sober and watche because your aduersarie the Deuil walketh vp down like a roaring Lyon seeking whome he maie deuowre The fornycatour and adulterour or he that is spotted with any lyke cryme heareth That neither fornicatours nor adulterers neither softlings shall haue the inheritaunce of the kingdome of God. And againe For you knowe this no whoremonger nor vncleane person nor couetous man nor he that is a worshipper of Images shall haue any inherytaunce in the kingdome of God and Christ And Marriage is honourable amongst all men and the bed vndefiled but as for fornycatours and adulterers God wyll iudge them Those that neglect the workes of charitie heare Depart from mee you cursed into eternall fyre which is prepared for the Deuil and for his Angels For I was hungerie and you fedde mee not I was thyrstie and you refreshed mee not I was a straunger and you lodged mee not I was naked and you cloathed mee not I was sicke and you visited mee not To be short we repeate and vrge earnestlye that of the holy Apostle VVee shall all appeare before the Tribunall seate of Christ that euerie one maie receiue as he hath done in his bodie either good or euill Moreouer we admonishe and call vppon euery vocation for the fruites and vertues appertayning to theyr estate The Prince and Magistrate heareth You carie nor the sworde in vaine for the Magistrate is Gods mynister to punishe the euyll and to cheerishe the good And Princes are not a terrour to those that doo well but to those that doo euyll The subiecte heareth There is no power but it is of God whosoeuer therefore resisteth power resisteth Gods ordynaunce and wee ought not to obeye for feare onelye but also for conscience And againe Paie trybute to whome trybute belongeth The Husbande heareth You Husbandes loue your wyues and bee not bytter vnto them and so men ought to loue their wyues as theyr owne boddies The Wyfe heareth You VVyues be subiecte to your husbandes as vnto the Lorde because the Man is the vvomans headde and as the Churche is subiecte to Christ so ought vviues to bee subiect to their husbandes in all thinges The Parentes heareth Prouoke not your Chyldren to wrath but bringe them vppe in the dyscipline of the Lord. Chyldren heare Obeye your Parents in the Lorde The Seruauntes heare Obeye those that are your Maisters according to the fleshe vvith feare and tremblinge vvith symplycitie of your hartes as it vvere to Christe And Maisters heare You Maisters vse your seruaunts with curtesie and gentlenesse knowing that you haue a Maister in heauen The Preacher readeth Feede the flocke of Christe as muche as in you lyeth not takynge care thereof by coaction but vvyllynglye not desyrous of fylthie lucre but vvith a readye minde The Publycane heareth Requyre no more then that vvhiche is appoynted for you The Souldyour heareth Stryke no manne neyther speake euyll of any man but bee content vvith your stypendes These and many sutche textes of the same sorte wée repeate and inculcate moste earnestlye and with all our dilligence exhort the people to vertue and godlynesse whiche doo playnelye proue and argue that wée are free from those crymes which our aduersaryes moste vntruelye chardge vs with all There are some kynde of workes in déede that wée wryghte and speake againste because they can not bée accoumpted amongst the number of good workes and to the ende our dealinges herein may be more euident It shal not be from my purpose to dystinguyshe betwéene the diuerse orders of men bringing foorth good works and betwéene workes them selues whereby the processe of my matter wyll be more facill and easy and touching the persons workinge they maye bee reduced to thrée sortes Of the firste kynde are Myscreantes and vnbeléeuers not receyued in to Christs Church with any sacraments In whome the dignitye of naturall reason is not so dymly obscured but that most commonlye with great indeuour they conuert thinges externall honest and detest things dyshonest preferring with graue iudgement vertue to vyce as is most conuenyent Whereof the Apostle speaketh saying that the Gentils by nature doo those things whiche apperteyne vnto the lawe Wherefore albeit the workes of Heathen men are not to be compared wyth the good workes of faythfull men ingraffed in the Church of Christ yet for many causes and pryncipally for that without all controuersie all good gyfts and indewments euen in the Paynymes are Gods good gyfts they haue the tyttle and name of good workes in some respectes geuen vnto them Of the seconde sorte those are whoo haue receyued the Sacraments and are written as it wéere in the Regester booke of the Churche of God amongst whome there is also some dyfference for some are verye Atheysts and with theyr abhominable lyfe denye him in their déedes whome they confesse with theyr mouth and are in name onelye Christyans others are Hyppocrites making a shewe of good workes and couerynge the wyckednesse of theyr hartes wyth outwarde glosses not respecting Gods honor and glorye but that them selues maye bée séene and gloryfyed of men And fynally others doo good woorkes wyth a pure and syncéere harte procéedinge of fayth and feare of God hauing theyr eyes fyxed vppon Gods glorye and the profyte of theyr neighbour and in these the spyrite of God whiche they haue already receyued in Iustifycation and regeneration is fruitefull and effectuall Now let vs viewe these mennes workes that are in the fellowshippe and Communion of Christes church for of the workes of Infidels and Gentyles I wyl speake somewhat afterwarde Fyrst the Atheistes who thinke in theyr harte that there is no God doo loose the raygnes of lybertye to all fylthye luste and beastlye pleasure contempne all honest and godlye actions and with the Sicophants plainly grant VVee knowe no other God but our bellyes vnto vvhome vvee vvvll offer sacryfices Oxen Sheepe and all other delycious thinges Of the whiche Epecurysme the holye Prophete Dauid complayneth The foolyshe boddie hath sayde in his harte there is no God And afterwarde accuseth and bewayleth the pyttyfull corruption of humayne nature carying about daylye eyther ygnoraunce not knowing GOD or securytie neglectyng GOD or dystruste runnynge awaye from God of these mennes workes I shall not néede to speake any thing in this my exhortations to good workes séeing they bende them selues only to worke wickednesse Hyppochrites albeit nowe and then they shewe somme workes of mercye and pytie and obserue the commaundementes accordinge to the outwarde letter yet most commonly their whole studdye is occupyed about supersticious ceremonyes rytes and externall exercyses wherein they thinke that a Christyan mannes lyfe doeth chieflye consyst Of the which sorte are to goe in Pylgrimage barefooted hanging Iewelles vppon stockes and stones offering of incense and waxe Candles inuocation of Saintes and many other lyke toyes conioyned eyther with great impietye and Idolatrye or with great lyghtnesse
that his workes maye be manyfest that they are done by God. The Prophete Esaye also inspyred wyth Chrystes spyrite sayeth Lorde thou shalt geue vs peace for thou hast wrought all our workes Nowe although we hould that good workes procede from God as the fountayne and origyn yet he dooth not these thinges without vs but rather worketh by vs and in vs so that the works of God done by vs are also our owne workes For GOD doeth regenerate his elect and choosen seruauntes with his spirit and gyueth them fayth Then they being so regenerate lyke Gods obedyent chyldren doo yeelde and apply them selues to please him with a holye lyfe and conuersation And the holy spirit which is in them is effectuall styrring vp theyr power and wyll to all good workes in all partes and course of their lyfe Fayth also wherby mens harts are purified is not idle and sluggyshe but doth her part and is a vigelent and diligent kéepers of integrity of mynde and vertuous conuersation throughout all their life And doth as it were put them in mynd that they being once purifyed in the bloud of Christ through the holy ghost shoulde kéepe them selues vnspotted in the fylthye world from all pollution of the fleshe neuer to abuse the gyfts of the body but to preserue the same as a vessel of honor â–ª The regenerate therfore watch work righteousnesse neyther do they make a small accoumpte of synne as wycked wordlyngs doo for they right well and déepely consider that God who sent hys sonne into this world to be a propiciation for synne and gaue him to death euen the death of the Crosse dooth both hate synne as a thing abhominable and also loue Iustyce and purity of lyfe And for that cause they also hate synne and loue righteousnesse detest impiety and imbrace pyty and so studie to practyse the same all the dayes of theyr lyfe But in this labour and endeuour of the chyldren of God there are manye lets and hinderances and holy men are afflicted as it were with a gréeuous and dayly battell which is neuer ended before the daye of death for that deadly and crafty enuy of ours Satan the Deuyll rusheth vppon vs with greate vehemency and vndermyneth vs with a thousand temptations And he is assysted with many mightye confederats For our owne flesh is slowe and dull to all goodnesse and prone to all viciousnesse The flattering and disceytfull worlde also vrgeth vs mightely with