how God worketh in the outward visible sacrament but his meruailous worke is in the worthy receiuers of the sacraments The wonderful worke of God is not in the water which onely washeth the body but God by his omnipotent power worketh wonderfully in the receiuers therof scouring washing and making them cleane inwardly as it were new men and celestiall creatures This haue all olde Authors wondred at this wonder passeth the capacitie of all mens wits how damnation is turned into saluation and of the sonne of the Diuell condemned into hell is made the sonne of God an inheritour of heauen This wonderfull worke of God all men may meruaile and wonder at but no creature is able sufficiently to comprehend it And as this is wondred at in the sacrament of Baptime how he that was subiect to death receiueth lyfe by Christ and his holy spirite so is this wondred at in the sacrament of Christs holy Table how the same lyfe is continued and endured for euer by continual feeding of Christs flesh and his bloud And these wonderfull workes of God toward vs we be taught by Gods hoâ—y word and his sacraments of bread wine water and yet be not these wonderfull workes of God in the Sacraments but in vs. Cranmer fol. 74. How the sacrament may be poysoned Pope Victor the third was poysoned in the Sacrament The Emperour Henry the seuenth was poysoned by a Dominike Frier named Barnardmus de monte policiano in receiuing the sacrament and yet may it be none other substance but the body and bloud of our Sauiour Christ God and man where if he had bene man they had poysoned him first but if he hadde bene God he would first haue espyed their poyson because hée cannot be deceiued And because he cannot deceiue he would not haue poysoned the Emperour who mistrusted nothing A. G. How the Sacrament was cast into the fire and burnt This wicked Pope Heldibrand sought by all meanes how he might destroy Henry the Emperour and on a time demaunded of the Sacrament of Christs body as the Heathen vse to doe of their Idolls what successe he should haue against him And because the sacrament spake not gaue him no aunswere he threw it into the fire maugrie all the Eardinalls that were about him said to the sacrament most blasphemously Could the Idoll gods of yâ— Heathen giue theÌ„ answere of their successe and canst not thou tell me How there is but two sacraments ¶ Looke Two When the sacrament was forbidden to be ministred in both kinds The sacrament was forbidden to be giuen in both yâ— formes vnto lay men in the generall Councell at Constaunce which was in the yere of our Lord. 1415. The words of the Councell Although Christ after supper ordeined this worshipfull Sacrament and gaue it vnder both the formes of bread and wine to his Disciples yet that notwithstanding the authoritie of the holy Canous and the laudable and approued custome of the Church hath ordâ—ined that the lay men should not receiue it Sacraments of the Elders compared to ours Chrisostome bringeth a very apt similitude in his Homely which he made vpon these words of Paule Our Fathers were baptised into Moses And in his vii Homely vpon the Epistle to the Hebrues Paintâ—rs saith he when they intend to 〈…〉 a King first draw out the proportion vpon a table with shadows and darke colours but yet in such sort that a man may by that deliniation although it be some what obscure easely perceiue that the Image of a King is there painted and harsemen Chariots such other like things which things are not yet straight way known of all men But afterward when the Painter hath layed on fresh colours and hath finished the worke those things which before by those first lines appered scarce begon and rude are now manifestly and opresly perceiued Such saith he were the sacraments of the Elders if they be compared with ours By these words it is manifest that Chrisostome was of yâ— opâ—nion that one and the selfe same thing is represented in our sacraments and in the sacraments of Elders although in theirs more obscurely and in ours more manifestly Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 82. SACRIFICE What a Sacrifice is A Sacrifice is a voluntary action wherein we worship God and offer vnto him somewhat wherby we testifie his chiefe dignitie and dominion and our seruitude and submission towardes him Pet. Mart. vpon the Romanâ—s fol. 411. Againe A sacrifice saith he is a voluntary and a religious action instituted of God to offer vnto him our things vnto his glory and that thereby we may with a straighter â—and be coupled vnto him in holy societie To this definition of sacrifices must be added a perticipation Certaine sacrifices are propiciatorie and other of thankes giuing By the first kinde God is made mercifull vnto vs by the power and iust merite thereof but of this sort we haue but onely one forasmuch as onely by the death of Christ the eternall Father is neconciled vnto vs and by the merites of this one onely Oblation the sinnes of the elect are forgiuen but in the other kinde of sacrifice wée giue thankes vnto God we celebrate his name to our power wée obey his will Pet Mar. vpon Iudic. fol 63. Of two manner of sacrifices The sacrifice of reconciliation or redemption is to delyuer sinners from the wrath of God which doeth onely pertaine to our Sauiour Iesus Christ whereof all the Leuiticall sacrifices were but shadowes signes The Sacrifice of praise or thanks giuing is all the workes of the faithful wherewith they praise and laud God and labour to be ioined with him c. S. Austen himselfe doth expound it August lib. 10. de ciuita Dei cap. 6. I. Veron One kinde of sacrifice there is which is called a propiciatory or mercifull sacrifice that is to say such a sacrifice as pacifieth Gods wrath and indignation and obtaineth mercie and forgiuenesse for all our sinnes and is the raunsome of our redemption from euerlasting damnation And although in yâ— olde Testament there were certaine sacrifices called by that name yet in very deede there is but one such sacrifice whereby our sinnes be pardoned and Gods mercie and fauour obtained which is the death of the Sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christ nor neuer was any other sacrifice propiciatory at anye time nor neuer shall be This is the honour glory of this our high Priest wherein he admitteth neither partner nor successour For by his one obsation he satisfied his father for all mens sinnes and reconâ—iled mankinde vnto his grace and fauour And whosoeuer depriue him of this honour and goe about to take it to themselues they be very Antichrists and most arrogant 〈…〉 phemers against God and against his Sonne Iesus Christ whome hee hath sent Another sacrifice there is which doeth not reconcile vâ— vnto God but is made of them
for all that we can doe is gone after him Tertulian sayth The greatest crueltie that ye can deuise is an entisement to our sect how many of vs so euâ—r ye murther when ye come to the view ye finde vs moe and moe The séeds of this increase is christian bloud For what man saith he beholding the paineful torments and the perfect patience of them will not search and inquire what is the cause And when hée hath found it out who will not agrée vnto it who will not desire to suffer for it Thus saith he this sect will neuer dye which the more it is cut downe the more it groweth For euery man séeing and wondering at the sufferance of the Saint is moued the more thereby to search the cause in scarching he findeth it and in finding he followeth it S. Austen saith they were scattered they were imprisoned they were beaten they wer ract they wer burnt yet they multiplied Aug. de ciuit li. 12. cap. 6. Nazianzen sayth By death it liueth by wounds it springeth by diminishing it increaseth Nazian inâ— reditum suum ex agro How the word and flesh be not both of one nature If the word and flesh were both of one nature séeing that the word is euery where why is not the flesh then euery where for when it was in earth then verily it was not in heauen now when it is in heauen it is not surely in earth And it is so sure that it is not in earth that as concerning it we looke for him to come from heauen When as concerning his eternall word we beleeue to be with vs in earth Therefore by your doctrine saith Vigelius vnto Eutiches who defended that the diuinitie and humanitie in Christ was but one nature either the word is conteined in a place with his flesh or else the flesh is euery where with his word For one nature cannot receiue in it selfe two natures and contrary things But these two things be diuerse and farre vnlike that is to say to be conteined in a place and to be euery where Therfore insomuch as the word is euery where and the flesh is not euery wher it appeareth plainely that one Christ himselfe hath in him two natures and that by his diuine nature he is euery where and by his humanitie he is conteined in a place that he is created hath no beginning that he is subiect to death and cannot dye Whereof one he hath by the nature