also admit another deuision For some of them be onely inward workes or workes of the mynde as to beleue to hope to feare to loue and such like And some other are from the mynde produced into external or outward acte to geue geue almes to succor to preach to teach and such lyke All which be called outwarde workes And workes in both these latter significations be those whereof in thys matter is spoken but for so much as some of them be good and some euill therefore that the difference may appeare good workes may thus be defined Good workes are onely such workes as in the commaundementes of God be required or in any other place of Scriptures for the further explication of them expressed which tend to the true worship of God and outward witnessing of mans election in Christ The truth of thys definition is thus proued for the firste parte Namely that all the workes be good whiche in the commaundementes or any other place of the Scriptures for theyr further explication be appointed It is euident for so muche as hereby we know them to be good workes for that by God the doyng of them is commaunded Secondly that they tende to the true worshippyng of GOD it is thus proued by Christ hymselfe where he sayth Let your lyght so shyne before men he telleth the ende wherefore it should shine namely that others seeing your good woorkes may glorifie your father which is in heauen Here is the ende of good workes namely the glory and worship of god And for asmuch as God is not worshipped vnles he be truely worshipped for he is worshipped in spirite and truth therefore they onely be good workes which tende to the true worship of God which secondly was to be proued Nowe touching the last part that they be a testimony of mans election in Christ it is euident by these wordes of Peter Brethren sayth he be more diligent by good woorkes to make your election sure whereby it appeareth that good works are a testimony of the assurance of his election in Christ whereby the truth of the definition appereth and by this definition it is plaine that all superstitious workes of mans inuention be no good woorkes forasmuch as they tende not to the true worship of god Here resteth againe somewhat to bee opened of the erroures of the papistes aboute woorkes whereof they haue for their purpose deuised diuers strange distinctions as theyr preparing workes of congruent merite their Opus operantis or worke of the woorker their Opus operatum or acte of outward execution and their vndue woorkes or woorkes of supererogation Wherefore first touching their preparing worke of congruent merite wherof somwhat hath bene sayd before in the discourse about iustification first what they feigne them it appeareth namely the fruites of that theyr preuenting grace which they imagine to reduce a man into such a traunce as they faygne him therin as a man might say neyther dead in sinne nor aliue in Christ whereby all morall or ciuill woorks wrought though of nature they be not absolutely worthy workes to merite full righteousnes yet by a certayne conueniency as they terme it in equity they deserue fauour and so prepare toward the full attaynment of iustification and these be all the morall workes which be wrought by such as be not regenerate The error of which drowsie dreame is more then palpable for the scripture of God can acknowledge no middle estate betwene God and the deuill He that is not against him is directly with him he that gathereth not together letteth not thinges lye vntouched but he scattereth abrode He that is not aliue in Christ is dead in sinne S. Paule could paynt out no meane estate betwéene both he consessed all eyther quicke in Christ or dead in sinne The rewarde saith he of sinne is death And again You hath he made aliue that were dead in trespasses and sinne And agayne to the Colossians And ye which were dead in sinne and in the vncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened with him so that there is no meane estate Eyther the woorkers of theyr preparing woorkes be aliue in Christ or dead in sinne But a liue in Christ they cannot be by these woordes of Paule for all before regeneration are dead wherefore euen as a dead man hath in him selfe no power at al to prepare himselfe towardes life againe so al being before regeneration dead in sinne haue no power at all to woorke any worke that may prepare them vnto lyfe or regeneration And for that cause doth Paule call them dead in sinne that they might know themselues as vtterly vnable to helpe towardes their own regeneration as a dead carcas is to helpe it selfe to the attaynment of life agayne Whereby the vilenes of this presumptuous inuention of preparing woorkes appeareth Now touching their workes called Opus operantis or worke of the worker after theyr meaning it is thys namely the acte and holy purpose of the minde wherewith the worker goeth about any worke which they counte holy and theyr Opus operatum or acte executed is the outward execution of the same woork Now touching theyr vndue workes or workes of superogation it is necessary for playne vnderstanding what they meane to rehearse the inuention of the forged fable thereof For the grounde wherof they begin wyth a goodly and bewtifull shewe of aduauncemente of Gods vnspeakable sauour towardes vs God say they who might haue prescribed vs such straight and seuere precepts to haue bene obserued as had ben vtterly to vs impossible hath notwithstanding delt more fauourably with vs and commaunded vs nothing but that which if we list we be able to perform and a great deale more And yet notwithstanding he demaundeth no farther of vs but to performe the same by the doing whereof we shall deserue saluation though we do no more But if any be towardes God so liberally minded that he will of hys francke disposition do more neyther shall he lose the prayse nor reward of the same And this ouerplus aboue the fulfilling of the cōmaundementes is that they call theyr vndew workes or workes of supererogation superabhominatiō I should say Who euer heard a more presūptuous blasphemy Doth not the commaūdemēt require a full obediēce willing desire natural pronenes of the whole man as in the 4. chapter is euidently shewed Now then if the whole indeuour of all the parts of man be thus tyed by iust bond of dutie vnto the cōmaundement from whence then commeth theyr ouerplus of vndue woorkes Nay is it not both there and in the v. chapter euidently proued that man is vtterly vnable to fulfill the commaundement and that the Lawe was not by Moyses deliuered vnto man to the ende he should enable him selfe to the fulfilling thereof but contrariwise by vew of his insufficiency to driue him to Christ But will ye know why these men inuented this
