of the glory of God Neytheâ— doe weâ—soâ— onely but also vvee Rom 5 3 â— 4. 5. reioyce in tribulations knowing thaâ— tribulatioâ— bringeth forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of GOD 〈◊〉 abroade in our harts by the holy Ghost which is giuen â—nto vs. Thus much for fiâ—â—th onely §. 14. NOwe as we finde true fayth in Iesus Christ to be the chiefe onely means of our iustification so may vvee likewise certainly assure our selues that it is also the very vvell-spring or Fountaine 〈◊〉 whence alâ—â—e all good works â—oe flow For surely it is as much impossible for true â—ayth to be without good workes as it is for a man to speake without a toâ—â—gâ—e to see wanting eyes or to liue lacking a hart Aâ— example further to confirme vs in the vndoubtâ—d truth â—eereof may be read in the story of Zaccheâ—s who had no sooner â—â—câ—iued Christâ—into his house and much mâ—re into his â—art by fayth but presently hee brake forth into these spâ—â—ches saying â— Behold Lord the halfe of â—â—y Luke 19 8 goodâ—â— giue vnto the pâ—ore and if I haue taken from any man by false or vnlawfull meanes â— restore him foure fold Againe vvhat 〈◊〉 it my Brâ—â—heren Iam 2 14. 15 16 17 saith â— Iames though 〈◊〉 say â—ee hath fayth when â—ee hath no works Caâ— that fayth saue him For if a brother or a sister be naked and dâ—stituâ—â— of daily fâ—â—de and one of you say vnto theÌ„ Depart in peace God send you warmnes and foode Notwithstanding you giue them not those things which are needfull to the body what helpeâ—h 〈◊〉 Euen so the â—ayth if it haue no workâ—â— iâ— dead in itselfe But some man might say Thou hast the Iames 2 18 â—aith and I haue workes Shewe mee thy faith out of thy workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my workes Thou beleeuest that there is one God verse 19. thou doost well the deuils also beleeue it and tremble But wilt thou vnderstand ô thou vayne verse 20 21 22 man that faith vvithout workes is dead VVas not Abraham our Father iustified through workes when he offered Isaac his sonne vpon the Altar Seest thou not that the fayth wrought vvith his workes and through the works was the faith made perfect And the Scripture was fulfilled which verse 23 saith Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes he was called the friend of God Yee see then how that of workes a man verse 24 is iustified and not of faith onely For as the body vvithout the Spirit is verse 26. dead euen so the fayth without workes is dead §. 15. Wee must not yet heere thinke that the Augustine sayings of the two Apostles S. Paule and S. Iames are contrary one to the other where as Paule saith A man is iustified without workes And Iames saith Fayth without workes is vaiâ—e For Paule speaketh of the workes that goe before fayth and Iames speaketh of the vvorkes vvhich follovve after fayth Our Religion likewise doth not discerne Augustine the righteous from the vnrighteous by the lawe of workes but by the lawe of faith vvithout the which euen those works that seeme good are turned into sinnes For vvhatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne Rom 14 23 And where faith is not good vvorkes is Augustine not The intent indeede maketh a good worke but fayth directeth that intent Besides good workes make no man to be accounted iust or righteous in the sight of God but a man being once iustified by faith doth good workes through loue Also in Iesus Christ neither Circumcision Gala 5 6. auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but fayth which worketh by loue For like as the goodnesse of a Tree is Luther alwayes knowne by the good fruite which it bringeth foorth euen so the fayth of a godly man is euermore declared vnto the world by his religious obedience towards the law of GOD and his workes of charitie towards his neighbour VVee are iustified therfore by that Beza liuely fayth which doth apprehend all the mercifull promises of God made towards vs in Iesus Christ VVhich fayth neyther sleepeth nor is Beza idle but alwayes awaketh and is continually busied about the performing of some good worke Resting fully perswaded that good Bernard vvorkes are the vvay to the kingdome of heauen though they be not the cause of raigning there ¶ Of Feare §. 