of his word whereby hee is God and the other he hath by the nature of his flesh wherby the same God is made man also Therefore one sonne of God the selfe same was made the sonne of man and hée hath a beginning by the nature of his flesh and no beginning by the nature of his Godhead He is comprehended in a place by the nature of his flesh and not comprehended by the nature of his Godhead He is inferiour to Angells in the nature of his flesh and is equall to his Father in the nature of his Godhead He died by the nature of his flesh died not by the nature of his Godhead This is the faith and catholike confession which the Apostles taught the martirs did coâ—oborate and faithfull people kéepe vnto this day Cranmer fol. 113. How the word of God ought not onely to be read to the people but also to be expounded vnto them Esdras the Priest brought the lawe the booke of Moses and stóod vpon a Turret of wood that is in the holy Pulpet And Esdras opened ye. booke before the congregation of men womeÌ„ and whosoeuer else had any vnderstanding And the Leuites stood with him so that he read out of the booke and the Leuites instructed the people in the lawe and the people stood in their place and they read in the booke of the lawe distinctly expounding the sense causing them to vnderstand the reading Héere it appeareth that the lawfull and holy ministers of the church of God did not onely read the word of God but also expound it And this our Sauiour Christ practised himselfe when he entered into the Sinagogue at Nazareth expounded a certeine place out of the. 61. Chapter of Esay And also after his rising from death he appeared to the two Disciples which went to Emaus expounding to them whatsoeuer was written of him in the Scriptures which example in expounding the word of God all the Apostles followed c. Bullinger fo 24. VVORKES How the deeds and works of the lawe iustifie not BY the déeds of the law shall no flesh be iustified ¶ God in his lawe doth not onely require of vs outward righteousnesse but also an inward perfection that is to say we are not onely bound to fulfil the works of the law outwardly in our liuings but also inwardly in our hearts to be most sincere to loue entirely aboue all things and our neighbour as our selfe But our nature is so corrupted that no man liuing is able to do the same wherefore no man can be iustified by the works of the lawe Sir I. Cheeke ¶ He meaneth the lawe either written or vnwritten which commandeth or forbiddeth any thing whose works cannot iustifie because we cannot performe them Geneua ¶ He includeth heere the whole law both the ceremonial morâ—all whose works caÌ„not iustify because they be imperfect in all men The Bible note No man is iustified by the déeds of the lawe but by yâ— faith of Iesus Christ. ¶ This S. Paule proueth by the words of the Prophet Abacucke 2. 4. A righteous man liueth by faith If he liue by any part of workes then liueth he not by fayth but partly by works and then were Saint Paules probation vnperfect which cannot be With this agréeth Athanasius prouing that fayth alonely hath the vertue in him to iustifie before God Before man peraduenture they may saith he be reckoned righteous that sticke to the lawe but not before God D. Barnes Good workes make not men righteous but followeth him that beléeueth and is already become righteous in Christ. Like as good fruite maketh not a trée to be good but a trée is knowne to be good by the good fruite of it Beza Ye see then how that of déeds a man is iustified and not of faith onely ¶ When we reade in S. Paule that we are iustified through fayth without the workes of the lawe it is to bée vnderstood that through faith whereby we take holde of the mercy of God so plentifully declared vnto vs in our Sauiour Iesus Christ we are without any demerites or deseruings of ours counted iust and righteous before God so that our sinnes shall be no more imputed vnto vs. Héere in Saint Iames to be iustified is to be declared righteous before men and that by good workes which are infallible witnesses of the true iustifieng fayth and therefore he sayth Shew me thy fayth by thy déedes Againe he bringeth the example
Cor. 15. 52. Tindale How this place following is vnderstood Because his face shall be so deformed and not as mans face ¶ That is his face shall be more deformed then other mens his beautie fouler then the beautie of the sonnes of men The whole sentence meaneth that manie men shall be estonied wheÌ„ they shall sée Christ our sauiour which was excéeding beautifull before all the sonnes of men Psal. 45. 2. so wickedly and violently intreated of the Iewes spit vpon scourged crowned with thorne all be blouded yea greatlier humbled contemned and despised then euer was anie mortall man T. M. FAITH What Faith is FAith is a sure confidence of things which are hoped for and a certeintie of things which are not seene ¶ Faith trust in Christ onelie is the life and quietnesse of the conscience not trust in works how holie so euer they be or appere Works caÌ„not set the heart at rest because we euer think they be not inough nor yet good inough but to few and so fal we to mistrusting after which followeth despairing and so damnation if we leaue not the confidence in them and sticke to faith which canne receiue and beléeue without mistrust that Christs workes on the crosse hath full purged cleansed and loosed vs from our sinnes Againe Faith is a liuely and stedfast trust in the fauour of God wherewith we commit our selues altogether vnto God and that trust is so surelie grounded and sticketh so fast in our hearts that a man wold not once doubt of it though he should die a thousand times therfore and such trust wrought by the holie Ghost through faith maketh a man gladde lustie chéerefull and true hearted vnto God and all creatures by the meanes whereof willingly and without compulsion he is glad and readie to do good to euerie man to suffer all things that God maie beloued and praised which hath giuen him such grace so that it is impossiblâ— to separate good works from faith euen as it is impossible to separate heate and burning from fire Therefore take heede and beware of thine owne fantasies which to iudge of faith good workes will seâ—me wise when indéede they are starke blinde and of all things most foolish Praie God that hée will vouthsafe to worke faith in thine heart or else thou shalt remaine euermore faithlesse faine thou imagine thou enforce thou wrastle with thy selfe and doe what thou wilt Againe Faith is the beléeuing of Gods promises a sure trust in the goodnesse and truth of God which faith iustified Abrahamâ— Gen. 15. was the mother of al his good works which he afterward did for faith is the goodnesse of all workes in the sight of God Good works are things of Gods coÌ„maundement wrought in faith And to shew a show at the commandement of God to do thy neighbour seruice with all with faith to be saued by Christ as God promiseth vsâ— is much better theÌ„ to build an Abbeie of their own imagination trusting to be saued by yâ— fained works of hypocrits Iacob robbed Laban his vnckle Moses robbed the Aegiptians Abraham is about to sley burne his own son al are holy works because they are wrought in faith at Gods commandement To steale rob murther are no holy works before worldly people but vnto theÌ„ the haue their trust in God they are holie when God commandeth them What God commaundeth not getteth no reward with God Holy works of mens imagination receiue their reward héere as Christ testifieth Math. 6. 2. Tindale Faith is an vndoubted beliefe most firmelie grounded in the minde Bullinger fo 30. Againe True faith is the wel-spring root of all vertues good works first of al it satisfieth the minde and desire of man and maketh it quiet and ioyfull Bullinger fol. 54. How Faith is the ground of all good works As a good trée in the time of the yeare bringeth foorth good apples not to make him good for he is good before nor yet this apple is to his owne profit but vnto other mens notwithstanding the good nature the is in him must needs bring it forth So like wise yâ— iust man must needs do good works not by them to be iustified but alonelie in them to serue his brother for he hath no néed of theÌ„ concerning iustification This is the verie true way maner of doing good works how the no man can do goods workes but a iustified man as our sauiour Christ saith either make yâ— trée good and then his fruit must be good or els the tree euill and his fruit also euil for a good trée must néedes bring forth good fruite and a bad euill fruite D. Barnes How Faith iustifieth The faith of true beleeuers is the God iustifieth or forgiueth Christ deserueth it the faith trust in Christs bloud receiueth it certifieth the conscience thereof saueth deliuereth from feare of death dampnation this is it the we meane when we saie faith iustifieth the faith I meane in Christ not in our own works certifieth the conscience the our sins are forgiuen vs