iustifie him Euen as Dauid sayth Blessed is the man whome the Lorde accepteth and iustifieth without workes and how is he iustified But forasmuch as he receiueth of God righteousnesse and what righteousnesse the righteousnesse of fayth the which God giueth without any good workes preceeding but not without good workes following after for righteousnesse of fayth profiteth not if after the fayth receiued man doth not exercise him selfe in all good workes In the same I doe not account thy workes good what soeuer they be if they doe not proceede from the good roote of fayth In the same God doth not giue vnto thee the payne and punishment whiche thou hast well deserued but he doth giue vnto thee the grace not deserued nor due He oweth vnto thee punishment and he giueth vnto thee mercie and doth pardon thee Begin then to be in fayth through the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes Gregorie vpon Ezechiel the first boke homilie 7. Then our iust aduocate doth defende vs for iust at the iudgement bicause that we shoulde acknowledge our selues and accuse our selues as vniust Let vs not then trust in our weepings nor in our works but in the allegation of our aduocate Augustine in his booke of meditations Chap. 14. This is lyfe eternall that they knowe thee to be the only very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ through a right fayth and through workes worthy of fayth For thy inestimable loue exceedeth all knowledge the which thou hast shewed vnto vs throughe thy pietie and goodnesse vnto vs whiche are vnworthy For thy sonne our God in no sort toke the Angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham being made like in all things vnto vs without sinne This is verily all my hope and all my trust for the porcion of euery one of vs is to the same Iesus Christ our Lorde that is to saye the fleshe and the bloude and so where my porcion doth reygne there I doe beleeue that I shall reygne there where my flesh is glorified there I doe know my selfe to be glorified there where my bloude doth beare rule there I doe knowe that I shall rule Although I be a sinner yet I doe not distrust of the communication of this grace and if my sinnes do hinder or let it my substance doth require and aske it And if my offences doe shut me out the communion of the nature doth not dryue me backe but our Lord God is meeke and lowly and loueth his fleshe and his members and his bowels in himselfe which is God and in Iesus Christ our Lorde most meeke and louing and gentle in whome we are raysed vp and are already ascended into heauen and already sitting in the celestiall place Our fleshe doth loue vs and we haue in him the prerogatiue of our bloude for we are his members and his fleshe and finally he is our heade of whome all the bodie doth depende as it is written bone of my bones and fleshe of my flesh and they shall be two in one fleshe this mysterie here is great I saye in Christ and in the congregation sayth the Apostle Augustine in his manuel Chap. 22. All my trust and hope is in the death of my Lorde his death is my merite my refuge my helth my life my resurrection my merite is the mercy of god I am not poore of merite so long as the Lorde of mercie shall be in being if the mercies of the Lorde are great I am great in merites the more puissant he is for to saue so much the more am I assured Augustine in his manuel Chap. 23. I haue committed a great sinne and do feele my selfe culpable of a great many of sinnes and yet I will not despayre For where sinnes haue abounded grace hath more abounded He which hopeth not to haue pardon of his sinnes he denyeth that God is mercifull he doth great iniurie vnto God which distrusteth of his mercy as much as he can he denyeth that God hath loue truth and strength in whiche things consisteth all my hope that is in the loue that he hath towards me to make me his adoptiue sonne in the veritie of his promise and in the puissaunce of his redemption Let my foolishe thought nowe thinke and murmure as long as it will saying but what art thou and what is this glorie and by what merites thinkest thou to haue it Then I doe aunswere in good fayth I doe knowe verye well vnto whom I submit my selfe and that through great loue he hath made me his adoptiue sonne and is true in his promises and of power to fulfill them and it is lawfull for him to doe all that pleaseth him I cannot then bee afrayde of the multitude of my sinnes if I doe remember the Lordes death S. Ambrose in the booke of Iacob and of blessed life Euen as Iacob hauing not of his meate the eldershippe hid him selfe vnder the habite of his brother and apparayled him selfe with his coate the which did giue a most sweete sauour and in this manner presented him selfe vnto his father to receiue to his profite the blessing vnder the person of another so it is necessary that we doe cloth our selues and put on the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ through fayth and that we doe hide our selues vnder the deuine purite of our eldest brother if wee will be accepted and taken for righteous before God And truly the same is the true verytie for yf we doe appeare before God not clothed with the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ without doubte we shall be iudged worthy of eternall damnation S. Ambrose vpon the .4 chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines They are manifestly blessed vnto whom without laboure or without any workes iniquities and wickednesse are pardoned and the sinnes couered not requiring of them any works of penance but that they doe beleeue onely Ambrose vpon the 3. Chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines They are iustified freelye throughe his grace bicause that not doing anye thing and not rendring the lyke by onely fayth they are iustified through the gift of God. Augustine in his boke of 50. homilies Homilie 14. The Lord will giue vnto me the crown as a iust and righteous iudge For hee which beholdeth after that he hath beheld the worke cannot deny the reward I haue fought a good fight that is a worke I haue fulfilled my course that is a worke I haue kept the fayth that is a worke There remayneth for mee the crowne of righteousnesse that is the rewarde But thou doest nothing to the rewarde and in the worke thou hast not wrought alone thou hast the crowne of him but the work is of thee and yet it is not but throughe the ayde of him I haue fought I haue ended and fulfilled my course I haue kepte the fayth He doth rewarde the goodnesse but what goodnesse Such as he hath giuen Hath not he giuen vnto thee to fight a good
