also admit another deuision For some of them be onely inward workes or workes of the mynde as to beleue to hope to feare to loue and such like And some other are from the mynde produced into external or outward acte to geue geue almes to succor to preach to teach and such lyke All which be called outwarde workes And workes in both these latter significations be those whereof in thys matter is spoken but for so much as some of them be good and some euill therefore that the difference may appeare good workes may thus be defined Good workes are onely such workes as in the commaundementes of God be required or in any other place of Scriptures for the further explication of them expressed which tend to the true worship of God and outward witnessing of mans election in Christ The truth of thys definition is thus proued for the firste parte Namely that all the workes be good whiche in the commaundementes or any other place of the Scriptures for theyr further explication be appointed It is euident for so muche as hereby we know them to be good workes for that by God the doyng of them is commaunded Secondly that they tende to the true worshippyng of GOD it is thus proued by Christ hymselfe where he sayth Let your lyght so shyne before men he telleth the ende wherefore it should shine namely that others seeing your good woorkes may glorifie your father which is in heauen Here is the ende of good workes namely the glory and worship of god And for asmuch as God is not worshipped vnles he be truely worshipped for he is worshipped in spirite and truth therefore they onely be good workes which tende to the true worship of God which secondly was to be proued Nowe touching the last part that they be a testimony of mans election in Christ it is euident by these wordes of Peter Brethren sayth he be more diligent by good woorkes to make your election sure whereby it appeareth that good works are a testimony of the assurance of his election in Christ whereby the truth of the definition appereth and by this definition it is plaine that all superstitious workes of mans inuention be no good woorkes forasmuch as they tende not to the true worship of god Here resteth againe somewhat to bee opened of the erroures of the papistes aboute woorkes whereof they haue for their purpose deuised diuers strange distinctions as theyr preparing workes of congruent merite their Opus operantis or worke of the woorker their Opus operatum or acte of outward execution and their vndue woorkes or woorkes of supererogation Wherefore first touching their preparing worke of congruent merite wherof somwhat hath bene sayd before in the discourse about iustification first what they feigne them it appeareth namely the fruites of that theyr preuenting grace which they imagine to reduce a man into such a traunce as they faygne him therin as a man might say neyther dead in sinne nor aliue in Christ whereby all morall or ciuill woorks wrought though of nature they be not absolutely worthy workes to merite full righteousnes yet by a certayne conueniency as they terme it in equity they deserue fauour and so prepare toward the full attaynment of iustification and these be all the morall workes which be wrought by such as be not regenerate The error of which drowsie dreame is more then palpable for the scripture of God can acknowledge no middle estate betwene God and the deuill He that is not against him is directly with him he that gathereth not together letteth not thinges lye vntouched but he scattereth abrode He that is not aliue in Christ is dead in sinne S. Paule could paynt out no meane estate betwéene both he consessed all eyther quicke in Christ or dead in sinne The rewarde saith he of sinne is death And again You hath he made aliue that were dead in trespasses and sinne And agayne to the Colossians And ye which were dead in sinne and in the vncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened with him so that there is no meane estate Eyther the woorkers of theyr preparing woorkes be aliue in Christ or dead in sinne But a liue in Christ they cannot be by these woordes of Paule for all before regeneration are dead wherefore euen as a dead man hath in him selfe no power at al to prepare himselfe towardes life againe so al being before regeneration dead in sinne haue no power at all to woorke any worke that may prepare them vnto lyfe or regeneration And for that cause doth Paule call them dead in sinne that they might know themselues as vtterly vnable to helpe towardes their own regeneration as a dead carcas is to helpe it selfe to the attaynment of life agayne Whereby the vilenes of this presumptuous inuention of preparing woorkes appeareth Now touching their workes called Opus operantis or worke of the worker after theyr meaning it is thys namely the acte and holy purpose of the minde wherewith the worker goeth about any worke which they counte holy and theyr Opus operatum or acte executed is the outward execution of the same woork Now touching theyr vndue workes or workes of superogation it is necessary for playne vnderstanding what they meane to rehearse the inuention of the forged fable thereof For the grounde wherof they begin wyth a goodly and bewtifull shewe of aduauncemente of Gods vnspeakable sauour towardes vs God say they who might haue prescribed vs such straight and seuere precepts to haue bene obserued as had ben vtterly to vs impossible hath notwithstanding delt more fauourably with vs and commaunded vs nothing but that which if we list we be able to perform and a great deale more And yet notwithstanding he demaundeth no farther of vs but to performe the same by the doing whereof we shall deserue saluation though we do no more But if any be towardes God so liberally minded that he will of hys francke disposition do more neyther shall he lose the prayse nor reward of the same And this ouerplus aboue the fulfilling of the cōmaundementes is that they call theyr vndew workes or workes of supererogation superabhominatiō I should say Who euer heard a more presūptuous blasphemy Doth not the commaūdemēt require a full obediēce willing desire natural pronenes of the whole man as in the 4. chapter is euidently shewed Now then if the whole indeuour of all the parts of man be thus tyed by iust bond of dutie vnto the cōmaundement from whence then commeth theyr ouerplus of vndue woorkes Nay is it not both there and in the v. chapter euidently proued that man is vtterly vnable to fulfill the commaundement and that the Lawe was not by Moyses deliuered vnto man to the ende he should enable him selfe to the fulfilling thereof but contrariwise by vew of his insufficiency to driue him to Christ But will ye know why these men inuented this