for Christs bloud sake Tindale fol. 187. Againe when I saie the faith iustifieth the vnderstanding is the faith receiueth the iustifieng God promiseth to forgiue our sinnes to impute vs for full righteous And God doth iustifie vs actiuely yâ— is to saie forgiueth vs for ful righteous Christs bloud deserueth it saith in the promiser receiueth it certifieth the conscience therof Faith chalengeth it for Christs sake which hath deserued all that is promised cleaueth euer to the promise truth of the promiser pretendeth not the goodnes of the worke but knowledgeth that our works deserue it not but are crowned and rewarded with the deseruinges of Christ. Take an example of young children when the Father promiseth them a good thing for dooing of some trifle and when they come for their reward dalyeth with them saieng What that thou hast done is not worth halfe so much Should I giue thée so great a thing for so little a trifle Ye did promise mée ye said I should haue it why did you promise and whieâ— did you saye so And let him saie what he will to driue them off they will euen saie againe you did promise me so yée did you said I should haue it so ye did But hirelings will pretend their worke and saie I haue deserued it I haue done so much my worke is worthie it c. Tindale fol. 225. That faith the mother of all good workes iustifieth before wée can bring forth anie good worke as the husbaÌ„d marrieth his wife before he can haue anie lawfull children by her Furthermore as yâ— husbaÌ„d marieth not his wife the she shuld coÌ„tinue vnfruitful as before as she was in the state of virginity wherein it was impossible for her to heare fruit but contrariwise to make her fruitfull euen so faith iustifieth
vs not that is to saie marrieth vs not vnto God that we shuld continue vnfruitfull as before but the he should put his séed of his holie spirit in vs as S. Iohn in his first Epistle calleth it to make vs fruitfull For saith Paule Ephe. 2. 8. For by grace are ye made safe through faith that not of our selues for it is the gift of God and commeth not of works least anie man should boast himselfe For we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordeined that we should walke in them Tin fol 59. But who shall glorie of his owne righteousnesse when hee heareth God by his Prophet saieng That all your righteousnes is lyke a most filthy defiled cloath The onely true glorieng therefore is in the faith of the crosse of Christ which excludeth all that glorieng which descendeth of the workes of the lawe Origen in his 13. booke ad Rom. We thinke that a man is iustified by faith without the works of the lawe For because there is one God which iustifieth circumcision of the law and vncircumcision of faith It manifestly sheweth that righteousnesse is not in the merit of man but in the grace of God who without the workes of the law accepteth the faith of them that beleeue Againe In liâ—â— contra Ecudem he saith thus â—unc ergo iusti sumus c. Therefore we are then righteous when we confesse our selues sinners And our righteousnesse standeth not vpon our owne merit but vpon the merit of God Hicrome li. 2. contra Pelag. We be not iustified by works but by faith For the weaknes of the flesh is a let vnto workes but the brightnesse of faith shadoweth the errour of déedes which desâ—rueth pardon of sinnes S. Ambrose â—de Iacobo Cap. 21. For the théefe beléeued and was iustified by the most mercifull God And héere saie not vnto me that he lacked time to liue vprightlie and to doe good workes for I contend not about that but this onelie I stedfastly affirme that onelye faith by it selfe saued him Chrisostome de fide lege How faith is the worke of God Faith is the worke of God and it commeth of God as Saint Iohn saith This is the work of God then you should beléeue in him Saint Paule witnesseth the same saieng Philip. 1 â—9 Not onlie it is giuen to you that ye should beléeue in God but also yâ— ye should suffer for hiâ— sake Of this it is an euident saieug liuing or dead not to haue had faith of theÌ„selues or of their owne might â— power but to haue receiued it of God which giueth faith to whome he wil when he will although S. Paule saith Faith to come by hearing of the worde of God which worde although manie maie heare it yet no man shall beléeue but he to whom God giueth faith and in whom God worketh faith and loue Bibliander vpon the expos of â—ude What faith is without workes What auaileth it my brethren yâ— man say he hath faith wheÌ„ he hath no deeds Can faith saue him ¶ Can faith saue him S. Iames speketh not héere of true faith which by loue is mightie in operation but of the vaine imagination opinion yâ— the vnthankfull people haue of faith and therefore he doth call it dead faith because ther follow no good works of it as there do of the faith that iustifieth in the sight of God To be iustified heere in all the Chapter ouer is to be counted iust that before the world as in Luke 10. 29 and 16. 15. and not to bee made iust in the sight of God So that when he saith was not Abraham our Father iustified through works c. signifieth thus much was not Abraham our Father by his workes declared iust That is did not his workes declare and shew that he was iust and were sure tokens or his righteousnesse it signifieth that Abraham was by his workes made iust before God reputed righteous obteined remission of sinnes for by Faith he came thereby not by workes as witnesseth S. Paule Rom. 4â—2 Tindale Wilt thou vnderstand D thou vaine man that faith without déeds is vaine was not our Father Abraham iustified of his déedes when he offered his son Isaac on the Alter c. ¶ Wheras Saint Iames bringeth that Abraham was iustified by offering his sonne Iâ—â—ac that is cleane contrarie as manie as doe take it First vnto Moses whereas the verie originall is For it is openlie declared Gen. 15. 6. where these wordes were spoken of Abraham Abraham did beléeue and it was reputed vnto him for iustification where there is no word of Isaac for hée was neither yet â—orn nor promised yet must Abraham néeds be iustified for the holie Ghost saith it And when the wordes were spoken vnto him he was at the most but 86. yeares olde as it is declared in the. 16. Chapter verse 16. But when Isaac was promised him by name then was Abraham 99. years olde as it is open in the. 17. Chapter and the yeare after was Isaac borne And when Isaac was borne was Abraham 100. yeare olde as it is plaine in the. 21. 5. Now would I knowe that where that Abraham was iustified from that he was 86. yeare olde till he was an hundred yeare olde you cannot say by offering vp of Isaac for you sée he is not borne D. Barnes Therefore by faith is the inheritaunce giuen that it might come of fauour and the promise might be sure to all the séede ¶ Therefore by faith c. Therefore are ye pronounced righteous by faith by which vnderstand euen the mercie of God receiued by faith that the conscience might be surelie certified of the wil of God and of the promises of the Gospel that is of remission of sinnes of reconciliation or reputation of righteousnesse of the gift of euerlasting life that these things cléerelye be performed which were not possible if the promise shoulde depende and hang on our workes For then shall the conscience be vnsure doubting whether we had works inough whether God would be mercifull whether the law which we haue trangressed would condemne vs c. Now when doubtfulnesse remaineth in vs ther remaineth also fearefulnes by which commeth desperation death for so long as the law sheweth vs the anger of God feare of death cannot be ouercome Therfore must we néeds sticke onelie to faith in the mercifull promises of God surelie certified and they shall be fulfilled although our works haue not deserued the fulfilling of them Tindale Of faith and deeds And how Saint Paule and Iames doe agree therein Ye sée then how that of déeds a man is iustified and not of faith onelie ¶ Ye sée then the a man is iustified c. That is is declared iust is openlie knowne to be righteous like as by the fruites the good tree is knowne to be good otherwise maie not