fight If he hath not giuen it what is that that thou sayest in another place I haue laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which is in me In that then that he hath ayded thee and that he hath giuen vnto thee thou hast fought a good fight and hast fulfilled thy course and hast kept the fayth Pardon mee Apostle I doe knowe nothing of thine owne but the euils Pardon me Apostle we doe speake it bicause that thou hast taught it I do heare him which confesseth himselfe and I doe not finde that he is vnthankfull Truly in all that thou art instructed of thy selfe we can knowe nothing but euill Then when God doth crowne thy merites he crowneth nothing but his giftes to the ende that none be waxen proude of such fayth or of such puritie in good workes through his free will. Augustine vpon the wordes of the Apostle sermon .15 Thou shalt doe the worke of God not only bicause thou art a man but also bicause thou art iust and righteous for it is better to be righteous then to be a man if God hath made thee a man and that thou makest thy selfe righteous thou doest a better thing then God hath done But God hath made thee without thy selfe for thou hast giuen no consent vnto God for to make thee how shouldest thou consent which wast not then borne He then which hath made thee without thy selfe doth he not iustifie thee without thy selfe He hath then made him which giueth not his consent but he iustifieth him whiche giueth thereunto his wyll and consent yet he doth iustifie thee to the ende it shoulde not be thine owne righteousnesse and that thou shouldest not turne thy selfe to hurt detryment and vnto filthynesse And shouldest be found in him not hauing thy owne righteousnesse which is by the law but that which is of God through the fayth of Iesus Christ that is to say the righteousnesse of fayth for to knowe it and also to knowe the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowshippe of his afflictions and that same vertue shall be the fellowshippe of the afflictions of Christe that shall be thy vertue Augustine in the first Quinquagesima in the Prologue of the .31 psalm Who be those that are blessed Are not those they in whome God did finde no sinne No for he did finde it in all men for all haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God. If then sinne be found in all it followeth that none are founde blessed but those whose sinnes are pardoned Therefore hath he euen so praysed the same Abraham beleeued God and it was rekened vnto him for righteousnesse but vnto him which doth the worke that is to say which doth presume of workes and which by the meryte of the same saith that the grace of faith is giuen vnto him The rewarde is not imputed according to the grace but according to the debt What is this but that our rewarde is called grace if that be grace it is giuen freely What is this that is giuen freely It is that thou hast done no good thing and yet the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes is giuen vnto thee if thy workes be considered they shal be founde all wicked and euill if God should render that which is due to such workes truely he shoulde condemne them God doth not render vnto thee the punishment due but he doth giue thee grace which is not due vnto thee Augustine in the fyrst Quinquagesima vpon the .31 psalme verse Lorde I haue hoped in thee O Lorde deliuer me and redeeme me through thy righteousnesse For if thou doe consider my righteousnesse thou condemnest me deliuer me through thy righteousnesse for the righteousnesse of God is ours when it is giuen vs but it is called the righteousnesse of God to the ende that man doe not esteeme or thinke to haue righteousnesse of him selfe For as the Apostle saith vnto him which beleeueth in him which iustifieth the infidell or vnbeleeuing man What is he that iustifieth the infidell He which maketh the infidell righteous What is he that is not saued freely Is it he vnto whome the sauiour doth finde nothing for to crowne him but for to condemne him He doth not finde the merytes of goodnesse but he findeth the merites of euill if he doe as moste truly it is purposed and set foorth by the rule of the lawe the sinner ought to be damned if he doe after that rule whome shall he deliuer For he hath found them all sinners he is come alone without sinne who hath foūd vs sinners The same the Apostle speaketh saying all men haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God he doth deliuer thee and not thou thy selfe bicause thou canst not deliuer thy selfe whereof dost thou vaunte and boste thy selfe Wherefore dost thou presume of the lawe and of righteousnesse Dost thou not see that which shall heale thee inwardly is against thee Dost thou not heare the rebell and the confesser and him which desireth ayde and helpe in the battayle saying O wreatched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death the grace of God through our Lorde Iesus Christe wherefore the grace bicause that it is giuen freely without merytes preceeding but the benefites of God haue preuented it S. Ambrose vpon the Epistle vnto the Romains chapter 34. Bicause that without the workes of the lawe faith is reputed for righteousnesse vnto him which beleeueth that is to say vnto the gentill which beleeueth in Christ as it was reputed vnto Abraham how then doe the Iewes thinke to be iustified by the workes of the lawe of the iustification of Abraham seeing Abraham to be iustified not through the workes of the lawe but only through faith The lawe then taketh no place when the infidell is iustified only through faith before God according to the purpose of the grace of God. Euen so ought it to be ordayned to the ende that the lawe doe cease and that we demaund only faith of the grace of God for our health and saluation As also Dauid saith confirming the same by the example of the Prophet The blessednesse of man is in him vnto whome God imputeth righteousnesse without workes He calleth those blessed vnto whome God hath confirmed the same that without labour and without any obseruations through faith only they are iustified with God he declareth then the blessednesse of the time in whiche Christe was borne as also the Lord did saying That many Prophetes and iust men haue desired to see those thinges which ye see and haue not seene them and to heare those things which ye heare and haue not heard them Augustine vpon the words of the Lord in the mountayne Sermon 7. O thou Christian take heede take heede I say of pride for although that thou be a follower of the Saintes yet repute alwayes euery thing to the grace
