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
Gods mercy and to doe no good workes Fol. 33. b. Chap. 2 VVhence the opinion came that onely Faith iustifieth And of diuers kindes of mainteining the same Fol. 34. b. Chap. 3 That Faith excludeth not Charity in our Iustification 36. a Chap. 4 An Aunswere to Obiections that be made to proue that Faith alone iustifieth without Charitie Fol. 40. a. Chap. 5 That Faith excludeth not Hope in the acte of our Iustification Fol. 41. b. Chap. 6 That Faith excludeth not the working of Sacramentes in our Iustification Fol. 43. b. Chap. 7 VVhat is the true meaning of these woordes in the Scripture VVe are iustified by Faith or saued by Faith. Fol. 47. a. Chap. 8 That S. Paule teacheth not Iustification by onely Faith excluding Charitie And in what sense the Fathers sometime saie Faith alone iustifieth Fol. 51. a. Chap. 9 How Abraham was iustified VVhat his Faith was and who be the true children of Abraham Fol. 56. a. Cha. 10 That there is no contrarietie betwene S. Paul and S. Iames concerning the Doctrine of Iustification Fol. 60. a. Cha. 11 That Faith alone without good workes saueth not And what it is to be iustified freely by Grace Fol. 62. b. Cha. 12 VVhat they were who in sundrie ages haue taught that men should be saued without good vvorkes Fol. 65. b. Cha. 13 The cause why good works are don and that they are rewarded in this life with increase of grace and in the world to come with life euerlasting and why thei be so rewarded 67. a Cha. 14 An Answere to certaine Obiections made against the reward of good workes Fol. 72. a. Cha. 15 VVhat assurance of his Iustification and saluation a Christian man may haue in this life Fol. 75. b. Cha. 16 Of the fruites and ende of our Iustification and what strength in wel doing God geueth thereby where it is truely receiued and effectually put in vre and the waie to come to it Fol. 80. a. FINIS CERTAINE TREATIES OF THE AVNCIENT HOLY FATHERS TOVCHING THE DOCTRINE OF good woorkes Namely A Treatie of S. Augustine whiche he Intituled Of Faith and VVorkes Item a Sermon of S. Chrysostome of Praying vnto God. Item a Sermon of S. Basil of Fasting Item certaine Sermons of S. Leo the Great of the same matter Last of al a notable Sermon of S. Cyprian of Almes dedes Al newly translated into English by Thomas Coppley esquier Tobia 12. Bona est Oratio cum Ieiunio Eleemosyna magis quà m Thesauros auri recondere Quoniam Eleemosyna à morte liberat ipsa est quae purgat peccata facit inuenire vitam aeternam Prayer is good with Fasting and Almes better then to hide vppe treasures of golde For Almes deliuereth from death and shee it is which purgeth sinnes and maketh to finde life euerlasting LOVANII Apud Ioannem Foulerum Anno. 1569. CVM PRIVILEGIO The Translatour to the Reader THE loue that naturally men beare to peace and quiet is so great that there can fall no controuersie emong such as be of the better sorte but they seeke meanes euer to compounde and pacifie it Either they referre the decision of it to the Iudge ordinarie of the lawe or if they mistruste th' execution thereof either bicause the iudge doth not fullie vnderstande the matter or els for that they thinke him partiall of either side they seeke the arbitrement and sentence of some good man whome they thinke bothe to vnderstande perfitely right and iustice and take him to be affectionate of neither parte In which doing they flee not from the lawe but seeke the true and right vnderstanding thereof without affection at his handes I considering this order Christian Reader and moued with the Charitie that should binde vs all 2. Cor. 5. waying with my selfe the great controuersie that hath benne in this age about sundrie pointes of Religion namely in the article of our Iustification seing also that the matter tendeth not to the losse of patrimonie or landes but to the plaine disherison of life euerlasting and that emong vs who all professe to be the children of peace I haue bene desirouse to propounde some meane of Pacification And bicause I see the trauaile that sundrie men haue taken as it were pleading in this cause hath not ended the controuersie either bicause the doers were thoughte to be parties of the one side and thereby affectionat either bicause being borne in this age and liuing in the time of the controuersie they had not the autoritie and credite of Iudges I haue thought good to moue all such as finde in them selues either controuersie or doubt concerning that matter to putte their owne opinion in arbitrement and compromisse Not calling them hereby from the holy Scriptures which as a Soueraine lawe the diuine wisedome hath lefte vnto vs but leading them to the true vnderstanding of the holy Scriptures vttered by such as God hath placed in his Churche Ephe. 4. Danie 12. to be Pastor us and teachers to instructe manie to rightuousnes I offer for Arbitrators not men of this age such as may be thought any waie partiall or suspected but such as in all mens iudgementes and for all respectes be or should be without exception For the principall pointe of Iustification I offer S. Augustine a reuerend and most lerned Bishop in the Catholike Churche not onely in high estimation in all Christian Regions emong all estates and degrees during his life but also for his excellent vertue worthely after his death taken for a Saincte and for his singuler learning and knowledge in holy Scriptures taken for one of the foure Doctours and that the principallest of the Latin Churche as one meete whome all learned menne should followe as a lanterne and light in decision of matters of greatest weight Who also in expounding of the holy Scriptures may be the more safely trusted for that he had in all his writinges a speciall care not to seeke his priuate and singular opinion in the vnderstanding of them Lib. Confess 12. cap. 25. as appereth by his owne woordes saying that God hath terribly geuen vs warning that wee should not drawe his truthe to our owne priuate construction leste wee were depriued of it Luther in Sermone Germa ad mulieres partus Infelicita afflictas Phi. Melanc in decla de S. Augustino Caluinus Institut cap. 18. And therefore hauing his opinion thou arte sure to haue the opinion of that moste learned age that he liued in Againe bicause that time framed vnto it selfe no newe doctrine thou knowest also by him what was the opinion of the Church before his time euen from the Apostles vnto his age And bicause he hath not ben contraried in that matter of any godly and learned before this oure age yea and in this our age is highly commended of suche as haue bene of greatest credite euen of the contrary side thou knowest by him what hath bene the opinion of the Churche in all times
