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B15342 A treatie of iustification. Founde emong the writinges of Cardinal Pole of blessed memorie, remaining in the custodie of M. Henrie Pyning, chamberlaine and general receiuer to the said cardinal, late deceased in Louaine. Item, certaine translations touching the said matter of iustification, the titles whereof, see in the page folowing Pole, Reginald, 1500-1558.; Copley, Thomas, Sir, 1534-1584, suggested trans. 1569 (1569) STC 20088; ESTC S102468 222,799 366

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right and constant hope in God that nothing perteining to saluatiō can be auaileable to him that wanteth it Aug. Enchi cap. 8. No true charitie can be without it No faith can iustifie but by the helpe and direction of it A good mans faith is the substance of things that are to be hoped Hebr. 11. Take awaie hope then from faith and faith must nedes fainte and quaile The thing that kepte the Fathers of whome S. Paule speaketh so faithfull to God was that they had a strong hope and trust to enioye his promises And that which was said of Moyses may be truely said of them al Hebr. 11. Aspiciciebat ad remunerationem They looked to the rewarde which can not be without hope The Diuelles beleue and tremble Aug. Enchi cap. 8. but as S. Augustine saith they neither hope nor loue In like manner euil Christians may beleue and yet remaine stil vngodly and voide of iustice bicause they want hope and loue I haue proued before that faith without charitie iustifieth no man Propter quod Apostolus Paulus Aug. ibid. For which cause the Apostle Paule commendeth the faith which hath her woorking through charitie Quae vtique sine spe esse non potest Which can in no wise be without hope For sith a man may beleeue that whiche he hopeth not for what auaileth him to beleeue 1. Timo. 2. that Christe is the Sauiour of all men vnlesse he hope also to be partaker of that saluation Or howe shoulde he be moued to loue him for the benefite of our redemption if he trust not to enioy it And therefore saith S. Augustine Nec amor sine spe Euch. c. 8 nec sine amore spes nec vtrumque sine fide Neither is there loue without hope nor hope without loue nor both without faith And so doth faith woorke our Iustification through hope and loue So is it true that fides spes August epist 121. charitas ad Deum ducunt faith hope and charitie leade vs to God to whom we are assured not to come if either of the three want in vs. And therefore as it is saied Ephes 2. Rom. 8. by grace are ye saued through faith So is it also said Spe salui facti sumus By hope are we saued Hope ioyning with faith and charity ingēdreth an affiance in God and maketh a strong hoping faith vnto whiche affiance euerlasting life is promised Qui habet fiduciam mei haeredit abit terram Esai 57. possidebit montem sanctum meum He that hath affiance in me shall inherite the earth and possesse my holie Hill. So dothe S. Paule call hope the safe and sure anker of the sowle Heb. 6. Whervnto as many as flee for refuge haue a most strong comforte For as the ancor staieth the shippe so doth hope the sowle faith would be weake and charitie colde if hope mainteined and staied them not S. Paule saieth to the Colossians Coloss 1. Gratias agimus Deo Patri We geue thankes to God and the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe euer praying for you For that we heare of your faith in Christe Iesu and of the loue you beare towarde all the holie Propter spem quae reposita est vobis in coelis For the hopes sake that is laid vppe for you in heauen He maketh the ende of our hope the marke wherevnto both faith and charitie haue their respecte And if the Philosophers sayinges be true that the ende is it whiche is last done Hope by some reason is the principall vvorker in our Iustification and first in our intente a man may reason vppon this place that in the acte of our Iustification Hope dothe not onely worke but hath the chiefe place and principal woorking Bicause his obiecte is the ende wherevnto faith and charitie referre all their dooinges and consequently the cause that moueth faith to beleeue and charitie to loue without the direction of hope faith and loue may be fruitlesse A man may haue faith and doe good woorkes August in Praefat. Psal 31. and yet lacking a right hope he shall not be a good man For saith S. Augustine Quid si de ijs omnibus bonis operibus c. What if by all these good woorkes either thou hope for that is to be hoped but not at his hande of whom it shoulde be hoped or hope after that is not to be hoped though it be at his hande of whome euerlasting life is to be hoped To put an Example For thy good workes thou hopest to get thy selfe a worldly felicitie Thou arte a wicked man. And therfore he saith in the same place Corrige fidem dirige fidem Correcte thy faith directe thy faith And what is the direction of faith but to referre and applye it to life euerlasting which we ought to hope and trust for in al our doinges If faith then can not iustifie vnlesse it be rightly directed and direction of faith is hope howe shoulde faithe iustifie without hope Ser. 16. de ver apost Adde ergo fidei spem Therefore put hope to faith saieth S. Augustine And what hope is there without some good conscience put charitie then also to hope These three ioyntly together beginne to woorke our iustice These three increase our iustice These three bring vs to the rewarde and perfection of iustice faith hope and charitie leade vs to God fide spe charitate colendus est Deus By faith hope and charitie God muste be serued Et nos fide spe Aug. epistol 121. charitate cum capite nostro sumus in coelo By faith hope and charitie we be in heauen with Christe our heade Ench. ca. 2 6. August in Psalm 26 enarr 2. let vs make no diuorce betwene these vertues whome God hath so ioyned to worke our iustice and saluation But as we be assured that without hope the acte of our Iustification is not wroughte so it behoueth vs to vnderstande howe hope muste be nurisshed and mainteyned The lesson is shorte but of greate proffite vttered by him that had good experience thereof August in praefation Psalm 31. Cupiditas refrenetur charitas excitetur Lette luste be brydeled lette charitie be stirred vp The very charitie of a man that worketh well geueth him the hope of a good conscience For good conscience is it that beareth hope As an yll conscience is all in dispayre so the good conscience is all in hope We see then that it is charitie and godly life which fostereth and mainteyneth hope And as without hope faithe suffiseth not for whiche cause it is saied by S. Augustyne Putte hope vnto faith Augu. ser 16. de ver Apost so hope without charitie wil not be had For what hope is there without some good conscience Put charitie then to hope also Thus is faith directed and stayed by hope hope mainteyned by charitie and a man made acceptable to God by all three
