A LEARNED AND fruitefull Commentarie vpon the Epistle of Iames the Apostle vvherein are diligently and profitably entreated all such matters and chiefe common places of Religion as are touched in the same Epistle Written in Latine by the learned Clerke Nicholas Hemminge professour of Diuinitie in the Vniuersitie of Hafnie and nevvly translated into English by VV. G. ¶ JMPRINTED AT London by Thomas Woodcocke and Gregorie Seton and are to be solde at the signe of the blacke Beare in Paules Churchyarde ANNO. 1577. To the godly and reuerend Father and faythfull Minister of Christ M. Alexander Novvell Deane of the Cathedrall Church of S. Paule in London W. Gace wisheth grace and peace from God the father through Christ Iesus our Lorde GOD FROM THE BEGINNING hath as in a most cleare and euident glasse sette forth himselfe to be beholden and knowne of vs euen in his creatures in the orderly course of the worlde For when we see and consider the vnmeasurable greatnes of the worlde and the partes thereof to be so framed as they could not possibly in beautie be fayrer nor for profit better we vnderstande thereby the omnipotent power of God in creating them his diuine wisedome in ordering and disposing them his infinite goodnes in continually preseruing them that they runne not to ruine and vtter decay but are by him vpholden euen to the necessarie vse and sustentation of mans lyfe Although this creation of the worlde and the maruaylous ordering and preseruing thereof were sufficient whereby men might knowe God and worship him being knovvne or else be without excuse yet it hath pleased God of his great mercie to giue vnto vs his worde wherein he hath more plainly and fully reuealed himselfe and his will to our most singular commoditie and comfort For we through the fall of our first parentes being become blinde in vnderstanding corrupt in desiring and wicked in working are by the worde of God fruitefully of vs receyued lightned in our myndes reformed in our affections and ordered aright in our doings in so much as the Princely Prophet Dauid sayth that the meanes whereby a yong man shall clense his waye is to rule himselfe after this worde which worde also he pronounceth to be his delight and his counseller yea he perceyued it to be of such vertue and excellencie that he preferreth it before all worldly treasures whatsoeuer I loue sayth he thy commaundements aboue golde and precious stone Agayne thy lawe is dearer vnto me then thousandes of golde and siluer But I mynde not to enter here into the worthye commendation of this worde or to rehearse the manifolde and most singular commodities which redounde to the godly thereby Onely that which I haue mentioned out of Dauid may suffice to declare that it is a treasure of all other most precious Forasmuch then as the worde of God is a treasure so excellent what shall we thinke or say of the true and syncere Preachers and expounders thereof VVe acknowledge great friendship in them by whose meanes we attayne to an earthly commoditie and howe shall we be affected towarde them which open to vs the way to an heauenly treasure VVe thinke our selues much beholden to those which minister vnto vs the foode of this fraile life but vvhat recompence shall we render vnto them by whose meanes we come to enioy the foode of euerlasting lyfe VVherefore right worshipfull if I should render a reason of my labour bestowed in translating this treatise into the english tongue I thinke it were sufficient if I should say no more but that the word of God is therein soundly and syncerely expounded Although I may descend vnto particular pointes and shew other weightie causes thereof For you are not ignoraunt howe the Papists both haue bine and also be grieuous enemies to the doctrine of iustification by faythe onely in Christ pretending for their chiefe defence the testimonie of S. Iames where he seemeth to attribute iustification to workes and not to fayth onely whose authoritie they haue wrongfully wrested and misinterpreted VVhereby they haue not onely erred themselues but also haue caused many other to erre VVhich false interpretation of theirs is in this treatise very learnedly and throughly improued and the meaning of the Apostle truly and playnely declared Againe your wisedome doth well know that the mysteries of God are wisely and discretely to be disposed and not onely the doctrine of fayth faithfully to be taught but also the doctrine of workes diligently to be vrged both to stoppe the sclaunderous mouthes of many prating Papists and also to remedie many abuses very rife among vs. For whereas the syncere preachers of Gods worde doe according to the Scriptures teach that the bloud of Christ is a sufficient salue for the sore of sinne and that we are iustified by fayth alone in him without mens merits workes or satisfactions many sclaundering Papists are not ashamed most falsly to affirme that they are louers of lusts preachers of present pleasure and giuers of libertie to all licentious liuing and making no store of good workes doe cast onely fayth vnder mens elbowes to leane vpon VVhen as the true preachers haue alway preached and all the writinges of the godly haue most diligently taught that that fayth which is not liuely and fruitefull of good works did neuer profite any but to the increase of their owne damnation and contrariwise that that fayth whereby alone according to the Scriptures they teach that we are iustified hath good workes necessarily accompanying it not as causes of our saluation but as necessarie fruites of a liuely fayth as is also in this treatise of S. Iames very learnedly and diligently declared VVhereby not onely the Papists are admonished that they doe not open their lying lips so wrongfully to rayle vpon the true preachers of Gods word but also many other are aduertised of their dutie who by profession are Christians but in life more then prophane who are not ashamed to say if faith iustifie without works then let vs worke nothing but let vs onely beleeue and doe what we list and so like carnall and carelesse liuers they turne the libertie of the Spirite into wantonnes and fleshly libertie But let these men vnderstand that such prophane profession and carelesse contempt dooth highly displease almightie God and is diligently detected and sharpely reproued of his faythfull ministers both in wordes and writings whose wholesome admonitions let them carefully regard and be aduertised and brought thereby to follow in workes that vvhich they profes in vvords least they deceiue them selues and at the last reape most bitter fruites of their fayned fayth Not onely these are in this present treatise admonished of their dutie but many other most profitable poyntes of Christian doctrine and godly instructions are learnedly handled and liuely set forth therin vvhereby the Christian readers may learne to direct their doinges and order their life according to the prescript rule of Gods vvorde As for them vvhich obstinately
vvorkes and through the vvorks vvas the fayth made perfect 23 And the Scripture vvas fulfilled vvhich sayth Abraham beleeued God and it vvas imputed vnto him for righteousnes and he vvas called the frend of God 24 Ye see then hovv that of vvorkes a man is iustified and not of faith onely The summe of this reason is this Such as the fayth of Abraham was ought also the fayth of other beleeuers to be For he is therefore called the father of the beleeuers bicause that they that beleeue ought to imitate and follow his fayth but the faith of Abraham had workes ioyned with it which is thereby proued bicause he did so much esteeme obedience toward God that he would rather kill his onely sonne then not obey God Therfore the fayth of other also ought to haue workes ioyned with it which if it haue not it is worthely to be accounted vaine and dead This is the summe of the argument Now let vs wey the wordes of the Apostle which are wrested of the Schoolemen against free iustification First the word iustified is to be discussed which is as much as if he had sayd was declared to be iust or was knowen to be iustified and that this is so I proue by three necessarie arguments The first is taken of the scope and end of this present disputatiō For Iames hath not purposed a disputation of the causes of iustification but onely doth shew by what effects iustification may be gathered and as it were set before the eyes of men Seing therefore it is an exceeding great errour of effects to make causes in respect of the same thing they are by no meanes to be borne which forgetting the scope ende of the disputation proposition that is to be proued presume very high go about to disproue the doctrine of Paul concerning free iustification when as the purpose of Paul was far otherwise thā of Iames. For Paul seketh the cause of iustification Iames the effects of the same Paul descendeth frō y e causes to y e effects Iames contrariwise ascendeth frō the effects to y e causes Paul seketh how we are iustified Iames how we are declared to be iustified Paule excludeth works as causes of iustification Iames includeth the same as the effectes of iustification Seing there is so great difference betwene the purpose of Paule and Iames who seeth not the vanitie of the Scholemen which say that the Apostles are contrary the one to the other The seconde necessarie argument is taken of the order of the causes and the effects Genes 15. Abraham is pronounced to be iustified Abraham beleeued the Lord and he counted that to him for righteousnesse But this came to passe thirtie yeares at the least before he receyued a commaundement concerning the offering of his sonne Isaac Genes 22. Howe therefore can it be that he shoulde be sayde to be iustified by that worke which he did the thirtie yere after y t he was by the voyce of God said to be iustified It is necessarie therfore that to be iustified in Iames doe signifie to be declared iustified The thirde necessarie argument is taken of the wordes of the Angell Genes 22. After that Abraham had purposed to kil his sonne at the commaundement of God was called back from his purpose by the voice of the Angel he heareth of the Angell Now I know that thou fearest God seing for my sake thou hast not spared thine only son What other thing I pray you do these words meane than that y e voluntarie obedience of Abraham was a testimonie of the feare of God a certaine declaration of the iustification of Abraham And thus briefly it is declared what the word of iustification doth signifie in this disputation of Iames. Afterwarde when he sayth that the fayth vvrought vvith his vvorkes he expresseth the nature of a liuely fayth to wit that it is effectuall and full of good workes Seing that the fayth of hypocrites hath not this nature it is in no case to be iudged a true and liuely fayth This saying therefore of Iames doth teach nothing else but that good workes doe proceede of fayth That which Iames addeth through the vvorkes the fayth vvas made perfect is nothing els than y t the fayth of Abraham was declared by his workes not to haue bene counterfait or hypocriticall but true and sincere For if thou doest cal that perfect here which is in it degrees absolute no mortall man liuing at any time hath had a perfect fayth Moreouer when he sayth that the scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeued God and it vvas imputed vnto him for righteousnesse that is not to be referred vnto the cause but vnto the effect For by that deede Abraham declared that he was in very deede iustified before by fayth This fulfilling therefore ought to be referred to the experience of men and not to the iudgement of God 25 Likevvise also vvas not Rahab the harlot iustified through vvorks vvhen she had receyued the messengers and sent them out another vvay He proueth by another example y t a true a liuely faith is not without works Rahab by her dede or works declared hir selfe to be iustified by fayth when with the perill of her life she sent away y e messengers of the people of God least they shoulde come into the hands of them that sought them 26 For as the bodie vvithout the spirit is dead euen so the fayth vvithout vvorkes is deade By a most apt similitude propounded he proueth that the fayth of hypocrites is vayne in as much as it is like a deade bodie or carkas wherein is no liuely spirite and therefore no mouing or sense of a liuing creature is founde in it And thus Iames by sixe firme reasons hath proued that a true fayth is frutefull in good workes and that the fayth of hypocrites which is voyd of workes is a vayne boasting rather than fayth A declaration of the doctrine of repentance WHen as Christ doth define the Gospel to be preaching of repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes in his name he setteth forth two things vnto bs whereof one is the benefite which the Gospell offereth the other the meanes by which the benefite is applyed vnto men The benefite which is offered is forgiuenesse of sinnes The meanes is repentance For they onely which repent are made partakers of the forgiuenesse of sinnes wherewith is ioyned iustification saluation and eternall lyfe Hereof it easily appeareth that nothing is more necessarye for a man in this life than to vnderstande wherein true repentance consisteth without the which forgiuenesse of sinnes commeth vnto no man Of this wholsome and true repentance I will speake and will so declare the matter by the worde of God and manifest examples that euerye man may acknowledge the truth and playnnes thereof The foundation therfore of the preaching of repentance without all doubt is the mercie and grace of