is not able to worke the effecte of saluacion for which purpose it serueth vnlesse it be accumpanied with charitie the Mother of al vertues of which wordes S. Augustine gathereth a rule that when we find in the Scriptures faith commended for Iustificacion or saluacion we should euer vnderstād it meant of faith which worketh through charitie saying Hanc fidem definiuit Apostolus c. This faith hath the Apostle defined and determined to be it And in that sense both S. Augustine and other aunciente fathers cal that many times the trewe faith the Christian mannes faith and the faith in deede The trewe faith in respecte of the ende whiche is saluacion not bicause the faith whereby we onely beleue the Scriptures is not a trewe Faith. For we saie in the Creede of Athanasius that the Catholique Faith is a full perfecte and inuiolable Faith. A beleeuing faith and a sauing faith But it is perfecte in beleuing not perfecte in sauing And therefore it is not saide in the ende who so beleueth it shal be saued but vnlesse a man beleue and keepe it inuiolable he shal without doubte be damned For though he beleue the Scriptures in profession and keepe them not in deede that is if he beleue them in worde and mouth and trangresse them in acte and deede he shall not be saued Faith alone and of it selfe maie be perfecte for beleuing but the faith that is trewe and perfecte for sauing is euer accompanied neuer alone It is one thing then to haue trewe faith in assente and opinion which is faith in his owne nature and an other thing to haue faith in obedience of harte and affection which is faith accompanied with charitie and other vertues of whiche difference I onely putte the Reader in remembrance bicause I will more largely speake thereof in the. 7. Chapter of the second booke to the whiche I referre him Thus haue I thought good to open vnto the Reader what is properly meante by the name of faith alone August de Trinitate Lib. 15. cap. 18. in Euchirid cap. 8. and what it taketh of other vertues Sine quibus esse potest sed prodesse non potest Without the whiche it may be but it can not auaile nor attaine to the life euerlasting Faith properly is to beleue and to beleue is to assente to trewth This faith the age of S. Augustine S. Chrysostome and Vincentius Lirinensis did knowe and teache willing men for their saluation to ioyne vnto it charitie with other vertues If any man deuise an other faithe beside this he bringeth vs not the consent of Antiquitie but an inuention of noueltie As concerning the faith whereby miracles and wunderous actes are wroughte it is none other but the Catholique faith whereof I haue spoken Ioan. 20 which to aduance and commende God doth miracles in some that professe it through his name Whiche faith as both a good and ill man may haue so may both a good and ill man doo miracles as appeareth plainely by the wordes of Christe in S. Mathew and by S. Paule to the Corinthianes Math. 7. 1. Cor. 13. th one saying that many hauing done miracles shal be shutte owt of the kingdome of heauen The other affirming that a man maie be able to remoue mountaines and yet lacke charitie without the whiche he is nothing VVherein the controuersie of Iustificacion resteth and what is the rediest way to know how the same is wrought in vs. THE III. CHAP. THERE is emong parties at this time no greate controuersie touching the original cause of our Iustificacion For the Scriptures plainely shew and al men agree that it is God that iustifieth Rom 8. But the controuersy resteth specially in two pointes the first point first what our Iustification is and wherein it standeth whether it be onely a forgeuenes of sinnes paste or whether there be also required in it a change of the man and a newnes of life the secōd point The other pointe is how our Iustification is wrought in vs to witte albeit God iustifie vs yet how he worketh it in vs and by what meanes we comme to it by faith alone or by faith ioined with other vertues and Sacramentes which doubtes I thinke shal be much cleared if we consider our owne corrupte and sinfull estate and the cause thereof whiche is our carnall Birthe and descente from Adam By whom sinne entred into the worlde Rom 5. and by sinne death and so wente through all in whom all haue sinned Seing then that his fall was our fall and the cause of our vniustice if we vnderstande in what case he was created and what was in him loste wounded and weakened by sinne cōtraries being knowen by one rule and teaching we know also what our Iustification is Aristotle For the repairing of that which was in him loste is our restoring and the saluing of that which was in him wounded is our health the changing of the olde estate wherein through him we were borne is our renewing And our restoring healing and renewing is our Iustification Esai 53. Luc. 19. For Christ that came to iustifie sinners came to seeke and saue that which was loste and to make whole that which was wounded VVhat was loste in Adam by sinne and what is restored by Christe in our Iustification the comparing of Christ with Adam And in what thinges our Iustification standeth THE IIII. CHAPTER IT is a matter of vndoubted trewthe and confessed of all right beleuers that God created Adam in most excellent and perfecte estate For the Scripture saith in the person of God Gen. 1. Faciamus hominem ad imaginem similitudinem nostram Lette vs make manne after our image and lykenes Wherefore as God him selfe is wisedome trueth rightuousenes temperance loue strength vertue and in goodnes moste free so made he manne wise trewe rightuous and iuste temperate strong indued with perfecte loue vertuous and to all goodnes willinge and free Psal 48. But man vnderstanding not when he was in honor abusing his libertie to ill and transgressing Goddes commandement did not onely lose that perfect estate and beautie of vertues but broughte him selfe also into a base mortall and miserable condition fell into vices contrarie to the former vertues and became displeasant and hatefull vnto God his bodie condemned to death and his sowle vnlesse mercie had deliuered him to endlesse damnation And albeit it might suffise to say that he loste all the vertues wherewith he was by God indued yet to expresse some parte thereof particularly Prosper Aquitanus sayth Perdidit primitus fidem c. Contra Collatorē cap. 10. He loste first and chifely faith He loste continence he loste charitie he was berefte of wisedome and vnderstanding He was lefte without counsell and strength he dranke the poison of all vices and with the dronkennesse of his intemperance wetted through and soked the whole nature of man he loste profitable and
effectual faith for he beleued not God nor kepte that faith whiche S. Cyprian calleth fidem mandati De simplicitate pralator the faith of his commandement It was said vnto him by God him selfe of the tree of knowlege of good and ill Thou shalt not eate what day soeuer thou eate of it thou shalt assuredly dye He disobeied that commandement and did the contrary He waied so lightely the souereigne loue which he owed vnto God aboue all things Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 14. cap. 13. that either for his owne pleasure or for the contentation of his wife he was soone induced to folow his owne wil and to leaue Gods wil vndone He cast aside the hope that he should haue reposed in God Gen. 3. and beganne to put affiance in him selfe harkening to the serpentes woordes Eritis sicut Dij ye shal be like Goddes He lost the vertue of temperance desiring the meate that was forbidden and therby vnlawful for him to eate And hereby was he berefte of wisedome and vnderstanding falling into such ignorance that of him selfe he was not able to knowe the highest and trewe good Prosper vbi suprà Aug. de Corrept grat cap. 11. He was lefte without counsell and strength and fel into such weakenes that where by his creation he was of so free and strong will that it was in his power to continewe in grace if he had and would and not to sinne excepte he would thorough his faull he was made weake and vnhable of him selfe to doo any good Thus dranke he the poyson of all vices