Chrysostome wytnesseth Nether Baptisme sayth he nor forgyuenes of synnes nor knowledge nor y e communion of y e Sacramentes nor the holy table nor y e fruicion of the body nor y e partakyng of y e bloud nor ony of these thiÌ„ges shal may be able to profyt vs except we haue a lyfe whych is ryght very pure yea and fre from all synne What wyll these idle lubbers say to these wordes of y e goldeÌ„ mouthed Doctor Where are all theyr proude crakes becomme of Christ hys bloude and merites All these profyt nothyng at al without a good lyfe Chri. It stondeth christeÌ„ mâ—nin haÌ„d therfore to be earnest followers of good workes Phil. Ye saye trueth chefely if they entende to be saued But let vs heare the scriptures Whan God promised Abraham that he woulde blysse them that dyd blysse hym and cursse them that dydde cursse hym and that in his seed all nacions of the earthe shulde be blyssed that he would multiply hys seed as the starres of the firmament and make hym a father of many nacions that he woulde be hys defender hys sufficiente greate rewarde He made a couenaunt wythe hym because he woulde haue hym shewe gentylnes agayne and sayd I am the God omnipoteÌ„t walke before me be perfecte As though he shulde saye I am the God almyghty omnisufficient all good all holy all righteous all wyse all liberal al pleÌ„teous all mercyfull haue nede of no thynge but frely gyueth to all meÌ„ all thynges what so euer are necessary ether for the bodye or for the soule so replenyshed with al thynges that I am able and sufficient in all poyntes to satisfy the lawful desyres of all creatures yea I haue all thynges so in my power y t no thing that good is canne be gyuen to ony maÌ„ but of me alone what so euer I am or haue it is for the profyt of the of thy posterite Alonly walke before me and be perfecte take me alone for thy omnisufficieÌ„t sauiour flye vnto no other as though there were in me a certayne insufficiency but cleaue to me alone wyth all thy harte attempte no thyng but that is pleasaunt in my syght order thy lyfe in all poyntes accordyng to my holy wyll let thy conuersacion be innocent blameles pure honest right and all good and so wyll I be thyne almighty God thy puissaunt defender thy sufficient great rewarde This couenauÌ„t hath God made not only with Abraham but also wythe all hys posterite that is so many as are faythfull Nowe yf we be of the seed of Abraham I speake of the spituall and not of the carnall generacion than doth God require of vs also that we walke before hym and be perfecte that we stedfastelye cleaue vnto him by stronge faythe as the onelye and sole Authore of al goodnes so institute oure lyfe that we maye breath nothynge but purite innocency holynes intergrite all the tyme of our lyfe in this worlde Thus doyng God wyl be our God yea our almyghty God our strong defender and our sufficieÌ„t great rewarde no lesse than he was AbrahaÌ„s Therfore as Abraham walked before God so let vs do By this means shall God be no lesse beneficiall to vs than he was to Abraham If ye were the sonnes of AbrahaÌ„ sayth Christ ye woulde do the worckes of Abraham Euse. Of all these matters and howe we ought to walke before God and be perfecte ye taughte vs full godly in the Nosegaye whyche ye gaue vs. Chri. It was our second floure called Pure innocency Phil. I remember it wel and I am glad ye haue not forgotteÌ„ it I wyll therfore haste vnto the other scriptures Whan S. IohnÌ„ Baptist sawe many of the Pharisees Saduces commynge vnto his Baptisme he sayd vnto them O ye generacion of vipers who hathe shewed you that ye should flye from the wrath to come Bryng forthe therfore frutes worthy of repentaunce be not of this mynde to saye within youre selues Abraham is our father For I saye vnto you that God is able to bring it to passe that of these stones there maye rise vp chyldren to Abraham The hooke is now layd at the roote of y e trees Therfore euery tree that bryngeth forth not good frute shall be heweÌ„ downe and cast into y e fyre Theo. This is a terrible sayeng for al theÌ„ that are not earnest followers of good workes Phil. Certes as it profited the Pharises Saduces with the other Iewes nothynge at all to boste them selues of AbrahaÌ„ excepte they dyd the workes of Abraham so lykewyse it auauÌ„tedgeth vs nothiÌ„g at all to crake