company pleasures honours which are most vayne There are also many wordlings who with their pernicious examples do cary the simple sort into distruction What should I saye of feare and hope which do excéeding exercyse and afflyct the mynds of the regenerate in such sort that onlesse Gods spirit dyd euery hower assyst them and confirme theyr fayth they coulde doo no good worke at all Against these and all other temptations that disciple so dearly beloued of Christ doo comfort vs saying This is the loue of God that we should keepe his precepts and his commaundements are not heauy For euery one that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde And this is the victory that ouercommeth the worlde euen your faith VVho is he that ouercommeth the world but he that beleeueth that Iesus is the sonne of God And S. Paul If his spirit that raysed vp Iesus Chirste from the dead dwell in you He that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodyes by the power of his spirite dwelling in you By the whiche word all faythfull men maye easely gather the carke and care with Gods spirit dwellyng in the harts of the faythfull taketh that Iustice may ouercome and Iniustice be vanquyshed And Christ our sauiour promyseth that he wyll power his spirit most plentyfully vpon vs and dooth also commaund vs to aske the same of him with ardent and continuall prayers The faythfull therefore and suche as are regenerate by Gods spirit contynue in prayers without intermyssion They kéepe theyr bodyes in subiection with moderate fasting and abstinency that theyr prayer maye be more zealouse For prayer and fasting are as it weare preparatyues to good workes Nowe as these impedimentes aboue specefyed doo hinder men from doing of good workes euen so there are manye things which further and helpe vs toward the practyse of the same amongst the which is especially Gods spirit then a true and perfyt fayth and afterwarde continuall and earnest prayers Whervnto we may adde the sincéere doctryne of all fymes and ages aswell vnder the ould as new testament And moreouer the innumerable examples of the seruaunts of God and of Christ the Lord and sauiour of the whole worlde who amongst other things sayth I haue geuen an exaÌ„ple vnto you that as I haue done so should you do Besydes these thinges the very filthinesse of vices terrefying vs from synne and the prayse fayre beautye of vertue inuiting vs to the studdy of pyty The wrath of God also and the seuerity of his Iudgments the fearefull threates of payne and torments aswell temporall as eternal wyl plucke vs from vices On the other side the fauour of God the mercyfull countenaunce of that eternall Iudge his bountifull promyses and hope of blessings aswell temporall as eternall wyl encorrage vs to pursue and practyse vertue For the faythfull wyll not bee ingrat for Gods innumerable benefits neither wyl they offend their brethren with their filthy liues for whom the lord Iesus suffred such greâ—ous pains torments These and such other like consideratious doo both staye men from vice and further them to vertue But the godly vse a choyse and discretion in doing workes as I haue once or twyse alreadie spoken accoumpting of those onely that are appoynted by God Wherin that elect vessel S. Paul geueth vs a good lesson writing to the Ephesians VVee are created in Iesus Christ to doo those workes vvhich he hath prepared for vs to vvalke in Fyrst he affyrmeth notably with great weyght of words that we were created in Christe Iesus to doo good workes We answere not then our ende if we rotte and putryfie euyll and fylthie sinne and returne not to God by true fayth and hartie repentaunce And confesse wee drawe our lyuelye moysture from him wâ—e can neuer bring forth any good fruite for so Christ him selfe beareth wytnesse The Apostle therefore speaketh with great weyght and effycacie in that he sayth that we were created in Christ Iesus to doo good works Then lest we should be ignoraunt what good works the Apostle would haue he addeth VVhich he hath prepared vs to walke in What be those which he hath prepared for vs to walke in but those which he hath reuealed vnto vs in the holy lawe of his commaundementes And therefore our sauiour Christe demaunded in the gospell by a certaine man VVhat shall I do to possesse eternall life and what is the greatest commaundement in the Lawe He
death I quoth he begot the not to serue Catilinae but thy countrey Euen so God hath regenerated vs from sinne not that we should henceforth come in to the same agayne but that we should dye to synne and lyue to righteousnesse Let vs then in euery of our vocations reioyce in that fayth whiche worketh through loue let our faith as S. Iames saythe Be made perfect with works For as the bodie without the spyrite is dead euē so faith without works is dead In that he would haue vs to make perfyt our fayth by workes he meaneth as Saynt Augustine and Aquias expound it that we should declare our selues to the world to be Iustified by our works and by the fruits to testifye abrode that we haue a liuely fayth For although we are iustified before God fréely without works eyther going before or comming after through and for the meryts of Iesus Christ only our mediatour which we apprehend by fayth yet the immutable wyll of our God is that all iustifyed men should walke in a newe obedyence doing those workes that are acceptable to God beutifying their profession wyth a vertuous conuersation But because in these latter dayes charity waxeth colde and iniquity euery where aboundeth those preachers and wryters cannot choose but lightlye please God and good men that presse the world to weare their badges and to shewe forth as it were their pasport in this theyr peregrination in eschewing vyce and following vertue albeit neyther merit nor Iustification nor saluation came thereby For as Saint Paule writeth these are the dayes which are perelous and men loue them selues Hauing a shewe of godlynes but haue denyed the power thereof wherefore to the ende that the effectuall causes may be knowen which may styrre men to pittye vertue and innocencye of lyfe I haue thought good to comprehend in this Treaty the duetyes of euery vocation and callyng and as vertues which as ornaments precious stones do bewtefye and garnyshe the same But before I come pertyculerly to euerye estate and condition I iudge it most conuenyent to put downe in fewe words the causes and commodyties of good workes so mouch the rather For that I sayd before that works do not deserue neyther meryt Iustifycation nor saluation whereby my readers may happely be discorraged from that wherevnto I bende all my studdy to moue and inflame them or at the least to leaue occasion to the Papistes to crye out with open mouthes that our doctryne is a doctryne of lycencyousnes and liberty What wée teache and thinke of good works those Homelies written in our Englishe tounge of Saluation Faith and workes by that lyght and Martyr of Christes churche Cranmer Archebyshoppe of Canturburie doo playne testifye and declare which are buylt vpon so sure a foundation that no Sycophant can deface them nor Sophyster confute them whyle the worlde shall endure vnto whome I remytte the Reader desyrous of an absolute dyscourse in this matter As for the reprochfull spéeches of the Papistes who crye out and saye that the Position Onelie faith iustifyeth is impious blasphemous and new neuer vsed of any Euangelist Apostle or Doctour of Christes churche and verye pernicious because it excludeth good workes and mynistreth occasion to lycense and lybertye all this I saye I myght aunswere in one worde as Cicero sayde Pro Cluentio magunm et impudens mendacum They are impudent sclaunders and vntruthes For my purpose at this tyme is rather to instructe then to conuince yet I wyll shortly put downe what all godlye men thinke in this matter And fyrst where as many take offence with this proposition which wée preache and teache That men are iustified by faith onelie in Christe It is because they doo not vnderstande our doctrine in that behalfe For we meane nothing lesse then to reiecte or take awaye good workes and honest actions but wée onelye exclude confidence and trust in mennes workes which haue no place at all in iustyfication And that dignitie is ascrybed to fayth because it is as it were an instrument to apprehende Christe and is much lyke a Coundyte pype whereby as by a meane the water of lyfe that is iustice in Christe is conueyghed and communycated vnto vs by whose merytes we haue remyssion and forgeuenesse of synnes and are adopted and made the chyldren of god Fayth by her owne dignytie and worthynesse doeth not demeryte Iustice and righteousnesse but receyueth and embraceth the same offered vnto vs in the gospell So that in the free mercie of GOD and merytes of Christ who in sheedding of his precious blood hath made satysfaction for the sinnes of the whole worlde wée ought to repose all our trust and confidence But our aduersaryes obiecte saying if you doo not exclude the promyses why doo you saye that fayth onelie iustifyeth and they adde Let fayth iustifye in Gods name so that you saye not fayth onelie iustifyeth Wherevnto wée aunswere That wée speake after the vsuall manner without deuyse of newe tearmes and Phrases following the aucthorytye of the