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
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
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
the olde came to seke and saue that was loste and to repaire that was by him decayed And then as Adam loste Faith Continence Charitie Wisedome and vnderstanding Counsell and strength Prosp suprà hope and humilitie so must all that companie of vertues with â—ther by him lost be restored in such as Christ of his especial grace reneweth and iustifieth For as Christ saieth of one man whome he healed so is it true in al whom he restoreth that he healeth not one part but the whole man. Ioan. 7. Deut. 32. Esai 53. His workes are perfecte and neither lacketh he power to cure all our griefes being God neither wil to doe it who for that cause became man. And as a man diseased deadly in al the principal partes of his body is not called a sound and whole man vntil the partes be al cured So the soule corrupted and made olde in Adam decayed in grace and bereft of Iustice can not be called a new creature vntil the salues of these vertues by the hand of our Phisition be laid vnto it and shew their operation in it For it is not said as many of you as haue ben baptised in Christe haue beleeued in Christe thought vppon him or heard of him Galat. 3. but it is said Christum induistis ye haue put on Christ that is to saie haue taken into you the vertues of Christ as before ye had the qualities and conditions of Adam Ephes 4. For that saith S. Paule is the true receiuing of Christ and his Gospel to put of the olde man and olde conuersation and to be renewed in spirite and minde putting on the newe which was created after the Image of God in iustice and holines Libro 1. cap 9. de pec meri remiss Christe saith S. Augustine Dat sui spiritus occultissimam fidelibus gratiam Geueth vnto his faithful a most secrete grace of his spirite which priuily he powreth euen into babes As Adam by a secret infection of carnal concupiscence infected and consumed all that came of his race He saith in the same booke Legimus iustificari Ibid. c. 10. c. We read that such be iustified in Christ as beleue in him through a secrete geauing and inspiring of spiritual grace whereby who so euer cleaueth vnto our Lord is made one spirite with him What Iustification is By all this we vnderstande that our Iustification importeth not onely an assente of minde and faith to beleue the Gospell of Christe neither standeth onely in remission of sinnes past which God mercifully forgeueth but requireth also a renewing of spirit and minde a change of lyfe and conditions â—it 3. that as in Adam we were disobedient seruinge sundrie lustes and pleasures leading our lyfe in malice and enuie hatefull hating one an other So in Christe forsaking vngodlines and worldely desires Tit. 2. we must liue soberly iustly and godly putting on vs as the chosen of God holie and beloued Coloss 3. the bowels of compassion mercie and gentlenes humilitie modestie and patience This it is to leaue of Adam and put on Christe which is our renewing and Iustification The kingdome of heauen is like vnto leauen Matth. 13 whiche a woman taketh and hideth in three measures of flower vntil the whole be leauened But as the whol paste is not leauened as long as any parte thereof remaineth in his olde tallage and taste euen so is not man translated from death to lyfe nor made a newe creature 1. Ioan. 3. Galat. 6. 2. Cor. 5. vntill the whole estate of his soule be refourmed And surely vntil he be made a newe creature he is not iustified Sicut fuit vetus Adam c. As the olde Adam was powred through the whole man and possessed the whole Bernard serm 5. de Aduent So nowe lette Christe haue the whole who hath created and redeemed the whole and shall glorifie the whole who in the Sabboth daie cured all the whole man. The olde man was sometime in vs that transgressour of Gods commaundemente he was in vs as well in hande and woorke as in mouth and heart But nowe if there be any newe creature in him the olde is past and contrarie to lewdnes in hande there is innocente life in the mouth contrary to arrogante pride there is the woorde of confession in the heart contrary to fleshly lustes there is charitie contrary to worldly glorie there is humilitie By which wordes of Sainct Bernarde we see sette before vs a true description of our Iustification by comparing togeather the corrupte estate of man in Adam and the repairing of the same through the Mediator of God and menne 1. Timo. 2. the man Iesus Christe For this repairing of mans corrupt estate Christe is often times in the Scripture compared with Adam and called an other Adam and the last man. Rom 5. 1. Cor. 15. Not an other Adam like vnto the firste but an other contrary to the firste suche as came to restore that which was lost by the first Rom. 5. For as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many shall be made iuste And as in Adam all men die so in Christe all shal be reliued And as by the synne of one all men came to damnation so by the Iustice of one all come to the Iustification of lyfe But as we were all condemned in Adam bicause we were naturally borne of him and thereby tooke his conditions so to be saued by Christe we must also be newe borne in him and put on vs his qualities And so do we see that our true Iustification is the recouering of that which we lost in Adam and what that was I haue shewed before The whiche Christe hath fully restored in such as truely take a new birth of him In the secoÌ„d boke the .xviij Chapter as I shall shewe toward the ende of this woorke where place shal serue to speake of the vertue and strength of our Iustification by Christe It is now to be shewed particularly how such as are borne in synne come to be iustified in Christ what the causes of our Iustification be by what meane God worketh it in vs and how we receiue it Of the causes of our Iustification The V. CHAPTER Ioan. 3. THE chiefe and principall cause of our Iustification is the great loue that God beareth vnto man who so tendred the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne Galat. 4. And to make vs his children sent the spirit of his Sonne into our hartes that is the holy Ghoste wherewith he hath sealed vs vp Ephes 1. and geuen it as a pledge of our inheritance And this hath he wrought Tit. 3. not for the workes of iustice that we did but according to his owne mercie The cause that deserued this owre Iustification at his handes was the death of his sonne Iesus Christe Rom. 5. Coloss 1. 1.
