Faith to witte the faith of God towarde man in keeping his promise and the faith of man towarde God in beleeuing his worde and seing also that of Gods faith there is no question nor doubt it foloweth that when so euer mention is made in the Scripture of mans faith alone and in his owne kinde that faith is vnderstanded whereby man is faithful vnto God Chrysost hom 31. in Gen. that is as S. Chrysostome saith Wherby man geueth credite vnto his saiyngs and wordes For expounding these wordes Credidit Abraham Deo Abraham beleued God he saith Credidit dictis Dei He gaue credite to Gods wordes and sayinges In this sense S. Augustine saith August de verb. Apostol sâ—m 16. De spiri lite cap. 31. Ad fidem quid pertinet Credere What appertaineth to faith To beleue And bicause a man might aske also what it is to beleeue to put that out of doubt he saith in an other place Quid est enim credere nisi consentire verum esse quod dicitur What is it els to beleeue but to consent that the thing which is saide is true By this rule as many in al ages as haue beleued the Gospel after the right and true vnderstanding of the Catholique Churche keeping themselues within the same Churche Vincent Lyrinen aduers haeres haue ben called faithful and Catholiques Ille est verus Germanus Catholicus qui veritatem Dei qui Ecclesiam qui Christi corpus diligit c. He is a true and right Catholike saith Vincentius Lyrinensis that loueth the truth of God that loueth the Church that loueth the body of Christ Who is a true Catholique that estemeth nothing more then Gods religion and the Catholike faith no not the authoritie and loue of any man father husband or whatsoeuer not wit eloquence nor philosophie not welthe riches or honour but despising al these things and remayning fast and stable in faith what soeuer he shall knowe that the Catholique Church hath holden from auncient time vniuersally doth determine to holde and beleeue only that Such then are faithful and Catholikes that beleeue the Catholike and auncient faith vniuersally receyued as Vincentius saieth that beleue God and geue credite to his words as S. Augustine and S. Chrysostome say And if they be also of life good and vertuouse then be they called boni Catholici August in Praefatio Psal 31. Ser. 31. de verb. Apost good Catholikes if they be of yl conuersation they be called fideles iniqui vniuste faithful mali Catholici yll Catholiques faithful and Catholikes bicause they haue faith yll bicause their life is vngodly if they forsake the faith as Iulianus did they be called Apostates But as long as they keepe the Catholike faith of Christes Churche Note thoughe their lyfe be wicked and they damnable yet be they not called infideles but faithful and beleeuers And sith no man can be called faithfull but he that hath faith and it is faith to beleeue and to beleeue is but to assente vnto trewth by this it is proued that the propertie of faith in his owne kinde is to beleue the Gospel and to assente vnto the trewth of God. S. Augustine saith Euchiri cap. 6. 7. 9.117 Faith in his ovvne nature August in Praefatio Psal 32. A man doth learne by the Crede what is to be beleeued by the Pater noster what is to be hoped and by the commaundementes what is to be loued And albeit faith and charitie must be both in a good man yet as he saieth Quod credit fidei est quod operatur charitatis est it is the property of faith that a man beleueth and of charitie that he worketh Faith in his owne kinde may be alone and parted from charitie and hope Iacob 2. Enchirid. cap. 8. Ser. 4. de Collect. For not onely euil men but euen Diuels doo beleue and tremble but as S. Augustine saith They neither hope nor loue And Leo saith Multis quibus auferre non potuit fidem sustulit charitatem From many hath the Diuell taken awaye Charitie from whome he could not take awaye Faith. In this sorte doth the Scripture many tymes speake of faith as it is in it selfe and in his owne nature Heb. 11. saying Fides est substantiarerum sperandarum Prima in cap. 11. ad Heb. Faith is the substance of thinges that are to be hoped for It is called the substance of them saieth Primasius bicause vnto such thinges as be taught by the worde of God though they be not sene yet faith geueth a being in our soule assenting vnto them and beleeuing them as well to be true as though they were seene with our bodily eyes In the same place it is saied By faith we vnderstande that the worlde was sette in order by the woorde of God. And this is faith in his owne kinde that is to say a beleeuing and assenting vnto truth Somtime the Scripture speaketh of faith as it is accompanied and ioyned with other vertues and geeueth vnto faith the properties of such vertues as are ioyned with it So is it said Heb. 11. that by faith Abel offered Sacrifice Noe feared God Abraham obeyed Moyses suffred affliction not that these are the properties of faith in his owne nature Faith ioyned vvith other but bicause the Fathers beside faith had these vertues also Abell the vertue of religion Noe the feare of God Abraham obedience Moyses patience So it is likewise said of charitie Omnia suffert oiÌ„a credit oiÌ„a sperat She suffreth al things beleueth al things hopeth al things And yet saith S. Austine truly In Prafa Psal 31. Quod credit fidei est It cometh of faith that a man beleueth And likewise of patience that he suffereth and of charitie that he loueth and worketh wel Trewe it is that none of these vertues alone and by it selfe maketh a good man. For it is a rule in Philosophie that vertues be linked together And yet as trewe it is that euery vertue hath her owne natural property wherby she worketh somwhat in a good man So faith beleueth hope trusteth charitie loueth prudence chooseth fortitude beareth temperance refraineth whose properties ioined together with other like make vppe an absolute and perfecte goodnes But bicause both faith and also the Scriptures were giuen to men Ioan. 5. to thintente they should haue life euerlasting by them knowing and doing the wil of God S. Paule commendeth specially the faith that doth not only reste in opinion and beleuing of truthe but that is actiue and working through charitie toward that ende saiyng In Christe Iesu neither circumcision Gala. 5. nor to be without circumcision auaileth ought but faith that worketh through charitie declaring thereby Leo ser 7. de Epipha A notable Rule De fide oper c. 14 De spiri lit ca. 32. Epistola 105. Enchir. cap. 8. De Gra. et lib. arbi cap. 7. that faith of it selfe