infecting and poisoning his owne nature and thereby all that descended of him Rom. 5. Per vnum hominem peccatum for by one man sinne came into the world and by sinne death and so wente it through all men in whom all sinned Ephe. 2. Rom. 6. Thus were al men by birth made naturally the children of angre And by sinne the enimies of God. Seing therefore that this is mannes estate and condition of his owne nature and sithens also we knowe that the Sonne of man came to seeke and saue that was loste Luc. 19. to repaire that was in man decaied to renewe and restore him againe to the estate of iustice if we wil dispute what thinges are requisite in him that is to be iustified we must of consequence say Rom. 4. that he is made iust and rightuouse vnto whom firste God pardoneth sinne And further vnto whom of his bountifull mercie he restoreth the good and heauenly qualities that were planted in Adam vnto whom he inspireth faith continencie charitie wisedome and vnderstanding counsel and strength with other vertues which Adam lost in whom God restoreth his image and likenes which by sinne was defaced and decaied To make the matter more plaine let vs lay before our eies the example of a man deadly sicke in al the principal partes of his body as the harte the head A Similitude the liuer and the lunges whom if a physition cure of the payne in his head and of the passion of the harte yet can he not be called a whole man vnlesse the other partes be cured also For he maie els die neuerthelesse by obstruction of the liuer or putrifaction of the lunges Euen so the sowle being generally infected and mortally wounded in all her principall partes and powers requireth likewise a perfect cure of eche parte without the which it can not be said vnto man touching his sowle Ioan. 5. Ecce sanus factus es Lo thou arte made a whole man. There be emong others two principall and souereigne powers of the sowle Tvvo povvers of the soule the one called reason and vnderstanding the other will by the which the image of God is specially represented in man for that he hath them singularly and alone aboue all beastes and other creatures so long as the same be rightly ordered that is to say so long as he vnderstandeth without error and willeth nothing but good all his doinges be godly and him selfe a heauenly creature and a liuely Image of God. Bothe these were infected and corrupted in Adam his reason and vnderstanding yelded to thinke it good for him to take his pleasure of a vaine and corruptible meate forbidden by God though he shoulde die for it his will assenting therevnto strake the stroke and put it in execution Bothe the same therefore muste be healed in man before he can be recouered of that plage For neither can he doo good vnlesse he be rightely informed and taught to knowe what is good neither is it ynough for him to knowe what is good vnlesse he haue a righte and good will to doo it See the 2. Chapter Hovv the Image of God is restored in man. Aug. de Ciuitat Dei li. 14. cap. 9. Ethic. 1. cap. 1. Aug. de Ciuita Dei. li. 11. cap. 28. The medicine to heale mannes corrupte reason and vnderstanding is right faith For if reason be subiecte to faith and the vnderstanding ruled by it there can be no error in his iudgement But the salue to cure mannes wil and affection is specially right loue which is called Charitie Quia rectus est amor eorum omnes affectiones rectas habent sayth S. Augustine Bicause their loue is right they haue all affections righte For sithe mannes will and affection naturally desireth good if it can be induced to loue that whiche is trewely good it is made perfecte and straight if it loue amisse it is crooked and ill For as S. Augustine saith Ita corpus pondere sicut animus amore fertur quocunque fertur So the body is caried with weight as the minde is caried with loue whether so euer it is caried For what he loueth he willeth and what he willeth being not inforced or lette that he doth Neither can it be trewely saide that reason and vnderstanding being healed by faith Luca. 12. maketh the will whole For we know by the wordes of Christ that a seruant may know the wil of his Master and yet doo it not And the cause why he doth it not Aug. de Ciuitate Dei. li. 11. cap. 28. knowing it is but the lacke of will to doo it Neque enim vir bonus meritò dicitur qui scit quod bonum est sed qui diligit Neither is he worthely called a good man whiche knoweth that is good but whiche loseth it And thereby doe we see that will and affection may be diseased and disordered when reason and vnderâ—tanding is healed And so the man not whole when reason by faith is healed If I should saie no more then is alreadie said yet might the Reader wel perceiue what is required to the Iustification of a sinner I haue declared that Adam being created in perfect iustice by his sinne loste the same and â—l other men in him Rom 5. 1. Cor. 15. Luc. 19. and that Christ as a newe Adam to satisfie for the offence of
Timo. 1. Ephes 1. who when we were synners died for vs and when we were enimies reconciled vs pacifying him by his owne bloude and paying our raunsome in whome God accepted vs to his fauoure The meane and instrumente whereby God woorketh Iustification in vs is the Sacramente of Baptisme Tit. 3. by the wasshing whereof and renewing of the holy Ghoste we are saued Through these causes there is wrought in vs the iustice of God by the whiche we be and are trewly called iuste Qui facit iustitiam iustus est 1. Ioan. 3. for he that doth iustice is iuste It is not the iustice of God whereby he him selfe is iuste neyther is it our owne as of our selues but oures comming from him Cùm ero iustus August in Psal 70. in tua iustitia erit c. When I shal be iuste saieth S. Augustine it shal be in thy iustice For that I shal be iuste by iustice geuen me from thee and in suche sorte shall it be myne that it shal be thyne also that is to wit geuen me from thee Which woordes declare both that there is true iustice in man wrought in his Iustification and also that the same commeth not of him selfe but is geuen him from God. The final cause and ende of our iustification is Tit. 3. Ephes 1. vt haeredes simus secundùm spem vitae aeternae in laudem gloriae gratiae Dei That by hope we may be inheritors of lyfe euerlasting to the prayse and glory of his grace And thus hauing briefly declared what the causes of our Iustification bee I shal now shewe howe and by what meane the same is wrought in vs. That the Sacramente of Baptisme is the instrumente and meane whereby God iustifieth vs. THE VI. CHAP. AS God iustifieth synners through suche causes as haue ben rehersed so hath he appointed the Sacrament of Baptisme as an instrumente and meane to worke his iustice in them for whiche cause S. Paule seemeth to take it for al one to be baptised and to be iustified saying 1. Cor. 6. Abluti estis sanctificati estis iustificati estis Ye haue ben washed cleane ye haue ben made holy ye haue ben iustified And in an other place he saieth more playnely God hath saued vs by the wasshing of regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghoste Tit. 3. And bicause no man should thinke that he mighte be otherwise iustified or saued Christe saieth vnlesse a man be new borne by water and the holy Ghoste Ioan. 3. he can not entre into the kingdome of God. S. Ambrose saieth The beginning of trewe life and true iustice lyeth in the Sacrament of regeneration Amb. li. 1. ca 5. de