of the letters but the Gospell is in the marking of the sentence of Scriptures This sentence approueth Saint Paule saieng thus The kingdome of God is not in worde but in vertue and Dauid saith The voice of the Lorde that is his worde is in vertue And after Dauid saith Through the worde of God the heauens were made And in the spirit of his mouth is all the vertue of them In the booke of Mar. fol. 644. An exposition of this place following For I am not ashamed of the Gospell ¶ The Gospell is that heauenly message which declareth vnto vs yâ— Iesus Christ is the power of God in whom and by whom God doth set foorth vnto the world all his heauenlie treasures that whosoeuer doth beléeue in him whether he be a Romaine or a Iew Gréeke or other he should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting Sir I. Cheeke Saint Bede affirmeth that in his time and almost a thousand yeares after Christ héere in Britaine Easter was kept after the manner of the East church in the full moone what daie in the wéeke so euer it fell on and not on the Sundaie as wée doe now whereby it is to be collected that the first preachers in this land haue come out froÌ„ the East part of yâ— world where it was so vsed rather then from Rome Petrus Cluniacensis writing to Barnard affirmeth that the Scottes in his time did celebrate their Easter not after the Romaine manner but after the Gréeks And as the sayd Britaines were not vnder the Romaines in the time of this Abbot of Cluniake So neither were they nor would bee vnder the Romaine Legate in the time of Gregorie nor woulde admit anie primacie of the Bishop of Rome to be aboue them Ghildas saith that Ioseph of Aramathia that tooke downe Christ from the crosse béeing sent hether by Philip the Apostle out of Fraunce he beganne to preach the Gospell first in this Realme in the time of Tiberius the Emperour Nicephorus saith that Symon Zelottes about the same time came into this land and did the like Theodoretus sayth that Saint Paule immediatly after his first deliuerie in Rome vnder the Emperour Nero preched the Gospell in this Ilande and in other Countries of the West Tertulian saith of his time that the countries of Britaiâ—e which the Romaines could neuer attaine vnto are now subiâ—ct to Christ. Origen saith the same GOATE How this Goate doth figure Christ. PUtting them vpon the head of the Goat ¶ Héere this Goat is a true signe of Iesus Christ who beareth the sinnes of the people Esay 53. 5. Geneua Why it is called the scape Goate And the other for a scape Goate ¶ In the Hebrew it is called Azazel which some saie is a mountaine néere Sinai whether this Goate was sent but rather is called scape Goate because it was not offered but sent into the desart as verse 21. Geneua GRACE What Grace is BY grace vnderstand the fauour of God and also the gifte of working of the spirit in vs as loue kindnesse patience obedience mercifulnesse despising of worldlie thinges peace concord and such like Tindale The true definition of grace The true definition of Grace and agréeing to the holy scriptures is the free beneuolence of God whereby he counteth vs déere in Christ Iesus and forgiueth vs our sinnes giueth the holie Ghost an vpright life and eternall felicitie by this definition is séene not onlie what we call grace but also by whom we haue it and with all the principall effects thereof Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 140. Receiued grace of all Apostleship ¶ Grace is throughout all the Epistles of Paule taken for the fauour and frée mercie of God whereby he saueth vs fréelie without anie desertes or workes of the lawe In like maner peace is taken for the tranquilitie of the conscience being fullie perswaded that through the merites of Christs death and bloud-shedding there is an attonement and peace made betwéene God and vs so that God will no more impute our sinnes vnto vs nor yet condemne vs. Sir I. Cheeke What it is to reiect grace To reiect and refuse the grace of God is to séeke righteousnesse by the law or to deserue grace by our owne righteousnes What difference is betweene grace and gift Grace properlie is Gods fauour beneuolence or kind mind which of his owne selfe without deseruing of vs he beareth vnto vs wherby he was moued inclined to giue Christ vnto vs with all his other gifts of grace Gift is the holie Ghost his working whom he powreth into the hearts of theÌ„ on whom he hath mercie whom he fauoureth Though the gifts of yâ— spirit increase in vs dailie haue not yet the full perfection yea though there remaine in vs yet euill lusts sinne which fight against the spirit as he saith héere in the seauenth Chapter and in the fift to the Galathians and as it was spoken before in the third Chapter of Genesis of the debate betwéene the womans seede and the séede of the Serpent yet neuerthelesse GODS fauour is so greate and so strong ouer vs for Christs sake that wee are counted for full whole and perfect before God For Gods fauour towardes vs diuideth not her selfe increasing a lyttle and little as doe the giftes but receyueth vs whole and altogether in full loue for Christes sake our intercessour and Mediatour And because the giftes of the spirite and the battell betwéene the spirite and euill lustes are begunne in vs alreadie Of this nowe vnderstande thou the. 7. Chapter where Paule accuseth himselfe as a sinner and yet in the 8. Chapter sayth There is no dampnation to them that are in Christ and that because of the spirite and because the gifts of the spirite are begunne Sinners wée are because the flesh is not full killed and mortified Neuerthelesse in as much as we beléeue in Christ and haue the earnest and beginning of the spirite and woulde faine bée perfect GOD is so louing and fauourable vnto vs that he will not looke on such sin neither will count it as sinne but will deale with vs according to our beliefe in Christ and according to his promises which hée hath sworne to vs vntill the sinne bée full slaine in vs and mortified by death Tindale in his Prol. to the Rom. The difference betweene grace and the Lawe Chrisostome noteth certeine diefferences betwéene the Lawe and Grace The Lawe sayth hée setteth â—oorth a Crowne but first requireth workes and battailes Grace first crowneth and afterwarde bringeth vnto the battayle By this hée teacheth that the righteousnesse which is set forth the Lawe is obteined by workes for wée cannot bée iustified by the lawe vnlesse wée haue accomplished all the thinges which are commaunded in the lawe But that other righteousnesse which wée haue by grace through fayth doth first crowne vs with a newe generation and adoption to be the children of
for of iust is deriued Iustice. And to say briefely to be iust is to be cleare sound and vpright according to the degrée condition office person which euery man beareth and to aunswere the same in all pointes without blame Each degrée condition estate and person hath his order and Iustite c. Musc. in his Com. pla fo 421. IVSTIFICATION What is vnderstood by Iustification BY iustifieng vnderstande none other thing then to be reconciled to God and to be restored into his fauour and to haue thy sinnes forgiuen thee As when I say God iustifieth vs vnderstand thereby that God for Christs sake merites and deseruings onely receiueth vs vnto his mercie fauour and grace and forgiuenesse of our sinnes And when I say Christ iustifieth vs vnderstand thereby that Christ onely hath redéemed vs bought vs deliuered vs out of the wrath of God and damnation and hath with his works onely purchased vs the mercie fauour and grace of God and the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And when I say Faith onely iustifieth vnderstand thereby that Faith and trust in the trueth of God and in the mercie promised vs for Christs sake and for his deseruings workes onely doth quiet the conscience and certefie hir that our sinnes be forgiuen and we in the fauour of God Tindale in his Prologue to the Romanes To iustifie is nothing els then to acquite him that was accused from all filthinesse as allowing his innocencie sith therefore God iustifieth vs by the intercession of Christ he doeth acquite vs not by allowaunce of our innocencie but by imputation of righteousnesse that we maye be counted for righteous in Christ which are not righteous in our selues Cal. 3. bo chap. 11. sect 3. This word iustifie in the Latine mens eares is as much to say as to make iust lyke as magnifie to make great and sanctifie to make holy And this sence of this word the Diuine schoolemen like well which they that doe followe them doe yet earnestly stand vnto Augustine also doth in diuers places still expound this word of iustifieng in this sence when he saith Beléeuing in him which iustifieth the wicked that is to say of the wicked doth make godly The Apostle Paule out of whose writings this entraunce of Iustification is principally taken vsed the word of iustifieng not in the sence that the Latine eares doe like but in that sence which the holy Scripture vseth it according to the custome of the holy language in which he was born brought vp and instructed in from his childhood In that language to iustifie is as as much to say as to quite a man of his offence and to pronounce him iust The contrary of it is to condemne a man of naughtinesse and wickednesse c. This word iustifie is not to make one iust which is vniust and wicked but is vsed in euery place for to quite a man of his fault and to pronounce and declare him iust Musc. fol. 222. How we are iustified freely and by Faith onely It is also the cause why Faith is plainly called by S. Paule the Faith of the chosen and for the which Iustification is attributed vnto it that honour is giuen vnto it forsomuch as many doth acknowledge himselfe by the same such as he is of his owne nature to wit a poore and miserable sinner