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
are saued through faith Finally to conclude this is the faith that woorketh through charitie In whiche woordes beside other thinges it is to be noted that the faith whereby we are saued and the faith whereby the iuste man liueth is none other but the faith that worketh through charitie Which vertue saith Leo by her mixture and tempering geueth life euen to very faith whereby the iuste man liueth For the iuste man liueth by faith saith S. Bede not by that faith that is vttered onely by confession of the lippes but by that faith that woorketh through charitie And thus may we truely vnderstande what the Scripture meaneth as often as it is said by faith we are saued or through faith we are iustified That S. Paule teacheth not Iustification by onely Faith excluding charitie c. And in what sense the Fathers sometime saie Faith alone iustifieth THE VIII CHAPTER BVT yet this satisfieth not all men An Obiection Rom. 3. Galat. 3. For some thinke still we are iustified by faith alone for that S. Paule saying we are iustified by faith and putting to it without woorkes of the Lawe semeth to them to saie as much as we are iustified by faith alone And that opinion they inforce the more bicause diuerse of the auncient Fathers haue vsed these woordes Faith alone iustifieth The Ansvvere To the whiche I answere that neither S. Paule nor any of the Auncient Fathers euer meant it in that sense which they haue taken it that is to exclude from Iustification Charitie hope penance or any vertue and gifte of God. S. Paule his wordes by them alleadged be in the Epistles to the Romaines and Galathians Aug. ad Simplicia li. 1. qu. 2. Et in exposit epist ad Rom. inchoat Primas in Praefa epist ad Rom. Aug. in Exposi 4. ca. ad Gal. The Argument and intent of his whole Epistle to the Romains as S. Augustine saith is this Vt de ipsorum meritis nemo glorietur c. That no man boast nor vaunt him selfe of the merite of his workes of which the Israelites were bolde to make their boaste that they serued the Lawe which was geauen them and thereby had receiued the grace of the Ghospell as a debt due vnto their desertes bicause they serued the lawe for which cause they would not haue the same grace geuen to the Gentils as vnworthy of it vnlesse they would receiue the Iewish Sacramentes The Galathians to whome the Gospell had ben preached were moued and solicited by Iewes whose desire was to bring them to carnal obseruances of the Lawe Aug. in Exposi 4. ca. ad Gal. Prima in argu ep ad Galat. Rom. 4. Galat. 3. as though saluation laie in the same To answere vnto bothe these boasting of them selues and of the woorkes of the law and exacting them of other as necessary to saluation In bothe these Epistles S. Paule saith no man is iustified by the lawe proouing the same by Abraham who was iustified before circumcision was commaunded and long before the law was geuen and therby doth barre and put of al workes of the Lawe from our Iustification as nothing auailing towarde the same But what the woorkes of the lawe be it is not a matter so plaine to all men Beside the rites and ceremonies commaunded by Moyses S. Augustine calleth all suche the woorkes of the Lawe as a man presumeth to doe of him selfe of his owne power and strength without faith and the helpe of God August de spirit et li. c. 29 Adhuc dubitamus quae sunt opera legis quibus homo non iustificatur si ea tanquam sua crediderit sine adiutorio dono Dei quod est ex fide Iesu Christi Doe we yet doubt what the woorkes of the Lawe are by whiche no man is iustified if he take them as his owne without 〈◊〉 helpe and gift of God which cometh by the faith of Iesus Christe These be the workes of the lawe Serm. 15. de verb. Apostol which in another place he calleth also the iustice of the law Lege Dei proposita c. When the lawe of God is laid before vs whosoeuer is proud and thinketh he is able to fulfil it by his owne power and strength if he do that the lawe commaundeth not for the loue of iustice but for feare of punishment this man concerning the iustice of the lawe is a man without blame In both places he calleth al suche the workes of the lawe and the iustice of the lawe that a man doth of him self presuming of his owne strength without grace and helpe of God. Ex lege quia in mandatis Aug. ibid. sua tanque de viribus suis It is the iustice of the law bicause it is commanded It is a mans own bicause it cometh as of his own strength Now as S. Paul doth truly barre and shut out from the procuring of our Iustification al rites and ceremonies of the lawe and also all morall workes that we doe of our selues without faith and helpe of God So if a man would reason that he barreth likewise charity hope penance and the Sacraments of the Church bicause a man is iustified by faith without workes of the law he should shew him selfe ignorant of the Scriptures and of S. Paules meaning These be no workes of the law For not onely charitie Galat. 5. ioy peace patience mildenes and faith but briefly al workes of charitie when they be done by faith by helpe of grace and the gifte of God are fruites of the holie Ghoste not workes of the lawe Lex spiritus vitae Rom. 8. They be the law of the holie Ghoste and of life perteining not to the letter that killeth but to the spirit that geueth life August de spirit et lit c. 17 Ad prudentiam carnis terrendam c. When the workes of charity are written in tables to make the wisedome of the flesh afraied it is the lawe of workes and the letter that killeth the transgressour but when charitie is powred into the beleuers heart it is the lawe of faith and the spirit that geueth lyfe to the beleuer S. Augustine saith woorkes that be done for feare onely by commaundement of the law are called the lawe of woorkes and the killing letter but when they be done by charitie which through the holy Ghost is powred into our heartes they be called the Lawe of faith and geue life to the doers They be called the lawe of faith and workes of faith bicause they are geauen by faith and with faith Aug. ibid. cap. 30. Per fidem impetratio gratiae contra peccatum c. By faith grace is obteined against sinne by grace the sowle is healed from sinne Wherefore when S. Paule saieth a man is iustified by faith without workes of the Lawe Rom. 3. he saith nothing els but that a man is iustified by grace and not by him selfe For as he saith here Ephes 2. Rom. 3.
