether the old doctors doe holde with vs that fayethe onely doeth iustifie
for it Who I praye you readinge this historye will not be affrayed too serue God otherwise than he doth appoynte in his worde In the second boke of Samuell 2. Samu. 6. it is written that when Dauid wold bring the Arke to Ierusalem hee caused it to be put vpon a new cart whiche doubtlesse was most gorgeouslye trymmed and drawen with the goodlyest and fayrest cattell that coulde be gotten Dauid and and the house of Israell playinge before the Lord on all instrumentes made of fyre and on harpes and on psalteries and on tymberelles ▪ and on cornetts and on cimballes But nowe marke the ende when they came to Nachons threshinge floore Vzzah smitten of the Lord. Vzzah did put his hande too the Arke of God and helde it For the oxen dyd shake it And the Lorde was very wroth with vzzah and God smote him in the same place for his faut and there he dyed by the Arke of God Let Dauid expounde this matter him selfe In the first boke of the chronicles 1. Para. 13. these be his wordes which he spake vnto the Leuites because ye were not there at the fyrst the Lord our God made a breache or rent among vs. For we soughte him not after due order This was the due order The order that God had apoynted touching the Arke that shuld haue bene obserued and kept The Lorde God hath appoynted that the Arke should haue bene caryed vpon the shoulders of the Leuites But what did Dauid For a realtye and to declare his greate zeale that he bare to Gods religyon wold haue it to be caried vpon a goodlye chariot or waggon nothinge beinge omitted or lefte of that belonged to such glorious solēnity as ye haue learned before Yet ye see how God did accepte it As for Vzzah no man can denye but that he dyd of a good intente put foorth his hand to haue stayed the Arke Saul standeth in defence of his disobedience least it shoulde through the stronglinge of the cattell haue fallen doune in to the myre Who woulde not iudge that thys was wel done And yet was he smitten of the Lorde that hee dyed before the Arke Wherby we learn what daunger it is too folowe good intentes or to doo anye thinge in good seruyce without hys expresse worde ALBION These are very terrible and dreadfull examples God graunte that wee maye haue the grace alwaies to remember them PHI. The historye of Saull who was the first kinge of the Israelites is yet more terrible God had geuen him a cōmaundement that he should smite Amaleke and destroye all that pertayned vntoo them and haue no compassion on them but slaye both man and woman both infante and suckeling bothe oxe and shepe bothe camell and asse The historye of◠Saul But Saul and the people spared the best of the shepe and of the oxen for to sacrifice them vnto the Lorde and destroyed all the rest This did they of a good intente in so muche that Saul stode in defense of the deede sayinge I haue obeid the voyce of the Lord haue destroyed the Amalechites but the people toke of the spoyle shepe and oxen and the chiefest of the things which should haue ben destroyed for to offer thē vnto the Lord. Vnto whō the prophet Samuel answered Hath the Lord as great pleasyr in burnt offerings sacrifice as whē the voice of the lord is obeid Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and too harkene is better than the fatte of rammes But rebellion is as the synne of witchcrafte and disobedience is as the wickednes of ydolatry Therfore because thou hast cast awaye the worde of the Lorde the Lorde hath also cast thee awaye from beinge king Because then that Saul dyd rather folowe his good intent than the commaundemente and worde of the Lorde therefore his kingedome was not onelye rente from him and geuen to his neighboure that was better than he but also the spirit of the Lorde departed frome him 1. Samu. 16 and an euyll spiritte sente of the Lorde vexed hym ALBION Are these the frutes of our good intents From hencefoorth God wylling I wyll endeuoure my selfe to harken vntoo the voyce of the Lorde to obey hys commaundementes and too serue him as he wil be serued For besydes those terrible and dreadeful historyes I remember the sayynge of Christ where he sayeth They worship me in vayne teachinge the doctrines Mat. 15. and precepts of men Wherby it is made moste manifest and playne that the religion worshippinge and seruice of God whiche is errected and set vp after the phancies and dreams of