God by the meane of Iesus Christ. O wonderfull glorie of the christian to whom it is graunted through fayth to possesse the vnspeakable benefites which the Angels long to beholde By this present discourse a man may playnly perceiue the difference that is betwixt vs and them that defend y iustification by fayth and workâ—s togither Herein we agrée with them that we stablish works affirming that the fayth which iustifieth cannot be without good works and that those which are become rightuouse are they that doo the good workes that may rightly be called good workes But we differ from theÌ„ in this that we say that faith maketh men rightuouse withoute the helpe of workes And the reason is redy namely bycawse that by fayth wée putte on Christ and make hys holyness and rightuousenesse to bée ours And seyng the cace so standeth that Christes rightuousenesse is gyuen vs by faith Wée cannot be so thanklesse blynde and vnhappye as not to beleue that he is of suffycient abilitie to make vs acceptable and ryghtuouse before god Lette vs saye with the Apostle if the blud of Oxen and Gotes and the asshes of a Cow sprincled clenzeth the vncleane as touching y clenzing of y flesh how much more shal the blud of Iesus Christ who by the euerlasting spirit offered himselfe vndefiled vnto God clenze our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God I prey thée now thou good deuout christian consider well which of theis two opinions is the trewest holyest and worthiest to be preached Ours which aduaunceth the benefyte of Iesus Christ pulleth down the pride of man which would exalt his owne works ageinst Christes glorie or the other which by affirming that fayth of it self iustiâ—ieth not defaceth the glorie and benefyte of Iesus Christ and puffeth vp the pryde of man who cannot abyde to be iustified fréely by our Lorde Iesus Christ without some merit of his owne But saye they it is a gret quickning vp to good works to say that a maÌ„ maketh himself rightuouse before good by means of them I answer that we also confesse that good workes are acceptable to god that he of his mere grace and frée liberalitie recompenseth them in Paradise But we say moreouer that no workes are good sauing those y as S. Austin saieth are done by theÌ„ that are become rightuouse through fayth bicause that if the trée be not good it cannot yeld good frute And furthermore we saye that such as are become ryghtuouse through faythe forasmuch as they knowe themselues to be ryghtuouse through Gods rightuousnesse purchased by Christe make no bargayning with GOD for their workes as though they would bwy their maner of iustification suche as it is with them but being inflamed with the loue 〈◊〉 GOD and desirouse to glorifie Iesus christ who hath made them rightuouse by giuing them his merites and riches they bestow 〈◊〉 their whole study and labor to doe gods wil fighting manfully against the loue of theÌ„selues and against the world and the Diuell And when they fall throughe frayltie of the flesh thei recouer themselues by and by and are so much the more desirous to doe good so much the more in loue with their God considering that he layeth not their sinnâ—â— to their charge bicause they be ingraffed 〈◊〉 Iesus Christe who hath made full 〈◊〉 for all his members vppon the tree of his crosse and maketh continuall interceâ—â—â— for them to the eternal Father who for the loue of his onely begotten sonne beholdeth them alwayes with a gentle countenance gouerning and defending them as his most deare children and in the end giuing them the hâ—ritage of the world making them like fashioned to the glorious Image of christ These louing motions are the spurs that prick forward y true christiaÌ„s to do good works who considering y they are become the childreÌ„ of god through faith made partakers of his diuine nature are sturred vp by the holy ghost dwelling in theÌ„ to liue as it becoÌ„meth y children of so great a lord and are greatly ashamed y they maintein not the beauty of their heaueÌ„li noblesse therfore they imploy their whole indeuer to the folowing of their first-born brother Iesus christ liuing in gret low lines méeknesse in al things séeking y glory of God giuing their liues for their brethren dooing good to their enemies glorying in y sufferance of reproches in the crosse of our Lord Iesus christ saying with Zacharie We be deliuered out of the hand of our enimies to serue god without feare in holines and rightuousenesse all the dayes of our life They say with Sainct Paule The grace of the Lord is appeared to abolishe all wickednesse and all worldly desires in vs to the end we should liue a sobre holy and honest lyfe in this world wayting for the blissed hope and for the gloriouse appearing of the great God and Sauiour There such other like thoughtes desires and affections are wrought by inspired fayth in the soules of them that are become rightâ—â—use And as for him that either wholly or partly féeleth not these godly affections and operations in his hart but is gyuen ouer to the fleshe and the world let him assure himselfe that hée hath not yit the iustifying faith nor is the member of Christ bicause hée hath not Christes spirit and consequently is none of his and he that is none of Christs is no christian Then let mans wisdome cease henceforth to fight agaynst the rightuousenesse of the most holy faith and let vs giue all the glorie of our iustification to the merits of IESUS Christ with whom we bée clothed thorough faith The fyfth Chapter In what wyse the Christian is clothed with Iesus Christ. ALthough that by the things aforesayd a man may easely and plainly inough perceiue howe a Christian maye cloth himselfe with Iesus Christe yit neuerthelesse I mynde to speake a little of it assuring myselfe that vntoo the good and faythefull Christian it can séeme nether grenouse nor troublesome to speake thereof although the thing were repeted a thousand times Therfore I say that the Christian knoweth that Iesus Christ togither with al his righteousnesse holinesse and innocencie is his owne through faith And like as when a man purposeth to present himselfe before some great Lord or Prince he laboreth to aray himself in some fayre and costly apparell euen so when the christian is decked and arayed with the innocencie of Christ with all his perfection he presenteth himself boldely before God the Lord of all assuring him selfe that through christes merits he is in as good cace as if he had purchaced all that which Iesus Christ hath purchaced and deserued And truely faith maketh euery of vs to possesse Christ and all that is his as we possesse our own garment And therefore to be clothed with Iesus christ is nothing else but to beleue for a certaintie that Christe is wholly