pardon as appeareth in the prodigall sonne For a knowledge of mercy must of necessitie goe before true repentance according to the saying of Ambrose No man can repent except first he hopeth for pardon and that of Augustine The mercye of God is necessary not onely when we doe repent but also that we may repent Fayth is a knowledge consent and desire of the promised mercy and a sure confidence in Christ the mediatour Although the former examples and the fourth chap. to the Rom. doe confirme this definition yet let vs adde more reasons concerning the properties of fayth Christ pronounceth them saued that beleeue therfore it must needes be that fayth doth signifie a trust in the promise seeing that no man is saued by knowledge alone Agayne Paule doth sometime call this fayth a sure trust or confidence sometime a perswasion whereby a man doth certaynely perswade himselfe that God both will and also is able to performe that which he hath promised This therfore is that fayth by which alone without the workes of the law the Apostle affirmeth that a man is iustified before God For such a fayth onely as we haue described doth apprehende Christ and possesse him with all his benefites I will therfore set forth a playne and manifest doctrine concerning this iustification which commeth by fayth in Christ and will briefly confute the errours with the which this doctrine both in time past and also in our age is darkned and made obscure Iustification is a deliuerance from sinne of the man that doth beleeue in Christ an imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ and an accepting of him being iustified to life euerlasting freely for Christes sake In this definition fiue principall poynts are to be considered First fayth by which the grace which is offred is receyued wherevpon Paule sayth we are iustified by fayth For fayth is as it were a certayne hande wherewith we receyue Christ offered vnto vs with his obedience that it may be our righteousnesse The seconde is a clensing or deliuerance from sinne through the satisfaction made by Iesus Christ according to that saying of Iohn The bloude of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne To this also belongeth that saying of Dauid Blessed is he whose wickednes is forgiuen Also Blessed is the man vnto whome the Lorde imputeth not iniquitie What deliuerance is it is to be gathered by y e definition of sinne For as sinne is a defect or reuolting from the lawe and will of God with a bonde vnto eternall death and condemnation so deliuerance is the discharging or setting free of a man from the bonde of death and condemnation But that this deliuerance doth come vnto him that beleeueth in Christ many testimonies doe witnes He that beleeueth in the son hath euerlasting life The third is the imputation of y e righteousnes of Christ For his obedience death passion and resurrection are the matter foundation of our iustification 2. Cor. 5. He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we shoulde be made the righteousnesse of God in him This righteousnes which he sayth that we are made in him the Apostle defineth Rom. 5. when he sayth As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous Christian righteousnesse therefore is the obedience of Christ imputed to the beleeuer For fayth is imputed to hym for righteousnesse which beleeueth in him that iustifieth the wicked Of these this also followeth that the qualitie of righteousnes is in Christ but is imputed vnto vs which is proper vnto him For we are so iust before God as Christ was a sinner As he after a sort tooke vpon him our person whereby he might be made guiltie in our name and might be iudged as a sinner not for his owne sinnes but for the sinnes of other seing that he himselfe was pure and cleane frō all sinne and might suffer punishment due vnto vs and not vnto him So we nowe are iust in him not bicause we do satisfie the iudgement of God with our workes but bicause we are accounted righteous with the righteousnesse of Christ which by fayth alone we doe put on that it might be made ours The fourth is an accepting of the person vnto eternall life For Paule setteth this degree after iustification Rom. 8. Whom he iustified them be also glorified To this belongeth the saying of the Lorde He that beleeueth in me shall not perish but shall haue euerlasting lyfe The fift freely for Christes sake freely that all the merites of men maye be excluded for Christes sake that the redemption of the onely begotten sonne of God may be acknowledged to be the merit of so great a treasure Although this doctrine of our Churches is grounded vpon the iust sounde and perfite worde of God yet there be diuerse and sundrie errors spred abrode agaynst it For there be some which place this iustification of man in the workes done of men other some will needes haue it to consist of fayth and workes togither some go about to establishe a certayne essentiall righteousnesse Although these things which we haue spoken doe confute the errours of these yet we will speake somewhat seuerally of them They which affirme that mā is iustified by works are more easily confuted seeing that the most manifest oracles of God doe crie out agaynst this errour Dauid cryeth out openly Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified And Paule Rom. 3. Therefore by the workes of the lawe shal no fleshe be iustified And to the Galath As manye as are of the workes of the lawe are vnder the curse Agayne If righteousnesse be by the lawe then Christ died without a cause Their opinion therefore is manifestly false which affirme that a man is iustified that is made iust by workes But we acknowledge with Iames that good workes are required to the declaring of this iustification that the good tree may be knowne by it fruites neyther is there any disagreeing betweene Paule and Iames. For when Paul sayth that a mā is not iustified by works he signifieth that he is not made iust and without fault before God by workes When Iames sayth that men are iustified by workes he meaneth that men are by workes declared to be iust But the saying of them hath somewhat a fayrer shewe which affirme that the righteousnesse whereby the wicked man is iustified before God doth consist of fayth and works togither For they saye that fayth is the beginning of righteousnesse and workes the perfection thereof whose errour S. Paule confuteth by these reasons Rom. 10. I beare them recorde that they haue the zeale of God but not according to knowledge For they being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and going about to stablishe their owne righteousnes haue not submitted themselues to
the righteousnes of God For Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerye one that beleeueth Here Paule maketh this to be the cause of the casting of of the Iewes for that they woulde ioyne their owne righteousnesse with the righteousnesse of God which is by fayth and of both ioyned togither make one forme of righteousnesse Also Rom. 11. he reasoneth thus If it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace but if it be of works it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke Paule here first setteth downe two contrarie propositions without any meane betwene them If election and saluation be of workes it is not of grace If it be of grace it is not of workes bicause that debt and gift are so contrarie that neither of them may rightly be sayde one of the other or both of them of any thirde Eyther therefore we are iustified and saued by fayth alone or by workes but the testimonies before alledged doe proue that no man is iustified by workes Agayne if christian righteousnesse did consist of fayth and works togither the reasoning of Paule were fonde and vayne Rom. 4. To him that worketh the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt but to him that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his fayth is counted for righteousnesse Here Paule maketh two sortes of righteousnesse which differ the one from the other For they haue contrarie causes For the righteousnesse of fayth by which he that beleeueth is iustified is imputed and giuen freely but the righteousnesse of works is not free Furthermore if one part is to be attributed to fayth the other part to workes in the iustification of man two absurdities should followe thereof one that the promise shoulde be made vncertaine which ought to be certaine Another that the satisfaction of Christ coulde not suffice except it were stablished by our workes Wherefore we embrace the saying of Augustine which sayth It is grace in no poynt except it be free in all poyntes But the occasion of the errour of the Papistes was a Philosophicall imagination which knoweth no righteousnesse except it be a certayne qualitie in vs. For it vnderstandeth not that a man may be iustified by the imputation of the righteousnesse of another Nowe let vs come to essentiall righteousnesse concerning which first it is to be vnderstand y t we are in no wise righteous before God by y e essential righteousnes of God but in respect of the principall efficient cause For the formall righteousnesse by which we are righteous before God is no other than the obedience of Christ as Paule plainly teacheth Rom. 5. By the obedience of one many shall be made righteous But the obedience of Christ is of two sortes of the crosse and of the lawe By the obedience of the crosse whereby he humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse Philip. 3. the Lorde doth make a full satisfaction for our sinne The obedience of the lawe he imputeth vnto vs that beleeue that by it we maye appeare righteous in the sight of God Paule sayth that this righteousnesse or obedience of Christ is imputed to them that beleeue therfore it is neyther substance nor qualitie abyding in them whereby a man is made righteous formally Wherefore this affirmance is surely to be helde that christian righteousnes is the obedience of the sonne of God imputed to him that beleeueth But in the meane season we must also vnderstande this that the Scripture maketh mention of three kindes of righteousnesse of man whereof one is of fayth by which we stande before God and this is perfect as the obedience of Christ is perfect neyther is it diminished or increased by the diminishing or increasing of fayth For the Publicane had this full and perfect as well as Peter although the fayth of Peter was much more manifest and knowne Another is the beginning of obedience which is also called the righteousnesse of a good conscience This is not set agaynst the wrath of God bicause it is not perfect obedience of the lawe yet it is necessary in as much as it is the proper fruite of fayth An other there is which is as yet looked for whereof Paule speaketh Galat. 5. For we through the spirite wayte for the hope of righteousnesse through fayth And 1. Iohn 3. Dearly beloued nowe are we the sonnes of God but yet it doth not appeare what we shall be and we knowe that when we shall appeare we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is and euery man that hath this hope in him purgeth himselfe euen as he is pure This righteousnesse therefore is a making of vs lyke vnto God a dwelling of God in vs a full fruition of God an absolute and perfect loue And although we must confesse that the heartes of them that beleeue are the temples of the holy ghost and Christ sayth Iohn 14. If any man loue me he will keepe my worde and my father will loue him and we will come vnto him and wil dwell with him yet it doth not followe that this dwelling of God in vs is the righteousnesse whereby we stande before God but it is a diuine presence in vs by which we are renued doe feele comfort and begyn to approch to eternall life Furthermore if men were iustified here by essentiall righteousnesse there shoulde be no difference betweene the righteousnesse by which we are righteous in this lyfe and that by which we shall be like vnto God in all eternitie But Paule putteth a manifest difference betweene these two For he sayth that we haue the righteousnesse of fayth nowe here in this lyfe but that we doe looke for another righteousnesse which Iohn defineth to be a framing or fashioning whereby we shall be fashioned lyke vnto God which fashioning shall proceede from hence in that we shall see him as he is Newe obedience is necessarily ioyned with fayth For regeneration which cannot be absent from a iustifying fayth doth necessarily bring forth it fruites which are seene in newe obedience For after that a man through the grace of regeneration is made a newe tree he ought to bring forth newe that is good fruites which Paule in his Epistle to the Philip. calleth the frutes of y e righteousnes of fayth Iames pronounceth in his own peculiar and proper phrase that men are iustified by the same that is acknowledged and declared iust This newe obedience is sometime called sanctification which consisteth of the mortifying of the fleshe and of the quickening of the spirit For Paule sayth thus Christ is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption He is made our wisedome in the preaching of the Gospell He is made our righteousnesse by the attonement for sinne and imputation of righteousnesse He is made our
