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
trye and proue it selfe more strong to be full of grace when it dooth attrybute all to the grace that is the beginning and the ende otherwyse howe shall it be full of grace if it had any thing which was not of the grace There is no place where grace shall enter where meryte already hath taken place Nowe then the full confession of grace dooth signifie the fulnesse of the same grace in the soule of the confessor For if there be any thing of itselfe forasmuch as it is there it is necessary that grace doth giue place vnto it All that which thou imputest vnto meryte is taken away from grace I wyll none of the merite which putteth out grace I am afrayd of all that which is of my selfe which doth make me to be to my selfe if it be not that peradueÌ„ture rather it should be I which causeth me to be to my selfe Grace doth make me iustified freely so doth deliuer me from the seruitude bondage of sinne Ye haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you and I haue not founde thy merytes for to chose thee but I haue preuented thee euen so then I haue espoused and marryed thee in fayth and not by the workes of the lawe I haue ioyned thee in righteousnesse but in the righteousnesse wich is through fayth and not of the lawe It resteth that you iudge right iudgement betwene thee and mee that is to say the iudgement in the which I haue fianced thee where it is manifested that thy merite hath not bene the meane but only my pleasure For beholde the iudgement that thou doe not exalt thy merit that thou do not preferre the works of the lawe that thou doe not preferre the charge of the heate of the daye But that thou doe knowe rather to haue all thy hope and trust in fayth in mercye and kyndenesse Augustine of the predestination of Saintes Mans merites shall keepe silence here which were lost in Adam and the grace of God shall reygne as it reygned by Iesus Christ Saint Augustine vpon the 139. Psalme The Saintes doe attribute nothing to their merites but all to the mercie of God. Augustine in the 2. Quinquagesima Psal. 88. When man doth see and perceyue that all that goodnes that he hath he hath it not of himselfe but of his God he doth see that all that which is praysed in him is not of his merites but of the mercy of God. Chrysostome vpon Genesis Homilie 33. All our workes whiche doe followe the thankefull calling of God are as debtes which we doe render vnto him but his benefites are of grace beneuolence and pure liberalitie S. Hilarie vpon S. Mathew in the 20. Canon vpon this place called the labourers Truly no hyre is not of gift for it is due for the worke But God hath giuen vnto all men grace freelye in iustification of fayth Augustine in his Quinquagesima psalm 137. I doe not say vnto the Lorde that he shoulde dâ—â—pise the worke of my handes It is very true that I doe seeke the Lord with my handes and am not deceyued but I doe not esteeme the workes of my handes for I doe feare that if God behold them that he should finde more sinne then meryte This onely doe I say pray and desire that he doe not despise the worke of his handes O Lorde then see and beholde thy worke in me and not mine for if thou doest see mine thou wylt condemne it if thou seest thine thou wylt rewarde and crowne it and in deede all the good works which I haue are come from thee S. Barnard vpon the canticles sermon 61. Where shall those that are weake find true rest and saftye but in the woundes of our sauiour I doe dwell there so much the more safely for that he is puyssant to saue The worlde is nigh vnto me to trouble me my body doth molest and griue me the deuill also lyeth in wayght to catche me I wyll not fall bicause that I am stayed vpon a sure rocke If I haue greuously sinned my conscience is troubled but it shall not be confounded when I shal remember the woundes of the Lorde c. Afterwarde he concludeth saying my meryte is the mercye of the Lorde I am not poore of merytes whilest that the Lorde is ritch in mercye So muche the more as the mercyes of the Lord are great so much the more do I abound in merits Shall I sing my righteousnesse O Lord I wyll remember thine only righteousnesse for the same is myne forasmuche as thou hast bene made for me the righteousnesse of God thy father S. Barnarde vpon the psalme Who so dwelleth c. sermon 15. psalm 91. Behold all the merytes of man is to put all his hope and trust in him whiche doth saue man wholy Augustine vpon the .88 psalm in his fyrste treatise I might despayre bicause of my great sinne and through my infinite negligences if the sonne of God had not taken our fleshe Afterwarde he sayth all my hope all the assurance of my confidence is put in his precious bloud the which hath bene shedde for vs and for our saluation In him my poore hart doth take breath And trusting altogither in him I desire to come vnto