we should not shake it off nor make light of our trust which hath great recompence and rewarde But this so holy and diuine affiance is gendred in our heartes by the working of the holy Ghost who is communicated vnto vs by faith which neuer goeth without the loue of God And héere of it commeth that wâ—e are prouoked too doe good workes with a certaine liuelinesse and effectual chéerefulnesse whereby wée gather such a strength inclination to do them as we be throughly ready and forwarde to doe and to suffer all intollerable thinges for the loue and glory of our most gracious and mercifull father who hath inriched vs with so abundant grace through Iesus Christe of his enimies made vs his most déere children This true faith is no sooner giuen a man but he is by and by indued and imprinted with a certain violent loue of good works to yeelde right sweete and amiable fruites both vnto God likewise vnto his neighbour as a very good and fruitfull trée And it is no more possible that he should bée otherwise than it is possible that a Faggot should be set on fire and not cast light immediately This is the holy Faith without the which it is vnpossible y t any man shuld please God and whereby all the holy men as well of the olde Testament as of the new haue byn saued according as S. Paul witnesseth of Abraham concerning whoÌ„ the Scripture saieth that Abraham beléeued God and it was reckoned to hym for righteousnes And therefore he saith a litle before We beléeue that a man is iustified by faith without the déedes of the law And in an other place he saith So then in that time shall the remnant be saued according to the election of grace and if they be saued by grace then is it not by workes for then were grace no grace And to the GalathiaÌ„s hée sayth it is a manyfest matter that no man becommeth righteous before GOD by the Lawe because the righteous lyueth by Faith And the Lawe consisteth not in beliefe but hée that perfourmeth the things that the law commandeth shal liue by that performance And further be saith that a man caÌ„not become righteous by the déedes of the law but only by beléeuing in Iesus Christe Againe a litle after he saith that if a man can become righteous by the law Iesus Christe dyed in vaine Moreouer to the Romans making comparisoÌ„ betwéene the righteousnesse of the law the righteousnes of the Gospel hee saith that the one consisteth in the doing of workes and the other in beléeuing For if thou confesse our Lord Iesus Christ wnâ— thy mouth and beléue in thy hart that God hath raysed him vp from death thou shalt be saued For the beliefe of the heart maketh a man righteous the confession of y â— mouth maketh him safe Loe how this good Teacher S. Paul sheweth euidently that faith maketh a man righteous without any works And not only S. Paul but also â— holy doctors that came after him haue confirmed and allowed this most holy truth of Iustification by faith among whom S. Augustin is the chiefe who in his booke of faith and workes and in his booke of the Spirit and the Letter and in his booke of fourescore thrée questions and in his booke which hée did write to Bouiface and in his treatise vpon the xxxi Psalme and in many other places defendeth this article shewing that we become righteous by faith without any helpe of good workes Howebeit that good workes are the effectes of righteousnesse not the cause of it And he sheweth that the wordes of S. Iames being soundly vnderstoode are nothing contrary to this article Which thing Origen doth also affirme in his 4. booke vpon the Epistle to the RomaÌ„s saying that S. Paules meaning is that faith only is sufficient to make men righteous in somuche that a man becommeth righteous only by beléeuing although hée haue not doone any good worke at all For so it is that y â— Théef became righteous w t out the works of the law forasmuch as the Lord sought not what good workes he had doone in times past nor waited vntil he had done any after he had beléeued but hauing accepted him for righteous vpon his onely confession tooke him for his companion euen he shoulde enter into Paradise Likewise that so renowmed woman in the Gospell of S. Luke while shée was at the féete of Iesus Christ heard it said vnto her thy sinnes are forgiâ—en thée And a litle after he saith vnto her thy faith hath saued thée goe thy way in peace Afterward Origen saith In many places of the Gospell a man may sée