agréeing with that which is sayd already namelye that no good woorke can bée wrought but by him in whom Iesus Christ doth raigne that is by that iustified for hereby it is playne that no good worke can be in man onles it be by Iesus Chryste but Iesus Chryst worketh onely in the iustified for his spirit doth certifie their spirites in whom hee dwelleth that they are the children of God there is no condemnation to them that are in Chryst Iesu And in this place doth Paule also go forward in prosecutyng the woorde of Esay for where Esaye calleth them trées of ryghteousnesse that is to say the bringers forth of the fruites of ryghteousnes he addeth a plantyng of the Lordes to shew that their ryghteousnesse is the Lordes worke and that doth Paule open here where hée sayeth that good workes or fruites of righteousnesse are in vs by Iesus Chryst as though he had sayd Iesus Chryste hath made you to bée trees of ryghteousnesse that you myght bring forth the fruites thereof namelye good workes and so declare your selues to be a plantyng of the Lordes Thys beyng taught Paule goeth forward in declaryng the finall cause of good workes in saying Vnto the glorye and prayse of God whereby it is playne out of these words of Paules that Chryst is the efficiēt cause of good workes and that none can bée wrought but by hym in whom the spirite of Chryste dwelleth that is none can be wrought but by the ryghteous or iustified in that he saith whyche fruites are in you by IESVS Chryst Whereby it is playne that wythout Iesus Chryste they can not bée in them Where also is declared the materiall cause of good woorkes Namely a fruite of ryghteousnesse so that vnlesse it bée brought forth by a ryghteous tree it can bée no good worke hee also declareth that the iustification or ryghteousnesse of the doer of them is the formall cause of them in that hée calleth them the fruite of ryghteousnesse for that declareth the doers of them to bée trées of ryghteousnesse as Esay termeth them wherby also appeareth that no good worke can bé done but by a man already iustyfied hee also telleth the finall cause of them in that hée sayeth Vnto the glory and prayse of God concludyng euen as Esay in the fore named place doth For after hée had sayde that they myght bée called trées of righteousnesse a planting of the Lordes hée addeth for hym to haue glorye in so that the ende of good woorkes is not to iustifie the doers but to glorifie God for vnles the doers had bene iustified before the woorkes were wrought they coulde haue bene no frute of righteousnesse So that thys place of Paule is an openyng of the forenamed place of Esay for where Esaye sayeth that they myght bee called trees of ryghteousnesse Paule expoundeth that to bée that they shoulde bryng foorth the fruites of righteousnesse and where Esaye calleth them a plantyng of the Lordes that doth Paule open when he telleth that the fruite of ryghteousnesse must be in them by Iesu Chryst And where Esay sayeth for hym to glorye in Paule sayeth to the glory and praise of God. Thus by comparyng together these woordes of Paule and Esay it is more then euident that good workes bée so farre from iustyfiyng the doers that before iustificatyon no good worke can bée wrought And Chryst himselfe affirmeth no lesse when he sayeth that the tree must bee good before it bryng foorthe good fruite Euerye good tree sayeth he bryngeth forth good fruite So that first hée acknowledgeth the trée to bée good before it bryngeth forth good fruite And if the tree be euill he affirmeth in the same place It bryngeth foorth euill fruite concludyng playnely that no euyll tree can bryng forth good fruite Whereby it is euident that the man muste by fayth bée made good that is to saye righteous and iustyfied before he can bring forth any good woorkes So then the woorke is acknowledged for good through mercy which couereth the blemishes thereof in respect that it is the worke of a man by fayth already iustified and clothed in the righteousnesse of Chryste and not in respecte of it selfe which compared with the iustice of God is wickednesse as in the 9. Chapter was proued for wee bee all by nature the chyldren of wrath as Paule beareth witnesse And thus writeth Augustine Sequuntur bona opera iust fi atum non praecedunt iustificandum Good woorkes folowe hym that is iustified they goe not before hym that is to bee iustyfied Agayne the same Augustine Quid enim est boni operis ante fidem cum dicat Apostolus quicquidsine fide fit peccatum est for what good woorke is there before sayth seyng the Apostle sayeth that whatsoeuer is not of fayth is synne And Christ hymselfe sayeth wythout mee you can do nothyng whereby it is euydent that vntyll they haue the spiryte of Chryst they can woorke no good worke but none haue the spirite of Chryst but suche as bée the children of God for the Scrypture sayth these bee the children of GOD that bee led by the spyrite of GOD and none are the children of GOD tyll they bée iustyfied for to bée the chyldren of God and to bée iustyfied is all one thyng therefore none can woorke good woorkes but suche as be already iustyfied Agayne to the workyng of euery good woorke there be two thynges specially required namely vnderstandyng and affection So that the worke that must please God muste both bée ioyned wyth the knowledge of the wyll of God and also bée done wyth affection pleasure and delight in the same Touchyng that it shoulde bee done wyth knowledge thus sayth God by the prophet God desireth in man more the knowledge of God then burnt offrynges And before in hys fourth chapter where he geueth a reason of the destructyon of hys people he alleageth onely lacke of knowledge my people sayeth he are destroyed for lacke of knowledge And Chryst himself sayth do yee not therefore erre because you vnderstand not the scryptures And Iob affirmeth that to depart from euill is vnderstandyng Whereby it is playne that wythout vnderstanding or knowledge of the wyll of God no man can depart from euill and do that which is good And therefore doth Dauid crye Geeue mee vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy lawe O geeue mee vnderstandyng that I maye learne thy commaundementes And that good woorkes are wrought through knowledge or vnderstanding it is by the scriptures euident Paul to the Phillippians writeth thus And thys I praye that your loue maye abound yet more and more in knowledge and vnderstanding that ye maye discerne things that differ one from an other that ye may be pure and without offence vntill the day of Christ Here doth Saint Paule not only pray that theyr loue might abound in knowledge but he also telleth the cause of hys prayer namely that they might be able to