thee O father hauing not my righteousnesse but that of thy sonne Iesus Christe Augustine writing vnto Boniface the .3 booke Chapter 5. All the faithfull people which doe sigh and grone vnder the burthen of their corruptible fleshe and inclosed with this present life haue this only hope that we haue a mediator to say Iesus Christe whiche hath satisfied for our sinnes Augustine vpon the .32 psalm and the .109 psalm The Lorde is faithfull who made him selfe debter vnto vs not in taking any thing of vs but in promising vs all thinges freely Augustine in the first Quinquagesima psalm 31. O what are you which secretely doe take pleasure or delight in your owne vertue O proude infidells which doe reioyce your selues in your strengthes If you doe beleeue hereafter in him which doth iustifie the wicked your fayth shall be compted for righteousnesse Reioyce you righteous in God and be mery and wherefore Bicause you are righteous and whereof are ye righteous The same is not through your merytes but through the grace of God whereof are you righteous But for bicause he hath iustified you by fayth and knowledge the which without your merytes he hath giuen vnto you Also in the same booke Vnto him sayth the Apostle whiche doth the workes the higher is not imputed according to grace but according to the debt If thou wilt seperate thy selfe from grace boste thy selfe of thy merytes Truly God doth knowe very well what thou art and what thing he ought to giue vnto euery one And he whiche dooth not good workes and which after many euills that he hath done beleeueth in God who iustifieth the sinner whiche beleeueth in him his fayth will
goodnesse are of God yea faith it selfe Againe the Apostle saith I haue obtayned mercie O true confession He doth not say I haue obtayned mercy bicause that I was faithful but to the ende that I should be faithfull I haue obtayned mercie Let vs come vnto the first works of Paule Let vs behold Saule which did wax madde let vs behold him in his crueltie let vs behold him breathing out his threatnings and thirstie after bloude This was the way of Paule Christ was not yet his way what had he in his heart What had he but euill Giue me his merites Whiche if we doe searche his merites they shall bee merites of damnation and not of deliuerance Augustine vpon the wordes of the Lorde Sermon 40. The medecine of the soule is the only propitiation for the sinnes of all that is to beleeue in Christ c. Afterwarde he saith wherefore doe the children of God whiche beleeue in him liue for they are borne of God by the adoption of grace whiche is through the faith of our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore welbeloued it is not without cause that our Lord and Sauiour saith that same to be the only sinne of which the holy Ghost rebuketh the world to wete because they haue not beleeued in him He would then that the world should be reproued only of that sinne that they doe not beleeue only in him to wete because that in beleeuing in him all sinnes are pardoned he woulde that to be imputed by which all the other are assembled And therefore in beleeuing they are borne of God and are made the children of God for he hath giuen vnto them the power saith he to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name c. Chrysostome vpon the .25 chapter of Saint Mathewe 2. Tome .2 homilye Come ye blessed of my father inherite ye the kingdome prepared for you from before the beginning of the worlde bicause that you haue giuen that which you cannot haue receiue that which you shall possesse eternally for one graine that you haue sowen vpon earth you shall haue an hundreth folde asmuch in heauen For the kingdome of heauen hath not bene created suche as the righteousnesse of man could merite it but such as the power of God might prepare it for if he woulde haue created the kingdome of heauen according to the merites of mans righteousnesse Truely he would haue created it after mans workes but bicause that nowe he hath not ordayned the reward of Saintes according to the reward of men but according to his greatnesse therefore hath he prepared the kingdome of heauen in heauen before that he created the saints in heauen S. Barnarde vpon the first sermon of the Annunciation of the virgin Marie The testimonie of our conscience is our reioycing sayth the Apostle not such testimonie as the proud Pharisey had in his wicked thought and seducing his master which bare witnesse of him selfe whiche witnesse is true which the spirite doth witnesse vnto our spirite For I doe beleeue that this witnesse consisteth in three things First and aboue all things it is necessarie to beleeue that thou canst not haue remission and forgiuenesse of thy sinnes but throughe the indulgencie of god Secondly thou canst not haue any good workes except he himselfe doe giue them vnto thee Finallye that thou canst not merite