demaunded what are the causes of good workes by which men ought to be stirred vp and pricked forward to worke well There are numbred three most weyghty causes necessitie dignitie and reward Necessitie may be made to be of fiue sorts of y e cōmāndemēt of worship of det of holding fast y e fayth of auoyding punishmēt of cōuersion or regeueratiō Necessitie of the commaundemēt is bicause God doth seriously and seuerely commaund obedience toward his lawe Keepe mine ordinances sayth he and walke therein Paul sayth This is the will of God euen your sanctification Necessity of dette or dutie that we owe is declared Rom. 8. We are detters not to the flesh but to the spirite for we are not our owne but his that hath redemed vs with his bloud Necessitie of holding fast the fayth is commaunded to vs of Paule If there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namely for them of his housholde he denieth the fayth and is worse than an infidel And agayne Fight a good fight hauing fayth and a good conscience neyther of which is kept while we giue our selues to sinne Necessitie of auoyding punishment is confirmed by the testimonie of Dauid For iniquitie sayth he thou doest chastice the children of men Necessitie of conuersion is affirmed in this saying As I liue sayth the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his waye and liue When therefore conuersion is made man is also quickened by fayth through the holy Ghost Moreouer vnto conuersion is ioined regeneration which is a beginning of a newe lyfe a newe light wisedome righteousnesse and a renuing of the image of God in vs. The seconde cause is dignitie which consisteth in this that the man conuerted or regenerate is nowe the sonne of God according to that saying He gaue power to be the sonnes of God to them that beleeue in his name Howe great a dignitie is it that they which beleeue are the temple of the holy ghost liuing that Christ dwelleth in them by fayth that the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost doe come vnto them and will dwell with them that they are the members of Christ On the contrarie wey what a wickednes it is for the children of God to resemble the image of the enimie howe great a daunger it is that the temple of God shoulde be polluted with the filthinesse of Satan what a cruell thing it is to driue God out of his dwelling place Wherefore it becommeth the children of God to imitate their heauenly father which sayth Be ye holy for I am holy Herevpon Paule sayeth that we are called to sanctification and not to vncleannes The thirde cause is a rewarde that is a recompence of the pacience and obedience of them that beleeue This rewarde is not giuen for the worthinesse of the worke but for the promise of grace Seing that the good workes that are done of the godly are the bounden duties of seruants and vnperfect and defiled it may be demaunded why God hath added promises to good workes And there may be numbred fiue causes hereof The first that they may be testimonies of the prouidence of God For God will haue it knowne that good things pertayning to the bodye are created of him and are not spreade abroade by chaunce but are of him giuen to the Church and preserued according to the saying He is thy life and the length of thy dayes in the dayes of hunger they shall be satisfied the rich haue suffred hunger but no good thing shall be wanting to him that feareth the Lorde The seconde that they may be testimonies that God will yea euen in this lyfe keepe and preserue his Church Wherefore Paule sayth 1. Tim. 4. Godlynesse hath the promise of the lyfe present and of that that is to come Bicause God will of his infinite goodnesse gather his Church for his sonnes sake the mediatour he keepeth this order of nature he maketh the earth fruitefull that he may feede and nourishe his Church euen in this life and bicause for his Churches sake he doth feede also the rest it becommeth vs especially to be thankfull The thirde bicause God will haue corporall necessitie to be a monishment warning concerning fayth prayer hope giuing of thankes therefore hath he set forth his promises wil haue these good things to be asked loked for by fayth by this asking and looking for he will haue fayth hope and pacience to increase The fourth that they may be warnings of the promise of grace bicause that fayth which acknowledgeth the sonne and receyueth reconciliation ought alwayes to go before in the asking of corporall things and for the sonnes sake the other promises were set forth and ratified All these things are comprehended in the saying Whatsoeuer he shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you The fift bicause God will haue both these things to be knowne both that the Church is subiect to the crosse and yet nowithstanding that it is marueylously preserued in this lyfe euen among perils and daungers that all the maruaylous preseruations of the Church and al the wonderfull deliuerances of the same may be testimonies of the presence of God in his Church as it is sayde Num. 14. That the Egyptians maye knowe that thou O Lorde art among this people Iosu 3. Ye shall knowe that the Lorde God is in the middest of you 1. Kings 17. That all the earth may knowe that there is a God in Israel Esay 37. Nowe O Lorde our God saue thou vs out of the hande of Zenacherib that all the kingdomes of the earth may knowe that thou onely art the Lorde Seing that al men haue sinne it is rightly demaunded whose obedience doth please and whose doth not please To this question I doe aunswere thus Sinnes are of two sorts some are committed of them which know and are willing agaynst their conscience such sinnes are not in them that beleeue For if he that beleueth doth fall agaynst his conscience he doth as it were shake of the holy ghost renounce the fayth and is made guiltie of the wrath of God and except he repenteth he falleth headlong into eternal punishment Moreouer they which being deceyued by the delusions of the deuill doe reuolt from the foundation that is doe renounce and forsake any article of the fayth whether they vnderstande it or vnderstande it not doe cease to be holy doe shake of the holy ghost and become guiltie of eternal wrath and displeasure as Cherinthus Ebion Arius Fotinus and such lyke heretikes Other some sinnes are not committed agaynst the conscience as blindnesse and ignorance doubting many omittings of our dutie and vicious affections agaynst which euilles the godlye doe striue and doe beleeue that they are put away for the mediators sake Although this vncleannesse is in
iudge or lawyer are permitted to a christian man For it is lawfull for a christian to vse ciuil ordinances these ordināces are of force not only for reasons sake but also because of the authority of y e magistrate Let a christian man therfore so instruct his conscience y t it may vnderstand y t these things are permitted bicause God doth allow lawes and magistrates and will haue vs to vse ciuil ordinances and in bargaynes let him be content with that meane with that equalitie that the lawes and the magistrates doe appoynt except they doe playnely varye from the ten commaundements and from the law of nature This rule doth first admonish vs that we do iudge reuerently of y e lawes and ordinances of a good magistrat Secondly that we iudge not rashly too sharply of y e bargaines which the lawes do approue Now as we haue purposed let vs see y e orders and states of men In the first state may be the poore and beggers whiche being hindred with old age or grieued with sicknesse or otherwise with some great calamitie oppressed are not able to liue without the almes of other no nor to make any gaine To these we doe by bond owe the duties of charitie and almes Wherefore we must giue vnto these without al expectation of recompence or dutie agayne for the commaundements sake of God and for charities sake which by nature we owe one to an other And this det is so necessary that he that doth refuse to pay it doth obstinatly violate the commaundement of God doth vngodly refuse to obey the precept of Christ doth cruelly oppresse the members of Christ doth wickedly reiect the lawe of charitie and purchaseth vnto himselfe certayne destruction Hereuppon therefore it may easily be knowne how necessarye a duty it is to giue almes and to relieue with his abilitie those that doe in very deede stand in neede But because I see that there are many causes by which the most parte are hindred whereby they are not occupyed in this necessary and dutiful office as in many there is a studie of couetousnes ignorance of the prouidence of God heathenish diffidence riot abuse of thinges to much folly much vnprofitable spending and alas cruel vnmercifulnes in the most parte whereby it commeth to passe that they are not moued with the neede of them that be in miserie I will here somwhat at large handle the place of almes and that for this purpose that both the necessitie of our dutye whereby we are bound to them that neede in deede may be vnderstand and also we being admonished may more wyllingly and readyly doe our dutie and be made more liberall toward the poore First therefore I will shew where almes is to be giuen and what are the kindes therof Secondly I will rehearse the causes with which the godly ought to be stirred vp to giue almes Thirdly I will note the affection of him that giueth almes and I will also prescribe a maner and measure to be obserued in giuing almes Lastly I will intreate of the endes of almes which is godly bestowed and of the fruite that commeth vnto them that giue almes with a cherefull mind according to the commaundement of Christ Of Almes WHo soeuer hath determined to giue almes let him giue his almes in this order First of all let him be mercifull to himselfe that is let him giue the first almes to himselfe which then is done when a man leauing his owne euill wayes doth turne himselfe vnto the Lorde by true repentance For no mercy for so the word almes doth signifie can be shewed of him which as yet is not vnder the mercie of God Wherefore Iesus the sonne of Syrach doth well admonishe when he sayth Chap. 30. Haue mercie on thine owne soule pleasing God and comfort thine heart driue sorrowe farre from thee When he sayth Haue mercie on thy soule pleasing God he sheweth in what thing that mercy doth consist which we ought to shewe to our selues to wit in turning vnto God and in fayth without which it is vnpossible to please God After this sort Abraham did begyn his almes according to whose example all the rest of the godly haue begun their almes at them selues To this pertayneth that saying of Augustine If thou wilt giue almes begyn at thy selfe For howe can he be mercifull to another which is cruell to himselfe He that hath begon his almes after this maner will forthwith turne himselfe to his neighbour and will shewe mercy vnto him Herevpon riseth the first distinction of almes that there is one kynde of almes which euery one bestoweth vpon himselfe which is by nature the former another which euerye man giueth to other which is by nature the latter Nowe this latter may also be made to be of two sortes one spirituall another ciuill That which is spirituall pertayneth to the spirite which he bestoweth which calleth him into the right way that erreth from the folde of Christ and bringeth him into Christes shepefolde There is no almes more diuine than this none more profitable finally none more necessarye For as the soule doth excell the bodie so almes whereby the soule is refreshed is by many degrees to be preferred before the almes with which the necessities of this frayle bodie are relieued and as eternall good things are more to be esteemed than all the commodities of this lyfe which continue but a short time so the almes which helpeth to the attayning of eternall life is more to be esteemed than the almes that serueth for this frayle life There is great commendation hereof in Iames the Apostle who sayth Brethren if any of you hath erred from the truth and some man hath conuerted him let him knowe that he which hath conuerted the sinner from going astray out of his way shall saue a soule from death shal hyde a multitude of sins Ciuill almes doth belong to this present lyfe to wit when we being touched with pitie doe succour the neede of the poore To eyther kynde of mercie Christ doth exhort vs by the example of his father when he sayth Be ye mercifull as your heauenly father also is mercifull Let euerye one remember this precept which acknowledgeth Christ for his maister The causes with which the godlye ought to be stirred vp to giue almes are very many among which these are the chiefe The first cause is Christianitie it selfe or the profession of Christian religion For this doth require that we abounde in euerye good worke and that we embrace and cherishe one another as the members of one body the head whereof is Christ When this is done of faith in Christ we doe in the feare of God practize true christianitie that is we do truly imitate the diuine nature For seeing God whom christianitie biddeth vs follow is rich in mercy we by following his mercy are after a sort sayde to be followers of the diuine
It proceedeth from the vertue of the death buriall and resurrection of the Lord which in time past was represented in the olde sacrifices which were first bound and then kylled but all the whole vertue is in the Crosse of Christ Therefore to bynde the concupyscence of the flesh is to fasten it to the crosse of Christ that in it it may be mortified that it be not effectuall to worke Wherefore this beast is then bound when thou doest not those thinges which it commaundeth it is wholy mortified when the force thereof is not felt which commeth not to passe before we haue changed this lyfe with death which is a passage to the true lyfe To the bynding and mortifying of this beast all the exercises of godlinesse must be referred as prayer reading meditation sobrietie diligence in our dutye flying of euell occasions thinking on the prouidence of God consideration of the euell of concupyscence the gloryous end of victorye the shame and dishonestye that accompanieth them whiche submytte them selues to this beast Thus much briefly concerning the inward tentation of seducing or beguiling and of the remedy agaynst it The outwarde tentation of beguyling is whose beginning and cause is without a man and this may be distinguished according to the diuersitye of the causes Wherefore seeing that some time the worlde somtime the deuel sometime the thinges that are about vs are the causes thereof it commeth to passe that there be three differences of this outward tentation The world therefore tempteth when it prouoketh to sinne by it vanitie and wickednesse Many are ouercome by this kind of tentation For when they beholde the most corrupt maners of men and see them also vnpunished many are allured by this example Whereupon it is sayde that an euill custome is the nourishing of euel Agaynst this kinde of tentation we must sette the glory of the kingdome of Christ wherewith the vanitie of the world being compared is as a smoke sone vanishing away Secondly let vs think vpon the shortnes of mans life which although it maye be filled with the vanitie of the worlde yet those continuall delightes in the kingdome of God are by infinite degrees to be preferred before it Also let vs consider how Christ the Lord and many of the sayntes of God despised the vanitie and wickednes of the world looking vnto the price that is set before them that runne lawfully The deuill tempteth men after diuers sortes and that vnto this ende that he may hinder them from being gathered togither into the folde of Christ or that when they are gathered togither he may cast them out agayne that they should not be saued For there is