of faithe at anye tyme begyle you but be sure of your faith trie it by youre liuinge looke vpon the fruites that commeth of it marke the increase of loue charitie by it towardes GOD your neighbor and so shal you perceiue it to be a true liuely fayth If you fele and perceiue such a fayth in you reioyce in it and be diligeÌ„t to maintain it and kepe it still in you let it be dayly increasyng more more by well working so shal you be sure that you shal please GOD by thys fayth and at the length as other faithful men haue done before soo shall you when his wil is come to hym and receiue th end fynal reward of your faith as S. Peter nameth it the saluation of your soules 1 Peter 1 the whych GOD graunt vs that hath promysed the same vnto hys faythfull To whome be all honoure and glorye world without ende AMEN A Sermon of good workes annexed vnto fayth IN the last sermoÌ„ was declared vnto you what the lyuely and true faith of a christian man is that it causeth not a man to be ydle but to bee occupyed in bringinge furth good workes as occasyon serueth No good worke caÌ„ be dooen without fayth Now by GODS grace shal be declared the second thing that before was noted of fayth that without it can no good woorke be done acceptable pleasaunte vnto GOD. For as a braunch cannot beare fruyte of it selfe sayth our sauiour Christ except it abide in the vine so cannot you except you abide in me Ihon. 15 I am the vyne you be the braunches he that abideth in me and I in him he bringeth furth much fruite for withoute me you caÌ„ do nothing Hebr. 11 And S. Paule proueth that Enoch had faith because he pleased GOD. For without faith sayth he it is not possible to please GOD. And agayn to the Roma he saith Rom. 14 whatsoeuer worke is done with out faith it is sinne Faith geueth life to the soule and they be asmuch dead to GOD that lacke faith as they be to the world whose bodies lacke soules Without faith al that worke seme neuer so gaye gloryous before man 1 〈…〉 Euen as that picture grauen or painted is but a deade representation of the thing it selfe and is wtout lyfe or any maner of mouing soo be the workes of al vnfaithfull persons before GOD. They dooe appeare to be liuelye workes and in dede they bee but â—ead not aâ—ailing to the euerlasting life They be but shadowes shewes of liuelye good thinges not good and liuely thinges in deede For true faith doth geue life to the works out of such faith come good workes that be very good workes in dede without no worke is good before GOD as saith In preâ—â—ii Psal 31 S. Augustine We must set no good workes before fayth nor think that before saith a man maye do any good worke for such workes although they seme vnto meÌ„ to be prayse worthy yet in dede they be but vaine not allowed before GOD. They be as the course of a horse that runneth out of the way which taketh great labor but to no purpose Let no man therfore sayth he rekon vpon his good workes before his faythe Wheras fayth was not good workes were not The intent sayth he maketh the good woorkes but faith must gyde and ordre thintente of manne Mat. 6. And CHRIST saith if thine eye be naught thy whole body is full of darkenes The eye doth sygnyfye the intent sayth S. Augustine wherwith a man dothe a thing So that he In presâ—ti Psal 31 which doth not his good workes with a godly intent a true fayth that worketh by loue the whole body beside that is to sai al the whole nuÌ„ber of his workes is darke there is no lyghte in them For good dedes be not measured by the factes themselues and so descerned from vices but by the endes and intentes for the which they be doen. If a Heathen man clothe the naked fede the hungrye doe suche other lyke woorkes yet because he bodeth them not in fayth for the honoure and loue of god they be but dead vaine and fruitles workes to him Faith is it that doth commend the word to GOD for as S. Augustine sayeth whether thou wilte or no that worke that commeth not of faith is naught where the faith of CHRIST is not the foundacion thee is no good worke what building soeuer we make Ther is one worke in the which be al good works that is faith which worketh by charitie yf thou haue it thou hast the ground of algood workes For the vertues of strength wisedome temperauÌ„ce iustice be al referred vnto this same faith Without this faith we haue not theÌ„ but only the names shadowes of them as S. Augustine sayeth Al the life of them that