can not worke our Iustification without charitie and other vertues howe is it then saied that the iustice of God commeth through faith of Iesus Christ into al and vppon al that beleue in him And in an other place By Faith God iustifieth the gentile What is meant by these wordes of Christ He that beleueth in me hath life euerlasting Thy Faith hath saued thee with many other like Wherevnto I answere There be two causes why it is saied through faith Tvvo Causes vvhy faith is saied to iustifie and by faith we are iustified To beginne with the first Faith is the beginning of iustice the roote of good workes the foundation wherevppon godly life is builded Aug. de praedesti Sanct. c. 7. Ex fide aūt ideo dicit iustificari hominem For this cause S. Paule saith a man is iustified by Faith not by workes for that Faith is first geuen whereby other which properly are called good workes by the whiche men liue iustely maie be obteined Without the direction of Faith no man can liue well nor doo good workes Aug. de fide operib cap. 7. Nisi praecedat fides vita bona sequi non poterit c. vnlesse Faith goo before good life can not folowe for what so euer a man shall doo with shewe of well doing excepte it be done for pietie and duties sake towarde God Cyril in Ioan. li. 4. cap. 9. 1. Cor. 3. Augu. de fide operib c. 16 it can not be called righteouse nor good Ianua via in vitam fides est Faithe is the gate and waie to entre into life Faith is the foundation whereuppon the whole building of a Christian and godlie life is laide Si autem Christus proculdubio fides Christi c. If Christe be the foundation vndoubtedly the Faith in Christ is the foundation for by Faith Christ dwelleth in our hartes For that cause the Bishoppes assembled at Magunce to reforme the state of the Churche and to directe the people to a Christian and godly life Concil Magun cap. 1. Rom. 5. Ephes 3. saide Initium actionis nostrae de fide esse decreuimus c. We haue determined that the beginning of our doing is of Faith whiche is the foundation of all good for without Faith we can not please God. By Faith it is that we haue accesse to Christ Faith is a meane to obteine and gette our Iustification Aug. de Spiri et Lit. ca. 29 Iustificatio autem ex fide impetratur c. Iustification is obteined by Faith. And by what meane S. Augustine doth there expresse Per fidem impetratio gratiae contra peccatum Aug. de Spiri Lit. ca. 30. Per gratiam sanatio animae à vitio peccati By Faith grace is obteined against sinne and by grace the sowle is healed of that is amisse by sinne Bicause therfore Faith is the gate and entrie to life the roote of good workes whereof all iustice taketh his beginning the foundation whereupon godly life is builded the meane to obteine Iustificatiō and good workes without the which nothing pleaseth God the Scripture saith that by Faithe a man is iustified for of Faithe it maie be saide Haec porta Domini iusti intrabunt in eam Psal 117. This is our Lordes gate the iuste shal entre into it And here the Reader must be aduertised The Catholike Faith. Vincentius Lyrinēsis that by faith is vnderstanded the trewe Catholique faith whiche holdeth and beleueth onely that that the Catholique Churche hath holden from Auncient time vniuersally And what so euer it shall vnderstande to be brought in afterwarde of any one beside or against all the holy it accompteth that not to perteine to religion but to temptation To this Faith is all promise made and preeminence geuen in the Scripture This faith is the foundation of iustice If any other be brought in contrarie or diuerse from this Nō est fides Cyril suprà sed perfidia It is not faith but falsehod not the foundation of iustice and gate of life but the waie to destruction Symbol Athan. Aug. Euchi cap. 1. De fide ope ca. 14. Epist 105. De spiri et Lit. cap. 32. Aug. de fide et oper c. 16. For we sing in the Creede Vnlesse a man holde the Catholique Faith sounde and inuiolable he shal without doubt be loste for euer An other cause why the Scripture so speaketh is that wheresoeuer it is said a man is iustified by faith there is not meant a bare naked or solitarie faith but that faith that worketh through Charitie And therefore S. Augustine where he saith that faith is the foundation wherby Christe dwelleth in our hartes immediatly after addeth these wordes Porrò fides Christi illa vtique c. But that is verely meant the faith of Christ which the Apostle determined that hath her working through Charitie Iaco. 2. Mar 1. Lucae 4. Matth. 8. For it is not the Faith of diuels though they also beleue and tremble and confesse Iesus to be the Sonne of God that may be taken for the foundation and why so but bicause it is not the Faith that worketh through Charitie but suche as is wroong owt through feare The Faith then of Christe the Faith of Christian grace that is to witte the Faith that hath her working through charitie if it be laied in the foundation suffreth none to perish by which wordes it appeareth that Faith maie be without charitie but suche a Faith can not make Christ to dwell in vs. Againe that Faith voide of charitie is not the Christians but the diuels Faith. Thirdely that the Faith of Christ the Christians Faith and the Faith of grace is that which worketh through Charitie and that is it that muste be laide for the foundation in al that shal not perish And seing that no man will saie that Faith can iustifie other then suche as is the faith of Christ the faith of grace the Christian and not the diuels faith it remaineth that when it is saied in the Scripture a man is iustified or saued by faith we must vnderstand that faith onely that worketh through Charitie Charitie maketh the difference betwene good men and wicked diuels Charitie is the cause why a Christian man may be iustified by faith Aug. Epistola 105. Iacob 2. Mar. 1. Lucae 4. Matth. 8. and the diuell maie not Illa quippe fides est Christianorum non daemoniorum That whiche worketh through Charitie is the Christian and not the diuels faithe for diuels also beleue and tremble but doo they likewise loue If they had no belefe they woulde not haue saied thou arte the Holie of God thou arte the Sonne of God had they loue they woulde not haue saied what haue we to doo with thee Other saith then this S. Augustine commendeth not as able to iustifie Illa est laudabilis fides August serm 13. de verb. Apostol ipsa est vera gratiae
fruit of Iustification is to leade a godly and vertuouse life here and the ende to enioye life euerlasting To woorke this effecte Christe gaue him selfe for vs to ransome vs from all iniquitie Tit. 2. and cleanse to him selfe a speciall people that should followe good workes To this ende was his grace shewed vnto al men teaching vs to renounce wickednesse and worldely desyres Ibid. and to liue soberly iustely and godly in this worlde looking for the blessed hope and comming of our Sauiour Math. 4. Math. 19. This effecte was wrought not onely in Christes Apostles who at his calling through grace forsooke all that before they looued in the worlde but also in sundrie others mentioned in the Scripture of whome it maye truely be sayd that being once brought to Christe Gal. 5. and made his they crucified theire fleshe Gal. 2. with the vices and concupiscences liued to Christ and Christ in them Marie Magdalene of an vnchaste wooman was made so vertuouse and constant in God that when Christ his Apostles forsoke him she went not awaye And after his ascension as probable histories testifie as wel she as Lazarus Ioseph of Arimathia and others forsaking Iudea sayled into other countries where they did continually leade a solitary Tit. 2. seuere and strayte life looking as S. Paule saieth for that blessed hope and comming of our Sauiour The multitude of the beleuing which were as we know thousandes agreed all in one harte and one minde Act. 4. Were so full of charitie and true loue that suche as were possessioners solde theire landes and houses to helpe them that had neede The fruit of Iustification was so great and wrought so great a