brightest lyght that haue since Christes tyme shyned in the Church For the words of Christ our Master and of his Apostles carye the same with great efficacye and force in sence albeit in forme of wordes and stampe of letter they haue it not Christ him selfe speaking to the sinfull woman sayth Thy faith hath saued thee go in peace And to Iayrius the rular of the Synagogue Feare not beleeue onely and she shal be made whole And to the blinde man Receyue thy sight thy faith hath saued thee And Saint Paule Where is the reioysing it is excluded by what lawe of workes Naye but by the lawe of Fayth Therefore we conclude that a man is iustified by Fayth without the vvorkes of the Lawe And againe wée know that a man is not iustifyed by the vvorkes of the Lawe but by the Faith of Iesus Christ And againe by Grace are ye saued through Faith and that not of your selues it is the gyft of God not of vvorkes least any man should boast Besides this that phrase is vsuall and common in the works of auncient wryters For we finde in Origene He saith vnto the vvoman by no vvorkes of the lawe but by faith onely thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And Saint Hierome God iustifyeth vs by faith onely And Saint Ambrose All ceremonies are taken awaie and we are iustified by faith onely And againe Grace is so geuen in Christ Iesus that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde be saued without workes receiuing remission of sinnes by faith onelie And Theodoretus Neither haue we gotten these heauenly blessinges by our owne merites but by faith onely And Giselbertus VVhat should we coniecture of their saluation that dyed before the eyghteenth daye we must beleeue that they were saued by faith only And Saint Barnarde I confesse my selfe eyther to vnderstand a right or
wandereth in Ignoraunce and darknesse and can do no true and sinceere vertue but happelye nowe and then some vayne maske and shewe of vertue and thus much of the works of Paynyms and Infydels Thirdly and lastly those good works are to be consydered which are done of those who from the bottome of theyr harts embrace true holynesse and righteousnesse And it were requisite if a man woulde prosecute euery thing exactly dyligently to consider the signifycation of the word VVorkes but because that matter in Englysh would rather séeme to be vaine ostentation then serue to edification I wyl omit the same for this tyme and wyth some description open the meaning or signification of good workes Good workes are actions which are don of men regenerat by the ayde of Gods spirit through fayth according to the rule of Gods worde hauing their respectes as chéefe vses and endes to wyt The honor and glory of God the ornament and honestie of our lyues and the profite and commodity of our neighboures I wil open euery part of this discription largelye after I haue shewed howe earnestly almighty God in his word requireth of his seruants good works which are established and not reiectted by fayth Fyrst therefore al sincéere and faythfull professors of the gospell ought most certainly to perswade them selues that they are adopted fréely by God and alreadie iustifyed through Christ by faith and regenerate and sanctifyed by Gods spyrite that they might in worde and deede expresse and somewhat resemble the nature and disposition of their heauenly Father and therewithall declared vnto the worlde by theyr workes that they are the sonnes of god For that cause I haue againe againe repeted before that a Christian faith ought to be garnished with al kind of good works And therfore as the Apostle S. Paul after that propositiō VVe gather therfore that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe In the waye of questioning sayth VVe make the Lawe therefore in vaine through faith He answereth by by God forbid Naie we establishe the Lawe Euen so I presently affirme that we do not now a daies dissolue good workes by the doctrine of faith Iustifiynge but we rather establishe the same For without faith there can be no good works and faith cannot be vnfruitfull or ydle in those that are iustified Moreouer almighty God him selfe requyreth of his seruants the good works of a true fayth and greeuously accuseth cōdemneth by the Prophets Apostles those that are neglygent and slouthfull Moyses sayth in the Lawe And nowe Israell what doth the Lorde thy God require of thee but that thou should feare thy God and walke in his waies and loue him and serue the Lord thy God with al thy hart and with al thy soule and keepe the commaundementes of the Lord and his ceremonies which I commaund thee that it maie bee well with thee What should I speake of that that the Law of God is geuen from heauen that it may shew vnto them theyr infirmitie and offences their natural corruption and iust condemnation and so leadeth vs as it were by the hande from trust and confidence in our selues to depende vppon Christ And yet that is but one scope or vse of the Law which was geuen to the ende that it might be a rule of mans life exhybiting a perfyte dyscipline to those that are iustifyed by fayth So sayth the Prophete in the booke of Psalmes Blessed is that man whome thou O Lorde instructest in thy lawe And againe Hee hath geuen a testimony vnto Iacob and a lawe vnto Israell that the posteritye maie knowe and put their trust in God and not forget the workes of God but keepe his commaundements The Prophetes euery where teache a true fayth in God his sonne Christe and also call for good workes of the true worshyppers of god Blessed is he sayth Ieremie that trusteth in the Lorde hee shall be like a tree planted by the waters whiche sendeth his moysture vnto the rootes and he shall not feare when sommer commeth And his leafe shall bee greene and he shall not be in daunger in the tyme of drought neyther shall he ceasse to bring forth fruicte Which worde he translated no doubte out of the first Psalme And in Esai the Prophet mencion is made of a Vineyarde that was planted to bring forth fruicte And Iohn Baptist the foreronner of the Lord appoynted dyscipline and order of lyfe to those that asked of him what they shoulde doo and amongst other thinges he spake thus to the Pharisees and Saduces Yee generacion of vipers who hath taught you to flye from the vengeaunce to come bring forth the fruites of repentaunce And Zacharie his father songe and sayde before That vve being vvithout feare and delyuered out of the handes of our enemies might serue him in holynes and righteousnes all the daies of our lyfe Our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ in that his Sermon made vnto his Disciples in the Moūtaine exhorteth them in them all the faithfull to good works but especiallye in the ende concluding with these wordes Not euerie one that sayth vnto mee Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdom of heauen but he that doth the vvyll of my Father vvho is in heauen And immediatly after he subioyneth two Parables of one that buylt his house vpon a fyrme Rock and of him that layd his foundation vpon the sande The hearers and doers of the worde of God are lyke vnto them the hearers only resembled vnto the others And when a woman cryed out saying Blessed is the vvombe that bare thee and the paps that gaue thee sucke Our sauiour answered But blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it And euen the lyke answere he gaue vnto the Iewes bosting that they were Abrahams sonnes If ye vvere Abrahams children ye vvould doo the vvorkes of Abraham you are of your father the Deuyll and fulfyll the desires of your father And againe I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman hee cutteth off euerie braunche that doth not bring foorth fruite in mee and euerie one that bringeth forth fruite he purgeth that he maye bring forth fruite more plentifully In lyke manner the holy Apostles commending the doctrine of theyr Maister to all Nations doo most earnestlye call for good workes As obedient chyldren not fashioning your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignoraunce But as he vvhich called you is holy euen so be yee holie also in all manner of conuersation And if so bee that yee call on the Father vvhich vvithout respecte of personne iudgeth according to euerie mannes vvorke see that yee passe the tyme of your dwelling heere in his feare For asmuch as you knowe howe that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as syluer and golde from your vaine conuersation which ye receiued by the tradition of your Fathers But