riche in good workes easely to bestowe 1. Tim. 6. to geue parte to laie vp a good foundation against the time to come to the intente they maie gette the trewe life In all whiche places and many like God promiseth to suche as leaue their frendes or landes to suche as keepe his commandementes or geue almose for his sake life euerlasting And to declare more plainely Aug epist 105. De grat lib. arbit cap. 8. that he geueth it in respecte of wel doing and to recompence good workes life euerlasting saith S. Augustine in many places of holie Scripture is called a reward Christe saieth to his Apostles be glad and reioice bicause your reward is plentuouse in heauen And who so euer geueth one of the leaste of these a cup of colde water to drinke onely in the name of a Disciple Matt. 5. verely I saie vnto you he shall not lose his rewarde Matt. 10. Mar. 9. When thou makest a feaste call the poore the feeble the lame and blinde and happy shalte thou be that they be not able to requite thee Luc. 14. For it shal be requited thee in the resurrection of the iuste By the worde of requitall he promiseth rewarde and by the resurrection of the iuste the Kingdome of heauen The sentence that Christe shal geue in the latter day suffreth vs not to doubte but that the kingdome of heauen shall be geuen as a rewarde for good workes for he shall saie to them that stande on his righte hande Matth. 25 Come you blessed of my Father receiue the kingdome that was prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde Quibus meritis Aug. Ser. 49. de ver Dom. Chryso Hom. 41. in Gen. saithe S. Augustine For what desertes And Chrysostome Cuius gratia propter quid Why and wherefore For I was hungry and you gaue me meate to eate c. If Christe make good workes a cause of our saluation and geeueth the kingdome of heauen in respecte of them who shal be heard speaking to the contrary Hebre. 11. He that commeth to God must beleue that he is and that to suche as seeke him he is a rewarder The waie to seeke him Chryso hom 22. ad Hebr. Moral Aug. in Psal 76. Note vvel saie Chrysostome and S. Augustine is by deuont praier and good workes If we muste then as well beleue that God is a rewarder as that he is God sith he rewardeth nothing but vertue and well doing he that denieth him to be a rewarder of good workes beleueth not in effecte that he is God. For if he be God he is trewe of his promes and then wil he rewarde good workes as he hath promised Why good vvorkes be revvarded Lucae 12. And this being so no man needeth to aske how the workes of a Christian man shoulde come to that estimation with God to be rewarded with life euerlasting For as Christe saied to his Apostles Complacuit patri vestro dare vobis regnum It hath pleased your Father to geue you a kingdome Marke vvel God promiseth to revvarde good vvorckes euen so hath it pleased him to promes rewarde of that kingdome for good workes And he hath promised it that can not lie Vppon this ground standeth al that is saied and taught in the Catholike Church in commendation and rewarde of good workes Not that we of our selues can claime of him or chalenge him for our debter bicause we haue first giuen him but bicause he hath promised vs Debitor factus est c. God is become our debter Aug. Ser. 16. de ver Apost in Psal 32. conci 1 saith S. Augustine not by taking any thing of vs but by promising that whiche it pleased him for it is one thing when we saie to a man thou oweste me suche thinges as I haue geuen thee and an other thing when we saie thou oweste me bicause thou haste promised me Non possumus ergo ei dicere c. Ser. 31. de ver Dom. Rom. 11. We can not then saie vnto God rendre that thou haste receiued for who gaue him firste to be requited againe We can not saie Render that thou haste receiued but plainely we saie Render that thou haste promised Vppon this promise S. Paule saied I haue wrasteled well for the game 2. Tim. 4. I haue finished my race I haue kepte my faith For the reste the crowne of iustice is laide vp for me whiche our Lorde shall render vnto me in that day as a iuste iudge Although it came of mercie that God called S. Paule Galat. 1. 1. Tim. 1. and gaue him grace to doo good workes and to keepe his Faithe yet when S. Paule hath so done he saied that God of his iustice woulde render him the crowne Vppon this promes Ezechias and Nehemias praied God 4. Reg. 20 2. Esdr 5. to haue respecte to their life and to remember their well doing not as prowde men presuming of them selues but meekely acknowleging Psal 144. Psal 83. that God is faithefull and trewe in all his wordes and where he geueth grace he will also geue glorie and rewarde Matth. 2â— As he saieth vnto the laboroures Go into my vineyarde So he saieth also that whiche is iuste I will geue you No man goeth vnlesse he be called and yet who so euer laboureth faithfully and trewly when he is sente is assured of wages bicause it was promised Leo serm 4. de Collect vppon this promise Leo saied Cibus egeni regni coelestis est pretium largitor temporalium hares efficitur aeternorum The meate giuen to the needy is the price of the kingdome of heauen and the geuer of thinges temporal Matth. 13. Cypria de Elemo is made heire of the eternal S. Cyprian saith that Christe by the parable of the merchante who solde all his goodes to bie a preciouse pearle teacheth vs that with the quantitie of our patrimony we should purchase and bye euerlasting life August in Psal 147. And S. Augustine saith Viduae suffecerunt duo minuti nummi c. Two litle peeces of coine were inough for the wydowe to doo mercie two peeces of coine were inough to purchase the kingdome of God. A smalle price a man mighte saie for so greate a Iewell were not the bountie and liberalitie of God the owner who being Lorde of all hath sette suche a price vppon it and by his gratiouse and free promise hath bounde him selfe to performe it This is the trewe commendation which the Scripture and auncient Fathers geeue vnto good workes and these be the causes why Christian men should doo them They that say good workes serue to geue testimony and make declaration of our Faith and be commendable but haue no rewarde of grace here nor value of euerlasting life albeit they exhorte men to liue godly they maie commende and set forth good workes in wordes but they hinder the doing of them in