chaunge generally in Christian menne 1. Pet. 4. as S. Peter saith that such as remained stil heathen maruayled at them that they would not do as they did in banketting dronkenes and confusion of ryot Euse li. 3. Eccles histor c. 32. Plinius in epist Plinius secundus being a heathen man and Lieutenant in a prouince where he sawe many Christian men martyred was by the good example of their life moued to write to the Emperour and to signifie that there was none offence founde in them other then that they songe Hymnes early before daye to Christ their God but as for whoredome and other like crimes he said they tooke them for vnlawfull and vtterly eschewed them Tertullian writing in the defence of Christian men in his tyme against the heathen saith in sundry places of that boke that the magistrates being heathen neither did nor could charge the Christians with murder inceste adultery sorcery conspiracie againste Princes or other notoriouse crimes but onely laide to their charge that they were Christians Bonus vir Caius Seius sed malus tantùm Tertulli in Apolog. quia Christianus Such a one is an honeste man but he is nought onely bicause he is a Christian And a litle after Quae mulier quàm lasciua quàm festiua Qui iuuenis Tertul. ibi Qui Lucius quàm amasius facti sunt Christiani ita nomen emendationi imputatus What a woman howe wanton howe pleasante what a yong man What a Lucius howe amorouse are become Christians So the very name is accompted for amendement S. Augustine saith it was seene in his tyme that common harlottes and stage players sodenly conuerted prooued suche Ad Simplician li. 1. Quaest 2. that they passed the colde Christians not onely in patience and temperance but also in faith hope and charitie By al which examples we see that the grace of Iustification where it is truely and vnfaynedly receiued is that Leauen whereof Christe spake Math. 13. which being put into three measures of meale leueneth the whole that is to say geueth it a newe tallage and taste other then it had before Rom. 6. 1. Pet. 4. Qui enim mortuus est iustificatus est à peccato for he that is deade is iustified from sinne and he that is iustified is deade from sinne By these examples we see it true that S. Paule saieth The Gospell is the power and might of God Rom. 1. for that the Gospel wherein Iustification is preached being truely and effectually receyued maketh them that so receyue it strong and so strong that as S. Augustine maketh the comparison August de correp grat c. 11. 12. many Martyrs haue shewed them selues to haue more perfite faith hope charitie better and more stronge freedome of will then Adam had for he had receyued the power not to sinne vnlesse he would neyther to forsake God vnlesse he would but he had not the perseuerance nor will to continewe in any of both and therefore he forsooke the good and became sinnefull These receyued by grace not onely the power to resiste synne but also the perseuerance and will so to continue Aug. ibid. cap. 12. Denique ille Adam terrente nullo c. Finally Adam when no man put him in feare yea and againste the commandemente of God that did put him in feare vsing his free will stoode not faste in so greate felicitie in so greate facilitie and ease of not sinning These Martyres when the worlde did I will not saye put them in feare but cruelly rage that they should not stande stoode faste in faith Whereas Adam sawe present before him the goods that he should leaue these did not see the goods that they were to receyue This is the strength in well doing whiche the grace of Iustification truely receyued and faithfully putte in vre geueth vnto Christian men by the whiche Christe is stronge in vs. Seing therefore that Christe Iesus is all one yesterday Heb. 13. and this daye and for euer howe is it that we finde not in our selues the strengeth in well doing whiche we commende in them Neyther the fruite of Iustification whiche S. Paule commendeth in the Romaines that is holinesse and vertuouse life suche as Plinie being a heathen man and Tertullian euen by the confession of the heathen saieth was commonlye founde in Christian menne What shall we saye but that God offereth it 2. Cor. 6. See the 7. chapt of this .2 Booke Cypria de simplicit Praelator and we will not receyue it We receyue the grace of God in vaine we geue not the credite to Gods woordes that they did we haue not the faithe of Abraham faithfully to beleeue and obediently to doo all that God biddeth vs to doo We beleeue his promises and care not for his commaundementes and therefore be faynte in faith and without hope and charitie To redresse this let vs firste beginne with the foundation and beleeue concerning our Iustification as they did Tertullian saieth that onely Christian menne were the innocente and godly lyuers and sheweth the cause Nos ergo soli innocentes quid mirum si necesse est Tertull. in Apologe Enimuerò necesse est innocentiam à Deo edocti perfectè eam nouimus vt à
saith he comme vnto life keepe the commaundementes When he had asked what commaundementes our Lord rehearsed to him the preceptes of the Lawe Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not cōmitte aduoultrie and so foorth Whereunto when he had aunswered that all these thinges he had done from his youth then did our Lord adde farther the precept also of perfection that selling all that he had and bestowing in almes on the poore he should haue treasure in heauen and follow the same Lord. Let them behold therfore and marke that it was not said vnto him he should beleeue and be baptised by which only helpe these men thinke a man may come to life but the preceptes of manners and workes were geuen vnto him which yet can not be kept or obserued without faith Neither bicause our Lord seemeth here to haue omitted the insinuacion of faith do we therfore prescribe and content our selues that only preceptes of manners should be opened to them that desire to come to life For both be mutually knit together as I said before bicause neither the loue of God can be in a man that loueth not his neighbour neither the loue of his neighbour in him which loueth not God. Therfore do we find that the Scripture doth somtime mention the one without the other now faith now workes eche for a ful and perfite doctrine to the end we may thereby vnderstand that one of them can not be without the other For why He that beleeueth God ought to doo that which God commaundeth and he that therefore doth bicause God commaundeth must of necessitie beleue God. That onely faith doth not suffice to saluation without good workes THE XIIII CHAPTER LET vs now therfore looke vnto that point The principall point of this Treatie and vvel to be marked which is to be beaten forth of all religious hartes least by a lewde securite they lose their saluatiō if they thinke onely faith to suffise to the obteining hereof and be negligent to liue wel and to kepe on in the way of God by good workes For euen in th'Apostles time some not vnderstanding certaine darke sentences of the Apostle Paul thought him to saie Let vs doo euil that good may come because he had saied the lawe entred Rom. 5. that offence might abound but where offence abounded there was grace the more abundant Which saying of S. Paule is true in this sense that menne receauing the lawe and most proudly presuming of theire owne strengthe and abilitie to kepe it not by right faith calling vpon the grace of God to ouercome their euil concupiscenses and lustes against the