with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot And in his latter Epistle after the rehearsall of certayne vertues he addeth For if these thinges be among you and be plenteous they wyl make you that ye neither shall be idle nor vnfruictefull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ But hee that lacketh these thinges is blinde and can not see farre of and hath forgotten that hee was purged from his olde sinnes VVherefore brethren geue the more dilligence for to make your calling and election sure for if ye do such thinges ye shall neuer fall Saint Paule in lyke manner wryting to the Thessalonians sayeth VVee beseeche you brethren and exhorte you by the Lord Iesus that ye increase more and more as ye haue receiued of vs how you ought to walke and please god For you knowe what commaundements wee gaue you by the Lord Iesus For this is the wyll of God your holinesse that yee shoulde abstaine from fornication That euerie one of you shoulde knowe howe to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour c. And in his Epistle to Timothie This sure foundation of God endureth hauing this signe the Lorde knoweth who are his and let euerie man that calleth vpon the name of the Lorde depart from iniquitie If a man therefore purge him selfe from these thinges hee shal be a vessel sanctified to honor applied to the vse of the Lorde and prepared to all good workes But speaking of the hyppocrits he sayth thus They professe that they know God but in their deedes they deny him being abominable disobedieÌ„t and reprobate to al good works The blessed Apostle and Euangelyste sayth thus If we saie we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknesse wee lye and doo not the trueth And if wee walke in the light as he is in the light wee haue mutuall fellowship with him And S. Iames Be you doers of the word and not hearers onely deceyuing your selues For if a man heare the worde and expresse not the same in his deedes he is lyke a man that beholdeth his face in a glasse For beholding him selfe he goeth his waye and forgetteth his similitude Iudas also the brother of Iames Apostle of Christ is very angry with those that abuse the grace of our God to waÌ„tonnes and sayth That such haue already manifestlie denyed God and his sonne Christ This doctrine of good workes I haue specifyed and collected out of the holy Prophetes and Apostles Least some myght report of vs that we are very copious in the doctrine of Iustification by faith But bare and barren in the other part of ChristiaÌ„ doctrine coÌ„cerning good workes principally least Sicophantes myght cauell that we are despysers and enemyes to good workes The Apostles of Christ the Lord and namely S. Paule the doctour of the Gentyles and vessell of election haue notablye set out Gods grace And very often inculcate that men are iustified before God by faith not by the law by grace not by works and yet notwithstaÌ„ding they vrge most ernestly the works of faith Ye were somtime darknesse but now are you light in the Lord vvalke as children of light For the fruite of the spirite is in all goodnes righteousnes and truth approuing that vvhich is acceptable vnto the lord And haue no fellowship vvith the vnfruitfull vvorks of darknes but rather rebuke theÌ„ And as the preaching of Gods grace is nowe a dayes obiected vnto vs as a reproch euen so was it in the tyme of Paul the Apostle when many obiected sayd that the Apostles taught men to do euyl the good might come thereof There were moreouer Hippocrits false gospellers who abused the preaching of grace faith Christian lyberty to satisfy their carnall lustes yet the Apostles continued most constaÌ„tly and earnestly in teaching that doctrine neyther dyd they inhybite the doctrine of iustifycation because the some men had no regarde of good workes But they sharply rebuked such and admonished the faythfull to beware of such peruerse lybertie In consideration whereof S. Peter is thought to haue vttered these words And suppose that the long suffering of the Lord is saluation euen as our dearelie beloued brother Paule also according vnto the wisedome geuen vnto him hath written vnto you speaking of suche thinges amongst which are many things harde to vnderstande which they that are vnlearned and vnstable peruert as they doo also the other scriptures vnto their owne destruction Ye therefore beloued seeing ye be warned aforehand beware least ye also being ledde awaie with the error of the wicked fall from your owne stedfastnesse And the same Apostle in another place For so it is the wyll of God that with well doing ye maie stoppe the ignoraunce of foolishe men As free and not as hauing the libertie for a cloake of naughtinesse but euen as the seruauntes of God. Herevnto agréeth the saying of Saint Paule Brethren ye haue bene called into libertie onelie let not libertie bee an occasion vnto the flesh but by loue serue one another And almost the lyke was vttered before of our Sauiour Christe Verelie verelie I saie vnto you that whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne And the seruaunt abideth not in the house for euer but the sonne abydeth for euer If the sonne therefore shall make you free then shall you bee free in deede Wherefore Chrystians who are made free in true Christian liberty are delyuered from the Deuyll synne condemnation that synne may not rule in their mortall bodies albeit the dregges and remnaunts of naturall corruption remayne in them neyther are they subiect to the sentence of eternall death albeit they deny corporally and to be short that they may not serue synne and Dyuell but Grace and Christ And hauing spoken thus much of the necessity of good workes It consequently followeth that I returning to the definition of good workes shoulde shewe what workes are allowed or disalowed in Christes Church And fyrst we do not deryue the same out of the decrâ—es of men but acknowledge God to be the fountayne and aucthour of the same For all men by nature are lyers corrupt and synfull and howe can that which is euill bring forth good therefore from God onely who alone is good all good workes do spring The blessed Apostle Saint Iames sayth Euerye good gift and any persyt gyft is from aboue descending from the Father of lights Saint Peter also writeth to the same ende The God of all grace who hath called you to his eternall glory through Iesus Christ strengh then and confirme you And Saint Paule It is God that worketh in you both the wyll and the deede Our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ sayth He that abydeth in mee and I in him the same shall bring foorth much frute And in another place Hee that doth truth commeth vnto the light
so mutch to make men learned as to make them vertuous how mutch more ought christian philosophie to proceed further not only to put into mens minds the knowledge of pietie and god lines but also sanctimonie holines it selfe Euery one therfore indued with a true faith ought to feele Christe so woorking in him by his holy spirit that he may say with the Apostle Nowe liue not I but Christ liueth in me And as the body endued with a liuing and reasonable soule receiueth feeleth and practiseth the actions therof so he that is ingraffed in Christe and is his member cannot chuse but be pertaker of his spirit vertue and holinesse VVhereupon tâ—e apostolike and cathoik faith nameth the bodie or societie of the church the Communion of Sainctes plainly importing therby that those men onely appertaine to tâ—at societie who meditate and study how they may liue well and labour with all their might that they may be that wherevnto the Apostle exhorteth the Thessalonians altogether sanctified Perfect in spirite and such as may bee blameles against the comming of our Lode Iesus Christ And al those that are otherwise affected and frame not their life to that ende and yet desire to be named Christians they dissente from them selues and with their life argue their tongue of vntrueth and falsehoodde Moreouer a mans profession is not so much to be weighed by his tongue and talke as by his deedes and life The Apostle speaketh of such Impastours saying That they professe them selfe to know God but vvith their deedes they denie him And that holie Martyr Saint Ciprian hath a fine saying â–ª That the testimony of a mans life is more effectuall then that of his tongue and that vvorkes haue after a sort their liuely speeche and eloquence albeit the tongue be silent and moue neuer a deale And hee that professeth with his mouth and walketh contrarie in his life maie right well be compared to an vnwise builder who layeth on morter with the one haÌ„d and pulleth down stones vvith the other of such kind of builders our Lord and Master Christ speaketh after this manner Therefore whosoeuer heareth my sayings and doth them I wyll lyken him vnto a vvise man who buylt his house vpon a rocke and the raine descended and the flooddes came and the vvindes blewe and beete vpon that house and it fell not because it vvas grounded vppon a rocke And euerie one that heareth of mee these sayinges and doeth them not shal be likened vnto a foolishe man vvhich built his house vppon the sande And the raine descended and the floods came and the vvinds blew and beate vpon that house and it fell and great vvas the fall of it c. Saint Augustine speaking against carnal and lypgospellers sayth thus In vaine doth he assume the name of Christ that follovveth not Christ To vvhat purpose is it if thou bee called that vvhich thou art not and to vsurpe a strange name But if thou delight in that name then do those thinges vvhich appertaine to Christianitie and then thou maist vvith good cause chalenge the name of a Christian Novve if vve viewe Christians after this rule if vve examine mens daily life and conuersation and trie the same vvith the touch stone of Gods commaundementes that number vvyll appeare smal and a true Christian vvil almoste be as rare as a blacke Swanne vpon the earth For neither the negligent and voluptuous Magistrate nor the idle Byshop nor the cruel husband nor the bytter vvyfe nor the careles Father nor the rebellious