voca om gent. that where a man is newe borne there also the true vertues should beginne And note here by S. Ambrose not only that Baptisme is the beginning of our iustice but also that we haue therein a beginning of true vertues and true iustice Augu. lib 2 contra Iulian. I haue recited the wordes of S. Augustine before where he saith that Iustification is geuen vnto vs in this life by three thinges whereof he maketh Baptisme the firste And to prooue the same by a reason taken out of the Scriptures See the 1. Chap. Our iustification standeth specially in twoo pointes in forgeuenesse of sinnes past and newnes of life in tyme to come For as S. Paule saith of such as be iustified Rom. 3. that God hath pardoned them their former sinnes so saith he for the tyme to come that they must walke in newnes of life Rom. 6. In Baptisme al our sinnes be forgeuen Prorsus verum est c. Augu. ser 2. de ver Apost Tit. 3. It is verely true In holy Baptisme al sinnes were put away wordes deedes thoughtes al were blotted out In Baptisme also newnes of life is geuen For which cause it is called a newe byrth the wasshing of regeneration and renewing by the holy Ghoste Wherefore seing that all that apperteineth to Iustification is wrought in vs by the Sacramente of Baptisme we may beside the authoritie of Scriptures and auncient Fathers euen by reason conclude that Baptisme is the instrumente and assured meane whereby a synner is iustified Of the Iustification of infantes by the Sacramente of Baptisme THE VII CHAPT BVt as the benefite of Iustification is al one so it is not receiued of al after one manner For such as are borne in sinne and by mercie called to the state of iustice eyther they be called and christened in they re infancie as it is nowe vsed throughowt the Christian worlde or elles they be called to it in they re perfecte age as it was vsed when the Gospel was preached to them that were borne and brought vp in infidelitie The estate of infantes asketh moste fauour and mercie for as S. Cyprian saieth Lib. 3 epistol 8. Augu. ser 14. de ver Apost Infans recens natus c. The infante newly borne hath not offended but that taking his carnall byrthe after the nature of Adam he hath drawen into him by his firste byrthe the infection of the oulde death who commethe to receyue forgeuenesse of sinnes the more easily for so muche as there be pardoned vnto hym not his owne but other mennes synnes And for that cause as S. Augustine saieth Augu. ser 10. de ver Aposto sermo 14. Accommodat illis mater Ecclesia The Churche our mother lendethe them other mennes feete to come other mennes harte to beleue other mennes tounge to say yea that forasmuch as their syckenes and griefe commeth by an other mannes synne they may be saued by the confession of other that be healed And albeit they be neyther able to answere nor doo for them selues any thing towarde their owne benefite yea and so muche as in them is resiste the same yet God bringeth them by vertue of that Sacrament from the power of darckenesse to the kyngdome of his Sonne Coloss 1. Augu. lib 1. ca. 9. de pec meri remiss powreth into them the secrete grace of his spirite and maketh them true faithfull and Christian sowles S. Augustine saieth Inter credentes Thou shalte recken and accompte babes that be christened emong the beleeuing neither shalt thou by any meanes be so bolde as to iudge otherwise Ser. 14 de verb. Apo. excepte thou wilt be an open heretique For yeuen by the aunciente canonycall and most suer grounded custome of the Church Babes once christened are called faithful and beleeuers Aug. ibid. And in an other place speaking of the state of infantes christened if they dye before thage of discretion So great saieth he is the mercie of God toward the vesselles of mercie Aug. li. 21 cap. 16. de Ciuit. Dei. that euen the first age of man to witte infancie c. If it haue receiued the Sacramentes of the mediator though it ende his life in those yeares for that it is
God make it easie and light especially bicause we are fure to escape the heauie and punishing hand of God. For so S. Paul saith Si nos ipsos diiudicaremus non vtique iudicaremur 1. Cor. 11. If we would iudge that is to say punish our selues we shoulde not be iudged Thus haue I shewed that suche as fall after Baptisme into greate and deadly sinne are restored againe and iustified by penance whiche hath that vertue by the woorde and promise of Christe Ioani 20. I haue also declared howe a sinner is brought vnto true penance And further I haue shewed the difference betweene penance that is required of suche as being of age come to be christened and of such as fal after Baptisme wherin it hath ben proued that sinners after Baptisme are restored again to the estate of iustice Theodor. sup Paul. 2. Cor. 7. by doing the worthie fruits of penance and not by Faith onely And seing that al Christian men now liuing were baptised in their infancie This is the Iustification that we ought specially to loke vnto by knowledge to learne and to practise by dede As for the Iustification of faith alone how so euer it serue for suche as are to be christened In the viij Chap. of the secōd booke whereof I shall speake hereafter it serueth not for vs that are christened alreadie Of the increase and perfiting of our Iustification wherein it is truely said that we be iustified by good workes and not by faith onely THE XII CHAP. IT is not inough for the obteining of lyfe euerlastinge that sinners be iustified and made of wicked righteouse Psal 83. Tit. 2. vnlesse they continue also and increase in iustice goe from vertue to vertue and liue soberly iustly and godly For as S. Cyprian saith Parum est adipisci aliquid potuisse Cyprian li. 1. ep 5. It is a small matter to be able to get a thing It is more to be able to kepe that is once gotten as in faith it selfe and the healthfull byrth it is not the receiuing but the keping of it that geaueth lyfe neither is it by and by the attaining but the perfiting that preserueth a man to God. This our Lorde taught by his owne instruction Ioan. 5. when he saied Lo thou art made a whole man nowe sinne not least some worse happe fall vnto thee Christe gaue him selfe for vs saieth S. Paule to the intent he might redeeme vs from all iniquity Tit. 2. 2. Cor 6. and cleanse vnto him selfe a singular and special people a folower of good workes If this effect folowe not in vaine hath Christe geauen him selfe to death for vs in vaine doe we receiue his grace and Iustification And not onely in vaine but to our great daunger and peril 2. Pet. 2. Luc. 11. Augustin epist 106. Better were it for them saith S. Peter neuer to haue knowē the way of iustice then after the knowlege of it to turne backe againe from the holy cōmandement that was deliuered vnto them He that is iustified is ryd of the vncleane spirite and his harte lyke to the swepte house But if the same stande emptie not inhabited by the holy Ghost nor filled with the fruites of iustice the vncleane spirite doth not onely returne agayne but also bringeth with him seuen other worse then him selfe who entre and dwel there and the later doinges of that man becomme worse then the firste were For as to him that hath Math. 25. there shal be geuen and he shall haue aboundance so from him that hath not euen that he seemeth to haue shal be taken awaye To haue the gyftes of God is to vse them as Theophilacte writeth vpon that place Theophil in ca. 25. Math. Math. 28 And he vseth Goddes grace that doth good workes to the which ende grace is geuen Christe sente his Apostles to christen all Nations and to teache them to keepe all that he had commaunded them He woulde not onely haue a people to knowe him Luc. 1. Ioan. 15. but such a people as shoulde serue him in holynes and iustice He saith to his Apostles Ego elegi vos posui vos vt eatis fructum plurimum afferatis fructus vester maneat I haue chosen you and placed you to thintent you should go and bring forth fruite and to thintent your fruit should remaine And in the same chaptre he saith in hoc glorificatus est pater Ioan. 15. vt fructū plurimū afferatis efficiamini mei Discipuli Hereby is my Father glorified that you may bring forth much fruit and be made my scholers geuing vs to vnderstande that they be Christes scholers that shew the fruite of his teaching and that God is glorified not onely in our calling but also in the fruite that commeth of our calling For this cause the Scripture saieth to such as are already called to the state of iustice Apoca. 