THE IMAGE OF NATVRE AND GRACE conteynyng the whole course and condition of mans estate written by Richard Caundishe ¶ Sub laudibus naturae latent inimici gratia The enemies of Grace do lurke vnder the prayse of Nature AVGVSTINE ¶ Seene and allowed AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Daye dwellyng ouer Aldersgate ¶ Cum gratia Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis ⧠To all that throughe simplicitie of conscience and lacke of true knowledge embrace the doctrine of the Papistes Richard Caundishe wisheth the spirite of true vnderstandyng SEyng the dignitie excellency of euerye knowledge standeth in the woorthynes of the subiect or matter whereof it entreateth therfore is this know ledge worthy all reuerēce which betwen your vnfrendly abusers and vs your vncredited frends is so diuerslie handled with contrary iudgemente because the subiect or matter thereof is our iustification reconciliation into the fauour of God agayn But alas thoughe the knowledge be sure and can not be changed seyng there can be but one truth yet to the searche of the same our wayes doe so differre that the one beyng settled the other is subdued Whereof briefly to examine the principall passages can not be vnworthy of diligent trauell The matter is weighty for therein consisteth the glorye of God and saluatiō of our selues Enquire of your teachers from whence they would haue you to seeke for the truth if they say frō them selues you are not so simple to thinke them sufficiēt to direct your fayth you will looke at theyr handes for some further authorities if they say from the fathers yet try or you trust thē for feare they deceyue you The fathers are many theyr reasons are diuers they felt theyr infirmities their writynges do smell of it wherfore vpon theyr opinions onely to repose the iudgement of the truth it can not bee possible to great is the diuersitie of theyr seuerall assertions though great were theyr giftes and they worthy reuerence yet ech felt hys lacke whiche sometymes appeared in dissentyng from hym selfe by latter reuokynges of former opinions by earnest reprouynges of other their fellowes Hierome writyng vpon this place of the 23. of Mathew where Christ charged the Scribes and Pharisies with that innocent bloud that was shed from Abell vnto Zacharye the sonne of Barachye affirmeth that some of the Fathers dyd thinke it was Zacharye the father of Iohn Baptist Touching the credite of whose opinion hee thus writeth Hoc quia ex sacris literis authoritatem nō habet eadem facilitate refellitur qua probatur Seyng this sayth hee hath no authoritie oute of the Scriptures it maye as easely be denyed as affirmed Here by it appeareth what authoritie this father hym selfe attributed to the fathers where they bryng any thing not warranted by the Scriptures of God touchyng the authority of the fathers thus writeth Augustine Noli ergo frater cōtra diuina tam multa tam clara tam indubitata testimonia colligere velle calumnias ex Episcoporum scriptis siue nostrorum siue Hilarij primò quia hoc genus literarum ab authoritate canonis distinguendum est Nō enim fic leguntur tanquam ita ex eis testimonium proferatur vt contrà sentire non liceat sic vbi fortè aliter senserint quà m veritas postulat c. Broother seeke not agaynst so many so clere and so assured testimonies of the scriptures to gather wrāglyng matters out of the Bishops writynges whether it bee out of myne or out of Hilaries first because this kind of writyngs is to be deuided from the authoritie of the Canon for they are not so read as thogh itwer not lawful to thinke cōtrary to the testimonies gathered out of them where they happe to meane otherwise thē the truth requireth Thus you see within what limites or boundes the good fathers enclosed the authoritie of theyr owne writynges submittyng them selues alwayes to the iudgement of the Scriptures Agayne the same Augustine disputyng with Hierome aboute Paules reprouyng of Peter mentioned in the seconde to the Galathians doth appeale from the authoritie of the fathers which Hierome alledged vnto the Scriptures Thus you see the fathers condēned all doctrine not confirmed by the Scriptures And I dare boldly affirme it that your teachers them selues on whom ye repose you if they be well awaked will not so aduaunce the fathers that in them alone you should repose the directiō of your fayth if that be theyr meanyng they do but decayue you deale nothyng playnely The fathers dissented howe should they then direct you some held open errours whiche they must nedes cōdemne will they haue you beleue with Origene that onely the father knoweth hym selfe and that the sonne knoweth not the father neither the holy ghost the sonne neither the angels the holy ghost with whiche errour they well know that Origene is charged wil they haue you with that good father beleu that al men shal be saued and leaue no subiect matter for the triumph of Gods iustice They dare not so teache you will they haue you with Irenaeus Victorius Papias Lactantius Methodius and many other of the excellent learned fathers subscribe to the heresie of the Millinaries I know they will deny it Will they haue you with Augustin diffinitiuely iudge all infātes dying without baptisme to be dāned that the Sacrament should be ministred to infantes They wil neuer alow both Wil they haue you with Cyprian new christen all such heretickes as were baptised out of the Churche if afterwardes they be conuerted They do not so teach you Will they haue you with Hierome condemne all seconde mariages for whoredom What soeuer they thincke they dare not affirm it Wil they haue you with Denice at the buriall of the dead to annoynt the corses with oyle Them selues do not vse it Wil they haue you to follow the example of Benet who commaunded the Sacrament to be put into the mouthe of a dead Nunne They will not confesse it And to conclude because the Fathers many times say true they abuse theyr names to lead you to error Your leaders themselues in substaunce of truth dissent from the Fathers and lead you to mischiefe with some of theyr errors You see howe the greatest had faultes full of dainger which must nedes make you feare to hange your faythe vppon them That grounde is to sclender for so weighty a cause you see howe they erred yee ought to be carefull seing therby you haue cause to knowe they were but men If you tell this to your leaders and require at theyr handes a moe certayne ground to builde on your fayth they will sende you to the Councelles for they can not erre the pope is theyr warrante because they affirme it they would haue you beleue it but be not to hastie to wage them with credite Take these for exāples that Councels may erre The Councell of Aremine consented to the heresie of the Arrians The secōd Councell of Ephesus did leane
to the heresie of the Eutychians And the Calcedon councell woulde haue geuen to Leo Byshop of Rome the name of vniuersall byshop if the good father being absente had not vtterly refused it But thys your blinde guides do hold for sound doctrine But no former Coūcel would euer so iudge it The Councell where Cyprian was chiefe did consent to the rebaptising of hereticks And did not the Councell of Constaunce breake the institution of the sacrament of the bloud of Christ in withholding the cup from the laitie which no Councell before woulde haue allowed Thus in the Councels you see open error and that they alwaies teach not a constant truthe But Salomon affirmeth that a true mouth is euer constante but you see the councell not so and therefore by these wordes of Salomon subiect to vntruth wherby it appeareth that they containe not the fountaine of truth wherupon to gather the direction of your fayth and what authoritie the fathers them selues attributed to the Councels may easely be iudged by these wordes of Augustine against Maximine an Arrian byshop Thus he writeth Sed nunc nec ego Nicenum nec tu debes Ariminense tāquam praeiudicaturus proferre concilium nec ego huius authoritate nec tu illius detineris scripturarum au thoritatibus non quorumcunque propriis sed vtrisque communibus testibus res cū re causa cū causa ratio cum ratione concertet But nowe neyther may I alledge the councel of Nice nor you the councell of Arrimine to others preiudice neyther stande I bound to the authoritie of thys nor you to the authoritie of that but by the authoritye of the Scriptures which are witnesses proper to neither of vs but common to vs bothe let matter bee compared with matter cause with cause