hath chosen vnto him selfe Of the gifte of perseuerance THE XIII CHAPTER THE like maie be saied of the gifte of perserance wherof it is writen Matth. â—0 24. who so perseuereth vntil the ende he shall be saued the whiche thing can not be had from anie other then from him which is able to stay him that standeth that he maie continually stand and to set him vp againe that falleth No man maie promise him selfe any thing of certaintie with an absolute certaintie although all men ought to settle and repose a most sure hope in the helpe of God. For God excepte they do not their parte according to his grace as he hath begon a good woorke Philip. 1. so will he ende it woorking in them to will 1. Cor. 8. 1. Cor. 10. Philip. 2. and to make perfecte How be it let them that thinke them selues to stande take heede that they fall not And let them with feare and trembling woorke their saluation in labours in watchinges in almesdeedes in praiers and offeringes in fastinges and chastitie For knowing that they are regenerated in hope of glorie and not as yet in glorie they haue cause to misdoubt of the battaile whiche remaineth with the flesh with the worlde and with the diuel in the whiche battaile they can not be conquerers vnlesse with the grace of God they obey the Apostle Rom. 8. saying We be debters not to the flesh to liue according to the flesh for if you liue according to the flesh you shall die but if you shall mortifie the deedes of the fleshe by the spirite you shall liue Of them that are fallen and of their recouer THE XIIII CHAPTER NOW such as are through sinne fallen from the grace of Iustification whiche they had receiued maie be iustified againe if when God stirreth them to rise they will procure through the merite of Christe to recouer the grace loste by the Sacrament of Penance For this manner of Iustification is the recouering of him that is fallen whiche the holie Fathers aptly termed the second boord after shipwracke of grace lost For in deede for them that fal into sinnes after Baptisme Ioan. 20. Christ Iesus hath instituted the Sacrament of Penance when he saied Take ye the holie Ghoste whose sinnes ye forgeaue they are forgeauen them and whose ye reteine they are reteined Wherfore it is to be declared that the penance of a Christian man after his fall differreth verie much from that whiche is done before Baptisme and that in this penance is conteined not only a ceasing from sinnes and a detestation of them or a contrite and humbled hart but also a Sacramentall confession of the saied sinnes at the leste in purpose and to be made at time conuenient and the absolution of a Priest There is also conteined in this penance a satisfaction by fastinges almesdeedes praiers and other godlie exercises of spiritual life not for the paine euerlasting which is forgeauen either by the Sacrament or els by purposing of the Sacrament together with the offence but for the temporall paine the whiche as the holie Scriptures teache vs is not alwaies forgeauen wholly as it is in Baptisme to suche as being vnthankefull for the grace of God Ephes 4. whiche they haue receiued haue sorrowed the holie Ghost and haue not ben afraied to violate the temple of God. Of this penance it is writen be mindefull from whence thou art fallen Apocal. 2. 2. Cor. 7. Matth 3. Luca 3. do penance and do the former woorkes And againe That sorrowe whiche is according to God woorketh penance towardes a stable saluation And againe Do ye penance and do ye the woorthie frutes of penance That by euerie mortal sinne grace is lost but not Faithe THE XV. CHAP. AGainst the craftie wittes of certaine men whiche through swete talke and faire wordes do seduce the hartes of innocentes Rom. 16. it is to be holden that the grace of Iustification once receiued is lost not only by infidelitie by the whiche Faith it selfe is lost but also by any other mortal sinne although faith be not lost Herein do we defend the doctrine of Gods lawe which excludeth from the kingdome of God not onely Infidels but also the faithfull 1. Cor. 6. being fornicatours adulterrers wantonnes buggerers theeues couetouse drunkerdes euillspeakers extorcioners and al others which do commit mortal sinnes from the which they maie with the assistance of Gods grace absteine and for which they are seperated from the grace of Christ Of the fruicte of Iustification that is to saie of the merite of good woorkes and of the consideration of merite THE XVI CHAP. WHEN men therfore are by these meanes iustified whether they do continually keepe the grace once receiued or whether they do leese it and recouer it againe the wordes of the Apostle are to be set before them Abound ye in euerie good