22 Eccle. 18. Math. 5. Qui iustus est iustificetur adhuc Let him that is iuste be iustified yet And also Let nothing let thee from continuall prayer and let nothing forbid thee to be iustified vnto thy death for Goddes rewarde abydeth for euer Blessed are they that hunger and thyrst after iustice saieth our Sauiour Apertissimè nos instituens c. Most euidently teaching vs Beda in solen om Sancto that we should neuer thinke our selues iuste inough but euer more loue and desire a daylie increase of iustice For true it is that Leo saieth Quantumlibet quisque iustificatus sit Leo ser 8. de Passio Aug. ser 15. de verb. Apo. Why increase of Iustice is called Iustificatiō c. Be a man neuer so much iustified yet while he is in this life he may be better and more tryed but he that increaseth not decayeth and goeth backewarde and he that getteth nothing loseth somewhat And bicause as in al artes vse maketh the artificer more skilful then he was so the continuance and practise of iustice maketh a good man readyer and more able to do well and thereby iuster then he was the Scripture calleth it Iustificatiō that is to say an increase of iustice and declareth in sundry places howe the same is obteyned S. Iames saieth Iacob 2. videtis quòd ex operibus c. You see that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith onely And he that saieth Eccles 18. lette nothing staye thee from continuall prayer nor forbid thee to be iustified to thy death teacheth that prayer is a meane to iustifie whiche Chrysostome expresseth in more playne woordes Chrysost Tom 5. de orand saying vtiampiam ac cultu Dei dignam miris modis oratio conciliat conciliatam auget Prayer doth meruelously winne and gette a good life and increaseth it when it is a gotten Christ him selfe calleth prayer fasting and asmosedeede our iustice and sure we are that he is iuste who doth iustice Math. 6. 1. Ioan.
it is as S. Augustine and Prosper Aquitanus say Aug. tra in Ioan. 72. Prosper de promis part 2. cap. 30. l'e fide oper cap. 14. De gratia lib. arbit cap. 7. Epist 107. Enchi c. 8. Aug. de fide oper ca. 14 a greater worke then to make heauen and earth or to bring a deade man to life againe The argument is not mine but suche as S. Augustine vseth and repeteth almost as often as he speaketh of Iustification Saying that S. Paule by these wordes hath decided and determined the matter Non quamlibet fidem qua in Deum creditur c. It is not euery Faith whereby a man beleueth in God that the Apostle determineth to be healthfull and Euangelicall but that is the Faith saith he which worketh through charitie wherevppon he auoucheth that the Faith which some take to be sufficiente for their saluation auaileth nothing in so muche that he saith If I haue all Faith in suche sorte that I be able to moue hilles owt of theire places and haue no charitie I am nothing I woulde seeke a plainer decision if any thing coulde be more plainely spoken He saith S. Paule hath defined that there is but one Faithe auailable to witte the faithe that worketh through charitie He saith Ser. 15. de ver apost De fide oper c 14. all other Faithe what so euer it be auaileth nothing He saith and that verie often that Faith destitute of charitie maie be not onely in euill men but also in the diuell him selfe And calleth it fidem damoniorum the faith of diuelles And leste any man should saie that albeit good workes are done by charitie yet is all to be imputed to faithe whiche is the cause that worketh al Note vvel S. Paule saith on the other side that faith it selfe taketh her doing and working of charitie For as they know that vnderstand the Greke tongue á¼Î½ÎµÏγουμÎνη is a participle of passiue significatioÌ„ and rightely shoulde he translate the wordes of S. Paule who shoulde saie That faith in Christ Iesu is auailable whiche is made actiue and doing thorough charitie For if we will speake of the nature of faithe as it is by it selfe it is vndoubtedly In the 2. Chapt. to vnderstande and assent vnto trewth as hath ben shewed before And bicause all knowledge be it of the Scriptures or the articles of our Crede maie be not onely in il men but in diuels also Faith is not able of her selfe to make a man iuste and righteouse vnlesse shee take vnto her hope and charitie and so be made actiue and doing by the one to hope in God by the other to loue God and man. whiche conclusion concerning charitie S. Augustine maketh In Praefa Psal 31. Ergo si nihil mihi prodest fides sine charitate c. If faithe then auaile me nothing without charitie and charitie wheresoeuer it be muste needes be working faithe it selfe by charitie hath her working Reason in man is the thing that maketh the difference betwene him and al brute beastes which be called brute bicause they lacke reason For which cause Reason as the principal power of the sowle is called of the Philosopher εντελÎχεια the forme and perfection that maketh a man. In like manner charitie is the thing that maketh the difference betwene faith and faith betwene the faith of a good and an ill man betwene the faith of good Christians and vncleane diuelles As S. Augustine saith at large in a learned and godly Sermon able to satisfie any indifferente Reader not onely in this point but in the whole matter of Iustification Quid pertinet ad fidem Aug. ser 16. De ver Aposto Iaco. 2. Credere What belongeth to faith to beleue But lette there yet further be a difference made betwene this faith and the faith of vncleane Diuelles For the Apostle S. Iames saith the Diuelles also beleue and tremble if thou doest but onely beleue and liuest without hope and haste no charitie the Diuelles beleue also and tremble And a litle after first therefore make a difference betwene thy faith and the Diuelles faith Whereby wilte thou make the difference Mar. 1. Matt. 8. Luc. 4. The Diuelles said Christ was the sonne of God through feare S. Peter said it through loue Put hope then to faith And what hope is there without some good conscience put vnto hope it selfe charitie And somewhat after that Therefore make a difference of your faith then are ye of the predestinates of the called and of the iustified And in the same Sermon to conclude he saith Gala. 5. Therefore if there be in you faith that worketh through loue now belonge you to the predestinates to the called and to the iustified Let that faith therefore growe in you that is working