trye and proue it selfe more strong to be full of grace when it dooth attrybute all to the grace that is the beginning and the ende otherwyse howe shall it be full of grace if it had any thing which was not of the grace There is no place where grace shall enter where meryte already hath taken place Nowe then the full confession of grace dooth signifie the fulnesse of the same grace in the soule of the confessor For if there be any thing of itselfe forasmuch as it is there it is necessary that grace doth giue place vnto it All that which thou imputest vnto meryte is taken away from grace I wyll none of the merite which putteth out grace I am afrayd of all that which is of my selfe which doth make me to be to my selfe if it be not that peradueÌ„ture rather it should be I which causeth me to be to my selfe Grace doth make me iustified freely so doth deliuer me from the seruitude bondage of sinne Ye haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you and I haue not founde thy merytes for to chose thee but I haue preuented thee euen so then I haue espoused and marryed thee in fayth and not by the workes of the lawe I haue ioyned thee in righteousnesse but in the righteousnesse wich is through fayth and not of the lawe It resteth that you iudge right iudgement betwene thee and mee that is to say the iudgement in the which I haue fianced thee where it is manifested that thy merite hath not bene the meane but only my pleasure For beholde the iudgement that thou doe not exalt thy merit that thou do not preferre the works of the lawe that thou doe not preferre the charge of the heate of the daye But that thou doe knowe rather to haue all thy hope and trust in fayth in mercye and kyndenesse Augustine of the predestination of Saintes Mans merites shall keepe silence here which were lost in Adam and the grace of God shall reygne as it reygned by Iesus Christ Saint Augustine vpon the 139. Psalme The Saintes doe attribute nothing to their merites but all to the mercie of God. Augustine in the 2. Quinquagesima Psal. 88. When man doth see and perceyue that all that goodnes that he hath he hath it not of himselfe but of his God he doth see that all that which is praysed in him is not of his merites but of the mercy of God. Chrysostome vpon Genesis Homilie 33. All our workes whiche doe followe the thankefull calling of God are as debtes which we doe render vnto him but his benefites are of grace beneuolence and pure liberalitie S. Hilarie vpon S. Mathew in the 20. Canon vpon this place called the labourers Truly no hyre is not of gift for it is due for the worke But God hath giuen vnto all men grace freelye in iustification of fayth Augustine in his Quinquagesima psalm 137. I doe not say vnto the Lorde that he shoulde dâ—â—pise the worke of my handes It is very true that I doe seeke the Lord with my handes and am not deceyued but I doe not esteeme the workes of my handes for I doe feare that if God behold them that he should finde more sinne then meryte This onely doe I say pray and desire that he doe not despise the worke of his handes O Lorde then see and beholde thy worke in me and not mine for if thou doest see mine thou wylt condemne it if thou seest thine thou wylt rewarde and crowne it and in deede all the good works which I haue are come from thee S. Barnard vpon the canticles sermon 61. Where shall those that are weake find true rest and saftye but in the woundes of our sauiour I doe dwell there so much the more safely for that he is puyssant to saue The worlde is nigh vnto me to trouble me my body doth molest and griue me the deuill also lyeth in wayght to catche me I wyll not fall bicause that I am stayed vpon a sure rocke If I haue greuously sinned my conscience is troubled but it shall not be confounded when I shal remember the woundes of the Lorde c. Afterwarde he concludeth saying my meryte is the mercye of the Lorde I am not poore of merytes whilest that the Lorde is ritch in mercye So muche the more as the mercyes of the Lord are great so much the more do I abound in merits Shall I sing my righteousnesse O Lord I wyll remember thine only righteousnesse for the same is myne forasmuche as thou hast bene made for me the righteousnesse of God thy father S. Barnarde vpon the psalme Who so dwelleth c. sermon 15. psalm 91. Behold all the merytes of man is to put all his hope and trust in him whiche doth saue man wholy Augustine vpon the .88 psalm in his fyrste treatise I might despayre bicause of my great sinne and through my infinite negligences if the sonne of God had not taken our fleshe Afterwarde he sayth all my hope all the assurance of my confidence is put in his precious bloud the which hath bene shedde for vs and for our saluation In him my poore hart doth take breath And trusting altogither in him I desire to come vnto thee O father hauing not my righteousnesse but that of thy sonne Iesus Christe Augustine writing vnto Boniface the .3 booke Chapter 5. All the faithfull people which doe sigh and grone vnder the burthen of their corruptible fleshe and inclosed with this present life haue this only hope that we haue a mediator to say Iesus Christe whiche hath satisfied for our sinnes Augustine vpon the .32 psalm and the .109 psalm The Lorde is faithfull who made him selfe debter vnto vs not in taking any thing of vs but in promising vs all thinges freely Augustine in the first Quinquagesima psalm 31. O what are you which secretely doe take pleasure or delight in your owne vertue O proude infidells which doe reioyce your selues in your strengthes If you doe beleeue hereafter in him which doth iustifie the wicked your fayth shall be compted for righteousnesse Reioyce you righteous in God and be mery and wherefore Bicause you are righteous and whereof are ye righteous The same is not through your merytes but through the grace of God whereof are you righteous But for bicause he hath iustified you by fayth and knowledge the which without your merytes he hath giuen vnto you Also in the same booke Vnto him sayth the Apostle whiche doth the workes the higher is not imputed according to grace but according to the debt If thou wilt seperate thy selfe from grace boste thy selfe of thy merytes Truly God doth knowe very well what thou art and what thing he ought to giue vnto euery one And he whiche dooth not good workes and which after many euills that he hath done beleeueth in God who iustifieth the sinner whiche beleeueth in him his fayth will
