him in euery good acte that he doth fateantur gratiam Dei adiutorium etiam ad singulos actus dari Lette them confesse that Gods grace and helpe is geuen euen to euerie good acte and deede I doo more willingly recite the wordes of S. Austine in this pointe bicause the moste learned in all ages since haue folowed the same iudgement and manner of teaching not onely Presper Aquitanus in Italie Fulgentius in Africa and S. Bede in this our country of Englande The teaching of the Churche cōcerning the grace of God in al ages but also the moste learned schole menne As Hugo de sancto Victore S. Thomas Bonauentura and other Whereby the Reader maye vnderstande what hath benne the teaching of the Church in all ages concerning the grace of God. As this grace of God is it whereby man is moued to al thinges that he doth wel so it is also the cause that worketh in him true penance and thereby Iustification For shyning vppon the soule of a sinner and geuing lighte to that darcknes it moueth the same to prepare him selfe and to receyue the working of God in such manner as I haue shewed before By grace God inspireth faith into our hartes whiche no man can haue without his speciall gifte Ioan. 6. No man can comme vnto me saieth Christe Augustin Tract 27. in Ioan. vnlesse it be geuen him from my Father Of whiche woordes S. Augustine gathereth Ergo credere datur nobis Then euen faith is geuen vnto vs. When S. Paule preached in Macedonia God opened the harte of a woman called Lydia to geue heede vnto suche thinges as were said by him Act. 16. Many other heard S. Paule as wel as shee but God gaue her the grace to beleue his woordes To you it is geuen saieth S. Paule Philip. 1. for Christes sake not onely to beleue in him but also to suffer for him And as these and other sayinges prooue that faith is Gods gyfte so of the feare of God it is sayd by the Prophete Timorem meum dabo in corde eorum Ierem. cap. 32. vt non recedant à me I will geue my feare in their harte to th ende they shall not goe from me Dauid knowing that it is the gyfte of God prayeth for it saying Psal 118. Confige timore tuo carnes meas Pearce my flesh through with thy feare If hope were not the gifte of God it should not be saide Tu Domine singulariter inspe constituisti me Psal 4. Thou Lorde haste placed me in hope singulerly Neither woulde S. Paule haue said 2. Thes 21 God our father hath loued vs and geuen vs comforte euerlasting and good hope in grace 1. Ioan. 4 Rom. 5. Charitie commeth of God. powred abrode in our hartes through the holy Ghoste which is geuen vs. What shal I say of penance whiche God geueth vnto sinners to knowe the treuth 2. Tim. 2. and to amende and gette out of the snares of the Diuel of whom they be holden captiue at his pleasure It is God that geueth a newe harte and putteth a newe spirite in the middest of vs that taketh away the harde stonie harte and geueth a softe harte and tender as fleshe Ezec. 36. And what is that greate change of harte and minde from euil to good but repentance And to commende his grace and make it appeare as it is very grace in deede he saieth non propter vos ego faciam This wil I doo not for your sakes but for my holy names sake Here it may be said If our Iustification and what so euer apperteineth vnto it A doubte be the gyfte of God and procede of grace what parte hath man therein and what is there lefte for him to do To this question I shal answere in the next chaptre And hereby maye the Reader vnderstande that the grace of God is neither hydden nor obscurely preached by the Churche in the Doctrine of Iustification seing that both our Iustification it selfe and the meanes wherby we comme vnto it be truely ascribed specially vnto grace That man hath free wil which being holpen by grace worketh in our Iustification and what it worketh THE X. CHAPTER GOd worketh mannes saluation by his grace Of free will. but he worketh it in him by hī selfe that is to say with his own cōsent and by his free wil He worketh in al his creatures causing the earth to bring forth grasse the trees theyr leaues and fruite the beastes to doo according to their kinde But these effectes he worketh in them by his owne power without them that is without any consente of them And this is the difference betwene beastes that wante reason betwene the insensible creatures and man Man as S. Augustine saith Serm. 11. de verb. Aposto Iren. li. 4. cap. 72. In the 4. Chapter Nec vt pecora factus est was neither made as beastes were nor made lyke a tree nor made lyke a stone but was made after the Image of his Creator That is as I shewed before indued with reason and wil And therefore although there may be in man corrupte wil and deceyued reason yet whatsoeuer he doth he woorketh it thorough will and reason Iren. li. 4. cap. 71. Liberum eum fecit Deus ab initio saieth the aunciente Father Ireneus God made man free euen from the beginning hauing aswell his owne power as his owne soule to doo Goddes will and minde voluntarilie and willingly not compelled by God. For there is no force vsed of Goddes parte The wooman when she had offended framing an aunswere to excuse her selfe sayde not Serpens coegit me Chrysosto Hom. 17. in Genes the serpente forced me and I eatte but what sayde shee The serpente deceyued me there is no necessitie nor violence but will and arbitremēt August de grat lib. arbit cap. 2. And bicause no man should doubte hereof Reuelauit nobis per Scripturas suas sanctas God him selfe saith S. Augustine hath reueled vnto vs by his holy Scriptures that there is free will in man. And howe he hath reueled it I put you in remembrance not by mannes saying but by Goddes woorde Firste bycause the very commaundementes of God coulde doe man no good vnlesse he had free will by the whiche he might doo them and atteyne to the rewardes that be promysed And in the same place Further there be so many commaundementes whiche doo in a manner by name speake vnto our will Rom. 12. Psalm 31. Prouer. 1. Prouer. 3. as that Noli vinci à malo Will thou not be ouercomme of yll Be not made lyke a horse and a mule in whome there is no vnderstandinge Forsake not the counselles of thy mother Be not wise in thyne owne conceyte and after manye other Scriptures there alleged he concludeth thus Surely where it is saied will not this and will not that and where in the admonitions that God geueth the worke of