lacke the true fayth is synne and nothing is good without him that is the auctor of goodnes where he is not there is but feyned vertue although it be in the best works And S. Augustine declaring this vearse of the psalme the Turtie hath founde a nest wher she may kepe her yonge byrdes sayeth that Iewes heritiques and pagans do good woorkes they cloth the naked fede the pore doo other workes of mercy but because they be not done in the true faith therfore the birdes be lost But if they remaine in faith then faith is the nest and sauegard of theyr birdes that is to say sauegard of their good workes that the rewarde of them be not vtterlye loste And this matter which Deuocati Gentium li. 1. cap. 3 S. Augustine at large in many bookes disputeth Saynte Ambrose concludeth in fewe woordes saying he that by nature would wtstand vice either by natural wyll or reason he doth in vaine garnishe the time of this life and atteyneth not the very true vertues In sermoÌ„e de side lege et spiritu saÌ„cto for without the worshipping of the true GOD that which semeth to be vertue is vice And yet most plainly to thys purpose wryteth S. Iohn Chrisostome in thys wise You shall find many which haue not the true faith be not of the flocke of CHRIST yet as it appeareth they floryshe in good workes of mercy You shall find them ful of pietie compassion and geuen to iustice and yet for al that they haue no fruite of their workes because the cheife worke lacketh For when the Iewes asked of CHRIST Iohn 9 what they should do to worke good workes he answered this is the work of GOD to beleue in him whom he sente So that he called faythe the worke of GOD. And assoue as a maÌ„ hath fayth anone he shall floryshe in good workes for faith of it selfe is full of good workes and nothing is good withoute faith And for a symylitude he sayth that they which glitter and shine
from sinne and death euerlassyng BEcause all men be sinners and offendours agaynst God breakers of his lawe and commaundementes therfore can no manne by his owne actes workes and dedes seme they neuer so good be iustified and made righteous before God but euery man of necessitie is constrayned to seke for an other righteousnesse or iustification to be receiued at Gods owne handes that is to saye the forgeuenes of his sinnes and trespasses in such thynges as he hath offended And this iustification or righteousnes which â—â—so receiue by Gods mercy Christes mâ—â—ides embrased by fayth is taken accepted and allowed of God for our perfecte and full iustification For the more full vnderstanding hereof it is our partes and duetie 〈…〉 â—â—mber the greate mercye of God howe thaâ— alâ— the worlde beynge wrapped in sinne by breakyng of the lawe God sent his onely sonne our sauiour Christ into this worlde to fufyll the lawe for vs and by shedynge of his moste precious bloudde to make a sacrifice and satisfaction or as it may be called amendes to his father foâ— our sinnes to assuage his wrath indignation conceyued agaynst vs for the same In so much that infantes beyng baptised and dying in theyr infansye The efficatie of Chrystes â—â—ssion oblation are by this sacrifice washed from theyr synnes brought to Gods fauour and made his children and inheritours of his kyngedome of heauen And they which in act or dede do sinne after theyr baptisme when they tourne agayne to God vnsaignedly they are likewise wasshed by this sacrifice from theyr sinnes in suche sort that there remaineth not anye spot of sinne that shal be imputed to theyr damnation This is that iustification or righteousnes which S. Pain speaketh of when he saith no man is iustified by the workes of the lawe but freely by faith in Iesus Christ And agayne he saith Gale ii we beleue in Iesu Christ that we be iustified freely by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the lawe because that no man shall be iustified by the workes of the lawe And although this iustification be free vnto vs yet it commeth not so freelye vnto vs that there is no raunsome payde therefore at all Obiection But here may manâ— reason be astounied reasonyng after this fashion If a raunsome be payde for our reâ—emption then is it not geuen vs freely For a prisoner that payeth his raunsome is not let goe freely for if he go â—rely then he goeth without rauÌ„some â–ª for what is it els to go freely then to be set at libertie without payment of raunsome An 〈◊〉 â—â—siderâ— This