chylde nor the merciles master nor the vnfaithful seruant vvith many other of that sort can not by any meanes be rightly named Christians But those rather euen by the testimony of Christ him selfe are so to be called that heare his vvord and keepe it And although our saluation issueth froÌ„ Gods grace and goodnesse yet hee requireth at our handes trust and confidence in him a prompte and readie vvyl to obey his vvord dilligence industrie in our vocation praier and inuocatioÌ„ of his holie name accepting our imperfect disobedience and forgeuing our infirmities for his sonne Christes sake Al those that then desire to be true Christians ought to bee sorie for their sinnes to flie vnto Christe and to repose sure trust and confidence of saluation in the mercie of God through him to bring foorth vvorthy fruites of repentance and to leade a life agreeable to the Gospell For those that be true ChristiaÌ„s do alwaies vvrestle vvith vices and fight vvith concupiscence and lust they endeuour to bridle vvicked affections and coÌ„temning earthly thinges doo bende and fixe their mindes vpon heauenly thinges VVhereof Chrisostom vvriteth thus O Christian thou art too delicate a souldior if thou thinke to vanquish without battell and to triumphe vvithout fight vvherefore cal to minde thy condicion and that vvarrefare vvherein thou hast professed thy selfe a souldiour vvhich if thou do then shalt thou vvell perceaue that al those vvorthy vvightes vvhome thou doest so much esteeme and reuerence haue by fight and battell vanquished and triumphed c. And because true Christians cannot worthelte requite almighty God for his innumerable benefits neyther satisfie them selues in pietie tovvarde him yet they are carefull and endeuour to their vttermost neuer to aliuate Gods grace and fauour from them neyther to do that vvhich vvylbe displeasaunt vnto his maiestie But contrarivvise through the ayde of Gods spirit they labour to do those thinges vvhich are acceptable vnto him workinge their saluation with trembling and feare and frame all their actiods not so muche after the liking of humane reasons as after the prescript of Gods holy wyll and commaundement And because in actions no man can determine what is good vnles he first knovv vvhat is true and for that the same cannot be othervvise had then from the mouth of God in his vvord they turne ouer the holy Byble they studye the mo â–ª niments of the prophets and Apostles and meditate Gods lavve both daye and nighte VVherby Christians only come vnto the knowledge of the truth and vnderstanding of Gods vvyll vvhich to knovve is perfit vvisdome vvhich to do is true vertue and vvherein to contâ—nue is the onely and eternall felicitie Those then that knovv not the vvill of God as the Ethnicks in times paste and Turkes and Ievves novve a dayes cannot haue any sure and comfortable vvarrantise of their lyfe and learning For the Christians onely taught in Gods schoole knowe his wyll and in all their life rather respect the same then their owne wyll and reason and repute it to be the greatest vertue to please and obeie him and to followe his preceptes and commaundementes And if at any time through humane infirmitie and weaknesse they offende and slide awry by and by they desire pardon and forgeuenesse of God through Christe and apprehende by faith mercie promised in him and comforte them selues with a quiet
the Iewes and by the Apostles against the Gentyles So that we may easely thereby gather that the professours of God and true religion haue bene alwayes of two sortes Christians in tytle and name only and Christians in wordes and workes betwene whom there is no small or obscure difference For the former sort bend all their study and endeuors to chéerishe their carnall carkase and desire to excell others in honour wealth ryches power aucthority and dignitie neyther are they led with any feare of God to bridle and restraine theyr fylthie desyres and concupiscenses but in their whole lyfe doo runne headlong into all mischife and as the Apostle sayth Being yet aliue are dead in their sinnes and trespasses The second sort led with the holy spirite séeke God with all their harte and lyfting vp their soules to him couet heauenly thinges and contempne earthly thinges theyr chiefe care is not for ryches honour and worldly glorie but they put of the olde man and cloathe them selues with the newe man they dye to sinne and liue to righteousnes or at the least doo not suffer original sinne and corruption to rule in their mortall bodies Of this difference betwéene the carnall man and the spirituall or betwéen the false and faithfull Chrystian that auncient father Ireneus wryteth excellently whose wordes being somewhat prolixe and long I haue in some and effect gathered Those sayeth he that beare the earnest pledge of Gods spirite renouncing the fleshe and submytting themselues vnto the spirite are aptlie called by the Apostle spirituall But those that professe them selues beleeuers in God yet neuer meditate his worde nor cloath them selues with the workes of righteousnesse but lyke swyne and dogges geue ouer them selues to all sensuality and wickednesse are called of the Apostle carnall of the Prophetes beasts and in the lawe vncleane thinges and Christ himselfe pronounceth such men dead alreadie Let the dead sayth he burie the dead for they haue not Gods spirite quickening them We see then that false Christians and carnall gospellers haue bene alwayes from the begynning of Christes church And now a dayes all men bragge and boast of faith but fewe declare it in godly lyfe and conuersatiō All of vs would be named accoumpted Christians which very name shoulde stay vs from violating Gods holy lawe But fewe of vs frame our lyues after Christes example We confesse God in worde as the Apostle sayeth but in dèedes we denie him cause his name to be euyll spoken of amongst the Nations For howe can the Turkes be perswaded to thinke well of Christen religion when they beholde vs by commytting manifest Idolatry or how can they fauour our profession which we deface with our wicked and abhominable behauiour There is nothing that hath so greatly insenced and kindled the immortall mallyce and deadly fiende of the Saracens and Turkes against Christians as the presumptuous and manifest breaking of the seconde commaundement in making and worshypping of Idolles and dembe Images and in teaching the impanation of God and that Capernaticall opinion in deuowring of him Aristotle being verye godlesse in many thinges yet coulde he not abide that God shoulde be represented with any corporall lykenesse The Turkes and Saracens can not beare any Image in theyr Synagogs and as some wryte haue appoynted great punishment for the Caruers and makers of the same And euen so they haue detested that opinion of carnall and reall presence of Christe in the Sacrament and haue abhorred from peace and societie in relygion with the Christians for that also amongst other causes For as Cicero wryteth vvho is so wytlesse to beleeue that to be God which hee eateth And Auerrois because the Christians eate that God whome they worshippe my soule shall be with the Philosophers He conceyued by meanes of that grosse doctrine of Rome that the Lordes Supper was lyke Polyphemus banquette fooming with redde blood about mennes mouthes For so Nycolas the Bishoppe of Rome compelled Beringarius with blooddy vvordes to recant and confesse That rhe boddie of Christe is handeled and broken sensuallye and brused with the teeth Which wordes the glosse mysliketh and admonysheth the Reader to vnderstande the same warely least he fall into a greater error then Beringarius helde And as the Heathen haue myslyked our religion by reason of such grosse and absurde opinions so haue they bene more more alyenated from the same by reason of the dyssolute fylthy life of suche as desyred to bée accoumpted the principall chiefe amongst Christians And heere it is worthy to be noted what befell to Innocentius the fourth Byshop of Rome who by Embassadours moued the greate prince of Tartary named Batus to cease from the cruell persecution of Christians to acknowledge God the creatour of all things and to receyue Chrystian religion The Tartarian as as they saye when he had demissed the Byssops Embassadours sent his owne to Rome and other Citties of Italy to search the forme of their beléefe the maners conuersatiō of Christians Who at theyr returne brought him worde that they were an idle people wicked in lyfe and worshipped they knewe not what Images so much disagréeing from the doctrine they dyd professe that they appeared rather to be a flocking togeather of beasts then an assemble of men At which reporte the Tartarian straight waye receyued the Saracens who easely perswaded him to neclect Christ and to receyue in to his domynions the abhominable religion of Mahomite as a mystres of manners O great wickednesse and ingreatytude worthy destruction That which our sauiour Christ manaced vnto the Citties which contemned his dyuyne myracles wholsome doctrine and wold not repent shal fall vppon such prophaners of Gods name at the last daye It shal be more terrerable for Sodom and Gomorra at the day of Iudgement then for you O deare brethren let vs not with like thanks quite almightye God for his greate benefyts bestowed vppon vs in these our dayes as for the gladde tydings of our saluation so playnly and plentifull vttered by the restytution of his holy word Let vs remember that when wée laye drowned in our synnes and were not able to lift vp our selues God of his méere mercy saued vs in his sonne Iesus Christ And to bring the same to passe he gaue his only and most dearlye beloued sonne to the vyle and shamefull deathe of the crosse His goodnesse and fauour was so greate toward vs that he choose vs and predestinated vs to be inheritors of his eternall lyfe before the beginning of the world Let vs be moued wyth these his incomprehensible benefyts to lyue in this world honestly and godly For he hath not done these great thinges for vs that we shoulde styll wallowe and toumble in wickednesse When Aulus Fuluius had taken his owne sonne as he was running to the camp of rebellious Catilinae and commaunded him to be executed with