and reason with reason Thus you may see your leaders abuse you theyr stuffe is but feeble they flie from the rocke and builde vpon sande theyr groundes bee vnconstant ye ought to forsake thē theyr hope is still doubtfull their faythe is vncertaine their sute without comfort Refuse them for the better and geue eare to him that cryeth I am the way the truth and the life Know you who spake it He that neuer told lye he in whose mouth was no guile he that liueth in truth in equitie and righteousnes he at whose anger the mountaines shall melt euen the Lorde Iesus Christ him selfe he it is that speaketh it vnto you If he wished not your saluation he would not teach you the way In that he sayth he is the way haue ye not warning enough that there is no other way besides him Why then do ye stray into pathes of perdition returne heare him his word is a light vnto the feet of the righteous Thy word saith Dauid is a light to my feete Thē folow the light that ye may bee sure to see whether ye goe at the presence thereof al darknes doth vanish desire you to be blessed I know you desire it Then put on the badge whereby to be knowne put on the delight which they that be blessed are furnished withal His delight saith Dauid is in the law of the Lord and in his law will he exercise him selfe both day and night The scriptures be that light that whosoeuer foloweth can not walke in darkenes whereby not onely the fathers and Councelles but the whole worlde shal also be iudged as Christ him selfe witnesseth The worde sayth he which I speake shal iudge in the last day The maiesty whereof the fathers had in due reuerence as partly ye haue heard in that they acknowledged the same onely iudge of all councelles and writinges And touching farther confirmation hereof thus writeth Hierome Omne quod loquimur debemus affirmare de scripturis sanctis Whatsoeuer we affirme we must proue it by the holy scriptures And agayne Chrisostome speaking of these wordes of Abraham in the parable of the ritch glotton that If they would not beleue Moses and the prophetes neyther would they beleue him that should come from the dead Writeth thus Haec autē Christus ipse inducit in parabola loquentem Abraham declarans se velle plus fidei habendam esse scripturis quā si mortui reuiuiscant Paulus verò porrò cum Paulum dico ipsum Christum dico hic enim erat qui eius mentem agebat etiam Angelis è caelo descendentibus praeponit scripturas idque valdè congruenter Siquidem Angeli quà mlibet magni tamen serui sunt ministri Coeterum omnes scripturae non à seruis sed abvniuersorum domino Deo venerunt ad nos Christ him selfe in the parable bringeth in Abrahā to speake this to declare that he would haue more credite to be geuen to the scriptures then vnto the dead if they should reuiue agayne And Paule when I name Paule I name Christe for hee it was that directed hys mynde Paule I say preferreth the Scriptures before the Angels though they should discend from heauen and that very aptly for although they be mighty yet be they seruantes and ministers but al the scriptures came vnto vs not from seruantes but from the Lord and God of all thinges And agayne Augustine Titubat fides si diuinarum scripturarum vacillat authoritas If the authoritie of the holy scriptures wauer then doth fayth stumble Agayne Augustine in his 157. Epistle hath this sense Sine Scripturarum authoritate nihil desiniendum Nothing is to be affirmed without authoritie of the Scriptures Thus you see the good and holy fathers in the Primative Church gaue the whole preheminence and iudgementes of all truth vnto the holy Scriptures Wherefore in forsaking your blind and vnfrendly teachers and following the example and counsel of these reuerend fathers apply your selues to the study thereof and ye shall soone finde out infallible rules to be wray the treachery of your guilfull deceauers this is one of the easiest and it can neuer faile it is gathered out of Paul to the Romanes as a sure touchstone to discerne truth frō errour his wordes bee these But nowe is the righteousnes of God declared without the law hauing witnes of the lawe and the Prophets By which wordes this rule is plainly gathered that the righteousnes of God hath alwaies the witnes of the lawe and the Prophets what soeuer is truth the lawe and the Prophets that is to say the Scriptures will euer acknowledge and what soeuer doctrine they geue not witnes vnto is falsehoode and errour Now if your blind teachers would make you beleue that the search of the scriptures belongeth not vnto you Christ him selfe doth teach you the contrary And whether it be more right to follow him or thē iudge your selues Search the Scriptures sayth he for those are they that beare witnes of me Ye see how Christ him selfe doth followe the rule he claimeth witnes of the law and the Prophets he geueth the Scriptures for the discerner of truth And in an other place
where he teacheth the cause of errour he sheweth the same to bee ignoraunce of the Scriptures Ye erre sayth he because ye know not the Scriptures Wherefore if your blinde teachers seeke to witholde you frō the Scriptures you see they deceaue you for these be they only that can witnes the truth How greatly in the Actes of the Apostles are they of Berea commended where the reason is geuen of their great readines in receauing the Gospell for they dayly searched the Scriptures whether those thinges were so you see that the Scriptures the law and the Prophets are onely the witnes and auouchers of the truth These men went not to the fathers writings to enquire whether the Apostles sayd true but they went to the Scriptures as to the piller of trust whose witnes they were sure could neuer deceaue them Thus where your seducers would make you beleue that the Scriptures belong not to you they falsely deceaue you as now they may see the text beareth recorde that these of Berea were both men women and that not a fewe Chrysostome in his Homely of Lazarus and the riche man exhorteth all men to the reading of the scriptures and specially by name occupiers marchantes and householders alledging that they can neuer attain saluation without continuall trauell in the Scriptures affirming that they haue more neede to read the Scriptures then holiermen for that they continually passe their life in greater danger Thus vehemently doth this good father exhort all mē to the reading of the Scriptures which your vncharitable teachers aboue all thinges forbid you and yet you see both out of Paul and Christ himselfe this rule confirmed that all true doctrine hath the witnes of the lawe and the Prophets that is the witnes of the Scriptures Whereby you must examine the truth of your fayth and vtterly condemne all maner of doctrine that hath not this witnes he geueth to the Galathians this absolute decree If we sayth he or an Angell from heauen preach vnto you otherwise thē that which we haue preached vnto you let him be accursed By these rules examine the counterfeite doctrine of your faithles deceiuers search the bottome of their Masse or propitiatory sacrifice say iustly vnto them it hath not the witnes of the lawe and the Prophets no witnes of the Scriptures They bring a newe doctrine ye muste holde them accursed Likewise for theyr praying to Saintes their Purgatory their pilgrimages theyr holybread theyr holy water theyr ringing their senssing their worke of the worker their executed workes their vndewe workes their lyftynges theyr crossinges theyr breathynges their bendynges theyr dombe shewes their washyngs their annoyntings theyr shauynges their reliques and a thousād such follies you may iust ly say