than for the loue and glory of God and so he defileth all his works with selfeloue for the loue of himselfe and for his own profit But he that knoweth himselfe to be become righteous by the merits and righteousnesse of Christe which hee maketh his owne by fayth laboureth happily doeth good woorkes alonely for the loue and glory of Christ and not for love of himselfe nor to make himselfe righteous And thervpoÌ„ it coÌ„meth that the true ChristiaÌ„ that is to wit he that accounteth him self righteous by reason of Christes righteousnes asketh not whether good works be coÌ„manded or not but being wholly moued prouoked with a certaine violence of godly loue he offereth himselfe willingly to doal the works that are holy Christianlike and neuer ceaseth to doe well He therefore which féeleth not the meruailous effects by his faith which we haue heretofore declared y â— the inspired faith worketh in y â— heart of the christiaÌ„ Let him assure himselfe that he hath not the christiaÌ„ faith let him pray earnestly vnto God to giue it him saying Lorde helpe mine vnbeleefe And when he heareth it said that only faith maketh men righteous let him not deceiue himself say What néede I to weary my selfe in doing good workes faith is inough to send me to Paradise To such an one I answeare that onely fayth sendeth vs to Paradise but yet let him take good héed for the diuels doe also beléeue and tremble as saith S. Iames O miserable man wilte thou goe w t them too Paradise By this false coÌ„clusioÌ„ thou maist know my brother in what an error thou art for thou wéenest to haue the faith that maketh men righteous and thou hast it not Thou sayest thou art rich and hast no néede of any thing and thou seest not howe thou art poore wretched blind and naked I councel thée to buy golde of God that is throughly fixed w t fire that is to say true faith set on fire with good works to the intent thou maist become riche and to cloth thy self with white raiment that is to wit with Christes innocencie to the ende that the shame of thy nakednesse which is the great filthinesse of thy sinnes be not séene to the whole world Then is the iustifying faith as it were a flame of fire which caÌ„not but cast foorth brightnesse And like as the flame burneth the wood without the helpe of the light and yet the flame cannot bee without the light so is it assuredly true that fayth alone consumeth and burneth away sinne without the helpe of woorkes and yet that the same fayth cannot be with out good woorkes Wherefore like as if we see a flame of fire that giueth no light we knowe by and by that it is but vayne and painted euen so when wee see not some light of good woorkes in a man it is a token that he hath not the true inspired faith which God giueth to his chosen too iustifie and glorify them withall And hold it for certayne that S. Iames meant so when he sayde shewe mee thy faith by thy works I wil shewe thée my faith by my works For his meaning was that he s â— is pluÌ„ged in ambitiousnes and worldly pleasurs beleueth not though he say he beleue forasmuch as he sheweth not in himself the effects of faith Also we may liken this holy faith too the Godhead which is in Iesus Christ who being very maÌ„ but w tout sin did wonderful thinges healing the sicke giuing sight to the blind walking vpon the water and raysing vp the dead vnto life again yet these merueilous works were not the cause that he was God For before he did any of those things he was God and the lawful and only begotteÌ„ sonne of God and he néed not to worke those miracles to make himself God by them but forasmuch as he was God therfore he did them And so the miracles that Christ wrought made him not to be God but shewed openly that he was God In likewise true fayth is as it were a Godhead in the Soule of a Christian which doeth wonderous works is neuer weary of well doyng and yet those works are not the cause that a Christian is a christian that is to wit that he is righteous good holy and acceptable vntoo God neither néedeth he to woorke all those good workes to become such a one But forasmuch as he is a christian by fayth lyke as Iesus Christ being a man was also God by his Godhead hee dooth all those good woorkes which make not the christian too be righteous and good but shewe him to be good righteous and holy So then like as Christes Godhead was the cause that hée wrought miracles euen so faith working through loue is the cause of the good works that a christen man doeth And like as a maÌ„ may say of Iesus Christ that hee hath done this miracle or that that those miracles besids that they glorified God were also a great honor vnto Iesus Christ as he was maÌ„ who for his obedience euen vnto death was recoÌ„penced at Gods haÌ„d in his resurrectioÌ„ had geuen vnto him al power both in heauen earth which he had not afore as in respect of his manhood but deserued it by the vnion w t is betwixt the worde of God and the maÌ„hood of Christ So doeth faith in a Christian which faith by reasoÌ„ of the vnion that it hath with the soule attributeth that thing too the one in is proper to the other whervpon it coÌ„meth that the holy scripture promiseth the christian euerlasting life for his good woorks because