1. FEare as Pacuuius saith is a diuine Pacuuius affection or passion of the minde by a feeling regard conducting vertue to all the actions of the soule It groweth from an vndoubted beleefe in GOD and maketh a man carefull to lead his lyfe pleasing in the sight of his Creator But before I enter any further into the discourse of this Vertue I am to enforme the Reader that there are two sorts of Feare The one Seâ—uile or slauish the other Fâ—liall or chyld-like The Seruile or slauish feare is that which euery bond-man beareth to his bodilie Maister or wicked offenders to wise Iudges This feare is also a defect of the minde and a harmefull hinderance to all vertuous resolutions killing courage by cowardise and pietie through distrustment It many times causeth the tongue to controle the hart and maketh the mouth to marre the meaning of the minde It teacheth men to talke according to the time and enforceth faint-harted subiects to sooth the sinnes of their Soueraigne Like vnto those people of whom Plutarch Plutarch speaketh Whose hearts saith hee harbour hatred against an vngodly Tyrant for his bad gouernement yet notwithstanding with the labour of their lyps they neuer cease fearefully to flatter him in his folly to the end hee should not hurt them But the Filiall or Chyld-like Feare vvhereof I onely meane in this place to speak is a diuine chastiser of euill in it selfe hauing in it such force that it causeth concupiscence to flie and maketh a man to abstaine from all sinne and wickednes It dependeth not on hate but on loue not resembling the feare of seruaunts but the feare of sonnes not like the trembling and despayring feare of * Saule when sathan in 1 Sam 28 19 20 the forme of Samuell fore-told him how little awhile he had to liue But rather like the reuerent and religious feare of Dauid * when hee kept Abishaâ— his Captaine froÌ„ 1 Sam 26. 9 killing the Lords annoynted This 〈◊〉 feare as wee finde in diuers places of the holy Scripture hath alwaies been a guide vnto the godly to direct their dooings and a Tutor to teach them the perfect pathway to eternall felicitie §. 2. Plato the Prince of Phylosophers affirmeth Plato that this excellent feare was so excellently excelling in the harts of the Heathen that in Sparta they built a Temple to true Feare in which they daily vsed to burne thevâ— first sacrifice
which seeing another about to be kissed will needes thrust forth his head to take away the curtesie from him ¶ Against iustifying our selues foolish boasting and regarding of other mens faultes §. 1. IVstifie not thy selfe before the Lorde Ecclus 7 5 saith Sirach for he knoweth thy hart Neyther boast thy selfe at any time of thy Pet. Lomb. good deedes least thy euill be also layde to thy charge For hee that prayseth himselfe is not allowed 2 Cor. 10 18. but he whom the Lord prayseth Besides he that supposeth himselfe to be Fulgosius righteous falleth thereby vnaduisedly from his hope in God by trusting too much to his owne merrites looseth the coÌ„fidence he should haue in his Creators mercy Resembling the folly of the foolish-bragging Luke 18 11 Pharisee which entred into the temple with the Publican to pray But S. Paule teacheth vs better wisedom by his owne example where he saith * I 1 Cor 4 4 know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified but he that iudgeth mee is the Lord. §. 2. How saith Iob should man compared Iob 9 2 3 vnto God be iustified If God would dispute with him man could not aunswere him one thing of a thousand If I woulde iustifie my selfe saith hee Iob 9 20 mine owne mouth shall condemne mee and if I would be perfit he shall iudge me wicked For hee is not a man as I am that I Iob 9 32 should aunswere him if wee come together to iudgement Well therefore saith the Psalmist * Enter Psal 143 2 not ô Lord into iudgement vvith thy seruaunt for in thy sight shall no man lyuing be iustified §. 3. Let no man glory in his works saith S. Ambrose Ambrose because no man is iustified by his workes but hee that is iust hath it freely by gift For if God would deale with vs according Augustine to that we haue deserued he should find nothing but that he might condemne And woe would be to all our righteousnesse Augustine if it be iudged mercie beeing taken away or set aside §. 4. If any man saith the Apostle seeme to Gala 6 3 himselfe that hee is some-what when he is nothing he deceiueth himselfe in his imagination Let him therefore that thinketh he standeth 1. Cor. 12. 10. take heede least hee fall And let not the sinner say that hee hath 2 Esdr 16 45. not sinned for coales of fire shall burne vppon his head which sayth I haue not sinned before the Lord God his glory §. 5. This saith S. Bernard is our righteousnesse Bernarde to lay sure holde on the worthines of Christ by faith and humbly to confesse before God that we of our selues are altogether vnrighteous And then are wee said to be righteous Ierome when as we doe acknowledge our selues to be wicked sinners But if wee behold our owne merrits wee Ierome shall thereby be driuen to desperation For vvee are counted but vnprofitable Luke 17 10 seruaunts when we haue done all that wee can do seeing we haue done no more then was our dutie to doe And in dooing no more but vvhat wee Chrisostome ought we deserue no greater reward then that we beare about vs. §. 