the olde came to seke and saue that was loste and to repaire that was by him decayed And then as Adam loste Faith Continence Charitie Wisedome and vnderstanding Counsell and strength Prosp suprà hope and humilitie so must all that companie of vertues with â—ther by him lost be restored in such as Christ of his especial grace reneweth and iustifieth For as Christ saieth of one man whome he healed so is it true in al whom he restoreth that he healeth not one part but the whole man. Ioan. 7. Deut. 32. Esai 53. His workes are perfecte and neither lacketh he power to cure all our griefes being God neither wil to doe it who for that cause became man. And as a man diseased deadly in al the principal partes of his body is not called a sound and whole man vntil the partes be al cured So the soule corrupted and made olde in Adam decayed in grace and bereft of Iustice can not be called a new creature vntil the salues of these vertues by the hand of our Phisition be laid vnto it and shew their operation in it For it is not said as many of you as haue ben baptised in Christe haue beleeued in Christe thought vppon him or heard of him Galat. 3. but it is said Christum induistis ye haue put on Christ that is to saie haue taken into you the vertues of Christ as before ye had the qualities and conditions of Adam Ephes 4. For that saith S. Paule is the true receiuing of Christ and his Gospel to put of the olde man and olde conuersation and to be renewed in spirite and minde putting on the newe which was created after the Image of God in iustice and holines Libro 1. cap 9. de pec meri remiss Christe saith S. Augustine Dat sui spiritus occultissimam fidelibus gratiam Geueth vnto his faithful a most secrete grace of his spirite which priuily he powreth euen into babes As Adam by a secret infection of carnal concupiscence infected and consumed all that came of his race He saith in the same booke Legimus iustificari Ibid. c. 10. c. We read that such be iustified in Christ as beleue in him through a secrete geauing and inspiring of spiritual grace whereby who so euer cleaueth vnto our Lord is made one spirite with him What Iustification is By all this we vnderstande that our Iustification importeth not onely an assente of minde and faith to beleue the Gospell of Christe neither standeth onely in remission of sinnes past which God mercifully forgeueth but requireth also a renewing of spirit and minde a change of lyfe and conditions â—it 3. that as in Adam we were disobedient seruinge sundrie lustes and pleasures leading our lyfe in malice and enuie hatefull hating one an other So in Christe forsaking vngodlines and worldely desires Tit. 2. we must liue soberly iustly and godly putting on vs as the chosen of God holie and beloued Coloss 3. the bowels of compassion mercie and gentlenes humilitie modestie and patience This it is to leaue of Adam and put on Christe which is our renewing and Iustification The kingdome of heauen is like vnto leauen Matth. 13 whiche a woman taketh and hideth in three measures of flower vntil the whole be leauened But as the whol paste is not leauened as long as any parte thereof remaineth in his olde tallage and taste euen so is not man translated from death to lyfe nor made a newe creature 1. Ioan. 3. Galat. 6. 2. Cor. 5. vntill the whole estate of his soule be refourmed And surely vntil he be made a newe creature he is not iustified Sicut fuit vetus Adam c. As the olde Adam was powred through the whole man and possessed the whole Bernard serm 5. de Aduent So nowe lette Christe haue the whole who hath created and redeemed the whole and shall glorifie the whole who in the Sabboth daie cured all the whole man. The olde man was sometime in vs that transgressour of Gods commaundemente he was in vs as well in hande and woorke as in mouth and heart But nowe if there be any newe creature in him the olde is past and contrarie to lewdnes in hande there is innocente life in the mouth contrary to arrogante pride there is the woorde of confession in the heart contrary to fleshly lustes there is charitie contrary to worldly glorie there is humilitie By which wordes of Sainct Bernarde we see sette before vs a true description of our Iustification by comparing togeather the corrupte estate of man in Adam and the repairing of the same through the Mediator of God and menne 1. Timo. 2. the man Iesus Christe For this repairing of mans corrupt estate Christe is often times in the Scripture compared with Adam and called an other Adam and the last man. Rom 5. 1. Cor. 15. Not an other Adam like vnto the firste but an other contrary to the firste suche as came to restore that which was lost by the first Rom. 5. For as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many shall be made iuste And as in Adam all men die so in Christe all shal be reliued And as by the synne of one all men came to damnation so by the Iustice of one all come to the Iustification of lyfe But as we were all condemned in Adam bicause we were naturally borne of him and thereby tooke his conditions so to be saued by Christe we must also be newe borne in him and put on vs his qualities And so do we see that our true Iustification is the recouering of that which we lost in Adam and what that was I haue shewed before The whiche Christe hath fully restored in such as truely take a new birth of him In the secoÌ„d boke the .xviij Chapter as I shall shewe toward the ende of this woorke where place shal serue to speake of the vertue and strength of our Iustification by Christe It is now to be shewed particularly how such as are borne in synne come to be iustified in Christ what the causes of our Iustification be by what meane God worketh it in vs and how we receiue it Of the causes of our Iustification The V. CHAPTER Ioan. 3. THE chiefe and principall cause of our Iustification is the great loue that God beareth vnto man who so tendred the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne Galat. 4. And to make vs his children sent the spirit of his Sonne into our hartes that is the holy Ghoste wherewith he hath sealed vs vp Ephes 1. and geuen it as a pledge of our inheritance And this hath he wrought Tit. 3. not for the workes of iustice that we did but according to his owne mercie The cause that deserued this owre Iustification at his handes was the death of his sonne Iesus Christe Rom. 5. Coloss 1. 1.