lawe were iustely burdened beside the transgressing of the lawe with moe yea and more greuous offences And so extreme gilt compelling them they fled to faith Psal 120. Rom. 5. Whereby they might deserue the mercie of pardone and helpe of our Lorde which made heauen and earth that charitie being thorough the holy Ghost powred in their hartes they might doo with loue those thinges which were commanded against the concupiscenses and lustes of this worlde Psal 15. Rom. 7. Hovv s Paule is to be vnderstanded according to that which was foresaid in the psalme their infirmities were multiplied and then they made hast Therefore where the Apostle saith He thinketh man to be iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe he meaneth not that after faith receiued and professed the workes of iustice should be contemned but that euery man may knowe that he may be iustified by faith This is meant of the first Iustification See the Treatie before though the workes of the Lawe haue not gonne before For they doo followe him that is iustified they go not before him that is to be iustified Of which matter I neede not farther to dispute in this present woorke Namely since I haue vppon this question alreadie sette forth a large booke which is intituled Of the letter and the spirit Note hovv olde the heresy is of only Faithe Bicause therefore this opinion was then euen in the Apostles time spronge vp the other Apostolical Epistles of Peter Iohn Iames and Iuda doo chiefly direct their intention and purpose against the same opinion so farre that they plainely * Therfore Luther thought good vtterly to reiect the Epistle of S Iames in his vvritinges against kinge henry the viij Galat. 5. 1. Cor. 13. Rom. 13. affirme faith without workes to profite nothing as Paule him selfe also defineth not euerie faith whereby a man may beleeue in God but that to be the healthfull and Euangelicall faith whose workes procede of Charitie that faith saith he which worketh thorough loue or Charitie For which cause also he sheweth the same faith which some men thinke to suffise vnto saluation to be so farre from profiting any whit that he saith If I haue all faith so as I may remoue mountaines and yet haue not Charitie I am nothing But where this faithfull Charitie woorketh there without doubt is good life For the fulnes of the Lawe is Charitie Wheruppon to make the matter plaine Peter in his second epistle where he exorteth vnto holinesse of life and woorkes and foreshewed that this world should passe away but new heauens and new earth was to be loked for which shall be geuen to be inhabited of the iust that they might hereby take good hede how they liued to become mete and worthy of that habitation knowing that out of certaine darke sentences of S. Paull some lewde personnes had taken occasiō to be carelesse of wel liuing Note as being sure of their saluation which is in faith said that certeine thinges there were in S. Paules Epistle most hard to be vnderstanded which men did peruert euē as they did other scriptures to their owne destruction whereas yet the same Apostle Paul thought no doubt of the euerlasting saluatiō which is not geauen but to good liuers euen in suche sorte as the other Apostles did Peter I say knowing this 2. Pet. 3. saieth as foloweth All these thinges then perishing of what sorte ought ye to be in holy conuersations and woorkes of pietie expecting and hastening to the presence of the day of our Lorde by the which the heauens burning shal be losed and the elementes by the heate of fier dissolued But we looke for according to his promisses newe heauens and a newe earth wherein iustice inhabiteth VVherefore most deerly beloued sins you looke for these thinges labour that ye may be found before him sounde and without spot in peace and thinke the patient expecting of our Lorde to be healthful vnto you euen as our deerest beloued brother Paul wrote vnto you according to that wisedome which was geuen vnto him speaking of these thinges in manner in all his Epistles wherein are some thinges harde to be vnderstanded which vnlearned and wauering persons doo peruert euen as the rest of the Scriptures to their owne destruction You therefore deerly beloued now foreknowing these thinges be
est By the which onely he is trewly iuste who so euer is iust But to declare that his minde was not to make any such separation Ib. cap. 70. he saith it is the charitie that commeth from a pure harte a good conscience and vnsained faith He might allege for him th' authoritie of S. Ihon th'Euangelist who being required by his scholers a litle before his death to teach them some perfecte lesson Hier. li. 3. com in epist ad Galat. cap. 6. whereby they might liue well and haue cause to remembre him said my children loue one an other And when they looked for more he repeted the same againe and said It is our Lords commaundement and if there be no more done but that it is inough He should haue Prosper to say for him De vit contēpla li. 3. ca. 13 Charitie is a summarie and abbridgement of all good doings of the which euery good worke taketh his life without the which neuer man pleased God. S. Bede would say Homi. aestiua in lita maio Ser. 7. de Epipha Chrysost tom 1. fol. 176. Charitie is the principall vertue in so muche that without that vertue other principall vertues can not be Leo would call her the mother of all vertues and Chrysostome the mother of all goodnes And thus haue I proued not only that faith without charitie iustifieth no man but also that charitie hath a souereine working in the acte of our Iustification without the which faith auaileth nothing and so doth not faith alone iustifie nor exclude charitie An answere to obiections that be made to proue that faith alone iustifieth without charitie THE IIII. CHAPTER BVT leste the mainteiners of Iustification by onely faith should seeme to be without all ground and to exclude charitie without colour of reason they frame one especiall argument which for the readers better satisfaction I will put forth and answere here The argument is this We be iustified by faith without all workes of the Lawe Charitie is a worke of the Lawe Ergo we be iustified by faith without charitie To the which I answere with S. Augustine that their second proposition deceiueth them for that charitie is not onely a worke of the lawe but also the gifte of the holy Ghost in the newe testament Rom 5. S. Paule saith the charitie of God is powred abrode in our hartes through the holy Ghost that is geuen vs. 1. Ioha 4. And S. Iohn saith Moste dearely beloued let vs loue one an other for loue commeth of God. Vppon which wordes S. Augustines answere is De grat li. arb cap. 18. Cùm dicitur diligamus inuicem lex est Cùm dicitur quia dilectio ex Deo est gratia est When it is said Lette vs loue one an other it is the lawe when it is said for loue commeth of God it is grace He maketh this the greatest differēce betwene th' old and new testament that where as in the old God lead his people by terror and feare in the newe he geueth them plenty of his charitie and loue Contr. Adiman cap. 17. De spirit lit cap. 17. Item cap. 21. ca. 16. Haec est breuissima c. This is the shortest and plainest difference of both testaments feare and loue Ibi in tabulis lapideis There the holy Ghost wrought in tables of stone here in mens hartes And what be the lawes of God writen by God him self in mennes hartes but the presence of the holy Ghost who is the singer of God by whose presence charitie