vnto thy death bicause Gods rewarde abideth for euer By which wordes it is not meant that a wicked man in whome no goodnesse is should be made rightuouse and godlie but that a good and a iuste man should be made iuster and better For as we saie truely that water is warmed not onely when it is of colde made luke warme but also when it is of warme made hotter so saith the Scripture that a man is iustified when he increaseth in iustice and of good and rightuouse is made iuster and better Rom. 2. Of a thirde degree of Iustification it is said Non auditores legis iusti sunt apud Deum sed factores legis iustificabuntur The hearers of the lawe be not iust before God but the doers of the lawe shall be iustified Where the worde of iustifiyng dothe neither signifie the comming to iustice which maketh a wicked man rightuouse and iuste neither the increase of iustice whereby a good man is made better but an ende and perfection of iustice wherevnto by Gods iust iudgement of the which S. Paul there speaketh such shal atteine as keping them selues in the state of iustice once receiued or recouering the same by penance continue and perseuer in doing iustice vnto the ende This is the ful and perfect Iustification of man who being borne in sinne is called to the state of iustice and increasing therein by continuance is at th ende perfited in iustice in life euerlasting For neither doth it auayle him to beginne wel if he doo not continue and increase neither is it ynough to continue for a tyme if afterwarde he fall away For then doth he lose the ende and perfection of his iustice without the which the beginning and middle auayleth not In this sorte doth S. Augustine speake of mannes Iustification For concerning the twoo first degrees thereof he sayth thus Aug. contra â—ulia lib. 2. 〈◊〉 de ciuita Dei li. 21. cap. 16. Iustificatio in hac vita c. Iustification is geueÌ„ vnto vs in this life by these three things first by the wasshing of regeneration whereby al sinnes are forgeuen after that by fighting with vices from the gylte wherof we were discharged and assoyled Thirdely while our prayer is heard wherein we say forgeue vs our offences In which wordes is comprised not onely the entry and beginning of our Iustification which he calleth Baptisme but also the increase of vertuouse and godly lyfe whiche he termeth a conflicte and fighting with vice wherevnto he ioyneth prayer for the forgeuenesse of sinne when we fal And this calleth he our IustificatioÌ„ in this life saying further in an other place Lib. 21. de ciuit Dei cap. 16. Quisquis cupit c. Whoso euer desireth to escape the paynes euerlasting lette him not onely be baptised but also be iustified in Christe We doubt not but that suche as are baptised be also iustified For where S. Paule saith Abluti estis ye are wasshed cleane 1. Cor. 6. he saieth also iustificati estis ye are iustified And yet saieth S. Augustine that beside Baptisme a man muste be iustified meaning by Iustification the continual conflicte with vice wherein consisteth a godly and a vertuouse lyfe and increase of iustice Of the third degree whiche is the ende and perfiting of our iustice Aug epist 106 〈◊〉 sermo 61. le ver Doâ— he saith Complebitur spes nostra c. Our hope shal be fully accomplisshed in the resurrection of the deade and when our hope shal be fulfilled then shal our Iustification be fulfilled and accomplished Thus doth our Iustification rightly vnderstanded as it is coÌ„plete and perfect comprise in it selfe a beginning of iustice an encrease and an ende In this sort do the Scriptures in sundry places speake of it Note the Authours Intente For this cause I haue in al this Treatie to make the matter playner to vnderstande deduced three degrees of Iustification comparing the same with S. Augustine to a perfecte buylding which beside a foundation hath lodging to dwel in And to a fruiteful tree which hath not onely a roote but fruit also comming of the same And albeit al these three degrees make but one absolute and perfecte Iustification in euery man that is saued yet doth the Scripture in sundry places speake seuerally and in diuers maner of wordes sometyme of the beginning and entree sometyme of the increase sometyme of th' ende and perfection of our iustice whereof may grow obscuritie and occasion of errour to suche as vnderstand not nor marke not this diuersitie in degrees of iustice Marke this diuersitie For it is not one thing that God requireth of him that first commeth to his seruice and of him that continueth his seruant and in th' ende trusteth to be rewarded by his seruice By meane of which difference it is truly sayd in the Scripture Rom. 3. Iacob 2. a man is iustified by faith without woorkes and also it is truly said a man is iustified by workes For as a synner is called and set in the state of iustice by grace without any deserte of woorkes done before So no man can continue in Christ increase in iustice and comme to the perfection thereof in life euerlasting without good workes as in processe of this Worke more plainely shal appeare VVhat is meant by the name of faith and how many kindes of faith there be THE II. CHAP. BIcause in al this discourse of Iustification I shal be occasioned often tymes to speake of faith I thinke it necessary as I haue already shewed what is meant by the worde of Iustification so likewise to declare briefly what is meant by the name of faith to th' intent that when the Reader shal see any thing alleged concerning faith he may the better iudge of it S. Augustine saieth there be twoo kindes of faith one whereby we beleue that whiche is said to vs An other whereby we keepe promisse in that we say to other August de spirit lit ca. 31. De hac fide nunc loquimur quam adhibemus cùm aliquid credimus non quam damus quum aliquid pollicemur Nam ipsa dicitur fides Tvvo kindes of faith We speake nowe of the faith which we vse when we beleeue any thing not of the faith whiche we geue when we promyse any thinge For that also is called faith But it is one thing when we say he gaue no fayth nor credite vnto me and an other when we saye he kepte not faith with me For the one is as muche to saie He beleeued not that which I said the other he did not that which he said By this faith whereby we beleue we be faithfull vnto God by the other whereby that is perfourmed which is promised God also is faithful vnto vs. For so saith the Apostle God is faithful who doth not suffer you to be tempted further then you are able 1. Cor. 10. Seing therefore there be but two kindes 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