word which promiseth forgiuenesse of all sinnes peace to all them which accept the grace of the Gospel Uerely I say that he which vppon theis promises of God perswadeth not himselfe assuredly that god is a mercifull and louing father vnto him nor with stedfast cōfidence loketh to receyue the inheritance of the heauenly kyngdome at his hand is not faythful in dede maketh himself vtterly vnworthie of gods grace In respect whereof sainct Paule sayeth that we be the temple of God so farforthe as we firmely mainteine the confidence and glory of our hope vnto the ende And in another place he exhorteth vs that we shuld not giue ouer our trust which hath great rewarde of recompence And therfore my brethren let vs giue our whole indeuer to do the will of God as it becommeth good children and beware that we sinne not as néere as we can And although we fall oftentimes into sinne through our own frayeltie yet let vs not by and by surmise that we be vessels of wrath or that wée bee vtterly forsaken of the holy Ghoste for wee haue our Aduocate Iesus Christ before God the father and he is the attonement maker for our sinnes Let vs bethinke vs of the opinion of Saint Austin who fayeth that none of the Saincts is rightuouse and without sinne and yit notwithstanding that he ceasseth not to be rightuous and holy so farforth as he retaine his holynesse with affection And therefore if wee haue afflictions and tribulations let vs not think that God sends them bicause he is our enemie but bicause he is our most louing father The Lord sayeth Salomon chastiseth him whom hee loueth and scourgeth euery child of his whom he receyueth Wherfore if we haue receiued the grace of the Gospel whereby man is receiued of GOD for his childe wee muste not doubt of Gods grace and good will towards vs. And when wee perceyue our selues to delight in GODS woord and to haue a desire to followe the life of Iesus Christe wee must stedfastly beleeue that wee bee the children of GOD and the temple of the holy Ghost For those things cannot be done by the power of mans wisedome but are the gifts of the holy Ghost who dwelleth in vs by faith and is as it were a seale of authoritie which sealeth vp Gods promises in our hartes the certeinty wherof is printed aforehand in our mindes and is giuen vs as a pledge to stablish and confirme the same As soone as you beleeue sayth the Apostle Sainct Paule yee be sealed by the holy Spirit of promise who is the earnestpenny of our inheritance Behold howe he sheweth vs heereby that the hartes of the faithfull are marked with the holy Ghost as it were with a seal◠in respect wherof he calleth the holy ghost the spirit of promis for so much as he confirmeth the promis of the Gospell the which as I haue oftentimes told you is a happy tydings that promiseth forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting life to all suche as beleeue that all their misdooinges are blotted out in Iesus Christ. All we that beléeue in IESUS Christ sayeth Sainct Paule are becomme the children of GOD and bicause we bée his children hée hathe sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hart which cryeth Father father And to the Romanes those sayeth he that are guided by the spirit of GOD are the children of God for ye haue not receyued again the spirit of bondage in feare but the Spirite of adoption whereby wee crie father father For certeinly the sam◠spirit beareth our spirit record that wée bée the children of god Now then if we be children wée bée also heires And we must marke well that in these twoo places the Apostle Saint Paule speaketh plainly not of any speciall reuelation but of a certeine recorde which the holy Ghost doth commonly yéelde to all such as receyue the grace of the Gospell Then if the holy Ghoste assure vs that we be Gods children and heires why should we doubt of our predestination The same man sayeth in the same Epistle whom hée hath predestinated them hathe hee also called and whō he hath called them hath he also made rightuouse whom he hath made rightuouse thē also hath he glorified What shal we thē say to al these things if god be on our side who can be against vs And therefore if I plainly perceiue that God hath called me by giuing me fayth and the fruiets of faith that is to wit Peace of conscience mortification of the flesh and quickening of the spirit whether it be in whole or in parte why should I doubt that I am not predestinated And moreouer we saye with Sainct Paule that all true christians that is to wit all such as beléeue the Gospell receyue not the spirit of this world but the spirit that commeth from god by the inspiration wher of they discerne the things that God hath giuen them What maruell then is it if wée know that god hath certeinly giuen vs euerlasting life But there are some which saye that no man ought to presume so farre as to boast himselfe to haue the spirit of god They speake in such wyse as if the christiā should glory of the hauing of it for his owne desertes not by the onely mere mercie of God and as though it were a presumptuousnesse to professe him selfe a christian or as though a man could be a Christian without the hauing of Christes spirit or as though we could without flat hipocrisie say that Iesus Christ is our Lord or call God our Father if the holy ghost moued not our hartes tungs to vtter so swéete wordes And yit notwithstanding euen they that count vs presumptuouse for saying that God hath giuen vs his holy spirit with faith forbid vs not to say euery day Our Father but rather commaund vs But I would haue them too tell me how it is possible to separate faith the holy gost asunder séeing that faith is the peculiar work of the holy ghost If it be presumption to beléeue that the holy ghost is in vs why doth sainct Paule bid the Corinthians try them selues whither they haue faith or no affirming them to be reprobats if they know not that Iesus Christ is in them But in very déede it is a great blindnesse to accuse the christians of presumptuousnesse for taking vppon them to glorie of the presence of the holy ghost without which glorying there cannot be any Christianitie at all But Iesus Christe who cannot lye sayeth that his spirit is vnknowen to the worlde that they only do know him within whome he dwelleth Then let them begin to become good christians and put away their Iewish minds imbrace the grace of the holy gospell in good earnest and then shall they know that the good and true christians both haue the holy Ghost and also acknowledge themselues to haue him But