of GOD of Christes bloude pashon merites fayth c. if we do not good workes This seÌ„teÌ„ce abydeth alwaye true Euery tree y t bringeth forth not good frute shall be hewen downe cast into the fyre If we be not lyke vnto those trees which are plaÌ„ted by the riuers syde and brynge forth theyr frute in due season surely we shall be â—â—wen vp cast into hel fyre For how dare we looke for ony kyndnes at y e hande of God do no thiÌ„g y t he coÌ„mauÌ„deth Dauid sayth I beyng as a fruteful olyue tree iÌ„ y e house of God haue trusted iÌ„ y e mercye of God for euermore Dauid coÌ„fesseth here y t he trusted in the mercye of GOD but he addeth y t he was iÌ„ y e house of god y t is to say y e coÌ„gregacioÌ„ of Christ as a fruytefull Olyue tree which as Pliny writeth is neuer wtout grene leues frute Eu. You taught vs this also in y e Poâ—acioÌ„ for LeÌ„t declariÌ„g to vs what the Procession on Palme sondaye signifyeth with all the ceremonies pertaynyng thervnto Phil. So se ye than that if we wyll be holpen by the mercy of God we must be as fruytefull Olyue trees and brynge forth plenty of good workes and neuer cease from doynge them or elles our hope and trust is but vayne Christ sayth not euery one y t saythe vnto me Lorde Lorde shal enter in to the kyngedome of heauen but he y t doth the wyll of my father which is in heauen For many shall say vnto me at that daye Lorde Lorde haue not we prophecied iÌ„ thy name cast out dyuels by thy name and wroughte many miracles thorowe thy name But thaÌ„ shall I saye vnto them I knowe you not iÌ„ Departe froÌ„ me ye workers of iniquite Here are we taught that to professe God by our mouth to cal vpon his name to talke of Christ of fayth of y e gospell and of all the diuine misteries yea to worcke miracles and to caste out diuels by the power of Christes name shall auayle nothynge at the daye of iudgement excepte we lede a good lyfe in thys worlde worke the good pleasure of God For the kyngdome of God is not in worde but in power saythe S. Paule 〈◊〉 that
wyll of God and brynge forthe the sentes of the spirite WhaÌ„ we worke the wyll of God and fashon our lyfe â—â—â—â—rdynge to the rule of Christes gospell than may we be certen that â—ur sayth is ryght and that we are the sonnes of God fellowe enheritâ—â—rs w t Iesus Christ. Nether nede â—e doubte of ony thynge that God hathe promised in his holy scriptuâ—â—â— but beleue stedfastly y t we shall â—aue al thiÌ„ges accordiÌ„g to hys promises in asmuch as we bryng forth the frutes of faythe But if we lyue 〈◊〉 carnally and do the fylthy worâ—â—â— of the 〈◊〉 as droÌ„ckeshyp whore 〈◊〉 theafte couetousnes amp c. than 〈◊〉 we no cause to reioyse nor yet 〈…〉 of our faythe For the true 〈…〉 the great maruelous thynges as we maye se in AbrahaÌ„ whiche truly beleued in God therfore wroughte many godly workes He obeyed the word of God he lefte hys owne natiue countrey he was contented at the commaundement of God to kyll offer hys owne soÌ„ne to what soeuer the spiriâ—e of God moued hym to do Of this nature are so many as truely beleue They y t thus worcke not haue not Abrahams fayth neyther are they y e sonnes of Abraham For Christ sayd to the Iewes if ye were the sonnes of Abraham ye woulde do 〈◊〉 workes of AbrahaÌ„ Therfore after that we are persuaded of the goodnes of god towarde vs and beleue fâ—ythfully y t god for his promises sakâ— which hâ— hath made vs in christe 〈…〉 be bouÌ„teous and mercifull vnto vs we must note that the scrâ—pture coÌ„maundeth workes to be dne of the faythfull For after that we be once iustifyed by fayth before GOD we must expresse that faythe whiche is knowne to god alone by externall outward workes y t we may appere â—â—ghteous both before God man Nether is there ony better sygne or more manifest argument as I sayd before y t our fayth is ryghâ— true lyueth than whan it produceth and bryngeth for the good workes euen â—s there is not a more manifest probacion that a tree is good than by the bryngynge forth of good frute I faythfull man therfore is not coÌ„pared without a cause of the Psalmographe to a tree planted by the ryuers syde which bryngeth forthe 〈◊〉 fruyte in due season I beynge 〈◊〉 a frtefull Olyue tree saythe Dauid in the house of GOd haue trusted in the mercy of god for euer 〈◊〉 euer A christen man is compared to a