fight If he hath not giuen it what is that that thou sayest in another place I haue laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which is in me In that then that he hath ayded thee and that he hath giuen vnto thee thou hast fought a good fight and hast fulfilled thy course and hast kept the fayth Pardon mee Apostle I doe knowe nothing of thine owne but the euils Pardon me Apostle we doe speake it bicause that thou hast taught it I do heare him which confesseth himselfe and I doe not finde that he is vnthankfull Truly in all that thou art instructed of thy selfe we can knowe nothing but euill Then when God doth crowne thy merites he crowneth nothing but his giftes to the ende that none be waxen proude of such fayth or of such puritie in good workes through his free will. Augustine vpon the wordes of the Apostle sermon .15 Thou shalt doe the worke of God not only bicause thou art a man but also bicause thou art iust and righteous for it is better to be righteous then to be a man if God hath made thee a man and that thou makest thy selfe righteous thou doest a better thing then God hath done But God hath made thee without thy selfe for thou hast giuen no consent vnto God for to make thee how shouldest thou consent which wast not then borne He then which hath made thee without thy selfe doth he not iustifie thee without thy selfe He hath then made him which giueth not his consent but he iustifieth him whiche giueth thereunto his wyll and consent yet he doth iustifie thee to the ende it shoulde not be thine owne righteousnesse and that thou shouldest not turne thy selfe to hurt detryment and vnto filthynesse And shouldest be found in him not hauing thy owne righteousnesse which is by the law but that which is of God through the fayth of Iesus Christ that is to say the righteousnesse of fayth for to knowe it and also to knowe the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowshippe of his afflictions and that same vertue shall be the fellowshippe of the afflictions of Christe that shall be thy vertue Augustine in the first Quinquagesima in the Prologue of the .31 psalm Who be those that are blessed Are not those they in whome God did finde no sinne No for he did finde it in all men for all haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God. If then sinne be found in all it followeth that none are founde blessed but those whose sinnes are pardoned Therefore hath he euen so praysed the same Abraham beleeued God and it was rekened vnto him for righteousnesse but vnto him which doth the worke that is to say which doth presume of workes and which by the meryte of the same saith that the grace of faith is giuen vnto him The rewarde is not imputed according to the grace but according to the debt What is this but that our rewarde is called grace if that be grace it is giuen freely What is this that is giuen freely It is that thou hast done no good thing and yet the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes is giuen vnto thee if thy workes be considered they shal be founde all wicked and euill if God should render that which is due to such workes truely he shoulde condemne them God doth not render vnto thee the punishment due but he doth giue thee grace which is not due vnto thee Augustine in the fyrst Quinquagesima vpon the .31 psalme verse Lorde I haue hoped in thee O Lorde deliuer me and redeeme me through thy righteousnesse For if thou doe consider my righteousnesse thou condemnest me deliuer me through thy righteousnesse for the righteousnesse of God is ours when it is giuen vs but it is called the righteousnesse of God to the ende that man doe not esteeme or thinke to haue righteousnesse of him selfe For as the Apostle saith vnto him which beleeueth in him which iustifieth the infidell or vnbeleeuing man What is he that iustifieth the infidell He which maketh the infidell righteous What is he that is not saued freely Is it he vnto whome the sauiour doth finde nothing for to crowne him but for to condemne him He doth not finde the merytes of goodnesse but he findeth the merites of euill if he doe as moste truly it is purposed and set foorth by the rule of the lawe the sinner ought to be damned if he doe after that rule whome shall he deliuer For he hath found them all sinners he is come alone without sinne who hath foūd vs sinners The same the Apostle speaketh saying all men haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God he doth deliuer thee and not thou thy selfe bicause thou canst not deliuer thy selfe whereof dost thou vaunte and boste thy selfe Wherefore dost thou presume of the lawe and of righteousnesse Dost thou not see that which shall heale thee inwardly is against thee Dost thou not heare the rebell and the confesser and him which desireth ayde and helpe in the battayle saying O wreatched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death the grace of God through our Lorde Iesus Christe wherefore the grace bicause that it is giuen freely without merytes preceeding but the benefites of God haue preuented it S. Ambrose vpon the Epistle vnto the Romains chapter 34. Bicause that without the workes of the lawe faith is reputed for righteousnesse vnto him which beleeueth that is to say vnto the gentill which beleeueth in Christ as it was reputed vnto Abraham how then doe the Iewes thinke to be iustified by the workes of the lawe of the iustification of Abraham seeing Abraham to be iustified