reason is satisfied vt the great wisdome of God in this mistery of our redemption who hath so tempered his iustice mercy together that he woulde neither by his suffice condemne vs vnto the euerlasting captiuitie of the deuyll his person of hell remedilesse for euer without mercy nor by his mercie delyueâ—â—s clearely without â—â—â—ice or paymeÌ„t of a iust â—aunsome but with his endlesse mercy he ioyned his moste vpright and 〈…〉 great mercy he shewed â—nto vs in 〈…〉 from out former captiuitie 〈…〉 any raunsome to be payde or amendes to be made vpon our partes which thyng by vs had ben impossible to be doen. And where as it lay not in vs. that to do he proinded a raunsome for vs that was the most precious body bloud of his owne most deare best beloued sonne Iesu Christe who besides this raunsome fulfylled the lawe for vs perfectly And so the iustice of God and his mercy dyd embrace together fulfilled the mistery of our redeÌ„ption And of this iustice mercy of God knit together speaketh saint Paule in the .iii. Chapt. to the Romains Rom. iii. al haue offended haue nede of the glory of god but are iustified frely by his grace by redeÌ„ption which is in Iesu Christ whoÌ„ God hath set forth to vs for a reconciler peace maket thorough faith in his bloud to shewe his righteousnesse Rome i. And in the .x. Chapt. Christ is the ende of the lawe vnto righteousnes to euery man that beleueth Rom. viii And in the .viii. Chapt. that which was impossible by the lawe in asmuch as it was weake by the fleshe God sending his owne sonne in the strailitude of sinfull fleshe by sinne damned sinne in the fleshe that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfylled in vs which walk not after the fleshe but after the spirite The thinges muste go together in our iustification In these foresaid places the Apostle toucheth speciallye three thinges whiche must go together in our iustification Vpon gods part his great mercy grace vpon Christes part iustice that is the satisfaction of Gods iustice or the price of our redeÌ„ption by the offering of his body 〈◊〉 sheddyng of his bloud with fulfyllyng of the law perfectly throughty vâ—â—â— our part true â—â—â—ely â—â—ith in the merâ—tes of Iâ—â—u Christ which yet is thoâ— ours but by gods working in vs. So that in our iustification is not onely gods mercy grace but also his iustice whiche the Apostle calleth the iustice of God it consisteth in paying our raunsome fulfyllyng of the lawe and so the grace of God doth not shut out the iustice of god in our iustificatioÌ„ but onely shutteth out the iustice of maÌ„ that is to say the iustice of our workes as to be merites of deseruing our iustification And therfore saint Paule declareth here nothing vpon the behalfe of man concerning his iustification but only a true liuely faith which neuerthelesse is the gyft of god not mans onely worke without god How it is to be vnderstand that faith iustyfyeth without workes And yet the faith doth not shut out repentaunce hope loue dread the feare of god to be ioyned with faith in euery man that is iustified but it shutteth them out froÌ„ the office of iustifying So that although they be al preseÌ„t together in him that is lustifyed yet they iustifie not altogether Nor the faith also doth not shut out the iustice of our good workes necessarily to be done afterward of duetie towardes god for we are most bounden to serue god in doyng good dedes coÌ„maunded by him in his holy scripture al the dayes of our lyfe But it excludeth theÌ„ so that we may not do theÌ„ to this entent to be made good by doing of theÌ„ For all the good workes that wee can do be vnperfect therfore not able to diâ—â—◠〈◊〉 our iustification but our iustification doth come frely by the mere mercy of god of so great and â—â—ee merci that wheras al the world was not aâ—â—e of be it selues to pay any part to wardes theyr 〈…〉 iâ— pleased our heueÌ„ly father of his infinâ—◠〈…〉 out any our desert or deseruynge to prepaâ—e so 〈◊〉 the moste precious is welles of Christes body and bloud wherby our raunsome might be fully paid the
