Christ vndoubtedly affirmeth Charitâ— bringeth furth good woorkes Iohn .xiiii. that true faith bringeth furth good workes â–ª so doth he saye likewyse of charitie Whosoeuer hath my commaundementes and kepeth them that is he that loueth me And after he saith he that loueth me wil kepe my worde and he that loueth me not Iohn .xiiii. kepeth not my wordes And as the loue of God is tryed by good workes so is the feare of god also as the wise manne saith the dreade of god putteth away synne And also he sayeth Eccle. i. Eccle. xv he that feareth god will do good workes ¶ The thyrde parte of the Sermon of Fayth YOu haue heard in the second part of this sermon that no man should thinke that he hath that liuely saith which scripture coÌ„maundeth when he liueth not obedieÌ„tly to goddes lawes For al good woorkes fyringe out of that faith And also it hath been declared vnto you by examples that faith makâ—◠〈…〉 quiet patient in al affliction Now as coÌ„cerning the sainâ— matter you shal heare what foloweth A man may soone deceiue himselfe and thinke in his owne phantasie that he by faith knoweth god loueth him feareth him belongeth to him when in very dede he doth nothing lesse For the trial of al these thinges is a very godly christian life He that feleth his hearte set to seke gods honor and studieth to know the wyl and commaundementes of God and to frame himselfe therunto leadeth not his life after the desyre of his owne fleshe to serue the deuil by sin but setteth his minde to serue god for gods owne sake for his sake also to loue al his neyghbours whether they be frendes or aduersaries doing good to euery man as oportunitie serueth wyllingly hurting no man suche a man maye well reioyce in God perceiuinge by the trade of his life that he vnfainedly hath the right knowledge of god a liuely faith a stedfaste hope a true and vnfained loue feare of god But he that casteth a way the yoke of gods commaundementes from his necke geueth himself to liue withoute true repentauÌ„ce after his own sensual minde and pleasure not regarding to know gods worde and much lesse to liue according therunto such a man clerely deceiueth himself seeth not his own hert if he thinketh that he either knoweth god loueth him feareth him or trusteth in him Some peradueÌ„ture phaÌ„tasy in them selfes that they belong to god although thei liue in sin so they come to the churche and shew themselfes as gods dere childreÌ„ But. s Iohn saith plainly 1. Iohn 1. if we say that we haue any company with god and walke in darkenes we doe lye Other doe vainelye thinke that they knowe and loue god although they passe not of the commaundements But S. Iohn saith clearely 1. Ioh. 1. he that sayth I know God kepeth not his commaundemeÌ„ts he is a lyer Some falselye perswade themselues that they loue God wheÌ„ they hate their neighbors But S. Iohn saith manifestly if any maÌ„ sai I loue god 1 Ioh. 4. 1. Iho 2. yet hateth his brother he is a lier He that saith that he is in the light hateth his brother he is stil in darkenes He that loueth his brother dwelleth in the light but he that hateth his brother is in darknes walketh in darkenes knoweth not whether he goeth 1. Iho 3. For darknes hath blinded his eies And moreouer he saieth hereby we manifestly know the children of GOD from the children of the deuil he that doth not righteously is not the child of GOD nor he that hateth his brother Deceiue not your selfes therefore thinkyng that you haue faith in GOD or that you loue GOD or dooe trust in him or do feare him when you liue in sinne for then your vngodly and sinfull lyfe declareth the contrary whatsoeuer ye say or think It perteineth to a christen man to haue this true christen faith to trie himselfe whether he hath it or no to know what belongeth to it howe it doth worke in him It is not the world that we can trust to the worlde and al that is therein is but vanitie It is GOD that must be our defence and proteccion agaynst al temptation of wickednes and sinne errours superstycyon Idolatry and al euill If all the worlde were on our side and GOD against vs what could the would auayle vs. Therefore let vs set our whole fayth 〈◊〉 trust in GOD neither the world the deuil nor alâ—â—â— power of theÌ„ shall preuaile agaynst vs. Let vs therfore good christian people trie examine our fayth what it is let vs not flatter