touching the questiō of our Iustification Which he decideth thus farr to wit whether faith without good woorkes may saue a Christian man or no. The occasion of S. Augustines Treatie of saith and vvorkes Where vnto he was moued by a corrupte opinion of some menne in his time For whereas whole countries then were not yet fully conuerted to Christe and therefore diuers of al ages as they were brought to the faith came yearly to be christened some were of opinion that as manie as would beleeue the right faith though they liued vngodly yet might be receiued to Baptisme and be saued through faith and the Sacramentes without good workes Against whome he wrote this godly and learned Booke entituled De Fide operibus of faith and woorkes prouing therein at large that faith without good life can saue no manne And bicause the value and estimation of good workes hath been and yet is called in question to wit what accompte God maketh of them and whether any reward be geuen vnto them especially of life euerlasting and whether they be necessarie and able to healpe vs to attaine the same I haue also chosen certaine Arbitrators touching the especial and chiefe workes commended by Christe as Praier Fasting and Almes dedes And those suche men that in their handes thou mayste without daunger put thine opinion and iudgement For Praier I haue chosen S. Chrysostome for Fasting S. Basil and S. Leo for almose deedes S. Cyprian and S. Leo againe The first and second Confessors but so liuing for certaine yeares that they daily looked to be Martyrs The third also a Confessor but such as in his life by a Generall Councell of 630. Bishops was called S. Leo and since his death hath ben so taken of the Churche Concil Chalcedo Sess 3. and hath also for his most excellent learning bene surnamed Leo the Greate The fowrth a flower of the worlde in his life for vertue and learning and in his death a moste constante and vndoubted Martyr S. Cyprian and S. Augustine liued in Africa S. Basil in Asia S. Leo in Europa S. Chrysostome parte of his life in Asia parte in Europa And so by these doo we heare as it were speaking in them the voice of the whole Catholike Church 1. Tim. 3. which is the piller and staie of truthe against the whiche no man well aduised will frame him selfe a singular opinion For vnto the Churche is the holy Ghost the teacher of al trueth promised Ioan. 15. 16. which promise no priuate man hath Their Antiquitie is suche that the latest and lowest of them al liued within 400. yeres after Christe Peruse and way without affection gentle Reader the Treaties of these holy Fathers I might require thee also to stand to their decision bicause there is no exception to be taken against them But that I leaue to Gods gracious working and thine owne good will bicause I take not vppon me to be Iudge of the cause but a motioner toward peace Only this muche I saie of them that whereas Iudges should be voide of hatred freendshippe enmitie and pittie Salust de bel Catil these men are suche For as S. Augustine saieth of them and of others like Nullas nobiscum Aug. contra Iulia. Lib. 2. vel vobiscum amicitias attenderunt vel inimicitias exercuerunt Neque nobis neque vobis irati sunt neque nos neque vos miserati sunt Quod in Ecclesia inuenerunt tenuerunt Quod didicerunt docuerunt quod à patribus acceperunt hoc filijs tradiderunt They neither regarded friendshippe nor were at enmitie with vs or you they were neither angry with vs nor you nor tooke compassion of vs or of you Looke what they founde in the Church that they held suche as they learned they taught what they receiued of their Fathers that deliuered they to their children Take therefore Christen Reader if thou be a childe of the Churche these thy Fathers lessons Aske thy Fathers saieth the holy Scripture and they will shew thee Deut. 32. enquire of thy Elders and they will tell thee These be thy Fathers these be thy Elders These are suche of whom Christe saied he that heareth you heareth me Lucae 10. he that dispiseth you dispiseth me These are the high Pastours of Christes Church of whom Christ saied Matth. 18. he that heareth not the Churche let him be to thee as an Heathen and Publicane These are the lightes of the Church of whom Christe saied You are the light of the worlde Matth. 5. Acto 13. whose predecessours saied also of them selues that they were placed to be a light to Nations to woorke saluation euen to the vttermost of the earth Of whome also an other saied He that knoweth God harkeneth vnto vs. 1. Ioan. 4. He that is not of God harkeneth not vnto vs. In this we trie the Spirite of Truthe and the Sprite of Errour If thou wilt then be lead by Truthe and not seduced by Errour harken to these holy and learned Fathers all Bishoppes and chiefe Pastours in the Churche of Christe in that time and age whiche the Aduersaries them selues accompte for the purest Let these hardely be thy Arbitrers in decision of these present controuersies They lacked no learning to know the Truthe They wanted no vprightnesse to write as they knewe They can not be partiall They knewe neither parties They liued taught and flourished in the time of Truth by the Aduersaries owne Confession To speake farder in the commendation of these most holy and learned Fathers it were but a vanitie There nedeth no candle when the day light shineth Where good wine is there nedeth no garland to hange out These Fathers commends them selues All the Christian worlde reuerenceth them and crediteth them as holy Fathers as most learned Doctours as singular lightes of the Churche of Christe bothe Greke and Latin. To whom this publike testimony of all Christendome suffiseth not to him nothing will suffise Reade therefore Christian Reader Vse and peruse And reading these remember that thou readest not any writer of late yeares any priuate learned man any particular Iudgement or doctrine But that thou readest in these the doctrine of the primitiue Churche Auncient and generally approued Fathers briefely the publike Testimony and common voice of all Christendom And that not certaine of their sayinges culled out from the whole but their whole and full Treaties word for word as they wrote them laied before thee Last of all not any suche writinges as they wrote by waie of controuersy as against an Aduersary but partly a settled and deliberated doctrine such as S. Augustines Treatie is partly Homelies and sermons made and pronounced to the whole people suche as all the rest are in whiche kinde of exercise the Pastour of Goddes people will be most aduised what he speaketh and muche more what he writeth To make an ende Thou hast hitherto hearde learned men prouing and debating matters now in controuersy
is not able to worke the effecte of saluacion for which purpose it serueth vnlesse it be accumpanied with charitie the Mother of al vertues of which wordes S. Augustine gathereth a rule that when we find in the Scriptures faith commended for Iustificacion or saluacion we should euer vnderstād it meant of faith which worketh through charitie saying Hanc fidem definiuit Apostolus c. This faith hath the Apostle defined and determined to be it And in that sense both S. Augustine and other aunciente fathers cal that many times the trewe faith the Christian mannes faith and the faith in deede The trewe faith in respecte of the ende whiche is saluacion not bicause the faith whereby we onely beleue the Scriptures is not a trewe Faith. For we saie in the Creede of Athanasius that the Catholique Faith is a full perfecte and inuiolable Faith. A beleeuing faith and a sauing faith But it is perfecte in beleuing not perfecte in sauing And therefore it is not saide in the ende who so beleueth it shal be saued but vnlesse a man beleue and keepe it inuiolable he shal without doubte be damned For though he beleue the Scriptures in profession and keepe them not in deede that is if he beleue them in worde and mouth and trangresse them in acte and deede he shall not be saued Faith alone and of it selfe maie be perfecte for beleuing but the faith that is trewe and perfecte for sauing is euer accompanied neuer alone It is one thing then to haue trewe faith in assente and opinion which is faith in his owne nature and an other thing to haue faith in obedience of harte and affection which is faith accompanied