woorke Hebr. 10. knowing that your labour is not void in our Lord. For God is not vniust that he will forget your woorke and loue whiche ye haue shewed in his name And 1. Cor. 15. Leese not your affiance which hath a great reward And therefore to such as woorke well to the ende and hope in God we ought to set foorth life euerlasting both as a grace mercifully promised vnto the Sonnes of God through Christ Iesus and as a wages faithfully to be paied according to the promise of God him selfe to their good woorkes and merites For this is that crowne of Iustice whiche the Apostle saied 2. Tim. 4. was laied vp for him after his conflicte and running whiche he saied should be rendered vnto him by the iuste iudge And not onely to him but also to all them that loue the comming of Christe For seing that the selfe same Christe Iesus doth continually sende downe by influence into them that are iustified as the head into the members and as a vine into his branches a vertue the whiche vertue goeth before accompanieth and foloweth their good woorkes without the whiche their woorkes could not possibly be acceptable to God and meritorious we ought to beleeue that there lacketh nothing els in such as are iustified wherfore they maie not be thought by their good woorkes whiche are done in God to haue satisfied the lawe of God so muche as the state of this life requireth and truly to haue deserued life euerlasting which they shal enioy when the time cometh if so be that they depart out of this life in grace for so much as Christe our Sauiour saieth Ioan. 4. If any man shall drinke of this water which I shall geaue him he shall not thirst for euer but it shall be made in him a fountaine of water springing to life euerlasting And thus neither is our owne proper iustice so taken to be our owne as though it proceded from our owne selues neither is the Iustice of God either vnknowen or resused For that Iustice which is called ours bicause
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
touching the questiō of our Iustification Which he decideth thus farr to wit whether faith without good woorkes may saue a Christian man or no. The occasion of S. Augustines Treatie of saith and vvorkes Where vnto he was moued by a corrupte opinion of some menne in his time For whereas whole countries then were not yet fully conuerted to Christe and therefore diuers of al ages as they were brought to the faith came yearly to be christened some were of opinion that as manie as would beleeue the right faith though they liued vngodly yet might be receiued to Baptisme and be saued through faith and the Sacramentes without good workes Against whome he wrote this godly and learned Booke entituled De Fide operibus of faith and woorkes prouing therein at large that faith without good life can saue no manne And bicause the value and estimation of good workes hath been and yet is called in question to wit what accompte God maketh of them and whether any reward be geuen vnto them especially of life euerlasting and whether they be necessarie and able to healpe vs to attaine the same I haue also chosen certaine Arbitrators touching the especial and chiefe workes commended by Christe as Praier Fasting and Almes dedes And those suche men that in their handes thou mayste without daunger put thine opinion and iudgement For Praier I haue chosen S. Chrysostome for Fasting S. Basil and S. Leo for almose deedes S. Cyprian and S. Leo againe The first and second Confessors but so liuing for certaine yeares that they daily looked to be Martyrs The third also a Confessor but such as in his life by a Generall Councell of 630. Bishops was called S. Leo and since his death hath ben so taken of the Churche Concil Chalcedo Sess 3. and hath also for his most excellent learning bene surnamed Leo the Greate The fowrth a flower of the worlde in his life for vertue and learning and in his death a moste constante and vndoubted Martyr S. Cyprian and S. Augustine liued in Africa S. Basil in Asia S. Leo in Europa S. Chrysostome parte of his life in Asia parte in Europa And so by these doo we heare as it were speaking in them the voice of the whole Catholike Church 1. Tim. 3. which is the piller and staie of truthe against the whiche no man well aduised will frame him selfe a singular opinion For vnto the Churche is the holy Ghost the teacher of al trueth promised Ioan. 15. 16. which promise no priuate man hath Their Antiquitie is suche that the latest and lowest of them al liued within 400. yeres after Christe Peruse and way without affection gentle Reader the Treaties of these holy Fathers I might require thee also to stand to their decision bicause there is no exception to be taken against them But that I leaue to Gods gracious working and thine owne good will bicause I take not vppon me to be Iudge of the cause but a motioner toward peace Only this muche I saie of them that whereas Iudges should be voide of hatred freendshippe enmitie and pittie Salust de bel Catil these men are suche For as S. Augustine saieth of them and of others like Nullas nobiscum Aug. contra Iulia. Lib. 2. vel vobiscum amicitias attenderunt vel inimicitias exercuerunt Neque nobis neque vobis irati sunt neque nos neque vos miserati sunt Quod in Ecclesia inuenerunt tenuerunt Quod didicerunt docuerunt quod à patribus acceperunt hoc filijs tradiderunt They neither regarded friendshippe nor were at enmitie with vs or you they were neither angry with vs nor you nor tooke compassion of vs or of you Looke what they founde in the Church that they held suche as they learned they taught what they receiued of their Fathers that deliuered they to their children Take therefore Christen Reader if thou be a childe of the Churche these thy Fathers lessons Aske thy Fathers saieth the holy Scripture and they will shew thee Deut. 32. enquire of thy Elders and they will tell thee These be thy Fathers these be thy Elders These are suche of whom Christe saied he that heareth you heareth me Lucae 10. he that dispiseth you dispiseth me These are the high Pastours of Christes Church of whom Christ saied Matth. 