is powred abrode in our hartes which is the fulfilling of the law Thus doo we see that charitie is not onely a worke of the law but also the fruite of the holy Ghost the speciall token of the new testament wrought in our hartes by the holy Ghost And so hath S. Augustine answered this argument xi hundred yeares before they were borne that lately haue made it And whereas it is saied that faith onely iustifieth What it is truely to apprehēd Christe bicause faith onely apprehendeth Christe I aske what is meant by the terme of Apprehension If it be to beleue onely that Christ died for sinners that alone iustifieth no man for the Diuelles beleue it and tremble Iacob 2. bicause they hope not to be partakers of that benefite nor loue him that purchased it If to apprehend Christe be vnderstanded to dwell in Christe and to haue him dwell in vs it is not true that Christe is apprehended in that sorte by onely faith without charitie For it is saied 1 Ioan 4. God is charitie and he that dwelleth in charitie dwelleth in God and God in him And Christ him selfe saith Si quis diligit me Ioan. 14. sermonem meum seruabit Pater meus diliget eum ad eum veniemus mansionem apud eum faciemus If a man loue me he will kepe my saying and my Father wil loue him and to him will we come and make our abode with him By these woordes let the Reader learne what it is truely and profitably to apprehend Christe He apprehendeth Christ truly Aug. ser 61. de ver Dom. tract in Ioan. 29. that is vnited and made a member of Christe whiche as I haue proued in the last Chapter can not be done without hope and charitie He apprehendeth Christ truely that cleaueth vnto Christ and the glue whereby the sowle is fastned vnto Christe saith S. Augustine is charitie Ipsum gluten est charitas In Psal 62 If it be said that faith apprehendeth the promise Christ hath promised lyfe euerlasting to suche as become his friendes Ioan. 15. Heb. 5. And they be his friendes that keepe his commaundements He is made a cause of life euerlasting but to such as obey him The promise is made to the children of Abraham that is to suche as haue the faith and obedience of Abraham whereof I shall speake at large hereafter Chapt. 23. And so is it true that faith alone neither apprehendeth Christe nor his promise profitablie vnlesse hope and Charitie be ioyned vnto it That Faith excludeth not Hope in the acte of our Iustification THE V. CHAPTER Of Hope AS God requireth of such as come to his seruice that they stedfastly beleeue in him and with all their heartes loue him So doth he also require of them to repose al hope and affiance in him onely saying by his Prophete Iere. 17. Maledictus homo qui confidit in homine Cursed is the man that putteth his trust in man. And by the same Prophete Iere. 9. 1. Cor. 1. Psal 107. Psal 33. Let not the wise bragge in his wisedome neither lette the strong boast in his strength Nor lette the riche glorie in his riches But lette him that boasteth boast in our Lorde Wherefore as mans power to saue is vaine and he vnhappie that trusteth in it so happie is the man that trusteth in God. Of so great force is a
sort that when God toucheth the harte of man by geuing vnto it the light of the Holie Ghost neither may the man him selfe do nothing at all when he receuieth that inspiration for he hath power also to caste it away and refuse it neither yet can he without the grace of God of his owne free will moue him selfe to iustice before God. Whereupon in the holie Scriptures when it is said Be you turned vnto me Zacha. 1. and I will be turned vnto you We are put in minde of our libertie When we answere Turne vs O Lord vnto thee Thren 5. and we shal be turned we do confesse that we are preuented by the grace of God. The manner of our preparation THE VI. CHAPTER VNTO this same iustice are men disposed whiles being stirred vp and holpen by the grace of God they conceiue faith by hearing and are freely moued towardes God beleeuing such thinges to be true as are by God reueled and promised and that especially that the wicked is iustified by God through his grace through the redemption which is in Christe Iesus And when they vnderstand them selues to be sinners turning them selues from the feare of Gods iustice wherewith they are profitably shaken to cōsider the mercie of God they are raised vppe into hope trusting that God wil be mercifull vnto them for Christes sake and so beginne they to loue him as the fountaine of al iustice and therfore are moued against sinnes through a certeine hatred and detestation that is through suche penaunce as is behouefull to be done before Baptisme finally when they purpose to receiue Baptisme they are moued to beginne a new life and to keepe the commaundementes of God. Of this disposition it is writen Hebr. 11. he that commeth vnto God must beleeue that he is and that he is a rewarder to those that seeke him Matth. 9. Againe Be of good comfort sonne thy sinnes are forgeuē thee Eccle. 1. Againe The feare of God driueth out sinne Againe Actor 2. Do you penance and let euerie one of you be Baptized in the name of Iesus Christe to the remission of your sinnes and you shall receiue the gifte of the holie Ghost Againe Luc. 24. Go ye therefore and teach all nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost teaching them to keepe what so euer thinges I haue commaunded you 1. Reg. 7. Finally Prepare your hartes vnto God. VVhat the Iustification of the wicked is and what the causes of it are THE VII CHAPTER AFter this disposition or preparation the Iustification it selfe foloweth which is not onelie the remission of sinnes but also a sanctifying and renewing of the inward man through the voluntarie receiuing of grace and giftes whereby man is made of vniust iust of an enemie Ephes 1. a friend that he maie be the heire of life euerlasting according to hope The causes of Iustification Of this Iustification the causes are these The cause final is the glorie of God and of Christe and life euerlasting The cause efficient is our mercifull God who doth freely clense and sanctifie sealing and annointing vs with the holie spirite of promise Ephes 2. which is the pleadge of our inheritance The cause meritorious is his most deere the onlie begotten sonne our Lord Iesus Christ who when we were ennimies for the exceding great charitie wherewith he loued vs hath deserued Iustificatiō for vs through his most holie passion on the tree of the Crosse and hath made satisfaction vnto God the father for vs. The cause instrumental is the Sacrament of Baptisme which is the Sacrament of faith without the which no man euer atteined Iustification Last of al the only cause formal is the iustice of God Not that iustice by the which God him selfe is iust but that by the which he maketh vs iust by the which when it is geauen vs frō God we are renewed in the spirite of our mind and we are not onely reputed iust but we are named iust and are iust in deede receiuing iustice in our selues eche man his according to the measure which the holie Ghost geaueth to ech particular man as his will is and according to the proper disposition and working of euerie man together with the holie Ghost For although no man can be iust but he to whom the merites of the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ are communicated yeat in this Iustification of a wicked man it is done whiles by the merite of the said most holie passion Rom. 5. through the holie Ghost the charitie of God is powred abroade in the hartes of those that are iustified and cleaueth fast in them Wherupō in Iustificatiō man receiueth with the remission of sinnes all these thinges faith hope and charitie powred in him together by Christe in whom he is ingraffed For faith vnlesse hope come vnto it and charitie neither doth it perfectely vnite a man vnto Christe neither doth it make him a liuely member of his bodie By reason whereof it is most truly saied that Faith without woorkes is dead and idle Iacob 2. Gal. 5. Againe In Christ Iesus neither to be circumcised nor to be without circumcision auaileth any thing but Faith that worketh by charity This Faith do the Catecumens require of the Churche according to the tradition of the Apostles before they receiue the Sacrament of Baptisme when they require that Faith that geaueth life euerlasting the whiche life faith can not geaue without hope and charitie Wherevppon they heare this saying of Christe foorthwith pronounced vnto them If thou wilt enter vnto life keepe the commaundmentes Matth. 