thinketh he is able to atteyne vnto it of him selfe albeit he neuer reacheth thereunto August in praesation Psal 31. and loseth the hope of al his trauayle bicause he presumeth of him selfe and God condemneth euen that presumption yet hath he a desire to lyue wel and a care to doe good workes But who so is persuaded that faith onely suffiseth to obteyne both Iustification and saluation let him be well ware leste he falle into the goulfe and saye Aug. ibid. Faciam ergo quicquid volo I will doo then what I liste for though I haue no good woorkes and doe no more but beleeue in God my faith shall be reputed to me for iustice If he haue so saied and determined with him selfe he is fallen in and drowned If he be yet but thinking thereof and wauering he is in daunger Further if it be true that the Philosopher saieth Aristote Ethic. lib. 2. cap. 8. that of twoo vices contrarie to one vertue the more daungerouse and greater vice is that whereunto menne are more geuen We doubte not but the greater number of men is rather prone and contente of them selues to beleue only and put the reste in Gods mercie then desirous to leade a seuere and strayte life and payne them selues with good workes Which thing the diuel wel knowing hath in sundry ages gone about to put this opinion in the heades of such as he could abuse Ca. 12. as I shal shewe hereafter Wherefore to auoide this goulfe whiche is most perillouse I wil declare that faith alone suffiseth not in any sorte of true vnderstanding to our Iustification or saluation That is to say that faith alone is neither able to iustifie and bring to the state of iustice him that is a sinner nor alone able to keepe and increase our Iustification when it is gotten nor able alone to bring him that is iustified to the perfection of iustice in life euerlasting In which three degrees consisteth the absolute and perfecte Iustification of man In the first Chap. as I haue shewed before VVhence the opinion came that onely faith iustifieth and of diuers kindes of mainteyning the same THE II. CHAPTER August de gratia liber arbit c. 7. Rom. 3. Gal. 3. THE opinion that moued some menne to thinke onely faith sufficiente to saluation tooke his firste grounde of misconstruing the wordes of S. Paule Homines enim non intelligentes c. For men saieth S. Augustine not vnderstanding these wordes of the Apostle we thinke a man is iustified by faith without workes of the law thought he said that it is sufficient for a man to haue faith although he liue yll and doe no good workes But God forbid the chosen vessel should be of that opinion And vppon this and other places of Scripture Aug. in praefat Psa 31. de fid oper c. 14. whiche also they misconstrued they perswaded them selues that a Christian man needed not to doe any good woorkes for that he might be saued by faith though he liued vngodlie Others when they sawe the Scriptures so euidently commending good workes Caluin in instit ca. de iustific ca. 10. Brent in confess VVirtēber de bonis operibus and setting foorth the necessitie of doing them being ashamed to mainteine that they were nedelesse to be done haue saied that men must liue godly to testifie and declare their faith but yet that their good woorkes deserue no rewarde of lyfe euerlasting neither can stand in the iudgement of God. And to minse this matter more finely some haue yet gone further And whereas the Catholike Churche folowing the manifest Srciptures hath euer taught that a sinner is iustified through the merite of Christ and his Sacramentes by faith hope charitie and penance they haue taught that he is iustified by faith only and although they graunt that he must haue both hope and charitie that shal be iustified yet is it faith onely saie they that striketh the stroke in the acte of Iustification hope and charitie standing by as lookers on but working nothing Into these three kindes of dangerous errours men haue fallen by teaching and beleeuing the Iustification of faith alone not onely barring the necessitie of doinge good woorkes and penance but also abasing the worthines of hope and charity and th'estimation and dignitie of Christ his Sacramentes Against the first opinion S. Augustine both preached and disputed in sundrie places of his learned woorkes and namely wrote his booke of faith and woorkes against the same which thou hast here gentle Reader together with this Treatie translated vnto thee Concerning the seconde which the Authors would faine haue appeare different from the firste and yet in effecte seemeth all one In the 2. Chapt of the firste booke I haue saied somewhat before and plainely proued that good woorkes doe not onely keepe and increase our iustice here but shal be rewarded also in the ende with life euerlasting whereof I shall saie more hereafter In the. 13. Chapter To the thirde opinion I shall nowe answere and euidently shew that it is not faith alone that worketh th'acte of our Iustification but that hope charitie and the Sacramentes haue their partes in working it also And by this shall the Reader perceiue that after their meaning it can in no wise be truely said that faith alone iustifieth And here must I aduertise the Reader that this thirde opinion is newe and lately come out of the forge neuer heard of to my knowledge before these our daies For as there hath ben in sundrie ages carnal men which thought them selues August de fid oper c. 27 and went about to perswade others that faith and the Sacramentes of Christ might saue a man without good workes so haue I not read of any that plainely said faith without hope charitie and the Sacraments of Christ can iustifie a man. And therfore as diuers or rather al the auncient Fathers haue in some places of their woorkes gone about to pul the one opinion out of mennes heades so do I not finde that they make any mention of th' other and much lesse that any one of them before this our age hath affirmed it to be true That Faith excludeth not Charitie in our Iustification that is to saie Faith alone iustifieth no man without the helpe and woorking of Charitie THE III. CHAPTER AND nowe to beginne with the moste excellente vertue that is in a Christian man Of Charitie Faith alone iustifieth no man without the helpe and working of charitie It hath ben declared before In the. 4. Chapter that our Iustification in Christe is but the restoring of that whiche was lost by Adam And as Adam sinned not onely by lacke of faith but rather and much more by lacke of good wil and right loue so is not a man once fallen restored againe by recouering onely righte faith vnlesse he recouer also righte loue The sinne of Adam was chiefely a peruerse desire