18. he that heareth not the Churche let him be to thee as an Heathen and Publicane These are the lightes of the Church of whom Christe saied You are the light of the worlde Matth. 5. Acto 13. whose predecessours saied also of them selues that they were placed to be a light to Nations to woorke saluation euen to the vttermost of the earth Of whome also an other saied He that knoweth God harkeneth vnto vs. 1. Ioan. 4. He that is not of God harkeneth not vnto vs. In this we trie the Spirite of Truthe and the Sprite of Errour If thou wilt then be lead by Truthe and not seduced by Errour harken to these holy and learned Fathers all Bishoppes and chiefe Pastours in the Churche of Christe in that time and age whiche the Aduersaries them selues accompte for the purest Let these hardely be thy Arbitrers in decision of these present controuersies They lacked no learning to know the Truthe They wanted no vprightnesse to write as they knewe They can not be partiall They knewe neither parties They liued taught and flourished in the time of Truth by the Aduersaries owne Confession To speake farder in the commendation of these most holy and learned Fathers it were but a vanitie There nedeth no candle when the day light shineth Where good wine is there nedeth no garland to hange out These Fathers commends them selues All the Christian worlde reuerenceth them and crediteth them as holy Fathers as most learned Doctours as singular lightes of the Churche of Christe bothe Greke and Latin. To whom this publike testimony of all Christendome suffiseth not to him nothing will suffise Reade therefore Christian Reader Vse and peruse And reading these remember that thou readest not any writer of late yeares any priuate learned man any particular Iudgement or doctrine But that thou readest in these the doctrine of the primitiue Churche Auncient and generally approued Fathers briefely the publike Testimony and common voice of all Christendom And that not certaine of their sayinges culled out from the whole but their whole and full Treaties word for word as they wrote them laied before thee Last of all not any suche writinges as they wrote by waie of controuersy as against an Aduersary but partly a settled and deliberated doctrine such as S. Augustines Treatie is partly Homelies and sermons made and pronounced to the whole people suche as all the rest are in whiche kinde of exercise the Pastour of Goddes people will be most aduised what he speaketh and muche more what he writeth To make an ende Thou hast hitherto hearde learned men prouing and debating matters now in controuersy
saie prouide that neither these offendours be admitted and not by these euil doinges to depraue the good and right order by thinking it not meete or necessary so muche as to instructe suche as desier Baptisme of the correction and amendemente of their maners and so consequently to admitte al the professours euen of those publike villanies that is harlottes Baudes swoorde players for lyfe and deathe and suche like yea though they continewe in their euilles For concerning all those vices whiche the Apostle numbreth vppe concludinge that suche as doe those thinges Galat. 5. shall not possesse the kingdome of God they whiche haue dewe and earnest care of their charge dooe as is seemely and meete blame and sharpely rebuke suche thinges when they bee opened vnto them and suche as doe resiste and professe to continew therein they doe not admitte at all to the receiuinge of Baptisme Of the false opinion of them that saie three onely vices are to be punnished by excommunication and all other to be recompenced by almes deedes THE XIX CHAPTER BVT some there be that thinke that all other sinnes are easily recompensed by almes and onely three to be deadly and to be punnished by excommunication vntil by a more seuere penaunce they be healed to wit vnchaste life idolatry and murther It is not nowe needefull to dispute what opinion this is and whether it be to be corrected or allowed least we drawe this worke whiche we haue nowe taken in hande to muche in length by reason of this question whiche to the finishing of our woorke in hande is not nowe necessarie It suffiseth also that if all vices dooe exclude from being admitted to the Sacramente of Baptisme emong those al adulterie is comprised And if there be but three onely to be excepted then is yet of those three adulterie one whereof this our disputation was firste mooued But for so muche as the manners of euill Christians which haue bene before time very euil seeme yet not to haue proceded so farre as to this vice that men woulde marry other mennes wiues or women the husbandes of other women it is like that hereby this negligence hath crept into some Churches that in the Catechesing or instruction of such as required Baptisme these vices were neither required of nor reproued And thereof came to passe that men beganne euen to defende