conspicit tanto amplius expugnare contendit eos autem pulsare negligit quos quieto iure possidere se sentit Our enemy so long as wee bee in this lyfe howe muche the more hee seeth vs rebell agaynst hym so muche the more he stryueth to vanquyshe vs but hee neglecteth to smyte those whom hee féeleth hymselfe to possesse wyth quyettytle So that forthwith vpon his entry into newnesse of lyfe hée féeleth iust cause to crie with holy Paule I knowe the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne for I alow not that which I do what I woulde that do I not but what I hate that do I c. These conflictes attende continually vppon true fayth whiche can no more from her be seperate then heat from fire and moysture from water Hereby shée be wayeth her selfe these propertyes declare where shee dwelleth Wherfore whosoeuer findeth in himselfe an vndoubted perswasion of the frée fauour of God onely in the merits or deserts of Chryst hauing that confirmed in hym by the testimony of the holy ghost bréedyng a desire of continuall wrestlyng agaynst sin and the irkesome lothyng of hys often falles the hunger of well doyng though through corruption of nature he want the abilitie to performe in suche sorte as he wisheth whosoeuer I saye hath thys fayth thus confirmed hée assuredlye is possessed of righteousnesse and hath the true apprehension of the death of Christ and the earnest penny or pledge of hys election And to thys ende cryeth Peter Brethren geeue more dyly gence to make your callyng and election sure by good workes as though he shoulde haue said Brethren be diligent and labour continually in good workes that they may be to you a sure pledge witnesse that you are the elect of God in Chryst For that onely is the true fayth whereunto righteousnes is imputed which maketh herself known by good works without whyche yée can neyther shewe the obedyence of Gods chyldren nor yelde testimonye of your fayth nor outward witnes of your election in Chryst And againe S. Paule to the same effect vnto Titus This is a true saying and of these thynges I wyll thou shouldest certyfie that they whyche haue beleeued in GOD myght bee diligent to mayntayne good works These thynges are good and profitable vnto men Surely good woorkes are so profitable as I sayde before that wythout them we can neyther shew our obedience to God nor geue certayn testimony that true fayth dwelleth in vs without which fayth we can pretende no iust tytle to the kyngdome of god Where-Fore aboue all thynges it behoueth euery man that maketh claime thereunto to declare his fayth by these euydente fruites for vnlesse the same bée wytnessed by hys woorkes and fight agaynst sinne if death preuent him not assuredlye he hath but a vayne opinion and no fayth in déede Hereby I trust the indifferent reader can not but sée how wroÌ„gfully the aduersaries vsurping the name of catholickes charge them of our profession vnder the scorned name of gospellers some wyth the contempt of good woorkes and some others saye that though wée mayntaine good woorkes yet wée géeue the people no encouragement thereunto séeyng we say they help not to iustification And therefore wée talke of good woorkes but as it were to no ende In deede any such end by them as a price of our redemptyon we knowe none wée leaue the glorye of that triumphe to God alone Seyng hée hath by playne wordes reserued the same for the prayse and glorye of his grace and fauour But if they will alow thys for an ende thus muche we constantly affirme that what soeuer he be that seeketh not by continuall labour in good workes and detestation of hys owne former wickednes as the true and inseparable frutes of fayth to declare hys obedience to God that GOD therby may be glorified and the truth of hys fayth touchyng hys saluation witnessed assuredly as I sayd before he hath but a vayne opinion and no fayth in deede neither anye sure warrant to make title to the death of Christ We constantly affirme that as the Sunne caÌ„ be sene by no other light but by that which he geueth hymself So can faith by no other means be discerned but by the fruits or works proceding from her self We say with Ambrose Proprium hoc habet noua creatura per gratiam vt qui figmentum Dei sunt et natiuitate coelesti conduntur in Christo non otio torpeant nec desidia resoluantur sed de virtute in virtutem proficiant per viam bonorum operum ambulando This hath the new creature through grace proper vnto him that they which be the workemanshyp of GOD and in Christe are builded in the heauenly birth maye not slugge in idlenes not be resolued in slouthe but muste goe forwarde from vertue to vertue walkyng by the waye of good workes and agayn with the same Ambrose Gratia Dei a timore liberati accipimus spiritum adoptionis filiorum vt considerantes quid eramus quid dono Dei sumus adepti magna cum diligentia vitam nostram ordinemus ne â—nomen Dei patris in nobis iniuriam patiatur ea omnia quae euafimus veluti ingrati incurramns Beyng deliuered from feare throughe the fauor of God we receaue the spirite of children of adoption that consideryng what we were and what by the gift of God we haue attayned we should order our lyfe with great diligence least the name of God the father should in vs suffer iniurie and least as ingratefull we runne into all those mischiefs which we haue escaped We say also with Cyprian Igitur Christianus qui nominis Christi similitudinem tenet morum quoque eius similitudinem habere decet Christianus nemo dicitur rectè nisi qui Christo moribus cooequatur Therefore it becommeth a Christian man that holdeth the similitude of the name of Christe to haue also the similitude of his maners No man is rightly called a Christian but he that imitateth Christ in his conditions If this be no end of good workes gentle reader iudge indifferently But now if wee should ioyne handes with our aduersaries to examine whether the good workes of the faythful be able to satisfie the rigor of the law as though we suspected the matter this cannot be denied that we must way them in the ballance agaynst the workes required in the law to try whether they aswel kepe the inward weight as the outward fashion And if there they also be found to light then shall good workes still remaine for a witnes of our fayth and obedience that God by them may be glorified and passe for no penny payment in the price of the purchase of righteousnes Wherfore for the triall of this matter it is necessary we séeke the definition of faythfull workes gathered out of the definition of fayth expressed in the viij Chapter in this sorte The good workes