God make it easie and light especially bicause we are fure to escape the heauie and punishing hand of God. For so S. Paul saith Si nos ipsos diiudicaremus non vtique iudicaremur 1. Cor. 11. If we would iudge that is to say punish our selues we shoulde not be iudged Thus haue I shewed that suche as fall after Baptisme into greate and deadly sinne are restored againe and iustified by penance whiche hath that vertue by the woorde and promise of Christe Ioani 20. I haue also declared howe a sinner is brought vnto true penance And further I haue shewed the difference betweene penance that is required of suche as being of age come to be christened and of such as fal after Baptisme wherin it hath ben proued that sinners after Baptisme are restored again to the estate of iustice Theodor. sup Paul. 2. Cor. 7. by doing the worthie fruits of penance and not by Faith onely And seing that al Christian men now liuing were baptised in their infancie This is the Iustification that we ought specially to loke vnto by knowledge to learne and to practise by dede As for the Iustification of faith alone how so euer it serue for suche as are to be christened In the viij Chap. of the secōd booke whereof I shall speake hereafter it serueth not for vs that are christened alreadie Of the increase and perfiting of our Iustification wherein it is truely said that we be iustified by good workes and not by faith onely THE XII CHAP. IT is not inough for the obteining of lyfe euerlastinge that sinners be iustified and made of wicked righteouse Psal 83. Tit. 2. vnlesse they continue also and increase in iustice goe from vertue to vertue and liue soberly iustly and godly For as S. Cyprian saith Parum est adipisci aliquid potuisse Cyprian li. 1. ep 5. It is a small matter to be able to get a thing It is more to be able to kepe that is once gotten as in faith it selfe and the healthfull byrth it is not the receiuing but the keping of it that geaueth lyfe neither is it by and by the attaining but the perfiting that preserueth a man to God. This our Lorde taught by his owne instruction Ioan. 5. when he saied Lo thou art made a whole man nowe sinne not least some worse happe fall vnto thee Christe gaue him selfe for vs saieth S. Paule to the intent he might redeeme vs from all iniquity Tit. 2. 2. Cor 6. and cleanse vnto him selfe a singular and special people a folower of good workes If this effect folowe not in vaine hath Christe geauen him selfe to death for vs in vaine doe we receiue his grace and Iustification And not onely in vaine but to our great daunger and peril 2. Pet. 2. Luc. 11. Augustin epist 106. Better were it for them saith S. Peter neuer to haue knowē the way of iustice then after the knowlege of it to turne backe againe from the holy cōmandement that was deliuered vnto them He that is iustified is ryd of the vncleane spirite and his harte lyke to the swepte house But if the same stande emptie not inhabited by the holy Ghost nor filled with the fruites of iustice the vncleane spirite doth not onely returne agayne but also bringeth with him seuen other worse then him selfe who entre and dwel there and the later doinges of that man becomme worse then the firste were For as to him that hath Math. 25. there shal be geuen and he shall haue aboundance so from him that hath not euen that he seemeth to haue shal be taken awaye To haue the gyftes of God is to vse them as Theophilacte writeth vpon that place Theophil in ca. 25. Math. Math. 28 And he vseth Goddes grace that doth good workes to the which ende grace is geuen Christe sente his Apostles to christen all Nations and to teache them to keepe all that he had commaunded them He woulde not onely haue a people to knowe him Luc. 1. Ioan. 15. but such a people as shoulde serue him in holynes and iustice He saith to his Apostles Ego elegi vos posui vos vt eatis fructum plurimum afferatis fructus vester maneat I haue chosen you and placed you to thintent you should go and bring forth fruite and to thintent your fruit should remaine And in the same chaptre he saith in hoc glorificatus est pater Ioan. 15. vt fructū plurimū afferatis efficiamini mei Discipuli Hereby is my Father glorified that you may bring forth much fruit and be made my scholers geuing vs to vnderstande that they be Christes scholers that shew the fruite of his teaching and that God is glorified not onely in our calling but also in the fruite that commeth of our calling For this cause the Scripture saieth to such as are already called to the state of iustice Apoca. 22 Eccle. 18. Math. 5. Qui iustus est iustificetur adhuc Let him that is iuste be iustified yet And also Let nothing let thee from continuall prayer and let nothing forbid thee to be iustified vnto thy death for Goddes rewarde abydeth for euer Blessed are they that hunger and thyrst after iustice saieth our Sauiour Apertissimè nos instituens c. Most euidently teaching vs Beda in solen om Sancto that we should neuer thinke our selues iuste inough but euer more loue and desire a daylie increase of iustice For true it is that Leo saieth Quantumlibet quisque iustificatus sit Leo ser 8. de Passio Aug. ser 15. de verb. Apo. Why increase of Iustice is called Iustificatiō c. Be a man neuer so much iustified yet while he is in this life he may be better and more tryed but he that increaseth not decayeth and goeth backewarde and he that getteth nothing loseth somewhat And bicause as in al artes vse maketh the artificer more skilful then he was so the continuance and practise of iustice maketh a good man readyer and more able to do well and thereby iuster then he was the Scripture calleth it Iustificatiō that is to say an increase of iustice and declareth in sundry places howe the same is obteyned S. Iames saieth Iacob 2. videtis quòd ex operibus c. You see that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith onely And he that saieth Eccles 18. lette nothing staye thee from continuall prayer nor forbid thee to be iustified to thy death teacheth that prayer is a meane to iustifie whiche Chrysostome expresseth in more playne woordes Chrysost Tom 5. de orand saying vtiampiam ac cultu Dei dignam miris modis oratio conciliat conciliatam auget Prayer doth meruelously winne and gette a good life and increaseth it when it is a gotten Christ him selfe calleth prayer fasting and asmosedeede our iustice and sure we are that he is iuste who doth iustice Math. 6. 1. Ioan.