that the iustification by fayth was sufficient of it selfe but went about stil to be made rightuous by the law Unto whom S. Paule saieth Iesus Christe shall nothing profyt you that iustifie your selues by the Lawe for you be falne from grace bicause that we thorough the spirit of fayth wayte for the hope of rightuousnesse Now if the séeking of rightuousnesse forgiuenes of sinnes by the kéeping of the lawe which God gaue vppon mount Sinai with so great glorie and maiestie be the denying of Christ and of his grace what shal we say to those that will néedes iustifie themselues afore God by their owne lawes and obseruaÌ„ces I would wish that such folkes should a little compare the one with the other and afterward giue iudgment themselues God myndeth not to doe that honour nor to giue that glorie to his owne lawe and yit they will haue him to giue it to mennes lawes ordinances But that honour is giuen onely to his onely begotten sonne who alone by y sacrifice of his death and passion hath made full amends for all our sinnes past present and to come as sainct Paule and sainct Iohn declare Wherfore as ofteÌ„ as we apply this satisfactioÌ„ of Iesus Christs vnto our soules by fayth out of all dout we obteyne forgiuenes of our sinnes and become good rightuouse before God through his ryghtuousnes And therefore after that sainct Paule hathe said that as touching the ryghtuousenes of y lawe he had liued vnblameable he addeth yit whatsoeuer I haue gayned by it I haue accounted it in al respects to be but losse for the loue of christ And specially I esteme al things to be losse for the excelleÌ„t knowledge of Iesus Christ my Lord for whome I haue counted all thinges to be losse déeme them but as dung so I may win Christ bée fouÌ„d in him not hauing myne owne rightuousenesse which is of the lawe but the righteousnesse which is by the fayth of Iesus Christ which rightuousnes is giuen of god I mene the rightuousnes of faith that I may come to the knowledge of Iesus Christ. O most notable wordes which all Christians ought to haue ingrauen in their hartes praying God to make them to tast it perfectly Lo how S. Paule sheweth plainly that whosoeuer knoweth Christ aright estéemeth all the works of the law to bée hurtful for so much as they make vs to swarue from our trust in Iesus Christ to whom euery man ought to impute his saluation to trust only vnto him alone And to inforce this sentence the more he addeth further that he estéemeth all things but as dung so he may gayne Christ and be fouÌ„d incorporated in him declaring thereby that whosoeuer trusteth in his own workes and pretendeth to iustifie him selfe by them getteth not Iesus Christ nother is ingreffed into him â–ª And forasmuch as the whole mistery of our faith consisteth in the truth hereof â—o the end we might the better vnderstand what he ment to say he addeth and repeteth oftentimes y he had nothing to doo with al the outward iustification al the rightuousnes that is grouÌ„ded vppon the keping of the law but that he wold cloth him selfe with y rightuousnes which God giueth by faith to al theÌ„ y beleue that all our sinnes are fully chastized punished in Iesus Christ that Iesus Christ as S. Paule saieth is made our wisdome rightuousnes holines redemption to the end as it is written y he which will glorie should glorie in the lord not in his own workes Uery true it is that in the holy scriptures ther are some texts to be found which being misvnderstode séeme to gaynsay this holy doctrine of S. Paules to attribute iustification remission of sinnes vnto works to charitie But those authorities haue alredy bin wel expounded by somme who haue shewed playnly y such as haue vnderstode theÌ„ in the sence aforesaid vnderstode them not aright Wherfore my déerebeloued brethren let vs not folow the fond opinion of y bewitched GalathiaÌ„s but rather let vs folow y truth which s. Paul teacheth vs let vs giue the whol glorie of our iustification vnto Gods mercy to y merits of his sonne who by his own bludshed hath set vs frée froÌ„ y souereintie of the law from y tyrannie of sin death hath brought vs into y kingdom of god to giue vs life and endlesse felicitie I say yet further y he hath deliuered vs from y dominion of the lawe insomuch as he hath giuen vs his holy spirit who teacheth vs all truth and that he hath satisfied the lawe to the full giuen the same satisfaction vnto al his members that is to wit to all true Christians so as they may safely appéere at Gods throne bicause they be clothed with the rightuousnesse of hys Christ and by him deliuered from the curse of the lawe Then cannot y lawe any more accuse vs or condemne vs nor moue our affections or appetites nor increase sin in vs And therefore Sainct Paule saieth that the Obligacion which was against vs is cancelled by Iesus Christ discharged vppon the trée of the crosse insomuch as he hath set vs frâ—e from the subiection of the lawe and coÌ„sequently from the tyrannie of sin death which can no more hereafter hold vs oppressed bicause it is ouercome by Iesus christ in his resurrectioÌ„ so coÌ„sequently by vs which are his members in such maner y wée may say with Saincte Paule and with the Prophet Osee Death is quytâ— vanquished destroyed O Death wher is thy 〈◊〉 O Hel wher is thy victorie The sting of Death is â—in and the strength of sin is the lawe But God bée praysed who hath graunted vs vicâ—orie by our Lord Iesus Christ. He is the blesâ—ed séede that hathe crusshed the head of y veâ—emous Serpent that is to wit of the Diuell insomuch that all those which beléeue in Ieâ—us Christ reposing their whole trust in his grace doo ouercome sin death the Diuel and Hell as Christ hath done Hée is that blessed séede of Abraham in the which god hath promised blissednesse to all NacioÌ„s It behoued euery particuler person to fight with the sayd horrible Serpent and too deliuer hym selfe from that curse But that enterprise was so great that all the force of the whole world knitte together was not able too go through with it Wherfore our God y father of mercie being moued with compassion of our miseries hath giueÌ„ vs his only begotteÌ„ sonne who hath deliuered vs from y veniâ— of the Serpent is him selfe become our blissednesse rightuousnes condicionally y we accept the same renouÌ„cing al our own otward iustifications Then my déere bréethren let vs imbrace the rightuousnesse of our Lorde Iesus Christ and lette vs make it ours by means of fayth let vs assure our selues that we bée rightuouse not for our