our selfes but loke vpoÌ„ our workes and so iudge of our faithe what it is CHRIST him selfe speaketh of this matter and saith Mat. 24 the tre is knoweÌ„ by the fruite Therfore let vs do good workes and therby declare our faith to be the lyuely christian faith Lette vs by such vertues as oughte to spring out of faith shewe our eleccion to be sure stable as S. Peter teacheth Endeuor your selfes to make your calling chosyng certaine by good workes 1 Pet. 3 And also he sayth mynyster or declare in youre fayth vertue in vertue knowledge in knowledge teÌ„peraunce in teÌ„perauÌ„ce pacience againe in pacieÌ„ce godlinesse in godlinesse brotherlye charitye in brotherly charitie loue So shal we shewe in dede that we haue the very lyuely christen faith maye so both certify our conscience the better that we be in the right faith also by these meanes confirme other men If these fruites do not folowe we do but morke with GOD deceiue our selues also other men Well may we beate the name of christen meÌ„ but we doo lacke the true faith that doth belonge thervnto For true faith doth euer bring furth good workes Iâ—mes 2 as Saint Iames saith shew me thy fayth by thy dedes Thy bedes and workes must be an open testymony all of thy fayth otherwyse thy faith being without good workes is but the deuils faith the faith of the wicked a phantasy of fayth not a true christen fayth And lyke as the deuils euyll people be nothing the better or theyr counterfeit faithe but it is vnto theÌ„ the more cause of damnacyon so they that be christened haue receyued knowledge of GOD and of CHRISTES merites yet of a set purpose do lyue idlelye without good works thinking the name of a naked faith to be either sufficient for them or els settynge theyr mindes vpon vaine pleasures of thys worlde dooe lyue in synne without repentaunce not vtterynge the fruytes that do belong to such an hygh professyon vpon such presumpteous persones and wylfull sinners must nedes remaine the great vengeaunce of GOD and eternall punyshment in hell prepared for the deuil wicked liuers Therfore as you professe the name of CHRIST good christyan people let no such phantasy imagination
beste both what we be what we ought of right to be called And thus he setteth vs forth speking by his faithful Apostle S. Paul Rom. iiâ—â— al men Iewes and Gentiles are vnder sinne ther is none righteous no not one there is none that vnderstandeth ther is none that seketh after god they are al gone out of the way they are all vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one their throte is an open sepulchre with their toÌ„ges they haue vsed craft deceit the poyson of serpentes is vnder their lyppes theyr mouth is ful of cursyng bytternes their fete are swift to shed blud destruction wretchednes are in their wayes and the way of peace haue they not knoweÌ„ their is no fere of god before their eyes And in another place S. Paule writeth thus God hath wray 〈◊〉 â—â—â—cioÌ„s in vnbeliefe 〈…〉 that he might haue 〈…〉 The scripture shutteth vp al 〈…〉 promise by the faith of Iesus Christ Would be geuen vnto theÌ„ that beleue S. Paule in many places painteth vs out in our colours callyng vs the children of the wrath of god wheÌ„ we be borne saiyng also that we cannot thinke a good thought of our selues much lesse can we say wel or do wel of our selues And the wise man saith in the boke of Prouerbes Pro. xxiiii the iust man falleth seueÌ„ times a day The most tried approued man Iob feared al his workes Luke i. S. Iohn the Baptist being sanctified in his mothers woÌ„be praysed before he was borne beyng called an Aungell great before the lord fylled euen from his birth with the holy gost the preparer of the way for our sauior Chryst commended of our sauior Christ to be more then a prophet the greatest that euer was borne of a woman yet he plainely graunteth that he had nede to be washed of Christ he worthely extolleth and glorifieth his lord and master Christ humbleth himself as vnworthy to vnbuckle his shoes geueth al honor glory to god So doth S. Paule both oft euideÌ„tly coÌ„fesse himself Math. iii. what he was of himself euer geuing as a most faithful seruaunt al praise to hys master sauior So doth blessed S. Iohn the EuaÌ„gelist 1. Iohn .i. â—ud ii in the name of himself of al other holy men be thei neuer so iust make this open confession if we