how our Lorde Iesus Christe hath spoken in suche wise as hee sheweth that faith is the cause of the saluation of the beteeuers Then is a man maâ—e righteous by faith the works of the law further him nothing at al. On the contrary where Faith is not which Faith maketh the beléeuer righteous although a man do the workes which the Law commandeth yet notwithstanding forasmuch as they be not builded vpon the foundation of faith albe it that to outward appearance they séeme good yet can they not iustifie him that doth them because he wanteth faith which is the marke of them that are become righteous before God And who is he that can boast himself to be righteous when he heareth God say by his Prophet Esay that all our righteousnesse is as a defiled cloath of a menstruous woman Then can wée not iustly glory in our selues but in the onely faith of the crosse of Iesus Christ. S. Basâ—l in his Homilie of humilitie sayth that the Christian ought to holde him selfe for righteous through beléefe in Iesus Christ and his wordes are these The Apostle sayth that he which gloryeth should glory in the Lord in that God hath made Iesus Christ to be our wisdome righteousnesse holynes and redemption to the end that hée which would glory should glory in the Lord because that â—he perâ—ite aud sounde gloriyng is to glory in the Lorde For in so doing a man presumeth not vpon his owne righteousnesse but acknowledgeth his want or â—he true righteousnesse that he is made righteous only by beléeuing in Iesus Christe And S. Paul glorieth of the despiting of his owne righteousnesse and of his séeking of Christes righteousnesse by faith which commeth of God S. Hyllary in his nienth Canon vppon the exposition of S. Matthewe sayth these woordes The Scribes considering Iesus Christe but only as man were troubled that a man shoulde forgeue sinnes and pardon that thing which the Lawe coulde not doe becauss that only faith iustifieth Saint Ambrose in expounding these wordâ—s of S. Paul Vnto hym that beleeueth in him which iustifieth the vngodly his faith is accounted for righteousnesse according to the purpose of Gods grace Like as Dauid also saith that
the members of his eldest sonne whose perâ—ection and righteousnesse doeth supply all our vncleannesse and imperfection which arenot layde to our charge forsomuche as they be couered vnder the purenes and innocencie of Iesus Christe and come not to iudgement before God And héereupon it coâ—neth too passe that all our woorkes which proceede of a true faith notwithstanding that they be wholy sinful and corrupt of themselues shall neuerthelesse bée praysed and allowed by Iesus Christe in the generall iudgement because they bee the fruites and Testimonies of our faith whereby wee bée saued For insomuche as we haue loued y â— brethren of Iesus Christ wée shall shew euidently that wée haue also béene faithfull and brethren of Christe and therefore by faith wée shall bee put in full possession of the euerlasting kingdome which our soueraigne Lord God hath prepared for vs before y â— creating of the world not for our merites sakes but through his mercy whereby he hath chosen vs and called vs to the grace of his Gospel and made vs righteous to the intent to glorifie vs euerlastingly with his only begotten sonne Iesus Christe who is the holinesse and righteousnesse of vs but not of them which wyll not confesse that faith is sufficient of it selfe too make a man righteous and acceptable to the Lord GOD who through his fatherly goodnes and louing kindnes offereth and giueth vs Iesus Christe with his righteousnesse without any desert of our owne works What thing can work or cause a man too deserue so great a gyfte and Ireasure as Iesus Christe is This treasure is geuen only through the grace fauour and mercyfulnesse of GOD and only faith is the thing that receiueth suche a gift as too make vs inioy the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And therfore when S. Paul other Doctors say that only faith maketh men righteous without workes they meane y â— it maketh vs so inioy y â— general forgeuenesse of our sinnes and to receiue Iesus Christ who as saith S. Paul dwelleth in our heartes by faith and ouercomming and pacifiyng the troubles of our consciâ—nces satisfieth Gods iustice for our sinnes Furthermore it appeaseth Gods wrath iustly mooued against vs quenetheth the fyre of Hell whereinto our naturall corruption