eternall life for any workes and it must be giuen thee freely c. Afterwardes he sayth For we doe well know that as for eternall life the afflictions of this lyfe are not worthie of the glorie which shall be shewed vpon vs although that one only man doth abide and suffer al. For mans merites are not suche that for them eternall life shoulde be due of right or that we shoulde saye that God doth vs wrong if he doe not giue them vs by reason of them For though I shoulde holde my peace that all merites are the gifts of God insomuch that for them man is more indebted to God than God is to man What is that that all the merites doe in respect of so great glorie To conclude what is he that is more excellent than the Prophete vnto whome the Lorde doth giue so excellent a witnesse saying I haue founde a man according to mine owne heart And yet he had neede to saye vnto God Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant c. Let no man then deceyue himselfe for if he will thinke well he shall finde without all doubt that he can not with ten thousande men go to meete him whiche commeth agaynst him wyth xx thousande But these things which we haue now spoken of are not yet altogither sufficient but wee must the rather holde them for a beginning and foundation of fayth Therefore if thou beleeue that thy sinnes cannot be put or blotted out but by him agaynst whome onely thou hast sinned thou doest well But adde yet one thing more to wete that thou beleeue also that thy sinnes by him are pardoned Beholde the testimonies and witnesses which the holy ghost doth giue into our heartes saying thy sinnes are pardoned thee For euen so doth the Apostle think that man is iustified freely through fayth In lyke maner as touching merites if thou beleeue that one cannot haue them but by him it sufficeth not vntill such time as the spirite of fayth doth witnesse that thou hast them through him Euen so it is necessarie that thou haue also witnesse to wete that thou doest come therevnto thorowe Gods liberalitie For it is he which pardoneth sinnes which giueth merites and yet neuerthelesse doth giue agayne the rewarde For all his testimonies are most assured For as to the remission of sinnes I doe hold the passion of our Lord for a most strong argument For the crye of his bloude hath had greater force than the bloude of Abel in as much as he doth crie in the heartes of the electe remission of all sinnes For he was deliuered to death for our sinnes And there is no doubt but that his death is more puissant and of greater force to doe good than our sinnes are to doe euill As touching good workes his resurrection is an argument for me which hath no lesse vertue For asmuch as he is rysen againe for our iustification as touching the hope of reward his ascention serueth for a witnesse for he is ascended for our gloryfication Thou hast these three things in the psalm saying Blessed is the man vnto whome the Lorde imputeth no sinne And in another place blessed are the men whose strength is in thee Also in an other place Blessed is the man whom thou hast chosen and receiuest vnto thee that he maye dwell in thy courte such is the true glory I say which is within for that dooth departe from him whiche dwelleth in our heartes through faith But the sonnes of Adam seeking the glorye which
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
the lawe of workes by the whiche none is iustified but to the lawe of faith by which the righteous man liueth Who shall be of so wicked opinion to thinke that the administration of death figured in the tables of stone is not saide of all the tenne commaundementes but only of one which appertayneth to the saboth Where shall we put then this place the lawe ingendreth wrath For where no lawe is there is no transgression and sinne hath bene in the worlde euen vntill the lawe and sinne was not imputed when there was no lawe c. Read the chapter all at length Reade also the same booke the .31 chapter Of purgatory It is written in the Hebrewes the first chapter which sonne being the brightnes of the glorye and the ingraued forme of his person bearing vp all thinges with the worde of his power hath by him selfe purged our sinnes and sitteth at the right hand of that most highe maiestie Through Iesus Christ we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes of his ritch grace In whom we haue redemption through his bloud that is to saye the forgiuenesse of sinnes to reconcile all thinges vnto him selfe and to set at peace through the bloud of his crosse both thinges in earth and thinges in heauen For asmuch as ye knowe how that ye were not redemed with corruptible things as siluer and golde from your vaine conuersation which ye receyued by the traditions of the fathers but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and without spot And the bloud of Iesus Christ his son clenseth