pardon as appeareth in the prodigall sonne For a knowledge of mercy must of necessitie goe before true repentance according to the saying of Ambrose No man can repent except first he hopeth for pardon and that of Augustine The mercye of God is necessary not onely when we doe repent but also that we may repent Fayth is a knowledge consent and desire of the promised mercy and a sure confidence in Christ the mediatour Although the former examples and the fourth chap. to the Rom. doe confirme this definition yet let vs adde more reasons concerning the properties of fayth Christ pronounceth them saued that beleeue therfore it must needes be that fayth doth signifie a trust in the promise seeing that no man is saued by knowledge alone Agayne Paule doth sometime call this fayth a sure trust or confidence sometime a perswasion whereby a man doth certaynely perswade himselfe that God both will and also is able to performe that which he hath promised This therfore is that fayth by which alone without the workes of the law the Apostle affirmeth that a man is iustified before God For such a fayth onely as we haue described doth apprehende Christ and possesse him with all his benefites I will therfore set forth a playne and manifest doctrine concerning this iustification which commeth by fayth in Christ and will briefly confute the errours with the which this doctrine both in time past and also in our age is darkned and made obscure Iustification is a deliuerance from sinne of the man that doth beleeue in Christ an imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ and an accepting of him being iustified to life euerlasting freely for Christes sake In this definition fiue principall poynts are to be considered First fayth by which the grace which is offred is receyued wherevpon Paule sayth we are iustified by fayth For fayth is as it were a certayne hande wherewith we receyue Christ offered vnto vs with his obedience that it may be our righteousnesse The seconde is a clensing or deliuerance from sinne through the satisfaction made by Iesus Christ according to that saying of Iohn The bloude of Iesus Christ clenseth vs from all sinne To this also belongeth that saying of Dauid Blessed is he whose wickednes is forgiuen Also Blessed is the man vnto whome the Lorde imputeth not iniquitie What deliuerance is it is to be gathered by y e definition of sinne For as sinne is a defect or reuolting from the lawe and will of God with a bonde vnto eternall death and condemnation so deliuerance is the discharging or setting free of a man from the bonde of death and condemnation But that this deliuerance doth come vnto him that beleeueth in Christ many testimonies doe witnes He that beleeueth in the son hath euerlasting life The third is the imputation of y e righteousnes of Christ For his obedience death passion and resurrection are the matter foundation of our iustification 2. Cor. 5. He hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we shoulde be made the righteousnesse of God in him This righteousnes which he sayth that we are made in him the Apostle defineth Rom. 5. when he sayth As by one mans disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many also be made righteous Christian righteousnesse therefore is the obedience of Christ imputed to the beleeuer For fayth is imputed to hym for righteousnesse which beleeueth in him that iustifieth the wicked Of these this also followeth that the qualitie of righteousnes is in Christ but is imputed vnto vs which is proper vnto him For we are so iust before God as Christ was a sinner As he after a sort tooke vpon him our person whereby he might be made guiltie in our name and might be iudged as a sinner not for his owne sinnes but for the sinnes of other seing that he himselfe was pure and cleane frō all sinne and might suffer punishment due vnto vs and not vnto him So we nowe are iust in him not bicause we do satisfie the iudgement of God with our workes but bicause we are accounted righteous with the righteousnesse of Christ which by fayth alone we doe put on that it might be made ours The fourth is an accepting of the person vnto eternall life For Paule setteth this degree after iustification Rom. 8. Whom he iustified them be also glorified To this belongeth the saying of the Lorde He that beleeueth in me shall not perish but shall haue euerlasting lyfe The fift freely for Christes sake freely that all the merites of men maye be excluded for Christes sake that the redemption of the onely begotten sonne of God may be acknowledged to be the merit of so great a treasure Although this doctrine of our Churches is grounded vpon the iust sounde and perfite worde of God yet there be diuerse and sundrie errors spred abrode agaynst it For there be some which place this iustification of man in the workes done of men other some will needes haue it to consist of fayth and workes togither some go about to establishe a certayne essentiall righteousnesse Although these things which we haue spoken doe confute the errours of these yet we will speake somewhat seuerally of them They which affirme that mā is iustified by works are more easily confuted seeing that the most manifest oracles of God doe crie out agaynst this errour Dauid cryeth out openly Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified And Paule Rom. 3. Therefore by the workes of the lawe shal no fleshe be iustified And to the Galath As manye as are of the workes of the lawe are vnder the curse Agayne If righteousnesse be by the lawe then Christ died without a cause Their opinion therefore is manifestly false which affirme that a man is iustified that is made iust by workes But we acknowledge with Iames that good workes are required to the declaring of this iustification that the good tree may be knowne by it fruites neyther is there any disagreeing betweene Paule and Iames. For when Paul sayth that a mā is not iustified by works he signifieth that he is not made iust and without fault before God by workes When Iames sayth that men are iustified by workes he meaneth that men are by workes declared to be iust But the saying of them hath somewhat a fayrer shewe which affirme that the righteousnesse whereby the wicked man is iustified before God doth consist of fayth and works togither For they saye that fayth is the beginning of righteousnesse and workes the perfection thereof whose errour S. Paule confuteth by these reasons Rom. 10. I beare them recorde that they haue the zeale of God but not according to knowledge For they being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and going about to stablishe their owne righteousnes haue not submitted themselues to
sanctification when he giueth vs the holy ghost which doth after a sort turne our nature and make it that the olde man being by little and little mortified we maye liue after the spirite that is we may giue our myndes to godlynesse towarde God charitie towarde our neyghbour to holynesse of lyfe and diligence in our vocation briefly that we maye submit our selues wholy to the rule of the spirit In what man soeuer the force and vertue of this regeneration or of this sanctification is not felt there of necessitie fayth cannot be For a true and a right fayth is feruent in spirite and endeuoureth to bring forth it true fruites and desireth nothing more than to serue God in spirit and to abounde in all knowledge and vnderstanding Seing that this is in very deede the propertie of a iustifying fayth and of regeneration who can beare or abyde the saying of them which with all their might in words and writings do impugne the necessitie of good workes which truly we say are necessary not as merits and causes of saluation For y e saying of Paul is firme and vnmoueable Ephe. 2. By grace are ye saued through fayth and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of woorkes least any man shoulde boast himselfe but as necessarilye accompanying a iustifying fayth and as the effectes of the spirite which doth regenerate vs. Furthermore that the reason and maner of good workes may be the better vnderstande I will declare in order sixe questions concerning good works The questions are these The first what workes are to be taught and to be done The seconde howe they maye be done The thirde howe they doe please The fourth what are the causes of good works The fift why promises are added to good works The sixt bicause all men haue sinne it is not without cause demaunded whose obedience doth please and whose doth not please When it is enquired what workes are to be taught and done two thinges are to be weyed of vs whoe we be and whome he is vnto whom obedience is to be giuen by workes When we beholde our selues considering our owne corruption we are admonished that we our selues doe not imagine workes by which we thinke to worship God For by our selues we do not vnderstand what eyther pleaseth or displeaseth God and the Lorde pronounceth that he is worshipped in vayne with the commaundements of men Let vs therfore certaynly thinke that workes albeit fayre and goodly which haue bene inuented of men are in no wise good But if we consider God we are admonished of reuerence toward him whereby it commeth to passe that we thinke that that onely pleaseth him which he prescribeth in his word For he onely is our law giuer Ezechiel comprehendeth both in chap. 20. walke ye not in the ordinances of your fathers neyther obserue their maners nor defile your selues with their Idols I am the Lord your God walke in my statutes and keepe my iudgements and doe them Also 33. I haue made thee a watchman vnto the house of Israell therefore thou shalt heare the word at my mouth and admonish them from me Hereof therefore it manifestly followeth that no other workes are to be taught and done but those which are commended vnto vs by the word of God After that the mind of the godly man knoweth what workes are to be done forth with it inquireth how they may be done The dissoluing of this question is to be taken out of two sayinges of the Scripture The Apostle sayth to the Hebr. without fayth it is vnposible to please God And Christ sayth without me can ye doe nothing Wherefore these thinges are required in order First the knowledge of Christ Secondly trust and confidence in Christ Thirdly viuification whereby Christ doth quicken vs by the Gospell and poureth his holy spirite vpon vs. Herevnto maketh y e saying of Esay chap. 40. But they that wayt vpon the Lord shall renue their strength they shall lift vp the wings as the Egles they shall runne and not be wearie and they shall walke and not faint For there can be no loue