all strength according to the power of his glorie to all suffering and patience with hope And in another place Ye were once darknesse but nowe are you lyghte in the Lorde walke as chyldren of the light for the fruite of the spirite consisteth in al goodnesse iustice and trueth allowing that which is acceptable to God and haue you no fellowshippe with the vnfruitful workes of darknesse but rather rebuke them Therefore as the Apostle commaundeth the faithfull to walke worthy of theyr vocation and sheweth them also howe they maye doo the same euen so the godly alway doo those things which they are commaunded and dyrect theyr workes to this ende that they maye declare them selues to bée the chyldren of the lyght The chyldren of God also in their workes labour to profitte all men and to hurt none Let no man sayeth the Apostle seeke those thinges that bee his owne but that which is anothers as I in all thinges please all men not seeking my owne gaine but the profitte of many that they maie be saued And these workes of Godly men do excéedinglye please the Lorde our God but not of their owne dygnitie and worthynesse if ye weygh them in respect of men or in them selues but because they are done of those that are reconcyled to God in Christ by faith and new obedyence And if nowe and then through the corruption of our nature wée fall into sinne and wickednesse whereby we steyne and pollute the good workes yet God such is his goodnesse wynketh as it were at suche escapes couering our fylthinesse and spots with the garment of his Christ hee washeth and cleanseth the same with his most precious blood wherof the Apostle speaketh thus There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus who walke not after fleshe but after the spirite and who shall laye any thing against the electes charge It is God that iustifyeth who is he that wyll condempne c. And that these good workes of Christians are acceptable to God and please him it appeareth by that that God rewardeth and crowneth the same with great honors and rewardes both in this life and in the lyfe to come Obserue and heare sayeth the Lord all those thinges which I commaund thee that it maie be wel with thee and thy children after thee when thou shalt doo that thing which is good and acceptable in the sight of the Lord thy God. The Prophet also speaking beforehand of the Christians I wil bring them saith he into my holie moūtaine and I wyl cheare them in the house of praier their offeringes and oblations shall please mee vpon my aulter Whervnto the Apostle no doubte had respect saying I beseeche you brethren by the mercifulnes of God that you woulde offer your bodies a quick holie and acceptable sacrifice to God which is your reasonable seruing of God. And the promise made by God vnto Abraham in all the faithful in him is most comfortable in that he sayth He wyl be their defence plentiful reward And the Apostle sayth That godlynes hath promise both in this life and in the lyfe to come And againe The iuste iudgement of God shall be declared which wyll rewarde euerie man according to his deedes To them which by continewing in well doing seeke for glorie and honour and immortalytie But vnto them that are contritious and doo not obeye the trueth but obeye vnrighteousnesse shall come indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish vppon euerie soule of man that doth euyll Wherefore wée see it moste euydent that GOD hath prepared most plentyfull and lyberall rewardes aswell in this lyfe as in the lyfe to come to all those that hate synne and worke ryghteousnesse and the Apostle approoueth Gods Iustyce by the same whyles that hée sayeth God is not vniuste that hee vvyll forgette your vvorke These and many other such places of scripture do sufficiētly declare that God rewardeth the good works of godly men And yet it is not to bee inferred or collected that they maye truste to be iustified and saued thereby For the godly do freely and willingly confesse that theyr workes are rewarded of grace and not of theyr owne meryt especially for that they euer doo féele and perceyue that throughe humayne infyrmitye theyr workes are neuer so perfyt but that they haue néede of Gods mercy to mytigate the rigor of his Iustice and examining theyr good workes Therefore in consyderation of theyr hyre or reward the godly ertoll Gods grace and mercy who geueth to the vndeseruinges as though they had deserued and perceyuing imbecillytye and wickednesse in them selues are humbled in myndes and crye with the Prophet If thou O Lord marke our iniquities whoo is able to abide it Almightye Gods dooing in this and many other matters maye bée resembled to carnall parentes who hauing sonnes to be theyr heires by lawe of nature and byrthright yet they inflame and kyndle dertue setting before their eyes gyfts and rewards Whose gracious vertuous children acknowledge themselues to owe al euen of duty to their Parents without rewards and therefore they referre all such benefyts and rewardes to the meere bounty and lyberalytye of their Parents They looke not for hyre and rewardes as seruaunts and hirelings but onely for the fauor and loue of their heauenly father And as the sonnes of the frée woman and not the sonnes of the bondwoman are heyres euen so the kingdom of God is not the stipend of seruauntes but the rewarde and heritage of children To conclude this matter of meryt and reward the mercifull and gratious Lord rewardeth his louing chyldren for their good workes not for the perfection and dignity of the sayd workes but because the doers of those good workes are sōnes and chyldren They are made sonnes heyres by adoption in Christ therefore their workes are acceptable to God not in respecte of them selues but for Christes sake in whom they are ingraffed and of whose moysture as it were of heauenly dew they are partakers so that all their rewards are of necessity referred to the grace and mercy of god And although we graunt renumeration and rewarde of good workes yet meryts or Desertes cannot be inferred thereof that by our workes wee are able to procure eternall lyfe For the scripture seemeth of purpose in all places to auoyde the word merit The stypend of sinne is death but eternall lyfe is the gift of God through Iesus Christ and therefore Sainte Augustine wryt very excellently VVilt thou fall from grace then boast thy owne merites And agayne VVhen a man seeth that all his goodnesse commeth not of him selfe but of God he easely acknowledgeth all that which is prayseworthy in him not to be of his owne merites but of the mercy of God. Neyther yet is the earnest and ardent desire of working righteousnesse extinguyshed and quenched by this doctrine as our aduersaries slanderously lay vnto
weepe with them that weepe Being of lyke affection one towardes another being not highe minded but making your selues equall to them of the lower sorte Be not wyse in your owne opinions Recompence to no man euill for euill prouiding aforehand things honest not onlie before God but also in the sight of men If it be possible as much as lyeth in you lyue peaceablie with all men Dearelie beloued auenge not your selues but rather geue place vnto wrath For it is written vengeance is mine and I wyll reward sayth the Lorde Therefore if thine enemie hunger feede him if he be thirstie geue him drinke for in so doing thou shalt heape coales of fire on his head Be not ouercome of euill but ouercome euill with good Howe many notable and excellent vertues hath the Apostle couched in this place as charytie brotherly loue patience perceauerance in prayer benefycense hospytalytie méekenesse or gentlenesse modestie desire of peace and concorde pittie and clemencie with many other of that sort Herevnto you maye adde those things that followe in the next Chapter Owe nothing to no man but to loue one another for he that loueth another hath fulfilled the lawe For this Thou shalt not commit adulterie thou shalt not kyll thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false wytnesse thou shalt not luste and if there be any other commandement it is in few words comprehended namelie thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Charitie worketh not euill to his neighbour therfore the fulfilling of the lawe is Charitie In this texte all the commaundementes of the lawe are referred to the loue of our Neyghbour to wyt in that part that the lawe was geuen to