walke in we ought then rather to behold the goodnesse which we haue not yet done then those of which we doe reioyce our selues to haue already done and the elect are often times tempted with such vices and oftentimes it is rysen in their heartes to bring them in remembraunce of all the goodnesse that they haue done and to reioyce themselues of the band of assurance But if they be truly elected they will turn awaye their eyes from thinking of the same wherein they doe please themselues and keepe backe in them all the ioy of the goodnesse which is alreadye done and be sorie for those which they knowe to be by no maner of meanes done They doe esteeme themselues vnworthye and they onely do not see their goodnesse which are of all men seene by good example c. Of iustification of Fayth Augustine in the first Quinquagesima in the prologue of the 31. psal TRuly the Apostle Saint Iames in his Epistles hath praised the works of Abraham agaynst those which woulde not do any good and which presume them selues of fayth of which Abraham Saint Paule hath praysed his fayth and yet the Apostles are not contrarie the one to the other but he speaketh of the work which is knowne to all men that is to saye that Abraham did offer his sonne vnto God for to doe sacrifice That is a great worke but that is of fayth I doe prayse the buylding of the worke made vpon the foundation but I doe beholde the foundation of faith I doe prayse the fruite of the good and iust worke but I acknowledge the roote in fayth For if Abraham did those things without right fayth nothing woulde haue profited him whatsoeuer worke it hadde bene Furthermore if Abraham did keepe so the fayth that when God commaunded him to offer his sonne for sacrifice hee thought in himselfe I will not doe it and yet neuerthelesse I doe beleeue that God will deliuer me although that I doe contemne and despise his commaundements Fayth without workes shoulde be deade and shoulde abyde as a drie roote barren and without fruite What then we ought not to preferre workes before fayth that is to say nothing is sayde to be well done before fayth although that they are esteemed of men prayse worthye yet notwithstanding they are vayne And me thinketh that they are like vnto great strengths and vnto the easie course out of the waye Let none then esteeme his workes c. Afterwardes he sayth Let vs not then obiect the Apostle Saint Iames to Paule but the same Paule to himselfe and let vs say vnto him by this worde thou doest suffer vs somwhat to sinne without punishment when thou sayest wee doe esteeme man to bee iustified thorowe fayth withoute workes but thou wilt saye to the same faith worketh by loue How am I so much assured by the same if I doe nothing yea I shall not bee counted by the same to haue trust in the good fayth if I doe not worke by loue O Apostle I doe heare thee wilt thou here prayse vnto me fayth without workes But loue is the worke of fayth which loue cannot be ydle that it doe forsake all euill and doe all the good that it can And what maketh loue Declyne from euill and doe good Praysest thou then fayth without works And thou sayest in another place If I had all fayth so that I coulde moue mountaynes out of their places and yet had not loue I were nothing then if fayth doe not profite any without loue and that there where loue shall be it behoueth that it work for faith worketh by loue howe then is man iustified without workes The Apostle aunswereth O thou man therefore haue I sayde this thing vnto thee that thou doe not presume of thy workes and that thou doe not thinke to haue receyued the grace of fayth thorowe the merite of thy works Presume not then of workes before fayth acknowledge that fayth hath founde thee a sinner and if the fayth which hath founde thee a sinner hath made thee righteous then it doth finde him an infidell whiche it hath made righteous The fayth sayth he is counted for righteousnesse vnto him which beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly Augustine in his booke of the 83. questions 76. Chapter If any man doe departe out of this life immediatly after that he hath beleued the iustification of faith abideth with him and commeth not to him by any workes precedent or going before for it is not giuen through merite but through grace nor through workes following bicause that he is not permitted to be in this life and therefore the two sentences of the two Apostles Paule and Iames are not contrary the one to the other For the one saith that man is iustified through faith without workes And the other saith that faith is dead without workes for Paule speaketh of workes whiche goe before faith and Iames speaketh of works which doe followe faith Origene vpon the Epistle to the Romans 3. booke 3. Chapter The onely iustification of God sufficeth so that he which beleeueth onely is iustified when in deede no workes shall be done by him For the thefe was iustified through faith without the workes of the lawe and vpon that faith the Lorde did not demaunde what that is that he had done before and did not tarry after that he had beleeued what worke he shoulde doe but receiued him as iustified throughe the onely faith for to enter with him into paradise Also that woman which is receited by the Euangelist the which did heare at Iesus feete thy sins are forgiuen thee And again thy faith hath saued thee go in peace But also in many places of the gospell Iesus Christ hath vsed such wordes where he sayth that the cause of saluation is the faith of him which beleeueth Man then is iustified through faith vnto whome the workes of faith serue nothing at all for iustification But where faith is not which iustifieth the beleeuing man when any one shall haue the workes of the law neuerthelesse bicause they are not buylded vpon the foundation of faith although that in appearance they are good yet they cannot iustifie the worke if it be without faith the which is the marke and token of those which are iustified of god And what shall he be which wyll boste him selfe of his righteousnesse when he heareth God and the Prophet saying all our righteousnesse are as a menstruous cloth wherefore the only right glorye is in the fayth of Christ Augustine in his .50 homilies homily 17. Peace be vnto the bretheren and loue with the faith of God our Father and of our Lorde Iesus Christ What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why reioysest thou as though thou haddest not receiued it Did Abraham so reioyce He reioysed of faith what is the full and perfect faith The same which beleeueth that all our