to them they haue not the witnes of the law and the Prophets no witnes of Scriptures they preach a new doctrine you must hold thē accursed If they gentle Reader ment to deale playnely with you they could easely tel you that their doctrine can not abide to be examined by the Scriptures of God they could tell you that the greatest indeuour and study of the chief pillers of their fayned Religion is clerely to deface and discredite the scriprures but they will neuer tell you that for thē they be sure you will credit them no farther And because you may know that I tell you the truth I will in hys owne wordes rehearse the sentences of one of their owne Cardinals concerning the same Thus writeth the Cardinal Cusa Certè hoc te non moueat quòd diuersis temporibus alius alius ritus sacrificiorum etiam Sacramentorum stante veritate inuenitur Scripturásque esse ad tēpus adaptatas variè intellectas ita vt vno tempore secundum currentē vniuersalem ritum exponentur mutato ritu iterū sententia mutaretur Truly let not this moue thee that with diuersitie of tyme there is founde diuers formes both of sacrifices and Sacramētes the truth neuertheles remaynyng and that the Scriptures are framed to the tyme and diuersly vnderstand so that one tyme they must be vnderstand accordynge to the vniuersall custome and when that custome agayne is chaunged the meanyng of the Scriptures agayne must be chaunged Gentle reader marke this opē blasphemy for the word of God abydeth for euer That is to say is euer one the same And Dauid sayth that it is an vndefiled law But if this man say true no doctrine can be more filthy for what greater corruption can be attributed to any then to be inconstant vncertayne still mutable with time but beare him yet further Thus sayth he in an other place to confirme the same doctrine Quare nec mirum si praxis Ecclesiae vno tempore interpretatur scripturam vno modo alio tempore alio modo Intellectus enim qui cū praxi cōcurrit est spiritus viuificans It is no merueile if the practise of the Churche interpret the Scriptures at one tyme one waye and an other way at another tyme for the meanyng whiche goeth with the practise is a quickenyng spirite If this to a Christiā cōsciēce be not horror then what may offend it Truly gentle reader if thou belong vnto God thy hart can not but tremble at such fearefull blas phemy and yet is this one of the principall pillars of that bewitchyng Synagoge wherevpon your teachers would haue your faith grounded if you knowing and seyng wil runne to destruction ye worthely perishe but I hope better of you This haue I sayd to make you know them what they would tell you if they durst vtter all Nowe touchyng this treatise I haue therin offred no doctrine vnto you but that which is witnessed by the lawe and the Prophetes Namely by the Scriptures vnto euery part wherof after the same is confirmed by the Scriptures I haue added the fathers sentēces which were of the sounder iudgement to shew that both they we do acknowledge one truth whereunto I haue added the shameles and subtile shifts of some of your false teachers captains I meane Some of the head Papistes and principall Scholemen bewraying their trechery wherin gētle reader this onely I craue at thy handes to read with patience examine by the rule of S. Paul and Christ him selfe which of vs soeuer hath not witnes of the law and the Prophetes the Scripture of God thinke he bryngeth a new doctrine holde hym accursed The Lord if it be his holy will open your eyes that you may perfectly see and constantly confesse hys victorious truth in the will of his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ before whom in that great day shall truth be crowned and errour cōdemned to the glory of hys name and endeles felicitie of all the eelect amongest whom the Lorde place vs to whom be all glory and prayse for euer Amen ¶ The Argumentes of the Chapiters 1. THat Adams willfull transgression made him his ofspring rebels to God
incident vnto theÌ„ then otherwise Such was the tickling of ambitious desire such was the horrour of contumelious ingratitude that now in stead of homage and duetifull thankes for so excellent an estate straightway is he trayned into suspition of hys louing creator And now seking in this desire to be the author and builder of his owne soueraigntie willingly he tasteth the fruit But forth with he felt the errour of his stray and iust scourge of hys fall beholdyng his nakednes and shame Now is he which was before the glory of God made through his rebellious contempt so lothsome in hys owne sight that shamyng hys owne filthy nakednes he séeketh to make aprons of figge leaues to hyde that which before was naturally and most secretly couered with the pure robe of innocency Now féeleth he the hyre of hys cruell ingratitude new the bitter tuice of the tasted fruite stingeth hym the excellent dignity of hys first creation lost the sower sappe of deserued destruction fully felt in possession the rigorous reuenge of his ragyng rebellion now wofuâ—ly wringeth hym downe droppeth the glory of hys royall estate A full dispossession of all the excellent ornamentes of grace a swalowyng spoyle of all former glorious gifts Now sinne hauyng him fully in possession displayeth before his eyes the ensign of death Horror and calamity rush in on euery side that which he before in the swellyng of desire forgate to acknowledge Now the ouerwhelming calamitie of painefull practise hath forced hym to féele namely that God was the only stay and glory of hys estate the roote and cause of all hys dignitie Now filthy wretch hence flieth he from the face of his God whose presence before was the beutie of his comfort the dreadfull vew of deserued destruction burrieth him into corners to hide himselfe He that before ioyfully presented him to his maker yea he in whom was writen the glory magnificence of god now for fearful shame shroudeth him from his presence and being called in this corruptioÌ„ shieldeth his misery vnder the trembling shade of silly defence beyng demaunded why he had tasted of the forbiddeÌ„ fruit the womaÌ„ saith he whoÌ„ thou gauest vnto me gaue me of the tree I did eate As though he should haue said although the contempt of thy commaundemeÌ„t displayeth it self in the acte by me coÌ„mitted yetalas so measure my cause by the due circumstance that I be not made faulty aboue my trespas the breach of thy coÌ„maundement I cannot hide seing the vew of my wretched nakednes bewrayeth the same in so great a cause onely this small refuge resieth for my defence Though I be gilty of the acte yet as the author I am not culpable seyng this woman whom thou gauest vnto me being deceiued by the serpent supposing a glorious soueraigntie coupled with so beautiful a bayte sethyng down vnder the hungry desire of higher dignity breakyng out of the liâ—â—es of thy appoynted boâ—nâ—es into the maze of persuaded libertie presented to me a tast ther of as a rare and singuler benefie which alectiue perswasion abusing my affection caried my will into so vnaduised consent that I yelded to the same Wherfore though touching the crime I haue no iust defeÌ„ce yet as the author I am not culpable Thus could graceles error euen in an instant shrowd the giltyship of this chylde of destruction vnder the habite of wrangling defence to holde tremblyng plea against his creator Now beganne he to shyne in the right coloures of confusion so farre was hée failen from acknowledgyng of offence Here with God beholding his glorious Image and likenes vtterly cancelled and defaced the beawtifull grace of all his goodnes despitefully rased the stompe