not through the workes of the lawe but only through faith The lawe then taketh no place when the infidell is iustified only through faith before God according to the purpose of the grace of God. Euen so ought it to be ordayned to the ende that the lawe doe cease and that we demaund only faith of the grace of God for our health and saluation As also Dauid saith confirming the same by the example of the Prophet The blessednesse of man is in him vnto whome God imputeth righteousnesse without workes He calleth those blessed vnto whome God hath confirmed the same that without labour and without any obseruations through faith only they are iustified with God he declareth then the blessednesse of the time in whiche Christe was borne as also the Lord did saying That many Prophetes and iust men haue desired to see those thinges which ye see and haue not seene them and to heare those things which ye heare and haue not heard them Augustine vpon the words of the Lord in the mountayne Sermon 7. O thou Christian take heede take heede I say of pride for although that thou be a follower of the Saintes yet repute alwayes euery thing to the grace
downe from the father of lights Saint Paule also We are not able of oure selues to thinke anye thing that is good as it were of our selues but our abilitie commeth of God. Agayne vnto the Romaynes I knowe that in me that is to saye in my fleshe dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with me but I finde no meane to performe that which is good for I doe not that good thing which I woulde but that euill doe I which I would not Also the naturall man is not able to perceyue the thinges of the spirite of God for they are but folishnes vnto him neyther can he knowe them bicause they are spiritually discerned And 1. Cor. 12. God worketh all things in euery man. Agayne No man can say that Iesus is the Lorde but by the holy ghost Also Dauid Euery man liuing is altogither vanitie And in the 8. Chapter of Genesis The heart of man is enclined to euill euen from his youth To the Ephesians We were naturally the children of wrath euen as well as other Gregorie vpon the 7. psalme vpon the versicle Anima mea c. Forasmuch as freewill is corrupted in our first father we haue not the power to will well if we bee not ayded with the grace of God. Saint Hierome in his commentarie vpon Ieremie Chapter 23. Forasmuch as the heretikes haue accustomed to promise felicitie and to open to sinners the kingdome of heauen saying thou mayest imitate the maiestie of God so that thou be withoute sinne bicause thou hast receyued the power of free will and the intelligence and vnderstanding of the lawe by the which thou mayst obtayne that which thou wouldest Euen so the sayde heretikes doe abuse the poore simple people through fayre wordes and chieflye the yong women charged wyth sinnes who are caryed here and there with euery kynde of doctrine deceyuing thorowe flatterie all those which heare them Augustine in the 30. booke of his homilies Homilie 41. Let vs not consent vnto those which thorowe great pride go about to eleuate and extoll free will the whiche so doing doe bring more euill than good and seeke nothing but to ruinate and destroy man but let vs consider meekely that which the Apostle speaketh It is God that worketh in vs both the will and also the dede euen of his free beneuolence Let vs giue thankes vnto the Lorde our redeemer which without any merite preceding hath healed vs of our wounds sores and hath reconciled vs vnto God and redeemed vs from captiuitie and reduced and brought vs from darkenesse into light and called vs from death to lyfe c. Of merite and of good workes By grace are yee made safe throughe faith and not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least anye manne shoulde boast himselfe For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God ordeyned that we shoulde walke in them S. Ambrose in the first booke of Cain and Abel Chap. 7. It is the deede of a dull and slowe heart to attribute to his proper vertues that which is good or that whiche he doth obtayne of God and not to the author of grace but to esteeme himselfe to bee the author of his goodnesse There is another kinde of sinne yea lesse but of equall arrogancie and pryde that is to say of those which doe not denie God to be the distributer of goodnesse but doe thinke the goodnesse which commeth vnto them is bicause of their prudence and wisedome and that the merites of all other vertues are giuen vnto them of right And for that cause it is sayde agaynst those which haue receyued the heauenly grace that they doe not esteeme themselues in no wise to bee vnworthy to haue suche goodnesse of God When the Lorde thy God shall begyn to consume his people here in thy presence saye not in thine heart the Lorde hath brought me in to possesse this lande for my righteousnesse c. S. Barnard in the fyrst sermon of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary Beleeue not that thou canst throughe any workes merite eternall life except it be giuen thee freely For who is that which can make him cleane being conceiued of filthy seede but only he which is altogeather cleane And so that which is done cannot be vndon But bicause that God doth not impute it it shall be as though it had neuer bene done Whiche the Prophet considering speaketh in this sort blessed is the man vnto whome the Lord imputeth no sinne But as concerning good workes it is most certaine that none hath them of him selfe for if the humayne nature being yet entire and whole coulde not holde it selfe in his estate how much lesse can it rayse it selfe when it is already corrupted But we doe knowe very well concerning this eternall life that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be shewed vnto vs Yea when man shall suffer them all togeather For mans merites are not suche as by them eternall life shoulde of right be due vnto them or that God doth iniury and wrong vnto