all the Apostles The rocke giueth name to Peter not Peter to the rocke Mat. 16. 1. Cor. 3. Iohn 8. Mat. 16. Collo 2. 1. Iohn 5. Philip. 1. 2. Pet. 1. S. Augustine recanteth Iesus Christ hath builded his Church vpon him selfe and not vpon Saint Peter 1. Cor. 1. Gregorie vvoulde not be called vniuersall Pope Iohn 8. Rom. 3. Iohn 15. 2. Cor. 3. Galat. 5. Philip. 1. Philip. 2. Rom. 7. Man cannot be made better by the merit of his vvorkes Free vvill lost 2. Pet. 2. Iohn 8. Man is solde vnder sinne Iohn 8. Râ—â—â—â— 9. VVe ought not to defeÌ„d free vvill or nature as the vvise men of this vvorlde doe Psal. 49. Libertie lost thorovv sin Psal. 148. No good cogitation can procede from vs but by the vertue of God in vs. Psal. 95. Ezec. 18. God commaundeth that vvhich man caÌ„not and giueth that vvhich hee commaundeth Adam hath damned all his posteritie in himselfe Free vvill to doe euil but not to doe good Rom. 8. Augustine sayde that man hath freevvill but he doth vnderstande it to doe euill Iohn 15. Pro. 16. 2. Cor. 3. Catholike fayth destroyed by free vvill Psal. 81. Man naught of himselfe 1. Cor. 4. Genes 1. Iames. 1. Good vvorkes procede not of man. Free vvill deliuereth not No grace of God by free vvill nor by the lavve Rom. 9. Throughe sinne the free vvill is lost 2. Pet. 2. Iohn 15. Iohn 6. Iam. 1. 2. Cor. 3. Rom. 7. Galat. 5. 1. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 12. Esay 26. 1. Cor. 12. Psal. 39. Genes 8. Ephes 2. VVe ought not to accorde vvith them vvhich do establish free vvill Phil. 2. 2. Ephe. 2. Nothing done by our vertue Deut. 9. VVee can through no vvorkes merite eternall lyfe Iob. 14. Psal. 32. Rom. 8. VVe receyued al things of God. 2. Tim. 1. Grace cannot bee vvhere merite hath taken place Grace doth iustifie vs freely Iohn 15. Oseas 2. VVe are indebted vnto God vvith all oure vvorkes VVe ought not to esteme our vvorkes Safetie in the vvounds of our Lord. Our merite is of the mercie of the Lorde 1. Cor. 1. The sonne of God hath taken oure proper flesh vvherby vve haue firme assurance Iesus Christ hath satisfied for our sinnes The proude reioyce in their ovvne strength To boast vpon merits is to be seperate from grace Psal. 32. Iames. 2. Good vvorkes are the fruite of fayth Rom. 8. Iohn 17. Heb. 2. Our proper flesh and our proper blud is in Iesus Christ and there vvhere hee doth reygne vve doe reygne vvith him Math. 11. Ephes 5. Genes 2. The death of Iesus Christ is our merite Genes 27. Psal. 32. Rom. 4. Rom. 3. 2. Tim. 4. 1. Cor. 15. 2. Tim. 2. He vvhich maketh him selfe righteous doth more than if he made himselfe a man. Phil. 3. Psal. 32. Rom. 3. Rom. 4. If GOD should revvarde our vvorkes he should finde them altogither vvicked vvold condemne vs. Gods righteousnesse giuen vs is ours MaÌ„ hath no righteousnesse Rom. 3. Rom. 7. Abraham iustified thorovv fayth only before the lavve Onely faith doth saue vs. Psal. 32. Mat. 13. Ephe. 2. God giueth his grace freely bicause he can finde nothing for to saue 2. Cor. 11. The righteous cannot abyde in righteousnes if he be not holpen Math. 9. Rom. 3. He vvhich doth pardon sinnes is god Ephe. 2. Free vvill lost by sin Gala. 2. If the streÌ„gth of our nature coulde iustifie vs then Christ dyed in vain Rom. 10. Psal. 100. Gene. 2. If we haue povver to iustifie our selues vve neede not pray vnto God to iustifie and make vs cleane Mat. 18. Luk. 19. 1. Cor. 4. 1. Cor. 1. 2. Cor. 10. Ierem. 9. Rom. 2. Psal. 62. Mat. 16. Apoca. 22. Galat. 5. Rom. 5. Rom. 12. Ephe. 4. 1. Cor. 12. Iam. 1. The grace of God not giuen vnto vs by our vvorkes Psal. 59. There is no Saint vvhich is vvithout sinne Psal. 143. Iob. 9. Rom. 7. The ende of vertue is but a beginning Galat. 5. Our righteousnesse is only of the mercye of God. Luk. 18. Rom. 11. Esay 40. 1. Cor. 2. Sap. 9. It behoueth that faith do ayde oure debilitie VVee are debters to God. Lam. 2. S. Paule and S. Iames are not contrarie the one to the other Rom. 4. Galat. 5. Loue cannot be ydle for it forsaketh euil and doth good 1. Cor. 13. Rom. 4. Rom. 4. Iame. 2. The meaning of S. Paule and of S. Iames and hovve vvee ought to vnderstaÌ„d them Luc. 7. The vvorkes of the lavve serue nothing for iustification Esay 64. 1. Cor. 4. 1. Tim. 1. Gala. 1. Act. 9. Iohn 6. Mat. 9. Mat. 5. All sinnes pardoned by fayth Iohn 1. Mat. 25. Mat. 19. The kingdom of heauen not created as man coulde merite but as God might prepare it 2. Cor. 1. Luk. 18. No remission of sinnes but of God. Rom. 8. 1. Reg. 16. Psal. 143. Luc. 7. Rom. 3. Let vs assure our selues to come to heauen through the gift of God. Heb. 12. Rom. 4. Remission of sinnes is through the bloude of Christ Ephe. 4. Psal. 32. Psal. 84. Psal. 65. Iames. 1. The trusting to vvorkes auaileth nothing to seke eternall life Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 1. Colos 1. Rom. 7. Rom. 11. Rom. 9. Ephes 2. Titus 3. Act. 15. 2. Par. 10. Titus 3. Philip. 1. Philip. 1. Philip. 3. Rom. 8. Esay 50. Psalm 3. Psal. 73.44.102 Ephe. 2. 1. Pet. 2. Philip. 1. Iohn 1. Psal. 36. Deut. 29. Psal. 119. Ezech. 36 Psal. 62. Ierem. 31. Rom. 3. Rom. 4. Genes 15. Galat. 3. Iam. 2. Rom. 4. Rom. 5. Rom. 11. Rom. 14. Galat. 2. Galat. 2. Galat. 3. Genes 15. Deut. 27. Abac. 2. Rom. 1. Heb. 10. Leuit. 18. Deut. 21. Galat. 3. Rom. 3. Heb. 11. 1. Pet. 1. Act. 15. Math. 9. Math. 9. Luk. 8. Iohn 6. Mar. 9. Rom. 6. Rom. 10. Rom. 10. Esay 28. 1. Cor. 1. 2. Cor. 10. Ierem. 9. Iere. 23. and 33. Act. 10. Ierem. 31. Mich. 7. Act. 4. Galat. 5. Rom. 12. Iob. 9. Iob. 10. Iob. 15. Iob. 25. Esay 64. Eccle. 7.3 Reg. 8. 2. Cor. 6. 1. Iohn 1. Esay 45. Esay 50. Esay 53. Titus 3. Ierem. 2. Ierem. 14. Esay 57. Act. 13. Iohn 1. Rom. 8. Rom. 8. Psal. 143. Prou. 24. Psal. 130. 1. Tim. 1. VVhat vvee ought to demaunde Psal. 141. Psal. 37. Philip. 2. God giueth vvill that vve may doe that vvhich hee commaundeth 1. Cor. 15. The lavve vveakened thorovv the fleshe Rom. 7. 〈◊〉 â—5 〈◊〉 Christ 〈◊〉 â—hou◠〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 vve 〈◊〉 to vâ—â—â—â—stâ—nde 〈…〉 â—ne Rom. 8. Galat. 4. Rom. 10. Rom. 10. Galat. 3. Galat. 3. Galat. 5. Galat. 3. Galat. 3. Abac. 2. Rom. 1. Galat. 3. Galat. 3. Deut. 27. Iames. 2. Pro. 24. Gala. 4. Rom. 13. Mat. 22. Galat. 5. Ephe. 2. Col. 2. Rom. 3. Rom. 5. Rom. 7. Rom. 7. To loue god vvith all our heart and our neighbour as our selfe cannot be accomplished in this life Mat. 18. It is asked againe of him vvhich hath not vvherevvith to pay as also God demaundeth