or Printe of his deuine nature most filthily blotted out God I say beholding this accordyng to maÌ„s iust desert began to hate hym refuse hym for his worke and to lothe that which before he liked Now all the former delight which he thoughte to haue reposed in man was turned into iuste anger hys likyng into lothing hys fauour into frownes hys cherefull countenaunce into destroying displeasure So that whole man both thought lyfe and action through the noysome stinke of this hatefull rebellion became so abhorfull a creature vnto hys maker that it not onely repented hym that euer hée made man but for hys farther plague he also cursed the whole earth Here entred our first foyle and haynous infection namely our originall sinne the depriuation and ruine of whole nature the spoyle and corruptioÌ„ of all vertues both of body and mynde the swallowing sea of all confusion the cursed cloud of ignoraunce the déepe darkener of all deuine knowledge the ruinous roote of all outrage the mother of al conteÌ„pt the hed and fountayne of all sinne the banisher of reason and surrenderer of all the raynes and gouernment of lyfe into the hands of licentious lustes and filthy affections And to be shorte the whole fountayne of the tragedy of our confusion triumphe of Sathan But now as from the roote is deriued and sent into euery braunche and sprowte that naturall sappe from whiche they take their substaunce and increase So thys hatefull impe nothyng vnfruitfull in hys cursed kynde begate accordyng to the venemed iuice of his corruption children of hys owne heare lyke vnto hymself namely wicked peruerse corrupt and rebellious swarmyng full of all filthe and wyckednes naked barrayne of any one spot of goodnes Here agayn in this place forasmuch as sinne the effectes therof haue ben touched I thinke it not inconuenient for playne vnderstandyng to bestow some labour about the consideracion therof Wherefore first of all beginning with originall sinne it maye bée thus defined Originall sinne is the losse of originall righteousnesse and corruption of the whole nature of man the truth of this definition is thus proued Thus writeth Paule to the Corinthians The stinge of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the lawe So then the law is the strength of the sting of death but the law to be the strength of the stinge of deathe is nothyng els but this namely that the stynge of death hath no strengthe but ouer suche as the lawe declareth to be vnrighteous but the lawe declareth none to bée vnrighteous but suche as haue lost originall righteousnes Therefore the sting of death hath no strength but ouer such as haue lost original righteousnes but the stinge of death hath strength ouer the whole nature of man therefore the whole nature of man hath loste original righteousnes which was first to be proued Agayne the same Paul to the Ephesians affirmeth That man is by nature the child of wrath And again in an other place he affirmeth That the wrath of God commeth in respect of fornication vncleannes vnnaturall lustes euill concupiscense couetousnes c. And therfore it followeth that man séeing he is by nature the childe of wrathe that
he is naturally defiled with the séede of all these corruptions wherby the truth of the definition is euident And for further confirmation therof God in Genesis sayth thus My spirite shall not alwayes striue with man because he is flesh Now seing Christ the most wise expositor of the scriptures affirmeth that by the fruite the trée shall be discerned therefore by the fruites of fleshe declared by Saint Paule in the 5. chapter to the Galathians it is plainely gathered that fleshe is nothyng els but a masse of iniquitie and corruption but the whole man was before concluded vnder the name of fleshe Therefore the whole man is a masse of iniquitie and corruption Againe in the 8. of Genesis he sayth The imagination of mans harte is euill euen from his youth whereby it appeareth that there is wickednes and corruption cleaning vnto hys nature which Dauid also vttereth in playne wordes Behold sayth he I was begotten in wickednes and in sinne hath my mother conceyued me And Ieremy sayth That the hart of man is wicked and peruerse And of the vncleanes and naturall corruption of mā thus Iob in playne woordes beareth witnes Who sayth he can make him cleane that is conceiued of vncleane seede And Christ himselfe sayth That that which is borne of flesh is fleshly The meaning wherof is plaine by that which is sayd before Agayne Paule witnesseth That thorough the offence of one man sinne hath entred vpon all men Againe the same Paule to shew the filthy corruption of nature sheweth the opposition and contrarietie betwene the lawe and sinne The law sayeth he is spirituall I am carnall solde vnder sinne as though he had sayd The lawe is pure but I am corrupt which he proueth by Christes owne rule namelye by the fruites For sayth he that good which I would that do I not but that euill which I hate that do I If nowe I doe that I would not then is it not I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in mee Where this is to be noted that he affirmeth sinne to dwell in hym that is to haue possession of hym and naturallye to cleaue vnto hym Agayne the same Paule accuseth the whole worlde that there is none righteous that there is none wise or that seeketh after God. Now I trust the truthe of the definition is sufficiently confirmed whereunto I will also adde somewhat of the opynion of the fathers that the agréemente betwene vs in the truthe thereof may appeare Thus writeth Augustine Contra vulnus originalis peccati quo in Adam omnium hominum corrupta mortificata est natura vnde omnium concupiscentiarum morbus moleuit potens remdium est mors filij Dei Domini nostri Iesu Christi The death of our Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of God is a myghty remedye agaynst the wounde of originall sinne wherewith the nature of al men is in Adam corrupt and slayne and from whence the infection of all concupiscence hath sprong And the same agayne in his booke of nature and grace Natura verò ista hominis qua vnusquisque ex Adam nascitur iam medico indiget quia sana non est For thys nature of man wherein euerye man is borne of Adam hath now néede of a Physition because it is not found Agayne vpon the Gospel of Iohn Non natura quae tota fuerat per liberum arbitrium in ipso radice vitiata not by nature whiche through free will was wholye defiled in the verye roote And agayne he calleth it Perditionem hominis liberi arbitrij The losse of a man and of free wyll And agayne Amissionem imaginis dei The losse of the Image of God. Agayne thus wryteth Origene In lege pro illo qui natus fuerit iubetur offerri hostia par turturum aut duo pulli colūbini ex quibus vnus pro peccato et alius in ho locaustomata pro quo peccato offertur hic pullus vnus nūquid nuper aeditus paruulus peccare potuit et tunc habet peccatum pro quo hostia iubetur offerria quo mundus negatur quis esse etsi vnius diei fuerit vita eius In the lawe it is commaunded that for hym that is borne a payre of turtles or two yong pigeons shoulde bee offered of the whyche the one shoulde be for a sinne offeryng and the other for a burnt offeryng For what synne is thys one pigeon offered coulde the newe borne chylde sinne yea euen then hee hath synne for the which he is commaunded to offer a synne offeryng from the whyche there is no man clere and though hee bee but one daye olde And a lyttle after in the same place Sciebant enim illi quibus mysteriorum secreta commissa sunt diuinorum quia essent in omnibus genuinae sordes peccati For they