with charitie and other vertues of whiche difference I onely putte the Reader in remembrance bicause I will more largely speake thereof in the. 7. Chapter of the second booke to the whiche I referre him Thus haue I thought good to open vnto the Reader what is properly meante by the name of faith alone August de Trinitate Lib. 15. cap. 18. in Euchirid cap. 8. and what it taketh of other vertues Sine quibus esse potest sed prodesse non potest Without the whiche it may be but it can not auaile nor attaine to the life euerlasting Faith properly is to beleue and to beleue is to assente to trewth This faith the age of S. Augustine S. Chrysostome and Vincentius Lirinensis did knowe and teache willing men for their saluation to ioyne vnto it charitie with other vertues If any man deuise an other faithe beside this he bringeth vs not the consent of Antiquitie but an inuention of noueltie As concerning the faith whereby miracles and wunderous actes are wroughte it is none other but the Catholique faith whereof I haue spoken Ioan. 20 which to aduance and commende God doth miracles in some that professe it through his name Whiche faith as both a good and ill man may haue so may both a good and ill man doo miracles as appeareth plainely by the wordes of Christe in S. Mathew and by S. Paule to the Corinthianes Math. 7. 1. Cor. 13. th one saying that many hauing done miracles shal be shutte owt of the kingdome of heauen The other affirming that a man maie be able to remoue mountaines and yet lacke charitie without the whiche he is nothing VVherein the controuersie of Iustificacion resteth and what is the rediest way to know how the same is wrought in vs. THE III. CHAP. THERE is emong parties at this time no greate controuersie touching the original cause of our Iustificacion For the Scriptures plainely shew and al men agree that it is God that iustifieth Rom 8. But the controuersy resteth specially in two pointes the first point first what our Iustification is and wherein it standeth whether it be onely a forgeuenes of sinnes paste or whether there be also required in it a change of the man and a newnes of life the secōd point The other pointe is how our Iustification is wrought in vs to witte albeit God iustifie vs yet how he worketh it in vs and by what meanes we comme to it by faith alone or by faith ioined with other vertues and Sacramentes which doubtes I thinke shal be much cleared if we consider our owne corrupte and sinfull estate and the cause thereof whiche is our carnall Birthe and descente from Adam By whom sinne entred into the worlde Rom 5. and by sinne death and so wente through all in whom all haue sinned Seing then that his fall was our fall and the cause of our vniustice if we vnderstande in what case he was created and what was in him loste wounded and weakened by sinne cōtraries being knowen by one rule and teaching we know also what our Iustification is Aristotle For the repairing of that which was in him loste is our restoring and the saluing of that which was in him wounded is our health the changing of the olde estate wherein through him we were borne is our renewing And our restoring healing and renewing is our Iustification Esai 53. Luc. 19. For Christ that came to iustifie sinners came to seeke and saue that which was loste and to make whole that which was wounded VVhat was loste in Adam by sinne and what is restored by Christe in our Iustification the comparing of Christ with Adam And in what thinges our Iustification standeth THE IIII. CHAPTER IT is a matter of vndoubted trewthe and confessed of all right beleuers that God created Adam in most excellent and perfecte estate For the Scripture saith in the person of God Gen. 1. Faciamus hominem ad imaginem similitudinem nostram Lette vs make manne after our image and lykenes Wherefore as God him selfe is wisedome trueth rightuousenes temperance loue strength vertue and in goodnes moste free so made he manne wise trewe rightuous and iuste temperate strong indued with perfecte loue vertuous and to all goodnes willinge and free Psal 48. But man vnderstanding not when he was in honor abusing his libertie to ill and transgressing Goddes commandement did not onely lose that perfect estate and beautie of vertues but broughte him selfe also into a base mortall and miserable condition fell into vices contrarie to the former vertues and became displeasant and hatefull vnto God his bodie condemned to death and his sowle vnlesse mercie had deliuered him to endlesse damnation And albeit it might suffise to say that he loste all the vertues wherewith he was by God indued yet to expresse some parte thereof particularly Prosper Aquitanus sayth Perdidit primitus fidem c. Contra Collatorē cap. 10. He loste first and chifely faith He loste continence he loste charitie he was berefte of wisedome and vnderstanding He was lefte without counsell and strength he dranke the poison of all vices and with the dronkennesse of his intemperance wetted through and soked the whole nature of man he loste profitable and
in Gen. God hath deliuered his Sonne for our sinnes he hath graunted the gyftes of Baptisme he hath geuen remission of our former sinnes he hath opened vnto vs the waie of Penance By this remedie such as fall into sinne after Baptisme may be restored againe to the state of iustice For to such as do penance God hath promised grace and reconciliation Ezech. 18. saying by the Prophete Si impius egerit c. If the wicked man doo penance for all his sinnes that he hath committed he shall assuredly liue and not die The like promise he hath made in the newe Testament by S. Peter Acto 3. Poenitemini conuertimini vt deleantur peccata vestra Doo penance and turne that your sinnes maie be blotted owt But vnto suche as falle and will not doo penance God threateneth damnation Ezech. 33. Si impius nō fuerit conuersus à via sua c. Ipse in iniquitate sua morietur If the wicked be not turned from his waie in his wickednes shall he die And in the newe Testamente Christe him selfe saith Luca. 13. Nisi poenitentiam egeritis omnes similiter peribitis Vnlesse ye doo penance ye shall perish all after like sorte By which wordes putte together we vnderstande that as penance is the sure and vndoubted waie to restore a sinner againe so without the same there is no hope of his reconciliation As this order is commanded by the Scriptures so hath it in all ages ben practised by the Churche of Christ that sinners should be reconciled and iustified by penance Clem. lib. 2. ca. 45. Constitu Apost Tit. 3. Clement S. Peters scholer and successor compareth penance with the Sacrament of Baptisme saying to the Bishoppe Quemadmodum gentilem per lauacrum c. As thou receiuest the heathen by Baptisme after that he is instructed so shalt thou restore this man that is the penitent to his olde estate when he is cleansed by laying handes on him as by penance all men praying for him and the laying of handes shal be in steade of Baptisme He saith that penance standeth in steade of Baptisme bicause as by Baptisme the sinner is saued euen so by penance his sinnes be forgeuen for Christe hath saide Quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur illis Ioan. 20. Whose sinnes you forgeue they be forgeuen them S. Augustine making the same comparison saith Quae autem Baptismatis eadem reconciliationis est causa De adulter cōiug li. 1. ca. 28 The like respecte is