grene Olyue for he is euer full of fruyte and neuer barren all waye grene neuer seare â—â—er workyng and neuer idle He y t truly beleueth hath no nede of lawes to coÌ„pell hym to do good workes as the scripture sayth the lawe is not gyuen vnto a ryghteous man but vnto the vnrighteous disobedieÌ„t c. For of hys owne fre wyll sâ— lyuyshe and myghty in operacion iâ— faythe whan God gyuethe an occasion he wyll bryng forth good workes euen the frutes of faythe vnto â—he glory of God and the health of hâ—s neyghbour The sonnes of God are not coÌ„tent to syt ydle sayth Chriâ—ostome but the spirite prouokethe them to take some great and commendable worke in hande Hereto agreeth the sayenge of S. Gregory The loue of GOD is neuer idle for it worketh great thynges if it be y e loue of God in dede but if it cease the to worcke than is it no loue The vnfaythfull is lyke vnto a dead stocke which briÌ„geth forth no frute at all but is vnprofitable altogyther and therfore shall he be hewen downe and cast into hell fyre To be shorte in this matter they that are frutefull bryng forthe good workes pertayne vnto the chyrche of God and they whych are vnfrutefull and bryng forth no good workes belong vnto y e chyrche of the Dyuell for there is a double chyrche and shall be cursed as the â—ygge tree was Fortely we ought to do good worâ—es that we may wynne our neyghâ—our also vnto Christ as S. Peter â—ryteth you wiues be ye obedieÌ„t to our husbandes y t they also whiche â—hey not the worde maye be wonne â—y the conuersacion of theyr wyues â—ythout the worde whyle they consydre your chaste and pure conuersacion ioyned wyth reuerence For as christ came not iÌ„to thys world to wynne the fauoure of hys eternall father for hymself but what so euer he dydde was done for vs so in lyke maÌ„ner what so euer we do we must do it also for oure neyghboures to wynne theÌ„ vnto Christ to make th â— professours of Christes Gospell anâ— the perfecte chyldreÌ„ of GOD our father Let that same affeccioÌ„ be in you saythe S. Paule that was in Christ Iesus whyche beynge in the shape of God thought it no robber to be equall wythe God Neuerthelesse he made hymselfe of no reputacion and toke on hym the shape of â— seruaunt and became lyke vnto in was founde in the figure as a maÌ„ He humbled hym selfe beâ—ame obeâ—dient vnto the death eueÌ„ the death of the crosse Fyftely we must do good workes that the mouthes of y e vngodly may be stopped as S. Peter sayth thys is the wyll of God that by well doyng ye shulde stoppe the mouthes of folysh and ignorant parsonnes Do all thynges wythout murmurynge and disputyng sayth S. Paul that ye maye be fautlesse and pure and the sonnes of God wythout rebuke in the myddes of a croked peruerse nacion among whome se y t ye shyne as lyghtes in the worlde holdynge faste the worde of lyfe Uerely if it ware euer expedient that Christen meÌ„ shoulde lede a godly lyfe it is at thys tyme moost necessary For whaÌ„ the aduersaries of Goddes trueth se them y t professe the Gospell of Christ lyue dissolutely not fast not praye not gyue almes not mortify the affectes of the flesâ—he but lead a more vngodly lyfe thaÌ„ the other sorte do than blaspheme they the gospel thaÌ„ call they the worde of God heresye than hate they extremely persecute presonne condemne and vtterly destroye so many as cleaâ—â— purely to y e doctrine of christ And all this come to passe thorowe the wyckednes and vngodly conuersacion of the grosse Gospellers the raylyng readers of the scripture the â—aye lâ—ke ianglers of Gods worde and brâ—yneles bablers of y e gospell whych â—able muche of gods trueth and yet â—yue no part therof Oh what a great hinderauÌ„s is this to goddes mooâ—â— holy wordâ— God giue vs grace both to loue and lyue the gospell Finally we ought to do good workes seynge it is none â—nprofitable seruice neyther shal our laboure be loste in so doynge but we shall hyghly be rewarded for doynge of them not only in thys worldâ— but muche 〈◊〉 pleÌ„teously in y e worlde to come Reioyse and be mery saythe Christ to all that do good workes for great is your rewarde in heauen Agayne he that receaueth a Prophet in the name of