restraine iniuries respecting cyuile societie and fellowshyp of men namely that no man shoulde be so bolde to endammage his neighbour in his body fame goodes or any other waye that might redounde to his annoyaunce For he that loueth another from the bottome of his harte is so farre from doing iniurie and wrong that he wyll endeuor with all his might to be profitable to his neyghbour And whereas we are commaunded to loue our neyghbour euen as our selues in this one worde not onely syncéere loue is dyscerned from hypocrisie but also all dueties of Charitie are epacted and requyred The same Apostle wryteth also to the Galathians in this wyse VValke in the spirite I saie and ye shall not fulfill the lustes of the fleshe for the flesh lusteth contrary to the spirit and the spirite contrary to the flesh these are contrarie one to the other so that ye can not doo that which you would The deedes of the flesh are manifest which are these adulterie fornication vncleannes wantonnes vvorshypping of Images witchcraft hatred variaunce emulations wrath stryfe seditions sectes enuyinges murders dronkennes gluttonie and such lyke of the which I tell you as I haue told you in times past that eueÌ„ they which do such things shal not inheryt the kingdom of god But the fruite of the spirit is loue ioy peace long suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes temperancie against such there is no law They truely that are Christes haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lustes If we lyue in the spirit let vs also walke in the spirit Let vs not be desirous of vainglorie prouoking one another enuying one another The wordes of the Apostle are plaine inough and neede not any exposition And his counsel is in sense the very same which he geueth to y Romanes That we should tame the flesh and earnestly resist carnal affections If you liue after the fleshe sayeth he you shall dye but if through the spirite you mortifie the deedes of the flesh you shall liue For those that are led with the spirit of God those are the soÌ„nes of God. And in y same Epistle For I delght in the lawe of God after the inner maÌ„ but I see another law in mâ— members rebelling against the law of â—â— mind and subduing me to the law of syn which is in my meÌ„bers And the same Author to the Ephesians I therfore as a prisoner in the Lord exhort you that you vvalk vvorthy of the vocation vvhervvith you are called vvith al lowlines and meekenes vvith long suffering forbearing one another in loue Endeuoring to keepe the vnity of the spirit in the boÌ„d of peace And a litle after This I say therfore testifie in the Lord that ye walk not henceforth as other Gentiles walke in vanities of their mind Darkned in cogitation being alienated from the life of God by the ignorance which is in them through the blindnes of their harts VVho being past feeling haue geuen themselues ouer vnto wantoÌ„nes to work al vncleannes with greedines But ye haue not so lerned of Christ If so be that you haue heard him haue bene taught in him as the trueth is in Iesus To laye downe according to the former conuersation the olde man which is corrupte according to the lustes of error To be renued in the spirite of your mind And to put on the new man which after God is shapen in righteousnes and holynes of trueth VVherefore putting away lying speake euerie man trueth â—nto his neighbour for asmuch as we are members one of another Be ye angrie and sinne not Let not the Sun go downe vpon your wrath Neither geue place to the Deuyll Let him that stoole steale no more but let him rather labour working with his handes the thing which is good that hee maie geue vnto him which needeth Let no filthie communication proceede out of your mouthes but that which is good to edifie with all as ofte as neede is that it maie minister grace vnto the hearers And greeue not the holie spirite of God by whome ye are sealed vnto the daie of redemption Let all bitternes and fiercenes and wrath and crying and euill speaking be put awaie from you with all naughtinesse Be ye curteous one to another mercifull forgeuing one another euen as God for Christes sake hath forgeuen you To the same purpose tende those wordes of his in the next Chapter Be you therfore followers of God as deare childreÌ„ and walke you in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath geuen him self for vs an offring and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling fauor to god But fornication al vncleanes let it not be once named amongst you as it becoÌ„meth Saints Neitheir fylthines neither foolishe talking neither iesting which are not comely but rather geuing of thanks For this you know that no whoremonger neither vncleane person nor couetous person which is a worshipper of Images hath any inheritaunce in the kingdome of Christ and god Let no man deceaue you with vaine wordes for because of such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience Be ye not therfore companions of them For ye were sometime darknes but no we are you light in the Lord vvalk as childreÌ„ of light For the fruite
of the spirite in all goodnes and righteousnes and trueth approuing what is acceptable vnto the Lorde And haue no fellowship with the vnfruictfull works of darknes but rather rebuke them for it is a shame euen to name those things which are done in secreet Herein may we easely perceaue what difference there is between diuine Philosophical precepts touching manners For wheresoeuer the scripture exhorteth men to good workes it adioyneth by and by some thing out of the fyrst Table of the tenne commaundementes as for example of the feare of God offayth of charitie of obedience towarde God of his promyses and threats of Christes benefittes towarde his seruaunts and of his punishmentes toward the obstinate and rebellyous Whiche thing prophane wryters doo not touche when they intreate of cyuile dueties They speake not a worde in theyr preceptes of the wyll of God of the worshipping of God neyther of fayth which is the mother of all Christian vertues Neyther too they teache men to doo well for Gods honour and glorie which thing is chieflye inculcate in the Scriptures neyther doo they referre all thinges to one God neyther make him the ende of theyr actions neyther yet doo they looke for rewardes at his hande So that briefly and by these fewe wordes wée maye sée an apparent dyfference betweene the Phylosophicall and Apostolycall preceptes concerninge vertue The same Apostle wryteth also to the Collossians saying Mortifie therefore your members which are vppon earth fornication vncleannesse inordynate affection euyll concupiscence and couetousnesse vvhiche is vvorshypping of Images For vvhich thinges sake the vvrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience In vvhiche you also vvalked sometyme vvhen yee lyued in them But nowe put ye of also all vvrath fiercenesse malyciousnesse blasphemie fylthie communication out of your mouth Lye not one to another seeing that ye haue put of the olde man vvith his vvorke And haue put on the new man vvhich is renewed into knowledge after the image of him that made him VVhere is neyther Greeke nor Iewe Circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Sythian bonde free but Christe is all and in all Put on therefore as the electe of GOD holie and beloued bowelles of mercye kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenes long sufferinge Forbearinge one another and forgeuing one another if any man haue a quarrell against any euen as Christ forgaue you euen so doo yee And aboue all thinges put on charitie which is the bonde of perfectnes And let the peace of God haue the victorie in your harts to the which also we are called in one bodie and see that ye be thankfull That which the Apostle nameth vnto the Romaines The mortifying of the body through the spirite he doth explaine saying that it is no other thing then to maister the lustes of the fleshe whereof he rehearseth dyuerse sortes and else where he calleth them the workes of the flesh with whom we ought to contend wrestle in such sort that syn maye not rule in our mortall bodies that we should not geue ouer our members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse to sinne but that we should yéelde our selues to God our members armor of righteousnesse The same Apostle contynuing his exhortation addeth Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your owne selues in psalmes in hymnes and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hartes vnto the Lorde And whatsoeuer you doo in word or deede doo all in the name of the Lord Iesus geuing thankes to God and the father by him And to the Thessalonians VVe beseeche you brethren and exhort you by the Lorde Iesus that ye increase more and more as ye haue receaued of vs for ye know what commaundements wee gaue you in the Lord Iesus For this is the wyll of God euen your holines that you should abstaine from fornication that euerie one of you should knowe howe to keepe his vessel in holines and honor Not in the lustes of concupiscence euen as the Gentyles which know not god That no man oppresse and defraude his brother in any matter because that the Lorde is the auenger of all such as we also haue forwarned you and testified For God hath not called vs vnto vncleannes but vnto holynes