fides quae per dilectionem operatur That is the praise worthie faith that is the true faith of grace whiche worketh through charitie That faith it is that Christe requireth of vs whiche if we haue not we shal die in our sinne They be his owne woordes If you beleeue not that I am Ioan. 8. ye shall die in your sinne And let vs not thinke saith Cyrillus Cyril in Ioan. li. 5. ca. 23. that God made this threat onely vnto the Iewes Eadem enim nos quoque manet damnatio si non in Christum fide per per dilectionem operante crediderimus For the like damnation remaineth for vs also if we beleue not in Christ by faith that woorketh through charitie To teache vs this difference of faith and beleeuing Christe saith in an other place Ioan. 7. Qui credit in me sicut dicit scriptura flumina de ventre eius fluent aquae viua He that beleeueth in me in such sorte as the Scripture saith fluddes of liuely water shall flowe out of his belie By fluddes of liuely water as there S. Iohn saith is meant the holie Ghoste which they should receiue that beleeued in him Christe said not who so beleeueth in me but he that beleueth in me as the Scripture saith for that is the true pointing of the sentence Note as Theophilactus noteth there And who doubteth but that the Scripture beside faith teacheth vs also to loue Christe to hope in him to doe penance to receiue his Sacramentes and to liue godly If no man then be iustified without the holie Ghoste who powreth charitie into our heartes seeing the holie Ghoste is geuen to suche onely who beleue in Christe as the Scripture saieth the Scripture bidding vs not onely to beleeue in Christe but also to loue him it foloweth that they onely be iustified who haue faith working through charitie Theophil ibi in cap. 7. Ioan. Multi enim se putant credere sed non vt dicit Scriptura c. For many thinke they beleue but they beleue not as the Scripture saieth And so haue they folowed their owne sectes such as all heretikes be but he saieth the riuers shall flowe out of his belie that is the true faithful beleuer Although this place alone might suffice to teache the indifferent Reader what faith it is that pleaseth God yet do other Scriptures in sundry places put vs in minde that a bare and solitarie faith sufficeth not As Christe saied to Marie Magdalene Luc. 7. Fides tua te saluam fecit Thy faith hath saued thee so said he there of her also synnes be forgeuen her bicause she hath loued much And what is that to saye but that shee was saued by faith through charitie Beside that she shewed by her teares a greate penance and by comming to Christ being so notable a synner shee declared a greate hope Math. 9. The woman that was healed of the blooddy flyxe had not onely a faith but also so earneste hope that shee trusted shee shoulde be whole might she but once touch the skyrte or hemme of Christes garment Math. 15. Christe commended in an other woman faith but a great faith Hom. 34. in Gene. saying O woman great is thy faith bicause saieth Chrysostome he sawe in her such a constancie and perseuerance that coulde not be wearied And as S. Augustine saith De fide oper c. 16. He that looketh into the hart sawe that shee was chaunged and become a new woman and therefore whereas he had before called her dogge he saied not then O dogge but ô woman In Ioan. li. 10. c. 16. greate is thy faith Cyrill saieth that they be the faithfull who by sincere faith are graffed in Christe as branches in the vine And to declare what he meaneth by sincere faieth he saieth It is not inough for our sanctification vnlesse we cleane styll faste vnto Christe by charitie Oecomenius requireth in our Iustification a faith in deede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a true faith In cap. 2. Iacob suche as can not be in an vncleane man a faith not only in assente whiche resteth in beleeuing trueth but a faith in affection that standeth in loue S. Hierome saieth Math. 9. that both in the woman that was healed and in the petie captayne or Centener Deuota Deo suo anima approbata est A deuoute soule to their God was allowed Aduer Luciferianos suche a faith as is hardely founde in them that beleeue well Be it vnto thee saith God according to thy faith that saying would not I heare for if it be done to me according to my faith I shal perishe And yet surely I beleeue in God the Father I beleeue in God the Sonne I beleeue in God the holy Ghoste By whiche woordes we vnderstande that S. Hierome thinketh it not inough to beleeue but requireth also with faith a greate and earneste deuotion whiche can not be without a greate and earnest loue S. Paule aduancing faith with singular commendation Heb. 11. and saying that al the Fathers were allowed and pleased God thereby commendeth that faith wherewith not onelye charitie but all other vertues were ioyned By faith Abel offered sacrifice Enoch liued godly Noe feared God. Ambulauit cum Deo. Abraham obeyed God forsooke his countrie and offered vp his sonne Moyses was content to suffer affliction Raab receyued the messengers sente to spie By faith the holy did woorke iustice suffred scorning and whipping yea chaynes and prison were stoned cutte in peeces and dyed by the sworde Suche a faith doth S. Paule commende a faith ioyned with religion and dutie towarde God with feare of God with obedience of Gods commandement with pacience with iustice with suffring of al griefe and paine yea death it selfe for Gods sake According to the same rule our Crede requireth a sound and Catholique faith S. Augustine the faith of Christe the faith of christian grace a faith of Christian men not such as may be in Diuelles Cyril a sincere faith S. Hierome a faith full of deuotion Oecumenius a true faith not onely in opinion but in hearte and affection All whiche thinges are comprised by S. Augustine in these fewe woordes It is the faith that hath her woorking through charitie that maketh a iuste and a good manne Abac. 2. Rom. 1. August de spirit et li. c. 32 Haec est fides ex qua iustus viuit This is the faith whereby the iuste man liueth this is the faith wherby men beleeue in him that iustifieth the wicked This is the faith whereby vaunting and boasting is shut out This is the faith whereby abundance and largesse of the holy Ghoste is obteined This is the faith whereby they are saued to whome it is saied Ephe. 2. Galat. 5. Abach 2. Rom. 1. The true meaning of those vvoordes The iust mā liueth by faith Leo ser 5. de collect Bed. in die natal Do. ad Sum. Miss by grace ye