vs from all sinne Vnto him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloud If the bloud of bulles and of goates and the ashes of an heyfar sprinkled sanctifieth them that are vncleane as touching the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the bloud of Christ which through the eternall spirite offered him selfe without spot to God purge your conscience from dead workes for to serue the liuing God Esay speaking in the person of God saith it is I it is I only that for mine owne selfe sake doe away thine offences and forget thy sinnes For I confirme that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. After that the kindnesse and loue of our sauiour God to manward appeared not of the deedes of righteousnesse whiche we wrought but of his mercy he saued vs by the fountayne of the newe byrth and with the renuing of the holy Ghost Nowe goe to saith the Lorde we wil talke togither Is it not so Though your sinnes be as redde as scarlet shall they not be whyter then snowe And thoughe they were like purple shall they not by like white wooll And hee put no difference betweene them and vs seeing that with faith he purified their heartes There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus Iesus Christ saith verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my wordes and beleeueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into damnation but is escaped from death vnto life Againe he that shall beleeue and bee baptised shall be saued Also enter in at the straite gate for wyde is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which goe in there at Obiection Agree with thine aduersarie quicklye whiles thou art in the way with him least thine aduersarie deliuer thee to the iudge and the iudge deliuer thee to the sergeant and then thou be cast into prison Verily I saye vnto thee thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast payde the vtmost farthing Aunswere Saint Ambrose sayth vpon these words of Saint Mathewe When thou shalt go vnto the magistrate c. Chrysostome vppon S. Mathewe 5. Homelie 10. Doth expounde it of the reconciliation And Theophilact vpon the same place sayth as much Likewise S. Hilarie vnderstandeth it so in his Canons Obiection Verily I saye vnto thee thou shalt not come out thence till thou hast payde the vtmost farthing Answere In the first of S. Mathewe it is sayde that Ioseph knewe not his wife till shee had brought forth hir first borne sonne S. Augustine expoundeth that place by the Rauen that Noe did sende forth and sayth that the Rauen did neuer returne agayne euen so Ioseph neuer knewe the virgin Marie for she is a virgin Also Sit thou on my right hande vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole Obiection Whosoeuer shall speake agaynst the sonne of man it shall be forgiuen him but whosoeuer shall speake agaynst the holye ghost it shall not be forgiuen him neyther in this worlde neyther in the worlde to come Aunswere Chrysostome in the 12. of S. Mathewe Homely 24. expoundeth it thus Forasmuche as this sinne is not veniall you shall be grieuously punished both in this lyfe and in the life to come Saint Augustine vpon Genesis 10. booke It is better to doubt of secrete things than to pleade of incertayne things I doe not doubt but that we must vnderstande that the riche man was in most cruell torments and that poore Lazarus in ioy c. Thoughe the righteous bee ouertaken with death yet shall he be in rest The soules of the righteous are in the hande of God and the payne of death shall not touch them In the sight of the vnwise they appeare to die and their ende is taken for very destruction The waye of the righteous is iudged to be vtter destruction but they are in rest Oure Lorde sayde vnto the woman Daughter be of good comforte thy fayth hath made thee whole go in peace Agayne vnto the theefe Verily I saye vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in paradyse Man after his death goeth to his long home Also the bodie shall returne agayne vnto the earth from whence it came and the spirite shall returne vnto God whiche gaue it Put not your trust in Princes nor in any childe of man for there is no helpe in them For when the breath of man goeth forth he shall turne agayne to his earth and so all his thoughts perishe I woulde not brethren haue you ignorant concerning them which are fallen a sleepe that ye sorrowe not as other doe which haue no hope For if we beleue that Iesus died and rose agayne euen so they also which sleepe in Iesus God will bring with him Augustine of the Citie of God .13 boke 9. Chapter The soules of the good men being seperated from the bodie are at rest and we must nothing at all doubt of it But those of the wicked are punished vntil that the bodie of those shall ryse againe to eternall lyfe and of those here to eternal death which is called the seconde death Irenaeus sayth as much writing against the hereticke Valentine Augustine