19 And thus do they receiue a true and Christian iustice the whiche being geauen vnto them by Christ Iesus as the first stole in place of that which Adam lost both to him selfe and to vs through his disobedience such as are regenerated in Baptisme are by and by commaunded to keepe white and vnspotted that they maie bring it before the iudgement seate of our Lord Iesus Christ and so receiue life euerlasting How it maie be vnderstanded that the wicked is iustified by Faith and freely THE VIII CHAP. Rom. 5. Gratis NOVV whereas the Apostle saieth that man is iustified by faith and freely those wordes are to be taken in that sense which the continual agreement of the Catholike Churche hath alwaies holden and expressed which is that we be said to be therfore iustified by faith bicause faith is the beginning of mannes saluation the foundation and roote of all Iustification Hebr. 11. without which it is impossible to please God and to come vnto the felowship of his children And that we be said to be therefore iustified freely bicause none of those thinges whiche go before Iustification whether it be faith or woorkes deserueth the grace of Iustification Rom. 11. For if is be grace then is it not by woorkes otherwise as the same Apostle
by certaine of the Fathers sayinges gathered together with their owne deuise and industry Nowe thou hearest the Fathers them selues to tell their owne tales Thou seest the maner of their writing Thou learnest by their owne talke what their faith was Onely I haue made them to speake in English as faithefully as truly and as familiarly as I coulde possibly doo not swaruing one iote from their wordes and meaning Accepte my poore labour in good parte which I haue taken to edifie many to offend none And our Lorde of his mercy geue bothe to thee gentle Reader and to me of his holy Grace that we may folow and practise in woorkes that which these holy Fathers do teache vs in woordes That as sinne hath bene the cause of this horrible schisme and manifolde heresies that nowe raigne so amendement of life maie be a meane to stay the raging course thereof and to call vs home to vnite againe to the honour of God and peace of his Church Amen A TREATISE MADE BY THAT BLESSED AVNCIENT FATHER S. AVGVSTINE BISshoppe of Hippo in Afrike in the yeare of our Lord 380. Which he intituled Of Faith and Woorkes Against them that did admitte all men to Baptisme without any difference THE FIRST CHAPTER SOME be of opinion that all persons An olde errour without any difference should be admitted to the fonte of regeneration which is in our Lorde Iesu Christe although they haue no will to chaunge their lewde and filthie life being infamouse with notoriouse crimes yea and though by open protestation they professe that they meane to continewe therein As for example If a man kepe a harlot he should not be commaunded first to departe from her and then to come vnto Baptisme but that euen remaining with her and meaning stil so to doe he should notwithstanding that his presumption be admitted and baptised and should not be staied from being a member of Christ though he continew the member of an harlot but should afterward be taught how euil a thing that is and so being baptised should be instructed to amende his manners For these men thinke it a peruerse and preposterouse thinge first to teache them howe a Christian should liue and after to baptise them But in their iudgement the Sacrament of Baptisme should rather goe before that the doctrine of life and manners may after folowe Which if the baptised wil kepe and obserue he shal doe it with profit If not but retaining the Christian faith without the which he shuld perish euerlastingly he perseuer in al wicked and sinneful liuing yet shall he be saued as by fier euen as he whiche vpon the foundation which is Christe buildeth not golde 1. Cor. 3. siluer or pretiouse stones but wood haie and stooble that is to saie not iust and chaste conuersation but wicked and vncleane The cause of this their imagination and opinion is that that they see such are not admitted to baptisme who being menne and putting awaie their wiues marrie others Or being wemen and forsaking their husbandes marrie others And that bicause our Lord Christ doth testifie these to be without al doubt adulteries and not marriages For these men when they could not denie that to be adulterie Matt. 5. which the truth it selfe doth without al question pronounce and confirme to be adultery and yet had a desire to helpe them to the receiuing of baptisme whom they sawe so intangled in that snare that if they were not admitted to Baptisme thei had rather liue yea and die to without any Sacrament at al then to be deliuered of that snare with breaking their bond of adulterie they were moued with a certaine humaine pittie and compassion so to consider of their cause that they thought meete to admitte vnto baptisme not them onely but also all maner of lewde and shameful liuers though they were neyther rebuked with any prohibition nor corrected with instruction nor amended by any penaunce as thinking except that were done they should perish euerlastingly but if it were done though they stil continewed in those euils yet should they be saued through fier That the Church indureth the Commixtion of euil persons togeather with the good and yet doth not omitte the seueritie of discipline THE SECOND CHAPTER TO whiche sorte of men for answere first this I say Let no man so take those testimonies of Scriptures which either declare a commixtion of bothe good and euill in the Church presently or foretell it to come assuredly let no manne I saie being not taught by those Scriptures but deceiued by his owne opinion so take them as to thinke therefore either seueritie of discipline or diligence in noting and punishing of vice is to be omitted or taken awaie Num. 23. For al be it Moyses the seruaunt of God most paciently suffered that commixtion in the first people yet so was it that he punished also diuers with the sworde And Phinees the Priest did with the reuenging sworde thrust through both the adulterers being found together Degradations Which thing verely was signified should be also done by degradations and excommunications in this time when in the discipline of the Churche the visible sworde should cease Neither the blessed Apostle 2. Cor. 11. Ad Phil. 1 albeit he moste paciently lamented emongest false brethren 1. Cor. 1. yea and suffered some being driuen forwarde