body he hath giuen thee in the sensible thinges the things which are comprysed by the spirite S. Ambrose in his booke of the Sacraments the 1. Chapter Thou doest receiue the Sacrament for the similitude of the flesh and of the bloud of Christ but thou obteynest the grace of his true nature And in receiuing the bread in that meate thou art partaker of his deuine substaunce c. And he sayth afterward Euen as thou hast receiued at baptisme the similitude of death so likewyse thou hast drunke in that Sacrament the similitude of the precious bloud of Christe c. Bede vpon the .22 chapter of S. Luke After he had ended the solemnitie of the ancient Passeouer the which he made in remembraunce of the auncient deliueraunce out of Egypt he passed foorth to the newe solemnitye the which the church desireth to celebrate in remembraunce of her redemption to the ende that putting the Sacrament of his flesh of his bloud vnder the likenesse of bread and wine in steede of the flesh and of the bloud of the Lambe he sheweth himself to be him vnto whome the Lord hath sworne and wyll not repent thou art a priest for euer c. It followeth after bicause that the breade doth fortefie the flesh and that the wine causeth the bloud in the flesh the bread is referred mistically to the body of Christ and the wine to his bloud c. Druthmarus Monke of S. Benet in his commentary vppon Saint Mathew The wine refresheth and augmenteth the bloud for that cause the bloud of Christ is not vnproperly figured by the same in asmuch as all that commeth vnto vs from him doth make vs glad with a true ioye and increaseth all our goodnesse c. A little before he sayth The Lord gaue vnto his disciples the Sacrament of his body in remission of theyr sinnes and for to keepe loue and charitie to the end that hauing remembraunce of that deede he would doo alwayes in a figure that which he ought to doo for them and shoulde not forget that charytie This is my body that is to say in Sacrament c. Origen vpon Leuiticus in the .7 homely Knowe that these are figures which are wrytten in the holy bookes and therefore they ought to be examined as spiritually and not as carnall and to vnderstand the thinges which are sayd For if you doo receiue those thinges here as carnall they doo hurt you and not nourish you for the letter which killeth is not only found in the old testament but also in the Gospell in the new testament The letter killeth him which considereth not spiritually the thinges which are spoken For if thou follow according to the letter that whiche is sayd except that you doo not eate my flesh and drinke my bloud that letter killeth Wylt thou that I doo aledge vnto thee an other letter of the Gospell which killeth He which hath not a sword saith he let him sell his coate and buy one Doest thou see that letter is of the Gospell but it killeth truely if thou receiue it spiritually it kylleth not but in the same is the quickening spirite and therefore receiue spiritually the thinges which are spoken be it in the Lawe or in the Gospell For the spirituall man iudgeth all thinges but he him selfe is iudged of no man c. Denys in the ecclesiasticall Hierarchia Saith The Byshoppe after that hee shall haue ended by preaching the heauenly giftes he consecrateth and blesseth the holy misteryes and that which he before hath preached he setteth before euery one couert and hidde by venerable signes and tokens And after that he hath shewed his heauenly gyftes in all reuerence he turneth him selfe to the holy communion of them admonishing all other to communycate and after that the holy communion is receyued of euery one rendring thanks vnto God he maketh an end of the mistery Obiec Hoc est corpus meū this is my body Aunswere When God gaue the circumcision to Abraham he made his couenant before the circumcision and yet he called the circumcision his couenant or alliance saying Hoc est pactum meum This is my couenant S. Paule expoundeth the same saying Abraham hath receyued the signe of circumcision as a seale of the righteousnesse of fayth God sayd to the Prophet Ezechiel thou sonne of man take a tyle stone and laye it before thee and describe vpon it the citie of Ierusalem after he saith this same is Ierusalem Hoc est corpus meum Augustine vpon Leuiticus 9. .7.57 also he wryteth agaynst Adamant The thing whiche signifieth hath of custome bene called of the name of the thing which is signified As it is wrytten the seuen eares are seuen yeeres The Scripture sayth not that they signifie seuen yeeres And the seuen kyne are seuen yeeres and many such thinges In lyke manner sayth S. Paule that the Rocke was christ and not that it signified Christ but as if it had ben him in very deede the which notwithstanding was not Christ by substance but by figuration c. Augustine wryting to Boniface Epistle 23. If the Sacraments haue no certayne similitude or agreeing with the things of which they are sacramentes they shall be in no maner of wyse Sacramentes For they take oftentimes the names of the things themselues by reason of that similitude As the Sacrament of the bodie of Christe is after one fashion or maner the bodie of Christ and the sacrament of the bloude of Christ the bloude of Christ Also the Sacramente of Fayth is the fayth Irenaeus agaynst the heretike Valens in his 4. booke 34. Chapter The breade with the which wee render thanks vnto God although that it be of the earth yet neuerthelesse when the name of God is inuocated and called vpon it is not the common breade but of giuing of thankes hauing two things in it the one earthly and the other heauenly c. Gelasius writing against Eutyches and Nestorius and also to the Counsell of Rome in the Chapter Comperimus de consecrat Distin. 2. The Sacramentes of the bodie and of the bloude of the Lorde Iesus Christe which we take they are heauenly things whereby we are made partakers by them of the diuine nature And yet neuerthelesse the substance of the breade and of the wine remayne there still and trulye the image and the similitude of the bodie and of the bloude of Christ are celebrated in the doing of the mysteries Then that is euidently shewed vnto vs which we must fele in Iesus Christ our Lorde yea the same which we protest celebrate and are in his image to the ende that euen as the natures are conuerted and chaunged into the diuine substance by the meanes of the holye spirite and yet neuerthelesse they abyde in their natures Also the same principall ministerie whose efficacie and vertue is trulye represented vnto vs by the things whereof it consisteth whiche abide