discerne thynges that differ to iudge betwene good works and counterfeite workes betwene true religion hipocrisie that so through that knowledge they might haue iudgement how to lead a pure and Christian life which without the knowledge of the wyll of God is vnpossible And agayne the same Paule to Philemon See that the fellowship sayth he that thou hast in the fayth be fruitfull through knowledge of all good things which are in you by Iesus Christ Hereby it appeareth that without vnderstanding of the will of God no good workes can be wrought But Paul playnely affirmeth that all thei that be not already iustified in Christ haue no vnderstanding The naturall man sayth he perceaueth not the thinges that belong to the spirit of God for they are but folishnes vnto hym Then if he perceaue not nor vnderstand the thynges that please god It appeareth by that is sayd before that he can by no meanes do the worke that shall please god Hereby it both playnely appeareth that the knowledge of the wyll of God is required to good workes and also that none that is not iustified hath that knowledge Now touching that vnto good works there is also required in the doer affection delight towardes the same that is euident by the definition of good workes expressed in the 8. chapter where it appeareth that they be nothyng but an execution of the commaundementes whereunto the whole affection of man both body and soule is required as in the. 4. chapter appeareth which also is confirmed by the example of those of whose good workes the scripture beareth witnes Thus sayth Dauid If my delight were not in thy law I should haue perished in my trouble And agayne my delight was in thy commaundementes And agayne thy testimonies haue I claymed as mine heritage for euer and why they are the very ioy of my hart And agayne Lord what loue haue I vnto thy law al the day long is my studie therein And agayne my delight shal be euer in thy statutes And agayne for I loue thy commaundementes aboue golde precious stone Thys affection of the hart is required to the performaunce of good workes whereof how greatly they be short that be onely possessed of the naturall man and not iustified in Christ it is more then euident by the playne wordes of God hymselfe In Genesis he sayth thus my spirite shall not alwayes striue in man because he is fleshe And a litle after The Lord sawe that the wickednes of man was great in the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughtes of his harte were onely euill continually And agayne in the 8. chapter the imaginations of mans hart is euill euen from hys youth Here appeareth that the affection of the naturall man is onely this affection to rebellion desire so contempt and lust to disobedience Thus it is euident that in all those which be not already iustified in Christ their is neither vnderstanding how to please God nor affection thereunto And so consequently no good worke seing it is proued that no worke cā be good but where both they be ioyned together which also is euident by that which is sayde in the fifth chapter Surely if these men had bene as carefull searchers of truth herein out of Gods holy worde as they haue bene of mistes and clowdes out of Aristotles schole to darcken shadow the brightnes thereof they woulde neuer haue sought with so many subtil distinctions and false definitions without al ground of Gods worde to haue builded themselues the labirinth of errour maze of their owne confusion But woulde contrariwise haue humbled themselues vnto the spirite of God and haue considered the ende of hys purpose in mans saluation But they not considering that to be the prayse and glory of hys owne grace and enforcing the rigor of the outward sounde of some wordes in the scripture haue gathered workes to be the cause of mās iustification where if they more narrowly cōsidered they should see that faith is the onely meane by which workes are indued wyth the title of goodnes forasmuch as no good worke can be wrought but by a man alredy by faith iustified and appareled wyth the righteousnes of Christ by meanes whereof the blemishes and imperfections thereof are through mercy couered which otherwise if the same workes were wrought by an vnbeleuyng man they woulde appeare in the sight of God most filthy for of mercy it commeth in respecte of Christ that the most perfecte workes are not layde to mans charge for sinne Out of this ground gathered from God truth this rule of Christian religion is concluded that where soeuer righteousnes or iustification is in the Scripture imputed to workes it is not imputed to them as though they were the cause of righteousnes that is to sayas though they going before iustification did procure or purchase the same but farre otherwyse it is imputed vnto them as vnto the fruit of the righteousnes of fayth which after iustification doth witnes and declare that the doer is iustified by fayth by apprehending of Christ in respecte of whom mercy couereth the spottes of that worke from the sight of Gods iustice so that sinne is not imputed to man for the same Hic murus ahaeneus esto Let this to a Christian conscience be a wall of brasse Now this foundation layde let vs séeke by thys rule to vnderstand those Scriptures which the aduersaryes for theyr filpursse doctrine of iustification of workes haue forced into open combat both agaynst theyr owne naturall sense and agaynst the ende and scope of Gods purpose declared in the Scriptures touching mans iustification wherein to séeke to answere to all theyr subtill and shameles wranglings were more tedious then profitable And touching the multitude of wordes more paynefull then possible Though touching matter Gods truth being iudge inough hath bene sayd already where-fore to auoyde all extremities and kéepe my selfe within my power touching wordes and yet not to passe the reste with silence I will ouerlooke a fewe of their principall ragges which they call reasons wherein theyr errour being opened the smaller of them selues will drop a sunder vntouched Wherefore firste of all that playnnes might be ioyned with the breuitie for which I labor let the Scriptures which they make challengers in thys fraye be gathered together into these sortes In the first sort placyng those which promising reward to workes procure men to labour for the same In the second sort such as by the sound of wordes séeme to take iustification from fayth or geueth the same to workes And in the last sorte those Scriptures wherin the righteous thallenge at Gods handes reward of theyr innocency righteousnes Wherfore by examples of euery of these sorts let vs séeke truely to vnderstand them by theyr agréement with thē selues and the rest of the Scriptures that as of God there is but one spirite and one truth so the same truth by the consent