at the commandement of the Lorde And was buryed in a valley in the land of Moab besides Beth Pheor but no man wist of his sepulcher vnto this daye Iohn was beheaded of Herode and after his disciples came and tooke vp his body and buryed it And certayne men fearing God carryed Stephen among them to be buryed and made great lamentation ouer him God saide vnto Adam earth thou art and vnto earth shalt thou returne Eusebius in the ecclesiasticall history 4. booke .15 Chapter The diuell inuyted Niceta the father of Herodes and brother of Alces to obtayne of the iudge that he would not suffer the body of Saint Policarpe to be buryed fearing saith he least the Christians should leaue and forsake him whiche hath bene crucified and would beginne to worshippe him here c. The faithfull wil aunswere The miserable men doe not knowe that we can neuer forsake Iesus Christe who hath suffered death and passion for vs and that we cannot adore or worshipe any other then he whom we doe knowe to be the true god And afterwardes they gathered the bones of the Martyr which were burned and haue put them in a sepulchre c. Chrysostome in his vnperfect worke vpon Saint Mathewe 23. Chapter They make their Phylactaries broade c. O ignorante priestes saith he is not the Gospell reade euery day in the church that is to say in the congregation and heard of all And if the Gospell put into the eares of many doe not profit them any thing at all to saluation doest thou thinke that it will profite them any thing to hang it about their neckes Furthermore I doe aske thee wherein consisteth the truthe of the Gospell in the figures of the letters or in the vnderstanding of the same If the vertue of the Gospell dooth consiste in the figures of letters written thou doest well to carry them hanging about thy necke But if the vertue of the Gospel consisteth in the true sense and true vnderstanding as thou must beleue thou shalt then doe better to beare and carye them in thy heart than about thy necke But other which would shewe themselues to be more holye adde with the letters of the Gospell one part of the hemme or of the heares to wete of Iesus Christ and doe hang them about their necke O wickednesse they woulde shewe that there is greater holynesse in the robes than in the proper bodie of Iesus Christ And seeing that they are not healed in receyuing the bodie of Iesus Christ they thinke to bee through the holynesse of the hemmes they despayre of the mercie of God and put their trust onely in the robe of man And thou wilt say vnto me Did not S. Paule giue his partlets and napkins for to heale those that were diseased I doe confesse the same but that was before that men had knowledge of the true God whom he declared and shewed forth And it was good reason and to the same had Saint Paule respect to the end that through the holynesse of the men whiche doe declare the true God they shoulde acknowledge his vertue and power but nowe it is folie For sithence that wee haue the power of God what doth it profite to knowe the puissance and strength of men Ye men of Israel why maruayle ye at this or why looke ye so stedfastly on vs as though we by our owne power or godlynesse had made this man go The God of Abraham and Isaac and Iacob the God of our fathers hath glorified his son Iesus c. I my selfe whose name is the Lorde which giue my power to none other neyther myne honor to the Gods. Epiphanius in the 2. Tome 3. booke Heresie 79. God which is the worde hath taken fleshe of the virgin neuerthelesse not to the ende that the virgin shoulde bee worshipped or that we should make hir God or to that ende that wee shoulde offer in hir name And agayne he sayth that the father the sonne and the holy ghost should be worshipped that none doe worshippe Marie nor anye woman nor anye man That mysterie is due vnto god The angels themselues are not capable of suche glorie Anon after he sayeth Let not the women saye we will honour the Queene of heauen c. Of one onely mediator S. Augustine vpon the first Epistle of S. Iohn the first treatise THis manne here hath not sayde yee haue an aduocate with the father but if any man haue sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father He hath not sayde ye haue nor hath sayde ye haue me And also he hath not sayde ye haue also very Christ but he hath put Christ and not himself and hath sayde we haue and not ye haue He had rather to put himself in the number of sinners for to haue Christ for an aduocate than to put himself an aduocate for Christ to be found amongst the proude damned creatures My brethren we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous he it is that obtayneth grace for our sinnes He that holdeth this doctrine holdeth no heresie nor doth any schisme For from whence come the schismes or diuisions but when men saye