6. If our dooings were good indeed saith Origen Origen then vvere vvee not vnprofitable seruaunts but any good deede of ours is called good not rightly nor duly but by abuse of speech For holy men do know that euer since the Gregory fall of the first father Adam they be borne of a corruptible stocke and that they bee not by any vertue of theyr owne but onely by the heauenly grace that doth preuent them turned into good desires or workes and what euill soeuer they knowe to bee in themselues they confesse that it is deserued and come of theyr mortall kinde but what good soeuer they see to be in themselues they acknowledge it to be the gift of the immortall God And for this gift which they haue receiued they count themselues debters vnto him vvhich by preuenting them did giue vnto them grace that they should will that good thing which they would not and by following did graunt that they should be able to doe that good thing which they would §. 7. Be not vain-glorious at any time of thine Iunius owne dooings saith Iunius neyther vse to speak many words in thine own praise For it is farre better to bee silent then Alex Seâ—e to bragge or boast vaine-gloriously anie thing in our owne commendation Let another man praise thee and not Prou 27 2 thine owne mouth a stranger and not thine owne lips For nothing dispraiseth a man so much Arnâ—bius as his owne praysing especially vvhen he maketh repeticion of his charitable deeds §. 8. It is a token of an impudent creature Plato saith Plato to seeke to gette credite vvith others by commending himselfe And such kinde of people as praise theÌ„selues Plâ—tarch may fitly be compared to famished persons for like as the famished for lacke of other meate are faine some-times to eate theyr owne flesh so many that are vaine glorious are forced to prayse themselues because no man else will giue them any coÌ„mendation §. 9. Despise not the man saith Sirach that Ecclus 8 9 turneth himselfe away from sinne neyther cast him in the teeth with his former fault but remember that vvee are all vvoorthy blame Be not glad when thine enemy falleth Prou 24 17 18. neyther let thy hart reioyce when he stumbleth least the Lord see it and it displease him and he turne his wrath from him Laugh no man to scorne in the heauines Ecclê° 7 11 of his soule for GOD vvhich seeth all things is hee that can bring downe and set vp againe §. 10. To reioyce at the harme which another Socrates man receiueth is a signe of an euill nature in thy selfe And busily to vpbrayd a penitent person Crates with his passed offences is the next way to depriue thy selfe of all mens compassion when thou standest in neede Flie therefore and eschew thine owne vices Socrates and be not curious in serching after other mens sinnes For it is the propertie of a foole to looke Tully narrowly into other mens faultes to forget his owne But it is a signe of great wisedome warilie Thales to auoyde those euils our selues vvhich wee thinke worthy to be blamed in other men ¶ Against the following of falseteâ—â—hers §. 1. BE not carried about saith the Apostle Hebr. 13. 9. with diuers and strange doctrines For he that is hastie to giue credit is light Ecclê° 19. 4 minded he that erreth sinneth against his owne soule Let no man deceiue you vvith vaine Ephe. 5. 6. vvordes But beware of false Prophets vvhich Math 7 15 16. come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly they are rauening Wolues Ye shall know them by
Deut 32 4. the mightie GOD For all his waies are iudgement God is true saith he without wickednes iust and righteous is he If thou sinne against him and prooue Osorius truly penitent hee will be found readie to graunt thee forgiuenesse but if thou persist in euill and presume vpon his mercie the path thou walkest in is very perrillous and thou daily standest in danger of his heauie wrath and iudgement For although it sometimes please God Mar. Aur. as Marcus Aurelius affirmeth to forbeare the sinnes and transgressions of diuers persons that persist in theyr euill liuing a great while yet notwithstanding wee â—ften see by example that hee dooth not sâ—are at length suddainly and vnawares to chastise such offenders vvith so much the greater chastisement according to the measure of theyr many iniquities For God is in his corrections saith he like vnto a man that giueth a blowe to another body the higher that hee lyfteth vp his hande vvith the greater force falleth downe the stroake semblably the more yeeres that the Almightie forbeareth our sinnes the more will he afterward afflict vs with punishment for them vnlesse we repent §. 6. It is not as Melancthon saith the great Phil. Mel. wealth of worldly rich men that can cause theyr Creator to with-hold his wrath from the wicked neyther is it the magnificence of mighty men that can procure him to proue partiall in iudgement For there is no iniquitie with the Lorde 2 Chro. 19 7. our God saith Iehosaphat neyther respect of persons nor receiuing of reward Hee being Lord ouer all will spare no Wisd 6. 