Treatie of Mans Iustification The Praier of the Churche Omnipotens sempiterne Deus da nobis fidei spei charitatis augmentum vt mereamur assequi quod promittis fac nos amare quod praecipis Almightie euerlasting God geue vs increase of faith hope and charitie and to the intent we may deserue to come to that which thou promisest make vs loue that that thou commaundest through Iesus Christe our Lorde Amen TO THE READER TO the intente Christian Reader thou maiest vnderstande both that the doctrine of Mans Iustification declared vnto thee in this Treatie is consonant and agreable to the assured and vndoubted doctrine of Christes Catholique Churche by long and mature deliberation by most exact and diligent * Aboute this onely mater the Bisshops and Doctors had lxxx seuerall meetinges and conferences before they concluded trauaile expressed and sette forth to the worlde in the late General Councell holden at Trent and also that the saied moste Reuerende and Learned Assemblie of Bisshops Doctours and Fathers defined nothing in this matter but suche as most expressely agreeth with the holy Scriptures and consent of the Auncient Fathers here in this Treatie laied before thee to this intente I saie and for these causes thou haste here to this Treatie annexed the Sixt Session of the saied Councell with the Canons of the same translated into English worde for worde In the which the whole doctrine of Iustification is most exactly plainely and withal shortly taught declared and comprised THE SIXTH SESSION OF THE GENERAL COVNCEL OF TRENT HOLDEN THE THIRTENTH DAIE OF IANVARIE IN THE YEARE OF OVR LORDE 1547. A DECREE TOVCHING Iustification The Preface FOR so muche as there is at this present a certaine erroneous doctrine sowen in diuers and sundrie places concerning Iustification not without the losse of many sowles and greuous decaie of vnitie in the Church to the praise and glorie of Almightie God tranquillitie of the Church and saluation of sowles the Holie Oecumenicall and Generall Councell of Trent lawfully assembled in the Holie Ghost the right Reuerend Lordes Iohn Maria de Monte Bisshop of Preneste and Marcellus Priest by title of the holie Crosse in Hierusalem Cardinals of the holie Churche of Rome and Legates Apostolike de Latere being in it Presidentes in the behalfe of our most holie Father in Christe and Soueraine Lorde Paulus by the prouidence of God the third Pope of that name intendeth to set out to all the Faithfull of Christe a true and sound doctrine of Iustification Heb. 12. which Iesus Christ the Sonne of iustice the beginner and ender of our Faith hath taught the Apostles haue deliuered and the Catholike Church by suggestion of the holy Ghost hath continually kept streightly forbidding that no man from hence foorth be so bold as to beleue preach or teach otherwise then is ordeined and declared in this present Decree Of the insufficiencie of our nature and of the Lawe towardes Iustification THE I. CHAP. FIRST of all the holie Councell declareth that to vnderstand the doctrine of Iustification wel and sincerely it behoueth euerie man to acknowledge and confesse that after what time all men had in the preuarication of Adam lost their innocencie and were made vncleane Rom. 5. Ephes 2. and as the Apostle saieth by nature the Sonnes of wrath as it is expressed before in the Decree concerning originall sinne they were so muche the bondslaues of sinne and in such subiection to the deuil and death that they could not be deliuered or rise againe out of it neither the Gentiles by the strength of nature neither yet the Iewes them selues by the letter of the law of Moyses albeit that free will was not vtterly quenched in them though the strength of it were much weakened and decaied Of the dispensation and Mysterie of the coming of Christe THE II. CHAP. WHerevpon it came to passe that the heauenly Father the Father of mercies and God of all comfort when that blessed fulnes of time was come sent vnto men Christ Iesus his owne Sonne Galat. 4. who was declared and promised vnto manie holie Fathers both before the law and in the time of the lawe to the ende that he should redeeme the Iewes which were vnder the lawe and that the Gentiles which folowed not iustice Rom. 9. Ephes 2. 1. Ioan. 2. might laie hand on iustice and that all men might receiue the adoption of Sonnes This Iesus hath God set foorth an appeacer by Faith in his owne bloud for our sinnes and not only for our sinnes but also for the sinnes of the whole worlde VVho they are that are iustified by Christe THE V. CHAPTER HOwbeit although he died for all men yet do not al men receiue the benefite of his death but they only to whome the merite of his passion is communicated For as in deede men should not be borne vniust vnlesse they were descended and borne of the seede of Adam for so much as in that descente they do gather by him an vnrighteousnes of their owne whiles they are conceiued euen so they should neuer be iustified except they were borne againe in Christ bicause in that second birth by the merite of his passion grace is geauen vnto them by the which they are made iust For this benefite the Apostle exhorteth vs to geaue thankes at all times to the Father which hath made vs woorthie to be partakers of the lotte of Saintes in light Colos 3. and hath deliuered vs from the power of darkenes and hath transposed vs into the kingdome of his welbeloued Sonne in whome we haue redemption and remission of sinnes A description of the Iustification of the wicked and the manner of it in the state of grace THE IIII. CHAPTER BY the which wordes is described and declared the Iustification of the wicked that it is a translation from that state in which man is borne the sonne of the first Adam into the state of grace and adoption of the sonnes of God by the second Adam Iesus Christ our Sauiour The which translation after the publishing of the Gospel can not be made without receiuing the water of Baptisme or the purpose to receiue it as it is written Ioan. 3. Except a man be borne againe by water and the Holie Ghost he can not enter into the kingdome of God. That it is necessarie for such as be of age to prepare them selues to receiue Iustification and from whence Iustification commeth THE V. CHAPTER THE holie Councell declareth moreouer that the beginning of Iustification in such as be of age is to be taken of the preuenting grace of God through Christ Iesus that is to say of his calling whereby they are called without anie their owne merites that they which were turned away from God through sinnes may by his stirring and helping grace be disposed to conuerte them selues vnto their owne Iustification by yealding their consent freely and woorking together with the grace of God in such