no obedience except mercy and reconcilation for the mediatours sake be first apprehended In this consolation the diuinitie doth dwell in the heart For the eternall father is effectuall in deede by his sonne which comforteth by the voyce of the Gospell and the holye Ghost is giuen of the father and the Sonne which stirreth vp in vs ioye and calling vpon God according to these sayings I will poure vpon them the spirite of grace and compassion c. And in Iohn We will come vnto him and dwel with him 2. Cor. 3. We beholding the glory of the Lord with open face are changed into the same image that is we beholding the word which is the image of the eternall father and in consolatiō doth shew the presence and goodnes of God are made like vnto his image the holy Ghost inflaming our hearts After that the mind is taught how good workes may be done it inquireth furthermore how they please for they are done in vayne except they please Scipio fighteth for his countrey Dauid also fighteth but the workes of both of them doe not please God It is fitly therefore demaunded how good workes may please To the which question we aunswere in generall that they please in the regenerate The workes of Scipio did not please bicause he was not regenerate But the warfare of Dauid did please bicause Dauid was accepted by fayth But here are three thinges to be considered in order First we must certainly thinke concerning the person that he is reconciled by fayth and iust for Christes sake freely Then we must confesse that the person iustified by fayth cannot as yet satisfie the lawe For many inward sinnes doe abide and sticke euen in the Godly This vncleannesse is to be lamented and doubts and euil affections are to be resisted and striuen against and also we ought to pray with true sighes of the heart that God will not impute vnto vs this filthines wherein we are wrapped Thirdly although we acknowledge this our filthines notwithstanding we must certaynly thinke that God doth require a certayne vnperfect obedience in vs that this vnperfect obedience doth please for Christs sake For so Peter doth playnly teach Offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ which is our reconciliation and now maketh intercession for vs. Our obedience therefore doth not please God for the worthines or perfection thereof For by it selfe it is vnworthy to come into the sight of God neyther doth it fulfill the law as it is sayd but it pleaseth bicause of the person reconciled which for Christs sake is counted righteous so also doth he please although he carie about in the flesh sinne and great infirmitie Seing it is euident that a man is in no wise iustified by workes it may fitly also may be
which they doe moderate punishments The arguments of the Stoickes haue a fayre shewe but they are grounded on a false foundation agaynst which let those reasons be set which I haue rehearsed 12 So speake ye and so doe as they that shall be iudged by the lavve of libertie 13 For there shal be condemnation mercilesse to him that shevveth not mercie and mercie reioyceth against iudgement He bringeth in a generall exhortation to liue godly and holily by an argument taken of the sentence of the last iudgement which is recited Matth. 25. For when as the Apostle sayth as they that shall bee iudged by the lavve of libertie he hath relation to the sentence of the Lorde who when he iudgeth the worlde shall saye vnto them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the worlde For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate c. Contrariwise he shall say to them on the left hande Depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire I was an hungred and ye gaue me no meate c. To this pertayneth that saying Iohn 5. The houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shal heare his voice and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euell vnto the resurrection of condemnation And 2. Cor. 5. We must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his bodie according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill That these sayings and such like are to be vnderstand of the qualitie of thē that shal be saued not of the causes of saluation the whole consent of y e scripture yea the precious bloud of Christ doth shew as shortly after I will more distinctly declare But why doth he call it y e law of libertie That by that name he may shew y t the fruites of libertie are by good right required of christians For as he which doth commit sinne is the seruant of sinne so he which is deliuered by Christ will be no more bonde but free therefore will not take vpon him the yoke of bondage He sheweth a cause or reason when he sayth for there shall be condemnation mercilesse to him that shevveth not mercie but he that sheweth mercie is so farre of from being condemned y t he shal reioyce against cōdemnation triumphing ouer death sin and the deuill These things doe teach how necessary continuall repentance and a perpetuall studie of godlynesse and righteousnesse is among Christians least by their owne fault they lose the free benefit of saluation But bicause the aduersaries of free saluation doe abuse this place and such like and make the causes of saluation of the tokens and qualities of them which shall be saued I will briefly gather an aunswere