wee bee righteous when men saye we doe sanctifie those that be defiled we doe iustifie the infidels we aske and obtayne it But what is that that Iohn sayth If any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father to wete Iesus Christ the righteous But some will say doe not the Sayntes then aske for vs doe not the Bishoppes then praye for the people vnderstande the Scriptures and marke that also the Prelates doe commend themselues vnto the people in praying also togither for vs. The Apostle prayeth for the people and the people doe praye for the Apostle My brethren we doe pray for you but pray ye also for vs Let all the members pray one for another and the heade shall be the mediator for all Therefore it is no maruayle that he sayde that which followeth where he stoppeth the mouth of those which deuyde the Church of god For he sayeth we haue Iesus Christ the righteous for an aduocate he it is that obtayneth grace for our sinne for those which ought to talk and saye Lo here is Christ or there is Christe and for those which will shewe in parte him which hath redeemed all and possesseth all thinges Augustine against Parmenian in his 2. and .6 booke .8 Chapter The Christians doe commend them selues the one to the other in their praiers but he which prayeth for all for whom no man can praye is the true and onely mediator Although that Saint Paule were one of the chefest members neuerthelesse in asmuch as he was a member knowing that the Lorde Iesus the true hie priest for all the church and congregation was entred into the sanctuary of God not by figure or image but in truth he commendeth him self to the prayers of
heygth is the well of wisedome and the euerlasting commaundements are the entrance of hir When I had founde thy wordes I did eate them vp greedilye they haue made my heart ioyfull and glad Take the helmet of saluation and the sworde of the spirite which is the worde of God. S. Augustine of the Citie of God .19 booke .19 Chapter It is forbidden no man to knowe the truth that which he ought to doe through honest repast and recreation howe much time doe men and women lose daylye in going and comming playing and scoffing in detracting and beholding playes and follies Chrysostome vpon S. Iohn in the end of the .16 homilye I praye you marke well one thing which is true is it not a thing full of absurdite that a surgian a shoomaker a weauer and generally all men of occupation euery one of them doe striue for the profession of their arte and science and that a christian knoweth not howe to make an account or a reason of his religion It is very true that when the occupation is not knowen it is but a losse of mony but the despising of christian religion bringeth with it the losse of the soule and yet neuerthelesse we doe trauayle through so greate misery and through so great madnesse that we doe put therein all our heart and cogitation but the thinges which are necessary for vs and which are as most strong holdes of our saluation we esteeme them nothing at all That same is that which letteth the Gentils to knowe their error Forasmuch then as they doe ground them selues vpon lyinges for to doe all that that they doe and for to defend the ignominye and sclander of their teachinges we which doe obey and serue the truth dare not open the mouth for to defend that which is oures What letteth them that they cannot condemne our great imbecillitie and weakenesse and that they should not suspect vs of some disceyt and follye That they doe not speake euill of Christe as of a lyar whiche by his fraude and disceyt hath abused a great multitude we are the cause of that blasphemy This is commaunded vs of Saint Peter For he saith let vs be ready alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh vs a reason of the hope that is in vs. Let the word of Christ dwel in you plenteously But what do they which are more fooles then madde answere vnto the same blessed be euery simple soule and he that walketh surely But this is the cause of all euilles that many knowe not to bring witnesses of the Scriptures in due time for we must not vnderstand in this place here the simple for the foole and for him that dothe vnderstande nothing but for him which is not crafty and malitious For if we should vnderstand it so it should be superfluous to say be wyse as serpents and innocent as doues S. Ierom in his Prologue vpon the Prophet Sophony If they had knowen that Huldah did prophecie when men held their peace and that Debora did iudge and prophecy who ouercame the enemies of Israell when Barack was a frayde and that Iudith and Hester in figure of the church killed the aduersaryes and deliuered Israell whiche were like to perishe they would neuer haue played the noddyes behinde my back that is to saye they would not mocke me behind my backe And a little after he saith it suffiseth me to saye in the ende of