mennes headdes is both vayne and abhominable before the maiesty of God DYDIMVS Syth that the good woorkes of the popecacholikes do rather deserue the name of synne and of detestable abhomynation before God than of good works as it hath ben by you sufficientlye proued alreadye I woulde fayne hear which be the true good workes Which be the true good workes that God doth requyre of vs. that are required of the faithfull PHI. The true good workes are voyde of all superstition they are alligated or bounde neyther to place nor to the personnes nor to tyme. For they are as certayne frutes of our whole life testifying of the goodnesse of oure hart and expressinge the nature of our heauenly father whiche not onely of the faythfull but of the very infidelles are reckenned and taken for good workes and minister occasion vnto them to glorifye our father whyche is in heauen The works of fayth working through charity and loue are good works For God doeth worke them in vs and by vs. Them doth our sauiour Iesus Christ set oute in the .xxv. chapiter of Mathewe Why the good workes of mercy are most chieflye set foorth vnto vs. sayinge I was a hungerd and ye gaue me meate I was a thyrst and ye gaue me drincke I was naked and ye clothed me I was harborlesse and ye harboured me I was sicke and in prison and ye visited me The holye apostell likewyse in the .v. and .vi. chapter of the Epistel to the Galatians doth sufficiently teache vs what be the good workes that God doth require of vs But what should I aleadge one text or two syth that the whole scriptures doe euery where exhorte vs styll vnto good workes Which be the good workes that God hath prepared for vs too walke in What those good workes be Paule doeth declare in the seconde to the Ephesyans when he sayth We are the worke manshyp of God created in Christ Iesu vnto those good works that God hathe prepared for vs for to walke in Yf onye nowe should aske what be those good woorkes that he hathe prepared for vs for to walke in I woulde aunswer that all those woorkes that God doethe bydde and commaunde vs in hys holye and sacred worde are those good woorkes that he hathe prepared for vs for to walke in And those I saye ought onelye
and hyrelyngs DYDIMVS And shall the blessed virgyne Mary Question the mother of oure sauiour Iesus Christ with the Apostels and martyres be in no higher glorye than the rest PHILALETHES That I leaue to the vnsercheable iudgementes of God Aunswer who if it had ben necessary for our saluation would haue certified vs of it in his word But in the mean seasoÌ„ this ought to be learned of all men If any do excell other in glory after this lif it is not by â—eoâ—on of theyr merites that 〈◊〉 in the lyfe to come any do excell other in glori it is not by reason of their workes merites or deseruinges but the same doth altogether come of the mere mercye grace and goodnesse of God who doth most lyberallye crowne in them hys owne gyftes as it hath ben sufficientlye proued before ALBION This haue I learned of our talke and communication Fyrst that we are iustified freely The epilogus or conclusioÌ„ that is to saye deliuered from synne frome eternall dampnation and euerlastinge death and pronounced righteouse before the iudgement seate of almighty god throughe fayth onelye in our sauioure Iesus Christe withoute any merites or deseruinges goynge before and that as all the workes that we do afore we be iustified I meane afore we bee graffed in Christe through faieth in him and made liuely members of his body are nothinge elles in the sighte of God but synnes Ioa. 15. so after we be once iustifyed and made through fayth braunches of that true vine we must not remayne bareine and vnfrutefull trees but wee muste bringe foorthe the frutes of oure fayeth Ephe 2. we muste abounde and as it were flowe in all kinde of good workes that God hathe prepared for vs to walke in whereby wyll workes that is works of mannes inuention hauing no sure ground or fundation nor yet any promise in Goddes booke are cleane ouerthrowen Secondly it hath bene declared that not all they that do those works which in them selues are good Three sortes of people which althoughe they do good workes do not deserue the prayse of weldoing doo by and by deserue the prayse and commendation of good worokes or of well doynge for as muche as they do them eyther for to be glorifyed of men or for hope of rewarde or for feare of