good works are the fruites and testimonies of liuely faith and procéed of it as light procéedeth froÌ„ a flame of fire accoÌ„rding as I haue said hertofore And by this holy faith which imbraceth Iesu Christ it commeth to passe that our soule is ioyned with Christ and is so vnited and knit to him that whatsoeuer Christ hath merited deserued the same is imputed vnto the soule as though it had merited and deserued it And therefore S. Augustine saith that God crowneth his owne giftes in vs. Of this vnion of the soule with Iesus Christ Christ himselfe beareth good recorde where hee prayeth so his father for his Apostles and for such as should beléeue in him by their preaching I pray not saith he for them onely but also for al those that shal beléeue in me through theyr word to the end they may be all one thing that like as thou my father art in me and I in thee so they also may bâ—e one in vs and that the world may beléeue that thou hast sent me and that I haue geuen them the glory which thou hast geuen me so as they should be one selfsame thing like as thou and I are one Whereby it appeareth euidently that if we beléeue the word of the Apostles who preached that Iesus Christ died for our sinnes
we should not shake it off nor make light of our trust which hath great recompence and rewarde But this so holy and diuine affiance is gendred in our heartes by the working of the holy Ghost who is communicated vnto vs by faith which neuer goeth without the loue of God And héere of it commeth that wâ—e are prouoked too doe good workes with a certaine liuelinesse and effectual chéerefulnesse whereby wée gather such a strength inclination to do them as we be throughly ready and forwarde to doe and to suffer all intollerable thinges for the loue and glory of our most gracious and mercifull father who hath inriched vs with so abundant grace through Iesus Christe of his enimies made vs his most déere children This true faith is no sooner giuen a man but he is by and by indued and imprinted with a certain violent loue of good works to yeelde right sweete and amiable fruites both vnto God likewise vnto his neighbour as a very good and fruitfull trée And it is no more possible that he should bée otherwise than it is possible that a Faggot should be set on fire and not cast light immediately This is the holy Faith without the which it is vnpossible y t any man shuld please God and whereby all the holy men as well of the olde Testament as of the new haue byn saued according as S. Paul witnesseth of Abraham concerning whoÌ„ the Scripture saieth that Abraham beléeued God and it was reckoned to hym for righteousnes And therefore he saith a litle before We beléeue that a man is iustified by faith without the déedes of the law And in an other place he saith So then in that time shall the remnant be saued according to the election of grace and if they be saued by grace then is it not by workes for then were grace no grace And to the GalathiaÌ„s hée sayth it is a manyfest matter that no man becommeth righteous before GOD by the Lawe because the righteous lyueth by Faith And the Lawe consisteth not in beliefe but hée that perfourmeth the things that the law commandeth shal liue by that performance And further be saith that a man caÌ„not become righteous by the déedes of the law but only by beléeuing in Iesus Christe Againe a litle after he saith that if a man can become righteous by the law Iesus Christe dyed in vaine Moreouer to the Romans making comparisoÌ„ betwéene the righteousnesse of the law the righteousnes of the Gospel hee saith that the one consisteth in the doing of workes and the other in beléeuing For if thou confesse our Lord Iesus Christ wnâ— thy mouth and beléue in thy hart that God hath raysed him vp from death thou shalt be saued For the beliefe of the heart maketh a man righteous the confession of y â— mouth maketh him safe Loe how this good Teacher S. Paul sheweth euidently that faith maketh a man righteous without any works And not only S. Paul but also â— holy doctors that came after him haue confirmed and allowed this most holy truth of Iustification by faith among whom S. Augustin is the chiefe who in his booke of faith and workes and in his booke of the Spirit and the Letter and in his booke of fourescore thrée questions and in his booke which hée did write to Bouiface and in his treatise vpon the xxxi Psalme and in many other places defendeth this article shewing that we become righteous by faith without any helpe of good workes Howebeit that good workes are the effectes of righteousnesse not the cause of it And he sheweth that the wordes of S. Iames being soundly vnderstoode are nothing contrary to this article Which thing Origen doth also affirme in his 4. booke vpon the Epistle to the RomaÌ„s saying that S. Paules meaning is that faith only is sufficient to make men righteous in somuche that a man becommeth righteous only by beléeuing although hée haue not doone any good worke at all For so it is that y â— Théef became righteous w t out the works of the law forasmuch as the Lord sought not what good workes he had doone in times past nor waited vntil he had done any after he had beléeued but hauing accepted him