come to age they adde and put vnto it thorowe theyr euell manners Here sayth saynt Austen playnly that the grace of christ hath not only losoned delyuered made vs free from originall synne wherwyth we all offended in Adam but also from all other which we afterwarde commit as we growe in age I could rehearse many mo authorities both of this Doctor and other whiche maynly fortify this matter but because I wyll not be tedious vnto you I let them passe trusting that with these aforsayd ye are fully satisfyed Theo. Yea verely neyghbour Philemon or elles our hartes were more then twyse stony Phil. Although this vngodly doctrine be raised vp now agen in this our tyme of the Anabaptistes yet hath it had alwayes fautoures and maynteners longe before our dayes in somuche as we rede that a certen man called Peter Abelharde was counted for an Heretyke and compelled of saynt Bernarde to recant in the councell of Senon â–ª because he taught this suche lyke thynges If hys doctrine had bene godly and agreable to the holy scriptures he had neuer ben so handeled Alas good neyghboures what are we of our selues y t we dare so depresse and thrust downe y e death of Christ and so to exalte our selues that he by his pashon sauyng vs froÌ„ one synne we shuld presume to saue our selues by our owne workes and merites from many This is a presumpcion to moche to be detested Thys is a stondyng in our owne coÌ„ceate more Luciferlyke than it may be suffered of ony christen harte To the Lorde our God saythe the Prophet be righteousnes but to vs and to our fathers confusion of face As towchyng the righteusnes whiche is in the lawe no man could once rebuke me sayth S. Paul But those thynges which were vauntage vnto me I counted losse for Christes sake Yea moreouer I thyncke all thynges but losse for the excellencye of the knowledge of Christ Iesu my Lorde for whome I haue counted all thynges losse and do iudge them but dounge that I myghte wynne Christ be fouÌ„d in hym not hauing myne own ryghteousenesse whyche cometh of the lawe but that which is by the fayth of Christ namely the righteousnes whych cometh of god in fayth to knowe hym and the vertue of his resurreccioÌ„ and the felowshyp of his pashon How cleueth S. Paule vnto Christ Howe reiecteth casteth he awaye his owne righteousnes whyche he had by the outewarde kepynge of the lawe that he myght thorowe fayth be made righteous in Christ How lytle estemeth he his own goodnes so that he may knowe the vertue of Christes resurreccion and the felowshyp of his pashon All Paules delectacion pleasure is in Christ in christes death as he sayth in another place GOD forbyd that I shulde reioyse in onythynge but in the crosse that is to saye the death pashon of our Lord Iesus Christ. If so noble and worthy Apostle hadde all his delyght in Christ in christes merites so that for christes â—ake and to wynne y e righteousnesse of Christe he estâ—med hys own ryghteousnes so vile as y e duÌ„ge what shall we wretches than saye Shall we lyfte vp our brystles and open our mouthe to speake blasphemies agaynst the moost hyghest Shall we so trust to oure workes y t we shall seake more saluacion in theÌ„ than in the Lorde christ All oure ryghteousnesses sayth the Prophet are as a cloth polluted w t menstrue All sorte of vs haue erreâ— as shepe euery â—an hath followed hys ownâ— trade Euery one is an Hypocrite a 〈◊〉 and wycked No man is able to saye my harte is clene I am pure from syn There is not a righteous man on earth that doth good and synneth not All haue synned want the glory of God Seynge we are all in this case how dare ony maÌ„ auouche hymselfe to be so pure and hys workes to be so good perfect y t by theÌ„ he is able to satisfy for hys siÌ„nes committed after baptisme Euse. Ye saye trueth My thyncke y t those menne whiche are of thys opinion knowe nether God nor them selues aright Phil. Trueth it is For if they dyd know that as god is good righteous holy perfecte fauâ—les with out all spotte of synne so they of theÌ„ selues are euell vnryghteous imperfecte synfull and hedged rounde about wyth the fylthynes of synne if ony goodnes they haue it commethe of God therfore haue they nothyng wherof they may reioyse for it is Gods and not theyrs they woulde not stonde so much in theyâ— owne conceate nor crake so much oâ— theyr purite and clennes If y e starres be not pure in the syght of god and if the Aungels be not clene and â—â—uteles before hym howe thaÌ„ dare a wretched mortall creature which synnâ—th dayly and heapeth wyckednes vpon wyckednes so auauÌ„ce him selfe that he dare presume to stonde ryght vp and with an open face before GOD whiche is a consumyng fyre and hatethe so many as worcke wyckednesse and to take vpon hym to satisfy for his synnes by his own righteousnes If they wolde assaye to go downe into theÌ„ selues could search y e botome of theyr hart which is wycked inscrutable they shulde there fynd such hepes lopes donge hylles of synne that they would be redye to dispayre and to vndo them selues so farre is it of y t they would iustify them selues or take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ to be theyr owne sauiours by theyr dedes workes merites The consyderacion of the diuine maieste and y e true knowledge of hym selfe made Dauid to praye on this manner O Lorde enter not into iudgement w t thy seruaunt for no man y t lyuethe shall be iustifyed in thy syght Agen O Lord yf thou shuldest marke our wyckednesses O Lorde who were able to abyde it But there is mercy wythe the. Lette Israel therfore truste in the Lorde For wythe the Lorde there is mercy and pleÌ„teous redemcion And he shall redeme Israel from all hys synnes Chri. God gyue vs grace to haue y e true knowledge of God and of our selues So shall we vnfaynedly ascrybe gyue vnto God al the glory and prayse of our creacion vocacion iustificacioÌ„ redempcion saluacion glorificacioÌ„ and what so euer goodnes we haue more and frely confesse that we are saued of the great and vndeserued grace of God thorowe Iesus Christ our Lord and sauiour Phil. I besech God it may so come to passe Thus haue I accomplysshed youre desyre neyghbours in prouynge by y e scriptures and the auncient Doctors y t christ by hys death hath not only redemed delyuered and set vs fre froÌ„ originall synne but also from all other and that the synnes which we commit after baptisme be not forgyuen of God the father for the dignite and worthynes of ony workes which we do but for the excelleÌ„cy of y e sacrifyce which Christ once for al offered vpon the Altare of y e
past were chosen awaye from the Gentiles to be the people of God to serue him and to walke in hys holye ordinaunces ye are a chosen generacion saythe Peter a royall prestehode an holye nacion and a peculiare people that ye should shewe forth the vertues of hym that called you oute of darkenes â—to his maruelous lyght which in times past were not a people yet are nowe the people of God whiche were not vnder mercy but now haue obtayned merci Of these wordes may we lerne vnto what end christ hathe redemed purifyed vs by his bloud Uerely y t we shuld be a peculiare people to hym selfe ThaÌ„ are we here taught that we maye nomore â—romhense forth serue the Prynce of darkenes be conuerseÌ„t in hys court were ony lenger hys cogniscauns fulfyll ony more hys pleasure and wil but wholly gyue oure selues to serue God which is y e PriÌ„ce of lyght yea the true lyght it selfe whiche lyghteneth euery man y t cometh in to this world what nacion wylyngly serueth a straunge Prince what faythful and honest seruaunte forsakethe a gentle louyng master ronneth vnto a Tyraunt How vnsemely than were it for vs whych before were in so miserable a case and delyuered from it only by the goodnes fre harte of our Lord and master Iesus Christ to forsake hiÌ„ to ronne backe agen vnto the powers rulers of darknesse we are nowe lyght in the Lrde shall we become darkenes agen we are now the sonnes of God shall we become the children of wrathe agayne â–ª we are now the beautifull spouse of Iesus christ shall we be made the horlot of Satan agayne we are nowe nomore Ghestes straungers but Cytysenses of the saynctes and of the house hold of God shall we become Captines bonde seruitours to Satans courte againe we are now by christ made prestes and kynges shall we faull from thys dignite and becom vilious and abiectes agen we are now y e peculiare people of God sanctifyed vnto his vse and vnto y e workynge of those thynges y t make vnto hys glory shal we neglecte oure dignite worshyp and honoure as I maye so speake fall awaye agayne from our Master and so behaue our selues y t thys prouerbe may worthely be obiected and layde agaynst vs The dogge is returned vnto his vomitte and the sowe after she