3. And so muche the iuster the more iustice he doth By the same rule Leo speaking of almose saieth Leo. ser 3. de ieiun mensis 7. Leo ser 8. de ieiu men 10. Iacob 2. Gen. 22. Hoc pio impendatur operi c. Let that be bestowed vpon godlie woorke that can iustifie the harte and wasshe the conscience And in an other place Goddes will is saieth he to iustifie the poore by patiente suffring of labour and trauaile and the riche by the woorke of charitie Abraham was iustified by woorkes offering vp his sonne by woorkes I say of obedience bicause he obeyed the voice and commaundement of God. The Scripture saith of Moyses In fide lenitate ipsius sanctum fecit illum God made him holy by faith and mildenes S. Bernarde saith as much of humilitie Bernard ser 1. in die natal Sectamini illam quae sola potest saluare animas vestras folow her which alone is able to saue your soules Finally Leo ser 6 de Quadrages al good workes done in faith bring with them a Iustification Quia hac quaeper se sunt vilia fides efficit pretiosa quae ab infidelibus ministrantur etsi fuerint sumptu magna omni tamen iustificatione sunt vacua faith maketh those thinges pretiouse which of them selues be litle worth And such as are done by infideles though in coste they be great yet be they voide of al Iustification If the workes of infideles be voide of Iustification bicause they be done without faith then Christian mennes woorkes done in faith may iustifie By these places of the Scripture and auncieÌ„t Fathers it is proued that good works done in faith iustifie the doers And bicause no man can doo such workes vnlesse he be him selfe a good man Sequuntur enim iustificatum Aug de fide ope ca. 14. noÌ„ pracedunt iustificandum for they follow him that is made iust they go not before him that is to be iustified we must coÌ„fesse that beside the Iustification of the wicked whereby a synner of vngodly is made righteouse â—om 4. there is an other degree of iustice which both the Scripture and Fathers as I haue shewed call Iustification that is an increase of iustice whereby a iuste man is made iuster Whiche to make the thing more playne The secoÌ„d Iustification I cal the seconde kynde or degree of Iustification bicause it commeth after the Iustification of a sinner whiche is the firste degree of iustice And this kinde of Iustification whiche is an increase of iustice Lib. 2. coÌ„tra â—ulta supra ca. Oecom in c. 2. Iaco. is obteyned and gotten by godly life by fighting with vice saieth S. Augustine by workes of faith without the whiche after baptisme faith auayleth not but maketh vs also gyltie of greater sinne receyuing the talente and bringing no gayne of it By this meane it is truely said that a wicked man is iustified that is reconciled to God by grace through faith hope charitie penaunce and the Sacramente of Baptisme without anye woorkes of merite goyng before And truely is it saied also that suche as be already iuste may be yet iustified that is increased in iustice by good workes So is it true that faith without workes iustifieth and true also that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith onely the one being meant of man not yet baptised the other of suche as are baptised or christened And further woorkes of faith doo not onely increase a good mannes iustice in this life but also procure vnto the dooers life euerlasting Rom. 6. Whiche S. Paule calleth our ende And S. Augustine the perfiting of iustice Ser. 61. de ver De. et ep 106. saying Complebitur spes nostra our hope shal be fully accomplished in the laste resurrection of the deade and when our hope shal be fulfilled then shal our Iustification be fully accomplisshed And bicause our iustice be it neuer so well begonne and continued here yet before that time is neuer perfect and without that ende auaileth not I call that with S. Augustine the perfiting of our Iustification or the thirde degree and ende of our iustice To the which the Scriptures plainely declare that we must comme by workes of faith Rom. 2. Psal 61. Reddet vnicuique secundùm opera eius God shall render vnto euery man according to his workes What thinges a man soweth Gala. 6. the same shall he reape for he that soweth in flesh of flesh shall reape corruption But he that soweth in spirite of spirite shall reape euerlasting life Our sowing is our workes of which if they be ill we shall reape damnation if they be good we shall receiue life eternall And bicause it is said in sundrie places of the Scripture 2. Tim. 4. Epist 105. lib de gra libe arbi ca. 8. 9. that God will render life euerlasting to good workes and that as a iuste iudge we gather with S. Augustine that life euerlasting is the rewarde of good workes whereof I shall haue occasion to say more when I come to speake of that matter Lib. 2 cap. 13. In the meane time we see that as a man is called to the state of iustice by faith without workes which is Iustification so can he neither be increaced nor perfited in iustice but by faith and good workes which is also called Where is then faith alone Iustification So can he neither comme to the beginning but by faith hope and charitie as hath ben shewed neither to the middle nor th' ende but by faith and good workes ioined together And this difference marked and rightely applied doth not only geue light to sundrie Scriptures seeming otherwise darcke but also taketh away the difference imagined In the 10. chap. of the 2. booke to be betwene S. Paule and S. Iames S. Peter and S. Iohn concerning the doctrine of Iustification whereof I shall speake more largely in an other place VVhat good workes be and howe they be called ours THE XIII CHAPTER Three kindes of vvorkes in Scripture THE greate commendation and price which the Scripture geueth to good workes moueth me briefly to declare what workes they are that we call good where with God is so highly pleased We finde in the Scriptures three kindes of workes named Gala. 5. whereof some are called workes of the flesh other the workes of the lawe Ioan. 6. Gala. 5. The third kinde the workes of God and the fruites of the holy Ghost The workes of the flesh are fornication vncleanes vnchast life and other like the doers whereof shall not enioie the kingdome of God. Gala. 5. The workes of the lawe be such as a man doth by him selfe presuming of his owne power and strength without the helpe of God Aug. ser 15. de ver Apost Philip. 3. by commandement of the lawe for feare of punishement and not for loue of iustice Of which S. Paule