for righteous vpon his onely confession tooke him for his companion euen he shoulde enter into Paradise Likewise that so renowmed woman in the Gospell of S. Luke while shée was at the féete of Iesus Christ heard it said vnto her thy sinnes are forgiâ—en thée And a litle after he saith vnto her thy faith hath saued thée goe thy way in peace Afterward Origen saith In many places of the Gospell a man may sée how our Lorde Iesus Christe hath spoken in suche wise as hee sheweth that faith is the cause of the saluation of the beteeuers Then is a man maâ—e righteous by faith the works of the law further him nothing at al. On the contrary where Faith is not which Faith maketh the beléeuer righteous although a man do the workes which the Law commandeth yet notwithstanding forasmuch as they be not builded vpon the foundation of faith albe it that to outward appearance they séeme good yet can they not iustifie him that doth them because he wanteth faith which is the marke of them that are become righteous before God And who is he that can boast himself to be righteous when he heareth God say by his Prophet Esay that all our righteousnesse is as a defiled cloath of a menstruous woman Then can wée not iustly glory in our selues but in the onely faith of the crosse of Iesus Christ. S. Basâ—l in his Homilie of humilitie sayth that the Christian ought to holde him selfe for righteous through beléefe in Iesus Christ and his wordes are these The Apostle sayth that he which gloryeth should glory in the Lord in that God hath made Iesus Christ to be our wisdome righteousnesse holynes and redemption to the end that hée which would glory should glory in the Lord because that â—he perâ—ite aud sounde gloriyng is to glory in the Lorde For in so doing a man presumeth not vpon his owne righteousnesse but acknowledgeth his want or â—he true righteousnesse that he is made righteous only by beléeuing in Iesus Christe And S. Paul glorieth of the despiting of his owne righteousnesse and of his séeking of Christes righteousnesse by faith which commeth of God S. Hyllary in his nienth Canon vppon the exposition of S. Matthewe sayth these woordes The Scribes considering Iesus Christe but only as man were troubled that a man shoulde forgeue sinnes and pardon that thing which the Lawe coulde not doe becauss that only faith iustifieth Saint Ambrose in expounding these wordâ—s of S. Paul Vnto hym that beleeueth in him which iustifieth the vngodly his faith is accounted for righteousnesse according to the purpose of Gods grace Like as Dauid also saith that
vntoo Iesus Christ and become his spouse Howe can I assuredly glory that I am Quéene and Mistres of his great riches as a wife may I can easily beléeue that other folkes shall receiue this honour and glory but I cannot perswade my selfe that I am one of those same too whome God hath geuen so greate grace For I knowe mine owne wretchednesse imperfection My déerebe loued brother I answeare thée that thyne assuraÌ„ce consisteth in true and liuely faith wherewith as S. Peter saith God cleanseth mens hearts and this faith is grounded in the beléeuing of the gospel that is to say in the beléeuing of the gladde tidinges which haue béene published on Gods béehalfe through the whole world which conteineth in effect y â— God hath vsed the rigorousnes of his iustice agaynst Iesus Christ chastizing and punishing all our sinnes in him And whosoeuer receiueth this good tidings and beléeues it stedfastly hath the true faith and doth enioy the forgiuenes of his sinnes and is also recoÌ„ciled vnto God and of the child of wrath is becom the child of grace and recouering the image of God entreth into the kingdome of God and is made the teÌ„ple of God who marieth mans soule to his onely Sonne by the meane of this sayth which faith is a worke of God and the gift of God as S. Paule saieth oftentimes And God geueth it vntoo those whom he calleth to him of purpose to iustifie theÌ„ and to glorify theÌ„ and to geue theÌ„ euerlasting life according as our Lord Iesus Christ witnesseth saying This is the will of him that sent mée euen that euery one which séeth the sonne and beléeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will rayse him vp agayne at the latter day And like as Moyses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man bée lifted vp to the ende that euery one which beleueth in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting Also he saith too Martha He that beleueth in me shal liue although he were dead euery one that liueth bele ueth in me shall not die for euer And to a company of the Iewes he saith I am come a light into the world to the end that euery man which beléeueth in me shoulde not abide in darknesse And S. Iohn in his Epistle saith Heere in appeared the loue of God towards vs for that God is loue and sent his onely begotten Sonne intoo this worlde that we might liue through him And herein is loue known not in that wée loued God but in that he loued vs and sent his Sonne too make attonement for our sins And moreouer he sent him to destroy our enimies For the bringing whereof too passe he made him partaker of our fleshe of our bloode as sayeth Sainte Paule too the end that by his