did throw vs headlong and chéerefully destroyeth and ouerthroweth the Deuil togeather with al his power and tyranny Which things all y â— works that al y â— men in the worlde can lay together are not able to deserue nor to bring to passe That glory and that prerogatiue is reserued alonly to the sonne of God that is to wit too the blessed Iesus Christe who hath power aboue all the the powers that are in heauen in earth and in Hell and giueth himselfe and his merites to al such as distrusting in theÌ„selues doe set their whole hope of being saued in him and in his merites And therefore let no man beguile him selfe when hée heareth it saide that onely fayth iustifieth without workes and think as false christians doe who drawe all thinges to liue fleshly that the true faith consisteth in beléeuing the bare sâ—rory of Iesus Christ after the same manner as men beléeue the story of Caesar or Alexander Suche manner of beliefe is but an historicall belief grounded méerely vpon the report of men vpon their writinges lightly imprinted in our conceite by a certaine custome and is like to the faith of the Turkes who for the like reasons beléeue the fables of their Alcaron And such a faith is but an imagination of man which neuer renueth the harâ— of man nor warmeth it with the loue of God neyther doe any good woorkes insue or any change of life which faith shoulde bring foorth And therfore they falsty hold opinioÌ„ against y â— holy scripture and agaynst the holy Doctors of the church y â— only faith maketh not maÌ„e righteous but y â— they must also haue works vnto whoÌ„ I answere that this historical and fond beléefe and all the workes that insue therof are not only vnable to make a man righteous but also doo cast the parties headlong to the bottome of hel like vnto those y â— haue no oyle in their larpes that is to say no liecly â—aith in their harts The fayth that maketh men righteous is a work of God in vs wherby out old man is crucified wee being transformed in Iesus Christe become newe creatures the déere beloued children of God This heauenly faith is it that graffeth vs into the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ consequently mortifieth our flesh with the affects lustes therof For when we by the operation of fayth do knowe our selues to be dead with Iesus Christe wee are at a full point with our selues with the world are throughly resolued how it is méete that they which are dead with Iesus Christe shoulde mortifie their earthly members that is to wit the sinfull affections of they mind and the lusts of the flesh forasmuch as we know we bee raysed againe in Christ we bend our selues to the leading of a spirituall holy life like vnto that which we shal liue in heaueÌ„ after the last resurrection This holy fayth making vs to inioy the general pardâ—n that is published by the Gospel bringeth vs into the kingdome of our good God and pacifieth our coÌ„sciences mainteining vs in coÌ„tinual ioy holy spiritual sweetnes This self-same faith knitteth vs vnto God maketh him to dwell in our heartes clotheth our soule with himself so as theÌ„ceforth the holy Ghost moueth vs to doe the same things wherunto he moued Iesus Christ while he was in the world was coÌ„uersant among men that is to wit vnto lo wlines meekenes obedientnes vnto God louingnes other perfections wherthrough we recouer y â— image of God For these selfsame causes Iesus Christ did rightly attribute blessednes vnto this inspired faith which blessednes cannot be v â—out good works holines of life And how can it bée that a Christian should not beocme holy seeing that Iesus Christ is become his holines through â—aith Therfore by faith we be iustified saued and therfore S. Paul doth in a maner alwaies call those Saints whom we call nowe Christians who if they haue not Christs spirit are none of Christes consequeÌ„tly no ChristiaÌ„s at al. But if they have the spirit of Iesus Christe to rule and gouerne them we must not doubte but that although they knowe well that they bee made righteous through faith onely yet for al that they will become neuer the more slouthfull to do good workes For Christes spirite is the spirit of loue and loue cannot bee idle nor cease from the doing of good works But if we will say the truth a maÌ„ can do no good works except he first know himselfe to be become righteous by faith for before he knoweth that his dooing of good woorkes is rather too make himselfe righteous