some men if he doe not giue it For although I should not say that all merites are the giftes of God in somuch as man is more bound vnto God for those merytes then God is vnto man yet what are all the merites in respect of so greate glory S. Barnarde of free will. What hast thou that thou hast not receyued art thou created art thou healed art thou saued whiche of them hast thou of thy selfe whiche of them is not impossible for free will thou couldest not create thy selfe when thou wast not made nor iustifie thy selfe when thou waste a sinner c. Agayne in the same booke But if that will vpon which all merites doe depende was not in Saint Paule by what meanes did he presume that the crowne shoulde bee kept for him which he calleth the crowne of righteousnesse But it is bicause that whiche is promised thankfully is of right demaunded as a thing due Finallye he sayth I knowe him in whome I haue beleeued and am persuaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to his keeping He doth call the promise of God the thing kept and therefore he hath beleued him which hath promised it confidently he doth aske agayne the promise the promise I say done through mercye but the which ought nowe to bee restored through righteousnesse The crowne then whiche Saint Paule hath striued for is the crowne of righteousnesse but it is of Gods righteousnesse and not of his This is trulye a iust thing that he doth restore that whiche he hath sayde but he oweth that whiche he hath promised and that is the righteousnesse of the whiche the Apostle did presume euen the promise of God. S. Barnarde vpon the Canticles sermon 47. Wherefore is that That is to the ende it doe
walke in we ought then rather to behold the goodnesse which we haue not yet done then those of which we doe reioyce our selues to haue already done and the elect are often times tempted with such vices and oftentimes it is rysen in their heartes to bring them in remembraunce of all the goodnesse that they haue done and to reioyce themselues of the band of assurance But if they be truly elected they will turn awaye their eyes from thinking of the same wherein they doe please themselues and keepe backe in them all the ioy of the goodnesse which is alreadye done and be sorie for those which they knowe to be by no maner of meanes done They doe esteeme themselues vnworthye and they onely do not see their goodnesse which are of all men seene by good example c. Of iustification of Fayth Augustine in the first Quinquagesima in the prologue of the 31. psal TRuly the Apostle Saint Iames in his Epistles hath praised the works of Abraham agaynst those which woulde not do any good and which presume them selues of fayth of which Abraham Saint Paule hath praysed his fayth and yet the Apostles are not contrarie the one to the other but he speaketh of the work which is knowne to all men that is to saye that Abraham did offer his sonne vnto God for to doe sacrifice That is a great worke but that is of fayth I doe prayse the buylding of the worke made vpon the foundation but I doe beholde the foundation of faith I doe prayse the fruite of the good and iust worke but I acknowledge the roote in fayth For if Abraham did those things without right fayth nothing woulde haue profited him whatsoeuer worke it hadde bene Furthermore if Abraham did keepe so the fayth that when God commaunded him to offer his sonne for sacrifice hee thought in himselfe I will not doe it and yet neuerthelesse I doe beleeue that God will deliuer me although that I doe contemne and despise his commaundements Fayth without workes shoulde be deade and shoulde abyde as a drie roote barren and without fruite What then we ought not to preferre workes before fayth that is to say nothing is sayde to be well done before fayth although that they are esteemed of men prayse worthye yet notwithstanding they are vayne And me thinketh that they are like vnto great strengths and vnto the easie course out of the waye Let none then esteeme his workes c. Afterwardes he sayth Let vs not then obiect the Apostle Saint Iames to Paule but the same Paule to himselfe and let vs say vnto him by this worde thou doest suffer vs somwhat to sinne without punishment when thou sayest wee doe esteeme man to bee iustified thorowe fayth withoute workes but thou wilt saye to the same faith worketh by loue How am I so much assured by the same if I doe nothing yea I shall not bee counted by the same to haue trust in the good fayth if I doe not worke by loue O Apostle I doe heare thee wilt thou here prayse vnto me fayth without workes But loue is the worke of fayth which loue cannot be ydle that it doe forsake all euill and doe all the good that it can And what maketh loue Declyne from euill and doe good Praysest thou then fayth without works And thou sayest in another place If I had all fayth so that I coulde moue mountaynes out of their places and yet had not loue I were nothing then if fayth doe not profite any without loue and that there where loue shall be it behoueth that it work for faith worketh by loue howe then is man iustified without workes The Apostle aunswereth O thou man therefore haue I sayde this thing vnto thee that thou doe not presume of thy workes and that thou doe not thinke to haue receyued the grace of fayth thorowe the merite of thy works Presume not then of workes before fayth acknowledge that fayth hath founde thee a sinner and if the fayth which hath founde thee a sinner hath made thee righteous then it doth finde him an infidell whiche it hath made righteous The fayth sayth he is counted for righteousnesse vnto him which beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly Augustine in his booke of the 83. questions 76. Chapter If any man doe departe out of this life immediatly after that he hath beleued the iustification of faith abideth with him and commeth not to him by any workes precedent or going before for it is not giuen through merite but through