the childe of wrath subiect to death and eternall damnation therefore spoyling himselfe of his owne Iustice and of all trust in his owne workes and merites he doth imbrace Iesus Christ to be cladde with his Iustice to the ende that by it his sinnes may be couered in such sort that they come not to count at the iudgement of God and so that the poore sinner by reputed iust as though he had neuer offended and that because the Iustice of Christ is allowed vnto him Faith as though the same were proper to the man to whom it is allowed Pet. Viret All men are sinners and want the glory of God but they are iustified fréely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ. ¶ Héere Paule saith We are iustified fréely If there bée any deseruing lesse or more then it is not freely He saith also Of grace if it be any part of workes then it is not of grace for as S. Paule saith Then grace were no grace S. Ambrose saith vpon this place of S. Paule All men are sinners c. They are iustified fréely saith S. Ambrose for they doing nothing nor nothing deseruing alonely by Faith are iustified by the gifte of God Héere Saint Ambrose saith Men working nothing nor nothing deseruing are iustified by Faith onely D. Barnes ¶ Origen vpon the same tâ—xt saith That the Iustification of Faith is alonely sufficient so that a man do beleeue onely he is iustified though there be no woâ—â—â—es â—oke of him at al. By Faith was the théefe iustified without yâ— workes of y◠〈…〉 for yâ— Lord did not aske him what he had done nor looke for any works of him but did accept him onely for confessing of Christ. Wherefore saith Origen a man is iustified by Faith vnto whome as concerning Iustification the works of the law help nothing ¶ Héere it is plaine by Origen that workes doe helpe nothing to Iustification but Faith onely D. Barnes What thing doth purchase Iustification The same thing that purchaseth remission of our sinnes doth also purchase Iustification For Iustification is nothing els but remission of sinnes Now Faith purchaseth vs remission of sinnes Ergo by Faith we are iustified Now that Faith purchaseth remission of sinnes is well proued by the Article of our Faith Credo remissionem peccatorum I beléeue remission of sinnes Now if I haue not this remission for Faith then Faith deceiueth me For I doe beleeue onely because I would haue remission of sinnes What néede we to beléeue remission of sinnes if I may deserue it by workes D. Barnes What the true way of Iustification is The very true way of Iustification is this First commeth God for the loue of Christ Iesus alonely of his méere mercie and giueth vs fréely the gifte of Faith whereby we doe beléeue God and his holy word sticke fast vnto the promises of God and beléeue that though heauen and earth and all that is in them should perish and come to naught yet God shall be founde true in his promise For this faith sake be we the children of God This is not such a Faith as men dreame when they beléeue that there is one God and beléeue that he is eternall beléeue also that he made the world of naught yea and beléeue that the Gospell is true and all things that God speaketh must be true and fulfilled with other such things This is not the Faith that we be iustified by for Diuells and Infidells haue this faith and also we may atteine to these things by the strength of reasonâ— But the Faithâ— that shall iustifie vs must be of another manner
glorie After y◠schoolmens diuinitie we should haue saide you haue deserued your first grace by y◠good motion of your hearts produced of nature but ye haue not yet obtained saluation but must deserue the same by good workes of condigne when Christ saith He that beléeueth in me hath life euerlasting he speaketh not lyke a schooleman For he should haue said he that beleeueth in me by the good motion picked out of nature he shall deserue the first grace but he shall haue euerlasting lyfe at that time when he hath deserued it of a condignes by his good works Paule calleth not euerlasting life the merit of condignes but the gift of God Therefore looke how farre wide this doctrine or the merite of congruence and condigne is from the Scriptures so farre it is to be cast off from the eares and hearts of the faithfull Musculus fol. 235. Obiection THey obiect that saieng of the Apostle I haue fought a good fight I haue runne out my race I haue kept my faith for the rest there is layed vp for me a crowne of iustice which which God shall restore mée in that daye the iust Iudge Is not héere mention made of both say they by the Apostle both the good woorke which hée didde and the rewarde also which hée looked for of God Aunswere AVgustine aunswereth saieng on this wise The Lord saith he shall render me my crowne the iust iudge Ergo hée oweth it me who shall render it thée than Ergo he shall render it as a iust Iudge for when he considereth our worke hée cannot vpon that consideration of the worke deny vs a reward I haue fought a good fight it is a worke I haue finished my race it is a worke I haue kept my faith it is a worke There remaineth a Crowne of Iustice for me that is the reward As for thy rewarde thou doest nothing and as for thy worke thou doest it not alone Thy Crowne commeth from him and thy worke from thy selfe but yet not without his helpe And a lyttle after Therefore thou seest when he doth render good things he doth preuent himselfe giuing good things to thée before to whome he maye render good things also after Loe hée rendereth reward vnto that good thing by the good workes to him that fought out his fight to him that ranne out of his race and kept his faith He rendereth good things but for what good things The same that he gaue before himselfe Did not he giue it thée to fight out thy good fight If it were he that gaue it thée why doest thou saye in another place I haue laboured more then they all but not I but the grace of God with me Loe thou saist againe I haue runne out my race Did not he giue thee also to runne out thy course If he gaue it thée not to runne out thy race what is that thou sayest in another place It standeth not in the willer nor in the runner but in GOD which hath mercie I haue kept my faith hast thou kept thy faith I knowe it and am content withall I graunt thou hast kept it But vnlesse the Lord doe kéepe the Citie they doe watch in vayne that doe kéepe it Therefore thou hast both fought out thy good fight and runne out thy race and kept thy faith euen through him as ayding thée giuing it to thée Giue me leaue O Apostle I know nothing of thine own but naughtinesse Giue me leaue O Apostle we say that thou didst teach I heare thée confessing God I finde thee not vnthankefull But we perfectly knowe that there be none of thine owne things gotten to thée by thy selfe but euill things Therefore when God doth crowne thy merites hée crowneth nothing els but his owne giftes Thus saith Saint Austen Musculus fol. 237. How we can merit nothing after our death When thou art departed from hence saith S. Austen thou shalt be receiued according to thy deserts and shall rise againe to receiue that which thou hast done Then God shall crowne not so much thy merits as his owne gifts This saith he And Hierom after he had recited the opinion of them which do hold that after we be departed out of this life we may both hurt reasonable creatures do good yet he doth expound that place of Ecclesiasticus The dead knoweth nothing and there is no reward any more for them in this wise They y◠do liue may for feare of death do good works but they which be dead can adde nothing to that which they haue caried hence with them out of this life Item They can neither doe iustly nor sinne not adde neither vertue nor vice This saith he ¶ And no doubt there is one season to worke in and another season to receiue for that which a man hath wrought in this life And men shall bée iudged at the iudgment to come not for the workes or merits which bée done after this lyfe but for the same which is done in this body as the Apostle saith Wherefore it appeareth that we haue no merit neither before this life nor in this life neither after this life Muscu fol. 234. Augustin saith God doth many things in man which man doth not but man doth nothing which God maketh not man to doe Wherefore we must in any wise beware that we doe not so establish mans merits that we do make voyd y◠grace of Christ and contemne the iustice of God For merit and grace be so contrarye one to another that as Barnard saith there is no meanes for grace to enter where merit doth kéepe place Musculus fol. 238. Proues that the merit of man is nothing auailable to purchase saluation Say ye that we bée vnprofitable seruants for notwithstanding we haue done all things that are commaunded yet haue we done no good thing for if our doings were good indéed then were we not vnprofitable but any good deede of ours is called good not rightly or duely but by abuse of speach Origen in his 8. treatie vpon Math. He that trusteth not to his owne déedes nor hopeth so be iustified by his workes hath the onely hope of his saluation in the mercie of God Basil vpon the 32. Psal. This is our full and perfect reioicing in God when we acknowledge that we are voide of any of our righteousnesse and are iustified by onely faith in Christ. Basil. in his booke of humilitie I say not vnto the Lord despise not the workes of my hands I haue sought the Lord with my hands and was not deceiued But I doe not praise or commend the workes of my handes For I am afraid least when thou lookest vpon them thou shalt finde more sinnes than merits This onely I say this I praye this I couer Despise not the workes of thine hands Sée thine owne worke in me and not mine for if thou séest mine thou doest condemne if thou séest thine thou crownest For all the good