lyght of our trust which hath great recompence reward But thys so holy and diuine affiance is gendred in our harts by the working of the holie ghost who is coÌ„municated vnto vs by fayth which neuer goeth without the loue of god And hereof it commeth that wée bée prouoked to dooe good works with a certeine liuelines and effectuall cherefulnes wherby we gather such a strength and inclinacion to doo theÌ„ as wée be throughly redie and foreward to doo and suffer all intollerable things for the loue and glorie of our moste graciouse and mercyfull father who hath inryched vs wyth so abundaunt grace through Iesus Christ and of his enemies made vs hys moste déere children This treue fayth is no sooner gyuen a man but he is by and by indewed and imprinted with a certeine violent loue of good works to yéeld right swéet and amiable frutes both vnto God and likewise to his Neybour as a verie good frutefull trée And it is no more possible that he should bée otherwise than it is possible that a fagot should be set on fyre not cast light immediatly This is the holye fayth without the which it is vnpossible that anie man should please God and wherby all the holie men as well of the old TestameÌ„t as of the new haue bin saued according as Sainct Paule witnesseth of Abraham concerning whome the Scripture sayeth that Abraham belâ—â—ued GOD and it was reckened too him for rightuousenesse And therfore hée sayth a little before We beléeue that a man is iustified by fayth without the déedes of the Lawe And in another place he saith Sothen in that time shall the remnant be saued according to the election of grace and if they be saued by grace then is it not by workes for then were grace no grace And to the Galathians he sayeth it is a manifest matter that no man becommeth rightuouse before God by the Lawe bicause the rightuouse liueth by faith And the lawe consisteth not in beleefe but he that performeth the thinges that the Lawe commaundeth shall liue by that performance And further hée sayeth that a man cannot become rightuouse by the déedes of the law but onely by beléeuing in Iesus Christ. Agein a little after he sayeth that if a man can become rightuouse by the Lawe Iesus Christ dyed in vayne Moreouer to the Romaines making comparison betwene the rightuousnesse of the Lawe and the rightuousnesse of the Gospell he sayeth that the one consisâ—eth in the dooing of workes and the other in beleuing For if thou confesse our Lord Iesus Christ with thy mouth and beleue in thy hart that God hath raysed him vp from death thou shalt be saued For the beléef of the hart maketh a man rightuouse and the confession of the mouth maketh him safe Lo how this good teacher Sainct Paule sheweth euidently that faith maketh a man rightuouse without any workes And not only Sainct Paule but also the holy Doctors that came after him haue confirmed and allowed this most holy trueth of Iustification by fayth among whome Sainct Augustin is the chiefe who in his booke of fayth and workes and in his booke of the Spirit and the Letter and in his booke of fourescore and thrée questions and in his booke which he did write to Boniface and in his treatise vpon the xxxj Psalme and in many other places defendeth this article shewing that we become rightuous by faith without any help of good works howbeit that good works are the effects of rightuousnesse and not the cause of it And he sheweth that y wordes of S. â—ames being soundly vnderstood are nothing contrary to this article Whith thing Origen doth also affirme in his fourth booke vpon the Epistle to the Romanes saying y S. Paules meaning is that fayth only is sufficiente to make men rightuouse insomuch that a man becommeth rightuouse only by beléeuing although he haue not doone anye good work at all For so it is that the théefe became rightuouse without the workes of the lawe forasmuch as the Lord sought not what good workes he had done in time past nor wayted vntill he had done any after he had beléeued but hauing accepted him for rightuouse vpon his only confession tooke him for hys companion euen when he should enter into Paradyse Likewise that so renowmed woman in the gospel of Sainct Luke while she was yit at the féete of Iesus Christ herd it sayd vnto hir thy sins are forgiuen thée And a little after he saieth vnto hir thy faith hath saued thée goo thy way in peace Afterward Origen sayth In many places of the Gospel a man may sée how our Lord Iesus Christ hath spoken in such wise as he sheweth that fayth is the cause of the saluation of the beleuers TheÌ„ is a maÌ„ made rightuouse by faith and the workes of the lawe further him nothing at all On the contrarie where faith is not which faith maketh the beléeuer rightuouse although a man doo the workes which the law coÌ„maundeth yit notwithstanding forasmuch as they be not builded vppon the fouÌ„dation of faith albeit y to outward appearance they séeme good yit can they not iustifie him that doeth them bicause he wanteth fayth which is the marke of theÌ„ that are become rightuouse before god And who is he that caÌ„ boast himselfe to be rightuouse wheÌ„ he hereth God say by his Prophet â—say that all our rightuousnesse is as a defiled cloth of a menstruouse woman Then can wée not iustly glorie in our selues but in y only faith of the crosse of Iesus Christ. S. Basill in hys Homilie of humilitie sayeth y the Christian ought to hold himself for rightuouse through beléefe in Iesus Christ and his wordes are theis The Apostle sayeth that he which glorieth should glorie in the Lord in that God hath made Iesus Christ to be our wisedome rightuousenes holinesse and redemption to the end y he which would glorie should glorye in the Lord bicause that the perfect and sound glorying is to glorye in the lord For in so doing a man presumeth not vppon his owne rightuousenes but acknowledgeth his want of the true rightuousenes and that he is made rightuouse only by beléeuyng in Iesus Christ. And Sainct Paule gloryeth of the despyzyng of hys owne rightuousenesse and of his séeking of Christes rightuousnes by fayth which commeth of god Sainct Hilary in his ninth Canon vppon the exposition of Sainct Matthew sayeth these words The Scribes considering Iesus Christe but only as maÌ„ were troubled that a maÌ„ should forgiue sinnes and pardon that thing which the Lawe could not doe bicause that onely fayth iustifieth Sainct Ambrose in expounding these wordes of Sainct Paule vnto him that beleeueth in him vvhich iustifieth the vngodly his fay the is accounted for rightuousnesse according to the purpose of Gods grace like as Dauid also sayeth that the man is blissed whom God accompteth rightuouse