commeth from man will not haue that whiche commeth from one only God and therfore in seeking it outwardly they haue no glory in them selues but rather in an other Sixtus Pope of Rome in his Epistle to the first tome of the Councels He that is doubtfull in the faith is an infidell wherefore let vs esteeme and iudge those which doe commaund vs to doubt of the fauour of God towardes vs not only to contende and striue againste the sentence of the true Catholicke church but also to giue euill counsell to the health and saluation of the church S Barnard in his .5 Sermon in Quadragesima It may be that some doe not seeke through humilitie euerlasting life but as in the trust and confidence of their workes and merits I do not say this that grace receiued doth not giue boldnesse to praye but it must not be therefore that in the same they haue their hope and trust to obtayne it for that only doth giue the giftes promised to the ende that of the mercy of God which giueth those thinges we may hope yet for greater thinges Let then those thinges which doe belong to our only necessities be restrayned the prayer which is made for the temporall thinges and that which is made for the vertues of the soule sequestred from all impurite and vncleanenesse be only attentife towardes the good will of god And that whiche is made bicause of eternall life let it be made or done in all humilitie presuming as he must of the only deuine mercie Grace be with you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Iesus Christe O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death The grace of God through Iesus Christe our Lorde Euen so at this time the remnante is left through the election of grace if it bee of grace then it is not of workes or els were grace no more grace But if it be of workes then is it no more grace or els were workes no longer workes By grace are ye made safe throughe fayth and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man shoulde boast of himselfe Also That we being iustified by his grace shoulde be made heyres according to the hope of eternall lyfe Saint Peter sayth why tempt ye God to laye a yoke on the Disciples neckes which neyther our fathers nor we were able to beare but we beleue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ wee shall be saued euen as they doe God doth not saue vs of the deedes of righteousnesse which we wrought but of his mercie He which began a good worke in you shall go forth with it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Vnto you it is giuen for Christe that not onely ye shoulde beleeue on him but also suffer for his sake He sayth agayne And as touching the righteousnesse whiche is in the lawe I was without reproche But the thinges which were vauntage to me I counted losse for Christes sake yea doubtlesse I thinke all things but losse for that excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lorde for whome I haue counted all things losse and do iudge them but dung that I might winne Christ and might be founde in him that is not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the law but that whiche is throughe the fayth of Christ I meane the righteousnesse which commeth of God through fayth c. I am nowe ready to be offred and the tyme of my departing is at hande I haue fought a good fight and haue fulfilled my course and haue kept the fayth From henceforth is layde vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lorde that is a righteous iudge shall giue me at that day not to me only but vnto all them also that loue his comming But nowe in Christe Iesus ye whiche once were farre of are made nye by the bloude I say of Christ It is God which worketh in vs bothe the will and also the dede euen of his free beneuolence To as many as receyued him to them he gaue power to bee the sonnes of God euen to them which beleeue in his name which are borne not of bloude nor of the lustes of the fleshe nor of the lust of man but of God. In thy light shall we see light Your eyes haue seene great miracles and wonders and yet the Lorde hath not giuen you an heart to perceyue nor eyes to see nor eares to heare O Lorde giue me vnderstanding open myne eyes for to beholde the wonderous things of thy lawe Gzechiel speaking in the person of God sayth A newe heart will I giue you and a newe spirite will I put into you as for that stonie heart I will take it out of your bodie and giue you a fleshie heart I will giue my spirite among you and cause you to walke in my commaundements to kepe my lawes and to fulfill them As for men they are but vayne if they be put in the ballaunce they are lighter than vanitie it selfe Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted for thou art my Lorde God yea as soone as thou turnest me I shall reforme my selfe Therefore we gather that a man is iustified by faith without the deedes of the lawe Againe Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse To him that worketh the rewarde is not reckened of fauour but of duety But to him that worketh not but beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Also for if they whiche are of the lawe bee heires then is faith but vaine and the promise of none effect c. Therefore by faith is the inheritance giuen that it might come of fauour and the promesse might be sure to all the seede that is not to them only which are of the lawe but also to them which are of the faith of Abraham Then being iustified by faith we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce in hope of the glorye of God. Bicause of vnbeleefe they are broken of and thou standest stedfast by faith Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne We know that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen we I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ and not by the deedes of the lawe bicause that by the deedes of the lawe no flesh shal be iustified I doe not abrogate the grace of God for if righteousnesse commeth of the lawe then Christ dyed without a cause So ye knowe that they which are of faith are the children of Abraham for the Scripture sawe afore hand that God would iustifie the