nothing more pleasant vnto him than the destruction of all men And for this cause he vseth especially three engines to inuade the folde of Christ For eyther he corrupteth the doctrine or raiseth vp offences or else giueth occasions of infinite mischiefes that I may in the meane season say nothing of his hypocrisie tyrannie and craftinesse which he continually vseth to assayle the Church of Christ He entreth into the heart of man and with speede taketh out the worde of God from thence that a secure contempt of God maye follow as in Rabshakeh or hatred and wrath agaynst God as in Saul or a furious defending of a wicked opinion as in the Papistes Such were the tentations of Cain Saul Iudas Samosatenus Arius and in our time of Seruetus and of very manye other and at thys time Satan doth rage much more than euer he did at any other For he knoweth that the end of his furie is at hand and that the sonne of God will shortlye come who shall iudge him with all his members to euerlasting torments What remedie is here the aduersarie is mightie the companie of his warriours is great we haue neede therefore of a most strong defence What I pray you is that This is the victorie sayeth Iohn that ouercommeth the worlde euen our fayth And Salomon sayth the name of the Lorde is a strong tower the righteous runneth vnto it and is in safegarde For seeing there is no other waye to ouercome this tentation of the deuel then a liuely fayth in Christ the cōquerour of Satan y t this liuely fayth may be kindled with earnest prayer let vs with exceding care and studie kepe y e puritie of doctrine wheron fayth dependeth Also agaynst offences and other practises of Satan let vs fortifie and strengthen our selues with the examples of the Saintes and encourage our selues with the hope of our deliuerance which shall be through Iesus Christ whom we looke for to come shortly to iudge the quick and the deade More defences agaynst the assaultes of Satan Paule numbreth vp Eph. 6. which ought from thence to be taken The things that are about vs doe aboue measure also tempt vs. Before vs death the iudgement of God hell Behinde vs our sinnes that are past many things committed and omitted On our right hande power riches honour On our left hand perils persecutions offences the most sorrowfull state of the Church of God outwardly in this world These euels Iesus Christ onely doth remedy whiles he is possessed by fayth For if thou beholdest those thinges that are before vs he hath ouercome death with life he hath satisfied the iudgement of God paying the ransome for our sinnes he hath spoyled hell If thou lookest vnto those thinges that are behind vs it is he onely which maketh a full satisfaction for sinnes If thou settest the treasures of all good things in him the power riches and honour of the worlde shall not easilye drawe thee from Christ neither shalt thou giue ouer being discouraged with any euils so as thou possessest him by a liuely fayth and desirest his helpe agaynst all things that doe annoy or hurt thee Tentation of presumption is when a man is prouoked to tempt God by abusing his long sufferance iustice mercie liberalitie and many other benefites This tentation truly is daungerous for if any man be ouercome of it he sinneth more freely and boldly bicause he determineth with himselfe that God is good and mercifull and slowe to anger as the Psalme sayth This tentation these thinges doe chiefly remedie first a thinking on the shortnesse of lyfe secondly a consideration of tragicall and lamentable examples For many sinning securely haue bene sodenly preuented by the wrath of God and taken from hence without repentance thirdly the very vnworthynes it selfe For what is a more vnworthie thing than for the chylde to despise the father bicause he is good to him and mercifull towarde him Let euery one therefore walke carefully in the sight of the Lorde and knowe that it is a deuelishe furie and madnesse to sinne aduisedlye and of a sette purpose or to deferre repentance bicause GOD is sayde to be long suffering gentle and mercifull For he is sayde also to
he vvas By a very excellent similitude he rendreth a reason why he will not haue a hearer of the word onely The which similitude is thus much in effect Euen as he that beholdeth his image or shape in a glasse doth retayne in his minde a knowledge which soone passeth away and a weake memory of his forme and therefore such a contemplation profiteth nothing so a hearer of the word onelye retayneth no firme and sure knowledge For forthwith after he hath heard it it vanisheth away and therefore such knowledge is vnprofitable and nothing auayleth the hearer Hypocrisie is verie properly and fitly compared to an image appearing in a glasse For as in a glasse although there appeare a certaine similitude yet it is false inasmuch as those thinges are represented in the glasse on the left hand which are in deede on the right and those that are on the right hand are shewed to be on the left and by this meanes there is a counterfayting of the truth so in the workes of hypocrites although there be a fayre shewe outwardly in the sight of men yet it is false for that those thinges which are vngodly and wicked are counted holy and true If any man demaund how it commeth to passe that there is such a slender knowledge and so weake a memorye by the beholding of the glasse let him know that the maner of doing according to the philosophers doth follow the maner of being For bicause y e image or shape in a glasse doth but only seeme to be is not in dede it commeth to passe y t it maketh so weake slender an impression in y e mind as we see to be done in certain dreames also 25 But vvho so looketh in the perfect lavv of libertie and continueth therein he not being a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the vvorke shall be blessed in his deede He declareth who is to be counted a doer of the word and that as I admonished before according to grace and not according to the rigour of the law He calleth the law perfect bicause it prescribeth a perfect rule to liue by he calleth it of libertie bicause that how much more a man is giuen and addicted to it so that he beleeue in Christ so much the more he declareth himselfe to be free For to serue God is to reigne He that looketh in this law to the intent he may throughly knowe it and expresse it in his life he sayth the Apostle is not a forgetfull hearer of the word but a doer of it who also shal be blessed in his deede For fayth is knowne by the effects as a tree by the fruits which fayth onely doth apprehend Christ who alcne of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption that he that reioyceth should reioyce in the Lord. Iames therefore speaketh here of the qualitie of them that are iustified and of the rewardes of their obedience and not of the causes of their iustifying Bernard sayth Good workes are not the causes of reigning but the way to the kingdome 26 If any man among you seemeth religious and refraineth not his tongue but deceiueth his ovvne heart this mans religion is vayne He reprehendeth hypocrites which did boast that they did religiously obserue the lawe and yet in the meane time were giuen to backbyting and sclaundering which vice is common among all hypocrites as the historye of the Gospell doth shewe in the Pharise who gloried of his religion and in the meane season accused other men with his sclaunderous tongue From whence this vice proceedeth he sheweth when he addeth but deceiueth his ovvn heart that is is a louer of him selfe For he iudgeth that he is godly and religious but his religion is in vayne as is proued by the reason following 27 Pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the father is this to visit the fatherles and vviddovves in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the vvorld He proueth by certayne properties of religion that hypocrites which are giuen to sclaundering and euel speaking are not truly religious the concludeth his argument after this sort They that are truly religious doe keepe them selues vnspotted of the world and do shew mercy to the afflicted Hypocrites which will seeme to be religious doe not keepe themselues vnspotted of the world neither shew mercy to the afflicted Wherefore they are not religious but rather vaine boasters of religion It was not the purpose of Iames perfectly to define religion but onely to set downe certayne properties thereof disagreeing with the vanitie of hipocrites Wherefore they are not to be heard which here sharply reproue and find fault with Iames as a man ignorant of true religion For it is one thing to define a thing and an other to signifie or shew it by certayne signes and tokens Which it is an vnseemely thing and a shame for the sharpe reprouers and taunters of Iames not to know But this is a full and perfect definition of Christian religion Christian religion is a liuely fayth in Iesus Christ and a confession thereof wherto is ioyned a pure study of worshipping God and sincere charity towards men togither with a hope of immortality promised The substantiall partes therefore of Christian religion by nature ioyned togither are fayth the worship of God charitie towarde our neighbour and hope of saluation promised by Christ Chap. 2. The summe of the second Chapter AS he doth dehort those that are conuerted from despising and disdayning the poore and from accepting of persons so he doth condemne a vayne boasting of fayth which is voyde and destitute of it right and true fruites The order and partes of the second Chapter THere are two partes of this Chapter the fyrst whereof contayneth a dehorting or diswading For he doth therein dehort Christians from accepting of persons This parte consisteth of a propositiō and a confirmation The latter part contayneth a teaching or instructing For therein he teacheth that that fayth is vayne which wanteth works This part also consisteth of a proposition and a confirmation The exposition of the second Chapter with an obseruation of the Doctrine 1 My brethren haue not the fayth of our Lord Iesus Christ the Lorde of glory in respecte of persones THis is the first proposition of this Chapter contayning a certayne hidden reason which is thus to be resolued and made manifest Brethren doe not accept persons This is the bare proposition The reason of the proposition is this for that the fayth of our Lord Iesus Christ and the accepting of persons doe so disagree that they cannot stand togither Why so Bicause the glory of Christ requireth that we reuerence all those in whom Christ dwelleth So the word of glory was not added in vayne It is an hebrue kind of speach wherby the Genitiue cases of nounes appellatiues are put oftentimes in the place of Epithites What doth not the
which they doe moderate punishments The arguments of the Stoickes haue a fayre shewe but they are grounded on a false foundation agaynst which let those reasons be set which I haue rehearsed 12 So speake ye and so doe as they that shall be iudged by the lavve of libertie 13 For there shal be condemnation mercilesse to him that shevveth not mercie and mercie reioyceth against iudgement He bringeth in a generall exhortation to liue godly and holily by an argument taken of the sentence of the last iudgement which is recited Matth. 25. For when as the Apostle sayth as they that shall bee iudged by the lavve of libertie he hath relation to the sentence of the Lorde who when he iudgeth the worlde shall saye vnto them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the worlde For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate c. Contrariwise he shall say to them on the left hande Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate c. To this pertayneth that saying Iohn 5. The houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shal heare his voice and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euell vnto the resurrection of condemnation And 2. Cor. 5. We must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his bodie according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill That these sayings and such like are to be vnderstand of the qualitie of thē that shal be saued not of the causes of saluation the whole consent of y e scripture yea the precious bloud of Christ doth shew as shortly after I will more distinctly declare But why doth he call it y e law of libertie That by that name he may shew y t the fruites of libertie are by good right required of christians For as he which doth commit sinne is the seruant of sinne so he which is deliuered by Christ will be no more bonde but free therefore will not take vpon him the yoke of bondage He sheweth a cause or reason when he sayth for there shall be condemnation mercilesse to him that shevveth not mercie but he that sheweth mercie is so farre of from being condemned y t he shal reioyce against cōdemnation triumphing ouer death sin and the deuill These things doe teach how necessary continuall repentance and a perpetuall studie of godlynesse and righteousnesse is among Christians least by their owne fault they lose the free benefit of saluation But bicause the aduersaries of free saluation doe abuse this place and such like and make the causes of saluation of the tokens and qualities of them which shall be saued I will briefly gather an aunswere whereby the godly reader may haue wherewith he maye be able throughly and truly to answere to this false cauill Seing therefore that the Scripture doth expressely say that the Lord shall giue to euery man according to his deedes Or as Paule speaketh to the Corinthians according to that euery man hath done whether it be good or euill First of all this is to be helde that this generall sentence which is the very voyce of God himselfe ought to be applied vnto two sortes of men according to the proportion of fayth that is to the wicked according to the lawe to the godly according to the Gospell after this maner when the Lord giueth vnto the wicked according to their dedes without all doubt he giueth vnto them hel and condemnation For those are the merits of the dedes of vngodlines But cōcerning y e godly or regenerate there are mo things to be considered For first it is euident out of the infallible worde of God that eternall life is not the wages of seruantes but the inheritance of children and the free gift of God Rom. 4.5.6.8 Iohn 1.3.5 Secondly the proportion betwene the heauēly father and an earthly father is to be considered for as an earthly father doth giue vnto his childrē according to their deedes that is inheritance to them that are obedient and disheriteth them that are disobedient so God the father promiseth inheritance to his children but those which of children are made obstinate and enemies he suffreth not to enioy the inheritance But nowe it is manifest that the childrē of an earthly father are neither children nor heires through desert of their works After the same sort the children of God are neyther made children nor heires bicause of their works but through the grace of adoption which is receyued by fayth alone notwithstanding eyther of them doth giue vnto his children according to their dedes But y t this may yet be more plainly vnderstand how God shall giue to euery mā according to his dedes foure circūstances are to be weighed of vs the first wherof is that the rigour of the law is takē away from y e godly according to y e saying Galat. 