than for the loue and glory of God and so he defileth all his works with selfeloue for the loue of himselfe and for his own profit But he that knoweth himselfe to be become righteous by the merits and righteousnesse of Christe which hee maketh his owne by fayth laboureth happily doeth good woorkes alonely for the loue and glory of Christ and not for love of himselfe nor to make himselfe righteous And thervpoÌ„ it coÌ„meth that the true ChristiaÌ„ that is to wit he that accounteth him self righteous by reason of Christes righteousnes asketh not whether good works be coÌ„manded or not but being wholly moued prouoked with a certaine violence of godly loue he offereth himselfe willingly to doal the works that are holy Christianlike and neuer ceaseth to doe well He therefore which féeleth not the meruailous effects by his faith which we haue heretofore declared y â— the inspired faith worketh in y â— heart of the christiaÌ„ Let him assure himselfe that he hath not the christiaÌ„ faith let him pray earnestly vnto God to giue it him saying Lorde helpe mine vnbeleefe And when he heareth it said that only faith maketh men righteous let him not deceiue himself say What néede I to weary my selfe in doing good workes faith is inough to send me to Paradise To such an one I answeare that onely fayth sendeth vs to Paradise but yet let him take good héed for the diuels doe also beléeue and tremble as saith S. Iames O miserable man wilte thou goe w t them too Paradise By this false coÌ„clusioÌ„ thou maist know my brother in what an error thou art for thou wéenest to haue the faith that maketh men righteous and thou hast it not Thou sayest thou art rich and hast no néede of any thing and thou seest not howe thou art poore wretched blind and naked I councel thée to buy golde of God that is throughly fixed w t fire that is to say true faith set on fire with good works to the intent thou maist become riche and to cloth thy self with white raiment that is to wit with Christes innocencie to the ende that the shame of thy nakednesse which is the great filthinesse of thy sinnes be not séene to the whole world Then is the iustifying faith as it were a flame of fire which caÌ„not but cast foorth brightnesse And like as the flame burneth the wood without the helpe of the light and yet the flame cannot bee without the light so is it assuredly true that fayth alone consumeth and burneth away sinne without the helpe of woorkes and yet that the same fayth cannot be with out good woorkes Wherefore like as if we see a flame of fire that giueth no light we knowe by and by that it is but vayne and painted euen so when wee see not some light of good woorkes in a man it is a token that he hath not the true inspired faith which God giueth to his chosen too iustifie and glorify them withall And hold it for certayne that S. Iames meant so when he sayde shewe mee thy faith by thy works I wil shewe thée my faith by my works For his meaning was that he s â— is pluÌ„ged in ambitiousnes and worldly pleasurs beleueth not though he say he beleue forasmuch as he sheweth not in himself the effects of faith Also we may liken this holy faith too the Godhead which is in Iesus Christ who being very maÌ„ but w tout sin did wonderful thinges healing the sicke giuing sight to the blind walking vpon the water and raysing vp the dead vnto life again yet these merueilous works were not the cause that he was God For before he did any of those things he was God and the lawful and only begotteÌ„ sonne of God and he néed not to worke those miracles to make himself God by them but forasmuch as he was God therfore he did them And so the miracles that Christ wrought made him not to be God but shewed openly that he was God In likewise true fayth is as it were a Godhead in the Soule of a Christian which doeth wonderous works is neuer weary of well doyng and yet those works are not the cause that a Christian is a christian that is to wit that he is righteous good holy and acceptable vntoo God neither néedeth he to woorke all those good workes to become such a one But forasmuch as he is a christian by fayth lyke as Iesus Christ being a man was also God by his Godhead hee dooth all those good woorkes which make not the christian too be righteous and good but shewe him to be good righteous and holy So then like as Christes Godhead was the cause that hée wrought