rightuousenes doth supply all our vnclennes imperfection which are not laied to our charge forsomuch as thei be couered vnder the purâ—nes and innoceÌ„cie of Iesus Christ and come not to iudgement before god And hereuppon it commeth to passe that all our workes which procede of trew faith notwithstanding that they be wholly sinfull and corrupt of themselues shall neuertheles be praysed allowed by Iesus Christ in the generall iudgement bicause they be the fruites and testimonies of our fayth wherby we be saued For insomuch as we haue loued y brethren of Iesus Christ we shal shewe euidently y we haue also bin faithful and brethreÌ„ of Christ and therefore by fayth we shal be put in full possession of the euerlasting kingdome which our souerein Lord god hath prepared for vs before the creating of the world not for our merits sakes but through his mercie wherby he hath chozen vs called vs to the grace of his gospel and made vs ryghtuouse to the intent to glorifie vs euerlastingly with his only begotteÌ„ sonne Iesus Christ who is the holines and rightuousenes of vs but not of them which wyll not confesse that faith is sufficieÌ„t of it selfe to make a man rightuouse and acceptable to y Lord God who through his fatherly goodnes and louingkindnes offereth giueth vs Iesus Christ with his rightuousenes without any desert of our owne workes What thing can worke or cause a man to deserne so great a gift treasure as Iesus Christ is This treasure is giuen only through the grace fauour mercifulnes of god and only faith is the thing that receiueth such a gift as to make vs inioy the forgiuenes of our sinnes And therfore when S. Paule other doctors say that onâ—ly â—ayth maketh men ryghtuouse without workes they mene that it maketh vs to inioy the generall forgiuenes of our sinnes toâ— receiue Iesus Christe who as saieth sainct Paule dwelleth in our hartes by fayth ouercomming and pacifying the trubbles of our consciâ—Ì„ces satisfieth gods iustice for our sinnes Furthermor it appeaseth gods wrath iustlimoued ageinst vs quencheth the fyre of hell wherin our natural corruption did throw vs headlong chéerfully destroieth ouerthroweth y Diuel togither with al his power and tiranny Which thinges all the works that all the men in y world can lay togither are not able to deserue nor to bring to passe That glory and that prerogatiue is reserued alonly to the sonne of God that is to wit to the blissed Iesus Christ who hath power aboue all the powers that are in Heauen in Earth and in Hell and giueth himself his merits to al such as distrusting in theÌ„selues do set their whole hope of being saued in him and in his merits And therefore let no maÌ„ begwyle himselfe when hée hereth it sayd that only faith iustifieth without works and think as falâ—e christians doe who drawe al thinges to liue fleshly that the trew faith coÌ„sisteth in beleuing the bare storie of Iesus Christ after the same maner as men beleue y storie of Caesar or of Alexander Such maner of beléef is but an historicall beléef grouÌ„ded merely vppon the report of men and vppon their writinges lighly imprinted in our conceyt by a certeint custome is like to the faith of the Turkes who for the lyke reasons beleue y fables of their Alcorane And suche a fayth is but an imagination of man which neuer reneweth the hart of maÌ„nor warmeth it with the loue of God neyther do any good works insew or any chauÌ„ge of life which faith should bring forth And therfore they falâ—â—y hold opinion ageinst the holy scripture and ageinst the holy Doctors of the church that only faith maketh not meÌ„ rightuouse but y they must also haue works Unto whom I answer that this historicall and fond beleef and all the works that insew thereof are not only vnable to make a man rightuouse but also do cast the parties headlong to the bottom of hel like vnto those that haue none oile in their Lampes y is to say no liuely faith in their harts The fayth that maketh men rightuouse is a work of God in vs wherby our old man is crucified and wée being transformed in Iesus Christ become new creatures and the derebeloued childreÌ„ of god This heauenly fayth is it that graffeth vs into the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ and consequently mortifieth our flesh with the effectes and lustes therof For when we by the operation of fayth do know our selues to be dead with Iesus Christ we are at a full point with our selues and with the world and are throughly resolued how it is méet that they which are dead with Iesus Christe should mortifie their earthlyâ— members that is to wit the sinfull affectioÌ„s of their mynd and the lustes of the flesh and forasmuch as we know we be raysed again which Christ we bend our selues to the leading of a spirituall and holie lyfe like vnto that which we shall liue in heauen after the last resurrection This holie faith making vs to inoy the generall pardon that is published by the gospel bringeth vs into the kingdome of our good god and pacifyeth our consciences mainteyning vs in continewal ioy and holie and spiritual swéetnes This selfe same faith knitteth vs vnto god and maketh him to dwell in our harts and clotheth our sowle with himself so as thenseforth the holie Ghost moueth vs to doo the same thinges wherunto he moued Iesus Christ whyle he was in this world was conuersant among men that is to wit vnto lowlines mekenes obedientnes vnto God louingnes and other perfections wherthrough we recouer the image of god For this selfesame causes Iesus Christ did rightly attribute blissednes vnto this inspyred fayth which blissednes cannot be without good works holines of lyfe And how can it be that a christian shold not become holie seing y Iesus Christ is become his holines through fayth Therfore by fayth we be iustified and saued and therfore S. Paule doth in a maner alwaies call those Saincts whom we call now christians who if they haue not Christes spirit are none of Christes and consequently no christians at all But if they haue the spirit of Iesus Christ to rule and gouerne them we must not dowt but that although they know well y they be made rightuouse thorough fayth onely yit for all that they will become neuer the more slouthfull to do good workes For Christes spirit is the spirit of loue and loue cannot be ydle nor cease from the dooing of good workes But if we will say the truth a man can do no good workes except he first know himselfe to be become ryghtuouse by fayth for before he knoweth that his doing of good workes is rather to make himselfe ryghtuouse than for the loue and glorie of God and so he defyleth al his works with selfeloue for the loue of himself for his