And to Titus he writeth thus For there hath appeared the grace of God which is healthfull to all men Teaching vs that denying vngodlynes and worldly lustes we should liue soberly and righteouslie and godly in this present worlde Looking for that blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God our sauiour Iesus Christ VVhich gaue him selfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all vnrighteousnesse and purge vs a peculyar people to him selfe zelous of good workes These thinges speake and exhort and rebuke with all aucthoritie c. In these few words the Apostle declareth very plainly what maner of life a Christian man ought to lead expressing the chéefe principal vertues both toward God and man first he would haue vs lyue soberly that is to say honestly shamfastly chastly temperatly frugally not vncomly not wātonly not immodestly not incontinētlye wherein he exhorteth vs to subdue vanquysh all kind of concupiscences and lusts to withdraw as it were our mynd from the society contagion of the body Secondaryly he willeth vs to lyue Iustly with our neighbor y is innocently gently meekely not to couet any mans goods not to be iniurious to any man but to render vnto euery man his own to profit whom we can to conclude as we would wyshe that other mē should deale with vs let vs euen so deale with them that which we would not haue others to offer vnto vs let vs not offer to doo vnto any Thirdly he calleth on vs to lyue godly and religiously toward God that is in the true knowledge of God in worshipping seruing of God accordinge to hys wyll in geuing him thanks for his benefyts in following vertues and in fléeing of vyces in dyeting all our words and works to his honor glorye For this is true pittye godlynesse Two things there are which are needfull for vs to regard in the execution of these things the one hindering the other helping vs in doing of honest actions and vertues One which especiallye hindereth is wycked and vngodly companye from the whiche we ought to sequester our selfe and to kéepe company with those that be good And as one doth admonishe vs to be conuersaunt eyther with those whome we may amend or who may amend vs Neither ought any mā to think that good custome and companye are in smal moment to practise vertue For as with the felowship of euil mē we are infected as it were with some contagiō euen so with the daylye conuersation of those that feare God we are reformed amēded If our desyre then be to lyue well let vs haunt frequent honest and godly mens company wherevnto we are
the Fathers and prophets were inspired which is to be had onely out of the holye scripture and to bee vnderstoode by the ayde of Gods spiryt wherein the saluation of mankinde is conteyned They knewe nothing of God as he reueled him selfe in his word euen from the beginning then the which benefyte none can come or bee more wyshed of mankinde These cheefe and princypall vertues then the true knowledg of God loue feare and reuerence of God togeather with perfyt trust and confydence in God calling vppon him in distresse and necessity was wanting vnto them Besydes this they knewe nothing of originall synne and naturall corruption they knewe nothing of the cause of synne nothing of mannes mysserie nothing of true and effectuall consolations eyther against calamityes or against death it selfe They knewe nothing of the redemption of mankynd by Christe nothing of the tyranny of the Deuyll nothing of the reparration of Gods Image name nothing of the olde man in Adam and newe man in Christe They knewe nothing of the resurrection of the dead nothing of the daye of domme nothing of the eternall blysse and immortallytie with the faythfull shall enioye in boddye and soule in the heauenly kingdome Albeit then the actes and déedes of the Ethnikes geue outwardly a godlye shewe as Aristides and Phocion in iustice and equitie Socrates in pittie Xenocrates in contynencie Lucretia in loue of Chastytie which they pursued let vs graunt so much to some good ende admyt not for any desyre of glorye and renowne but fyrst because the verye face and countenaunce of vertue séemed honourable vnto them secondly to leaue vnto theyr countrey men domysticall examples whiche they might followe lastlye to styrre vp in others an emulation and desyre of vertue if I saye all these good thinges were in them yet we sée howe farre they were from perfection The crowne and garland as it were wanteth in theyr workes to wytte the knowledge of God and an harte puryfied by fayth Wherefore Saint Augustine spake of them after this manner There is no good thing without the chiefe goodnesse and where the true knowledge of the eternall trueth vvanteth there is no true vertue no not in the best manners And another VVithout the relygion of the true God that which seemeth to be vertue is vyce neyther can any man please God without God c. For those that are ignoraunt of the true God can not haue true and perfyte vertue but onely a shewe or shaddowe therof vanishing awaye And whereas Reason and VVyll doo concurre in all honest and good actions the one admonishing what men ought to doo or not to doo the other pursueth and practyseth the same It is most certayne that humaine reason after his fall is oppressed with great ignoraunce and errour and therefore most commonly iudgeth corruptlye and VVyl also to be caryed to the worst in the execucion of all thinges The knowledge of God then puryfying the hart is doubtlesse the orygion and fountayne of all vertues which is pleasaunt and acceptable vnto god It is that which illuminateth and informeth Reason rightly and correcting corrupt vvyll reneweth a man after God in iustyce and true holynesse Moreouer the Ethnikes in their deedes respect not the right ende which make a true and perfyt difference betwéene all actions ▪ for example sake To releeue and geue almes to the poore is acoumpted and in deede is a vertue if it procéede from the loue of God and man but if it proceede of a desire to purchase prayse and commendation of the world it is synne and hipochrysie Wée do not reiect in the meane time theyr Polyticall vertues in humayne society but commende and imbrace them so farre forth as they swarue not from right reason and Iudgment of the mynd and especiallye from the tenne commaundements But we admonysh therewithall that Chrystians ought to haue a farre other respect then the Ethnikes had For they auoyded vice and folowed vertue through desire of praise honour and glory or through desyre of dygnity and aucthoryty or for comon concord and quyetnesse or else through reuerence of men and feare of the lawes or some suche lyke matter Whereas the Christians dyrect all theyr doing to the glory of God and profit of their neighbours They weigh more the feare of God then worldlye glory the loue of Iustyce then deceytful prayse and eternall blysse more then temporall pleasure The Ethnikes if there were any notable thing in them vaunted as of their owne gyfts but the Chrystians acknowledge God to be the geuer and aucthour of all good gyftes The vertue of humilitye then which Christ so earnestly requireth of vs was wanting in the Infydelles The same that hath bene sayd generallye of the Ethnikes may be perticulerly extended to the Iewes and Turks who woulde séeme to acknowledge one God onely to detest all Idols and to excell in holynesse of lyfe yet because they worship not God as he hath reueled and appointed in his word neyther beléeue that Christ is the sonne of the lyuing God al their works must nedes be fowle in Gods sight For without that ther is no true vertue no knowledge of God nor syncéere worshipping of God no pure loue toward God nor towarde our neyghbour They fayne vnto them selues a God or rather an Idoll who is not the Father of our medyatour and redéemer Iesus Christe Therefore they worshyppe not God a ryght for Hee that knoweth not the Sonne honoreth not the Father nor yet calleth vpon his name And because the holy ghost is geuen for the Sonnes sake vnto beléeuers to styrre vp newe motions in theyr hartes it is euident howe farre from all goodnesse Iewes Turkes are whyles they despyse the sonne of God who onelye sendeth the holy ghoste vnto men to bréede in them all perfyte goodnesse Moreouer for that the true loue of God from whence all loue towarde our neyghbour is deryued ryseth in vs vppon that aboundaunt mercie which he hath shewed in geuing his onlye sonne Christ to be crucyfied for our sinnes whome the Iewes Turkes contempne and blaspheme it can not bée that they contempning him shoulde syncerely loue God or theyr neyghbour for Gods sake So then both Iewes and Turkes want the chéefe and principall vertues of Christians the true knowledge and feare of God fayth Charyty hope inuocation of Gods name gyuing of thanks obedience in sorrowes and myseries with others of that sorte And if happely there be any shewes or pyctours of Politicke vertues in them those are so defiled and spotted wyth impure affections that they loose all their bewty We sée in beasts them selues some thing resembling vertue as in the Lyons clemency toward suppliants in the Dogge faythfull toward his Master in Shéepe softnesse and meekenesse and yet these are not true vertues it is euen so almost in the Infidelles whose reason being voyde and destitute of the lyght of Gods spirite