so spred abrode that not onelye the vnlearned people but also the Priestes and teachers of the people partely by glorye and coueteousnes were corrupted and partly by ignoraunce blindly deceaued with the same abhominatioÌ„s So much that kynge Achad hauinge but onely Helias a true teacher and minister of God there were eyght hundred and fyftye priestes that perswaded him to honor Baal and to do sacrifice in the wodes or groues And so continued that horrible error vntyll the thre noble kynges as Iosaphat Ezechias and Iosias gods chosen ministers destroyed the same clearelye and brought agayne the people from suche there fayned inuentions vnto the very commaundements of God for the which thinge their immortall rewarde and glory doth and shal remayne with God for euer â—eâ—â—giâ—ns and sectes among the Iewes And besyde the foresayd inuentions the inclination of man to haue his owne holye deuotions deuysed new sectes â–ª religioÌ„s called Phariseis Sadduceis and Scribes with many holy godly traditions and ordinaunces as it semed by the outwarde apparaunce goodly glisteryng of the workes but in very dede all tending to Idolatrye Superstition and Hipocrisie theyr heartes within beynge full of malice pride couetousnes al wickednes Againstâ— which sectes and their pretensed holines Christ cryed out more vehemently then he did against anye other persons saying often rehersyng these wordes Woe be to you Scribes Phariseis â–ª ye Hipocrites for you make cleane the vessell withoute Mat. 23. but within you be full of rauine fylthines thou blynd Pharysee Hipocrite fyrst make the inwarde parâ— cleane For notwithstandinge al the goodly traditions and out warde shewes of good workes â–ª deuysed of theyr owne imagination whereby they appeared to the world most religious and holy of all men yet Christ who sawe theyr heartes knowe that they were inwardly in the syghte of God most vnholy moste abhominable and farthest from GOD of almen Therfore sayde he vnto them Hypocrites the Prophete Esay spake full truely of you when he sayde Thys people honor me with theyr lyppeâ— Mat. 15. Esai 19 but theyr hearte is farre from me they worshyppe me in vayne that teache doctrines and commaundementes of menne For you leaue the commaundementes of GOD to kepe your owne traditions And though Christ sayde they worshipped God in vayne that teache doctryneâ— and commaundementes of menâ— yet he meanâ—â— noâ— thereby to oâ—â—r-throw al mens coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes Manâ—â—â— lawes mustâ—â—e obsâ—râ—â—â— and kept but nâ—â—'◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—s â—â—wâ—â— for he himself was euer obediente to the Princes theyr lawes made for good ordre gouernaunce of the people but he reproued the lawes and traditions made by the Scribes Pharise is which wer not made onely for good ordre of the people as the Ciuil lawes were but they were set vp so hygh that they were made to be a ryght and pure worshipping of God as thei had â—eue equall with gods lawes â–ª or aboue them for many of gods lawes coulde not be kept but were fayne togeue place vnto them This arrogancie God detested that man shoulde so aduaunce his lawes to make them equal with gods lawes â–ª wherin the true honâ—ryng and right worshyppyng of God standeth and to make his lawes for theym to be lefte of God hath appoynted his lawes whereby his pleasure is to be honoured His pleasure is also that all mennes lawes beyng not contrary to his lawes shal be obeyed kepte as good and necessary for euery common weale but not as thinges wherein pryncipallye hys honor resteth And al Ciuil and mans lawes eyther be or should be made to bring in men the better to kepe gods lawes that consequently or folowingly God should be the better honored by them Howebeit the Scribes and Pharise is were not content â–ª that their lawes shuld be no hygher estemed theÌ„ other positiuâ— and ciuiss lawes nor would not haue them â—â—lled by the name of other temporall lawes but called 〈◊〉 not onely for a ryght and true worshippinge 〈◊〉 God as Gods lawes be in dede but also to 〈◊〉 the moâ—â—e high honoring of God Hâ—ly traâ—itions 〈◊〉 â—â—â—e med 〈◊〉 Gâ—ddes lawâ—s to the whiche the commaundementes of God shoulde geue place And for this cause did Christ so vehemently speake agaynste them sayinge your traditions which men esteme so hygh â—â—linesse of maÌ„nes deuise is commoÌ„ly occasion that God â—s offeÌ„ded be abhomination before God For commonlye of such traditions foloweth the â—â—ansgression or breaking of Gods commaundementes and a more deuotion in the kepynge of suche thinges a greater conscience in breaking of theim then of the commaundementes of God Math 12 As the Scribes and Phariseis so supersticiously and scrupuloâ—slye