to whom the secretes of the deuyne mysteries were committed knew that the naturall filthinesses of sinne were in al men And agayne the same Origene vpon Leuit. Quaecunque anima in came nascitur iniquitatis peccati sorde poluitur what soule soeuer is borne in fleshe it is defiled with filthe of wickednesse and sinne And Hierome vpon Ezechiell A pueritia appositum est cor hominis ad malum vt ne vnius quidem diei a natiuitatis suae exordio sine peccato sit humana conditio Mans heart is set vppon euill euen from his childhood that the nature of man is not one daye from his birth without sinne And agayne Ambrose Omnes homines in primo homine sine vitio conditi sumus et omnes naturae nostrae incolumitatem eiusdem hominis praeuaricatione perdidimus inde tracta mortalitas inde multiplex corporis animique corruptio inde ignorantia et difficultas All men were in the first man created wythout synne and all by the transgression of the same man haue lost the freedome of our nature from thence wee toke the manifolde corruption both of body and soule from thence ignoraunce and dulnes c. And Bernard speakyng thereof A primo homine vsque ad nouissimum protenditur in singulis quoque a planta pedis vsque ad verticem diffunditur hoc venenum It is stretched euen from the first man to the last and thys poyson spreade abroade in euerye man eeuen from the soole of the foote to the crowne of the hed Now I suppose it is sufficiently proued what originall sinne is Wherefore I wyll now a little touche the common doctrine of the earnest enemies I meane the Papistes concernyng the same Their common receyued definition therof amongst their schoolemen is thys Peccatum originis est reatus tantūm seu imputatio qua propter lapsum Adae omnes homines secundum naturam propagati rei sunt Originall sinne is onely the giltiship or imputation whereby all men generate according to nature are through the fall of Adam giltye For the
that once founde farwell their market and sale of all their trashe It appeareth by that whiche haue bene sayde that in their definition the name of grace is not applyed vnto the true genus or generall woorde vnder which all the dyuers propertyes thereof bée comprehended but onely vnto one effect thereof namely that whereby wée are prouoked vnto good woorkes Let thys touchyng the true vnderstandyng of grace and their errors about the same suffice Thys beyng declared next commeth fayth to bée consydered Namely in what signyfication it is to bée taken where it is sayde to iustifye or what that fayth is thorough whiche wée bée iustyfied For declaratyon whereof it is also necessarie to note howe dyuersely the woorde is taken It is sometyme taken for the matter or thynge which wee do beleue as the Créede or beléefe is called the Chrystian fayth It is also taken for that wherewith we beléeue and that is that fayth whereof we haue to entreat There bée also other distynctions as a liuely fayth and a dead fayth whiche dead faith is onely fayth in name and not in déede euen as a dead man is called a man though hée be no man in déede and of thys fayth doth S. Iames remember There is also fayth to do miracles whereof Chryst him selfe speaketh sayyng Verely I say vnto you that whosoeuer shall saye vnto thys mountayne take thy selfe awaye and cast thy selfe into the sea and shall not wauer in hys heart but shall beleeue those thinges whyche hee sayeth shall come to passe whatsoeuer he sayeth shall bee done vnto hym And thys fayth is common as well to the reprobate as to the elect as by these woordes of Chryst appeareth Many sayth hée will say to mee in that daye Lorde Lorde haue we not by thy name prophesied and by thy name cast out deuils and by thy name done many great woorkes and then wyll I professe to them I neuer knewe you Depart from mee ye that woorke iniquite There is also momentany fayth or fayth for a time whereof Christ speaketh in the parable of the séede where he affirmeth that some falling in the stony grounde springeth vp for a tyme vntill the heat of the sonne or rage of persecution commeth but then it withereth away because it hath no roote But now omittyng all the rest of the significations of fayth it is in thys place only that firme and constant assentyng of the mynde vnto the truth of Gods promises in Chryst whiche bringeth with it hope charitie sure confidence and all other good woorkes Whiche for more playne vnderstanding may thus be defined Fayth is a full assentyng of the minde vnto the truth of Gods promyses in Christ puryfiyng the hartes of the receyuers The trueth of thys definityon is gathered out of the Scriptures in thys sort First that it is a full assenting of the mynde vnto the trueth of Gods promises in Christ it is thus proued Paule to the Hebrues sayth thus Let vs drawe neare in a true harte with assuraunce of fayth And agayne Let vs keepe the profession of our hope wythout wauering And Saint Iohn in the first of his canonicall epistles sayth thus He that beleueth not God hath made hym a lyer More haynous synne then the which none can be committed Where-fore fayth is so full an assuraunce of the truth of Gods promyse in Chryst as can admit no whit of suspition or doubt for looke how muche it wanteth of full assurance so muche suspition by these wordes of Saynt Iohn it admytteth of Gods vntrueth any iot whereof were more thē horrible to be suspected whereby it followeth that fayth is a full assenting of the minde to the trueth of Gods promyse in Christ whiche was first to be prooued And hereunto well agréeeth these woordes of Hillarius Ergo regnum coelorum quod Prophetae nunciauerunt Iohannes praedicabat Dominus noster in se esse positum est professus vult sine aliqua incerta voluntatis ambiguitate sperari alioquin iustificatio ex fide nulla est si fides ipsa fiat ambigua Therefore the kingdome of heauen whyche the prophetes foretolde Iohn preached and our Lorde professed to bée placed in hymselfe hée will haue it hoped for wythout all waueryng doubte of mynde otherwise if fayth it selfe bée made incertayne then is there no iustyfication of fayth And Augustine sayeth Quid est enim credere nisi consentire verum esse quod dicitur For what signifieth thys to beleeue but to consent that that thing which is sayd is true Nowe touchyng the seconde parte namely that it puryfieth the hearts of the receyuers Peter in the Actes of the Apostles affirmeth it in playne woordes for thus he sayeth He put no difference betweene vs and them after that hee had by fayth puryfyed their hartes Thus the definition beyng by euident wordes of the scrypture confirmed the truth thereof is manyfest and that this definition doth agrée with that which S. Paule geueth to the Hebrues it is manifest if we note the matter wherabout fayth hath his vse whiche is the word promise of God hys definition is this Fayth is the grounde of thinges hoped for a certaynty of thynges whyche are not seene In that he calleth fayth the grounde of thynges hoped for and that the thyng hoped for is the promised fauour of God in Chryst Therefore is fayth the grounde of the promised fauor of God in Chryst And what he meaneth by calling it the ground thereof he presentlye declareth in that hée termed it a certainty of thynges that are not sene whereby it is euident that by hypostasis or ground hee meaneth a certayntye or full assuraunce And vnto fayth as it were a present possession of that promised fauour of God in Christ whyche is yet neuertheles but hoped for and in expectation and not present vnto the senses whereby appeareth the truth of that definition whyche I haue put And by this definition of S. Paule it also appeareth how much they erre that accompt fayth wythin the predicament of qualitye wher in déede it is a relatiue in the predicament of relation for fayth is not but in respect of hys obiecte namely the promise of God perfourmed in Chryste so that if no promise were there coulde be no fayth at all touching iustyficatyon Now hauing shewed a true definition of fayth I thinke it not amysse somewhat to note what the scholemen and papistes hold concerning the same that thereby their error may partly be apparant The maister of the sentences geueth out of S. Augustine thys definition thereof Fides est virtus qua creduntur quae non videntur Fayth is a vertue wherewyth thinges are beléeued that are not séene The generalitie of whyche definition by a certaine contraction hée presently streyghtneth thus Whyche sayth he is not to be vnderstand of all thynges that are not séene but onely of suche thynges as appertaine to religion In this definition as the