dixerit quod gratiam bene operaÌ„di fides mereatur negare non possumus Imo gratis dedisse confitemur Si autem ex fide quomodo gratis Quod enim fides meretur cur non potiùs redditur quà m donatur Non dicat hoc homo fidelis quia cum dixerit vt merear iustificationem habeo fidem respondetur ei quid habes quod non accepisti Cum igitur fides impetrat iustificationem sicut vnicuique deus partitus est mensuram ipsius fidei non gratiam dei aliquid meriti pracedit humani sed ipsa gratia meretur augeri vt aucta mereatur perfici Dutie is rewarded to workes of fauor it is freely geuen wherby also it is called grace But if any say that fayth of well doing may deserue grace we can not deny but we confesse him to haue geuen it frely But if it be of fayth how is it freely that which fayth deserueth why is it not rather repayed then freely geuen A faithfull maÌ„ may not say this for if he say I haue fayth that I may deserue iustification it shall be answered vnto him what hast thou that thou hast not receaued Therfore when faith obtaineth iustificatioÌ„ according as God hath diuided to euery maÌ„ the measure euen of the same fayth there goeth no merites of man before the grace of God but the grace it selfe deserueth to be encreased that being encreased it may deserue to be perfected Now forasmuch as S. Augustine doth vse here the word dutye which is also an vsuall word with many of the Fathers in this matter therefore I thinke it conuenient to say somwhat concerning the meaning therof wherfore the word dutie or debt is taken in two senses or meanings The one for recompence or merite of labour or workes as when an hired seruant hauing finished his appointed labour doth chalenge his hire Duty or debt in that respect is merite or desert And in that sense doth S. Paul take the word where he sayth To him that worketh the reward is not counted of fauor but of dutie The other sense or meaning therof is best declared by an example thus Admitte one maÌ„ beholding an other in extreme miserie through such debt as he by no meanes is able to satisfie and he seing the penury of this man moued by compassion taketh vpon him the debt promising freely the discharge thereof and for sure confirmation of his promise herein to the néedy wretch he geueth him his obligation vnder his hand seale This being demaunded by the poore soule at the appoynted time may be in a sort called dutie or debt though not in respecte of desert or merite yet in respect of the frée gifte confirmed by the geuers hande writing and in this signification the worde dutie or debt inferreth no desert or merite but contrariwise the condition being knowne it doth make apparaunt the frée bountifull and liberall grace of the geuer and if the aduersaries woulde be content in this sorte to vnderstand the worde duety or debt in this matter as of right they oughte they had long a goe geuen ouer thys wicked vaine brag of merite Where-fore now to returne againe to the aucthoritie of the Fathers The foresayd Augustine in his booke concerning nature and grace writeth thus Haec igitur Christi gratia sine qua nec infantes nec oetate grandes salui fieri possunt non meritis redditur sed gratis datur propter quod gratia nominatur Therefore this grace of Christ without which neither yong nor olde can be saued is not recompenced to merites but it is frely geuen for the which cause it is called grace and fauour And againe Mortis autem regnum in homines vsque adeo dominatum est vt omnes in secundam quoque mortem cuius nullus est finis poena debita praecipites ageret nisi inde indebita dei gratia aliquos liberaret For the kingdome of death did so raign ouer all men that also into the second death whereof there is no end deserued punishment would driue all men headlong if the vndeserued fauour of God shoulde not deliuer some from thence Again Augustine Per ipsam quippe iustificamur gratâ—sâ— id est nullis nostrorum operum praecedent bus mertis alioquin gratia iam non esset gratia For by grace we are freely iustified that is without any merites of our woorkes going before or els grace is not grace And againe colligimus non iustificari hominem praeceptis benae vitae nisi per fidem Iesu Christi hoc est non lege operum sed lege fidei non litera sed spiritu non factorum meritis sed gratuita gratia VVee gather that man is not iustified by precepts of good lyfe but by fayth of Iesus Chryst that is not thorough the lawe of woorkes but by the lawe of fayth not by the letter but by the spirite not by merites of woorkes but thoroughe free fauour or grace And agayne Nullis nostris praecedentibus meritis sed praeueniente nos misericordia Domini Dei nostri iustificamur VVee are iustified by no foregone merytes of ours but by the mercye of the lorde our God preuenting vs. And again Et exultate subaudis in Domino Quare Quia iam iusti Vnde iusti Non meritis vestris sed gratia illius And reioyce namelye in the Lorde VVherefore because nowe yee bee ryghteous By what meanes bee yee righteous not by your merytes but by his grace Agayne Coeli id est Apostoli enarrant gloriam Dei positam in Christo Iesu per gratiam in remissionem peccatorum oÌ„nes enim peccauerunt egent gloria dei iustificati gratîs per sanguineÌ„ ipsius quia gratîs ideo gratia noÌ„ est enim gratia nisi gratuita quia nihil boni ante feceramus vnde talia dona mereremur magis quia non gratîs inferretur supplicium ideo gratîs praestitum est beneficium Nihil praecesserat in meritis nostris nisi vnde damnari deberemus ille autem non propter nostram iustitiam sed propter suam misericordiam saluos nos fecit per lauacrum regenerationis The heauens that is the Apostles declare the glorye of GOD placed in Chryst Iesu for the remission of synnes thorough grace for all haue synned and stande in neede of the glorye of God and are iustyfied freelye thorough hys bloud And because it is freelye done therefore it is fauour for it is not fauour vnlesse it bee vndeserued for no goodnesse wrought wee before wherewyth to deserue so excellent gyftes but rather because punyshment shoulde not bee duelye executed therefore was the benefite franckly geeuen for in our merites there went nothyng before but that for whyche wee ought to haue ben damned but hee saued vs not for our owne ryghteousnesse but for his owne mercye by the fountayne of the newe byrth And agayne Sed vt iustificentur praecedit vocatio