are saued through faith Finally to conclude this is the faith that woorketh through charitie In whiche woordes beside other thinges it is to be noted that the faith whereby we are saued and the faith whereby the iuste man liueth is none other but the faith that worketh through charitie Which vertue saith Leo by her mixture and tempering geueth life euen to very faith whereby the iuste man liueth For the iuste man liueth by faith saith S. Bede not by that faith that is vttered onely by confession of the lippes but by that faith that woorketh through charitie And thus may we truely vnderstande what the Scripture meaneth as often as it is said by faith we are saued or through faith we are iustified That S. Paule teacheth not Iustification by onely Faith excluding charitie c. And in what sense the Fathers sometime saie Faith alone iustifieth THE VIII CHAPTER BVT yet this satisfieth not all men An Obiection Rom. 3. Galat. 3. For some thinke still we are iustified by faith alone for that S. Paule saying we are iustified by faith and putting to it without woorkes of the Lawe semeth to them to saie as much as we are iustified by faith alone And that opinion they inforce the more bicause diuerse of the auncient Fathers haue vsed these woordes Faith alone iustifieth The Ansvvere To the whiche I answere that neither S. Paule nor any of the Auncient Fathers euer meant it in that sense which they haue taken it that is to exclude from Iustification Charitie hope penance or any vertue and gifte of God. S. Paule his wordes by them alleadged be in the Epistles to the Romaines and Galathians Aug. ad Simplicia li. 1. qu. 2. Et in exposit epist ad Rom. inchoat Primas in Praefa epist ad Rom. Aug. in Exposi 4. ca. ad Gal. The Argument and intent of his whole Epistle to the Romains as S. Augustine saith is this Vt de ipsorum meritis nemo glorietur c. That no man boast nor vaunt him selfe of the merite of his workes of which the Israelites were bolde to make their boaste that they serued the Lawe which was geauen them and thereby had receiued the grace of the Ghospell as a debt due vnto their desertes bicause they serued the lawe for which cause they would not haue the same grace geuen to the Gentils as vnworthy of it vnlesse they would receiue the Iewish Sacramentes The Galathians to whome the Gospell had ben preached were moued and solicited by Iewes whose desire was to bring them to carnal obseruances of the Lawe Aug. in Exposi 4. ca. ad Gal. Prima in argu ep ad Galat. Rom. 4. Galat. 3. as though saluation laie in the same To answere vnto bothe these boasting of them selues and of the woorkes of the law and exacting them of other as necessary to saluation In bothe these Epistles S. Paule saith no man is iustified by the lawe proouing the same by Abraham who was iustified before circumcision was commaunded and long before the law was geuen and therby doth barre and put of al workes of the Lawe from our Iustification as nothing auailing towarde the same But what the woorkes of the lawe be it is not a matter so plaine to all men Beside the rites and ceremonies commaunded by Moyses S. Augustine calleth all suche the woorkes of the Lawe as a man presumeth to doe of him selfe of his owne power and strength without faith and the helpe of God August de spirit et li. c. 29 Adhuc dubitamus quae sunt opera legis quibus homo non iustificatur si ea tanquam sua crediderit sine adiutorio dono Dei quod est ex fide Iesu Christi Doe we yet doubt what the woorkes of the Lawe are by whiche no man is iustified if he take them as his owne without 〈◊〉 helpe and gift of God which cometh by the faith of Iesus Christe These be the workes of the lawe Serm. 15. de verb. Apostol which in another place he calleth also the iustice of the law Lege Dei proposita c. When the lawe of God is laid before vs whosoeuer is proud and thinketh he is able to fulfil it by his owne power and strength if he do that the lawe commaundeth not for the loue of iustice but for feare of punishment this man concerning the iustice of the lawe is a man without blame In both places he calleth al suche the workes of the lawe and the iustice of the lawe that a man doth of him self presuming of his owne strength without grace and helpe of God. Ex lege quia in mandatis Aug. ibid. sua tanque de viribus suis It is the iustice of the law bicause it is commanded It is a mans own bicause it cometh as of his own strength Now as S. Paul doth truly barre and shut out from the procuring of our Iustification al rites and ceremonies of the lawe and also all morall workes that we doe of our selues without faith and helpe of God So if a man would reason that he barreth likewise charity hope penance and the Sacraments of the Church bicause a man is iustified by faith without workes of the law he should shew him selfe ignorant of the Scriptures and of S. Paules meaning These be no workes of the law For not onely charitie Galat. 5. ioy peace patience mildenes and faith but briefly al workes of charitie when they be done by faith by helpe of grace and the gifte of God are fruites of the holie Ghoste not workes of the lawe Lex spiritus vitae Rom. 8. They be the law of the holie Ghoste and of life perteining not to the letter that killeth but to the spirit that geueth life August de spirit et lit c. 17 Ad prudentiam carnis terrendam c. When the workes of charity are written in tables to make the wisedome of the flesh afraied it is the lawe of workes and the letter that killeth the transgressour but when charitie is powred into the beleuers heart it is the lawe of faith and the spirit that geueth lyfe to the beleuer S. Augustine saith woorkes that be done for feare onely by commaundement of the law are called the lawe of woorkes and the killing letter but when they be done by charitie which through the holy Ghost is powred into our heartes they be called the Lawe of faith and geue life to the doers They be called the lawe of faith and workes of faith bicause they are geauen by faith and with faith Aug. ibid. cap. 30. Per fidem impetratio gratiae contra peccatum c. By faith grace is obteined against sinne by grace the sowle is healed from sinne Wherefore when S. Paule saieth a man is iustified by faith without workes of the Lawe Rom. 3. he saith nothing els but that a man is iustified by grace and not by him selfe For as he saith here Ephes 2. Rom. 3.