of Godâ— whom hée defended and auoided as Socrates saith in this clause The mother or bearing God as a bugge or fraieng Ghost yet he proceeded in spite and being called to the counsell of Ephesus hée denied that Christ was God and séeing that there rose greate sturre thereof hée séemed to repent but the Councell deposed and banished him into Oasis GOD winking not at his impietie but plagued diuersly him froÌ„ aboue his tongue was eaten vp of wormes and so he died Socra li. 7. chap. 22. 23. 29. Euag. li. 1. chap. 2. 3. 7. NEVV What it is to be new THat is knowne to be new which neither euer was before nor hath bene yet séene or heard of but now beginning and commeth to light first And therfore Salomon saith that ther is nothing vnder the Sunne that is new nor that it can be sayde loe that is new for that it hath gone and ben before in times past Indéede a thing seemeth to bée new when it hath bene in times past and is now corrupted and perished either by time abuse or negligence of men by restoring againe is renued not that it beginneth now first to bée but rather to be the same which it was before And in vâ—rie déede it is nothing lesse then new For it is one thing to make a thing new and to renue a thing which was made long agoe They be sayde to make new things which doe inâ—titute new things before vnused and vnknowne and they are sayde to renewe which doe restore things decaied vnto their olde estate and vse So the lawe was new which was giuen by Moses to be kept of the Israelites when it was first set forth in the mount Sina And the Gospell of Christ was new when it was first declared in the worlde by the Apostles But the lawe was now new when by the care of godly kinges it was restored and renued after that it hadde bene once corrupt The histories of the kings Asa Hezechias and of Iosias bée well knowne Neither was the doctrine of the Prophets new when they did rebuke the corruptnesse of the lawish religion and requireth the right and true obseruation of Gods lawe although it séemed neuer so new and straunge Muse. fo 361. By whose fault the doctrine of Christ seemeth now new to the Papists What time as the booke of the lawe was found in the dayes of king Iosias in the secret corner of the temple and was exhibited vnto the king himselfe it might haue séemed some newe thing vnto them which had liued a great while without lawe where indâ—ed nothing ought to haue béen more vsed or knowne to the people but through whose fault was it Was it not the fault of their a 〈…〉 itors which woulde no longer heare the wordes of that booke I meane the kinges and Priests which leauing the sermons of the lawe followed the ceremonies of the Gentiles Compare héere with all those things which are betided vs. Hath not the holy Bible bene hidden and cast into corners these many ages vâ—knowne to the multitude of the vnfaithfull yea too many of the pastors also in this our age what time it is translated into all languages well néere set foorth commonly to be read is it anye otherwise taken of yâ— superstitious Papists then if there were some new vnknowne doctrine thrust into the Churches You might haue fouÌ„d in times past in the Poperie a number of Massing Priests pastours which had neuer as much as seene yâ— holy Bible came not this through fault of our aunceâ—ors would God the heads Princes of christen people would knowledge it say with Iosias Go aske counsell of the Lord for vs and for our people for the Lords anger is greate ouer vs because our Fathers hearde not the wordes of this booke and that they woulde not onely acknowledge their fault but also with a godly holy endeuour renue and set vp againe the decaied religion according vnto yâ— Lords word and in so doing they shuld turne away the Lords wrath from themselues and from their people c. Muse. fo 362. A declaration of the olde and new Testament New Testament is as much to say as a new couenant The olde Testament is an olde temporall couenaunt made betwéene God and the carnall children of Abraham Isaac and Iacob otherwise called Israel vpon the déedes and obseruing of a temporall lawe where the rewarde of kéeping is temporall life and prosperitie in the land of Canaan and the breaking is reward with temporall death and punishment But the newe testament is an euerlasting couenaunt made vnto the chrildren of God through faith in Christ vpon the seruing of Christ. Where eternall lyfe is promised to all that beléeue and death to all that are vnbeléeuing My déeds if I kéepe the lawe are rewarded with the temporall promises of this life But I beleeue in Christ Christs déeds hath purchased for me the eternal promise of euerlasting life If I commit nothing worthy of death I deserue for my reward that no man kil meâ— If I hurt no maÌ„ I am worthy that no man hurt me If I helpe my neighbour I am worthy he helpe me againe So that with outwarde works with which I serue other men I deserue that other meÌ„ doe like to me in this world and they extend no farther But Christs déeds extend to life euerlasting vnto all that beléeue c. Tindal in his Pro. to the new Test. How they called Christs doctrine new doctrine What new doctrine is this ¶ They blasphemed which did call the doctrine a new doctrine for Christ did onelye by himselfe speake those things which before he had spoken by the Prophets Sir I. Cheeke ¶ It was then nâ—w and now after fiftéene hundred and seauen and thirtie yeares is yet new when will it then bée olde Tindale ¶ They referre the miracle to the kinde of doctrine and so meruaile at it as a new and straunge thing and doe not consider the power of Christ who is the authour of the one and the other Geneua NICHOLAS Of the heresie that sprang vp by the occasion of this man NIcholas one of the seauen deacons is by S. Iohn abhorred Apoc. 2. 6. He was accused of gelousie ouer his wife to cléere himselfe of this crime he brought forth his wife and bid marry her who would This fact of his is excused by Eusebius His followers by occasion héereof doe practise their wandring lust without respect of wife or maide Euseb. Eccl. hist. li. 3. chap. 26. How this Nicholas the Deacon is excused When the Church was yet springing as Eusebius testifieth in his 3. booke of his history the. 26. chapter the Nicholaites did openly and manifestly commit fornication and layde the custome of their wicked crime to Nicholas the deacon although Clemens Bishop of Alexandria in Stromatis no excuse Nicholas for he saith that he neuer thought or taught any such thing But hauing a faire woman to
reproued of all men then fornication it selfe False Prophets false Apostles and false Priests sprang vp which vnder a counterfait religion deceiued the people the most part of them vnder the honest name of chastitie commit whooredome adultery incest commonly and without punishment The Bishops Priests of this time how do they endeuour to kéepe either in heart or in hody the holynesse of chastitie without which no man shall sée God They are giuen ouer into a reprobate minde and doe those things that are not conuenient for it were shame to vtter what these Bishops do in secret Againe he saith absteining from the remedy of marriage afterward they flow ouer into all kinde of wickednesse Againe such notorious filthynesse of lecherie there is in manye partes of the world not onely in the inferiour Clarkes but also in Priests yea in the greatest Prelates which thing is horrible to be heard Bar. de conuers ad cleri chap. 19. in ope triperti li. 3. cha 7. Huldericus the Bishop of Augusta in Germany wrote sharply against Pope Nicholas in this wise I haue founde thy decrées touching the single lyfe of Priests to be voyde of discreation thou séest that many followers of thy counsell willing vnder a feined colour of continēt life rather to please man then God commit hainous actes in the end he concludeth thus by such discipline of discretion as you know best roote this Pharesaicall doctrine out of Gods folde I beléeue it were a good lawe and for the wealth and safety of soules that such as cannot liue chast may contract matrimonie For we learne by experience that of the law of continence or single lyfe the contrarie effect