grace nor through workes following bicause that he is not permitted to be in this life and therefore the two sentences of the two Apostles Paule and Iames are not contrary the one to the other For the one saith that man is iustified through faith without workes And the other saith that faith is dead without workes for Paule speaketh of workes whiche goe before faith and Iames speaketh of works which doe followe faith Origene vpon the Epistle to the Romans 3. booke 3. Chapter The onely iustification of God sufficeth so that he which beleeueth onely is iustified when in deede no workes shall be done by him For the thefe was iustified through faith without the workes of the lawe and vpon that faith the Lorde did not demaunde what that is that he had done before and did not tarry after that he had beleeued what worke he shoulde doe but receiued him as iustified throughe the onely faith for to enter with him into paradise Also that woman which is receited by the Euangelist the which did heare at Iesus feete thy sins are forgiuen thee And again thy faith hath saued thee go in peace But also in many places of the gospell Iesus Christ hath vsed such wordes where he sayth that the cause of saluation is the faith of him which beleeueth Man then is iustified through faith vnto whome the workes of faith serue nothing at all for iustification But where faith is not which iustifieth the beleeuing man when any one shall haue the workes of the law neuerthelesse bicause they are not buylded vpon the foundation of faith although that in appearance they are good yet they cannot iustifie the worke if it be without faith the which is the marke and token of those which are iustified of god And what shall he be which wyll boste him selfe of his righteousnesse when he heareth God and the Prophet saying all our righteousnesse are as a menstruous cloth wherefore the only right glorye is in the fayth of Christ Augustine in his .50 homilies homily 17. Peace be vnto the bretheren and loue with the faith of God our Father and of our Lorde Iesus Christ What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why reioysest thou as though thou haddest not receiued it Did Abraham so reioyce He reioysed of faith what is the full and perfect faith The same which beleeueth that all our
iustifie him Euen as Dauid sayth Blessed is the man whome the Lorde accepteth and iustifieth without workes and how is he iustified But forasmuch as he receiueth of God righteousnesse and what righteousnesse the righteousnesse of fayth the which God giueth without any good workes preceeding but not without good workes following after for righteousnesse of fayth profiteth not if after the fayth receiued man doth not exercise him selfe in all good workes In the same I doe not account thy workes good what soeuer they be if they doe not proceede from the good roote of fayth In the same God doth not giue vnto thee the payne and punishment whiche thou hast well deserued but he doth giue vnto thee the grace not deserued nor due He oweth vnto thee punishment and he giueth vnto thee mercie and doth pardon thee Begin then to be in fayth through the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes Gregorie vpon Ezechiel the first boke homilie 7. Then our iust aduocate doth defende vs for iust at the iudgement bicause that we shoulde acknowledge our selues and accuse our selues as vniust Let vs not then trust in our weepings nor in our works but in the allegation of our aduocate Augustine in his booke of meditations Chap. 14. This is lyfe eternall that they knowe thee to be the only very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ through a right fayth and through workes worthy of fayth For thy inestimable loue exceedeth all knowledge the which thou hast shewed vnto vs throughe thy pietie and goodnesse vnto vs whiche are vnworthy For thy sonne our God in no sort toke the Angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham being made like in all things vnto vs without sinne This is verily all my hope and all my trust for the porcion of euery one of vs is to the same Iesus Christ our Lorde that is to saye the fleshe and the bloude and so where my porcion doth reygne there I doe beleeue that I shall reygne there where my flesh is glorified there I doe know my selfe to be glorified there where my bloude doth beare rule there I doe knowe that I shall rule Although I be a sinner yet I doe not distrust of the communication of this grace and if my sinnes do hinder or let it my substance doth require and aske it And if my offences doe shut me out the communion of the nature doth not dryue me backe but our Lord God is meeke and lowly and loueth his fleshe and his members and his bowels in himselfe which is God and in Iesus Christ our Lorde most meeke and louing and gentle in whome we are raysed vp and are already ascended into heauen and already sitting in the celestiall place Our fleshe doth loue vs and we haue in him the prerogatiue of our bloude for we are his members and his fleshe and finally he is our heade of whome all the bodie doth depende as it is written bone of my bones and fleshe of my flesh and they shall be two in one fleshe this mysterie here is great I saye in Christ and in the congregation sayth the Apostle Augustine in his manuel Chap. 22. All my trust and hope is in the death of my Lorde his death is my merite my refuge my helth my life my resurrection my merite is the mercy of god I am not poore of merite so long as the Lorde of mercie shall be in being if the mercies of the Lorde are great I am great in merites the more puissant he is for to saue so much the more am I assured Augustine in his manuel Chap. 23. I haue committed a great sinne and do feele my selfe culpable of a great many of sinnes and yet I will not despayre For where sinnes haue abounded grace hath more abounded He which hopeth not to haue pardon of his sinnes he denyeth that God is mercifull he doth