and luste through a loue settled where it should not be pulled from God and delyte heauenly and settled on him selfe and thinges transitorie And as that peruerse loue which is called luste made him of good and righteouse August in Praefat. Psal 31. August in Titul Psal 64. euill and sinnefull so in all that descende of his race yll loue and luste maketh an yll man and good loue which is called Charitie maketh a good man. Interoget se quisque quid amet inueniet vnde sit Ciuis Lette euery man aske of him selfe what he loueth and he shall finde whereof he is a Citizen That is to saie whether he be of the Citie of God or of the Diuell Charitie yt ys that altereth and chaungeth the hearte and the hearte is it that chaungeth the woorkes Muta cor mutabitur opus August Serm. 12. de verb. Dom. Change the heart saith S. Augustine and the woorke will be changed And howe the hearte is changed it foloweth Extirpa cupiditatem planta charitatem Roote out luste and ill desire plante charitie for as luste is the roote of all yll so is charitie the roote of all good No man is iustified but he that is made a good man and charitie it is that maketh a man good Aug. Enchi c. 117 For when the question is asked whether any one be a good man it is not demaunded what he beleueth or what he hopeth but what he loueth For who so loueth rightly without doubt he beleueth rightly Al men wil confesse that no man can be iustified vnlesse he know God be new borne of God translated from death of the sowle to lyfe fourmed of newe and graffed in Christe and finally made a new creature For who so euer remaineth without knowledge of God and continueth in the olde estate of Adam is the childe of anger in the state of iuste damnation and farre from iustice If then it plainely appeare that all these fiue pointes be wroughte in vs especially by charitie wee must needes confesse that charitie doth not onely worke but singularly worke in the acte of our Iustification To proue the firste and seconde pointe S. Iohn saith Euerie man that loueth 1. Ioan. 4. is borne of God and knoweth God. He that loueth not knoweth not God for God is charitie The thirde pointe he proueth by these wordes 1. Ioan. 3. Nos scimus We knowe that we are translated from death to lyfe bicause we loue our brethren he that loueth not remaineth in death August in expo epist ad Galat. Of the fourth point S. Augustine saith formatur Christus in eo qui formam accepit Christi Christ is formed in him that hath receiued the fourme and shape of Christ but he it is that receiueth the shape of Christ who cleaueth faste to Christe by a gostely and spirituall loue The fifte pointe is proued by S. Paule who taketh it for al one to be made a newe creature and to haue faith that worketh throughe charitie For as he saieth Galat. 5. In Christe Iesu neither circumcision Galat. 6. nor to be without circumcision auaileth ought but faith that worketh through charitie So he saith Neither circumcision nor to be without circumcision auaileth ought but the newe creature This being proued that man knoweth God is borne of God translated from death to life newe fourmed in Christe and finally made a newe creature by Charitie it is also proued consequentely that man is iustified especially through Charitie I go not abowte here to abase the excellente gifte of faith nor to saie charitie onely iustifieth excluding faith which is the foundation of all rightuousenes my intente is onely to shewe howe shamefull a diuorce they make that parte these so wel agreeing vertues in the acte of our Iustification whiche God hath ioined together Matth. 19 Leo serm 7. de quadrag For trewely it is saied Charitas robur est fidei fides fortitudo est charitatis Charitie is the force of faith faith is the strength of Charitie and then is the name trewe and trew fruite of bothe when eche remayneth sure and faste knitte to other Seing then that Iustification is the greatest fruite that can come of faith it foloweth that the same can not be had without thaid of charity Faith may be in a man without charitie but it maketh no man rightuouse and iuste but by charitie S. Augustine saith A man may beleue that Christ is Christ by faith without hope and charitie but he can not beleue in Christe whiche is as muche to saie as to be vnited and made a member of Christe without hope and charitie Aug. Ser. 61. De ver De. Qui credit in Christum c. who so beleueth in Christe by his beleuing Christe commeth vnto him and by some meanes he is made one with Christ and a member of his body which can not be done vnlesse hope and charitie be ioined also In which place three thinges are to be noted first he saith that faith alone is sufficiente for vs to beleue that Christe is Christe Next he saith that faith alone is not inough to make a man the member of Christ Thirdely he saith that faith hope and charity ioined together make a man the member of Christ Wherefore seing that to be iustified is nothing els but to be made a member of Christ it is a plaine matter with S. Augustine that faith only can not iustifie bicause it can not make a man the member of Christe And for as muche as that effecte is wroughte by the three vertues ioined together it foloweth also that hope and charitie worke in the acte of our Iustification as well as Faith. Faith can not onely iustifie no man without charitie but as S. Bernarde saieth dieth if charitie be pulled from it Bernar. Ser. 24. super Canti Mors fidei est separatio charitatis It is the death of Faith to be parted from charitie And he that diuideth them saith he is fideicida a murtherer of Faith. A deade faith can not geue life to the sowle Mortuam Apostolus definit eamesse Iaco. 2. And the Apostle S. Iames determineth that faith to be deade that worketh not by loue Quasi non habens animam ipsam dilectionem Bernar. Epist 42. Bicause she hath not loue whiche is her very sowle If faith when she is without charitie wanteth her sowle and life without the which she can doo no acte howe should she without charitie worke that greate acte of our Iustification To make the matter plaine we shall neede but one argument grounded vppon the wordes of S. Paule Gala. 5. In Christ Iesu neither circumcision nor to be without circumcision auaileth any thing but faith that worketh through charitie If that be the Faithe that auaileth whiche worketh through charitie then faithe alone destitute of charitie auaileth nothing If it auaile nothing muche lesse dothe it worke our Iustification For that is not onely somewhat but