death he might destroy him that had the dominion of death that is to wit the diuel and set all such at liberty as were subiect to boÌ„dage all their-lyfe long for feare of death Seeing then that we haue recordes of the holy scripture concerning the promises wherof we haue spoken héertofore and concerning many other promises that are dispersed in diuers places of the same we cannot doubt of it And forsomuch as the holy scripture speaketh to al ingeneral none of vs ought to distrust in himselfe that the selfsame thing which the scripture saith should not belong particularly to himselfe And too the end that this poynt wherin lieth and coÌ„sisteth the whole mystery of our holy fayth may bee vnderstood the better let vs put the cace that som good and holy King cause the proclamation to be made through his whole Realmâ— by the sounde of a Trumpet that al rebels and banished men shal safely return home to their houses because that at the suite deserte of some déere friende of theirs it hath pleased him to pardon them certeinly none of those rebels ought too doubt of the obtayning of true pardon of his rebellion but rather ought assuredly too returne home too his house to liue vnder the shadowe of that holie King And if he wyll not returne by shal beare the penâ—lty of it because that through his owne vnbelief he dieth in exile and in the displeasure of his Prince But this good king is the Lorde of heauen and earth who for the obedience desert of our good brother Iesus Christe hath pardoned as all our sinnes and as wee haue sayd aâ—ore hath made open proclamation through the whole world that al of vs may safely returne into his kingdom Wherefore hee that beléeueth this proclamation doth straight wayes returne into Gods kingdome whereout we were driuen by the offence of our first Parentes and blessedly gouerned by gods holy spirit And he that geueth no credite to the sayde proclamation shal neuer enioy the said generall pardon but for his vnbeleefes sake shal abide in banishment vnder the tyranny of the diuel and liue and die in extréeme misery liuing and dying in the displeasure of the King of heauen and earth and that iustly For me cannot commit a greater offence against this good God then to accompte him as a lyer and deceiuer which verily we doe in not giuing credite too his promises O howe passing heauy is this deadly sinne of vnbeleefe which so farre foorth as is possible â—ereueth God of his glory perfection besides the great harme that it doeth to a mans selfe which is his owne damnation the endlesse torment of his soule which the miserable 〈◊〉 féeleth euen in this life But on the contrary he that commeth vnto God with assurednesse of this faith beléeuing him without any mistrust or doubt of his promises and warranting himselfe for a certaintie that God will performe all that euer hee hath promised him geueth all the glory vnto God and liueth continually in rest endlesse ioy euermore praysing and thanking the Lord God for choozing him to the glory of the eternall life And héere of they haue an assured earnest penny and gage that is to wit the sonne of God whom they take for their most louing Bridegrome y â— blood of whom hath made their heartes so drunken that through this passing holy beliefe there is in the christian heart engendred so liuely a hope so certaine a trust of Gods mercy towardes vs and such an operatioÌ„ is wrought in vs as wée reste our selues wholy vpon God leauing the whole care of vs vnto him in suche wise that béeing throughly assured of Gods good will wée are not afraid neither of the Deuil nor of his ministers nor of death Which holy stedfast trust of Gods mercy inlargeth our hearte chéereth it vp with certaine merueilous swéete affections directeth it vntoo GOD filling it and setting it on Fyre with an excéeding feruent loue And therefore Paul incourageth vs too goe with all boldnesse to the throne of Grace and hée counselleth vs that
wee prepare our selues to this holy sacrament quickening vp our spirites with a feruent loue to our neighbourward For what greater spurre caÌ„ we haue to prick vs to loue one another thaÌ„ to sée that Iesus Christ by giuing himself vn too vs not onely allureth vs too geue our selues one to another but also by making himselfe common to vs all maketh vs also to be al one selfesame thing in him In respect wherof we ought to couet procure that in al of vs there may be but one mind one heart one touÌ„g accorded vnited together in thought words déeds And wée must mark wel that as oft as we receiue this holy and woorthy sacrament we binde our selues to all the dueties of charity as not to offende any of our brethren nor too leaue any thing vndone that may be profitable and helpfull in their necessity But if ther come any to this heauenly table of the Lord y â— are diuided at variaÌ„ce w t their brethreÌ„ the same must assure themselues that they eat vnworthily are guilty of the body blood of the Lorde that they eate and drinke their own damnation for that there wanted nothing on their behalfe but y â— the body of Iesus Christ was rent plucked in péeces again whilest they by hatred are diuided froÌ„ their brethren y â— vs to wit froÌ„ the members of Iesus Christ haue