say we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues the truth is not in vs If we knowlege our sinnes God is faythfull iust to forgeue vs our synnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnes yf wee say we haue not synned we make him a lyer and his word is not in vs. Wherfore the wise man in the boke Eccle. vii called Ecclesiastes maketh this true generall 〈…〉 There is 〈…〉 earth that doth good sinneth not And. S. Dauid is ashamed of his sinne Psalm .ii. but not to confesse his sinne How oft how earnestly lamentably both he desire gods great mercy for his great offences that god should not enter into iudgement with him And againe Psal cxâ—â—â— how wel weigheth this holy maÌ„ his sinnes when he confesseth that they he so many in numbre so hid harde to vnderstand that it is in maner vnpossible to knowe vtter or numbre them Wherfore he hauing a true earnest and depe contemplacion consideracion of his sinnes yet not comming to the bottome of them Psal xix he maketh supplicacion to God to forgeue him his prieuy secret hid sinnes to the knowledge of that which he cannot attaine vnto He weigheth ryghtly hys sinnes from the original roote spring head perceiuing inclinacions prouocacioÌ„s stirringes stinginges buddes brauÌ„ces dregges infectioÌ„s tastes felynges sentes of them to continue in him stil Wherfore he saith marke and beholde Psalm .ii. I was conceiued in sinnes he saith not sinne but in the plurall number sinnes forasmuch as out of one as fountayne springeth all the reste Oure sauioure Christ saieth there is none good but god Markâ— x. Luk. xviiâ— Iohn .xv. Luke xviâ— and that we can do nothing that is good without him nor no man can come to the father but by him He coÌ„maundeth vs all to saye that we be vnprofytable seruauntes when we haue don al that we can do He preferreth the penytent Publycan before the proude holy glorious Pharisey Luk. xviiâ— Math. iâ— He calleth himselfe a phisicyon but not to them that be whole but to them that be sicke haue nede of his sâ—â—ue 〈…〉 prayer◠〈…〉 knowledge our selues sinners and to aske righteousnes and deliueraunce from al euyls at our heauenly fathers hande He declareth that the sinnes of our owne heartes do defyle our own selues He teacheth that an euyll word or thought Mat. xii deserueth condemnacion affirminge that we shall geue an accoumpt for euery idle worde Mat. xv He saith he came not to saue but the shepe that were vtterly lost cast away Therfore fewe of the proude iust learned wise perfect and holy Pharise ys were saued by him because they iustified them selues by their counterfeit holynesse before men Wherfore good people let vs be ware of such hipocrisie vaineglory and iustifying of our selues ¶ The seconde part of the Sermon of the miserie of man FOr asmuch as the true knowledge of our selues is verye necessarye to come to the right knowledge of God ye haue hearde in the laste readynge howe humbly all godly meÌ„ alwayes haue thought of them selues and so to thynke and iudge of them selues are taught of God theyr creator by his holy worde For of oure selues we be crabtrees that can brynge forth no apples We be of our selues of suche earth as can bryng forth but weedes nettles brambles bryers cockle and darnell Our fruites be declared in the .v. Chapter to the Galathians We haue neyther faith 〈◊〉 v. charitie hope pacience chastitie nor any thyng els that good is but of 〈◊〉 thâ—◠〈◊〉 these vertues be called there the scuites of the hâ—ly ghost not the fruites of man Let vs therefore acknowledge our selues before God as we be in dede miserable and wretched sinners And let vs ernestly repent and humble our selues heartely crye to God for mercie Lette vs all confesse with mouth and hearte that we be full of imperfections Let vs knowe oure owne woorkes of what imperfection they be and then we shall not stand foolyshely and arrogantly in our owne conceites nor chalenge any part of Iustification by our merites or woorkes For truely there be imperfections in our best woorkes we doe not loue God so much as we are bounde to do with all our heart mynde and power we do not feare God so much as we ought to do we do not pray to Godde but with greate and manye imperfections we geue forgeue beleue liue and hope vnperfectlye we speake thynke and do vnperfectlye we fyght agaynst the deuyll