dialo cont Pelagia But as no man is iuste in comparison of that excellent iustice of God of the Angelles and Sainctes so yet saith S. Augustine De spiri lit cap. 36. Dici potest quaedam iustitia minor huic vitae competens qua iustus ex fide viuit quamuis peregrinus à Domino It may be said that there is a lesser iustice meete for this life whereby the iust man liueth through faith though he be yet a Pilgrime from God. S. Basil expounding these wordes of the Psalme Iudica me Domine secundùm iustitiam meam Psal 7. Iudge me Lord according to my iustice saith Est quaedam Angelorum iustitia humanam trangressa c. Basil in Psal 7. Ibidem There is a iustice of Angels that passeth mannes iustice And if there be any power aboue Angelles it hath an excellencie of iustice answerable to his greatenes and there is the iustice of God him selfe that excedeth all vnderstanding of minde being vnspeakeable and incomprehensible to all mortall nature Iudge me therfore Lorde according to my iustice that is to say according to that iustice which men may atteine vnto Note and which is possible to suche as liue in flesh No thing can be more plainely spoken to proue both that there is a iustice in God and his Angelles which surmounteth mannes nature and also that there is a iustice that man may atteine vnto And so be all good mennes workes and theire iustice vnperfect if they be compared with God and his Angelles and yet perfite according to the estate and nature of man. It is said Diliges Dominum Deum tuum Matt. 22. ex toto corde c. Thou shalt loue thy Lorde God with all thy harte with all thy soule with all thy minde And yet saith S. Augustine De spirit lit cap. 36. Neque si esse non dum potest tanta dilectio c. If the loue of God can not yet be so greate as vnto that full and perfite knowlege of heauen is due it is not now to be taken for a faulte Note Reader he saith although mannes loue towarde God wante of that perfection that shal be in heauen yet it is not accompted a sinne nor faulte S. Paule speaking in his owne person Philip. 3. as he confesseth he wanted one of these perfections so doth he signifie that he was not without the other Non quòd iam acceperim aut iam perfectus sim Not that I haue already receiued it or am alreadie perfite c. And in the same place Quicunque ergo perfecti sumus hoc sentiamus As many of vs then as be perfite let vs be of this minde he saieth he was not perfite and yet that both him selfe and others were perfite which wordes S. Augustine expounding Aug. contra 2. epi. Pelagia li. 3. ca. 7. saith Si secundùm hominus mortalis capacitatem pro huius vitae modulo perfecti sumus ad ipsam perfectionem hoc qucque pertinere intelligamus vt Angelica illa quae in Christi manifestatione nobis erit iustitia nondum nos perfectos esse sapiamus If we be perfite after a mortall mannes capacitie according to the measure of this life let vs vnderstande this also to be one pointe of perfection not to thinke our selues perfite after that Angelicall iustice whiche we shall haue when Christe shall shewe him selfe And in an other place declaring the same wordes he saieth Perfecti Ser. 15. de verb. Apost non perfecti perfecti viatores nondum perfecti possessores vt noueritis quòd perfectos viatores dicat qui iam in via ambulant perfecti viatores sunt We be perfite and not perfite perfite waifarers not yet perfite possessours and to th'intente ye may knowe he calleth waifarers perfite they that nowe trauell by the way be perfite waifarers And here I may admonishe the Reader to consider with him selfe howe well such as nowe a daies do condemne all mannes good workes for imperfection doo agree first with S. Paule and then with S. Basill S. Augustine S. Hierome with others that I might here allege They say All our iustice and good workes can not helpe towarde the kingdome of heauen bicause they be vnperfite S. Paule saith As we lacke one perfection so haue we an other S. Basill saith we lacke suche iustice as is in God and Angelles but haue a iustice which mannes nature may atteine vnto and may be iudged thereby S. Augustine saith we may be perfite after the capacitie of mortall men and after the measure of this life though after that Angelicall iustice whiche we shall haue in heauen we be not nowe perfite he saith we be perfite as waifarers but not perfite as possessours bicause we be not yet in heauen They say bicause our loue is vnperfite it is sinne S. Augustine saith although it wante of the heauenly perfection yet it is neither accompted sinne nor faulte They say no good workes may stande and abide Goddes iudgement for that no man liuing shal be iustified in the sighte of God. S. Basill saith Lorde iudge me according to my iustice not like an Angell but like a man. S. Augustine and S. Hierome say It is not meant thereby that there is no iustice in man but that man may not be iudged after the rule of God who is without all sinne and that no man liuinge here shal be iustified in Goddes sighte that is to say founde iuste after suche perfecte iustice as is in heauen And thus may the Reader also perceiue that such as condemne all mannes good workes as vnperfite vnder coloure of an heauenly perfection go about to take away all perfection suche as may be in earth Note And bicause men in this worlde can not be Angelles they would not haue them so much as iuste men Matt. 5. And where Christe hath saied Estote vos perfecti Be you perfite they say no man is perfite Matt. 6. And where as he calleth fasting praier and almoes our iustice and promiseth rewarde to the same they say there is no iustice in vs that can deserue any such rewarde Rom. 2. If no good workes may stande in the iudgement of God how shall he in his laste and iuste iudgement render vnto euery man according to his workes Or howe is it true Opera illorum sequuntur illos Theire workes folowe them To what ende doo the good mennes workes folowe them if there be no rewarde for them And this much concerning the first parte of the obiection Iacob 3. To the second I say although it be true In multis offendimus omnes In many thinges doo we all offende bicause as S. Augustine saith Aug. contra Iulia. lib. 2. fight we neuer so manfullie against vice we are men yet God of his goodnes hath prouided a remedie the remedy I say of penance wherby suche as falle may rise againe and be restored to the estate of