not any part w t him and yet neuertheles in receyuing this holy communion pretended to be Iéeuâ— that their whole saluation consisteth in the participation and vnion with Iesus Christ. Then let vs goe my brethreÌ„ to the receiuing of this heauenly bread to celebrate the remembrance of our Lords passion and to strengthen and fortify the belief and assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes with the remembraÌ„ce therof and to quicken vp our minds toungs to praise exalt the infinit goodnes of our God and finally to cherish brotherly loue and to witnes y â— same one to another by â— streight vnioÌ„ w t al of vs haue in the body of our Lord Iesus Christ. Besides prayer and the remembring of Baptisme and the often resorting to the most holy communion there is one other very good remedy against di strust fearfulnes which is no lesse friend to Christian charity namely the remembrance of our predestination and election to eternal life grounded vpoÌ„ the word of God which is the sword of the holy Ghost wherwith we may beate back our enimies Reioyce ye in this saith the Lorde that your names are written in heauen There is no greater ioy in this life nor any thing that more comforteth the ChristiaÌ„ that is afflicted tempted or falne into any sinne than the remembraÌ„ce of predestinatioÌ„ the assuring of our selues that we be of the number of them whose names are written in the book of life w t are chosen to be fashioned like vnto the image of Iesus Christ O how unspeakeable is the comfort of him y â— hath this fayth museth coÌ„tinually in his heare vppon this excéeding swéet predestination wherby he knoweth y â— although he fall often yet notw tstanding God his father who hath foreordeined him too euerlasting life holdeth him vp reacheth out his hand vnto him coÌ„tinually And he saith continually in himselfe if God haue chosen me and predestinated me to the glory of his children who can hinder me If God bee with vs sayth S. Paule who can be against vs Nay rather to the end that the predestination may be accoÌ„plished in vs he hath sent his déere beloued sonne who is a most sure earnest penny pledge vnto vs that wee which haue receiued the grace of the Gospel are Gods children chosen to eternall life This holy PredestinatioÌ„ mainteineth the true christiaÌ„ in a continual spiritual ioy increaseth in him the indeuour of good works and inflameth him with the loue of God and maketh him enimy tothe worlde and to sinne Who is so fierce and hardharted which knowing that God of his mercy hath made him his child from euerlasting will not by by be inflamed to loue God Who is of so vile base courage y â— he will not estéeme al the pleasures al the honors al the riches of the world as filthy myre when he knowes that he hath made him a â—itizen of heauen yea these are they that worship God rightly in spirit truthe receiuing al thinges as well in prosperity as in aduersity at the haÌ„d of God their father â—nd euermore praising and thanking him or all as their good father who is righteâ—us and holy in al his woorks These being inflamed with the loue of God and armed with the knowledge of their Predestinatiâ—n feare neither death nor sinne nor the diuel nor hel neither know they what the wrath of God is for they sée none other thing in God but loue and fatherly kindenesse towardes them And if they fall into any troubles they accept them as tokens of Gods fauour crying out with S. Paule Who is it that shal separate vs from Gods loue shal tribulations shall anguish shall persecution or hunger or nakednes or perill or sword as it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long and counted as shèep appoynted to the slaughter But in al these things we get y â— vpper haÌ„d through him that hath loued vs. Wherfore it is not for nought that Saint Iohn saith how the true Christians know right wel that they must be saued and glorified that by reasoÌ„ of the same affiance they make themselues holy as Iesus Christ is holy And when S. Paul exhorteth his disciples too a good and holy life he is wont to put them in remembrance of their election and predestination as of a thing of very great force to stirre vp the mindes of the true Christians to the louing of God and too the perfourmance of good woorkes And for the same cause our good Lord Iesus Christ speaketh openly of this holy predestination as one that knew of how great importaunce the knowledge therof is to the edifiyng of his electe But perchaÌ„ce thou wilt say to me I know well that they whose names are written in heauen haue cause to liue in continuall ioy glorifie God both in woord and déede but I know not whether I am of that nuÌ„ber or no therfore I liue in continual feare specially because I know my selfe to be an excéeding weake and frayle sinner from the violence whereof I am not able to defende my selfe but that I am ouercome of it daily And furthermore forasmuche as I sée my selfe continually afflicted and troubled with diuerse temptations mée thinks I do as it were behold with mine eyes y â— wrath of God scourging me To answere to these doubts of thine I say my right déere brother that thou must assure thy selfe that al these are but temptations of the diuel