by charitie for faith working by charitie can not be without hope Now if charitie be it that maketh the difference betwene faith and faith as S. Augustine proueth and if that which maketh the difference betwene any one creature and al other be the perfection life and sowle of that creature Then is charitie not an instrument to serue faith but the life and sowle of faith without the helpe and mouing whereof faith neither iustifieth neither worketh any good acte in the beleuer The Euangelist saith Ex principibus multi crediderunt in eum Ioan. 12. sed propter Pharisaeos non confite bantur vt è synagoga non eijcerentur dilexerunt enim gloriam hominum magis quà m gloriam Dei. Thei had faith vvithout right loue Many of the chiefe rulers beleued in him but they confessed him not bicause they would not be caste out of the Synagoge For they loued the glory of men more then the glory of God. The scripture saith they had faith and yet no man I thinke will say they were iustified who neither confessed Christe and also loued the worlde better then God. And what lacked there in them Ser. 16. de ver Apos to make them belonge to the predestinates to the called and iustified as S. Augustine saith but onely right loue to make that faith actiue and stronge to loue the glory of God more then the glory of men whiche vnlesse God gaue them afterwarde that faith nothing auailed them Only charitie rather then only faith Wherefore if a man were disposed to make a diuorce betwene faith hope and charitie which no good man euer did he might say by these and other reasons that charitie alone rather iustifieth and haue S. Augustine to say with him whose wordes these are Charitas inchoata De natura gra cap. 70. inchoata iustitia est c. An vnperfect charitie is an vnperfect iustice a well increased charitie is a well increased iustice a great charitie is great iustice perfect charitie is perfect iustice And in the same booke he saith of charitie Ca 38. ib. Qua vna verè iustus est quicunque iustus
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
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
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 quà m lasciua quà m festiua Qui iuuenis Tertul. ibi Qui Lucius quà m 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 Ã
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
saieth grace were not then grace Agaiast the vaine affiance of Heretikes THE IX CHAPTER AND although it be necessarie to beleeue that sinnes neither are neither haue ben at anie time forgeuen otherwise then freely by the mercie of God for Christes sake yet muste we say that sinnes neither are nor haue ben forgeuen to anie man that boasteth of an affiāce and certaintie of the forgeuenes of his sinnes and resteth vpon it only For so much as this affiance which is vaine and farre wide from all godlines maie be and is in our time emōgest heretikes and schismatikes set foorth and mainteined against the Catholike Church yea and that with earnest contention Neither is that opinion to be holden that such as are truely iustified must without all doubte in the worlde make them selues assured that they are iustified and that no man is absolued from his sinnes and iustified but he which beleeueth certainly that he is absolued and iustified and that absolution and Iustification is made perfecte by this belefe onely as though he that beleeued this doubted of the promises of God and of the efficacie of the death and resurrection of Christ For as no godlie man ought to doubt of the mercie of God of the merite of Christ and of the vertue and efficacie of the Sacramentes so euerie man when he looketh vpon him selfe and considereth his owne weakenes and indisposition maie stand in doubt and feare of his owne grace for so much as no man is able to know by certaintie of faith such as is infallible that he hath atteined the grace of God. Of the increase of Iustification after it is receiued THE X. CHAPTER Ephes 2. Psal 13. 2. Cor. 4. THEY therefore that are thus iustified and made the frendes and of the houshold of God going from vertue to vertue are renewed as the Apostle saieth from daie to daie that is to say by mortifying the members of their flesh and by yelding them as the armour of iustice to sanctification by keeping the cōmaundementes of God and of the Churche they growe in this iustice which they receiued by the grace of Christ faith woorking together with good woorkes and so they are iustified more and more as it is writen He that is iust let him be further iustified Apoc. 22. Eccles 18. Iacob 2. and againe Be not ashamed to be iustified euen vnto death and againe You see that man is iustified by woorkes and not by faith only This increase of iustice doth the holy Church aske of God when she praieth thus Geaue vs O Lord increase of faith hope and charitie Of the obseruation of the commaundementes Of the necessitie and possibilitie thereof THE XI CHAPTER NO man be he neuer so much iustified ought to thinke him selfe to be discharged from the keeping of the cōmandementes no man ought to vse that talke which is both rash and forbiddē of the holy Fathers vnder paine of excōmunication Note that the cōmandements of God are impossible to be kept of a man being iustified For God cōmaundeth not thinges impossible but by cōmaunding he warneth thee both to do what thou canst and to aske of him what thou canst not do and so doth he helpe that thou maist be able to do 1. Ioan. 5. Matth. 11. whose cōmandementes are not heauie whose yoke is sweete and burden light For they that are the sonnes of God do loue Christ Ioan. 14. and such as do loue him do as he him selfe witnesseth keepe his wordes the which thing vndoubtedly they are able to performe with Gods helpe For although men in this mortal life be they neuer so holy and iust do some time fal at the lest into certaine light and dailie trespasses which are also called veniall sinnes yet do they not for that cease to be iust For this is the voice of iust men both humble and true forgeaue vs our trespasses Matt. 6. Wherfore the iust ought to thinke them selues so much the more bownd to walke in the waie of iustice to the end that being now deliuered from sinne and made seruantes vnto God Tit. 2. they maie liue soberly iustly and godly and so go foreward by Christ Iesus by whome they haue had accesse into this grace For God forsaketh not such as are once iustified by his grace vnlesse he be first forsaken of them No man ought therfore to flatter him selfe in onlie faith thinking that he is made an heire and that he shall obteine the inheritance for faith onlie although he suffer not with Christ that he maie be glorified with Christ Hebr. 5. For euen Christ him selfe as the Apostle saieth for all that he was the sonne of God yet did he learne by such thinges as he suffered obedience and when he was perfited he was made to all suche as were obedient vnto him the cause of euerlasting saluation Wherefore the Apostle warneth such as are iustified saying 1. Cor. 9. Know you not that suche as runne in the race they runne all together but one receiueth the price So runne ye that you maie laie hand on the game I therefore do so runne not as for an vncertaintie I do so fight not as one that beateth the aier but I do chastice my bodie and bring it into bondage lest peraduenture when I haue preached vnto other men I maie become a cast away my selfe In like manner speaketh the chiefe of