can not worke our Iustification without charitie and other vertues howe is it then saied that the iustice of God commeth through faith of Iesus Christ into al and vppon al that beleue in him And in an other place By Faith God iustifieth the gentile What is meant by these wordes of Christ He that beleueth in me hath life euerlasting Thy Faith hath saued thee with many other like Wherevnto I answere There be two causes why it is saied through faith Tvvo Causes vvhy faith is saied to iustifie and by faith we are iustified To beginne with the first Faith is the beginning of iustice the roote of good workes the foundation wherevppon godly life is builded Aug. de praedesti Sanct. c. 7. Ex fide aūt ideo dicit iustificari hominem For this cause S. Paule saith a man is iustified by Faith not by workes for that Faith is first geuen whereby other which properly are called good workes by the whiche men liue iustely maie be obteined Without the direction of Faith no man can liue well nor doo good workes Aug. de fide operib cap. 7. Nisi praecedat fides vita bona sequi non poterit c. vnlesse Faith goo before good life can not folowe for what so euer a man shall doo with shewe of well doing excepte it be done for pietie and duties sake towarde God Cyril in Ioan. li. 4. cap. 9. 1. Cor. 3. Augu. de fide operib c. 16 it can not be called righteouse nor good Ianua via in vitam fides est Faithe is the gate and waie to entre into life Faith is the foundation whereuppon the whole building of a Christian and godlie life is laide Si autem Christus proculdubio fides Christi c. If Christe be the foundation vndoubtedly the Faith in Christ is the foundation for by Faith Christ dwelleth in our hartes For that cause the Bishoppes assembled at Magunce to reforme the state of the Churche and to directe the people to a Christian and godly life Concil Magun cap. 1. Rom. 5. Ephes 3. saide Initium actionis nostrae de fide esse decreuimus c. We haue determined that the beginning of our doing is of Faith whiche is the foundation of all good for without Faith we can not please God. By Faith it is that we haue accesse to Christ Faith is a meane to obteine and gette our Iustification Aug. de Spiri et Lit. ca. 29 Iustificatio autem ex fide impetratur c. Iustification is obteined by Faith. And by what meane S. Augustine doth there expresse Per fidem impetratio gratiae contra peccatum Aug. de Spiri Lit. ca. 30. Per gratiam sanatio animae à vitio peccati By Faith grace is obteined against sinne and by grace the sowle is healed of that is amisse by sinne Bicause therfore Faith is the gate and entrie to life the roote of good workes whereof all iustice taketh his beginning the foundation whereupon godly life is builded the meane to obteine Iustificatiō and good workes without the which nothing pleaseth God the Scripture saith that by Faithe a man is iustified for of Faithe it maie be saide Haec porta Domini iusti intrabunt in eam Psal 117. This is our Lordes gate the iuste shal entre into it And here the Reader must be aduertised The Catholike Faith. Vincentius Lyrinēsis that by faith is vnderstanded the trewe Catholique faith whiche holdeth and beleueth onely that that the Catholique Churche hath holden from Auncient time vniuersally And what so euer it shall vnderstande to be brought in afterwarde of any one beside or against all the holy it accompteth that not to perteine to religion but to temptation To this Faith is all promise made and preeminence geuen in the Scripture This faith is the foundation of iustice If any other be brought in contrarie or diuerse from this Nō est fides Cyril suprà sed perfidia It is not faith but falsehod not the foundation of iustice and gate of life but the waie to destruction Symbol Athan. Aug. Euchi cap. 1. De fide ope ca. 14. Epist 105. De spiri et Lit. cap. 32. Aug. de fide et oper c. 16. For we sing in the Creede Vnlesse a man holde the Catholique Faith sounde and inuiolable he shal without doubt be loste for euer An other cause why the Scripture so speaketh is that wheresoeuer it is said a man is iustified by faith there is not meant a bare naked or solitarie faith but that faith that worketh through Charitie And therefore S. Augustine where he saith that faith is the foundation wherby Christe dwelleth in our hartes immediatly after addeth these wordes Porrò fides Christi illa vtique c. But that is verely meant the faith of Christ which the Apostle determined that hath her working through Charitie Iaco. 2. Mar 1. Lucae 4. Matth. 8. For it is not the Faith of diuels though they also beleue and tremble and confesse Iesus to be the Sonne of God that may be taken for the foundation and why so but bicause it is not the Faith that worketh through Charitie but suche as is wroong owt through feare The Faith then of Christe the Faith of Christian grace that is to witte the Faith that hath her working through charitie if it be laied in the foundation suffreth none to perish by which wordes it appeareth that Faith maie be without charitie but suche a Faith can not make Christ to dwell in vs. Againe that Faith voide of charitie is not the Christians but the diuels Faith. Thirdely that the Faith of Christ the Christians Faith and the Faith of grace is that which worketh through Charitie and that is it that muste be laide for the foundation in al that shal not perish And seing that no man will saie that Faith can iustifie other then suche as is the faith of Christ the faith of grace the Christian and not the diuels faith it remaineth that when it is saied in the Scripture a man is iustified or saued by faith we must vnderstand that faith onely that worketh through Charitie Charitie maketh the difference betwene good men and wicked diuels Charitie is the cause why a Christian man may be iustified by faith Aug. Epistola 105. Iacob 2. Mar. 1. Lucae 4. Matth. 8. and the diuell maie not Illa quippe fides est Christianorum non daemoniorum That whiche worketh through Charitie is the Christian and not the diuels faithe for diuels also beleue and tremble but doo they likewise loue If they had no belefe they woulde not haue saied thou arte the Holie of God thou arte the Sonne of God had they loue they woulde not haue saied what haue we to doo with thee Other saith then this S. Augustine commendeth not as able to iustifie Illa est laudabilis fides August serm 13. de verb. Apostol ipsa est vera gratiae