great iniurie vnto God which distrusteth of his mercy as much as he can he denyeth that God hath loue truth and strength in whiche things consisteth all my hope that is in the loue that he hath towards me to make me his adoptiue sonne in the veritie of his promise and in the puissaunce of his redemption Let my foolishe thought nowe thinke and murmure as long as it will saying but what art thou and what is this glorie and by what merites thinkest thou to haue it Then I doe aunswere in good fayth I doe knowe verye well vnto whom I submit my selfe and that through great loue he hath made me his adoptiue sonne and is true in his promises and of power to fulfill them and it is lawfull for him to doe all that pleaseth him I cannot then bee afrayde of the multitude of my sinnes if I doe remember the Lordes death S. Ambrose in the booke of Iacob and of blessed life Euen as Iacob hauing not of his meate the eldershippe hid him selfe vnder the habite of his brother and apparayled him selfe with his coate the which did giue a most sweete sauour and in this manner presented him selfe vnto his father to receiue to his profite the blessing vnder the person of another so it is necessary that we doe cloth our selues and put on the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ through fayth and that we doe hide our selues vnder the deuine purite of our eldest brother if wee will be accepted and taken for righteous before God And truly the same is the true verytie for yf we doe appeare before God not clothed with the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ without doubte we shall be iudged worthy of eternall damnation S. Ambrose vpon the .4 chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines They are manifestly blessed vnto whom without laboure or without any workes iniquities and wickednesse are pardoned and the sinnes couered not requiring of them any works of penance but that they doe beleeue onely Ambrose vpon the 3. Chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines They are iustified freelye throughe his grace bicause that not doing anye thing and not rendring the lyke by onely fayth they are iustified through the gift of God. Augustine in his boke of 50. homilies Homilie 14. The Lord will giue vnto me the crown as a iust and righteous iudge For hee which beholdeth after that he hath beheld the worke cannot deny the reward I haue fought a good fight that is a worke I haue fulfilled my course that is a worke I haue kept the fayth that is a worke There remayneth for mee the crowne of righteousnesse that is the rewarde But thou doest nothing to the rewarde and in the worke thou hast not wrought alone thou hast the crowne of him but the work is of thee and yet it is not but throughe the ayde of him I haue fought I haue ended and fulfilled my course I haue kepte the fayth He doth rewarde the goodnesse but what goodnesse Such as he hath giuen Hath not he giuen vnto thee to fight a good
goodnesse are of God yea faith it selfe Againe the Apostle saith I haue obtayned mercie O true confession He doth not say I haue obtayned mercy bicause that I was faithful but to the ende that I should be faithfull I haue obtayned mercie Let vs come vnto the first works of Paule Let vs behold Saule which did wax madde let vs behold him in his crueltie let vs behold him breathing out his threatnings and thirstie after bloude This was the way of Paule Christ was not yet his way what had he in his heart What had he but euill Giue me his merites Whiche if we doe searche his merites they shall bee merites of damnation and not of deliuerance Augustine vpon the wordes of the Lorde Sermon 40. The medecine of the soule is the only propitiation for the sinnes of all that is to beleeue in Christ c. Afterwarde he saith wherefore doe the children of God whiche beleeue in him liue for they are borne of God by the adoption of grace whiche is through the faith of our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore welbeloued it is not without cause that our Lord and Sauiour saith that same to be the only sinne of which the holy Ghost rebuketh the world to wete because they haue not beleeued in him He would then that the world should be reproued only of that sinne that they doe not beleeue only in him to wete because that in beleeuing in him all sinnes are pardoned he woulde that to be imputed by which all the other are assembled And therefore in beleeuing they are borne of God and are made the children of God for he hath giuen vnto them the power saith he to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name c. Chrysostome vpon the .25 chapter of Saint Mathewe 2. Tome .2 homilye Come ye blessed of my father inherite ye the kingdome prepared for you from before the beginning of the worlde bicause that you haue giuen that which you cannot haue receiue that which you shall possesse eternally for one graine that you haue sowen vpon earth you shall haue an hundreth folde asmuch in heauen For the kingdome of heauen hath not bene created suche as the righteousnesse of man could merite it but such as the power of God might prepare it for if he woulde haue created the kingdome of heauen according to the merites of mans righteousnesse Truely he would haue created it after mans workes but bicause that nowe he hath not ordayned the reward of Saintes according to the reward of men but according to his greatnesse therefore hath he prepared the kingdome of heauen in heauen before that he created the saints in heauen S. Barnarde vpon the first sermon of the Annunciation of the virgin Marie The testimonie of our conscience is our reioycing sayth the Apostle not such testimonie as the proud Pharisey had in his wicked thought and seducing his master which bare witnesse of him selfe whiche witnesse is true which the spirite doth witnesse vnto our spirite For I doe beleeue that this witnesse consisteth in three things First and aboue all things it is necessarie to