with diuelish prickes of enuie to preache Christe did yet thinke meete to spare him which toke his Fathers wife whome he commaunded the Churche being assembled to be geauen ouer to the Diuell 1. Tim. 1. into the destruction of his bodie that his sowle might be saued in the daie of our Lorde Iesu Christe or did him selfe therefore lette to deliuer vppe others to Sathan 1. Cor. 5. that they should learne not to blaspheme Neither did he in vaine saie I haue written to you in mine Epistle that you shoulde not keepe companie with fornicators I meane not with fornicators of this worlde or couetouse persons or extorcioners or suche as serue Idolles for then you should haue gone out of this worlde but nowe I haue written to you not to keepe companie with any suche of your brethren as is knowen and named to be a fornicator a seruer of idolles a couetouse man a slaunderour a dronkerd or an extorcioner no not so muche as to take meate with suche for as of them which be without howe can I iudge But of them whiche be within doe not your selues iudge Of them whiche be without God shall iudge Take awaie the euill from emong your selues Whiche wordes from emong your selues some doe vnderstande that eche man should take awaie and remoue the euil out of him selfe that is to saie that he him selfe should be good But how so euer it be vnderstanded eyther that lewd persons should by seueritie of the Church be rebuked and throwen out by excommunications or els that euery man by taking vp and correcting him selfe should remoue the
steale no more and so foorth where more at large he prosecuteth the same matter teaching what it is to put of the olde manne and to put on the newe Ephes 4. And yet if they woulde haue marked but these very woordes of S. Peter whiche they alleage they might haue had good cause better to consider of the matter For when he had said Doe ye penance Actor 2. and be ye baptised euery one of you in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christe into remission of your sinnes and ye shall receiue the gifte of the holy Ghoste For to vs is this promise made and to our children and to all as many as it shall please our Lorde God to call be they neuer so farre of He that wrote the booke immediately added these woordes And he testified this in many other woordes saying Withdrawe your selues from this wicked worlde And they moste greedily receiuinge and embracing his woordes beleeued and were baptised and three thowsande sowles gained and wonne in that one daie Nowe who seeth not here that in those many other woordes whiche the writer of the Actes S. Luke for length omitteth S. Peter earnestly laboured that they should withdraw them selues from this wicked worlde For euen the sentence it selfe is briefly shewed for the inforcing and perswading whereof S. Peter vsed those many other woordes For the summe and effecte of his whole perswasion is plainely sette downe when it is sayed Withdrawe your selues from this wicked worlde But howe this thinge shoulde be donne Peter gaue proofe in many other woordes In whiche woordes no doubt was comprised the condemnation of deadde woorkes which the louers of this worlde wickedly doe committe and the commendation of good lyfe whiche they should obserue and followe that withdrawe them selues from this wicked worlde Nowe therefore if they thinke good lette them perswade vs that he withdraweth him selfe from this wicked worlde whoe beleeueth onely in Christe yea though he purpose to perseuer in suche vices as he liketh euen to the very open profession of adulterie Whiche if it be abhominable to saie then lette them whiche are to be baptised not onely heare what they oughte to beleeue but also howe they may withdrawe them selues from the woorkes of this wicked worlde For at that time and place muste they learne howe they oughte to liue after they dooe beleeue VVhat it is to preache Christe And of the Baptisme of the Eunuche THE IX CHAPTER THE Eunuche saie they whome Philip baptised An Obiection Act. 8. Ansvvere saied nothing els but I beleeue that Iesus Christe is the Sonne of God. And in this profession he was presently baptised What Will you therefore that menne shoulde onely make that aunswere and so be baptised foorthwith Is there nothing to be asked by the instructor or to be professed by the beleeuer touching the holy Ghoste Nothing touching the holy Churche The holy Churche professed in the Creede by the Catecumenes Nothing touchinge the remission of sinnes Nothing touching the resurrection of the dead Lastly nothing touchinge Ihesus Christe him selfe but that he is the Sonne of God Is there nothing to be learned or professed touching his incarnation of the Virgin His Passion his death on the Crosse his buriall Resurrection the thirde daie or of his Ascension and sitting on the righte hande of his Father For if when the Eunuche had answered I beleeue that Iesus Christe is the Sonne of God it seemed he had done that whiche was sufficiente to be presently baptised and so to goe his waie then why doe we not followe that onely and let passe those other thinges whiche we must needes expresse euen when the streightnesse of time dothe vrge present Baptisme by asking questions wherevnto he that is to be baptised must in al pointes aunswere yea though he haue not ben able to knowe them without the booke But if the Scripture forbare the reporting and left to our supposing and vnderstanding those other thinges which Philip did with the Eunuche then to be baptised and in that it saith Philip baptised the Eunuche would vs to vnderstand that all other thinges requisite therevnto were firste complete and finished whiche although for shortnesse sake they be not in the Scripture spoken of yet by the course of the tradition Traditiō vvher Scripture faileth we know they were to be fulfilled then in like sorte also where it is written that Philip preached the Gospell and our Lorde vnto the Eunuche We can not doubt but in that instruction al was said vnto him that perteine vnto the life and maners of him that beleueth in our Lord Iesu For to preache Christ is not onely to tell what is to be beleeued concerning Christ but also what things are to be obserued of him who commeth to the vnitie of his mystical body yea and throughly to open al things which are to be beleued of Christ not onely whose Sonne he is of whome he was begotten as touching his Diuinitie and of whom as touching his humanitie what he suffered and wherefore what is the vertue of his resurrection what gift of the holy Ghost he promised and gaue vnto the faithfull but also what manner of members he seeketh to be head vnto to teach to loue to deliuer and bring to euerlasting lyfe and glorie When these thinges are opened at some tyme briefely and in fewe woordes at an other tyme largely and amplely then Christ is preached And yet not only that which perteineth to faith but also that which concerneth the manners and woorkes of the beleeuers is declared VVhat it is to knowe Christe crucified and who loueth God and his neighbour THE X. CHAPTER IN this sense also is that to be taken An other Obiectiō which they alleage out of S. Paule saying I saied among you 1. Cor. 2. I knowe nothing but Iesu Christ and him crucified Which wordes they thinke to haue ben so spoken as though nothing els had ben taught them but that they should firste beleeue and afterward being baptised should learne al such things as appertayne to lyfe and manners This say they did at the ful suffise the Apostle who sayed vnto them that although they had many schoolemasters in Christe 1. Cor. 4. yet had they not many Fathers for he had by the Ghospell begotten them in Iesu Christe If then he which begat them thorough the Ghospell Ansvver allthough he thanked God that he had baptised none of them but Crispus Gaius and the familie of Stephana taught them no more but Christe crucified what if some man should also say they had neuer heard of Christe his Resurrection when they were begotte thorough the Ghospell 1. Cor. 1. Which if these men wil not sticke to graunte to then let them remembre what he saied in an other place to the very same his scholers Thus he saieth I haue firste opened vnto you that Iesus died according to the Scriptures was buried and rose againe the thirde daye according to