to be had of reconciliation and absolution as of Baptisme if it happen the penitent to fall in daunger of death for the Churche our mother ought not by her will to suffer them passe cut of this life without the pleadge of their peace He calleth absolution the pleadge of our peace as whereby our sinnes be forgeuen and conscience quieted He maketh penance as necessary to a sinner after Baptisme as Baptisme it selfe to him that is heathen S. Leo saith Peccata Baptismi aquis et poenitentiae lachrymus abluūtur Ser. 11. de quadrag ser 9. de Pasch Sinnes are wasshed away by the water of Baptisme and by the teares of penance And as men entre into the Church and be made members of Christe by Baptisme so if they fal away againe by sinne they may returne saith S. Cyprian by penance Cypria li. 4. epist 2. Nam cùm scriptum sit c. For sith it is written God made not death neither is delited to haue the liuing cast away vndoubtedly he that willeth none to perish desyreth that sinners should doo penance and by penance returne to life againe Pacianus faith that God hath prouided this remedie for men And in the same sentence Idem stantibus praemia qui iacentibus remedia largitus est Pacia epi. 1. ad Sym pronia Euen he hath giuen rewardes to them that stand who hath graunted remedies to such as lie and are fallen And thus we see it proued by authoritie of Scriptures and auncient Fathers that the right and assured remedy to heale a sinner after Baptisme is penance And that the Sacrament of penance by the promise of Christe hath vertue to reconcile and iustifie a sinner For which cause it is compared with the Sacrament of Baptisme and called by S. Cyprian a returning to life by S. Clement a restoring and cleansing By S. Augustine a pleadge of our peace and quiete of conscience by S. Leo a wasshing away of sinne by Pacianus the remedy of such as are fallen And to make vppe the matter S. Chrysostome calleth it the cure of our woundes and by the plaine terme Iustification Contritionem vult cordis Chrysost ho. 20. in Genes God will haue saith he contrition of harte remorse of minde confession of the fall a continuall care and diligence and geueth not onely the curinge of woundes and cleanseth from sinne but euen him that was before laden with innumerable burdens of sinnes he maketh a iust man. And hereby also may the Reader perceiue how good cause the auncient Bishop Pacianus Pacia epi. 1. ad Symproniae Hiero. ad Pamma Ocea and S. Ierome had to cal penance a borde to saue him that had suffred wreack or a seconde borde after wreack that is to say a second refuge when the firste helpe is loste And also he may see how litle ground they haue who against authoritie trewth and reason mislyke that manner of speache seeinge that by penance a sinner may be reconciled and saued which without the same should perish as hath ben proued How a sinner commeth to trewe penance and by what meanes he receiueth his Iustification I haue declared before Cap. 8. and shall for the Readers remembrance onely repete the same here It is grace first that moueth him to amendement and to say Surgam ibo ad patrem meum Luc. 15. I will rise and go to my father through which grace faith being stirred to beleeue the Scriptures and the threatninges of God vttered therein against sinners striketh into him a feare of Goddes iust iudgement and further bicause he should not dispaire moueth him to conceiue hope of mercie for that God is full of compassion and mercie Psal 102. 1. Tim. 1. Aug. in Psal 114. and came to saue sinners and that hope being once entred engendreth a loue of God as S. Augustine saith Quia credidisti sperasti quia sperasti iam dilexisti Bicause thou hast beleued thou haste hoped bicause thou haste hoped nowe hast thou loued Charitie taking roote in the harte bringeth forth a louing feare and care loth to offende God and such as maketh all penance be it neuer so sharpe to seeme easy and light And these be the fiue pointes apperteining to trewe penance faith a dreadfull feare of God hope Charitie and a louinge feare or carefull loue which thing may not onely be noted in the Niniuites in Marie Magdalene Zacheus and suche as the
For if these be in vs Ser. 16. de ver apost then doo we belonge to the predestinate to the called and to the iustified Whiche is also expressed by the woordes of S. Paule where he saith Finis praecepti est charitas 1. Tim. 1. c. The perfyting and ending of the commaundement is charitie that commeth from a cleane harte De doctr Christian lib. 1. c. 40 from a good conscience and an vnfayned faith In which place S. Augustine saith The Apostle putteth in good conscience in steade of hope Wherefore if the commandement be geuen to make man perfect in such perfection as he may haue in this life and the ende and perfecting of the cōmandement lyeth in these three vertues the greatest perfection that man may reache vnto in this life is gotten by faith hope and charitie And our greatest perfection in this life is our Iustification for our glorifying apperteyneth to the life to come That faith excludeth not the working of Sacramentes in our Iustification THE VI. CHAPTER Of the Sacramentes AS faith doth not barre hope and charitie from working our Iustification so doth it not exclude the SaSramentes of the Church instituted by Christ in the newe Testamente Whiche Sacramentes be not only requisite to the iustifying of a sinner but doo worke also in him remissiō of sinne bring and restore him to rightuousnes and geue life euerlasting Baptisme saieth S. Peter 1. Pet. 3. saueth vs. Concerning the Sacramentes of the Altar Christe saieth He that eateth my fleshe Ioan. 6. and drinketh my bloode shall lyue for euer He saieth also of the Sacramente of Penaunce whose sinnes you forgeue Ioan. 20. they be forgeuen them The like may be said of the rest of which S. Augustine maketh this general rule putting a differēce betwene the Sacramentes of the olde and newe Testament Sacrament a noui Testamenti dant salutem August in Psal 73. Sacramēta veteris Testamenti promiserunt Saluatorem The Sacramentes of the newe Testamente geue saluation the Sacramentes of the old Testamente promised a Sauiour S. Bede whom I allege for honours sake both bicause he was a singular lighte of our Country and also bicause he was in all his writinges an exquisite and moste diligent folower of S. Augustine saieth Bed. Hom. in feri 3. Pascha The Apostles were sente Qui cunctis per orbem nationibus c. Who shoulde both preache the woorde of life to all nationes through the worlde and minister the Sacramente of faith by whiche men mighte be saued and atteyne to the ioyes of the heauenly country The reason why so high and excellente a vertue should be in the Sacramentes August in Psal 56. et idem in Psal 103. is bicause they take their force of Christ his Death and Passion Percussum est latus pendētis de lancea profluxerunt Ecclesiae Sacramenta The side of Christ hanging on the Crosse was stryken with a speare and the Sacramentes of the Church came flowing out And as they issued and flowed out of his side so doo they applye and geue vnto vs the benefyte of his bloode and passion Augu. exposit epist ad Roma inchoat Such as vvere christened Were signed vvith the Crosse Illud Sacrificium c. That Sacrifice to witte the whole Sacrifice of our Lorde whiche after a manner is then offred for euerie one at what tyme he is christened and signed if he