3. Christ hath redemed vs from the curse of the lawe The seconde is that the person nowe beleeuing doth by fayth please God and is heire of eternall life Iohn 1. The thirde that God doth not onely require obedience of the person that beleeueth but also doth promise him a rewarde and that not of debt for the worthinesse of the worke but of grace for his fatherly promise sake The fourth that workes so done by fayth are testimonies of fayth as proper effectes are most certaine tokens of their cause And therefore it is sayde that God shall giue vnto euery man according to his dedes both because dedes are the true tokens of the feare of God of fayth and also that the whole creature maye beare witnesse of the iustice of God in iudging This answere is taken from the conferring of the Scripture which we must of necessitie surely hold lest that with the Papistes we attribute saluation to the merits of works or with the Antinomians and Libertines we lay aside all care and studye to do well This solution is made manifest by an euident example Mat. 18. where y e Lord saith that y e kingdome of heauen is likened vnto a certayne king that is that there is the same reason of the spiritual state of the Church which is betweene an earthly king and his seruants in the affaires of this present life For euen as the king his seruant owing him ten thousand talents yet when he fell downe and besought him he forgaue him the whole dette freely and of his mere liberalitie so God the father doth freely forgiue them all debtes that is sinnes which flie vnto him for succour with trust and confidence in Christ Hereof it is manifest that remission of sinnes is free But euen as the king called agayne vnto punishment that seruant being vnthankefull
sanctification when he giueth vs the holy ghost which doth after a sort turne our nature and make it that the olde man being by little and little mortified we maye liue after the spirite that is we may giue our myndes to godlynesse towarde God charitie towarde our neyghbour to holynesse of lyfe and diligence in our vocation briefly that we maye submit our selues wholy to the rule of the spirit In what man soeuer the force and vertue of this regeneration or of this sanctification is not felt there of necessitie fayth cannot be For a true and a right fayth is feruent in spirite and endeuoureth to bring forth it true fruites and desireth nothing more than to serue God in spirit and to abounde in all knowledge and vnderstanding Seing that this is in very deede the propertie of a iustifying fayth and of regeneration who can beare or abyde the saying of them which with all their might in words and writings do impugne the necessitie of good workes which truly we say are necessary not as merits and causes of saluation For y e saying of Paul is firme and vnmoueable Ephe. 2. By grace are ye saued through fayth and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of woorkes least any man shoulde boast himselfe but as necessarilye accompanying a iustifying fayth and as the effectes of the spirite which doth regenerate vs. Furthermore that the reason and maner of good workes may be the better vnderstande I will declare in order sixe questions concerning good works The questions are these The first what workes are to be taught and to be done The seconde howe they maye be done The thirde howe they doe please The fourth what are the causes of good works The fift why promises are added to good works The sixt bicause all men haue sinne it is not without cause demaunded whose obedience doth please and whose doth not please When it is enquired what workes are to be taught and done two thinges are to be weyed of vs whoe we be and whome he is vnto whom obedience is to be giuen by workes When we beholde our selues considering our owne corruption we are admonished that we our selues doe not imagine workes by which we thinke to worship God For by our selues we do not vnderstand what eyther pleaseth or displeaseth God and the Lorde pronounceth that he is worshipped in vayne with the commaundements of men Let vs therfore certaynly thinke that workes albeit fayre and goodly which haue bene inuented of men are in no wise good But if we consider God we are admonished of reuerence toward him whereby it commeth to passe that we thinke that that onely pleaseth him which he prescribeth in his word For he onely is our law giuer Ezechiel comprehendeth both in chap. 20. walke ye not in the ordinances of your fathers neyther obserue their maners nor defile your selues with their Idols I am the Lord your God walke in my statutes and keepe my iudgements and doe them Also 33. I haue made thee a watchman vnto the house of Israell therefore thou shalt heare the word at my mouth and admonish them from me Hereof therefore it manifestly followeth that no other workes are to be taught and done but those which are commended vnto vs by the word of God After that the mind of the godly man knoweth what workes are to be done forth with it inquireth how they may be done The dissoluing of this question is to be taken out of two sayinges of the Scripture The Apostle sayth to the Hebr. without fayth it is vnposible to please God And Christ sayth without me can ye doe nothing Wherefore these thinges are required in order First the knowledge of Christ Secondly trust and confidence in Christ Thirdly viuification whereby Christ doth quicken vs by the Gospell and poureth his holy spirite vpon vs. Herevnto maketh y e saying of Esay chap. 40. But they that wayt vpon the Lord shall renue their strength they shall lift vp the wings as the Egles they shall runne and not be wearie and they shall walke and not faint For there can be no loue no obedience except mercy and reconcilation for the mediatours sake be first apprehended In this consolation the diuinitie doth dwell in the heart For the eternall father is effectuall in deede by his sonne which comforteth by the voyce of the Gospell and the holye Ghost is giuen of the father and the Sonne which stirreth vp in vs ioye and calling vpon God according to these sayings I will poure vpon them the spirite of grace and compassion c. And in Iohn We will come vnto him and dwel with him 2. Cor. 3. We beholding the glory of the Lord with open face are changed into the same image that is we beholding the word which is the image of the eternall father and in consolatiō doth shew the presence and goodnes of God are made like vnto his image the holy Ghost inflaming our hearts After that the mind is taught how good workes may be done it inquireth furthermore how they please for they are done in vayne except they please Scipio fighteth for his countrey Dauid also fighteth but the workes of both of them doe not please God It is fitly therefore demaunded how good workes may please To the which question we aunswere in generall that they please in the regenerate The workes of Scipio did not please bicause he was not regenerate But the warfare of Dauid did please bicause Dauid was accepted by fayth But here are three thinges to be considered in order First we must certainly thinke concerning the person that he is reconciled by fayth and iust for Christes sake freely Then we must confesse that the person iustified by fayth cannot as yet satisfie the lawe For many inward sinnes doe abide and sticke euen in the Godly This vncleannesse is to be lamented and doubts and euil affections are to be resisted and striuen against and also we ought to pray with true sighes of the heart that God will not impute vnto vs this filthines wherein we are wrapped Thirdly although we acknowledge this our filthines notwithstanding we must certaynly thinke that God doth require a certayne vnperfect obedience in vs that this vnperfect obedience doth please for Christs sake For so Peter doth playnly teach Offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ which is our reconciliation and now maketh intercession for vs. Our obedience therefore doth not please God for the worthines or perfection thereof For by it selfe it is vnworthy to come into the sight of God neyther doth it fulfill the law as it is sayd but it pleaseth bicause of the person reconciled which for Christs sake is counted righteous so also doth he please although he carie about in the flesh sinne and great infirmitie Seing it is euident that a man is in no wise iustified by workes it may fitly also may be
God and maintayne true religion Let him set before himselfe the examples of godlye men as of Dauid Iosias Ezechias Constantine Theodosius Iohn Fredericke Duke of Saxonie Christierne the thirde king of Denmarke and other Princes and godly men which desired nothing more than according to their abilitie to set forth the glorie of God to helpe them which taught and learned religion to maintaine schooles and honest priuileges of schooles to defende the teachers of godlynesse agaynst the crueltie and iniurie of wicked men to whom nothing was more pleasant than to inuent diuers craftes and wayes whereby they might oppresse both teachers and learners the case of which men I do with all my heart lament For by their reprobate mynde they doe more and more plunge themselues in hell The seconde true and lawfull vse of riches ought to be that we helpe and adorne the common weales in which we liue according to the measure of our riches For this cause tributes are inioyned that by them as by sinewes the cōmon weale may be kept and preserued that is that they may be ornaments of peace helpes of lawfull warre the rewardes of them which gouerne the common weale But here two kyndes of men doe not a little offende For there are some which although they abounde with wealth renoume and glorie in the time of peace yet when anye thing is to be layde out to the vse of the common weale this they craftily put of from them selues to the silly and simple people who are compelled beyonde their strength and abilitie to bestowe those things which are required Here although the simple people doe rightly obey yet these inuentors of mischiefes are reserued for their iudgement There are also perhappes some who being not content with their ordinarie rents doe lay newe exactions vppon the subiects which are condemned by the testimonie of Iohn the Baptist in as much as they doe not bring forth the fruites of repentance Christ sayth Giue to Caesar the things which are Caesars and giue vnto God those things which are Gods But let Caesar knowe that there is a certaine rule which the lawes doe prescribe vnto him If he shall offende against this he is made guiltie of the wrath of God But thou wilt say is it neuer therefore lawfull for the magistrate to exact of his subiectes anye thing beside the ordinarie taxe We must put a difference betweene the times of peace and warre In the time of peace let him be content with his ordinarie reuenues least that he sinne agaynst God In the time of warre the subiectes doe owe not only their goods but also their bodies to the magistrate making iust warre and the godly magistrate may exact vnaccustomed tributes and require the helpe of the Citizens against the enimies There may also necessities be incident in the time of peace that ordinarie stipendes are not sufficient for the magistrate When this commeth to passe godly subiectes ought to helpe the present necessities and the godly magistrate may require so much increase as shall be needefull But they which do therevpon by litle and litle bring in a custome to oppresse subiects shall as insidels looke for their punishment at the handes of the iust Iudge which knoweth howe to bowe downe the neckes of the proude and tyrannes The thirde right and lawfull vse of riches is that euery man finde himselfe things necessarie do maintayne his familie according to the state of his calling But here two vices are to be taken heede of couetousnesse or vile fashions prodigalitie Couetousnesse or filthie behauiour is vnworthie of a mā Prodigalitie doth rashly waste riches oftē times vpon brauerie altogither vnmete for that state or calling Wherefore a meane which in euery thing is commended is here also to be kept An honest citizen therfore may with his goodes maintayne that which becommeth his estate let him beware that he take not vpon him that honour that belongeth vnto another let him leaue to the nobilitie their noblenesse and reputation so let an honest noble man maintayne his state and leaue vnto the Princes their magnificence and sumptuousnesse After the same sort let teachers of godlynes in scholes and temples modestly maintayne their state Brieflye let euerye one thinke what is agreeable to his person and condition The fourth and last right and lawful vse of riches ought to be that we should be moued also with the calamitie of the needy and hold this for most certayne that God doth suffer the poore and needy to be in the mydst of vs that he may trie of what redines we are to obey his commaundement for he doth commaund vs that we shoulde reach forth our hande to the needy and how mercifull we are toward the members of the