miracles euen so faith working through loue is the cause of the good works that a christen man doeth And like as a maÌ„ may say of Iesus Christ that hee hath done this miracle or that that those miracles besids that they glorified God were also a great honor vnto Iesus Christ as he was maÌ„ who for his obedience euen vnto death was recoÌ„penced at Gods haÌ„d in his resurrectioÌ„ had geuen vnto him al power both in heauen earth which he had not afore as in respect of his manhood but deserued it by the vnion w t is betwixt the worde of God and the maÌ„hood of Christ So doeth faith in a Christian which faith by reasoÌ„ of the vnion that it hath with the soule attributeth that thing too the one in is proper to the other whervpon it coÌ„meth that the holy scripture promiseth the christian euerlasting life for his good woorks because good works are the fruites and testimonies of liuely faith and procéed of it as light procéedeth froÌ„ a flame of fire accoÌ„rding as I haue said hertofore And by this holy faith which imbraceth Iesu Christ it commeth to passe that our soule is ioyned with Christ and is so vnited and knit to him that whatsoeuer Christ hath merited deserued the same is imputed vnto the soule as though it had merited and deserued it And therefore S. Augustine saith that God crowneth his owne giftes in vs. Of this vnion of the soule with Iesus Christ Christ himselfe beareth good recorde where hee prayeth so his father for his Apostles and for such as should beléeue in him by their preaching I pray not saith he for them onely but also for al those that shal beléeue in me through theyr word to the end they may be all one thing that like as thou my father art in me and I in thee so they also may bâ—e one in vs and that the world may beléeue that thou hast sent me and that I haue geuen them the glory which thou hast geuen me so as they should be one selfsame thing like as thou and I are one Whereby it appeareth euidently that if we beléeue the word of the Apostles who preached that Iesus Christ died for our sinnes
charge because of Christs merits which are geuen vnto thée and become thine by faith Therefore following the Counsell of Saint Bernard beléeue thou not onely the forgeuenesse of sinnes in generall but also apply the same beliefe to thine owne particular person by beléeuing without any doubt that all thy misdoinges are pardoned thée through Iesus Christ. And in so doing thou shalt geue the glory vnto GOD by confessing hym too bée mercifull and true and shalt become righteous and holy before GOD forsomuche as by the same confession the holynesse righteousnesse of Iesus Christ shalbée communicated vntoo thée But to returne to our purpose of Predestination I say that by the thinges aboue mencioned a man may euidently perceiue that the assurance of Predestination doeth the hurt but rather greatly profite the true Christians And I thinke not that it can hurt the false Christians and reprobates For albeit that such manner of folke woulde beare themselues in hande and pretende too the worldewarde too bée of the number of the predestmate yet can they neuer perswade theyr owne consciences which will euer bée gnawing and crying out to the contrary But yet it séemeth greatly that the doctrine of Predestination may hurt them For they bée woonts to say If I bée of the number of the reprobates what shall it auayle mée too doe good workes And if I bée of the number of the predestinate I shal be saued without any labouring of mine too doe good workes I answere thée at fewâ— wordes that by suche diuelishe arguments they increase Gods wrath against themselues who hath disclosed the knowledge of Predestination too the Christians too make them whot and not colde in the loue of God and to set them forwarde and not backeward vnto good workes And therefore the true Christian on the one side holdeth himselfe assuredly predestinated vnto euerlasting lyfe and to be saued not at all by his owne merits but by Gods election who hath predestinated vs not for our owne works sakes but to shew the greatnesse of his mercie And on the other side endeuoureth himselfe to doe good woorkes after the example of Iesus Christ asmuch as if his saluation depended vpon his own pollicy and paines taking As for him that ceasseth to do good because of the doctrine of Predestination saying If I be predestinated I shall be saued without strayning of my selfe to doe