them whiche yet are rare and seldome seene emong them that are christened if by remisse negligence we make them not defensable For suche negligence in some wante of experience in others and in others ignorance we may probably iudge that our Lord signified by the sleape in man where he saieth Mat. 13. But when menne slept the enemies came and ouersowed cockle And it is an argumente to thinke that those vices haue but now of late appeared in the maners of the woorst Christian men S Cyprians sermō De lapsis bycause that S. Cyprian in his Sermon made of suche as were fallen in time of persecution when lamenting and reprouing vice he had remembred many thinges vnto them whereby he sayed the indignation of God was iustly moued to suffer his Churche to be scourged with intolerable persecution he dothe not at all mention there any of these vices forenamed And yet dothe he not passe ouer in silence but earnestly auouche that it was a pointe of euill manners for Christians to ioyne in marriage with Infidelles which saieth he in that place is naught elles but with shame to prostitute the members of Christe to the Gentilles Yet now in these our daies this is scant thought to be a sinne bicause there is nothing in dede cōmaunded therof in the new Testament And therfore haue some other thought it lawefull or elles leaft it as it were in doubt A. And euen so is that doubteful See the Notes folovving after this Chapter whether Herode maryed the wyfe of his broother lyuing or elles after he was deade And therefore is it not very playne what it was that Iohn saied was vnlawefull for him to doo Lykewise there maye be some doubte whether a Concubine professinge that shee will neuer knowe other manne yf shee be put away from him to whome shee is subiecte should not be allowed to the receyuing of baptisme B. And farther it may seeme that he whiche putteth awaye his wyfe taken in adulterie and marrieth another should not be wayed in equall ballaunce with them that put awaye their wiues without cause of adulterie and marry others C. And that poynte seemeth so darke in the diuine Scriptures whether he who may without doubt for adulterie put awaye his wife should be yet accompted an adulterer if he marry an other as that I thinke to be deceaued in the vnderstanding of that poynte were a veniall sinne Wherefore suche as are manifest crimes of shamelesse vnchastitie are vtterly to be reiected from Baptisme onlesse the partyes by chaunging their mindes and by penaunce be amended But for suche as are doubtefull it is to be laboured and foreseene by all meanes that suche coniunctions be not made For what neede is it for a man to put his heade vnder so great daunger of doubt and ambiguitie D. But yf any suche matches or coniunctions fortune to be made I can not certainly say whether suche persons as make them should by like reason be thought vnmeete to be admitted to Baptisme Necessary annotations for the better vnderstanding of this xix th Chapter in some doubtefull places which by misvnderstanding may perhappes minister some cause of Error or scruple to the Reader A. Euen so is that doubtful The doubt which S. Augustine findeth heere in the worde of S. Iohn the Baptiste vnto Herode concerning his mariage is by him selfe resolued after the writing of this Booke in a Sermon that he preached to the people vpon the. 140. Psalme where he hath these wordes In Psalm 140. Occiditur ab Herode qui dicebat ei non licet tibi habere vxorem fratrit tui Neque enim frater eius sine posteritate decesserat He is slaine of Herode which said vnto him It is not lawful for thee to haue thy brothers wife For his brother died not without issew He saith it was not lawful for him to marry his broothers wife and addeth the cause for that his broother had issue of the same wife B. And farther may seme How that case is to be weighed he resolueth plainly and directly determining in the Bookes whiche he wrote long after vnto Pollentius of vnlawfull marriages Tom. 6. li. 1. cap. 9. saying Maius adulterium quis esse negat vxore non fornicante dimissa alteram ducere quà m si fornicantem quis dimiserit tunc al 's ram duxerit non quia hoc adulteriū non est sed quia minus est vbi fornicante dimissa altera ducitur who denieth it to be a greater adultery for a man hauing put away his wife not fall in fornication
woorthy of mee Also in Deuteronomy the like thinges are written to the strengthning of our faith and loue toward God Deute 33. in these woordes They which saie vnto their Father or Mother I knowe thee not and haue not knowen their children these haue obserued thy commaundementes and haue kept thy testament For if wee loue God with all our hart wee ought not to preferre either parentes or children before God. Which thing S. Iohn also sheweth in his Epistle saying that Charitie and the looue of God is not in them whome we see to haue no regarde to doo good vnto the poore Hee that hath saith he worldly substance 1. Iohn 3. and hath seene his brother want and hath shut vp his compassion from him how doth the loue of God dwel in him For if God geue vsurie for the almes that is geuen to the poore and that whiche is geuen to the least of them is geuen to Christe there is no cause why a man shoulde preferre earthly thinges before heauenly or esteeme man more then God. So did that widowe 3. Reg. 17 mentioned in the thirde booke of the Kinges when after all her goodes consumed A notable example in the greate drought and famine she had made her of a litell branne and oyle