the prologue that our Lorde Iesus Christ appeared first vnto the women and they were Apostles of the Apostles to that end that the men should be ashamed that they haue not sought that which that same brittle or frayle kinde hath already founde Chrysostome vpon S. Iohn .3 homilie .4 Chapter Let vs then bee ashamed that the wyfe that had fiue husbandes and a Samaritane was so diligent to learne who neyther for the time of the day nor for any other businesse coulde not be drawne from the doctrine of Christ But as for vs we are not only far of frō enquiring any thing of that which appertayneth vnto the erudition of heauēly things but also we are as it were assured in all things we do care no more of the one than of the other and therefore wee are ignorant of all things What is he among vs I pray you who being come into his house doth go about to doe anye worke appertayning vnto a Christian What is he that will declare the sense and meaning of the scriptures Trulye none Wee doe finde oftentimes Dyce and Cardes but verye seldome tymes bookes and if any haue them they doe keepe them sure in their chambers as though they had none Or else all their delyte and studie is to haue fayre and pleasāt couerings painted or goodly figures of letters not for to read them nor vse thē but for to shewe forth their riches and ambition and studie none other thing Vaine glorie is so great as I doe not heare any ambitious persons to vnderstād any boke but onely to esteme letters of golde What gayne commeth thereof I pray you The Scriptures are not giuen vnto vs for to haue them only in bookes but to that ende we shoulde print and engraue them in our heartes Wherefore such hauing and keeping of bookes is of the ambition of the Iewes vnto whom the commandements were giuen in letters But vnto vs it is not so vnto whome they are giuen in the tables of the heart of charitie I doe not forbyd to haue bokes but I doe admonishe them and instantly pray them that we may so haue them that neuerthelesse as wee maye rehearse often times in oure myndes both the letters and the sense in such sort that thereby we may be cleane For if the diuell dare not enter into an house where the Gospell is muche lesse shall he touch his soule which by continuall reading hath that doctrine familiar and common Sanctifie then the soule and the bodye and that shall come if thou haue alwayes the Gospell in thy heart and in thy tong S Ierome in his Proheme vpon the first booke of his Exposition vnto the Ephesians .9 Tome All words and all reasons are conteined in the holy bookes by the which also wee knowe God and forgette not the cause wherefore wee are created I doe muche maruayle that some haue bene giuen so muche vnto foolishnesse and to slothfulnesse not willing to learne the most excellent things yea they haue esteemed and doe esteeme worthie of rebuke and blame all those whiche haue such a studie vnto whome although I coulde aunswere more straitly and briefely leauing them eyther angrie or appeased I doe say that it is a great deale better to reade the scriptures than to giue themselues after riches for to gather and heape them vp Chrysostome vpon Genesis .6 Tome 5. Homilie .1 Chapter I desire you that wee bee not negligent vnto our owne saluation yea rather that our
that vvhich vve cannot doe Rom. 8. Rom. 8. 1. Iohn 4. The Pelagians say that they haue loue of them selues 1. Cor. 8. 1. Iohn 4. Galat. 3. Leuit. 18. Rom. 10. Ezec. 20. God knovveth verye vvell that vve cannot do that that he commandeth but to keepe vs in humilitie Titus 3. 2. Tim. 1. The lavve doth not giue righteousnesse Iohn 1. Iohn 7. The lavve giuen to the ende that sin abounde Rom. 5. 2. Cor. 3. The lavv by the vvhich vve cannot be iustified is the lavv of the tvvo tables and not the ceremoniall lavve Deut. 5. Rom. 4. Heb. 1. Ephe. 1. Col. 1. 1. Pet. 1. 1. Iohn 1. Apoc. 1. Heb. 9. Esay 43. Rom. 8. Titus 3. VVe are saued by gods mercie and not by the fire of purgatorie Esay 1. Act. 15. Rom. 8. VVe cannot go into purgatorie vncondemned Iohn 5. Mar. 16. Mat. 7. There is but tvvo vvayes Math. 5. Luc. 12. Mat. 1. Psal. 110. Act. 2. Heb. 1. Mat. 12. Mar. 3. Secret thinges not to be reuealed Luc. 16. Sapien. 4. Sapien. 3. Deut. 33. Luc. 8. Luc. 23. Eccles 12. Psal. 146. 1. Thes 4. S. Paul speaking of the dead maketh no mention of purgatorie The gloser Gratian vppon those vvords saith as much Iesus Christ is our purgatorie 1. Tim. 2. Men are not seperated from God but through sinne Rom. 8. Sinnes not purged in the fire of purgatorie Repentance hath no place but in this life 2. Tim. 2. Luk. 19. VVhile vve be here in this life vve haue good hope but after there is no place for to vvash purge sinnes Eccle. 9. As long man liuâ— he may profite but not after he is deade There is no hope to bee gone from this life vvhere it is not giuen to put of sinnes Psal. 39. Philip. 