good woorkes he sheweth euidently that his trauelling is not for the loue of God but for the loue of himselfe By reason whereof the woorkes that he doeth may perhaps be good and holy too the sight of men but they bee wicked and abhominable before the Lorde God who hath an eye to the intent And herevppon it may be gathered that the doctrine of PredestinatioÌ„ worketh rather good than harm to the false Christians For it discouereth their hypocrisâ—e which cannot cure it selfe so long as it lieth hidden vnder the mantle of outward workes But I woulde hauâ— them that say I will not streine my selfe to doe wel for if I be predestinated I shal be saued without tiring of my self so much I say I woulde haue them tell me howe it happeneth that when they be diseased they say not also I will haue neither Phisition nor phisicke for looke what God had determined vpon me cannot but come too passe why eate they why drinke they why till they the ground why plant they Uines why be they so diligent in doing all thinges conuenient for to sustaine y â— bodie why say they not also that all these turmoylings pollicies trauailes of ours are superfluous forasmuch as it is not possible but that whatsoeuer God hath foreséene and determined concerning our life death must néeds come to passe And therfore if Gods prouideÌ„ce make theÌ„ not negligent and idle in thinges pertayning to the bodie why should it make theÌ„ more slouthfull and negligent in that which concerneth the Christian perfection which without all comparison is farre nobler then the body But forasmuche as we sée that neyther Iesus Christ nor Saynte Paule for any doubt of offending the reprobats haue forborne to preache the trueth which is necessary to the edifying of the chosen for the loue of whom the euerlasting sonne of God became man and was put to death vpoÌ„ the Crosse we also in likewise ought not to forbeare the preaching of Predestination to the true Christians forasmuche as wee haue séene that it importeth greate edification Now are we come to the end of our purpose wherein our thiefe intent hath béene according to our small power to magnify the wonderful benefit which the Christen man hath receiued by Iesus Christ crusified to shewe that faith of her selfe alone iustifieth that is to wit that God receiueth holdeth them for righteous which beleue stedfastly y â— Christ hath made full amends for their sinnes howbeit that as light can not be separated from fire which of it selfe burneth and deuoureth al thinges euen so good woorkes cannot bee separated from saith which alone by it selfe iustifieth And this holy doctrine which exalteth Iesus Christ and represseth abateth the pride of man hath and alwayes shal be reiected and fought agaynst by such Christians as haue Iewish myndes But happie is hée who following the example of Saint Paule spoyleth himselfe of his owne righteousness and would haue none other righteousnesse than that which is of Iesus Christ wherewith if he be clothed and appareled he may most assuredly appeare before God and shal receiue his blessing and the heritage of heauen and earth with his onely sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde too whom be al honor praise and glorie from this time foorth for euermore Amen Christ is the end of the Law ¶ Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vintree by Thomas Dawson for George Bishop and Thomas Wodcocke 1580. 2. Cor. ◠〈…〉 12. The state of man before and after that he had sinned Psalm 114 Psalm 14. Originall sinne A very good comparison Who is our neighbour The first office or duety of the Law Rom. 3. 7. The second office of the law The thirde office of the law Deut. 27. 2. Cor. 3. The fourth office of the lawe Rom. 4. The fifth office of the law Exod. 2â—â— Collo 3. Actes 4. Matth. 11. Iohn â— Iohn ◠〈…〉 Iohn 8. 1. Cor. 15. Psalm 50. Rom 3â— The greatnes of sinne ought not â—o cause despayre â—or 5. Galat. 5. An excellent comparison of the vnability of our own works â—eb 7. Iohn 12. Phil. 3. 1. Cor. 1. How man is deliuered set free from the curse of the law Galat. 3. Rom. 8. Colos. 2. 1. Cor. 15. How we receiue the likenesse of God A very good similitude expressing the manner how our sinnes are taken away by Christ. Math. 28â— Philip. 2. Ephe. â— Iohn 3. Howe the â—aithfull mans soule is assured of 〈◊〉 being maâ—â—ed vnâ—o Christe Acts. 5. Mat. 3. 2. Cor. 3. Iohn 6. Iohn 3. Iohn 11. I. Iohn 12.