perfecto magistro reuelatam fideliter custodimus vt ab incontemptibili dispensatore mandatam We alone be the innocente lyuers what maruayle if it muste needes be so In deede it muste of force be so We that haue learned of God innocencie and good life bothe knowe it perfectely bycause it is reueled by a perfyte Maister and we keepe it faithfully bicause it is commaunded by an officer that maye not be despised Take this lesson Christian Reader learne of Christ for thy Iustification not onely to beleeue but also to lyue godly and vertuously whiche lesson as thou seeste they kepte whom thou canst not but commende and so shalte thou be like them whome thou doeste rightely commende Thou knowest by that which hath benne saied before in the twelth chaptre of this second Booke what a false and dissolute doctrine concerning Iustification is able to doo When Simon Magus Carpocrates and Valentinus had taught that menne might be saued by grace fayth and knowledge without good woorkes they re scholers gaue them selues to luste and licentiouse lyfe To auoyd that mischiefe beleue assuredly this godly and learned saying Non dormiētibus prouenit regnum coelorum Leo. ser 2. in Epipha ser 5. ibid. sed in mandatis Dei laborantibus atque vigilantibus vt si dona illius irrita nō fecerimus per ea quae dedit mereamur accipere quod promisit The kingdome of heauen commeth not to sleapers but to such as labour in Gods commandementes and watche to th' ende that if we make not his giftes ydle and voide by such thinges as he hath geuen we may deserue to receiue that which he hath promised The right and assured way to come to this fruite of Iustification Miche 6. is to followe the counsel of the Prophete To do iustice to loue mercie to walke carefully in Gods sight Circūspiciat se omnis anima Christiana Leo. ser 1. de Qua. drag Let euery Christiā soule saith S. Leo looke about it selfe and by straite examination discusse the inwarde thoughtes of her harte let it see that no debate cleaue there that no couetousnes settle let chastitie driue away incontinencie let the light of truth driue away the darckenesse of lying c. Let pride asswage let humilitie be taken in let anger amende let vengeance cease and wronges be forgotten Aug. Ser. 15. de ver Apost The like counsel geueth S. Augustine Proficite fratres mei c. Increase my bretherne serche your selues euer without guyle and flattery Especially folow one shorte rule which he maketh for euery man Augustin Tract 6. in epistol Ioan. saying Interroga cor tuum si est ibi dilectio fratris Examine thy harte whether the loue of thy brother be there Si inueneris te habere charitatem habes spiritū Dei. If thou finde that thou haste charitie thou haste the spirite of God And then if his spirite that raysed Iesus from the deade dwell in you Rom 8. he that raysed Iesus from the deade will also geue life to your mortall bodies And thus do we see that the way to examine and trie our selues and thereby to iudge of our Iustification is not only to serche whether we haue faith but also whether we loue 2. Cor. 7. and liue godly Perficientes sanctificationem in timore Dei. Doing holinesse in the feare of God. The Conclusion and ende of the VVoorke THVS haue I nowe by Gods helpe finished the second parte of this Treatie wherein mine intente hath ben to aduertise the Christian Reader See the Preface how to eschewe the second great or rather most dangerouse fal on the lefte hande whiche S. Augustine willeth all that teache or speake of Iustification to beware of Aug. in praefat Psal 31. The perill is for men to presume only of Goddes mercie dooing nothing them selues towarde their owne saluation whiche opinion he saieth if any man folowe leadeth him vndoubtedly to euerlasting ruine of sowle and bodie And bicause the onely or readiest meane to leade a man to that fall is to thinke that faith alone may suffise to iustifie and saue vs I haue at good length prooued that faith alone is not inough to bring a sinner from sinnefull estate to Gods fauour nor of wicked to make him righteouse without the woorking and helpe of hope charitie penance and the Sacramentes of Christ wherein I haue ben the longer bicause this opinion is lately crepte into the worlde and nowe spred farre and wide For albeit in times past some thought they might be saued without good woorkes yet did they not saie they might be saued without the Sacramentes De fide oper c. 27 As by this booke of S. Augustine thou maiest see And so all be it they waded deepe inough to drowne them selues yet wente they not so farre into the bottomelesse goulfe as sundrie haue done in this our age who saie that nothing woorketh in the acte of our Iustification but onely faith And therevppon haue brought in this proposition and made it a common speache emong them selues and theirs Faith alone iustifieth excluding therby from the acte of our Iustification not onely hope charitie and penance but also the very Sacramentes For if faith alone iustifie a sinner and make him of wicked rightuouse then is there none of these requisite or necessary for that effecte whiche neuer anie aunciente man learned that I haue seene didde maineteine I haue further declared that faith alone can continue no man in the state of grace muche lesse increase him in iustice and least of all bring him to the ende and perfectiō of iustice in life euerlasting without the helpe of good woorkes And so is the opinion of Iustification by onely faith in trueth and deede disprooued and founde vntrue in no sense maintenable as they take it I saie as they take it For although certaine aunciente Fathers sometime vsed these woordes Faith alone iustifieth yet doe they not meane thereby as these doe to exclude any of the vertues afore named or Sacramentes as I haue plainely shewed In the .18 Chapt. of this secōd booke I haue according to my promise in this whole Treatie affirmed nothing of my selfe that whiche I haue saied I haue prooued by euidente Scriptures folowing euery where the interpretation of suche as God hath placed in his Churche Ephes 4. to be Pastours and Doctours to the perfiting of the holie and to the building vp of Christes body which is his Churche The labour hath ben bestowed to the ende that the godly man whiche is the Christian man might be perfite and sownde 2. Timo. 3. readie and instructed to all good woorkes Whiche God graunte thee and mee with thee good Reader Once the beste exhortation and righte encouragemente to doe good workes See the .23 chapter is truely to thinke and beleeue that no man hauing time and opportunitie to doe them shal be saued without them Thus endeth the Seconde Booke of this