hathe washed herselfe is gone agayne vnto hyr olde wallowyng in the myer Therfore seyng that Christ by hys bloude hathe purifyed and pourged vs a peculiare people vnto hymselfe let vs manfully fyghte vnder y e staÌ„darde of our Captayne against Satan the Prynce of darckenes let vs seake the glory of our master let vs obserue suche preceptes as he hathe commaunded let vs reuereÌ„ce feare honoure worshyp loue hym aboue all thynges lette vs not suffer hys moost precious bloude to be shed in vayne let vs so behaue our selues y t it may euidently appere y t we be no vnkynd nor vnthanckful personnes but euermore walke worthy his kiÌ„dnes and tender coÌ„passion This thiÌ„g shall come to passe if we be suche as the ende of your Newe yeres gyfte paynteth Euse. What is that PHIL. Euen such as be earnest folowers of good worckes If we wyll shewe oure selues to pertayne vnto Christe to be hys people to be wholy addycte vnto hym we muste be earnest folowers of good workes we may no lenger loytour nor play the idle lubbers we must worck earnestly and as the Kentysh men say a good For Christ hath redemed vs from all vnryghteousnes not that we shuld continewe styll in our olde wyckednes and vngodly conuersacion but that we shuld be hys peculiare people chosen out to serue hym and to worcke hys moste godly pleasure agayne y t we shuld be earneste followers of good workes And here is answer to be made to theÌ„ whych saye If Christ hath redemed me froÌ„ all vnrighteousnes made me clene by hys bloude from all my synnes purchased frely by hys death for me eternall lyfe and made a perpetuall agremente betwene God the father and me what nede I to worke what can my workes profitte what shall my laboures auayle me Christ hath done ynoughe for me Christ is my sufficient Sauyoure Christ hath made al thynges so perfect that nothyng caÌ„ be added thervnto Therfore let vs be mery and take no thought O fylthye swyne and careles dogges Becaus Christ hathe don that for them which they could not do for them selues behold how wyllyngly they caste them selues in to hell fyre who treadeth the bloude of Christ vnder hys foote if these bellygods do it not â–ª Who defaceth y e price of Chrystes death the glory of his resurreccion if these fylthy swyne heades do it not Who dishonoureth Gods most holy worde yf these Epicures do it not But let these swyll bellyes wel knowe that they haue no part of Christe of Christes passhon bloude death nor yet of none of all hys merites so longe as they continew in thys ther wycked to muche detestable purpose crake the neuer so muche of Christe of christes bloud of fayth of the gospell of the christen liberty c. They shall go to the Deuell hedlonge wtout ony mercy for al christ Christes bloude fayth Gospel Christen libertye and what soeuer they caÌ„ alledge more yf they haue tyme conuenient leasure to do good workes yet wyll not who was euer saued wythout good worckes hauynge oportunite to worcke Ye obiect and laye agayâ—st me the thefe Uery theuyshly done For what lesure had he to worke Nether do I knowe whyther the waye of healthe was euer preched vnto hym or not although he was not vtterlye voyde of good workes For he beyng at the poynte of death bewayled his wretchednes lamented hys synnefull manners confessed hys wyckednes repented hym of hys abhominable lyuynge turned to Christ knoweledged him to be the sonne of God the sauiour of the world and desyred him to remembre hym whan he came in to hys kyngdome If thys maÌ„ had had leasure vndoutedlye he wolde haue shewed forth hys repeÌ„tauÌ„ce fayth by doyng externall good workes Therfore y e exaÌ„ple of hiÌ„ helpe the nothiÌ„g your sluggish dissolute maÌ„ner of lyuiÌ„g which haue both red hard Christ many tymes preched to you yet are ye neuer y e better Only ye perswade your selfe well of christe Christes merites but al iÌ„ vaine For he is no sauiour to those siÌ„ners whiche lyue wtout al feare of god but to such as repeÌ„t beleue labour ernestly to briÌ„gforth good workes from y e noÌ„ber of y t which ye seme to be no les far thaÌ„ y e west is froÌ„ the East Christ hath redemed vs sayth y e scripture that we shuld be hys people and earnest folowers of good workes We must be his people and earneste folowers of good wockes or els haue we no redempcioÌ„ by christ as S. IohnÌ„