kepte the Sabboth that they were offended with Christ because he healed sicke men and with his Apostles because they being sore hungrye gathered the eates of corne to eate vpon that daye And because his disciples wasâ—hed not their handes so often as the traditions required the Scribes and Phariseis quereled with Christ saiyng Mat. 15. why do thy disciples break the traditions of the seniours But Christ layde to their charge that thei for to kepe theyr owne traditions did teache men to breake the berye commaundementes of GOD. For they taughte the people suche a deuotion that they offered their goodes into the treasure house of the temple vnder the pretence of Gods honour leauing theyr fathees and mothers to whom they wer chiefly bounde vnholpen and so they brake the commaudemetes of GOD to kepe their owne traditions They estemed more an othe made by the golde or oblation in the temple then an othe made in the name of God himself or the temple They were more studious to pay their fithes of small thinges then to do â—he greater things commaunded of God as workes of mercy or to do iustice or to deale syncerely vprightly and faythfullye beith God and man Mat. 23 these sayeth Christe ought to be done and the other not lâ—fte vndone And to be shorte they were of so blinde iudgement that they stombled at a straw â–ª and leaped ouer a block They woulde as it were nicely take â—ilyâ— out of theyr cuppe and drinke down a whole Câ—nnel And therfore Christ called them blinde guides warninge his disciples from time to time to eschew their doctrine For althoughe they semed to the worlde to be moost perfecte men both in lyuyng and teachinge yet was their lyfe but Hypocrisie and theyr doctrine but so wre leauen myngled with superstition Idolatrye and ouertwart iudgemente settyng vp the traditions and ordinaunces of manne in the steade of Goddes commaundementes The thyrde parte of the Sermon of good workes THat all men myghte ryghtely iudge of good woorkes it hath bene declared in the seconde parte of this sermon what kinde of good workes they be that god woulde haue his people to walke in namelye suche as he hath commaunded in his holye scripture and not such workes as men haue studied out of
commaund the cloudes that they shall not raine vpon it wherby is signified the teachinge of his holy word which S. Paule after a lyke maner expresseth by planting and watering meaning that he wylcake that away from theÌ„ So that they shal be no lenger of his kingdome they shal be no leiger gouerned by his holy spirites they shal be frustrated of the grace and benefites that they hadde and tuer mighte haue enioyed throughe Christe They shal be depriued of the heauenly light and life which they had in Chryst whiles they abode in him They shal be as they were once as men without GOD in this world or rather in woorse takynge And to be short they shal be geuen into the power of the deuyl which beareth the rule in al theÌ„ that be cast awaye from GOD as be dyd in Saul Iudas and generally in al suche as worke after their owne wylles 1. Re 25. the children of diffidence and infidelitie Let vs beware therefore good christyan people lest that we reiecting GODS woord by the whyche we obteine and reteine true faith in GOD be not at length cast of so farre that we become as the chyldren of infidelitie which be of two sortes farre dyuerse yea almost cleane contrary and yet both bee verye farre from returning to GOD. The one forte onelye waying their sinful detestable liuing with the right iudgment straightnes of GODS righteousenes be so destitute of counsail and be so comfortles as all they must nedes be from whom the spirite of counsayl and comfort is gone that they will not be perswaded in their hertes but that either GOD cannot or els that he wil not take them agayne to his fauor and mercye The other hearyng the louing large promises of GODS mercye and so not conceiâ—â—nge a right faith therof make those promises larger then euer GOD did trusting that although they coÌ„tinue in their sinful and detestable liuinge neuer so longe yet that GOD at the ende of their lyte wil shewe hys mercy vpon them and that then they wil returne And doth these two fortes of men Eze. 18. and. 33. de in a dawnable state and yet neuer thelesse GOD who willeth not the deth of the wicked hath shewed meanes wherby both the same if they take hede in season may escape A gaynst desperation