hath followed for as much as now a daies they liue not spiritually nor be cleane chast but with their great sinnes are defiled with vnlawfull copulation whereas with their owne wiues they should liue chastly Therefore the Church ought to doe as the skilfull Phisition vseth to doe who if he sée by experience that his medicine hurteth rather then doth good taketh it cleane away And would to God the same waye were taken with all positiue constitutions SINNE The definition of sinne SAint Augustine in his 2. booke De consensu Euangelistarum saith Sinne is the transgression of the law Ad simpliciatum li. 1. Sin is an inordinatenesse or peruersenesse of man that is a turning from the more excellent creator a turning to the inferiour creatures De fide contra Manichaeus cap. 8. he saith What is it else to sinne but to erre in the precepts of truth or in the truth it selfe Again Contra Faustū Manicheū li. 22. ca. 27. Sin is a déed a word or a wish against the law of God The same Augustine De duobus animabus contra Manichaeus ca. 11 saith Sin is a will to reteine or obteine the which iustice forbiddeth is not frée to absteine And in Retract li. 1. cap. 5. he saith That will is a motion of the minde with copulation either not to loose or else to obteine some one thing or other All which definitions as I do not vtterly reiect saith Bullinger so do I wish this to be considered thought of with the rest Sin is the naturall corruption of mankind the action which ariseth of it contrary to the law of God whose wrath that is both death sundry punishments it bringeth vpon vs. Bullinger fo 478. What sinne is Sin in the scripture is not called the outward work only committed by the body but all the whole busines whatsoeuer acompanieth moueth or stirreth vnto the outward déede and that whence the works spring as vnbeleefe pronenesse readinesse vnto the déede in the ground of the heart with all his powers affections and appetites wherwith we can but sin So that we say the a man thē sinneth when he is carried away headlong into sinne altogether as much as he is of that poison inclination corrupt nature wherein he was conceiued and borne for there is none outward sinne committed except a man be carried away altogether with life soule heart body lust minde therevnto The Scripture looketh singularly vnto the hart vnto the race originall fountaine of all sin which is vnbeléefe in the bottome of the heart for as faith onely iustifieth and bringeth the spirit and lust vnto outward good works euen so vnbeleefe onely damneth kéepeth out the spirit prouoketh the flesh stirreth vp lust vnto euil outward works as it fortuned to Adam Eue in Paradise Ge. 3. For this cause Christ calleth sin vnbeléefe and that notably in the. 16. of Iohn The spirit saith hée shall rebuke the world of sinne because they beléeue not in me Wherefore then before all good workes there must néeds hée fayth in the heart whence they spring And before all bad déeds and bad fruits there must néedes be vnbeléefe in y◠heart as in the roote fountaine pith and strength of all sinne which vnbeléefe is called the head of the Serpent and of the olde dragon which the womans seede Christ must tread vnder foote as it was promised to Adam Tindale in his Pro. to the Rom. How euery sinne is mortall That euery sinne is mortall in that it is sinne is euident by the words of God himselfe who can best iudge in this matter In the. 18. of Ezechiel verse 4. saieng thus The soule that sinneth shall dye héere is no exception or difference made of sinne but any sinne in that it is sinne is deadly as Saint Paule sayth Rom 6. 23. For the reward of sinne is death Héere also you see that Saint Paule maketh no difference of sinne but that Mors death is the reward of sinne generally without exception And Saint Iohn sayth Euerie one that committeth sinne the same also committeth iniquitie and sinne is iniquitie Heere also you see that Saint Iohn sayth making no difference of sinne that sinne in that it is sinne it is iniquitie without exception Christ sayth that out of the heart procéedeth euill thoughts murthers adulteryes c. And againe hée sayth That whosoeuer beholdeth an other mans wife to lust after her hath already committed adulterye with her in his heart And Saint Iohn following his maister lyke a good scholler saith thus Omnis qui odit c. Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer So it is euident by the sacred Scriptures that all sinnes without exception are mortall and deadly I. Gough The Doctours saieng in this matter There were also before Christ worthy men both Prophets and Priests but yet conceiued and borne in sin Neither were they frée from originall and actuall sinne And there was found in them all either ignoraunce or insufficiencie in which they going astray haue sinned and haue néeded the mercye of God By the which béeing taught and instructed haue giuen thanks to God haue cōfessed themselues to haue lacked much of the full measure of
righteousnesse trusting in God haue not presumed to ascribe vnto themselues any societie or righteousnes of their owne No man can be without sinne so long as he is laden with the garment of the flesh the weaknesse whereof is thrée manner of waies brought in thraldome and subiection of sin to wit by déeds thoughts by words Lact. in his 6. b. de ver cul ca. 13. We may so long as we dwell in the tabernacle of this body are compassed about with fraile flesh measurably rule our affections and passions but cut them off quite we cannot by any meanes Hierom. in his Epist. ad Algasis It is to be demaunded if the nature of man be good which none dare be so bold to deny but Manicheus Marcion How then is it good if it be not possible for it to be without euil For that all sinne is euill who doubteth we answere both that the nature of man is good c. Sée the place August de per. iust li. Wherevpon S. Gregory saith he that gathereth vertue together without humility is as one that heareth dust into the wind For like as dust with a mightie blast of winde is scattered abroade so euery good thing without humilitie is with the winde of vaineglorie dispearsed asâ—nder And also it is much better to be an humble sinner theÌ„ to be a righteous man arrogant Which thing is plainly set forth by the Lord as the Publican and Pharesie are brought in for example as a certeine wise man saith Better is in wicked déedes an humble confession then in good déedes a proud boasting Gregory de donis spiri sanct cap. 2. How God ordeined sinne and yet is not the Authour of sinne To ordeine a thing to be the proper cause authour worker of a thing is not all one as by these examples following He that setteth his wine abroad in the Sunne to make vineger ordeined it to be made vineger and yet he is not the proper cause of vineger but the nature of the wine and the hotte Sunne beames He that in Spaine cutteth downe grapes in the Summer layeth them in a Sunny place ordeineth them to be made raisons and yet he is not the proper cause of raisons but the nature of the grapes and the heate of the Sunne Finally to bring a plaine rusticall example he yâ— hangeth vp Swines flesh in a chimney ordeineth it to be made Bacon and yet he is not the proper cause of Ba 〈…〉 but the nature of the flesh and smoake Wherefore sith it is euident yâ— it is not euer all one to ordeine a thing to be the proper cause authour of a thing we may boldly say the scripture bearing plaine record and S. Austen and sundry other most excellent writers holdeth vp their hands to the same that God ordeineth sinne yet is not the authour of sinne Traheroâ— The cause of sinne is not to be layed vnto God God compelleth no man to doe euil but euery man willingly sinneth wherfore the cause of sinne is not to be laied on him For séeing he procreateth not in vs wicked desires he ought not to beare the blame if wicked actions doe spring out of a corrupt 〈…〉 of wicked affections yea the goodnesse of God is rather to be acknowledged which is present and so gouerneth the wicked affections that they cannot burst forth nor bee hurtfull nor troublesome to any but when he hath appointed to chastin some and to call them backe to repentaunce or to punish them Pet. Mart. vpon Iudic. fol. 167. How all sinne is both deadly and veniall We say that all sinne in that it is sinne is deadly And yet we say againe that there is not any one sin but that the same is both deadly and veniall Deadly if the offender repent not veniall if the same be vnfeinedly repented and by mercie craued at the hands of God in the bloud of Christ. For the same God that sayd in Ezechiel Anima c. The soule that sinneth shall dye sayth also in the same Chapter And when the wicked man turneth away from his wickednesse that he hath done doth the thing which is equall and right he shall saue his soule aliue Héere you sée like as all sin in that it is sinne is deadly So againe all sinne in that it is vnfeinedly repented is also veniall I. Gough How sinne is not of Gods creation in man Whereas sinne is in mans nature it is not of Gods putting in by creation but by reason that Satan did spread his naughtinesse farther abroad at such time as man was beguiled by his wilinesse to disapoint the benefit of God c. Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 16. How sinne entered into the world As by one man sinne entered into the world and death by the meanes of sinne c. ¶ Sinne is heere taken for the naturall inclination or readinesse to sinne which some doe call right-well the originall coruption of man which though it bee â—id in mans heart and declarâ— not it selfe vnto the manifest works of wickednesse yet it is able to condemne all men onely they being excepted whom faith in Iesus Christ doth saue This originall corruption doth manifest it selfe first by wicked and vncleane thoughts Second by consenting vnto the concupisence or thoughts Thirdly by committing the déede or fact Sir I. Cheeke But sin is not imputed so long as ther is no law ¶ Though man imputeth not sinne where there is no lawe yet it followeth not that God which from the beginning hath written in mens hearts the lawe of nature doth impute no sinne Foâ— sith that death which is the punishment of sinne did reigne ouer all men euen from Adam it is euident that sinne was impâ—ted Sir I. Cheeke How Christ is called sinne Whereas Christ is called sinne it might be vnderstood sayth Saint Augustin that he was the sacrifice for sinne For Christ was without sinne as S. Paule saith He hath made him sinne for vs which knew no sinne And againe God sent his Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and not in sinfull flesh How no man can pardon sinnes but Christ. Sonne be of good chéere thy sinnes be forgiuen thée ¶ The same moued the Scribes that sinne should be pardoned by a man for they regarded and beheld nothing in Iesus Christ but manhood and that the lawe could not release that which was pardoned of him for onely faith iustifieth and afterwarde the Lord behelde inwardly their murmuring and said that it was easie for the Sonne of man to pardon sinnes in earth but neuertheles none can pardon sinnes but God only wherfore he that doth pardon them is God for none can pardon but God Hil. vpon S. Mathew in the 9. Canon To sinne against the Holy ghost what it is But whosoeuer shall speak against the Holy ghost c. ¶ To perseuer and continue in sinne of infidelitie to
of Abraham of whom it is written 30. yeares before he offered his sonne Isaac Abraham beléeued it was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse Gen. 15. 6. wherby we doe euidently sée that Saint Iames meaning is that Abrahams fayth was no idle fayth but such faith as made him obedient to God which thing he did well declare when he did so willingly offer his sonne at Gods commaundement All that S. Iames goeth about then is to proue that faith cannot be without good works And as by fayth onely we are iustified before God so by good workes procéeding from a liuely fayth wée are iustified before men Heere wée learne also that where no good workes be there is no true iustifieng fayth but a lyght vnprofitable beléeue such as is in diuels and yet we must beware that we ascribe no parte of our iustification before God vnto our good works Sir I. Cheeke Ther can be no good work reckoned to be in any man but in him alone whose sinnes God hath forgiuen Forasmuch as our best déeds are lame and corrupt Therefore they are héere called the doers of good works whom Paule calleth zelous and louers of good works But this estimation and iudgement dependeth vpon the fatherly clemency and acceptation of our God who alloweth that freely for good which deserueth to be reiected as euill and vnperfect c. Marl. fol. 170. Indéede works doe iustifie taking iustifie to be to declare iust Euen as white haires do make a man olde because they be a signe of age But works doe this before men not before God Nor they cannot take hold of forgiuenesse of sins deliuerance from their deserued condemnation For then it should be false that the Apostle saith we be iustified fréely by his grace for to him that worketh the reward is imputed vnto him for a duety and not vpon grace and fauour Wherfore the errours of those men is too grose to deceiue any of them which hath looked ouer the holy Scriptures neuer so slightly Nor it doth not agrée with the sense neither when they will haue iustifie to be as much as to make iust For works doe not go before him that is to bée iustified â—but doe followe him which is alreadye iustified witnesse Augustine and workes doe come of grace and not grace of workes witnesse the same Augustine de fide opere cap. 14. Musculus fol. 227. Of workes done before faith Saint Austen condemneth all our good workes before faith as vaine and nothing worth Read him In probo Psal. 31. That worketh not how it is vnderstood To him that worketh not but beleeueth ¶ That dependeth not on his workes neither thinketh to merit by them Gene. That is which meaneth not to obteine saluation through the worthinesse of his works The Bible note How workes are not the causes of felicitie Works indeed are to be had but not as causes wherfore Christ admonished vs saieng When ye haue done al these things say we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done but the thing which we ought to doe Neither passe we any thing vpon their caueling which say yâ— therfore we are vnprofitable seruaÌ„ts because our good works being no coÌ„modity vnto God forasmuch as God néedeth none of our good works but say they it caÌ„not be denied but yâ— we are by good works profitable vnto our selues Wée graunt indéed that it is profitable vnto vs to liue well But that vtilitie is not to be attributed vnto our workes that they should be the causes of our blessednesse to come Wee haue nothing in vs whereby we can make God obstruct or bound vnto vs. For whatsoeuer we doe the same doe we wholy owe vnto God and a great deale more then we are able to performe Wherfore as Christ admonisheth The Lord giueth not thanks vnto his seruant when he hath done his duetie And if the seruant by wel doing cannot binde his Lord to giue him thanks how shal he binde him to render vnto him great rewards Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 29. Of workes loue and faith Works are the outward righteousnesse before the world may be called the righteousnesse of the members and spring of inward loue Loue is the righteousnesse of the hart springeth of faith Faith is the trust in Christs bloud and is the gift of God Ephe. 2. 8. Tindale How our good workes are the workes of God Although it be written that God will render to euery man according to his works yet is yâ— so to be vnderstood yâ— if they be good works they are for none other cause caled any maÌ„s works but for that they are wrought in him namely by the power of the spirit of God whereby they are in very déede the workes of God S. Austen most truely saith that God crowneth in vs his owne gifts for as touching vs we deserue nothing but death Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 367. How we deserue nothing by our good workes Wo be to all our iustice saith S. Austen if it be iudged setting mercy a part Therefore this is a christen sentence worthy to be beaten in al mens heads Let not thy left hand know what the right hand doth Let our right hand worke those things which be good and pleasant vnto God And in the meane season let our heartes depend vpon the grace of Gods goodnesse onely not thy left hand write into thy kalender those things which be somewhat well done by the right hand Let the note of our owne good works be in Gods hand not in our owne Whatsoeuer he doth reward vs either in this life either in the life to come let vs thanke his grace for it and not our deserts Musculus fol. 234. Of the vnablenesse of our workes If the séeking of righteousnesse and forgiuenesse of sinnes by the kéeping of the law which God gaue vpon mount Sinai with so great glory and maiestie by the denyeng of Christ of his grace what shall we say to those yâ— will néeds iustifie themselues afore God by their owne laws and obseruances I wold wish that such folks should a little compare the one with the other and afterward giue iudgement themselues God minded not to do that honour nor to giue that glorye vnto his owne law yet they wil haue him to giue it to mens laws ordinaÌ„ces But that honour is giuen onely to his onely begotten son who alone by the sacrifice of his death passion hath made ful amends for all our sinnes past present and to come as saith S. Paule Heb. 7. 25. The meaning of this place following Work out your own saluatioÌ„ with fere trembling ¶ S. Paul saith we must work out our saluation with feare trembling But this feare riseth in consideration of our weaknesse and vnworthinesse not of any distrust or doubt in Gods mercy but rather the lesse cause we haue to trust in our selues the morâ— cause we haue to trust in God Iewel fol. 76.