of faithe at anye tyme begyle you but be sure of your faith trie it by youre liuinge looke vpon the fruites that commeth of it marke the increase of loue charitie by it towardes GOD your neighbor and so shal you perceiue it to be a true liuely fayth If you fele and perceiue such a fayth in you reioyce in it and be diligeÌ„t to maintain it and kepe it still in you let it be dayly increasyng more more by well working so shal you be sure that you shal please GOD by thys fayth and at the length as other faithful men haue done before soo shall you when his wil is come to hym and receiue th end fynal reward of your faith as S. Peter nameth it the saluation of your soules 1 Peter 1 the whych GOD graunt vs that hath promysed the same vnto hys faythfull To whome be all honoure and glorye world without ende AMEN A Sermon of good workes annexed vnto fayth IN the last sermoÌ„ was declared vnto you what the lyuely and true faith of a christian man is that it causeth not a man to be ydle but to bee occupyed in bringinge furth good workes as occasyon serueth No good worke caÌ„ be dooen without fayth Now by GODS grace shal be declared the second thing that before was noted of fayth that without it can no good woorke be done acceptable pleasaunte vnto GOD. For as a braunch cannot beare fruyte of it selfe sayth our sauiour Christ except it abide in the vine so cannot you except you abide in me Ihon. 15 I am the vyne you be the braunches he that abideth in me and I in him he bringeth furth much fruite for withoute me you caÌ„ do nothing Hebr. 11 And S. Paule proueth that Enoch had faith because he pleased GOD. For without faith sayth he it is not possible to please GOD. And agayn to the Roma he saith Rom. 14 whatsoeuer worke is done with out faith it is sinne Faith geueth life to the soule and they be asmuch dead to GOD that lacke faith as they be to the world whose bodies lacke soules Without faith al that worke seme neuer so gaye gloryous before man 1 〈…〉 Euen as that picture grauen or painted is but a deade representation of the thing it selfe and is wtout lyfe or any maner of mouing soo be the workes of al vnfaithfull persons before GOD. They dooe appeare to be liuelye workes and in dede they bee but â—ead not aâ—ailing to the euerlasting life They be but shadowes shewes of liuelye good thinges not good and liuely thinges in deede For true faith doth geue life to the works out of such faith come good workes that be very good workes in dede without no worke is good before GOD as saith In preâ—â—ii Psal 31 S. Augustine We must set no good workes before fayth nor think that before saith a man maye do any good worke for such workes although they seme vnto meÌ„ to be prayse worthy yet in dede they be but vaine not allowed before GOD. They be as the course of a horse that runneth out of the way which taketh great labor but to no purpose Let no man therfore sayth he rekon vpon his good workes before his faythe Wheras fayth was not good workes were not The intent sayth he maketh the good woorkes but faith must gyde and ordre thintente of manne Mat. 6. And CHRIST saith if thine eye be naught thy whole body is full of darkenes The eye doth sygnyfye the intent sayth S. Augustine wherwith a man dothe a thing So that he In presâ—ti Psal 31 which doth not his good workes with a godly intent a true fayth that worketh by loue the whole body beside that is to sai al the whole nuÌ„ber of his workes is darke there is no lyghte in them For good dedes be not measured by the factes themselues and so descerned from vices but by the endes and intentes for the which they be doen. If a Heathen man clothe the naked fede the hungrye doe suche other lyke woorkes yet because he bodeth them not in fayth for the honoure and loue of god they be but dead vaine and fruitles workes to him Faith is it that doth commend the word to GOD for as S. Augustine sayeth whether thou wilte or no that worke that commeth not of faith is naught where the faith of CHRIST is not the foundacion thee is no good worke what building soeuer we make Ther is one worke in the which be al good works that is faith which worketh by charitie yf thou haue it thou hast the ground of algood workes For the vertues of strength wisedome temperauÌ„ce iustice be al referred vnto this same faith Without this faith we haue not theÌ„ but only the names shadowes