The fyrst as they doe dread GODS rightefull iustice in punishing sinners wherby they shuld be dismaid and shuld despayre indeoe as touching any hope that may be in themselues soo if they woulde constantly beleue that GODS mercy is the remedye appoynted agaynst such despayre and distrust not onely for them but generally for al that be forye and truely repentant wil therwithall sticke to GODS mercy they may be sure they shal obtein mercy and enter into the porte or hauen of sauegarde into the which whosoeuer doth come be they defore time neuer so wicked they shal be oute of daunger of euerlasting damnation Eze. 33. as GOD by Ezechiel saith what time soeuer the wicked doth returne take earnest and true repentauÌ„ce I wil forget al his wickednes Agaynste presumptyon The other as they be ready to beleue GODS promises so they shuld be as ready to beleue the threatninges of GOD aswel they should beleue the lawe as the gospell aswell that there is an bel and euerlasting fyre as that there is an heauen and euerlastynge ioye aswel they should beleue damnation to be threatened to the wicked and euill doers as saluation to be promysed to the faythful in worde and workes aswell they should beleue God to be true in the one as in the other And the sinners that continue in theyr wicked lyuyng ought to thynke â–ª that the promises of Goddes mercy and the Gospel perteyne not vnto them beynge in that state but onely the lawe and those scriptures whiche conteine the wrathe and indignation of GOD and his threateninges whiche should certifie them that as they do ouer boldely presume of GODS mercye liue dissolutely so doth GOD â—tyl more and more withdrawe his mercy from them and he is so prouoked therby to wrathe at lengthe that he destroieth suche presumers many tymes sodayâ—lye For of suche Saynct Paule sayde thus when they shall saye it is peace 1. Cess 5 there is no daunger â–ª then shall sodaine destruction come vpon them Let vs beware therefore of suche naughtye boldenesse to synne for GOD which hath promysed his mercy to them that bee truely repentaunte althoughe it be at the latter ende hath not promised to the presumtuous sinner eyther that he shal haue longe lyfe or that he shal haue true repentaunce at the laste ende But for that purpose hath he made euerye mannes death vncertaine that he should not put his hope in th ende and in the meane season to GODS hyghe displeasure lyue vngodlye Wherfore let vs folowe the counsayle of the Wyseman let vs make no tarying to turne vnto the lord let vs not put of from day to daye for so daynly shall hys wrath come â–ª and in tyme of vengâ—â—nce he wyll destroy the wicked Let vs therfore turne betymes and wheÌ„ we turne â—se 14 let vs praye to GOD as Dzeâ— teacheth saying Forgeue vs al our sines â–ª receiue vs graciouslye And if we turne to him with an humble a very penitent heart he wyl receiue vs to hys fauour and grace for hys holye names sake for hys promyse sake for his trueth and mercyes sake promised to all faythful beleuers in Iesus Christe his onely naturall sonne To whom the only sauiour of the worlde with the father and the holy ghoste bee all honour glory and power worlde without ende Amen An exhortation agaynste the feare of death IT is not to be merueiled that worldlye men doe feare to dye For death depryueth theim of all worldlye honours ryches and possessions in the fruition whereof the worldely man counteth hym self happy so longe as he maye enioye theim at his owne pleasure and otherwise if he be dispossessed of the same withoute hope of recouâ—rye then he can none other thinke of him self but that he is vnhappy â–ª because he hath lost his worldlye ioye and pleasure Alas thinketh this carnall man shall I nowe depart for euer froÌ„ al my honours al my treasure from my country frendes riches possessions and worldlye pleasures whiche are my ioye and heartes delyghte Alas that euer that daye shall come when all these I muste byddâ— fare well at once and neuer to enioye anye of them after Wherefore it is not withoute great cause spoken of the Wise man O death howe bytter sower is the remembraunce of thee to a man that liueth in peace and prosperytie in his substaunce Ecct. 41. to a man liuinge at ease leadyng his lyse after hys owne mind withoute trouble and is there withall well pampered and fedde There be other menne whome thys worlde doth not so greatlyâ— laugh vpon â–ª but rather bere