by workes is declared to bée righteous it concludeth euen as in the aunswere to theyr former aucthorities that all the world may acknowledge the performaunce of Gods mercyful promise in Christ towardes the electe Who by their workes are euidently declared to bée righteous And besides that it reserueth the whole glorye of that worke to GOD alone forasmuch as workes doe onely declare and witnes mans righteousnesse and challenge to bee no cause of the same Thus vnto God is his prerogatiue reserued vnblemished Namely all the glorie Nowe touching man in that they declare the certaine possession of the righteousnesse of fayth they witnesse in him the estate of a moste quiete and ioyfull conscience and that hée is through faith assured of the fauour of God in Christ Nowe it is apparant what righteousnes of the Scripture attributeth to faith and what to workes Namely that by faith man apprehendeth Christ in the promise by whome he is made righteous and by workes or frutes of the righteousnes of faith mā is declared and knowne to bee righteous and hath his conscience therby reposed in the sure possession of Gods fauour in Christ Thus hauyng shewed what iustification the Scriptures attribute vnto workes I thincke it also conuenient to shew what fayth it is which Iames disableth to iustification His wordes be these what auayleth it my brethren though a man say he hath fayth whē he hath no deedes can faith saue him Here euen at the first it is euident that S. Iames in this place inueyeth not agaynst faith in dede but against the bare name or title of fayth in such certayne licentious Iewes Christened as onely by the same séemed to challenge iustification For he sayeth not thoughe a man haue fayth without deedes But he saith though a man say he hath faith Whereby it is euident that hee onely enueyeth agaynst the name or title of faith which by them was applyed vnto them selues vnworthely and therefore in vayne And doubting that some men myght applye hys wordes agaynst fayth in déede hee maketh hys entrye warely not against fayth but agynste a vayne name or title of fayth in saying Thoughe a man saye hee hath fayth and not thoughe a man haue fayth whiche he might think sufficyent warnyng to all men that hée ment not to inueigh agaynst true fayth and therefore hée goeth forward labouryng agaynst that their vayne opinion vnder the same name or title which they attributed vnto it callyng it fayth as they dyd thynkyng that his former warnyng in the beginnyng in saying thoughe a man sayeth hee hath fayth and not though he haue fayth in deede had béene a suffycient warnyng that he ment not true fayth but onely a vaine opinion termed of them by the name of fayth and that now hée myght at hys owne libertie wythout suspicion of enueyghing against true fayth beat down that wycked opinion vnder the same name or title by whyche they termed it namely vnder the name of fayth and thereupon hée addeth can fayth saue hym meaning onely such fayth as they make their challenge by or as hée at his entrance enueighed against that is the bare name or tytle of fayth and that thys was hys meanyng it is playne by that whyche followeth in that he goeth about to open their errour as it were by comparison in shewyng how farre their vayne opinion whiche they called fayth dyffered from true fayth in déede in saying If a brother or sister be naked or destytute of dayly foode and one of you saye vnto hym depart in peace warme your selues and fill your bellies notwythstandyng ye geeue not them those thynges whyche are needefull to the body what helpeth it euen so fayth if it haue no deedes is dead in it selfe as though hée had saide vnto them Brethren what do you thynk of fayth do ye thynke that onely the bare name or title thereof is sufficient to iustification or doe ye thynke that true fayth can see the necessitie of their néedy brother or sister vnrelieued no no deceaue not your selues for loue charity and all good woorkes can no more be absent from fayth in déede then heate from fire and that faith which lacketh those fruites is no more fayth then a dead man is a man but is in déede dead and no fayth at all but onely a bare name or title of faith with the vaine cloke wherof ye beguyle your selues Do ye thinke thys vayne braggyng of fayth amongest your selues can iustifie you or doe ye thinke that because ye beléeue God is that ye therfore shal be saued nay brethren be not so vainely caryed away yf that might serue the tourne the deuils woulde be saued aswell as you for they haue that fayth common with you for they both beléeue that God is and tremble at him But shall I by example paint vnto you your vanitie whereby you may see that your bragging title of faith which hath no fruites nor workes to 〈◊〉 the same is but dead and no faith in deede Then compare it with the true fayth which in oure father Abraham was manifest whom the apparaunt fruites or woorkes of ryghteousnesse thereof euidently declared to bée a righteous man Hys fayth lay not lurkyng in him in idle name without fruite or woorkes no no his fayth had lyfe which by the fruite was made manifest in offeryng hys sonne Isaac beyng certayne that the death or sacrifice of hys sonne could nothing at all hinder the promyse of God but that notwithstanding God both coulde woulde performe his promise and worde Thus was hys faythe witnessed by hys woorkes And the perfectnes thereof made apparant so that the truth of the Scripture which sayde Abraham beleeued God and that was imputed to hym for ryghteousnesse was by hys woorkes made so euydent that hée was indued wyth the name of ryghteous and was called the frend of god Whereby it is euydent vnto you that by déedes as the fruites of the righteousnesse of his faith his righteousnesse was declared and hée knowen for a ryghteous man and not by the idle name of fayth onelye without workes which as I sayde before is dead and no faythe at all And likewyse Kahab the harlotte in lodginge the messengers of Gods people was declared to bée ryghteous Wherefore to conclude laye away your vayne bragges of your idle and bare name of fayth for as the bodye that wanteth spirite is dead so assuredly thys whiche you terme fayth hauyng no workes to witnes the same vnto you is dead and no fayth at all but a vaine or lyght opinion Thus to hym that with a single eye consydereth both the end of S. Iames hys purpose and also throughly the order of hys woordes it appeareth playnly that hée enueigheth not against fayth in déede but against a lose and licentious opinion which those Iewes vnto whom he writte had couered vnder the name or title of fayth Now touching their argument groūded vpon the .xix.