righteousnes vnto workes haue not we our iustification of fayth and workes and not yours of faith onely It is sayde of Phinées in the 106. Psal that his acte was imputed to him for righteousnes And likewise in Deutronomy of hym that deliuered his neighbors pledge that it shal be righteousnes vnto him before the Lord his god And likewise S. Iames saith was not Abraham our father iustified by workes in offering his sonne Isaac vpon the aulter Whereupon they conclude that as man is not iustified by workes so is he not iustified by faith without workes flatly agaynste S. Paule who concludeth playnely that man is iustified of fauour through fayth without workes where he telleth both the finall cause of that liberall gifte namely the prayse and glory of the grace or fauor of God and also he telleth the reason why he so vehemently excludeth workes namely least any man shoulde beast that is through blinde presumption should challenge any part of the glory of that worke which God hath reserued to himselfe for his speciall triumph Now if the aduersaries will néedes vrge that the worde righteousnes or iustification hath the same signification in these places by thē alleged that it hath in Paule Doe they not teare in sunder the spirite of truth and set him at warre with hymselfe forasmuch as by the rigor of wordes they be contrary Paule sayth fiatly and affirmeth it by manye discourses that faith without worke iustifieth and that by workes no man liuing shall be iustifyed but these aucthorities affirme the contrary that these men by workes were iustifyed Now if they will néedes affirme that both in Paul and in these places which they alledge the worde righteousnes or iustifycation hath one sense is not this a doctrine that eyther must accuse Paule of ignorance of the sense of the auncient scriptures or of error in his owne and robbe God of his finall triumph namely of his glorie and vtter spoylinge man of the assuraunce of Gods fauour in Christ for if his assuraunce therof bee once ioyned with the condition of hys owne desert or workes surely he falleth by and by into one of our Phisitions new found Agewes A triple tertian quotidian he can neuer know when he is without a fitte Surely it were to hard for Peter Lumbard him selfe with both his foundations of hope to spy out a time to finde him selfe cleare from a fitte if for one masse whyle on the Sunday his imagination coulde mocke him that he were créeping to godward The true testimony of his conscience might assure him that all the rest of the wéeke after he were gallopping to the deuilward The Lord hath blessed hys elect from such assuraunce Wherefore let vs now reuerently with Paule haue respect vnto the finall ende of Gods woorke in this cause Namely to hym onely to yelde all the glorie and to man assuraunce and vndoubted possession of his fauour in Christ And we shall easely sée in these places no contrarictie but most swéete consent Let vs follow the rule of the auncient fathers in serching the truth of doubtfull sentences Thus sayth Hillarius Intelligentia dictorum ex causis est assumenda dicendi quia non sermoni res sed reiest sermo subiectus The meaning of wordes is to be gathered by the causes of the speaking for the matter is not subiecte to the worde but the worde to the matter Agayne Ierome vppon the Epistile to the Galathians saith thus Nec putemus in verbis Scripturarum esse Euangelium sed in sensu non in superficie sed non medulla non in fermonum folus sed in radice rationis Neither let vs thincke that the gospel consisteth in the wordes of the Scripture but in the meaning not in the barck but in the pith not in the leaues of wordes but in the roote of the meanyng Wherfore let vs in folowing the Coūfell of these auncient fathers séeke such meanynges and sense of these Scriptures as may expresse their consent with the rest of the Scriptures And haue respect vnto the finall cause of Gods purpose Namely as I haue often said that vnto hys fauour and grace for this so frée a benifite all prayse and glory may redoūde That al workes wrought by man before iustification be nothing els but the euill fruite of an euill tree it is before euidently proued And so vtterly vnable to abide the presence of gods iustice Wherby it foloweth of necessitie that the woorkes alleged in these their authorities were not there meant for works going before iustification as causes therof but in déede for such workes as folowyng the same declared manefestly the righteousnesse which to the doers of them was offrée fauour through fayth imputed For that the workes of a man by fayth already iustified be in the sight of God allowed for ryghteous by not hauing sinne imputed vnto them it is not onely not denyed but most constantly affirmed For how can it be otherwise but that God in beholdyng in them hys owne moste glorious Image wherewith throughe grace in respect of fayth they be clothed He muste both acknowledge it and delight therin But that their spottes and blemishes are nowe couered wyth the righteousnes of Christe this commeth not to them either by them selues or in respect of them selues but onely by grace or fauour through fayth as is shewed before For they beinge the workes of a man already by fayth iustified and clothed in the righteousnes of Christ Therfore they thereby clothed in the same righteousnes hauing theyr spottes and blemishes through mercye therewith couered are acknowledged for righteous They are accepted for good fruite because they were brought forth by a good frée So that fayth by apprehendyng of Christ and his righteousnes in the promise through grace and fauour attayneth mans iustification So the workes or fruites of the righteousnes of the same faith do manyfestly declare and witnes the doer of them to be righteous That is as fayth apprehēdeth righteousnes in the frée promise for man so the workes or fruites of that righteousnes of fayth doe declare and testifie that hee is iustifyed Wherefore whersoeuer in the Scriptures man is sayd to be iustifyed by workes the meaning is that he is by workes declared and knowen to bée a righteous man And not that the workes were the cause of his righteousnes This being thus considered ther appeareth betwene Paule and the aucthorities by them alledged no strife but most swéete agréement For as Paule telleth the meanes howe a man is iustifyed so the other shew and declare howe man is openly knowne to bee righteous or iustifyed Now marke gentle reader how this doctrine tendeth fully to that end where unto Saint Paule directeth hys course Namely that the whole glorie may redound to GOD alone and that man may haue a sure possession of Gods fauour in Christ Firste in that by iustifycation of workes this onely is to be vnderstand that man