his Spowse How can I assuredly glorie that I am Quéene and Mistresse of his greate riches as a wyfe maye I can easly beléeue that otherfolkes shall receyue this honour and glorie but I cannot perswade my selfe that I am one of thâ—se same to whome GOD hathe gyuen so greate grace For I knowe myne owne wretchednesse and imperfection My derâ—beloued brother I answer thee that thyne assurance coÌ„sisteth in trew and liuely fayth wherwith as Sainct Peter sayeth God clenzeth mens harts And this fayeth is grownded in the be leuing of the Gospell that is to saye in the beleuing of the gladde tydings which hathe bin published on GODS behalf throwgh the whole world which tydings conteyneth in effect that god hath vsed the rigorousenes of his iustis against Iesus Christ chastizing punishing all our sinnes in him And whosoeuer receiueth this good tydings beléeues it stedfastly hath the true fayth and doth inioye the forgiuenes of his sinnes and is also reconciled vnto GOD and of the chylde of wrath is become the chyld of grace and recouering the image of God entereth into the kingdome of God and is made the temple of God who maryeth mans soule to his onely Sonne by the meane of this fayth which fayth is a worke of God and the gift of god as sainct Paule saieth oftentymes And God giueth it vnto those whom he calleth to him of purpose to iustifie them to glorifie theÌ„ to giue them euerlasting lyfe according as our Lorde Iesus Christ witnesseth saying This is the will of him that sent mée euen that euery one which séeth the sonne and beleueth in him should haue euerlasting lyfe and I wyll rayse him vp agein at the latter day And lyke as Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lifted vp to the ende that euery one which beleueth in him might not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting Also he sayeth to Martha He that beleueth in me shall liue although he wer dead and euery one that liueth beleueth in me shall not dye for euer And to a companie of the Iewes he sayeth I am come a lyght into the world to the ende that euery man which beleueth in me shold not abide in darknes And sainct Iohn in his Epistle saieth Herein appéered the loue of god towards vs for that god is loue and sent his only begotten sonne into this world that we might liue through him And héere in is loue knowen not in that we loued God but in that he loued vs sent his sonne to make attonement for our sinnes And moreouer he sent him to destroy our enemies For the bringing wherof to passe he made him parttaker of our fleshe and of our blud as sayeth sainct Paule to the ende that by his death he myght destroy him that had the dominion of death that is to wit the diuel and set al such at libertie as were subiect to boÌ„dage al their lyfe long for feare of death Seing then that we haue records of the holy Scripture concerning the promises whereof we haue spoken heretofore and concerning many other promyses that are dispersed in diuers places of the same we cannot dout of it And forsomuch as the Scripture speaketh to all ingenerall none of vs oughte to distrust in himselfe that the selfsame thing which the Scripture sayeth should not belong perticularly to him selfe And to the ende that this point wherin lyeth and consisteth the whole misterie of our holie faith may be vnderstod the better Let vs put the cace that some good holie King cause proclamation to be made through his whole Realme by the sound of a Trumpet that all Rebels and banished men shall safely returne home to their howses bicause that at the sewt desert of some dere fréend of theirs it hath pleased hym to pardon them certeinly none of those Rebels ought to dout of the obteyning of trew pardon of his rebellion but rather ought assuredly to returne home to his howse to lyue vnder the shadowe of that holie king And if he will not returne he shall beare the penaltie of it bicause that through his own vnbelefe he dyeth in exyll and in the displeasure of his prince But this good king is the Lorde of Heauen and Earth who for the obedience and desert of our good brother Iesus Christe hath pardoned vs all our siunes and as we haue sayd afore hathe made open proclamaction through the whole world that all of vs may safely returne into his kingdome Wherfore he that beléeueth this proclamacioÌ„ dooth streytwayes return into Gods kingdome whereoutof we were driuen by the offence of our first parentes and is blissedly gouerned by gods holy Spirit And he that giueth no credit to the sayde proclamacion shall neuer inioy the sayd geuerall pardon but for his vnbelefes sake shall abyde in banishment vnder the tyrannie of the diuel and liue and dye in extreme miserie liuing and dying in the diâ—pleasure of the king of heauen and earthe and that iustly For we cannot commit a greater offence against this good God that to account him as a lyer and deceiuer which verely we doo in not giuing credit to his promises O how passing heauie is this deadly sinne of vnbelefe which so farre foorth as is possible beréeueth God of his glorie and perfection besydes the greate harme that it doeth to a mans selfe which is his owne damnation and the endlesse tormeÌ„t of his soule which the miserable conscience féeleth euen in this lyfe But on the contrarie he that commeth vnto GOD with assurednesse of this fayth beléeuing him without anye mistruste or dowt of his promises and warranting himselfe for a certeyntie that God will performe al that euer he hath promised him giueth all the glorie vnto God and liueth coÌ„tinually in rest and endles ioy euermore praysing and thanking the Lorde God for choozing him to the glorie of the eternall lyfe And hereof they haue an assured earnestpeny and gage that is to wit the sonne of god whom they take for their most louing Brydegrome the blud of whom hath made theyr hartes so drunken that through this passing holie belefe there is in the christen hart ingendred so lyuely a hope and so certeine a trust of gods â—ercie towards vs and such an operation is wrought in vs as we rest our selues wholly vppon God leauing the whole care of vs vnto him in suche wyse that being throughly assured of Gods good wil we are not afraid nother of the diuel uor of his ministers nor of death Which holie and stedfast trust of Gods mercie inlargeth our hart chéereth it vp and with certeine marualouse swéete affections dyrecteth it vnto GOD filling it and setting it on Fyre with an exceding feruent loue And therefore Paule incourageth vs to goe with all boldnesse to the throne of grace he counselleth vs that wée should not shake it of nor make