of them as S. Augustine sayeth Al the life of them that lacke the true fayth is synne and nothing is good without him that is the auctor of goodnes where he is not there is but feyned vertue although it be in the best works And S. Augustine declaring this vearse of the psalme the Turtie hath founde a nest wher she may kepe her yonge byrdes sayeth that Iewes heritiques and pagans do good woorkes they cloth the naked fede the pore doo other workes of mercy but because they be not done in the true faith therfore the birdes be lost But if they remaine in faith then faith is the nest and sauegard of theyr birdes that is to say sauegard of their good workes that the rewarde of them be not vtterlye loste And this matter which Deuocati Gentium li. 1. cap. 3 S. Augustine at large in many bookes disputeth Saynte Ambrose concludeth in fewe woordes saying he that by nature would wtstand vice either by natural wyll or reason he doth in vaine garnishe the time of this life and atteyneth not the very true vertues In sermoÌ„e de side lege et spiritu saÌ„cto for without the worshipping of the true GOD that which semeth to be vertue is vice And yet most plainly to thys purpose wryteth S. Iohn Chrisostome in thys wise You shall find many which haue not the true faith be not of the flocke of CHRIST yet as it appeareth they floryshe in good workes of mercy You shall find them ful of pietie compassion and geuen to iustice and yet for al that they haue no fruite of their workes because the cheife worke lacketh For when the Iewes asked of CHRIST Iohn 9 what they should do to worke good workes he answered this is the work of GOD to beleue in him whom he sente So that he called faythe the worke of GOD. And assoue as a maÌ„ hath fayth anone he shall floryshe in good workes for faith of it selfe is full of good workes and nothing is good withoute faith And for a symylitude he sayth that they which glitter and shine
office of God onely But in iustificacion is the office of God onely and is not a thyng whiche we render vnto hym but whiche we receiue of hym not whiche we giue to hym but whiche we take of hym by his free mercie and by the onely merites of his moste derely beloued sonne our onely redemer Sauiour and iustifier Iesus Christe So that the true vnderstaÌ„dyng of this doctrine we be iustified frely by faithe without woorkes or that we be iustified by faith in Christ onely is not that this our owne acte to beleue in Christ or this our faithe in Christe whiche is within vs doeth iustifie vs and deserue our iustificacion vnto vs for that were to coumpte our selues to bee iustified by some acte or vertue that is within our selues but the true vnderstanding and meaning therof is that although we heare Gods woorde and beleue it although we haue faith hope charitee repentaunce dread and feare of GOD within vs and doe neuer so many good workes thereunto yet we must renounce the merite of all our saied vertues of faith hope charitie and all our other vertues and good deedes whiche we either haue doen shall doe or can doe as thinges that be farre to weake and insufficient and vnperfecte to deserite remission of our synnes and our iustificacion and therefore we muste trust onely in Gods mercie and that sacrifice which our high prieste and sauiour Christ Iesus the sonne of God one 's offered for vs vpon the crosse to obtaine therby Gods grace and remission aswell of our originall sinne in Baptisme as of all actuall sinne coÌ„mitted by vs after our Baptisme if we truely repent and tourne vnfainedly to hym againe So that as sainct Ihon Baptist although he were neuer so vertuous and Godly a man yet in this matter of forgiuyng of synne he did put the people froÌ„ hym and appoincted theim vnto Christe saiyng thus vnto theim Beholde Ihon. i. yonder is the Lambe of God which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world euen so as great and as godly a vertue as the liuely faith is yet it putteth vs from it self and remitteth or appoincteth vs vnto Christ for to haue onely by hym remission of our synnes or iustificacion So that our faith in Christ as it were saieth vnto vs thus it is not I â–ª that take a waie your synnes but it is Christ onely and to him onely â–ª I send you for that purpose forsaking therin al your good vertues woordes thoughtes and workes and onely puttyng your