the shiftes which these busie hunters to robbe God of his honoure haue found out is this fayth say they doth iustifye but fayth is a worke therefore woorkes do iustifye To whome wee aunswere that faith in respect that it is our worke expressed by our will or vnderstanding iustifyeth not because it is feeble and weake for no man beléeueth so assuredly as hee is bounde nor doth so earnestly assent vnto the truth of Gods promises as he ought to do Wherefore whersoeuer fayth is sayde to iustifye fayth is there taken for the obiecte of faythe Namely for Christ and the mercye of God in the promise And for asmuche as it is the instrument which taketh holde thereof therefore is iustifycation imputed vnto it According to Saynt Paules sayinge Abraham beleeued God and that was imputed vnto him for ryghteousnesse so that fayth is sayde to iustify because it taketh holde of Chryst in the promise who doth iustifye and not in respect that fayth is a woorke of ours Wherefore examining thys argument of the aduersaries you shall sée how finely at the first they foist in a fallax called of the logitians fallacia accidentis That is the deceipt of the accident Inferring that in the conclusion wherunto that worde whereuppon it is inferred did not stretch it selfe in the second proposition for where it is sayde faith is a worke to be a worke of ours is but an accident vnto faith in respect of iustification for iustification commeth not because fayth is a worke of ours but because the mercie of God doth in the promise fréely geue it to al beleuers So that faith in the first proposition is referred and hath relation vnto the obiect of faith namely Christ and the mercy of God in the promise And in the second proposition fayth is there otherwise taken namely as it is a worke of ours Wherefore fayth not béeing one in bothe propositions the conclusion is falselye inferred Or more briefely it is aunswered thus Faith in the firste proposition is a relatiue in the predicament of relation as in the 8. chapter is declared and in the seconde proposition where it is considered as a worke it falleth in the predicament of qualitie wherby the argument hauing fower termes the conclusion must needes bée false An other of the aduersaries argumentes is thys Saint Paule affirmeth that of fayth hope and loue loue is the greatest or most excellent and in that the fulfillyng of the lawe consisteth and therefore iustification is rather to be imputed to the more excellent then to the inferior That loue is most excellent of the three it is euydent for fayth and hope haue only continuaunce vntill the thinges that bée beléeued and hoped for bée fully in mannes possessyon At whyche tyme they both shall ende but loue doth continue and florishe through all eternity and that it is the fulfilling of the law is in the. 4. chapter euydent For who so loued God and his neighbour so muche as he ought to doe shoulde surely fulfill the lawe But now touching their argument that because it is more excellēt therfore it must iustify that is more then childishe The eare is a farre more excellent instrument or organ of the bodye then is eyther the hand or mouth for thereby we receaue the glad promyses of God touchyng our whole felycytie Shoulde wee therefore inferre because the eare is the more excellent Organ or instrument that therefore we shoulde receaue oure meate wyth oure eares and not rather with the hand and mouth whiche though they be meaner yet are they instrumentes appoynted to that vse And so fayth though it bee the meaner yet is it the instrumēt appointed to that vse An other of the aduersaries shifts is this works say they iustified not in respect that they be our workes but in respect that they be the workes of God in vs Here is the shew of a goodlye substaunce but launch it a litle and you shall finde it nothing else but an emptye bladder puffed with wind onlye Marke whose be the woorkes whiche here they alledge are they not the workes of God in vs Doe they not imagine God to worke in vs but as hath bene before euidently shewed God woorketh vnto saluation in none but in those that bée hys children that is to say iustified for they that are led by the spirite of God they are the children of God that is iustified Why if they be his children alreadye the questyon is ended for those workes that come after they be his children can not be the purchaser of that estate whereof the doer was possessed before they were wrought wherefore those woorkes doe not iustifie him that was iustified before euer hee wrought them for he was the childe of God before he wrought them for they confesse God to dwell in hym and woorke in hym but God dwelleth and worketh in none vnto saluation but in hys children that is in the iustifyed as it is sayde before Wherefore gentle reader that thou mayest bee hable to vnfolde all the subtyll shyftes of the deceytfull aduersaryes intricate snares of thys kynde kéepe thys for a generall and sure rule whiche can neuer fayle thee Marke diligently whether in that worke wherby they wil haue iustification obtayned they auouche God to be anye worker or no. If they auouche hym to be no worker then by the. 4. and 5. chapters thou euidently séest that the work is abhominable vnto him If they auouch him to bée a woorker as in thys argument which I am sure they must néedes do thē say vnto them séeing God woorketh in them to saluation they are before hand the childrē of God that is iustified already for the Scripture affirmeth that they that are led by the spirite of God are the children of God but none bée hys children tyll they be iustified and therefore these workes whiche they auouch are the woorkes of such as be alredyiustified which is not in question for those woorkes can bée no helpe to obtayne hym that estate whereof hée was possessed before they were wrought and wythout the possessyon whereof they coulde neuer haue béene wrought Wherefore if they will haue woorkes to iustifie they must alledge such woorkes as God is no woorker in for God worketh in none vnto saluatyon but in such as be already iustified for whosoeuer is led by the spirite of God he is already iustified for he is the childe of God as I sayd before Nowe touchyng these Scriptures whiche I put in the last sort namelye where the righteous challēge and craue of god the reward of their innocencye and righteousnesse and as it were offer the same to be examined before hys iustice of whiche examples there be principally in the Psalmes whereof I will rehearse one or two Fyrst Dauyd in the. 7. Psalme Iudge me O Lord accordyng to my innocency and according to the cleanenes of my handes in thy sight And