the Apostles S. Peter 2. Pet. 1. Do your endeuour to the vttermost that ye maie by good workes make your calling and election certaine for in so doing you shall not sinne at anie time By the which places it is euident that those men do impugne the Doctrine of the true and Catholike religion which saie that the iust man sinneth in euery good worke at the lest venially or that he doth which is more intolerable deserue euerlasting damnation It is also manifest that they do impugne the true and Catholike doctrine which do determine that the iust do sinne in all their woorkes if in the same good woorkes in stirring vp their owne sluggishnesse and in cheering them selues to runne in the race they do principally respect this that God may be glorified and withal do looke vpon the euerlasting reward for so much as it is writen Psal 118. I haue inclined my hart to do thy iustifications for the rewardes sake Hebr. 11. and the Apostle saieth of Moises that he looked vpon the rewarde That the rash and presumptuous opinion of predestination is to be eschewed THE XII CHAP. NO man so long as he is in this mortall life ought to presume so far of the secret mysterie of Gods predestination as to saie assuredly that he is in the number of the predestinate as though this were true that a man being once iustified either coulde not sinne any more or els if he do sinne that he should assure him selfe of amendement for vnlesse it be by special reuelation it can not be knowen whom God
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
keeping or for the getting of wordely riches committeth murther adulterie fornication Idololatrie and suche lyke shall not bycause of the foundation be saued through fyer but loosing quyte the foundation shal be tormented with euerlasting fyer Wherefore that also whiche they alleage out of the Apostle thinking to proue thereby that only faith profitteth where he saieth 1. Cor. 7. If the infidell partye departe let him or her departe for a broother or a sister is not in suche thinges subiect vnto bondage The duty to God is to be preferred before the bonde of vvedlocke that is to say that for the fayth of Christe euen the very wife coupled in lawfull Matrimonie should without fault be forsaken yf she will not tarry with a Christian man onely for this cause bicause he is a Christian they marke not withal that by the same saying of the Apostle shee may very wel and lawfully be dismissed and put away yf shee say vnto her husband I will not be thy wyfe onlesse thou heape riches vnto me by theft or except thou nowe thou art a Christian man vse thy accustomed robberies wherewith thou diddest furnish our house or any other kinde of lewdnesse or wickednesse that her husband before had vsed wherewith shee being delighted did either satisfie her lust or get her liuing easely or goe the more gaily apparelled For then he to whom his wyfe shal thus saye if he haue truely done penaunce from deade workes at his comming vnto Baptisme and haue in his foundation faithe whiche woorketh through looue without doubt he shal haue more regard to the looue of the grace of God then to the voluptuousnes of the fleshe Gal. 5. and will strongly cut awaye the member that doth offende him and what soeuer sorrowe of his harte he doo by carnall affection to his wyfe indure by suche separation that lo is all the hurt that he shall suffer that sorrowe is the fyer by the whiche his heie being burned he shall be saued But yf he so enioyed his wife as that he kepte her not for concupiscence but for charitie and pitie to see yf perhaps in time he might winne her to the faith yelding rather then requyring the duty of wedlocke truly he shal not be carnally sorry when he is separated from such mariage For why he did not though married purpose any other thing then godly 1. Cor. 7. and howe he might please God. Math. 5. And by this meanes looke howe muche the more he buylded by such godly purposes gold siluer and pretious stones so much the lesse losse should he susteyne and so muche the lesse coulde his buylding whiche was not nowe of heie but of substantiall golde and siluer be burned with any fyer And thus whether men do suffer such thinges in this lyfe only or that after this lyfe some such Iudgementes do followe the saying of S. Paule thus expounded doth not I trowe vary from reason or truth How be it if there be any other good exposition thereof that my happe is not to chose or to light on yet so long as we holde this we are not forced absurdely to saie vnto vniust personnes 1. Tim. 1. rebelles traitours the lewde and defiled killers of their fathers or mothers murtherers fornicatours offenders againste kinde theeues bribers lyers periured personnes or suche like whiche are contrary to the sownde doctrine whiche is according to the Gospel of the glory of the blessed God if ye do no more but beleue in Christ and take the Sacrament of his Baptisme though ye doe not forsake your moste wicked lyfe yet shall ye be saued Neither can herein the woman of Chananee prescribe against vs because our Lorde gaue her at the firste that shee asked Mat. 15. when he had saied before It is not good to take the breade of children and geaue it vnto dogges For he being the searcher of the heart sawe her chaunged within whome he praised by worde of mouthe And therefore he saide not O dogge great is thy faith but O woman Mat. 15. great is thy faith He chaunged his terme bycause he sawe the affection chaunged in her and knewe that of suche his rebuking of her was growen good fruite But it were in deede to be maruailed at if he had praised in her Iac. 2. faith without good workes that is to saie a dead faith and not suche a faith as might woorke through loue which S. Iames was not afraied to call a faith not of Christians but of Diuelles Finally if they will not vnderstande this woman of Chananee to haue chaunged in her heart her wicked woorkes and manners when Christe by contempt and reproche rebuked her then whome so euer they shall finde onely to beleeue and yet not onely not to hide their wicked life but freely to professe it and neuer meane to chaunge it let them on Gods name heale their children if they can as the daughter of that woman of Chananee was healed but let them not make them members of Christ which wil not forbeare to be the members of an harlotte In dede they doe not amisse vnderstande that he doth sinne against the holy Ghost and is without pardon giltie of eternall sinne whiche till the very ende of his life wil not beleue in Christe But this were true if they rightly vnderstoode what it were to beleeue in Christe For it is not to haue the faith of Diuelles which is rightly called a dead faith but to haue that faith which worketh through loue and charitie Suche as obstinately continue in lewde and vngodly life should be put backe from Baptisme and what it is to hide our Lord his money THE XVII CHAPTER WHICH thinges being so when we dooe not admitte suche vnto Baptisme we goe not about to pul vppe the cockle before the time but we are lothe to goe farther and sowe cockle as the Diuell dothe Neither doe we lette or kepe of him that is willing to come vnto Christe but by their owne profession we conuince them that they haue no will to come vnto Christ Neither doe we forbid them to beleue in Christ but we plainely shewe that they will not beleue Christe who doe either saie that it is not adulterie which he saith is adulterie or els doe beleeue that adulterers may be his members who as he teacheth vs by his Apostle shall not inherite the kingdome of heauen but are enemies to the sownde doctrine Gallat 5. 1. Tim. 1. which is according to the Gospell of the glory of the holy God. And therefore these men are not to be accompted emong them Luc. 4. which came vnto the marriage feast but emong them that woulde not come For when they dare moste openly gainesaie the very Doctrine of Christe and contrary the holy Gospel they are not repelled when they come but them selues refuse to come But as for them who renounce the worlde at the the least in woordes though not in deedes they come and