7 person neyther shall he feare any greatnes For he hath made the small and great and careth for all alike Hee hath no respect vnto the persons of Iob 34 19 Princes neither regardeth he the rich more then the poore for they be all the vvorke of his hands Hee as Tobie saith is iust and all his Tob 3 2 workes and all his vvayes are mercie and truth and he iudgeth truly and iustlie for euer For his eyes are vpon all the wayes of the Iere 32 19 sonnes of men to giue to euery one according to his wayes and according to the fruite of his workes Whosoeuer he be therefore as Vincentius Vincentius saith that walketh in the vvay of the wicked and yet notwithstanding looketh for the reward of the righteous foolishlie flatters himselfe with a false hope and hath more neede of good counsaile to reclaime him from error then hee hath of badde encouragement to cause him continue his course §. 7. Beholde saith the Almightie all soules Ezech 18 4 20. are mine both the soule of the Father and also the soule of the sonne are mine The same soule that sinneth it shall die the sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of the Father neyther shall the Father beare the iniquity of the sonne but the righteousnes of the righteous shall be vpon him and the wickednes of the wicked shall bee vppon himselfe For euery man shall beare his own burden Gala 6 5 And as his workes are founde so shall Luther his reward be giuen Also It is most certaine saith Iob that Iob 34 12 the Lord our God will not doe wickedlie neither will the Almightie peruert iudgement Hee will not cast away an vpright man Iob 8 20. neither wil he take the wicked by the hand For as he is called the * God of iudgement Esay 30. 18 So hee is termed the rightfull * Iudge of Gene 18 25 all the world And therefore hee will vndoubtedly as Dauid sayth * iudge the worlde in righteousnesse Psalm 9 8. and the people with equitie §. 8. Diuers examples also may bee collected from the Scripture concerning the iustice of almighty God and the expressing of his punishments vpoÌ„ offenders but these few folowing shew proofe enough to perswade vs. As namely how he punished * Achan Iosua 7. the sonne of Carmi for his theft Nadab and Abihu for presuming to offer Leuit 10 1 * strange fire before him The two sonnes of Eli * for abusing the 1 Sam 4 Priestes office King Saule * for his disobedience in sparing 1 Sam 15 Agag Gehazi the seruaunt of Eliah * for his 2 Reg 5 couetousnesse Ananiah and his wife Saphira for * lying Acts 5 vnto the holy Ghost By which examples and the like we may coniecture that as the mercy of the Lorde is meruailous great to those that feare and loue him so is his punishment also vppon such as walke in wickednesse and wilfully presume to offend him For as the Angell said vnto Esdras there 2. Esdr 7 19 is no Iudge more iust then God nor anie more wise then the most High ¶ Of the wayes of Almighty God §. 1. THE * vvay of the Lorde or God 2 Sa. 22. 31 as Dauid sayth is vncorrupt And * all his pathes are mercie Psal 25. 10. and truth Vnto such as * keepe his couenaunt Psal 103. 18 thinke vpon his commaundements to doe them §. 2. God hath not as Caluine saith made Caluine manifest vnto man one way onely but he hath shewed vnto vs all his wayes that is all that is needful to make vs walke aright so that wee can neuer goe amisse if we followe the direction which hee in his holie Word hath set downe before vs. §. 3. The wayes of the Lorde our God as S. Augustine Augustine saith are to bee taken for all manner of his dooings and how soeuer it pleaseth him at any time to remoue things first to one side then to another yet his wayes therein are alwaies righteous and he best knoweth wherefore he doth so Besides It is not to be doubted saith he that God doth well yea when soeuer hee suffereth to be done whatsoeuer things are euill done for hee doth not suffer this otherwise then by iust iudgement and surelie all that is iust is good Although therefore those things that be euill inasmuch as they bee euill be not good yet it is good that there should be things not onelie that are good but also that are euill For except it were good that there should bee thinges that are euill the Almightie goodnesse woulde by no meanes suffer them to bee For it is no doubt as easie a thing to him not to suffer that thing to be which hee woulde shoulde not be as it is to doe that which he is willing to doe Therefore whatsoeuer happeneth heere at any time against our wills wee ought to vnderstande that it hapneth not but by the will of God by his prouidence by his decree by his commaundement and by his Law And although wee know not vvhy and wherfore it is done yet we must consider it is done according to his wisedome that gouerneth all things and that it is not done without some speciall cause For the Lord our God is righteous as