eternall punyshement and not for the loue only that thei beare to god and to theyr neyghboure or for to shewe theyr obedience towardes Goddes holye comaundementes Where throughe occasion was geuen to shewe the causes that should moue vs to do good works althoughe there were no hope at all of rewarde and also the causes whye the workes of those that be graffed in Christe by fayeth although in them selues they be most vnperfect do please God are acceptable in hys syghte Afterwardes ye spake of merits prouinge moste stronglye that although we were able to do what so euer God hath coÌ„maunded vs yet we ought to coumpte oure selues vnprofitable seruauntes and that we haue done but our duetye and yet notwythstandynge that oure good workes whiche beinge members of Christe we doe accordinge to the prescripte and rule of Goddes worde shall be crowned and rewarded not for their owne dignitye and worthynesse or for anye perfection that is in them but because that the perfecte obedyence of Christe shall be imputed vnto vs for our owne and thereby all thinges that be wantinge and lackinge in vs moste aboundantlye supplied by reason of the felowshippe that wee haue throughe fayeth in the only begotten sonne df God And also because of the promisses wherby God is become debtoure vnto vs. Laste of all ye haue proued by manyfest textes of the scriptures and by answering all obiections that could be made to the contrarye that we shall be al one and receyue al one reward in the resurrection of the righteouse and if there shall be any degrees of glorye whiche thinge can not well be proued by the scriptures that oughte in no wyse too be attributed vnto the merittes and deseruinges of men but to the only mercy goodnesse and grace of God declared vnto vs in his sonne Iesus Christ and taken hold vpon by faith in the merits of his death passion and bloud shedding PHILA This in dede is the summe of our talke that we haue hadde at this presente Ye haue well remembred the pighte of the whole matter Whyche is a token of a pregnaunte wytte and good memorye God of his goodnesse vouchafe to encrease in you these his excelente giftes and too heape you wyth all heauenly blessinges that ye maye by embracinge the true religion by aduauncinge and fartheringe of it be an exaÌ„ple vnto al the whole world DYDI. God of hys mercye vouchesafe to graunt it EVTRAPELVS AMEN amen ¶ HERE BEGINneth a Table whereby ye maye fynde spedelye all the principall matters conteyned in this booke ATheistes what they are folio 2. A principall note to whome the Apostell did write fo 8. Althoughe we haue not in the scriptures this word sola only or alone yet haue we many wordes that be of lyke force fo 13. An euasion of the enemies fo 24 A golden sayinge of saynte Bernarde fo 55 Abraham was iustified 30. yeares afore the offeringe of his sonne Isaac foli 7. Aunswer to the 5. of Math. fo 68. Aunswer to the parable of the sede folio eodem Christ onely hathe satisfied to the iustice of God fo 6. Christe is a sufficiente expositour of his owne wordes fo 27 E Euyl works do declare the maliciousnes of oure hartes fo 45. F. From whence this worde iustificare to iustifye hath bene borowed and what it signifyeth fo 4. Faith is not taken of the Apostels in one signification fo 9. Gardiners obiection agaynst doctor Barnes fo 28. Good intentes fo 37. God hathe no profit by anye good worke that we can do fo â–ª 506. H. Howe the scriptures are aleaged by the enemies of the truth fo 27 Howe oure good intentes whiche haue no waraunt in Gods woorde are rewarded fo 39 How earnestlye the causes aboue rehersed oughte to moue vs to doe good woorkes fo 49. I Iustification is taken awaye altogether frome the lawe of Moses and attributed vnto fayth fo 11. If it be an heresy to say that fayth only iustifieth all the auncient fathers be heritikes fo 21. If any do excell other in glorye after this lyfe it is not be reason of theyr merites fo 72. Iustification wherby we are deliuered from sinne is necessarye vnto vs as longe as we liue fo 25. In doynge of good woorkes we muste folow the example of Christ folio 44. M. Mercenaries hierlinges fo 43. O. One text must geue place to many folio 10. P. Peace of conscience doeth exclude wauering or doubtfulnes of mind folio 32. S. Saule standethe in defence of hys disobedience folio 39. Similitude fo 56. T. The maliciousnes of the enemies of the truthe fol. 1. The Popes kingdome is