that was yet lefte a lofe baked vnder the ashes to eate with her children and so to dye Helias came sodaynlie vnto her and desired some parte thereof to be first geuen him to eate and then shee and her children to feede on the reste For she neuer sticked to fulfill his requeste neither did shee though she were the naturall mother any iote preferre her children in that great hunger and penury before Helias But that she did in the sight of God which might please God. Readily and willingly was that offered whiche was required Neither of aboundance a porcion but of a litell the whole was geuen And an other man was first fedde before her owne hungrie and steruing children Neither did shee in that penury and famine thinke firste of her meate and then of the woorkes of mercy but contrary To the ende that while in a healthfull woorke the carnall life was contemned the sowle might spiritually be reserued and saued Helias vvas a figure of Christ Helias therefore bearing the figure of Christ and shewing that he rendreth to eche one for mercy bestowed a retorne of the like answered and said This saith our Lorde thy pot of meale shall not faile thee neither shall the oile in the cruse be diminisshed vntill the daie wherein our Lorde wil sende raine vppon the earthe And according to the truthe of Goddes promise the thinges whiche the widowe gaue were encreased and multiplied vnto her And for her merites and good woorkes of mercy receiuing increase and abondance her vessels of meale and oile were filled ful Neither did the mother in this case take from her children that whiche she gaue to Helias but much more profited her children by doing suche woorke of pitie and mercy Yet did not she know Christ neither had she heard his Commaundementes She was not redemed by his Crosse and passion that she might for the shedding of his bloud render him meate and drinke Whereby it maie appeare how much he whiche is of Christes Churche sinneth who preferring him selfe and his children before Christe doth keepe his riches and doth not communicate his plentiful patrimony with the pouertie of the needy A commō and daily Obiectiō soluted But thou wilt saie thou hast a great many children in thy house and the number of thy children perhaps doth hold thee backe from plentifull yelding of good workes Verely I saie that for this selfe same cause thou shouldest woorke the more bountifully Note vvel The moe children thou art the father of the more hast thou to entreat for at Gods hande The sinnes of many are to be redeemed the consciences of many to be praied for the sowles of many to be raunsomed As in this secular life the moe children thou hast to feede and to susteyne the greater is thy coste and charge so in the spirituall and heauenlie life the more stoare of children thou hast the more plentifull ought to be thy expence in good woorkes An Example So dyd Iob offer many Sacrifices for his children and according to the number of the children in his howse was the number of offeringes whiche he sacrificed vnto God. And bicause there coulde not want synne that dayly offendeth the sight of God dayly Sacrifices did not want whereby synnes might be wiped awaye This doth the Diuine Scripture prooue saying Iob a true and a iuste man had seuen sonnes Iob. 1. and three daughters and he cleansed them offering for them Sacrifices vnto God according to the number of them and for their sinnes one caulfe If therefore thou doo truely looue thy children if thou wilt yeelde vnto them abundant and fatherly sweetnesse of looue and charitie thou oughtest the more to woorke to the entent that with thy iuste and good woorke thou mayst commende thy children vnto God. Thinke not hym to be thy chyldrens chiefe Father who is but weake and feeble and to continue but for a tyme. Winne rather vnto them the fauour of that Father who is the firme sure and euerlasting Father of spirituall children Assigne vnto hym thy gooddes whiche thou keepest for thine heyres Let hym be the Tutor of thy chyldren Let hym be theyr Craynsire Let hym by his Diuine Maiestie be theyr Protector against all the iniuries of this woorlde We shold cōmit our patrimonye to God. The patrimonie that is committed to God neyther dothe the common wealth take awaye nor confiscation breake into nor false accusation or quarrell picte in lawe ouerthrowe In saftie is the inheritance layd vp whereof God is made the keeper This it is to prouide for our deere children in time to comme This it is by fatherly pietie to prouide for our heyres that shall be as the holy Scripture truelye testifieth saying Psal 36. I haue benne yonger and nowe anie wexen olde Yet did I neuer see the iust forsaken or his seed wanting bread All day is he mercifull and lendeth and his seed shal be blessed And againe He whose conuersation is without blame Prou. 20. and in righteousnes leaueth his sonnes blessed behinde him Hovv Fathers ought to prouide for their childrne Therefore thou art a deceiuer and a traiterous Father except thou doo faithfully prouide for thy children except with true and religious pietie thou doo in this sorte forsee to the preseruation of them Thou which laborest by earthly inheritance rather to betake thy children to the diuell then by treasure layed vp in heauen to commend then vnto Christe doost twise offende and committest a double fault Both in that thou doost not procure vnto thy children the healpe of God the Father and also bicause thou teachest them more to looue their patrimonie then Christe Be rather