vnto vs not only allureth vs to giue our selues one to another but also by making himself common to vs all maketh vs also to be all one selfsame thing in him In respect wherof wée ought to couet and procure that in all of vs there may be but one mind one harte one tung accorded and vnited togither in thoughtes words and déeds And we must mark well that as oft as we receyue this holy and worthy Sacrament we bind our selues to al the deuties of charitie as not to offende any of our brethren nor to leaue anything vndon that may be profitable and helpfull in their necessitie But if there come any to this heauenly table of the Lord that are diuided at variance with their brethreÌ„ the same must assure themselues that they eate vnworthely and are gilty of the bodie and bloud of the Lorde and that they eate and drinke their own damnation for that there wanted nothing on their behalf but that the body of Iesus christ was rent and plucked in péeces again whilest they by hatred are deuided froÌ„ their brethren that is to wit from the members of Iesus Christ and haue not any parte with him and yit neuertheles in receiuing this holy communion pretended to beléeue that their whole saluation consisteth in the participation and vnion with Iesus Christ. Then let vs go my brethreÌ„ to the receiuing of this heauenly bread to celebrate the remembrance of our Lordes passion and to strengthen and fortifie the beléefe and assurance of the forgiuenes of our sinnes with the remembrance thereof and to quicken vp our myndes and tungs to prayse and exalt the infinite goodnes of our God and finally to cherish brotherly loue and to witnes the same one to another by the streyght vnion which all of vs haue in the bodie of our lord Iesus christ Besydes prayer thé remembring of Baptim and the often resorting to the most holy communion ther is one other verie good remedy against distrust and fearfulnes which is no lesse fréende to christian charitie namely the remembrance of our predestination and election to eternall lyfe grounded vppon the word of God which is the sword of the holie Ghoste wherwith we may beate backe our enemies Reioyce yée in this sayeth the Lorde that your names are written in heauen There is no greater ioy in this life nor any thing that more comforteth the christian that is afficted tempted or falne into anie sinne than the rememberance of predestination and the assuring of our selues that we be of y nomber whose names are written in the booke of lyfe and which are chosen to be fashioned like vnto the image of Iesus Christ. O how vnspeakable is the comfort of him that hath this fayth museth coÌ„tinually in his hart vppon this exceding swéete predestination whereby he knoweth that although he fall often yit notwithstanding god his father who hath foreordeined him to euerlasting life holdeth him vp and reacheth out his hand vnto him continually And he sayeth continually in himselfe if god haue chozen me and predestinated me to the glorie of his children who can hinder me If God be with vs sayeth sainct Paule who can be ageinst vs Nay rather to the ende that the predestination may be accomplished in vs he hath sent his déere beloued sonne who is a most sure earnest penny and pledge vnto vs that we which haue receyued the grace of the Gospell are gods Children chozen to eternall lyfe This holie predestination maynteyneth the trew Christian in a continuall spirituall ioye increaceth in him the indeuer of good works inflameth him with the loue of god maketh him enemie to the world to sinne Who is so fearce hardharted which knowing y god of his mercy hath made him his child froÌ„ euerlasting will not by and by bée inflamed to loue GOD Who is of so vyle and baâ—e courage that hée will not estéeme all the pleasures all the honours and all the riches of the world as filthy myre wheÌ„ he knowes y god hath made him a citizen of heaueÌ„ yea theis are thei y worship god rightly in spirit truth receyuing all things as wel in prosperitie as in aduersitie at the hand of God their Father and euermore praysing and thaÌ„king him for all as their good father who is rightuouse and holy in all his workes These being inflamed with the loue of God and armed with the knowledge of their predestination feare neither death nor sin nor the Diuill nor hell neyther knowe they what the wrath of god is for they sée none other thing in god but loue fatherly kindnesse towards them And if they fall into any troubles they accept them as tokens of gods fauour trying out with S. Paule who is it that shall separate vs from Gods loue shall tribulations shall anguish shall persecution or hunger or nakednesse or perill or sword as it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long and counted as shéepe appointed to the slaughter But in all these things we get the vpper hand thorough him that hath loued vs Wherefore it is not for nought that sainct Iohn sayeth how the true christians know right well that they must be saued and glorified and that by reason of the same affiance they make themselues holy as Iesus Christ is holy And when Saint Paule exhorteth his Disciples to a good and holy life he is wont to put them in remembrance of their election and predestination as of a thing of very great force to stirre vp the mynds of the true Christians to the louing of God and to the performance of good works And for the same cause our good lord Iesus christ speaketh openly of this holy predestination as one that knew of howe great importance the knowledge thereof is to the edifying of his elect But perchaunce thou wilt say to me I know wel that they whose names are written in heauen haue cause to liue in continuall ioy and to glorifie GOD but in word and deed but I know not whither I am of that number or no and therefore I liue in continuall feare specially bycause I knowe my selfe to bée an excéedinge weake and frayle sinner from the violence wherof I am not able to defend my self but that I am ouercome of it daily And furthermore for asmuch as I se my self coÌ„tineually afflicted and troubled with dyuerse temptations methinks I do as it were behold with myne eyes the wrath of God squorging me Too answere to theis dowtes of thyne I say my ryght dere brother that thou must assure thy selfe that al theis are but temptations of the deuill who by all meanes séeketh to rob vs of that faith and confidence that springeth of faythe and assurethe vs of Gods good will towardes vs He laboreth to strip our sowle out of this preciouse garmeÌ„t for he knoweth that none is a trew Christian except he beleue Gods