the shiftes which these busie hunters to robbe God of his honoure haue found out is this fayth say they doth iustifye but fayth is a worke therefore woorkes do iustifye To whome wee aunswere that faith in respect that it is our worke expressed by our will or vnderstanding iustifyeth not because it is feeble and weake for no man beléeueth so assuredly as hee is bounde nor doth so earnestly assent vnto the truth of Gods promises as he ought to do Wherefore whersoeuer fayth is sayde to iustifye fayth is there taken for the obiecte of faythe Namely for Christ and the mercye of God in the promise And for asmuche as it is the instrument which taketh holde thereof therefore is iustifycation imputed vnto it According to Saynt Paules sayinge Abraham beleeued God and that was imputed vnto him for ryghteousnesse so that fayth is sayde to iustify because it taketh holde of Chryst in the promise who doth iustifye and not in respect that fayth is a woorke of ours Wherefore examining thys argument of the aduersaries you shall sée how finely at the first they foist in a fallax called of the logitians fallacia accidentis That is the deceipt of the accident Inferring that in the conclusion wherunto that worde whereuppon it is inferred did not stretch it selfe in the second proposition for where it is sayde faith is a worke to be a worke of ours is but an accident vnto faith in respect of iustification for iustification commeth not because fayth is a worke of ours but because the mercie of God doth in the promise fréely geue it to al beleuers So that faith in the first proposition is referred and hath relation vnto the obiect of faith namely Christ and the mercy of God in the promise And in the second proposition fayth is there otherwise taken namely as it is a worke of ours Wherefore fayth not béeing one in bothe propositions the conclusion is falselye inferred Or more briefely it is aunswered thus Faith in the firste proposition is a relatiue in the predicament of relation as in the 8. chapter is declared and in the seconde proposition where it is considered as a worke it falleth in the predicament of qualitie wherby the argument hauing fower termes the conclusion must needes bée false An other of the aduersaries argumentes is thys Saint Paule affirmeth that of fayth hope and loue loue is the greatest or most excellent and in that the fulfillyng of the lawe consisteth and therefore iustification is rather to be imputed to the more excellent then to the inferior That loue is most excellent of the three it is euydent for fayth and hope haue only continuaunce vntill the thinges that bée beléeued and hoped for bée fully in mannes possessyon At whyche tyme they both shall ende but loue doth continue and florishe through all eternity and that it is the fulfilling of the law is in the. 4. chapter euydent For who so loued God and his neighbour so muche as he ought to doe shoulde surely fulfill the lawe But now touching their argument that because it is more excellēt therfore it must iustify that is more then childishe The eare is a farre more excellent instrument or organ of the bodye then is eyther the hand or mouth for thereby we receaue the glad promyses of God touchyng our whole felycytie Shoulde wee therefore inferre because the eare is the more excellent Organ or instrument that therefore we shoulde receaue oure meate wyth oure eares and not rather with the hand and mouth whiche though they be meaner yet are they instrumentes appoynted to that vse And so fayth though it bee the meaner yet is it the instrumēt appointed to that vse An other of the aduersaries shifts is this works say they iustified not in respect that they be our workes but in respect that they be the workes of God in vs Here is the shew of a goodlye substaunce but launch it a litle and you shall finde it nothing else but an emptye bladder puffed with wind onlye Marke whose be the woorkes whiche here they alledge are they not the workes of God in vs Doe they not imagine God to worke in vs but as hath bene before euidently shewed God woorketh vnto saluation in none but in those that bée hys children that is to say iustified for they that are led by the spirite of God they are the children of God that is iustified Why if they be his children alreadye the questyon is ended for those workes that come after they be his children can not be the purchaser of that estate whereof the doer was possessed before they were wrought wherefore those woorkes doe not iustifie him that was iustified before euer hee wrought them for he was the childe of God before he wrought them for they confesse God to dwell in hym and woorke in hym but God dwelleth and worketh in none vnto saluation but in hys children that is in the iustifyed as it is sayde before Wherefore gentle reader that thou mayest bee hable to vnfolde all the subtyll shyftes of the deceytfull aduersaryes intricate snares of thys kynde kéepe thys for a generall and sure rule whiche can neuer fayle thee Marke diligently whether in that worke wherby they wil haue iustification obtayned they auouche God to be anye worker or no. If they auouche hym to be no worker then by the. 4. and 5. chapters thou euidently séest that the work is abhominable vnto him If they auouch him to bée a woorker as in thys argument which I am sure they must néedes do thē say vnto them séeing God woorketh in them to saluation they are before hand the childrē of God that is iustified already for the Scripture affirmeth that they that are led by the spirite of God are the children of God but none bée hys children tyll they be iustified and therefore these workes whiche they auouch are the woorkes of such as be alredyiustified which is not in question for those woorkes can bée no helpe to obtayne hym that estate whereof hée was possessed before they were wrought and wythout the possessyon whereof they coulde neuer haue béene wrought Wherefore if they will haue woorkes to iustifie they must alledge such woorkes as God is no woorker in for God worketh in none vnto saluatyon but in such as be already iustified for whosoeuer is led by the spirite of God he is already iustified for he is the childe of God as I sayd before Nowe touchyng these Scriptures whiche I put in the last sort namelye where the righteous challēge and craue of god the reward of their innocencye and righteousnesse and as it were offer the same to be examined before hys iustice of whiche examples there be principally in the Psalmes whereof I will rehearse one or two Fyrst Dauyd in the. 7. Psalme Iudge me O Lord accordyng to my innocency and according to the cleanenes of my handes in thy sight And