vnto them It is more daungerous for a man that hath receaued the faith to liue vngodly therein then though he had neuer come to the knowledge of it THE XXV CHAPTER FOR the holy Commaundement in this place is not to be vnderstanded that cōmaundement whereby wee are commaunded to beleeue in God though in that all be conteined if wee meane that faith of beleuers which woorketh through looue Gal. 5. But he openly expresseth there what he called the holy Commaundement For sith that whereby we are commaunded that departing from the vncleannes of this world wee should liue in chaste conuersation For thus he saith 2. Pet. 2. If hauing gone from the filthines of this world into the knowledge of our Lord Iesu Christe the Sauiour of vs all they being againe wrapped and entangled therein be ouercomed the latter are become to them worse then the firste He saieth not departing from the ignorance of God or departing from the infidelitie of the worlde or suche lyke but from the filthines of the worlde wherein verely is comprised all vncleannes of filthy vices For of these speaking afore he sayeth Banqueting togeather with you and hauing theyr eyes full of adultery and of continuall sinne Therefore also doth hee calle them Drie springes that is to saye springes bycause they had receaued knoweledge of oure Lorde Christe but Drie bicause they liued not accordingely Iudas the Apostle speaking also of suche saith Iudae These be they whiche doo without feare banquet together with you feeding them selues beeing spotted in your Charitable almoese Feastes clowdes without water c. For those whome Peter nameth Banqueters together with you hauing their eies full of adultery those doth Iudas call spotted persons without feare banqueting with you and feeding them selues in your Charitable almoese Feastes For they are mingled with the good in the banquetes of the Sacramentes and in the almoese geeuen to the poore And that whiche Peter calleth a drie spring 2. Pet. 2. Iudae Iac. 2. that doth Iudas name clowdes without water and that dothe Iames terme a deadde faieth The transitorie paine of fyer therefore is not promised to suche as leeue filthilie and wickedly bycause they haue knowen the way of Iustice For the infallible scripture witnesseth Matt. 12. Luk. 11. It had bene better for them not to haue knowen it For oure Lorde also speaking of such saith And the last of that man shall be woorse then the first bycause that not receauing the holy Ghost which should haue dwelt in the house of his cleansed soule he made the vncleane spirit returne thereinto with more company Except perhaps these of whom we now treat be to be accompted better bycause they did not returne to the vnclennes of adultereis from the which they neuer departed neither being purged did againe defile them selues but refused to be purged at all For neither doo they vouchsafe that they may enter into Baptisme with a lightned conscience so much as to cast out by vomit their old vnclennes which after the manner of dogges they may take vppe againe but stubbornly contend to keepe their vndisgested wickednes in their rawe stommake euen amidde the holines of the funte of Baptisme Neither doo they with so much as a feined promise hide the same but belk it forth by impudent profession and auowing thereof Neither doo they goinge foorth of Sodome Gene. 19. looke backe againe like Lothes wife but vtterly disdaine once to go forth of Sodome nay they labour with the iniquities of Sodome to enter into Christ Paule the Apostle saith I which was before a blasphemer 1. Tim. 1. a persecutor and an iniurious personne but I haue gotten mercie bicause in incredulitie and vnbeleefe I did it ignorantly But to these it is Euen so is it likevvise tought in these our daies bie Luther Caluin and the rest of the nevve Religion now saied then chiefly shall ye get mercy if being euen in the faith yee doo wittingly liue ill It is to longe and almost an infinite matter to gather al the testimonies of scriptures wherby it appereth that their case which leade wittingly a lewde and wicked life is not onely not more easy or likely to finde pardon then they which doo it ignorantly but also euen for that cause much more perilous and greeuous Therefore let these suffice The life of a Christian man ought to be aunswerable vnto his Baptisme and standeth not onely in saying but also in doing THE XXVI CHAPTER LET vs therfore diligently take hede with the helpe of our Lorde God that wee make not men lewdly carelesse or secure saying vnto them that if they be baptised in Christ how so euer they liue in the faith they shall come vnto eternal saluation Neither let vs so make Christians as the Iewes made Proselites to whom our Lord saieth woe be vnto you scribes and Pharaseis Matth. 23 See vvhether men become not novve Protestāts as by the Pharisees they became proselites Iohn 3. for ye goe about sea and land to make one proselite and when ye haue made one ye make him double more the child of hel then your selues are But let vs rather holde in both the sounde Doctrine of God our Master and let a Christian mans life be consonant to the holy Baptisme neither let eternal life be promised to any man if either of both want For he that saied Except a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost he shall not enter into the kingdom of heauen he saied also Matt. 5. Except your righteousnesse doo abound abooue that of the scribes and Pharisees ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heauen For of them he saieth Matt. 23. Scribes and Pharisees sit in the chaire of Moises doo as they saie but not as they doo For they saie and doo not Their righteousnesse therefore is to saie and not to doo and by thys saying he woulde haue our righteousnesse to be abooue theirs The difference betvvene a Pharisee and a good Christian man in his life that is both to saie and to doo Which if it be not there is no entry for vs into the kingdom of heauen Not that any man ought so to extoll him selfe I will not saie in boasting him selfe to others but not so muche as with him selfe to presume to thinke that he is in this life without sinne Verely if there were not euen among Christians some vices so greeuous that they were to be pounished euen with Excommunication the Apostle would not haue saied Notorious and infamous Crimes 1. Cor. 5. 2. Cor. 12. Assembling your selues together and my Spirite with you geeue suche a man vppe to the Diuel into the destruction of his flesh that his soule maie be safe in the daie of our Lorde Iesu Whervppon he also saieth I feare least I shal be driuen to lament when I come and to mourne for many of those whiche haue sinned before and not done