sinne againe can not be offered S. Augustine saith that the Sacrifice which Christe made for all vppon the Crosse is offred after a sorte for euery one particularly when he is baptized For as he died for al and paide the price and ransome of his bloode sufficiente for all so is his passion auayleable and applyed vnto such as receyue the healthful Sacramentes of his passion Augu. ad arti falsò sibi imposit artic 1 Cuius mors non sic impensa est humano generi His death was not so bestowed vpon man kinde that euen they that neuer shoulde be regenerate or christened should also be partakers of his redemption but in such sorte was it geuen that it whiche was by one onely example and paterne done for al in general should by a special Sacramente be celebrated and done in euery one by him selfe Let no man therefore assure him selfe of his Iustification by faith or other meanes The Sacramēt of penance without the helpe and benefite of the Sacramentes whiche God hath prouided first to applie his death and passiō vnto vs as we haue seene proued and nexte he hath also prouided them to be bandes to bynde and rowle vp our woundes in this life to staye and ease the ruptures and breaches of our soule August in Psal 146. Alligamenta medicinalia c. The Sacramentes vsed here for the tyme by which we haue confort be medicinal bandes of our contrition and rupture Perfecta sanitate detrahentur When our healthe shal be perfect which shal be in heauen they shal be pulled of but we should not atteyne and comme to that were we not rouled and bound vp S. Augustine saith that the Sacramentes for the tyme of this life be our medicines and salues to keepe vs in health and for the life to comme so necessarie that no man should atteine thereunto without them Here some man will say Obiection how should the Sacramentes be so necessarie for our saluation Is it not writen that by faith God purifieth and maketh cleane the hartes of men Act. 15. Ephe. 2. Ioan. 6. Is it not in S. Paule by grace are ye saued through faith Did not Christ him selfe say he that beleueth in me hath life euerlasting With many like sayinges wherein faith is commended without any mention made either of hope charitie or Sacramentes Yeas verely Answere they be all the wordes of God and al trewe but these are not onely the wordes of God nor onely trewe The holy Ghost hath vttered the trewth of God in the Scriptures where and by what wordes it liked that diuine wisedome Al are inspired from God and all to be beleeued alike but not all together nor all in one place And therefore as we beleeue it is vndoubtedly trewe he that beleueth in me Ioan. 6. hath euerlasting life so doo wee likewise beleue it to be trewe If I haue all faith and haue no charitie I am nothing 1. Cor. 13. Rom. 8. Ioan. 3. as trewe doo we thinke that also by hope are we saued and no lesse true Vnlesse a man be borne againe by water and the holy Ghost he shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen As true doo we take that to be Luc. 13. vnlesse ye doo penance ye shall all perish after a like sorte After this manner doth the Scripture somtime speake of faith and attribute Iustification vnto it Note wel making no mention of hope charitie or penance Sometime it seemeth to geue the like preeminence to charitie mentioning
neither faith nor any of the rest sometime to hope sometime to Baptisme or penance without the rest somtime it promiseth rewarde of life euerlasting to faith without mention of good workes sometime to good workes saying nothing of faith and yet is there no one of them meant to be excluded or left out And therefore the godly reader wisely meeke and meekely wise when he seeth life euerlasting promised to euery one of these particularly A rule for the right vnderstāding of the Scriptures remembring that euery woorde of God is like true ioyneth them al together and truely beleueth that to the perfiting of our Iustification and Saluation there is required grace faith the feare of God hope charitie together with the Sacramentes of Baptisme and penance and also good workes as hath ben shewed before It is not the manner of the holy Ghost nor of the Catholike Church by affirming of one treweth to deny or take away an other but to ioine all trewth together S. Paule the true and earnest commender of faith preached in Asia publickly and priuately Act. 20. Testificans Iudaeis atque gentibus in Deum poenitentiam fidem in Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum Protesting to the Iewes and Gentiles penance towarde God and faith in our Lorde Iesus Christ and there ioined he faith and penance together S. Augustine often times teacheth that we are saued by Baptisme intending not to exclude faith in such as be of perfecte age and therefore saith Baptismus qui semel adhibetur Ser. 30. de ver Do. per fidem mundat Baptisme that is geuen but once Note cleanseth by faith If this rule were marked and put in vre we were at a point not onely in this matter but in many other The Euchites waying the greate commendation that Christ in the Gospell geueth vnto praier Matt. 7. Luc. 11. saying Petite dabitur vobis Aske and it shal be geuen you And what so euer thinges ye aske in praier Mar. 11. beleue ye shall haue them and they shall come to passe vnto you were of opinion Theodor. li. 4. here fabul et hist. eccle li. 4. ca. 11. that praier alone was sufficient for a Christian man. They did sette light by Baptisme and said the holy Sacrament of the altare did neither good nor harme Whereby they tooke no fruit of theire praier and loste the benefit of the Sacramentes and theire owne saluation Lette them be taught by this example who seeming to extolle faith make light not onely of hope charitie and good workes but also of the very Sacramentes ordeined by Christ for our saluation Lette them take heed leste beside losing the benefite of Christes Sacramentes they be not founde voide of true faith also For what faith can we say that they haue or howe doo they beleue Christe Matt. 20. 2. Cor. 12. Act. 8. who being taught by his owne wordes to be Baptized if they be Hethen and by the wordes of S. Paule and S. Peter after Baptisme to doo penance when they haue sinned be carelesse to doo the one or the other It hath ben declared before In the 6. chapter that sinnes be forgeuen and we iustified by the Sacraments of Baptisme and penance It hath ben shewed also In the 11. chapt that faith is one of the partes of true penance and therefore penance can not exclude faith neither faith if it iustifie exclude penance For faith is either vnfained liuely and profitable De fid et oper ca. 16 such as S. Augustine termeth fidem Christianorum Christian mennes faith or els it is naked and deade such as bicause the Diuel may haue he calleth fidem Daemoniorū Iaco. 2. the Diuels faith The naked and bare faith iustifieth no man for if it could the Diuel might be iustified The liuely and Christian mans faith beleuing al scripture to be true and seing penance not only cōmended but also cōmanded can not passe it ouer but by praier obteineth it and so iustifieth Penance is the reuiuing of a sowle that is dead by sinne Aug. de trinit lib. 4. cap. 3. Anima Deo deserente moritur the soule dieth when God forsaketh it Resuscitatur per poenitentiam It is raised vp againe by penance Ho 20. in Gen. And bicause penance is the meane to receiue Goddes grace Chrysostome saith that vppon contrition