penaunce for their vncleannes and fornication whiche they haue committed Crimes mortal but not infamous Againe if there were not certaine sinnes whiche need not to be healed by suche humilitie of penaunce as is geeuen in the Church to them which are properly called Penitentes but by some other medicines of rebuking by woordes our Lorde woulde not saie Tell him his fault betwene him and thee alone if he harken to the Matt. 18. Venial sinnes then thou hast wonne thy broother Finally if there were not some faultes without the whiche this life is not lead he woulde not haue geuen vs a daily remedy in the praier which him selfe taught wherin he willed vs to saie forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespase against vs. Matt. 6. The Conclusion with a learned recitall of all that hath beene saied before THE XXVII CHAPTER NOW haue I sufficiently laide foorthe I suppose what I thinke of that whole opiniō wherein three questions haue risen One of the mingling in the church of good and euil as of wheat and cockle Wherein wee must take heede that wee thinke not these parables and similitudes propounded to that ende whether it be that of the vncleane beastes within the Arke or what so euer suche lyke which signifie the same that Ecclesiasticall discipline should therefore sleepe whereof it was saied in the figure of that wooman Prouer. 2. Seuere are the conuersations of her house but that vnaduised and rash temeritie rather then diligent seueritie should not so farre proceed that it presume as it were to seperate the good from the euil by wicked schismes For neither by these similitudes parables and foreshewinges is there geeuen to the good any counsel of slouth or slacknes wherby they should neglect that which they ought to forbid but of pacience wherby preseruing alwaie the doctrine of truth they may suffer and beare that whiche they can not amende Nor yet bicause it is written that there entred also vncleane beastes into the Arke to Noe Genes 7. therfore the Prelates shoulde not forbid and stay if any most lewde and vncleane persons will presume to enter to Baptisme as light dawncers which were verely lesse yll then filthy adulterers But by this figure of a thing done it was foreshewed that vncleane persons should be in the church by meane of toleration not by corruption of doctrine or dissolute breaking of discipline and good order For the vncleane beastes came not in where and of whiche side them listed the fast frame of the Arke being in any part broken or sundered but the same being whole and sound they entred all at one onely doore which the woorkman had made An other question is vppon that it seemed good vnto them that only faith shoulde be preached to them that were to be Baptised and that after Baptisme they should be taught of woorkes and manners But if I be not deceiued it hath beene sufficiently shewed that it dooth then chiefly appertaine to the care and dewty of the ouerseer when all they whiche desire together the Sacrament of the faithfull doo most intentiuely and carefully harken to all that is saied then expressely and plainely to open the paine which our Lord threateneth to them that liue yll least they become gilty of most greuous crimes euen in the Baptisme it selfe whervnto they come to haue the gilt of all their former sinnes remitted The third question is the most daungerous of al. Of the whiche being slenderly considered and not handled according to the woorde of God is rysen as to me seemeth all that other foule opinion wherin there is promised to suche as lyue most lewdely and shamefully yea though they continue in suche liuing if they onely beleeue in Christe and receaue his Sacramentes that they shall come to eternall life and saluation Whiche doctrine is against the most manifest saying of our Lorde who to him that desired eternall life Matt. 19. aunswered If thou wilt come vnto life keepe the cōmaundementes and shewed farder what commaundementes such truly wherin those sinnes are forbidden wherevnto eternall life is nowe I know not howe promised thorough faith Iacob 2. which without woorkes is dead Of these three questions I haue as I thinke sufficiently disputed and haue shewed that the euill are so to be tolerated in the Churche that Ecclesiasticall Discipline be not neglected That they whiche desire Baptisme are so to be instructed that they may not onely heare and take vppon them what they should beleeue but also howe they shoulde lyue That eternall lyfe is so promised to the faithfull that no man may thinke he may come thereunto through a deade faith whiche without woorkes can not saue But by that faith of grace whiche woorketh thorough looue Note the Conclusion Gal. 5. Let not therefore faithfull Stuardes be blamed Let not theyr negligence or slougthe be reprooued but rather the froward stubernesse of some whiche refuse to take our Lordes mony and whiche compell the seruantes of our Lorde to bestowe and distribute their owne counterfait coyne while thei wil not at the least be of that sort of euil men as S. Cyprian speaketh of In Ser. de lapsis renouncing the world onely in wordes and not in workes For these men wil not so muche as in wordes renounce the woorkes of the diuel but with open mouth wil professe that thei wil continue in ther adultery If there be any thing els that they do affirme which I perhaps haue not here touched in this my disputation I suppose it to be such as whereunto my answere was not necessary either bicause it apperteined not to the matter now in hande or els for that it was suche a trifel as might of euery man easely be confuted and reproued Thus endeth the learned Treatie of that auncient and Blessed Father S. Augustine Of faith and Woorkes A SERMON MADE BY S. CHRYSOSTOME PATRIARKE OF CONSTANTINOPLE IN THE yere of our Lorde 400. Of praying vnto God Extant in the fifth Tome of his Woorkes THE seruantes of God are for two causes woorthy not onely to be extolled with high prayses but also to be regarded and looked vppon with admiration Firste for that they did set the hope of theyr saluation in deuoute and holie prayers and next for that they suffered not to grow out of memorye those laudes and other seruice whiche with ioy and trembling they vsed to offer vnto God but haue ben content that being committed to writing they should remaine Whereby thei might powre foorth their treasure vppon vs as it were by succession of inheritaunce and by that meane prouoke and stirre the whole posteritie to a desyre of following and of labouring to be lyke vnto them For it is well sytting and conuenient that bothe the manners of the teachers doo flowe and descende to suche as vse theyr companye and that the scholers of suche Maisters be seene also to followe and expresse in lyfe the vertue of theyr