beleeue that thou canst not haue remission and forgiuenesse of thy sinnes but throughe the indulgencie of god Secondly thou canst not haue any good workes except he himselfe doe giue them vnto thee Finallye that thou canst not merite eternall life for any workes and it must be giuen thee freely c. Afterwardes he sayth For we doe well know that as for eternall life the afflictions of this lyfe are not worthie of the glorie which shall be shewed vpon vs although that one only man doth abide and suffer al. For mans merites are not suche that for them eternall life shoulde be due of right or that we shoulde saye that God doth vs wrong if he doe not giue them vs by reason of them For though I shoulde holde my peace that all merites are the gifts of God insomuch that for them man is more indebted to God than God is to man What is that that all the merites doe in respect of so great glorie To conclude what is he that is more excellent than the Prophete vnto whome the Lorde doth giue so excellent a witnesse saying I haue founde a man according to mine owne heart And yet he had neede to saye vnto God Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant c. Let no man then deceyue himselfe for if he will thinke well he shall finde without all doubt that he can not with ten thousande men go to meete him whiche commeth agaynst him wyth xx thousande But these things which we haue now spoken of are not yet altogither sufficient but wee must the rather holde them for a beginning and foundation of fayth Therefore if thou beleeue that thy sinnes cannot be put or blotted out but by him agaynst whome onely thou hast sinned thou doest well But adde yet one thing more to wete that thou beleeue also that thy sinnes by him are pardoned Beholde the testimonies and witnesses which the holy ghost doth giue into our heartes saying thy sinnes are pardoned thee For euen so doth the Apostle think that man is iustified freely through fayth In lyke maner as touching merites if thou beleeue that one cannot haue them but by him it sufficeth not vntill such time as the spirite of fayth doth witnesse that thou hast them through him Euen so it is necessarie that thou haue also witnesse to wete that thou doest come therevnto thorowe Gods liberalitie For it is he which pardoneth sinnes which giueth merites and yet neuerthelesse doth giue agayne the rewarde For all his testimonies are most assured For as to the remission of sinnes I doe hold the passion of our Lord for a most strong argument For the crye of his bloude hath had greater force than the bloude of Abel in as much as he doth crie in the heartes of the electe remission of all sinnes For he was deliuered to death for our sinnes And there is no doubt but that his death is more puissant and of greater force to doe good than our sinnes are to doe euill As touching good workes his resurrection is an argument for me which hath no lesse vertue For asmuch as he is rysen againe for our iustification as touching the hope of reward his ascention serueth for a witnesse for he is ascended for our gloryfication Thou hast these three things in the psalm saying Blessed is the man vnto whome the Lorde imputeth no sinne And in another place blessed are the men whose strength is in thee Also in an other place Blessed is the man whom thou hast chosen and receiuest vnto thee that he maye dwell in thy courte such is the true glory I say which is within for that dooth departe from him whiche dwelleth in our heartes through faith But the sonnes of Adam seeking the glorye which
commeth from man will not haue that whiche commeth from one only God and therfore in seeking it outwardly they haue no glory in them selues but rather in an other Sixtus Pope of Rome in his Epistle to the first tome of the Councels He that is doubtfull in the faith is an infidell wherefore let vs esteeme and iudge those which doe commaund vs to doubt of the fauour of God towardes vs not only to contende and striue againste the sentence of the true Catholicke church but also to giue euill counsell to the health and saluation of the church S Barnard in his .5 Sermon in Quadragesima It may be that some doe not seeke through humilitie euerlasting life but as in the trust and confidence of their workes and merits I do not say this that grace receiued doth not giue boldnesse to praye but it must not be therefore that in the same they haue their hope and trust to obtayne it for that only doth giue the giftes promised to the ende that of the mercy of God which giueth those thinges we may hope yet for greater thinges Let then those thinges which doe belong to our only necessities be restrayned the prayer which is made for the temporall thinges and that which is made for the vertues of the soule sequestred from all impurite and vncleanenesse be only attentife towardes the good will of god And that whiche is made bicause of eternall life let it be made or done in all humilitie presuming as he must of the only deuine mercie Grace be with you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Iesus Christe O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death The grace of God through Iesus Christe our Lorde Euen so at this time the remnante is left through the election of grace if it bee of grace then it is not of workes or els were grace no more grace But if it be of workes then is it no more grace or els were workes no longer workes By grace are ye made safe throughe fayth and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man shoulde boast of himselfe Also That we being iustified by his grace shoulde be made heyres according to the hope of eternall lyfe Saint Peter sayth why tempt ye God to laye a yoke on the Disciples neckes which neyther our fathers nor we were able to beare but we beleue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ wee shall be saued euen as they doe God doth not saue vs of the deedes of righteousnesse which we wrought but of his mercie He