of harte remorse and confession God doth not only geue the healing of woundes but maketh him a iuste man that was before loded with innumerable burdens of sinnes Constitu Apost lib. 2. ca. 23. Seing therefore the holy Ghost hath so prouided for vs that as S. Clement saith the Church of God is our peace and a quiet and calme hauen vnto the which sinners may be restored Ioan. 20. by absolution Seing also that Christ hath made that fauorable promise saying whose sinnes you forgeue they be forgeuen them De adulter cōiug li. 2. ca. 9. whereby as S. Augustine saith Per claues regni coelorum non dubitatur fieri remissio peccatorum There is no doubte but through the keies of the kingdome of heauen sinnes be forgeuen Lette no man presume through Iustification by faith to misprise or contemne the Sacrament of penance Lette no man leaue the sure for the doubtefull and vncerteine For as in case of necessitie men may enioy the inuisible grace of God Aug. super Leuiti Quaest 84. without the visible Sacramentes so is not the visible Sacrament to be dispised when it may be had Nam contemptor eius sanctificari nullo modo potest For the dispiser of it can by no meanes be sanctified inuisibly Faith can not onely iustifie no man where the contempte of Christes Sacramentes is but furder that very contempt maketh a man prophane and wicked as S. Augustine saith Sacramentorum vis inenarrabiliter valet plurimum Contr. Faust. lib. 19. cap. 11. ideo contempta facit sacrilegos impiè quippe contemnitur sine qua nō potest perfici pietas The vertue of Sacraments is of greate and vnspeakeable force and therefore if it be dispised it maketh men profane and wicked For wickedly is it dispised without the whiche godlines and pietie can not be perfited Seing then that the Sacramentes by the death of Christ haue that singular vertue whereby sinnes be forgeuen the passion of Christe applied vnto vs our woundes and ruptures tied vppe and rowlled by them as by medicinall bandes without the whiche we coulde not atteine to perfecte health how can it be said that faith alone can iustifie or exclude the vertue of them in our Iustification VVhat is the trewe meaning of these wordes in the Scripture vve are iustified by faith or saued by faith with other like THE VII CHAPTER BVT seing that all wordes of the Scripture be the wordes of God Of faith Iustifiing Rom. 3. Galat. 3. Ioan. 6. Lucae 7. writen by inspiration of the holie Ghost and therefore vndoubtedly trew if Faith
looke for it Hebrae 11. By faith Abraham dwelled like a stranger in the land of promise we are required like strangers and Pilgrimes 1. Pet. 2. Gen. 22. to absteine from carnal desiers that warre against the soule God said to Abraham offer in sacrifice thy only sonne whom thou louest Christe saith vnto vs If a man come vnto me and do not hate that is to say Luc. 14. caÌ„not be coÌ„tent to leaue and to lacke for my sake his father and mother wife and children brothers and sisters yea and his own life also he caÌ„not be my scholer Hom. 36. in Gen. Discamus et nos obsecro a Patriarcha Dei credere dictis Let vs I pray you saith Chrysostom learne of the patriarch to credite Gods wordes The Prophet Esaie saith of Christ Dominus iudex noster Dominus legifer noster Esai 33. Dominus Rex noster ipse saluabit nos The Lord is our iudge the Lord is our law maker the lord is our king he shal saue vs. He is then not only a promiser and sauiour but he is also a iudge a law maker and a king As a sauiour he redemeth and promiseth As a law maker he appointeth orders As a king he geueth coÌ„mandementes As a iudge he threateneth malefactors Who so beleueth him as a sauiour and beleueth him not as a law maker as a kinge and as a iudge he beleueth one parte of Christ but not the whole Abraham beleued his promise that in his seede all nations should be blessed Gen. 15. Gala. 3. Gen. 17. wherein he tooke him for a redemer He beleued him as a lawemaker taking circuncision by his appointement He beleued him as a king leauing at his commandement his country kinred and inheritance he tooke him for a iudge saying Gen. 12. Qui iudicas omnem terraÌ„ nequaquam facies iudicium hoc Gen. 18. Thou that iudgest al the earth wil not doo this iudgement Let vs learne to truste his promise He saith 2. Cor. 6. I will dwell emong them I will walke emong them I will be their God Rom. 8. Ioan. 6. and they shal be my people if God be for vs who shall be against vs He that beleueth in me hath life euerlasting Let vs beleue him as a Lawe maker receiuing the Sacramentes and rites of the newe testament as Abraham receiued circumcision Gen. 17. Matt. 19. Ioan. 15. Let vs beleue his commandementes also he hath said If thou wilte come to life keepe the commandementes you be my frendes if you doo such thinges as I commaund you Let vs beleue his menasses and threateninges Matth. 3. He hath said Euery tree that beareth not good fruit shal be cutte downe and caste into the fier Ser. 16. de ver Do. Non times ne te iudicet Deus vbi est fides Arte thou not afraied saith S. Augustine that God wil iudge thee where is faith If we beleue his promises and not his orders not his commandementes nor threateninges that is beleue him in some thinges and discredit him in other we be not the right children of Abraham who was euerywhere and in all thinges faithful but rather bastarde sonnes such as the Scripture speaketh of Deut. 32. infideles filij vnfaithful children S. Cyprian wil say vnto vs How can he say that he beleueth in Christ De simpli Praelato who doth not that Christ hath commanded him to doe or how shall he come to the rewarde of faith that wil not keepe the faith of the commandement Basil in consti exercit ca. 1. S. Basill will say Nos fidem non habemus ipsi We beleue him not as one not able to reliue we shunne to take vppon vs that good and light yoke of his we shunne to entre into the kingdome of God by the narowe gate He beleueth not nor crediteth Christe saith S. Basill that fleeth his yoke and will not entre by the strait gate And yet he may beleue that Christ is God and man the Sauiour and redemer of the world but he beleueth him not as Abraham did louingly and willingly to obey him Imitare fidem Abrahae Basil ibid. A nevve Faith. Folow Abrahams Faith saith S. Basill If a man imagine and frame vnto him selfe a new deuised faith persuading him selfe assuredly and vndoubtedly that all his sinnes be forgeuen in Christe and for his sake Esai 53. for that he hath taken our sinnes vppon him further assuring him selfe that for this faithes sake he is the Sonne and heire of God Rom. 8. and heire partener with Christe although he neither suffer with him to be glorified together with him nor die with him to liue together with him it may trewely be saied of such a one Credit Christum noÌ„ credit Christo he beleueth that Christ is but he crediteth not Christ he hath a faith of his owne but he hath not Abrahams faithe for if he had he would as well be contente to crucifie the lustes and vices of his body as desire to liue with Christ as well suffer Gala. 6. as reigne with him Fidelis sermo It is a trewe saying 1. Tim. 1. and by all meanes worthy to be imbrased that Christe Iesus came into this worlde to saue sinners Fidelis sermo It is also a trewe saying If we haue died with him we shall liue with him 2 Tim. 2. Marke this vvel if we suffer with him we shall reigne with him if we denie him he will