dedes saying Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnes are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne And a litle after We say that fayth was imputed to Abraham for righteousnes And a litle after for the promise that hee should be the heyre of the world was not geuen to Abraham or to his sede through the lawe but throughe the righteousnesse of fayth For if they whiche be of the law be heyres thē is faith but vaine and the promise of no effect And agayne Therfore by fayth is the inheritaunce geuen that it might come of grace and the promise might bee sure to all the sede not to them onely whiche are of the lawe but also to them which are of the fayth of Abraham which is the father of vs all And agayn then beyng iustified by faith we haue peace with GOD throughe our Lord Iesus Christe by whom we haue accesse through fayth vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce in the hope of the glory of God. And agayne what shall wee saye then the Gentiles whiche folowed not righteousnesse haue ouertaken righteousnes I meane the righteousnes whiche commeth by faythe but Israell whiche folowed the lawe of righteousnes could not atteyne the law of righteousnes wherefore because they sought it not by fayth but as it were by the workes of the lawe And agayne for they beyng ignorant of the righteousnes of God and goyng aboute to establishe their owne righteousnes haue not bene obediēt vnto the righteousnes of God for Christ is the end of the law to iustifie all that beleue For Moyses describeth the righteousnes whiche commeth of the law in these wordes that the man whiche doth these thynges shall lyue therby But the righteousnes whiche commeth of fayth speaketh on this wise say not in thy hart who shall ascend into heauen that is euen to fetche Christ downe from aboue or who shall discend into the depe that is euen to bryng Chryst from death but what sayeth the Scripture the word is nye thee euen in thy mouth and in thy heart This is that woorde of fayth whyche wee preache for if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shall beleeue in thy heart that God raised hym vp from the dead thou shalt besaued For the belefe of thy heart iustifieth to confesse with the mouth saueth a man. For the Scripture sayeth who soeuer beleueth on him shall not be ashamed And agayne euen so at thys tyme is there a remnant left thorough the election of grace if it bee of grace then is it not of works or els were grace no more grace but if it bee of woorkes then is it no more grace or els were workes no lenger woorkes And in another place wee whyche are Iewes by nature and not synners of the Gentiles knowe that a man is not iustyfied by the deedes of the lawe but by the fayth of Iesus Chryst euen wee I saye haue beleued in Iesus Christ that we might bee iustified by the fayth of Iesus Chryst and not by the deedes of the law because that by the deedes of the lawe no flesh shal be iustified Agayne for the Scripture saw afore hande that GOD woulde iustifie the Gentyles through fayth and therefore preached before hande the Gospell vnto Abraham saying in thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed So then they which bee of fayth are blessed wyth faythfull Abraham for as many as are vnder the deedes of the law ar vnder the cursse sor it is writtē cursed is euery mā that cōtinueth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the law to fulfill thē And that no man is iustified by the law in the sight of God it is euident for the iust shall lyue by fayth and the lawe is not of fayth but the man that shall fulfill these thynges shall lyue in them Now Chryst hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe when he was made accurssed for vs for it is written cursed is euerye one that hangeth on tree that the blessing of Abraham myghte come on the Gentiles through Chryst Iesus and that we might receiue the promyse of the spirite thorough fayth And a litle after but the Scrypture hath concluded all thynges vnder sinne that the promyse by the fayth of Iesus Chryst shoulde be geeuen to them that beleue But before fayth came we were shut vp vnder the lawe vnto the fayth whyche shoulde afterward be reueled wherefore the lawe was our Scholemaster to bring vs to Chryst that wee myght bee made ryghteous by fayth but after that fayth is come nowe are wee no lenger vnder the Scholemaster for wee are all the sonnes of God by fayth in Chryst Iesus And agayne yee are all gone quite from Chryst as many as are iustyfied by the lawe and are fallen from grace wee wayte for by the spirite thoroughe fayth the hope of ryghteousnesse Agayne For by grace are yee saued thorough fayth and not of your selues it is the gift of GOD and not of woorkes least anye man shoulde boast hym Agayne VVho saued vs and called vs wyth a holy callyng not accordyng to our deedes but accordyng to hys owne purpose and grace whiche grace was geuen to vs thorough Chryst Iesus before the worlde was And in an other place That wee beyng iustified by grace should be made heires accordyng to the hope of eternall lyfe These authorityes I thought good to rehearse out of the Scriptures out of the whiche it is euidently gathered whyche hath béene sayde before touchyng the iustification of fayth And to the ende it may be apparant that the auneyent fathers gathered the same meanyng I will now reherse of their authorities cōcerning the same First Augustine sayth thus Credidit Abraham deo reputatum estilli ad iustitiam ecce sine opere iustificatur exfide quicquid illi legali posset obseruatione conferri totum credulitas sola donauit Abraham beleued God and that was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse Marke this that wythout workes he is iustified by fayth that whatsoeuer he mought haue gained by obseruyng the lawe all that hath fayth alone geuen hym Agayne Origen sayeth Dicit sufficere solius fidei iustificationem it a vt credens quis tantummodo iustificetur etiam si nihil ab eo operis fuerit expletum Hee afirmeth the onely iustification of fayth to suffice to iustifie a man that onely beleueth although he haue done no good worke And by and by after he asketh thys question Quis sine operibus iustificatus est VVho is iustified without workes Whereunto he aunswereth Quantum igitur ad exemplum pertinet sufficere arbitror illum latronē qui cū Christo crucifixus clamabat ei de cruce Domine Iesu memento mei cum veneris in regnum tuum Nec aliud quicquā describitur boni operis eius in euangelijs sed pro hac