1. Iob. 10. The counsel of Toledo doth forbid prayer for the deade Canti 2. Nothing can profite after death Luke 16. Black vvedes not to bee vvorne in funerals Nothing common vvith the deade Luc. 16. No place for buriall ought to be sought 1. Thes 4. 2. Sam. 12. 1. Cor. 7. The diuell is ouercome through the confession of Christ To offer is here taken for giuing of thankes The Priests doe here agaynst their doctrine in praying for the virgin Marie and for all the Apostles Martyrs vvhich are departed vvith the signe of fayth 1. Cor. 6. Ephe. 5. Iohn 3. Marke vvell he sayth not of fire Math. 3. Iesus Christ purgeth his and not the fire Iohn 15. Iohn 13. Mich. 7. Heb. 12. Deut. 4. The Pope sayth that God doth not giue pardon to the moytie and so there is no purgatorie Deut. 32. Oseas 14. VVhere ther is mercie there is no more hell fire rigour nor payne The Priests vvoulde be saued thorovve grace according to their song Apoc. 14. Esay 53. Iesus Christ taketh avvay our infirmities he pardoneth then the fault the payne 1. Cor. 3. Hovve saint Augustine expoundeth this place the 1. of the Cor. 3. Gregorie sayth that the bookes of the Machabees are not canonicall That our religion be not after our fantasie Our religion is not the veneration of dead men The Aungelles the Saints vvold not that vve should honour them but God. Apoc. 19. Esther 13 Act. 10. Act. 14. VVe ought not to doe sacrifice vnto the saints nor to offer vnto them for they are but men The Saints giue no ayde vvhere God hateth The iudgement of god cannot be auoyded in building of Churches VVe cannot bee made blessed by Saints nor by Angels Psal. 87. Reade Lactantius Firmianus of his heauenly institutions 2. booke 7. chapter VVe ought not to vvorship the virgin Marie The saints vvhich are in heauen haue no knovvledge of our affaires Psal. 27. Esay 63. It is not possible that the dead can in any thing helpe the liuing 2. Reg. 22 The soules departed see not the things vvhiche are done in this life VVe ought to put our trust in no Saints but in God only Ierem. 17. Psal. 146. Genes 22. Galat. 3. Act. 4. Esay 55. Ioel. 2. Rom. 10. Rom. 10. In the olde time there vvere christians vvhich committed idolatrie to the deade bodies as also novve in our time Luc. 2. Iude. 1. Deut. 34. The sepulchre of Moses is vnknovvne Mat. 14. Iohn vvas not put in a reliquâ—rie bvt in a sepulchre Act. 8. Genes 3. The faithful cannot forsake Iesus Christ and adore saints Mat. 23. The Gospel profiteth no thing to be hanged aboute our necke nor vvritten in a booke but in the heart Act. 19. Hovve vve must vnderstande that Paule gaue his partlets for to heale the diseased Act. 3. Esay 42. God hath taken fleshe of the holye virgin not to the ende that the virgin shoulde be vvorshipped 1. Iohn 2. S. Iohn did put himselfe in the number of sinners that he maye haue Christ for an aduocate Prou. 17. Iam. 4. Collo 4. 2. Thes 3. Some men vvold shevv Iesus Christ by sight those doe deuide the Church Mat. 24. Iesus Chist is the true and onely mediator If Paule vvere a mediator the other Apostles shoulde be also and so there vvere many mediators 1. Tim. 2. Rom. 8. Our sinnes are not pardoned vs in the name of S. Paule nor of S. Peter 1. Cor. 1. Mat. 15. The Cananite prayed not the Apostles but only Christ Iesus Mat. 15. God vvill giue vnto vs rather or soner that vvhich vve desire vvhen vve pray thaÌ„ vvhen other praye for vs. It is not nedefull to haue patroÌ„s vvith God. Mat. 15. Luc. 7. Luc. 23. 1. Tim. 2. Rom. 8. Heb. 7 â–ª Iohn 14. Iohn 10. 3. Reg. 8. Psal. 44. Luk. 16. Mat. 11. Galat. 6. Men forsake God and do vvorship the seruants Deut. 4. We ought to make no Images Deut. 4. Those are greatly deceyued vvho vvoulde figure God being inuisible by visible things Esay 42. Exod. 34. Esay 40. Vnto vvhoÌ„ shall vve liken God he is a spirite incomprehensible Esay 46. Sapien. 15. Leuit. 26. Deut. 11. Deut. 27. The caruers of Images are accursed Psal. 115. Psal. 135. Deut. 7. Exod. 34. Iere. 10. 3. Reg. 12 Iosua 24. Sapien. 14 Act. 17. Rom. 1. The foolish men vvould resemble God to a man. 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 10. 1. Iohn 5. 1. Cor. 8. Those vvhich doe graue Images for to represent God doe vvicked things Religion is not vvhere there are Images Reade the 3.4 and 5. Chapters Men doe adore images in the honor of God vvhich is against God The honor of the image of god Mat. 25. It is great infidelitie to receyue the goodnesse of God and to render thaÌ„ks vnto the Images of vvood or stone Adoration apertaineth only vnto the true God. VVe ought not to seeke God by the Images Images doe dravve the senses of the vveake vnto vayn things Eutropius of the dedes of the Romanes Images forbidden in Temples Those are reiected froÌ„ the Church vvhich vvill not abstaine froÌ„ Images Apoc. 8. Psal. 141. A recital for to make suche Images vvhiche are pleasing vnto god Rom.