to forbeare prayer so muche as for that little space For why He knewe that if God be not intreated and made fauourable vnto vs no good thing can enter into our sowles But God beeing intreated and made fauourable vnto vs our labours are furdered our doynges doe prosper and merueilousely goe forewarde But then is God intreated when he seeth wee loue to praie and continually to sue vnto him feruently expecting all good thynges at his handes and of his goodnesse Therefore for mine owne parte Note vvel when so euer I see a man that dothe not loue prayer or delight therein or that is not as it were possessed with a vehement desire and feruent mindefulnesse thereof by and by it is a manifeste token vnto mee that suche a manne possesseth no greate good gifte of grace in his minde Againe when I see any man vnsaciably cleauing and fixing him selfe to the seruice of God and to accompt it one of his greatest losses if he doe not continually praie then doe I probably coniecture suche a one to be stedfastly geauen to thinke of all vertue and to be a very true temple of God. For if a mannes apparraile if his gate and manners of going if his gyrning or fond countenance shew what a man is as the wise Salomon hath saied muche more is praier and the seruice of God Eccles 19 a signe and cleare token of all righteousenesse Hovv prayer bevvtifieth the minde For prayer is a spirituall and Diuine ornament procuring vnto our mindes a singular bewtie and comelinesse It frameth a mannes life and suffereth not any filthie or absurde thing to haue dominion in the heart It perswadeth vs to feare God and to yelde vnto him the honour whiche we owe vnto him It teacheth vs to repell all the sleigtes and deceites of the wicked spirit driuing awaie all vile and vnseemely thoughtes Finally it confirmeth a mannes minde in the contempte of all vaine voluptuouse pleasure A Christian pride For this kinde of pride onely becommeth them whiche serue and honour Christe to disdaine in any sorte to be thrall and bonde to any filthines and to kepe their mindes free in liberty and vprightnesse of life And thus I thinke it is manifest to all men that it is impossible for a man simply without the helpe of prayer to passe his tyme and to leade out his lyfe in vertue For howe may it be that a manne may exercise vertue excepte he doe continually repaire vnto and humbly fall downe at the feete of him who supplieth and geueth all vertue vnto menne Againe howe maye it be that any man can desier to be temperat iuste and vertuouse excepte he willingly talke and company dayly with him who requireth at our handes these and many other such thinges Yet thus much in fewe wil I further open vnto you that al be it prayer doe finde vs euen stuffed with sinnes yet doth the same lightly purge and make vs cleane therof Prayer cleanseth from sin What thing then more high more excellent or Diuine may be applied vnto vs then praier sith we finde and plainely knowe the same to be a presente medicine to our sicke and diseased mindes The example of the Niniuites First therefore let vs consyder the Niniuites whome it is manifest by the meane of prayer to haue obteined remission of their manifolde sinnes and muche wickednesse wherewith they had prouoked against them the wrath of God. For so sone as they were entred into the loue and zeale of praying the same did sone drawe them vnto righteousenesse and vertue presently amending and as it were transfourming that Citie which before exercised it selfe in all wantonnesse and lewdnesse and which to be short lead altogeather a lawelesse and moste abhominable life For prayer being mightier and of more force then was their long and inueterat custome of sinne filled that Citie of theirs with heauenly lawes and drew also with her into the same Citie temperance gentlenesse mildenesse and care of the poore For prayer dothe not indure without these vertues to dwell or companie emongest vs poore mortall men but in whose heartes so euer shee chooseth vnto her selfe a seate those dothe shee fill with al righteousnes teaching and excercising them to all vertue and driuing forth al malice and inclination to euill If therefore a man who before had well knowen that Citie of the Niniuites had then entred therevnto truly he would not haue knowen it So suddeinly was the same tourned from moste filthy life to pietie and vertue For euen as a man seeing a beggarly woman whiche was woont to be clothed in vile and ragged and filthie clowtes suddenly decked vppe in garmentes of golde could not lightly knowe that woman So if a man had before knowen that Citie being poore and beggarly that is to saie voide of al treasure of vertue and godly behauiour sure he would not haue knowen what citie that had ben seeing it then so altered and changed by the mightie force of prayer from lewde and dissolute to sober and vertuouse Marie Magdalene But nowe let vs further cast our eyes to that woman who hauing ledde her whole life in wantonnesse and vnchastitie so sone yet as shee had throwen her selfe downe at Christes feete obteined health and saluation Yet is not this onely the vertue of prayer to purge from sinne Prayer preserueth frō dangers and troubles but shee repelleth also and driueth away exceding great daungers and imminent perilles For Dauid that King and wonderfull Prophet did by the helpe and force of prayer put to flight many and mighty fierce enemies not trenching or fortifiyng his Host with any other weaponnes or municions then Prayer and yet by the meane thereof deliuered vnto his soldiers an vnbloudy victorie And some other Kinges haue vsed to repose the hope of their safety in the skill of their soldiars in the arte of warre in Archers in menne of armes and in light horsemenne so that great King Dauid in steede of a wal and rampier trenched and backed his Host with holy and deuout prayers not making accompte of the fiercenesse of his Chiefetaines Marshalles Centurions or other Capitaines nor gathering masses of money nor prouiding armure or weapons but by prayer obteining and bringing downe from heauen the armour of God. For a heauenly armour in deede is Prayer plentiousely powred foorth before God. And that alone is a sure holde and a safe defence to them whiche haue with assured confidence committed them selues to God. For as for the strength and skill of menne at armes experience of Archers and sleight in betraiyng the enemie many times those are deluded and proue to nothing euen by a countenance onely and shewe of the contrary battaile stoutnesse of the enemies or by many other accidentes and occasions that fall out But Prayer is an inuincible armour and a most sure defence that neuer deceiueth ouerthrowing as easely innumerable thowsands of enemies as it doth one poore soldier