A TREATIE of Iustification Founde emong the writinges of Cardinal Pole of blessed memorie remaining in the custodie of M. Henrie Pyning Chamberlaine and General Receiuer to the said Cardinal late deceased in Louaine Item certaine Translations touching the said matter of Iustification the Titles whereof see in the page folowing Prouerb 4. Ne declines neque ad dexteram neque ad sinistram Turne not aside to the right hande nor to the lefte RESPICITE VOLATILIA COELI ET PVLLOS CORVORVM LOVANII Apud Ioannem Foulerum Anno. 1569. CVM PRIVILEGIO Beside the Treatie of Iustification in this Volume are comprised these Translations First the Sixte Session of the Generall Councell of Trent whiche is of Iustification with the Canons of the same Session Item a Treatie of S. Augustine that famouse Doctour by him entituled Of Faith and VVorkes Item a Sermon of S. Chrysostome Of Praying vnto God. Item a Sermon of S. Basil Of Fasting Item certaine Sermons of S. Leo the Great of the same Argument Last of al a notable Sermon of S. Cyprian that blessed Martyr Of Almes deedes All newly translated into English by Thomas Lorde Coppley The Preface to the Reader AS all Scripture inspired by God is profitable to teache and instructe in rightuousenes 2. Tim. 3. to the ende that a godly man maie be perfecte instructed to al good woorkes so is there no pointe or article thereof more expediente for a Christian man to seeke more necessary to find and know more comfortable rightly to vnderstand and more profitable to remember and practise then is the trewe and right knowledge of his Iustification and the maner how the same is atteined We are sure by the Scripture that a wicked man and his wickednes bothe like are hateful vnto God Neither can there be looked for any other thing Sap. 14. then heauy punishement and iust damnation where the anger and displeasure of God is vnpacified once iustely deserued and not taken awaie by some meanes to his contentation We doubt not also but that all men are borne naturally the children of anger that is to saie Ephes 2. in Gods displeasure and indignation as branches of a condemned stocke a thral kinde and bonde race of one man Rom. 5. by whom sinne entred into the world and by sinne death and so wente through all in whome all haue sinned And what can be so pleasaunt to a captiue as to vnderstande truely the way and meanes of his deliuerance or so comfortable to a person bonde and thrall as to know not onely how he maie be made free but also how he maie be brought in speciall fauor with his Lorde by whom onely he must liue or els perish Finally how he maie be made a childe a sonne Ephes 2. and heire to him vnto whom he was a stranger before And bicause no man 1. Ioan. 1. be he neuer so rightuouse and iuste Aug. de ciuitate Dei. li. 21. cap. 16. Galat. 5. Ioan. 5. Cypria de Elcemos liueth here without sinne and fewe there are of that happy estate that fal not into damnable and mortal sinne the doers whereof shall not possesse the kingdome of God sith also a law is appointed vs by our Physition that once made vs hole who saied Thou arte made hole nowe sinne no more we were as S. Cyprian saieth driuen to â—â—arowe straite hauing a precise lawe of innocency prescribed vnto vs neither coulde the weakenesse of mannes frailtie tell what to do if God of his mercy had not appointed a waie and meane how man that by sinne falleth from iustice after his Baptisme may be restored to rightuousnes and iustice againe Further it suffiseth not a Christian man to be made rightuouse and to be set in the state of iustice vnlesse he continewe and perseuere in the same Matth. 24 for he shal be saued that continueth vnto the ende Also he muste increase in rightuousenes Apoca. 22 Leo Sermon 8. de passio Do. for so the Scripture teacheth vs Let him that is iuste be yet iustified for trewely is it saied Quantumlibet quisque iustificatus sit habet tamen dum in hac vita est quo probatior esse possit melior Qui autem non proficit deficit qui nihil acquirit non nihil perdit Euery man be he neuer so much iustified yet maie he while he is in this life be more tried and better and who so encreaseth not faileth and goeth backeward and he that getteth nothing loseth somewhat For whiche causes it behoueth vs not onely to knowe how we are made iuste and rightuouse but also how we be restored to Iustice when we fal and how we maie continewe and increase in rightuousenes when we be restored and finally attaine to saluation and glory which is the ende of Iustification and without the which all Iustification in this life auaileth nothing but rather turneth to a heape and increase of our damnation bicause as Oecumenius saith Oeco in 2. cap. Iaco. Like vnprofitable seruantes we receiue our maisters mony and make no gaine thereof that is to saie we receiue his grace in vaine This being vnderstanded 2. Cor. 16. how necessary and profitable the knowledge of this Article is and seing also that a man runne he neuer so fast yet if he runne out of the way he neuer commeth to the right end of his iourney to the intente thou be not induced to iudge amisse in so greate a matter and to thee so necessary I haue Christian Reader with the hope of Gods helpe indeuoured my selfe to laie before thine eies particularly as briefely and plainely as I coulde the maner of our Iustification in Christ with the circumstances belonging to the same Grounding my selfe chiefely in al pointes through the Treatie vpon the Scripture and holy Worde of God. 2. Petr. 1. Aug. lib. Confess 12 cap. 25. And bicause the same neither is nor ought to be of any mannes priuate interpretation for he that goeth abowt to drawe it to his owne priuat sense shall be depriued of it I haue taken suche construction thereof as the holy Ghost hath deliuered and taught his Church and suche as the auncient Fathers of sundry ages and places agreeing togethers haue lerned in the Church and vttered in their writinges to teach other Emong whom I haue especially and moste of all other folowed the auctoritie of S. Augustine as wel for that he hath writen most largely of this matter as also bicause suche as be of the contrary parte in moste credite Luthe Philip. Melan. Calui Institut cap. 18. 1. Tim. 3. and haue written in this time confesse that in the Doctrine of the Churche he is a moste faithefull declarer of antiquitie Intending therby to discharge my selfe as teaching nothing but that I haue learned in Goddes Church the state and piller of truthe and geeuing thee thereby good occasion I trust readily to beleue that thou shalt heere reade But as I haue declared vnto thee that the right knowledge of this pointe concerning