sonne of God which if we doe contemne we doe despise also the head For it cannot be that he should loue the head which causeth paine griefe to the members But of this vse more hereafter Of contractes or bargaines FOrasmuch therefore as men are so created that they must of necessitie liue in societie and their condition is such that they cannot mayntayne their state without mutual labour and duties the life of man truly hath neede of contractes or bargaines by which is made a certayne interchangeable course of laboures and offices And the societie of men among them selues can no more want the commoditie of bargaynes then water and fire Wherfore seing that the godly and vngodly are wont to bargayne one with an other and there is oftentimes no small offence made in bargayning through the naughtines of men it is a thing necessary that the godly be instructed whereby they may knowe how farre it is lawfull to bargaine with a good conscience and without offence to God that they doe not attempt to doe any thing their conscience eyther douting eyther being deceiued eyther striuing agaynst them And although a full and absolute doctrine concerning bargayning doth pertayne to the lawyers who of purpose doe very often teach of bargaynes yet because ciuil rules often times doe not satisfie mens consciences I will gather a certayne briefe aduertisement which the godly minde may safely follow in bargaining First therefore I will laye two foundations vpon which all those things which I am about to speake shall depend Secondly I will declare the chiefe kindes of bargaynes and will shewe how they agree with the foundation The first foundation shalbe this taken from the lawe of nature That which thou wilt not haue done to thy selfe doe not thou to another and contrarywise that which thou wilt haue rightly done to thy selfe thou mayst doe to another Nazianzenus vttereth this foundation after this sort To doe those things to other men see that thou doe refraine Which thou thy selfe vnwilling art to take of them agayne Vpon this foundation Christ will haue all duties among men yea and all actions and bargaynes to be buylded For
there be any such howe farre the godly man maye vse it with a good conscience and without offence to God Moreouer we will gather certaine admonitions vnto which as vnto certaine consultations and rules to take counsell by it shalbe profitable to haue regard in euery kinde of bargaines and businesse Finally we will admonish how the stewards of the mysteryes of God that is the preachers of the Gospel maye behaue themselues in the matter of vsurie that they do neyther communicate with other mens offences nor attempt any thing that may turne to their destruction Of the first THe prohibitions or forbiddings of vsurie are foure into which if we will godlye and earnestly looke we shall perceyue more clearely than the daye what is to be iudged concerning this whole trade of vsurie Wherefore I will rehearse them distinctly and in order The first is sayde to be naturall For Aristotle without controuersie the chiefe of Philosophers doth teach that vsurie is agaynst nature being moued by this argument Mony by nature cannot bring forth therefore to take vsurie of mony is contrary to nature And for this cause vsurie is thought to be called of the Grecians Tocos of bringing forth as though there were a certaine birth of mony that euen by the very name it may be infamous Aristophanes calleth vsurie a beast which in processe of time doth bring forth mony in more abundant increase Plato also doth cast vsurie out of his common weale For thus he sayth in his fift booke of lawes Let it be lawful if any taketh mony vpō interest to rēder neither the interest nor the principall This prohibition of Plato is grounded vppon a naturall principle to wit that that is in no case to be suffred in a citie whatsoeuer it be which is agaynst the lawe of nature and mutuall charitie and is the cause of the ruine of families and common weales which nature biddeth to be preserued and maintayned Plutarch concludeth that vsurie is contrary to nature by this principle Of nothing nothing is made Cicero compareth vsurie to man slaughter Wherefore it is manifest that as manslaughter is contrarye to nature so also vsurie is contrarie therevnto Moreouer inequalitie in bargaining is agaynst nature For the worke thereof is the destruction of nature Gayne therfore that is giuen for the bounden dutie of lending is agaynst nature For it doth manifestly bring inequalitie Finally seing that the ciuill societie is especially according to nature trulye it must be that vsurie is an enimie to nature inasmuch as it doth appayre and diminishe humane societie The seconde prohibition is diuine For Moses the Prophetes and the Psalmes doe forbid and condemne vsurie The cause of this forbidding is expressely added in many places to wit that our neighbour be not oppressed with vsurie Exod. 22. If thou lend mony to my people that is to the poore with thee thou shalt not be as an vsurer vnto him thou shalt not oppresse him with vsurie Leuit. 25. Thou shalt not giue him thy monie to vsurie nor lende him thy vittayles for increase The cause of the precept goeth before that thy brother may liue with thee to wit not oppressed with vsurie Deut. 23. Thou shalt not giue to vsurie to thy brother as vsurie of mony vsurie of meat vsurie of any thing that is put to vsurie Vnto a straunger thou mayst lende vpon vsurie but thou shalt not lende vpon vsurie vnto thy brother that the Lorde thy God may blesse thee in all that thou settest thine hande to Moses speaketh here also of the vsurie that oppresseth our neighbour For out of the Hebrue text it may thus be translated Thou mayst byte a straunger with vsurie but thy brother thou shalt not byte Ezech. 18. He that hath not giuen forth vpon vsurie neyther hath taken any increase is iust and shall surely liue Herevpon it followeth in the contrarie sense that he is vniust and shall die which hath giuen vpon vsurie and taken increase In the 15. Psalme it is sayde that he shall dwell in the tabernacle of the Lord which giueth not his mony vpon vsurie And that this Psalme also speaketh of vsurie which byteth and oppresseth our neyghbour it is manifest For the Psalmist vseth the worde Nesec which hath it name of biting Agayne there is no doubt but that vsurie is here prohibited which before was forbidden in Moses to wit that which biteth and oppresseth our neighbour For the Prophetes bring no newe doctrine but only are interpreters of Moses The thirde prohibition is politike or ciuill For among the most auncient Romanes there was no maner no permission of vsurie but publike cursing and punishing therof But in processe of time when togither with rule and riches couetousnesse and riot did increase vsurie began by little little and was oftentimes more more increased vntill the matter of vsurie came vnto sedicion and discord for which cause the gouernours of cōmon weales bicause they coulde not vtterly abolishe vsurie did with lawes represse it as much as they coulde The citie of Athens did commit wholy vnto Solon that he shoulde moderate the vsurie by which the Athenians were almost oppressed For when there was a sedition risen for the crueltie of vsurers which did compell the sonnes and daughters of their debters to be brought into bondage and to be solde that the interest might be payde Solon the Citizens requesting him made the first lawe that it shoulde not afterward be lawfull that any free bodie shoulde be brought into seruitude for debtes or vsury And this measure of vsury did Solon ordayne that no more shoulde be demaunded than the hundreth part that is so much as did counteruayle the principall in the hundreth moueth that is of an hundreth crownes euery moneth one crowne But the Emperours did forbid the hundreth part to be receyued for interest except it were in things caried ouer the sea but in other lawfull trades they did permit the eyght part of the hundreth that is of an hundred crownes euery yere eyght crownes But to the Noble men in euery contract or bargaine they did not permit aboue the fourth part of the hundreth that is euery yeare of an hundreth crownes foure crownes but to the cōmon people the sixt part of the hundreth was permitted that is euery yeare of an hundreth crownes sixe crownes This moderation of the Emperours was highly to be praysed which did both represse the vniust exaction of vsurie and also prouided that the goodes of priuate men were not wasted by vnmeasurable vsurie The fourth prohibition is ecclesiasticall Now I call an ecclesiasticall prohibition not the decrees of the Pope whom we doe acknowledge neither the head nor the taile of the Church but of holy Synodes by which vsurie was streightly prohibited Also the sayings of holy fathers against vsurie In the 47. decrees there is mention made of the canons of the Apostle in which vsurie
nature But they that are not occupyed in this following doe falsly attribute to themselues a christian name Furthermore they are not counted the lawfull sonnes of God but bastardes rather For God acknowledgeth none among his sonnes but whom he seeth at the least to endeauour to imitate his fathers vertues To this pertayneth that saying of the Lord in the Prophet If I be a father where is mine honour But the cheefest parte of honour which children can doe to their parents is to imitate their vertues Whosoeuer earnestly looketh for the glorye of christianitie let him set before himselfe this cause of shewing mercy to his neighbour and let him not suffer himselfe to be led away with euil examples from this necessary and due worship of God The second cause is the commaundement of God vnto which all creatures ought to obey Of this cause Iesus the sonne of Sirach maketh mention chap. 29 Helpe the poore for the commandements sake and turne him not away because of his pouertie And a little after Bestow thy treasure after the commaundement of the most high and it shal bring thee more profite then Gold Our treasure that doth neuer fayle we must lay vp and keepe in heauen but yet it is in this life bestowed vpon the poore vpon whom the benefites that be bestowed the Lord so accepteth as if we had bestowed them vpon himselfe All the testimonies of the Scripture which doe commend vnto vs the loue of our neighbour doe require especially liberalitie towarde the nedie For this is the chiefe part of true loue Hereunto belongeth that saying of the Lorde Deut. 15. I commaund thee saying thou shalt open thine hand vnto thy brother that is needy He that contemneth this precept of the Lord how can he loue God how can he feare him for thus sayth Iohn Whosoeuer hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him And Iob 6. He that taketh away mercie from his neighbour hath forsaken the feare of the Lord. Whosoeuer therefore determineth to loue God and to feare him from his heart let him thinke that he doth owe obedience to God commaunding Of which thing Micheas speaketh after this sort I will shew thee O man what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee surely to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God The thirde cause is the imitation of examples of Christ our Lord first and then of his members Christ was made poore for vs that he might enrich vs. What therefore do we agayne owe to the members of Christ especially seing he witnesseth that that is done to himselfe whatsoeuer we doe to the least of his members Matth. 25. The holy fathers desired nothing more than to relieue the poore Saints Abraham doth reuerence strangers and biddeth them to eate with him that he may shewe liberalitie vnto them Lot desired the Angels to come into his house whom he thought to be poore straungers Cornelius the courtier is written to haue giuen himselfe to continuall prayer and almes which the scripture witnesseth to haue come vp into remembrance before God The fourth cause is the dignitie and estimation of almes godly bestowed before God Prouerb 21. To do mercie and iudgement is more acceptable to the Lorde then sacrifice Christ sayth Matth. 9. I will haue mercie and not sacrifice Heb. 13. To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such sacrifice God is pleased So great dignitie so great estimation is there before God of the almes godly bestowed It is preferred before sacrifice God is sayd to be singularly moued and delighted therewith This dignitie ought worthily to admonishe them which abounde in this worldes good that they indeuour according to the counsell of Paule to be rich in good workes The fift cause is our neighbour himselfe But that euery man is neighbour one to another the Parable of the Samaritane doth teach although this neighbourhode is greater with some than with other some Euery man both godly and also vngodly is neighbour vnto me and that first by reason of our creation Secondly for likenes sake Thirdly in respect of our common life and humane societie And although this triple bonde wherewith men are bounde among themselues is a great cause wherefore men ought to doe good vnto men neuerthelesse there is yet a farre greater bonde wherewith Christians are knit togither with Christians For first one vocation is common to all Christians whereby we are called to the vnitie of spirit in the bonde of peace Agayne by the same spirit we are begotten agayne to be the sonnes of God whereby it commeth to passe that both we haue one father which is God and also we are brethren among our selues Moreouer we are members of the same mysticall bodye the heade whereof is Christ Finally we haue the same hope of the glorie to come for we are heyres of eternall lyfe in Christ Iesus our Lorde If we doe earnestly thinke vppon this fift cause of mercie towarde our neighbour there is none that doth not acknowledge howe necessarily liberalitie is to be shewed to them that be in neede I do not make mention of that bond by which al men in this world are debters one to another Who wil seme to be a contemner of the vnitie of the spirite whereunto the Gospell calleth vs Who can abide to heare that he is a denier of spirituall brotherhoode Who dare so despyse the members of Christ that he will suffer them to be tormented wyth colde hunger and nakednesse Who will not worthilye suffer him to be partaker with him of the things of this worlde which soone fade awaye whom he assuredly thinketh shall be heyre with him of the heauenly treasures If this cause of liberalitie and mercie were esteemed of many according to the worthinesse thereof they woulde not set their mindes so much vpon deceyte and vniust gayne they woulde not so much spoyle and rob the needie members of Christ and they would thinke more of cherishing and making much of their owne fleshe As often as we see any that is in miserie crauing our helpe and succour let vs I pray you remember the saying of Esay Hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh The sixt cause is the punishment yea and that manifold of them which are hard toward the poore The first is the wrath of God Ecclesiasticus 4. Turne not thine eyes aside from the poore because of anger The second is the curse In the same place it is sayd For if the curse thee in the bitternes of his soule his prayer shall be heard of him that made him The third is the refusing of thy prayer which thou makest in thy necessitie Prouerb 21. He that stoppeth his eare at the crying of the poore he shall also crye and not be heard A horrible punishment truly then which none