Gentils through fayth and therefore preached before hande the Gospell vnto Abraham saying in thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed so then they which be of fayth are blessed with faythfull Abraham For as many as are vnder the deedes of the law are vnder the curse For it is written Cursed is euerye man that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the lawe to fulfill them And that no man is iustified by the lawe in the sight of God it is euident For the iust shall lyue by fayth and the lawe is not of fayth but the man that shall fulfill those things shall liue in them Nowe Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe when he was made accursed for vs. For it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ and that we might receyue the promise of the spirite through fayth But the Scripture hath concluded all things vnder sinne that the promise by the fayth of Iesus Christ shoulde be giuen to them that beleeue c. For ye are all the sonnes of God by fayth in Christ Iesus Galat. 3. De poenitentia Distinction 3. chap. which beginneth Totam c. And we are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth to be a pacification through fayth in his bloude to declare his righteousnesse in that hee forgiueth the sinnes that are passed Without fayth it is impossible to please God. In whome euen nowe though yee see him not yet doe ye beleeue and reioyce with ioye vnspeakable and glorious receiuing the end of your faith the saluation of your soules c. And God which knoweth the heartes bare them witnesse in giuing vnto them the holy Ghost euen as he did vnto vs and he put no difference betwene them and vs seing that with faith he purified their heartes S. Ierome vpon Sophon Chapter 3. They doe seeke the righteousnesse the which is not but Christ alone Iesus Christ sayeth Daughter bee of good comfort thy fayth hath made thee whole Agayne Beleeue ye that I am able to doe this And they sayde vnto him yea Lorde Then touched he their eyes saying according to your fayth bee it vnto you Also Daughter be of good comforte thy fayth hath made thee whole goe in peace Also What shall we doe that wee might worke the workes of God Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto them This is the worke of God that ye beleeue on him whom he hath sent Likewise all things are possible to him that beleeueth The wages of sinne is death but the gyft of God is eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lorde If thou shalt confesse with thy mouthe the Lorde Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raysed him vp from death thou shalt be saued For the beleefe of the heart iustifieth and to confesse with the mouth saueth a man. Who soeuer beleeueth on him shal not be ashamed But ye are of him in Iesus Christ who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption that according as it is written He that reioyceth shoulde reioyce in the Lorde This is the name that they shal call him euen the Lorde our righteous maker To him giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receyue remission of sinnes For among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby wee must be saued Ye are gone quite from Christ as many as are iustified by the lawe and are fallen from grace Let no man esteeme of himselfe more then it becommeth him to esteeme but that he discretely iudge of himselfe according as God hath dealt to euery man the measure of fayth How shoulde I then aunswere him or what wordes shoulde I finde out agaynst him yea though I be righteous yet will I not giue him one worde agayne but meekely submit my selfe to my Iudge If I will iustifie my selfe myne owne mouth shall condemne me If I will put forth my selfe for a perfect man he shall proue mee a wicked doer for that I shoulde be an innocent my conscience knoweth it not yea I my selfe am weary of my life Thou hast graunted me lyfe and done me good and the diligent heede that thou tookest vpon me hath preserued my spirite c. If I doe wickedly wo is me therfore If I be righteous yet dare I not lift vp my heade so full am I of confusion and see mine owne miserie What is man that he shoulde be cleane what hath he which is born of a woman whereby he might be knowen to be righteous Beholde there is no trust in hys Saintes yea the very heauens are not cleare in his sight Howe much more then an abhominable and vile man which drinketh wickednesse like water But how may a man compared vnto God be iustified Or how can he be clean that is borne of a woman We are all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as the clothes stayned or a menstruous cloth There is not one iust vpon earth that doth good and sinneth not Verely in the Lord is my righteousnesse and strength To him shal men come but all they that thinke scorne of him shal be confounded And the whole seede of Israell shall be iustified and praysed in the Lorde The Lorde helpeth me therefore shall I not be confounded I haue hardened my face like a flint stone for I am sure that I shall not come to confusion Mine aduocate speaketh for me who will then goe with me to lawe My righteous seruant shall with his wisedome iustifie and deliuer the multitude for he shall beare away their sins c. We being iustified by his grace should be amde heires according to the hope of eternall life Yet darest thou say I am giltlesse Tushe his wrath cannot come vpon me behold I wyll reason with thee bicause thou darest say I haue not offended O howe euill will it be for thee to abyde it when it shall be knowen how oft thou hast gone backwarde Doubtlesse our owne wickednesse rewarde vs but Lorde doe thou according to thy name thoughe our transgressions and sinnes be many and haue sinned against thee They that put their trust in me shall inherite the land and haue my holy hill in possession Be it knowen â—nto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached vnto you the forgiuenesse of sinnes and that from all sinnes from which you could not be iustified by the lawe of Moyses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified And of his fulnesse haue all we receyued euen grace for grace Which he predestinated before them also he called and whoÌ„ he called them also he iustified
