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
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
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
of the discommodities of an vnbridled and an vnruly tongue As sayth he a little fire dooth with burning consume the whole wood so the litle tongue is as it were the kindling of many vices which although it be but smal yet it is a world of iniquitie that is a gathering togither or an heape of all wickednes as therfore in a little fire there is powre to kindle the whole wood so in the small tongue there is power to defile the whole body of man and to set on fire the course of nature when as it selfe is first set on fire of hell But what is the course of nature and what is it for the tongue to be set on fire of hell As the course of nature is the world it selfe so the tongue to be set on fire of hell is asmuch as to be breathed vpon of Satan himselfe wherby it is made a sit instrument to stirre vp all mischiefe in the worlde Hereunto may be referred that saying of Menander the tongue is the cause of many euills How true this is the tongue of Mahomet and other heretikes doth witnes 7 For the vvhole nature of beastes and of birdes and of creeping thinges and thinges of the sea is tamed and hath bene tamed of the nature of man 8 But the tongue can no man tame it is an vnruly euil The sixt reason taken from a comparison beastes byrdes and fishes of the sea may be tamed but the tongue that is vnbrideled and accustomed to speak ill can by no meanes be tamed It is therfore an exceeding great euill Wherefore we must most diligently take heede that we doe not giue it to much libertie Full of deadly poyson 9 Therevvith blesse vve God euen the father therevvith curse vve men vvhich are made after the similitude of God 10 Out of one mouth procedeth blessing and cursing The seuenth reason taken of the wonderfull inconstancie of the venimous tongue For it fayneth y e it blesseth God and by and by it curseth him in his image then which wickednes what can be greater My brethren these things ought not so to be The eyght reason taken of an inconuenience this disorder of the tongue and reprochfull speaking doth not become Christians wherefore it is especially to be auoyded 11 Doth a fountaine sende forth at one place svveete vvater and bitter 12 Can the fig tree my brethren bring forth oliues eyther a vyne figges so can no fountayne make both salt vvater and svveete The ninth reason taken of that which is vnpossible As it is vnpossible that a fountayne should be able to sende forth at one place swete water and bitter For that can no more be than that a figge tree shoulde be able to bring forth olyues or a vine figges so it can not be that that tongue which is giuen to euil speaking and sclandering should be able to bring forth any good thing not defiled w t the venim of the tongue the heart Wherfore seing that it is so let euery one applie his tongue only to speak well which will be counted godly among the children of God Wherfore let no man rashly vsurpe vnto himselfe authoritie to controll and finde fault with others 13 VVho is a vvise man and endued vvith knovvledge among you let him shevve by good conuersation his vvorkes in meekenesse of vvisedom Hitherto he hath beaten downe the statelynesse of proude controllers of other and hath with firme reasons bridled the vnrulinesse and saucinesse of the tongue Now bicause this euill did proceede of an opinion of wisedome he commendeth the true moderation of wisedome and teacheth the vse thereof in our lyfe and conuersation The proposition is this He that is endued with true wisedome and knowledge let him shewe it by the workes of an honest and meeke conuersation as by the true and continuall fruites thereof 14 But if ye haue bitter enuying and strife in your heartes reioyce not neyther be lyers agaynst the truth The first reason of the proposition taken of disagreeing or contrarie effects He which is full of bitter enuying contētion doth boast in vayne that he is a wise man For these wicked affections are contrarie to the nature of true wisedome which loueth honestie and meekenesse To be a lyer agaynst the truth in this place is falsly to vsurpe vnto himselfe the name of wisedome 15 This vvisedome descendeth not from aboue but is earthly sensuall and deuilish The seconde reason of contrarie causes Wisedome wherwith bitternesse of mynde and desire of contention are ioyned is earthly sensuall and deuelishe Therefore it is not true wisedome For true wisedome is heauenly spirituall and diuine Iames in this place doth not condemne naturall wisedome which is the good gyft of God by it selfe whereof he maketh here no mention but he condemneth the wicked affections of men and the vayne boasting of diuine wisedome 16 For vvhere ennying and strife is there is sedition and all maner of euill vvorkes The thirde reason of the discommoditie of enuy and contention which followe a vayne opinion of wisedome Experience doth sufficiently proue that when men are full of bitter enuie and desirous of contention the gate is open to them vnto sedition and all wickednes wherof Germanie being afflicted at this day hath to much experience 17 But the vvisedome that is from aboue is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be entreated full of mercie and good fruites vvithout iudging and vvithout hypocrisie The fourth reason taken of things annexed or ioyned vnto true and heauenly wisedome Which things we will declare by setting one contrarie agaynst the other Earthly wisedome is corrupted with affections heauenly wisedome is pure vndefiled and not polluted with affections Earthly wisedom is desirous of cōtention heauenly wisedome is peaceable that is diligent to make peace and quietnesse among men Earthly wisedome is rigorous and cruell heauenly wisedome is gentle and giueth place to rigour Earthly wisedome will yeelde to no man heauenly wisedome is tractable and doth easily obey him that commaundeth those things that be good and right Earthly wisedome is vnmercifull heauenly wisedome is mercifull and full of good fruites Earthly wisedome doth accept persons omitting the cause heauenly wisedome doth in no case regarde the persons but the causes Earthly wisedome hath hypocrisie ioyned with it heauenly wisedome is voyde of all hypocrisie 18 And the fruite of righteousnes is sovven in peace of them that make peace The fift reason taken of the fruite which commeth vnto them that vse wisedome and other giftes of God peaceably vnto edifying also he teacheth a generall rule concerning the vse not only of wisedome but also of other giftes For he will haue vs vse both wisedome and other giftes as the fruites of righteousnesse peaceably vnto edifying which if we shall doe we shall at the length ioyfully reape the fruites of our righteousnesse Chap 4. The summe of the fourth Chapter AS the Apostle