foundations the Anabaptists leane vnto to whom I would yeeld if that the former reasons did not better instruct me But that it may be vnderstand what the prohibition of the Lorde meaneth which seemeth to be vniuersall we must mark the purpose of Christ in this whole sermon of workes It is not the purpose of the Lorde to correct the lawe of his father but to disclose and reproue the errours of the interpreters of the lawe The law of the father is thou shalt sweare by my name This lawe the Lord doth not abolish but doth rather mayntaine it whiles that he reprehendeth the corrupting thereof The Pharises of this lawe concluded after this sort God hath commaunded that we sweare by his name therefore we may sweare for euery cause and after euery sort This erroneous consequent the Lord reprehendeth when he saith Thou shalt not forsweare thy selfe but shalt performe thine othes to the Lord. But I say vnto you sweare not at all neyther by heauen c. The generall word at al ought to be referred to the maner of swearing then receiued to wit to sweare for euery cause and after euery sorte according to the maner of prophane men Here therefore Christe prohibiteth his Disciples and them that trulye feare the Lorde to sweare rashly for euerie cause and after euerie sort For he will haue the name of God to be reuerensed and worshipped more religiously then that it be taken in vayne Iames likewise doth not abolish the commaundement of God concerning the religion or right vsing of an oth but he doth onely correct the custome of swearing rashly and after euery sort For the lawfull maner of swearing is reckened among the promises of the Gospell Iere 4. Thou shalt sweare The Lord liueth in truth in equitie and righteousnes This is not a saying of commaunding but of promising that the true Israell may become a true worshipper of God and that the Gentiles may embrace the true religion of God A proofe whereof shall be that they shall sweare after this maner the Lord liueth and not after this Baal Saturne or Iupiter liueth But that which is sayde Osee 4. Neyther shall ye sweare the Lorde liueth is a voyce of threatning For he threatneth the vnthankfull Iewes that their countrie shall be made desolate for their stubbornnes and disobedience against God that in the place of the true worship of God shall be set the worship of Idoles whereupon it shal come to passe that they shall not sweare any more the Lorde liueth but Baal liueth c. The Anabaptists vrge the forme prescribed of the Lorde Let your communication be yea yea nay nay What meaneth the Lorde by these wordes that in stede of a rash oth they vse constant aduised talke The Lord therefore requireth constancie in our sayings that our yea be yea and our nay be nay He doth not forbid but that it is lawfull for vs to flie to a religious oth when the weightines of the cause doth so require but they do more forcibly vrge that which followeth For sayth Christ Whatsoeuer is added more then these commeth of euil That is that which is rashly added more then a simple affirming or denying no weightie cause requiring it commeth of euill that is of an euill affection of the minde or of an euill conscience or of the deuel himselfe He sayth not that a lawfull oth commeth of euel but a rash oth onely which is taken with a certayne lightnes of an euel custome and for euery light cause Againe it may sometime fall out that an oth commeth not of the euel of him that sweareth but of him that doth not beleue a bare and simple affirmation which when it commeth to passe a religious oth shall not therefore be euell For euery thing is not euill which commeth of euil in asmuch as it falleth out often times that those thinges that are euell are the occasions of those thinges that are good as when we say that good lawes doe come of euell maners and conditions to wit by occasion not by effect 13 Is any among you afflicted let him pray Briefe admonitions are annexed and first that he which is afflicted and suffreth persecution doe pray For there is no more present remedie agaynst the miseries of this world then prayer proceeding from fayth Whatsoeuer sayth the Lord ye desire when ye pray beleeue that ye shall haue it and it shall be done vnto you And the reason thereof is very wel noted in the booke of Iudith chap. 9. where the most holy woman doth thus say in her prayer In the prayer of the humble and meeke hath thy pleasure bin euermore And Psalm 49 Call vpon me in the day of trouble and I will deliuer thee Is any merie let him sing He counseleth him that is in prosperitie to sing by which counsel the Apostle teacheth three thinges For first when he biddeth vs sing he will haue vs acknowledge God to be the author of our prosperitie Secondly he will haue vs extoll and prayse him giuing him thankes for his benefites Thirdly that we doe not with the world abuse our prosperitie to the contempt of God but that we doe rather rest in the author thereof singing vnto him and not attributing any thing to our selues But the worlde dooth contrary for it neyther acknowledgeth God to be the author of the felicitie which it enioyeth neyther is it thankefull to him so farre is it of that it singeth vnto God yea it doth rather furiously triumph with prophane ioye and gladnes 14 Is any sicke among you Let him call for the elders of the Church and let them pray for him and anoynt him vvith oyle in the name of the Lord 15 And the prayer of fayth shall saue the sicke and the Lord shall raise him vp and if he haue committed sinnes they shalbe forgiuen him He counseleth him that is sicke what he must doe First let him send for the elders as Phisitions of his soule Then let the elders being called pray for the sicke and anoint him with oyle not that he may die but that he may miraculously be restored to health as y e Apostle here plainly speaketh But seing that oyle was an outward signe of the gift of healing which gift continued for a time to confirme the doctrine in the primitiue Church and nowe the Church hath not that gift It were fond and foolish to keepe still the signe without the thing signified by the signe That I may in the meane season say nothing concerning the idolatrous adiurations and trust in the anointing wherein was thought to be a most sure aide and defence agaynst the deuel which kind of things they doe retayne as yet in the papacie Wherfore let vs leaue to the papists their colour wherewith they may sinere their dead to be sent into hell Moreouer this place doth most manifestly confute the opinion of the Nauatians which denied them returning to
may be perceiued Matth. 19.21 VVho is sayde to be perfect and who to be vnperfect The definition of christian perfection Two parts of christian perfection To what ende wisedome is to be asked of God VVisedome that teacheth to be patient in affliction consisteth in two poyntes The first point Howe the iudgement of God is to be considered in afflictions Psalm 39.11 VVhat we must know concerning the mercy of God in affliction The second point of wisedome in affliction Iob. 19.25 2. Tim. 2.8 God the fountaine of vvisedome and all goodnesse Hovv al good things are to be obtayned at the handes of God A vaine thing to seeke after more mediatoures Our faith must not vvauer in prayer and vvhy An obiection The aunsvver Both faith vvauering are in the regenerate in diuers respects VVho is double minded The foundation of all godly doings The poore mans lesson The rich mans lesson 2. Cor. 10.17 An obiection The aunswer The glorie of riches fitlye compared to the floure that soone fadeth away The reason why the godly ought to reioyce in tentations The blessed ende of the tentations of the godly The Papistes abuse of this place and the confutation thereof An obiection The aunsvver The very principles vvhereby vve are iustified and saued The meanes vvhereby vve are knovvne to be righteous saued Matth. 25.35.36 God is not the author of tentation or of sinne From vvhence tentation proceedeth and the maner hovve VVhat tentation is Three kindes of tentation Tentation of seducing what it is Two kindes of tentation of seducing Inward tentation of seducing Naturall concupiscence what it is and how farre to be approued Concupiscence of the flesh and the description thereof The plentifull frutes of fleshly concupiscence Fleshly concupiscence the roote of all mischiefe By what meanes concupiscence of the flesh may be ouercome The flesh in the godly fighteth agaynst the spirite Gal. 5.17 Concupiscence of the spirite from whence it commeth Meanes to bynde and mortifie fleshly concupiscence The outvvard tentation of seducing which is of three sortes according to the causes therof which are the world the deuel the things that are about vs. VVhen and howe the worlde tempteth vs. Remedies against the tentation of the world To what ende the deuell tempteth vs. The engines of the deuell which he vseth in tempting the godly Examples of such as were led with the tentations of the deuell VVhy Satan rageth more now then heretofore 1. Iohn 5.4 Prou. 18.10 How the tentations of Satan maye be resisted and ouercome Tentation that commeth of the thinges that are about vs. Remedies prescribed The seconde kinde of tentation which is of presumption Remedies against the tentation of presumption The thirde kinde of tentation which is of triall Abraham tried with tentation Iob tried with tentation Iob. 19.25 Iob. 2.10 The primitiue Church tried with tentation How we must behaue our selues in tentation of triall VVhen concupiscence conceyueth Originall sin Actuall sinne VVe must in no wise think that God tempteth any man to doe euill Six reasons follow in order which do most firmely prooue that God doth in no case tempt any to doe euell The first reason The seconde reason The thirde reason The fourth reason The fift reason The sixt reason The Church and the world differ much The circumcision of the eares and lips wherein it consisteth VVhat kinde of wrath the Apostle forbiddeth A description of the true hearers of the word of God The effect of the worde of God faithfully receyued VVhat it is not only to heare the word but also to doe it Luk. 11.28 Two sorts of doers of the word A doer of the word according to the lawe A doer of the word according to grace The reason why we must be not only hearers but also doers of the word VVhy wee must not bee hearers onely he proueth by a worthie similitude The workes of hypocrites fitly compared to an image appearing in a glasse VVhy the law is called perfect VVherefore he calleth it a law of libertie VVho is not a forgetfull hearer 1. Cor. 1.30 An vsuall vice among hypocrites Certayne properties of them that are truly religious A full and perfect definition of christian religion To haue respect of persons is not agreable to the christian fayth An obiection Psal 15.4 The aunswer The fift according to the diuision receiued among vs for all do not diuide the commaundements alike which notwithstanding is a thing indifferent he foloweth here the custome of their Churches What maner of accepting of persons the Apostle disalloweth VVhy the poore of this vvorlde are not to be despised The order of the restoring agayne of mankinde Rom. 6.23 Howe farre some are deceiued in the doctrine of election VVhy so fewe come when as God calleth all by his worde God will haue al to be saued but yet by such meanes as he hath appoīted which they that refuse are iustly condemned Matth. 20.16 Many be called but fewe be chosen howe it is to be vnderstand Matth. 22.12 Psal 18.25 VVhom God will saue and whom he will condemne VVhat al they must doe which mynde and desire to attayne saluation through Christ The poore in no wise to be contemned Vngodly rich men must not be honoured with contempt of godly pore men He that faileth in one poynt of the lawe is guiltie of the whole lawe The sixt and seuenth according to our diuision Diuers reasons which proue that all sinnes are not alike as the Stoicks doe falsly affirme Luk. 12.47 Matth. 25.34 The sentence of the last iudgement and the maner thereof Iohn 5.28 VVhy the Apostle calleth as the lawe of libertie Matth. 16.27 2. Cor. 5.10 How the sentence of the last iudgement is to be applied to the wicked and howe to the godly VVe are heires not through workes but through grace VVhy it is sayd that euery man shall be iudged according to his deedes That fayth which bringeth not forth good workes is not true but vayne and cannot saue Paule and Iames speake diuersly of fayth VVhat fruites a vayne and false fayth bringeth forth He proueth by a very fit similitude that fayth without good workes is vaine Another reason prouing fayth which is without good workes to be vayne A proper similitude Another reason prouing the fayth of hypocrites to be vayne and not able to saue What kynde of faith Paule speaketh of Fruites of true fayth That our faith ought to haue good workes ioyned with it it is proued by the example of Abraham VVhat Iames meaneth by this word iustified which the Scholmen haue wrested as it is proued by three firme and strong reasons The first reason Paule and Iames are nothing contrarie the one to the other but there is difference onely in the purpose of them both The second reason concerning the taking of this word iustified The third infallible argument concerning the taking of this word iustified Gen. 22.12 VVhat it meaneth that Abrahams faith was made perfect thorow workes Another example that