trust in Christ 〈◊〉 Saâ—uation IT hath bene manifestly declared vnto you â–ª that no man can fulfyl the lawe of God and therfore by the laâ—â—â—â—â—â—enne are condemned wherupon it folowed necessarylye that some other thynge should be required for our saluacion than the lawe and thaâ— is a true and a lyuely faith in Christe bringynge foorth good workes and a lyfe accordyng to Gods commaundementes And also you hearde the auncient aucthours mindes of this sayinge faith in Christ only iustifieth maÌ„ so plainly declared that you sâ— that the very true meaning of this propostcioÌ„ or saâ—yng We be iustified by faith in Christ onely accordyng to the meanyng of the olde auncient auctours is this we putte oure faith in Christe that we be iustified by hym onely that we be iustified by Gods free mercy and the merites of our sauiour Christe onely by no vertue or good worke of our owne that is in vs or that we 〈◊〉 be able to haue or to do for to deserue the same Christe himselfe only being the cause meritorious therof Here you perceaue many wordes to bee vsed to auoyde contention in wordes with them that delyght to braule about woordes â–ª and also to shewe the true meanyng to auoide euil takyng and misvnderstandinge and yet peraduenture al will not serue with them that the contencious but contenâ—â—â—s will euer forâ—e maâ—â—er â—f conâ—ention euen when they haue noâ—e 〈…〉 therto Not withstanding forty nyghtes without meâ—â—t and drinke that he wrought al kynde of miracles declaryng himselfe very god They beleue also that Christ for our sakes suffered moste painefull death to redene vs from euerlastynge death and that he rose againe from death the third day they beleue that he ascenâ—â—d into heauen and that he sitteth on the righte hande of the father at the last end of this world shal come again and iudge both the quicke and the dead These articles of oure fayth the deiuils beleue and so they beleue all thinges that bee written in the new and olde Testament to be true and yet for all this faith they be but deuils remaining styll in theyr damnable estate Iackynge â—â—e very true Christian faith What is the truâ—e â—usâ—◠〈◊〉 syuâ—g fayth For the right and true ChristiaÌ„ faith is not only to beleue that holy scripture and all the foresaide articles of our faith are true but also to haue a sure trust and coÌ„fidence in gods mercifull promises to be saued from euerlastynge damnatioÌ„ by Christ whereof doeth folow a louing hert to obey his commaundemeÌ„tes And this true Christian faith neyther anye deuill hath 〈…〉 nor yet any man which in the outwarde profession of his mouth and in his outward receiuing of the sacramentes â–ª in cumming to the church and in al otheâ— outward appearaunces semeth to be a Christ 〈◊〉 manne yet in his liuinge and dedes sheweth 〈◊〉 contrarye For howe can a manne haue this 〈◊〉 fayth this sure trust and conâ—idence 〈…〉 by the meritâ—s of Christe his sinnes beâ—◠〈…〉 and he recoâ—â—â—â—d to the fâ—uoâ—â—◠〈…〉 paâ—â—akâ—â— of the kingdom of 〈…〉 he lyueth vngodlye and denieth 〈…〉 dedes Surely no suche vngodly maune can haue this saith trust in god For as they know Christe to be the onely sauiour of the world so they know also that wicked men shal not enioye the kyngdoÌ„ of god They know that god hateth vnrighteousnes Psalm .v. that he will destroy all those that speake vâ—truelye that those that haue done good woorkeâ— whiche can not be done without a liuely fayth in Christe shall come furth into the resurrection of life and those that haue doen euil shal come vnto resurrection of iudgement very well they knowe also that to them that be coÌ„tencious and to them that wil not be obedient vnto the trueth but will obeye vnrighteousnes shall come indignation wrath and affliction c. Therfore to conclude coÌ„sidering the infinite benefites of God shewed and geuen vnto vs mercifullye without our desertes who hath not onely created vs of nothing and froÌ„ a piece of vyle clay of his infinite goodnes hathe exalted vs as touchinge our soule vnto his owne similitude and lykenesse but also wheras we wer condemned to hel and death euerlastyng hath geuen his owne naturall sonne being god eternall immortal and equal vnto hymselfe in power and glory to be incarnated and to take our mortal nature vpon hym with the infirmities of the same and in the same nature to suffre