whereby the godly reader may haue wherewith he maye be able throughly and truly to answere to this false cauill Seing therefore that the Scripture doth expressely say that the Lord shall giue to euery man according to his deedes Or as Paule speaketh to the Corinthians according to that euery man hath done whether it be good or euill First of all this is to be helde that this generall sentence which is the very voyce of God himselfe ought to be applied vnto two sortes of men according to the proportion of fayth that is to the wicked according to the lawe to the godly according to the Gospell after this maner when the Lord giueth vnto the wicked according to their dedes without all doubt he giueth vnto them hel and condemnation For those are the merits of the dedes of vngodlines But cōcerning y e godly or regenerate there are mo things to be considered For first it is euident out of the infallible worde of God that eternall life is not the wages of seruantes but the inheritance of children and the free gift of God Rom. 4.5.6.8 Iohn 1.3.5 Secondly the proportion betwene the heauēly father and an earthly father is to be considered for as an earthly father doth giue vnto his childrē according to their deedes that is inheritance to them that are obedient and disheriteth them that are disobedient so God the father promiseth inheritance to his children but those which of children are made obstinate and enemies he suffreth not to enioy the inheritance But nowe it is manifest that the childrē of an earthly father are neither children nor heires through desert of their works After the same sort the children of God are neyther made children nor heires bicause of their works but through the grace of adoption which is receyued by fayth alone notwithstanding eyther of them doth giue vnto his children according to their dedes But y t this may yet be more plainly vnderstand how God shall giue to euery mā according to his dedes foure circūstances are to be weighed of vs the first wherof is that the rigour of the law is takē away from y e godly according to y e saying Galat. 3. Christ hath redemed vs from the curse of the lawe The seconde is that the person nowe beleeuing doth by fayth please God and is heire of eternall life Iohn 1. The thirde that God doth not onely require obedience of the person that beleeueth but also doth promise him a rewarde and that not of debt for the worthinesse of the worke but of grace for his fatherly promise sake The fourth that workes so done by fayth are testimonies of fayth as proper effectes are most certaine tokens of their cause And therefore it is sayde that God shall giue vnto euery man according to his dedes both because dedes are the true tokens of the feare of God of fayth and also that the whole creature maye beare witnesse of the iustice of God in iudging This answere is taken from the conferring of the Scripture which we must of necessitie surely hold lest that with the Papistes we attribute saluation to the merits of works or with the Antinomians and Libertines we lay aside all care and studye to do well This solution is made manifest by an euident example Mat. 18. where y e Lord saith that y e kingdome of heauen is likened vnto a certayne king that is that there is the same reason of the spiritual state of the Church which is betweene an earthly king and his seruants in the affaires of this present life For euen as the king his seruant owing him ten thousand talents yet when he fell downe and besought him he forgaue him the whole dette freely and of his mere liberalitie so God the father doth freely forgiue them all debtes that is sinnes which flie vnto him for succour with trust and confidence in Christ Hereof it is manifest that remission of sinnes is free But euen as the king called agayne vnto punishment that seruant being vnthankefull
exhorteth them that vnlawfull lustes from whence contentions doe come and humane desires being excluded they doe cleaue vnto God and liue rather in mourning thē in the vaine ioy of the world so he doth earnestly admonish them that laying asyde backbiting and speaking euill one of another they presume to doe nothing rashly The order and partes of the fourth Chapter ALthough the scope and drift of this Chapter is one that the faythfull doe not any thing couetously deceitfully and rashly following their owne lustes and desires yet I make foure partes hereof that the first may be a sharpe dehortation from the desire of priuate things thorow lustes and concupiscence from whence many mischiefs doe spring whervnto is added a confirmation In the second is set forth counsayle or remedie agaynst the fire of lustes The thirde is a dissuasion from the desire of backbiting and condemning other The fourth is a correction of rashe presumption in the purposing and doing of things The exposition of the fourth Chapter with an obseruation of the Doctrine 1 From vvhence are vvarres and contentions among you are they not hence euen of your pleasures that fight in your members HE sheweth that the lustes of the minde are the fountayne of all contention and mischiefe amōg men by the which men are caried to desire those thinges which they iudge acceptable and pleasaunt vnto them selues When he sayth that pleasures doe fight in the members he hath relation to the kingdome of