true fayth is not destitute of good workes Hypocrites fayth is vaine The Gospell is the preaching of repentance and forgiuenesse of sinnes The first foundation of the preaching of repentance Matth. 3.2 Ierem. 36.3 Ezech. 33.11 Ierem. 3.22 Matth. 9.13 Two thinges ther be which hinder repentance in vs wherunto the Lord addeth remedies A remedie agaynst our ignorance Rom. 3.20 How the Lord driueth away our sluggishnesse Luke 13.3 A liuely example VVhat true repentance is Howe Adam by little and little came vnto true repentance Dauid an example wherin the partes of true repentance are liuely set forth Psal 38.3 2. Sam. 12.13 Psal 51.1 vers 15. vers 13. The parts of true repentance Contrition the first part of repentance what it is What fayth is which is the seconde part of true repentance The definition of iustification Fayth Rom. 3.28 Deliuerance from sinne 1. Iohn 1.7 Psal 32.1.2 Iohn 3.36 Imputation of righteousnesse Howe we are righteous before God Accepting of vs vnto eternall lyfe Diuers errours in the doctrine of iustification The first errour of them which saye that we are iustified by works with a confutation thereof Psal 143.2 Gal. 3.10 Gal. 2.21 The seconde error of them which affirme that wee are iustified by sayth and workes togither and the same cōfuted Verse 6. Two kindes of righteousnesse The errour concerning iustification by fayth and workes togither from whence it proceeded The thirde errour in the doctrine of iustification confuted The obedience of Christ is double Christian righteousnes Three kindes of righteousnes of man Perfect righteousnesse in this lyfe Vnperfect righteousnes Righteousnes perfect and absolute in the lyfe to come Newe obedience doth necessarily accompanye saith 1. Cor. 1.30 Howe Christ is made our wisedome righteousnes sanctification c. Howe good workes are necessarie to saluation Sixe questions to be handled concerning good works The first question what good workes are to bee taught and done Such workes are to bee taught and done as God hath commended to vs in his worde The seconde question Howe those works which God hath prescribed may be done Heb. 11.6 Iohn 15.5 Zach. 12.10 Iohn 14.23 The thirde question how good workes which are done of vs do please God How our obedience pleaseth God Three speciall causes which ought to moue vs to doe good workes Fiue kindes of necessitie which oughte much to stirre vs vp vnto the doing of good workes Leuit. 18.4 1. Thess 4.3 1. Timo. 5.8 ◠Timo. 1.18.29 Ezech. 33.11 The second speciall cause which ought so moue vs to worke well Iohn 1.12 ◠Pet. 1.16 The third speciall cause which ought to stirre vs vp to good workes Fiue causes wherefore God hath added promises to good workes The first The second The third The fourth Ioh. 15.16 The fift Two generall sorts of sinnes VVhat followeth sinne agaynst the conscience The sinnes of the godly Psal 32. ◠Rom. 8.13 What the Apostle condemneth in the former wordes The names maisters and teachers are not taken away by the words of Iames. The greatest causes which moue men to sinne so often as they doe The tongue is compared to the bit of a bridle and to the rudder of a ship The discommodities which arise of an vnruly and an vntemperate tongue A hard thing to rule the tongue and therefore it must be bridled in time Vnpossible it is for a tongue accustomed to speake yll to vtter that which is good vndefiled True vvisdom will shewe it selfe by honest conuersation A man cannot be full of enuy and strife and also wise Contention and true wisedome can not stande togither Enuie strife open the gate to sedition wickednesse An excellent comparing togither of earthly and heauenly wisdom wherein is shewed howe the one differeth from the other The vse of wisedom and all other good gifts receyued of God The fourth Chapter consisteth of four Partes How men are led to sinne through the lustes of their own mindes Rom. 6.12 The inordinate carefulnesse of couetous men described We can not serue tvvo maisters we can not please both God and the worlde Math. 6.24 Spirituall adulterie The heart and thoughts of the vnregenerate are euill continually To whome God giueth his grace VVhat it is to submit himselfe to God To resist the deuill VVho is sayde to draw nere vnto God and who to drawe nere vnto the deuel VVe must not reioyce in our owne lustes but be ashamed for our sinne Though the godly be long cast downe yet the Lorde at length will raise them vp and comfort them VVe must not be rash to reproue and condemne our brethren To condemne the law what it is The office of the law All iudging of our brethren is not condemned of the Apostle Another reason against rash iudgers of their brethren Two necessarie conditions to be obserued in determining and purposing to doe thinges To sinne of will is farre more grieuous then to sinne of ignorance To what rich men the Apostle speaketh The exceding couetousnes of many rich men Vngodly richmen at the last shall not escape vnpunished Pay the true labourer his peny for his payne The rule of Christ consisteth of two principall poynts the first whereof is a commandement The prōise annexed to the commandement 1 Tim. 5 8. A lawfull calling VVhat offices are lawful to be allowed Howe euery man may take a priuate office vpon him selfe Most excellent rules to be obserued of euery man in perfourming his office and dutie VVhat wee must doe if God blesse vs with increase of riches Math. 19.23 How the rich of the worlde ought to be affected Psal 62.10 1. Tim. 6.17 The minde of the godlye concerning riches Howe the wicked and couetous are affected towarde riches How the godly man must behaue himselfe concerning his riches The vse of riches diuided into three parts The chiefe principall vse whervnto riches ought to serue How the first and principall vse of riches is vtterly neglected of many Examples of such as haue vsed their riches chiefly to the glorie of God The seconde right lawfull vse of riches Two sorts of men do chiefly offende in the seconde right vse of riches Matth. 22.11 A question The answere The thirde lawfull vse of riches wherein are twoo things especially to be taken heede of The fourth last lawful vse of riches VVhy God will haue the poore to be among vs. Mutuall societie and bargaines are very necessarie among men The first foundation of all contracts and bargaynes The confirmation of the first foundation of bargaynes Rom. 13. ◠1. Tim. 1.5 The effects of true loue Bargaines grounded vppon the foundation aforesayd are both equall and lawfull The seconde foundation of contracts and bargaynes He purposeth to speake of sixe seuerall kindes of bargaines How exchang of thinges is made and when it is lawfull In changing of thinges chiefly three kindes of deceit may be vsed Bying and selling neyther very auncient nor yet common among all nations A seller A byer 1.
Thessal 4.6 The office duty of him that selleth VVhat is to be obserued concerning the price of thinges Three kindes of men especially do offend in bying and selling An obiection The aunswere How greuously they sinne which enhance and rayse the price of thinges without cause To loue godlines with Aiax is so long onely to be godly while nothing is required of vs contrary to our owne affections in which number are too too many at this day Redeming of bargaines VVhat borowing is Two thinges to be marked in borowing A precept of Hesiodus concerning borowing and restoring that which is borowed VVe are bound by a double bond to lend vnto others Luke 6.35 How the Iewes corrupted the law concerning lending The meaning of the saying of Christ before mentioned concerning lending Luke 6.33 â—4 Psal 112.5 The lending of the godly and of the vngodly doe much differ VVhat the godly consider and regard in their lending Psal 15.1.2 Two sorts of borowing VVherin Vsurie consisteth The chiefe points which he meaneth to handle concerning vsury Foure prohibitions of vsurie The first prohibition of vsurie The very heathen Philosophers did disallow vsurie and affirme it to be contrarie to nature Other reasons prouing vsury to be against nature The second prohibition of vsurie out of the word of God Verse 25. Verse 37. Verse 19.20 Verse 8. The third prohibition of vsurie taken from ciuil ordinances lawes of common weales How Solon did moderate vsurie among the Athenians The moderation of vsurie which the ancient Emperours made The fourth prohibition of vsurie whiche is taken out of the decrees of Synodes and the sayings of holy fathers Gratianus against vsurie Psalm 15.5 Hierome against vsurie Augustine against vsurie Ambrose against vsurie Chrysostome against vsurie The money of an vsurer very fitly compared to the poison of an Aspe Lactantius against vsurie Bernard against vsurie The chiefe causes wherfore vsurie is forbidden Three kinds of punishment of vsurers How the auncient Romains punished vsurers and what they iudged of them The corruption of our time is great An example worthie to be noted of all but specially of vngodly vsurers Another example of an vsurer Though vsurers are not punished of men yet they shall not escape the punishment of God Though punishment be deferred yet it is not therfore taken awaye A profitable admonition to vngodly vsurers The spirituall punishment of vsurers though little esteemed of many yet truly exceeding grieuous Note How vsurers were punished heretofore according to the censure of the Church Vsurers were very iustly prohibited from the ceremonie of offring An obiection The aunswere Vsurers were in time past put back from the holy communion and that for most weightie causes reasons Matth. 7.6 An admonition to the ministers of the Gospell Vsurers in time past wer excluded froÌ„ christian buriall and that by the iust censure of the Church VVhy we solemnise the burials of holy men Reasons and testimonies wherfore vsurers haue bene excluded from christian buriall Ierâ— 22.19 Psal 116.15 VVith what fayre gloses some will seke to diminishe the heynousnesse of vsury * Their owne naturall corruption VVhere vsury is established there charitie is ouerthrown An obiection in the behalfe of vsurers The aunswer Euery will is not without constraint as it is shewed by examples Another obiection in the behalfe of vsurers The aunswer Vsurers are Idolaters and why Vsurie which some affirme to be the vpholding of families and common weales is in deede in the ende oft times the vtter ruin of them VVhat vsurers ought to doe to whom God hath giuen grace to repent and to forsake so detestable a sin No bargain is disallowed which is not contrarie to charitie A profitable rule concerning bargains The dutie of charity which we owe to the poore and impotent Diuers causes which hinder men that they are so slacke in the necessary dutie of giuing almes VVhy he purposeth to intreat of almes more at large VVhat chiefe poyntes he meaneth to handle concerning almes VVe must bestow the first almes vpon our selues VVherein the mercy consisteth which we ought to shew first to our owne selues The first distinction of almes Two kindes of almes which is bestowed vpon other Spiritual almes what it is how diuine and passing al other kinds of almes Iam. 5.19.20 Ciuil almes what it is Luke 6.36 The first cause yea and that most weighty which ought to stirre vp all christians to be diligent in giuing almes Malac. 1.6 The second cause which ought to moue vs to the giuing of almes He cannot rightly feare the Lorde which is not mercifull to the poore 1. Iohn 3.17 The third cause which ought to prouoke vs to be liberall in giuing almes The fourth cause which ought to stirre vs vp diligently to distribute our almes to the poore Almes rightly bestowed is a thing much accepted and esteemed before God The fift cause of giuing almes A triple bond wherwith all men are ioyned in neighbourhoode one with another Other exceeding neare bonds wherewith Christians are knit togither which also ought not a little to moue vs vnto liberall almes toward our nedy brethren Esay 58.7 The sixt cause that ought to moue vs to giue almes is the sundrye punishments which shall light vppon them that are vnmercifull towarde the poore Matth. 25.23 Two things diligently to be taken hede of in giuing almes VVhat affections ought to be in him that bestoweth almes Quantitie in almes how to be considered Tob. 4.9 Equalitie in almes Readines and chearefulnes in giuing almes Vpon whome especially almes is to be bestowed Prouer. 5.16 The endes of godly almes are foure â— Cor. 9.8 Psal 41.1 Prouer. 19.17 * That is such as eyther through pouertie age or for some other cause are not able to helpe themselues How we must behaue our selues in lending to artificers and labourers Three great faults in many artificers and labourers The first fault founde in artificers and workemen The seconde fault He speaketh not of our countrie Englande but of his owne countrie Denmarke whether the same may be sayde of our countrie that I leaue to the iudgement of others An obiection The aunswer The thirde fault in many artificers and workemen Very vniust vsury practiced among husbandmen Nice and delicate yong men Ill bringing vp is a cause of marring many which are of a good towardnes and wit An apt similitude How much bringing vp preuaileth either vnto vertue or vice it is declared by an excellent example Good education a most profitable patrimonie Two thinges which much hinder good education A very apt similitude The fewer the children the more diligently to be cared for that they be well brought vp Cruell loue in many mothers that thinke them selues to loue their children most dearely The second cause which hindreth good education The discommoditie of euill bringing vp is properly shewed Contending who shall passe one an other in quaffing and drunkennes Contending in vanitie and excesse of apparell How we must behaue our selues