and whome he iustified them he also gloryfied What shall wee then say to these thinges if God be on our side who can be against vs Who shall laye any thing to the charge of Gods chosen It is God that iustifieth Who then shall condemne It is Christe which is dead yea rather which is rysen againe which is also at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. O Lorde enter not into iudgemente with thy seruaunte for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified A iuste man falleth seuen times and ryseth vp againe If thou O Lorde wilt be extreme to marke what is done amisse oh Lord who may abyde it But there is mercye with thee that thou mayest be feared Of the lawe The lawe is not giuen vnto a righteous man but vnto the lawelesse and disobedient Augustine of free will and grace Chapter 6. The Pelagians doe thinke them selues to knowe great thinges when they say the Lorde will not commaund that which he knoweth man cannot doe who is hee which knoweth not that thing But therefore he commaundeth some thinges which we cannot doe to the ende that wee may knowe that which we ought to demaund of him and that is faith which in praying obtayneth that the lawe commandeth Finally he which hath sayde if thou wilt thou shalt kepe the commandements Set a watch O lord before my mouth c. This is a most sure and certaine thing that if we will we may kepe the commandements But bicause the Lorde prepareth and maketh the will ready we muste demaund the will which suffiseth to doe it willingly it is certaine that we wil when we haue the will but it is he that causeth that we desire and will the good of whom it is sayde The Lorde ordereth a good mans goinges and hath pleasure in his way and it is God which worketh in vs both the will and also the deede yea euen of his free beneuolence It is certaine that we doe it when we doe giue the vertue of most greatest efficacie and strength to the will the which sayth I will cause you to walke in my iustifications and that you shall keepe my iudgementes and doe them Augustine vpon the 31. psalme Without the grace of God without the loue of eternitie the lawe and the commaundements of God are a great and importable charge Augustine vpon the wordes of the Apostle Sermon 6. O death where is thy sting Graue where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the lawe For by forbidding sinne is augmented and not put out the lawe hath giuen power to sinne in commaunding only by the letter and not in helping by the spirite For the lawe commaundeth and doth not accomplishe it bicause that the flesh doth resist it inuincibly where there is no grace And the lawe was weakened thorowe the fleshe bicause that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall Howe then shall the lawe ayde and helpe me in commaunding by the letter the which giueth nothing by the spirite It was made weake through the fleshe What is that that God hath done considering that it was a thing vnpossible to the lawe and that it was weakened through the fleshe God sent his sonne wherefore was the lawe weakened and wherefore was that impossible to the lawe It was weakened through the flesh What is that then that God hath done he hath sent the fleshe against the flesh for he hath killed the sinne of the fleshe and hath deliuered the substance of the fleshe God hath sent his son in the similitude and likenesse of the fleshe of sinne yea verilye in fleshe but not in fleshe of sinne That then which was impossible to the lawe which caused preuarication bicause the thought being vanquished hath not yet foūd out the sauiour wherein it was weakened throughe the fleshe God hath sent his sonne in the likenesse of the fleshe of sinne and hath condemned the sinne in the fleshe Howe then had he no sinne if sinne hath condemned sinne The sacrifice for sinne was in the lawe called sinne the lawe doth remember that thing not once or twyce but verye oftentimes The sacrifices for sinnes were called sinnes such sinne was Christ for what shall we say had he anye sinne no no he had no sinne but he was the sinne he was I say the sinne according to the intelligence and vnderstanding bicause that he was the sacrifice for sinnes For what the lawe could not doe in asmuche as it was weake bicause of the fleshe God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinful fleshe and that for sinne condemned sinne in the fleshe That the righteousnesse of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the fleshe but after the spirite Iesus Christ is come to redeme them which were vnder the law that we might receiue the adoption that belongeth vnto the naturall sonnes Iesus Christ is the ende of the law to iustifie all that beleeue They being ignorant of the righteousnesse of God and going about to establish their owne righteousnesse haue not bene obedient vnto the righteousnesse of God. Is the lawe then against the promise of God God forbide For if there had bene a law giuen which could haue giuen life then no doubte righteousnesse shoulde haue come by the lawe The lawe was our schole maister to bring vs to Christ that we might be made righteous by faith But after that faith is come now are we no longer vnder a schole maister Ye are gone quite from Christ as many as are iustified by the lawe and are fallen from grace And this I say That the law whiche began afterward foure hundred and thirtye yeeres cannot disanull the couenant that was confirmed afore of God in respect of Christ to make the promise of none effect for if the inheritance come of the lawe it commeth not then of promise but God gaue it vnto Abraham by promise No man is iustified by the lawe in the sight of God it is euident For the iuste shall liue by fayth And the lawe is not of fayth But the man that shall fulfill those things shall liue in them For as many as are vnder the deedes of the lawe are vnder the curse For it is written Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all things whiche are written in the booke of the lawe to fulfill them Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole lawe and yet fayleth in one poynt he is gyltie in all The iust man falleth seauen times in a daye S. Paule propounding the similitude of the infant that is an heire and the allegorie of the children of Sara and Agar declareth that the lawe hath ceased The fulfilling of the lawe is loue towardes our neighbour In abrogating through his flesh the hatred that is to saye the lawe of the commaundements which standeth in ceremonies