thirst after rightuousenesse he cannot taste of the swéetnesse of Iesus Christ how swéete it is to talke of him to thinke of him and to follow his most holy lyfe But when we once throughlye knowe our owne infirmitie by meane of the Lawe let vs herken to sainct Iohn Baptist who poynteth vs to the souerein Phisicion with his fingar saying Beholde y Lamb of God which taketh away y sinnes of the world For he it is that deliuereth vs from the heauie yoke of the law abrogating and disanulling the curses and sharp threatnings of the same healing all our infirmities reforming our frée will returning vs to our auncient innocencie and repayringe in vs the image of our God insomuch that according to sainct Paules saying lyke as by Adam we be all dead so by Iesus Christ we are all quickened And it is not to be beléeued y the sinne of Adam which we haue by inheritance from him should be of more force then the ryghtuousnes of Christe the which also we inherit by fayth It séemeth that mâ—n hath great cause to complayn that without any reason why he is conceiued borne in sinne and in the wickednesse of his parents by meanes of whom death reigneth ouer all men But now is all our sorow taken awaye inasmuch as by a lyke meane without anye occasioÌ„ giuen on our behalf rightuousenesse euerlasting lyfe are come by Iesus Christ and by him death is sâ—ayne whereof sainct Paule maketh a verie goodly discourse which I purpose to set downe here folowing Wherefore sayth he lyke as by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sin euen so death went ouer al meÌ„ â—orasmuch as all men haue sinned For vntill the Lawe sinne was in the worlde but sin was not regarded as long as ther was no law Neuerthelater death reigned froÌ„ AdaÌ„ vnto Moses euen ouer theÌ„ also y sinned not after y like maner of y traÌ„sgressioÌ„ of Adam who was a figur of him y was to come But yit the gift is not so as is the offence For if through the offence of one manie be dead much more the grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Iesus Christe hath abounded vnto many Neyther is the gift so as that which entred in by one the sinned For the fault came of one offence vnto condemnation but the gifte is of many offeÌ„ces to iustification For if by the offence of one death reigned through one much more shall they which receiue the aboÌ„dance of grace and of the gift of rightuousnes reigne in life through one that is Iesus Christ. Likewise then as by the offence of one the fault came on all men to condemnation so by y ryghtuousenes of one the benefyte abounded toward all men to the iustification of life For as by one mans disobedience many wer made sinners so by the obedieÌ„ce of one shall many also be made righteous Moreouer the law entred ther vppon that the offence shold abouÌ„d neuertheles where sinne abouÌ„ded ther grace abounded much more that as sinne had reigned vnto death so might grace also reigne by rightuousenes vnto eternal lyfe through Iesus Christ our lord By theis words of saint Paule we manifeâ—tlye perceiue the thing to be trew which we haue said heretofore that is to wit that the lawe was giuen to make sinne knoweÌ„ which sinne we do also know no to be of greater force thaÌ„ Chrisâ—es rightuousenes wherthrough we be iustifyed before god For euen as Iesus Christ is stroÌ„ger than Adam was so is his ryghtuousenes more mightie than the sinne of Adam And if the sinne of Adam was sufficient ynough to make al men sinners children of wrath without ani misdéed of our own much more shall Christes ryghtuousnes be of greater force to make vs all rightuouse and the children of grace without any of our owne good workes which cannot be good vnlesse that before we do them we our selues be made good as Awstin also affirmeth Hereby a maÌ„ may know in what an errour they bée who by reason of some great offence despayre of gods good wil imagining that he is not willing to forgiue couer and pardon all sinne hauing alredie punished and chastized al our sinnes and iniquities in his owne onely begotten and déerebeloued sonne and consequently graunted a generall pardon to all mankinde which euery bodye inioyeth that beleueth the Gospell that is to say which beléeueth the happie tydings that the Apostles haue published through the whole worlde saying We beséeche you for Iesus Christes sake be yée reconâ—yled vnto God for he that neuer knew sinne was made a sacrifyze for our sinne that we might become rightuouse in him The Prophet Esay foreséeing this great goodnes of God writeth these heaueÌ„ly words which do so well peynt out the passioÌ„ of our Lord Iesus Christ and the cause ther of as it is not to be found better descrybed euen in the writings of the Apostles Who sayth he will beleue our report to whom is the arme of the Lord reueled But hée shall grow vp before him as a braunche and as a roote out of a drye gdound he hath neyther forme nor beautie when we shall sée him ther shal be no forme that we should desire him He is despized and reiected of men he is a man full of sorowes and hath experience of infirmities wée hidd as it were our faces from him he was despized we estemed him not Surely he hathe borne our infirmities and caried our sorowes yit we did iudge him as plaged and smitten of god and humbled but he was wounded for our traÌ„sgressions he was broken for our iniquities The chasismeÌ„t of our peace was vppoÌ„ him and with his stripes we are healed All we like shéepe haue gone astraie we haue turned euery one to his owne waye and the Lord hath layde vppon him the iniquitie of vs all he was oppressed he was afflicted yit dyd he not open his mouth He is brought as a shéepe to the slaughter and as a shéepe before the shearer is dumme so he openeth not his mouth O great vnkindnes O thing abhominable that we which professe our selues Christians and here that the sonne of God hath taken al our sinnes vppoÌ„ him washed them out with his preciouse blud suffering himselfe to bée fastened to the crosse for our sakes should neuertheles make as though we would iustifie our selues purchace forgiuenes of our sinnes by our our owne workes as who would say that the deserts ryghtuousenes and bludshed of Iesus Christ were not ynough to do it vnlesse we came to put to our workes ryghtuousnes which are altogither defiled and spotted with selfeloue seflyking selfeprofit and a thousande other vanities for which we haue néede to craue pardon at GODS hande rather than reward Neyther do we thinke of the threatnings which saint Paule vseth to the Galathians who hauing bin deceiued by falseprechers beleued not