originall sinne which is sayde of the Apostle Paul then to reigne when we doe obey it through the lustes thereof which are as it were certayne souldiers of it These he sayth doe fight in the members bicause the members of the body are instruments by the which sinne that dwelleth in vs doth finish it worke and which allso men doe vse to commit wickednes The summe of the whole matter is this The fountayne of concupiscence is originall sinne passiue concupiscence which is vnwilling is stirred vp and prouoked of originall sinne and that by the ministerie eyther of the sense or of the complexion or of the memorie The will is moued to consent whereof ariseth actiue concupiscence which is willing To this nowe bearing rule the members of the body are obedient and doe prepare them selues to doe the worke which when it is done originall sinne is sayde to reigne and concupiscence to fight obeying the tyranne sinne and vsing the members of the body as instruments in their fight But that this be not done Paule forbiddeth when he sayth Let not sinne reigne therefore in your mortall bodie that ye should obey it in the lustes thereof 2 Ye lust and haue not ye enuie and desire immoderatly and cannot obtayne ye fight and vvarre and get nothing because ye aske not 3 Ye aske and receiue not bicause ye aske amisse that ye might laye the same out on your pleasures He liuely describeth the wicked motions and trauayle of them which endeuour gredily to increase their substance that they may prouide for their pleasures They lust after those things that are other mens they enuie them which haue they desire immoderately that is they doe marueilously couet and are vehemently caried they doe earnestly followe contentions that by right and wrong they may obtayne those things which they desire Sometime also they call vpon God by prayer but in vayne bicause they aske amisse euen those things which woulde turne to their owne destruction if they shoulde receyue them We see howe aptly he doth here describe the carefulnesse of couetous men in doing their businesse 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses knovv ye not that the amitie of the vvorld is the enimitie of God Who soeuer therefore vvill be a friende of the vvorld maketh himselfe the enimie of God The first reason of the proposition whereby he confuteth the peruerse opinion of them which woulde both be godly and also followe the pleasures of this worlde but he sheweth that it is vnpossible for that to be For one thing pleaseth God another thing pleaseth the worlde and God and the worlde doe commaunde things cleane contrarie Seing therefore that euery one must be eyther a friende of the worlde and an enimie of God or a friende of God and an enimie of the worlde it is meete that euery one which desireth to be a Christian doe renounce the frendship of the worlde that is the wicked lustes therof and cleaue vnto God and obey him This place agreeth with that saying of Christ No man can serue two maisters Hereof it is manifest that many at this daye doe boast of the name of Christians which in deede are prophane enimies of God and abhominable before God Tit. 1. They professe that they knowe God but by workes they denie him and are abhominable and disobedient and vnto euery good worke reprobate Finally he calleth here adulterers and adulteresses forsakers of God in as much as they leauing God to whome they ought to cleaue as vnto a husbande doe ioyne themselues vnto other louers 5 Doe ye thinke that the Scripture saith in vayne The spirit that dvvelleth in vs lusteth after enuie He proueth that friendshippe cannot stande betweene the worlde and God and that by the testimonie of the Scripture which testimonie although in these wordes it is not founde in the Bibles yet as much as appertayneth to the sense thereof it commeth very often For it agreeth with that saying Genes .6 God sawe that all the imaginations of the thoughtes of mans heart were onely euill continuallye And with that Genes 8. The imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth By these testimonies is signified that men which are not regenerate are caried hedlong vnto euil which seing it is contrarie to God who is most gracious and good who doth both will and also thinke those thinges that be good it cannot otherwise be but that there should be a certayne enimitie of the world and of God 6 But the Scripture offereth more grace and therefore sayth God resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble The second reason is taken of a reward God hath promised to the humble that is to the poore in spirite and to them that despise the vaine lustes of the world grace which is better then all the delites and riches of the world Let Christians therefore seeke this rather then that fauour of the world and the pleasures thereof which the proude doe diligently seeke after But as he giueth grace to the humble so he resisteth the proude as a most sore and grieuous enemie 7 Submit your selues to God resist the deuill and he vvill flee from you Now he teacheth remedies against the euil of lust or concupiscence To submit himselfe to God is to set before himselfe the word of God as a rule of his life and according to it to submit himselfe in all obedience To resist the deuil is to striue agaynst vnlawfull lustes which are