our Iustification is to a Christian man most necessary and comfortable so must 〈◊〉 aduertise thee that the mistaking and wrong vnderstanding thereof Aristo Ethic. is most dangerouse For as the Philosophers saie that euery vertue is besette of eche side with a vice contrary to it so S. Augustine writeth that the true Doctrine of Iustification Aug. in Praesa Psal 31. hath of eche side of it a deepe and dangerouse fall so that who so goeth out of the streight waie thereof on the right or lefte hand falleth downe hedlong and casteth awaie him selfe Into the one danger and of the one side they fall that presume of themselues thinking to be iustified by them selues by their owne strength and rightuousnes without the helpe and grace of God. August suprà Of them he saith Si se in audaciam quandam c. If a man lift him selfe vppe vnto a boldenes of presumption and presume of his owne strength and iustice and purpose in his minde to fulfil iustice and to doe all that is commaunded in the lawe offending in nothing and thinke to haue his life in his owne power that he slide no where faile no where stumble no where see darcke and dymme nowhere and attribute this to the power of his owne will although peraduenture he fulfil al things that seeme iust in mennes sight so that nothing be founde in his life that may be blamed of menne yet God condemneth the very presumption and vaunting of pride The other hedlong fall is on the contrary side and into it suche men fall as pretending their owne infirmitie and weakenes do no good deedes and trust and presume onely to be saued by Gods grace and mercie though they liue vngodly of whome also S. Augustine saith in the same place Si se infirmitati c. August vbi suprà If a man yelde himselfe vppe to his owne weakenesse fully and wholy and bende himselfe to this cogitation to say bicause the mercy of God is readie for all sinners vnto the ende in what so euer sinnes they continue if they beleue that God deliuereth God forgeueth so that no wicked men that haue faith and beleue shal perish that is to say none of them shall perish that say to them selues what so euer I doe with what so euer outrages and shamefull dedes I be distained sinne I neuer so much God of his mercy deliuereth mee bicause I haue beleued in him he then that saith no such menne perish by that euil thinking is moued to sinne freely And the iust God vnto whom mercy is songe and iudgement not mercy onely but iudgement also findeth man yll presuming of him selfe and abusing Gods mercy to his owne destruction and of necessity such a one must be damned And somewhat after that he saith Quid igitur fit What shall we then doe If a man iustifie him selfe and presume of his owne iustice he falleth If a man considering and thinking upon his owne weakenesse and presuming of the mercy of God haue no care to cleanse his owne life of his sinnes and drowne him selfe in all the goulfe of lewd doinges he falleth also Presumption vppon his owne iustice is as it were the right hand The thinking that sinnes escape vnpunnisshed is like the left hand Let vs heare the voice of God saying to vs Turne not aside to the right or left hand Prouer. 4. Presume not to come to the kingdome by thine owne iustice presume not to sinne through the mercy of God. These be good Christian Reader the two perilouse and deadly daungers that men may fall into if they doe not rightly vnderstande the true doctrine of Iustification Whiche falles being so dangerouse God graunt all men carefully to eschew Wherin to helpe thee iudge vprightly I haue taken in hande this trauaile trusting by Gods grace so to leade thee Via Regia that is in the true and high waie that thou shalt not nede to fall of either side if thou wilt vprightly waie and with the feare of God consider such thinges as thou shalt finde here alleaged And bicause I can not hope to atteine any good much lesse so great a good but by his geuing of whom commeth al good I wil beginne with the prayer which S. Augustine intending to preache of the same matter made desiring thee to pray for mee as he did his hearers for him selfe Primùm infirmitatem meam c. First of al saith he I commende my weakenesse to your prayers Ephes 6. as the Apostle saith that woordes may be geauen me in opening my mouth so to speake vnto you as it be not perilouse for me to speake and may be holesome for you to heare And this request I make vnto thee Gentle Reader not onely for mine owne sake who neede the same but for thine also that thou maist perceiue howe great helpe and assistance thou needest at Gods hand for thy parte if thou wilt profitably reade or speake of this matter of whiche so vertuouse and excellently learned a Bishop thought him selfe not able nor meete to speake without the healpe of godlie prayers A BRIEF TREATIE OF MANS IVSTIFICATION THE FIRST BOOKE VVhat is meant by the worde of Iustification And what degrees perfect Iustification and saluation hath in it THE FIRST CHAPTER RIGHT order of teaching requireth that sithens mine intent is to shew how a man is iustified I shoulde first declare what is meant by the worde of Iustification Three degrees of Iustification in Scripture Rom. 4. of which the holy Scriptures seme to speake after three sortes and manners The first kinde is called the Iustification of a sinfull or wicked man of which S. Paul speaketh saying Credenti in cum qui iustificat impium reputatur fides ad iustitiam Faith is reputed for iustice vnto the partie that beleueth in him which iustifieth the wicked Whiche wordes S. Augustine expounding saith To iustifie the wicked In exposi quarund propos ex epistola ad Rom. Aug. in Psal 7. in ep 120. Rom. 8. is as much to saie as to make of the wicked a godly man. And in an other place he saith When a wicked man is iustified of wicked he is made iust And sith all Iustification commeth of God Deus est qui iustificat It is God that iustifieth of these places and manie other that might be alleaged to this purpose we may gather and saie that Iustification in this kind is the gifte of God whereby a wicked or sinfull man is made godlie and rightuouse An other degree or manner of Iustification the Scripture also acknowlegeth Apoc. 22. saying Qui iustus est iustificetur adhuc Let him that is iust be iustified yet And let him that is holie be yet made holier And in an other place Non impediaris orare semper ne vetêris vsque ad mortem iustificari Eccle c. 18 quoniam merces Dei manet in aeternum Let nothing let thee to praie euer and let nothing forbid thee to be iustified