denie vs if we beleue not he remaineth trewe he can not denie him selfe Who so beleueth one of these Scriptures and careth not for the other he hath not Abrahams Faith nor is his childe For Abraham beleued God that is as Chrysostome saith Credidit dictus Dei. Gaue credite to Goddes woordes obeying and folowing them not one but all Wilte thou knowe good Reader what Abrahams Faith was and how thou maiste be made his childe Learne by example of him whom trewth it selfe declared to be the trewe Sonne of Abraham Zacheus standing before Christ at what time he came into his house Luca 15. saied Lo I geue the one halfe of my goodes to the poore and if I haue deceiued any man in ought I restore him fowre times as muche bicause he beleued the wordes of Christe Date elemosinam c. Geue almes and all is cleane to you â—sal 5. He said I geue the one halfe of my goods to the poore And bicause he beleued that God hateth all vniust dealers he saied if I haue deceiued any man in ought I rendre fower for one And beleuing these thinges whiche to a carnall man seeme harde and doing them so readily for Christe his sake we doubte not but he beleued likewise all other pointes of Faith as readily Whereuppon Iesus saied vnto him Luca. 19. This date health and saluation is come to this house bicause he also is the Sonne of Abraham And how he was the Sonne of
so deceaue them selues that it is termed euerlasting fier but not euerlasting burning For they thinke that they to whome for their dead faith they promise saluation by fier should passe through a fier that shall be of it selfe euerlasting but that their burning that is the operation of the fier vppon them should not be euerlasting For this also our Lord forseeing Matt. 25. concluded thus So shall they goo into euerlasting burning but the Iust into euerlasting life Their burning therefore shall be euerlasting euen as the fier is and the truth it selfe saieth that they shall go into this fire in whom he hath shewed not faith but good woorkes to haue failed If therefore all these places and others innumerable whiche maie be founde spoken without any ambiguitie throughout al the Scriptures shal be false then maie that vnderstanding be trewe of blocks hey and stubble that they shal be saued through fier which holding onely faith in Christe haue neglected good workes But if these sayinges be true and clere then without doubt an other vnderstanding must be searched out in that sentence of the Apostle which maie iustly be placed emong those whiche Peter saied to be in his writinges harde to be perceiued which menne must not peruert to their owne distruction by assuring the wicked of saluation against these most manifest testimonies of the Scriptures namely where they doo most obstinately continue in their wickednes and be not tourned by amendement or penaunce VVhat faith it is that saueth a man and what it is to beleeue in Christe also the exposition of the place of S. Paule THE XVI CHAPTER HERE perhappes it maie be demaunded of me what I my selfe thinke of this saying of S. Paule the Apostle and how I thinke it to be vnderstanded I confesse I had rather heare in this pointe menne of more learning and vnderstanding that might so expounde and laie foorth the same that all those places of holy Scripture which I haue before alleaged might remaine true certaine and vndoubted and euen so of other textes also not by me rehersed whereby the Scripture dooth most euidently witnesse that no faith profiteth but only that whiche the Apostle defineth to wit that whiche woorketh through looue and Charitie Galat. 5. and that the same faith without woorkes can saue no man either without fier or by fier For if it maie saue by fier then yet it saueth but it is absolutely Iacob 2. and plainely saied what auaileth it a man to saie hee hath faith and yet wanteth woorkes can his faith saue him Yet will I saye as breefely as I canne what I my selfe thinke of this sentence of the Apostle whiche is hard in dede to be vnderstanded My former protestatiō alwaies reserued where I said I had rather heare and geue place to my betters 1. Cor. 3. Christ is the foundation in the woorke of the wise and circumspect builder This needeth no exposition For it is plainly saied Other foundation can no man laie besides that is laide which is Christ Iesu But if Christ be the foundation then without doubt the faith of Christ is the foundation Ephes 3. For Christ dwelleth in our hartes by faith as the same Apostle saith Now the faith of Christ is none other then that which the Apostle defineth to witte that whiche woorketh through looue and Charitie For the faith of the diuels wherwith they beleeue also yea and tremble and confesse Iesu Christ to be the Sonne of God can not be taken for the foundation Why so Bicause that is not a faith which woorketh through looue but is a faith wrested out by feare The faith therefore of Christe the faith of Christian grace that is to saie the faith which woorketh through charitie being laide in the foundation suffreth no man to perishe But now what it is to build vppon this foundation gold siluer precious stones and blockes hey and stubble if I shall labour exactly to expounde I feare least the verie exposition it selfe will become somewhat harde also to be vnderstanded Yet will I endeuour so farre as our Lord shall geeue me grace bothe breefely and as plainely as I can to open that I thinke Beholde he that sought to learne of the good Master and teacher what good he might doo to come to euerlasting life had this aunswer Matth. 19. if he would come vnto life he should keepe the commaundementes And when he asked further what commaundementes It was saied vnto him Exod. 20. Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not committe adulterie thou shalt not steale Thou shalt not geeue false witnesse Honour thy Father and Mother Looue thy neighbour as thy selfe To the ende that doing these thinges he might holde the faith of Christe that faith no doubt whiche worketh through loue For he could not loue his neighbour as him selfe excepte he had receyued the loue of God without the whiche he could not loue him selfe But if he would further doo that whiche our Lorde there added saying If thow wilt be perfit goe and sell all that thou haste and geaue to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure in heauen come and followe mee then should he haue builded vppon that foundation golde 1. Cor. 7. siluer and pretiouse stones For he woulde not then haue thought but of those onely thinges that pertaine to God howe he mighte please God and these thoughtes to please God are as I thinke golde siluer and pretiouse stones But now if he had yet a certaine carnal affection and loue towarde his richesse though he gaue great almes thereof and neither woulde for the increase thereof attempt any fraude or extortion or for feare of diminishing or loosing them Take hede Reader least thou leese the foundation by louing to muche vvorldly thinges fall into any lewde or wicked doing for by so doing he shoulde quite leese the foundation it selfe but if for the carnall affection which as I saied before he bare to those goodes he could not without griefe and sorrow lacke them then shoulde this man builde vpon that foundation heie blockes and stubble Especially if he had also a wyfe and vsed her in suche sorte that he would for her sake thinke the more earnestly of those thinges which appertaine to the worlde and howe he might please her Seing then that these goodes loued with a carnal affection are not loste without sorrowe for that cause they whiche so haue and possesse them as long as they keepe in the foundation that faith whiche worketh thorough Charitie and doo not by any meanes or couetousnes preferre those worldly pleasures before the looue of God doo by susteyning hinderaunce in the losse of them attayne yet by a certayne fyer of sorrowe vnto saluation From whiche sorrowe and losse a man is so muche the more safe and sure by howe muche the lesse he hath looued those thinges and enioyed them in suche sorte as though he had not had them But he that eyther for the
in heauen and come follow me He saieth also in an other place that he whiche seeketh to purchasse the grace of heauen and to bye euerlasting saluation must with the quantity of his patrimony marchaunt and bie the pretious iewell that is eternall life precious by the bloude of Christ The kingdome of heauen saieth he is like vnto a marchaunt man seeking for good perles and precious stones Matt. 13. but when he had found a preciouse stone he went and solde all that he had and bought it He also calleth them the children of Abraham whome he seeth to be workemen in the helping and nurrishing of the poore For when zachee had said Beholde Luk. 19. the halfe of my substance I geeue vnto the needie and if I haue defrauded any man of ought I render vnto him foure dubble Ihesus aunswered and saied This day is saluation made vnto this house for this man is also a sonne of Abraham For if Abraham beleeued God and it was reputed vnto hym for iustice verely he that according to God his commaundement dooth Almose beleeueth God and he whiche hath the truthe of faith keepeth the feare of God. But he whiche keepeth the feare of God thinketh of God in shewing mercie to the poore What it is to beleeue God and to thinke the scriptures true For therefore dooth he woorke bicause he beleeueth and knoweth those thinges to be true whiche are foreshewed by the woordes of God and that the holy Scripture can not lye whiche teacheth That vnfrutefull trees that is Barren and frutelesse menne shal be cutte away and throwne into the fier but the mercifull shal be called vnto the kingdoome And therefore in an other place also he calleth the woorkers and the frutefull by the name of faithfull personnes But as for the vnfrutefull and barren he saieth they haue no faith by these woordes If in the wicked Mammon Lucae 16. yee haue not been faithfull whoo will putte you in truste with that whiche is true and sound And if in the thing that is not yours yee baue been vnfaithfull whoo will geeue you that which is yours Pouetry is not to be feared for geuing of almes If thow mystruste and feare leaste if thow begynne to woorke bountifully thy patrimonie beeing consumed by liberall woorking thou maist perhaps be driuen to poouertie be in that behalfe without feare stand thou assured and out of care For that can not be wasted out of the which there is disbursed to Christe his vse and by the which a heauenly woorke is donne And thus doo I not warrant thee vppon myne owne credite but vppon the faith and warrant of the holy Scriptures Vppon the authoritie of God his promise do I assure it Proue 28. The holy Ghost speaking by Salomon saith He that geeueth to the poore shal neuer want but he that turneth his eies from them shal be in great penury shewing thereby that the mercifull and such as worke can neuer want but rather that the Niggardes and fruitlesse doo come in the ende to pouertie And the holy Apostle Paule also being full of grace of the heauenly inspiration saieth He that sendeth seede to the sower euen he also shall geeue bread to be eaten 2. Cor. 9. and shall multiplie your sowing and shall increase the yeeld of your fruitfull Iustice that you may be made riche in all thing And againe The administration of this dutie and woorke shall not only supplie in faith the want and neede of the saints but shall also be plentifull in geeuing with much thankefulnes towarde God. For when thankes for our almose and praiers are by the Oraisons of the poore directed vnto God the substance of the woorker is by the rewarde of God heaped and encreased And our Lord in the Ghospell euen then considering the hartes of such menne and by his foretelling worde denouncing this vnto the false harted and vnto suche as would not beleeue dooth protest and say Matt. 6. Doo yee not take thought saying what shall wee eate or what shall wee drinke or wherewith shall wee be appareled For these thinges the Gentiles seeke after but your Father knoweth that you haue neede of all these thinges Seeke yee first the kingdome of heauen Ibidem and the righteousnes thereof and all these thinges shall be cast vnto you He saieth all thinges are cast vnto them and geuen vnto them which seeke the kingdome and iustice of God. For our Lorde saieth that those menne shall when the daie of Iudgement commeth be admitted to receiue the kingdome whiche haue ben woorkers in his Churche But thou fearest lest thy patrimonie perhaps will faile thee if thou beginne of the same to yeeld bountifull woorkes And knowest thou not wretched man that while thou fearest the decaie of thy houshold thy life and saluation bothe doo faile And while thou arte carefull that nothing be diminished of thy goods doest thou not see that thy selfe arte diminished being a loouer rather of Mammon then of thyne owne soule Thus while thow fearest lest thy patrimonie should perishe to saue thy selfe thy selfe doest perishe to saue thy patrimonie And therefore dooth the Apostle well crie out and saie Nothing brought wee into this world 1. Tim. 6. neyther truely maye wee carrie ought hence but hauing nourriture and coouering let vs be therewith content For they that will becoome riche falle into temptation into snares and into many and hurtefull desyres which whelme a man into perdition and destruction Couetousnes the roote of al euils For the roote of all euills is couetousnes which some seeking after haue made a wracke of their faith and haue plunged them selues into many sorowes But doest thou feare still least thy patrimonie may happe to faile if thou beginne to bestowe plentifully thereof Proue 10. Why When was it seen that the iust man could wante reliefe sithe it is written Our Lorde will not kill with hunger the iust soule 3. Reg. 17 Helias was fed in the wildernesse by the ministery and seruise of crowes And to Daniell being by the kinges commaundement shutte vp in the denne for a praie to the Lions his dinner was from God prouided Danie 14. And yet fearest thou leste working and deseruing at Gods handes thou shouldest wante nourriture Remembrest thou not that he him selfe in the Ghospell to the reproche of them which be of doubtfull mindes and of litle faith dooth protest saying Beholde the foules of the ayer Matt. 6. for they sowe not they reape not they gather not into the barnes and yet your heauenly father nurrissheth them Are not yee of more value then these God feedeth the foule and euen to the sparrowes dailie foode is geeuen and those thinges which haue no manner sense of thing appertaining to God lacke neither meate nor drincke And doest thou thinke that a Christian man the seruaunt of God geeuen to doo good woorkes and deere vnto his Lord and master shall want any thing