which began a good worke in you shall go forth with it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Vnto you it is giuen for Christe that not onely ye shoulde beleeue on him but also suffer for his sake He sayth agayne And as touching the righteousnesse whiche is in the lawe I was without reproche But the thinges which were vauntage to me I counted losse for Christes sake yea doubtlesse I thinke all things but losse for that excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lorde for whome I haue counted all things losse and do iudge them but dung that I might winne Christ and might be founde in him that is not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the law but that whiche is throughe the fayth of Christ I meane the righteousnesse which commeth of God through fayth c. I am nowe ready to be offred and the tyme of my departing is at hande I haue fought a good fight and haue fulfilled my course and haue kept the fayth From henceforth is layde vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lorde that is a righteous iudge shall giue me at that day not to me only but vnto all them also that loue his comming But nowe in Christe Iesus ye whiche once were farre of are made nye by the bloude I say of Christ It is God which worketh in vs bothe the will and also the dede euen of his free beneuolence To as many as receyued him to them he gaue power to bee the sonnes of God euen to them which beleeue in his name which are borne not of bloude nor of the lustes of the fleshe nor of the lust of man but of God. In thy light shall we see light Your eyes haue seene great miracles and wonders and yet the Lorde hath not giuen you an heart to perceyue nor eyes to see nor eares to heare O Lorde giue me vnderstanding open myne eyes for to beholde the wonderous things of thy lawe Gzechiel speaking in the person of God sayth A newe heart will I giue you and a newe spirite will I put into you as for that stonie heart I will take it out of your bodie and giue you a fleshie heart I will giue my spirite among you and cause you to walke in my commaundements to kepe my lawes and to fulfill them As for men they are but vayne if they be put in the ballaunce they are lighter than vanitie it selfe Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted for thou art my Lorde God yea as soone as thou turnest me I shall reforme my selfe Therefore we gather that a man is iustified by faith without the deedes of the lawe Againe Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse To him that worketh the rewarde is not reckened of fauour but of duety But to him that worketh not but beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Also for if they whiche are of the lawe bee heires then is faith but vaine and the promise of none effect c. Therefore by faith is the inheritance giuen that it might come of fauour and the promesse might be sure to all the seede that is not to them only which are of the lawe but also to them which are of the faith of Abraham Then being iustified by faith we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce in hope of the glorye of God. Bicause of vnbeleefe they are broken of and thou standest stedfast by faith Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne We know that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen we I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ and not by the deedes of the lawe bicause that by the deedes of the lawe no flesh shal be iustified I doe not abrogate the grace of God for if righteousnesse commeth of the lawe then Christ dyed without a cause So ye knowe that they which are of faith are the children of Abraham for the Scripture sawe afore hand that God would iustifie the
S. Ambrose in his .4 Tome vpon the 118. Psalme 10. Sermon The Gentyles doe adore and worshippe the woode bicause they thinke that the same was the image of God but the image of the inuisible God is not in that whiche is seene but is altogither in that which is not seene Thou doest then see that we doe walke among manye of the images of Christ Let vs take heede that wee be not found to take the crowne from the image which crowne Christ hath put vpon euery one Let vs take heede to take nothing from them vnto whome we ought to adde and giue c. Ambrose of the death of Theodosius Tome 3. Helena then did finde the title she worshipped the king and not the wood For the same is the error of the Gentils and the vanitie of the infidels But shee worshipped him which did hang on the wood written in the tytle c. Lucyan Byshoppe of Antioche confessed his fayth before the Iudges as recyteth Eusebius in his ecclesiasticall history the. 9. booke and .3 chapter Saying thus among other thinges The omnipotente God who was not made by our handes but by whom we are created and composed hauing pitie of our error hath sent his wysedome in this world taking vpon him our fleshe for to shewe and teach vs that we ought to seke the same God who hath made heauen and earth not in images made with mans handes but in eternall thinges The counsell of Illyberis or Granado the .36 decretall It hath benne concluded that there shoulde be no painting in the temples to the ende that the same which ought to be worshipped and serued be not painted on the wals Augustine of the citie of God. 4. booke 9. and .31 Chapters Those which haue put forth first of all the images haue taken from the world the feare of God And haue augmented error Augustine vpon the .113 psalme No man can pray or worshippe beholding and looking so towards the images but that he is touched as if he were heard from thence or els he looketh and hopeth to haue that he doth demaunde Furthermore he saith men cannot place and set the images in hie and honorable places for to be looked on of those that praye and worshippe but that they doe drawe the senses of the weake as if they had senses and soules S. Augustine in his Cataloge of heresyes There was a woman named Marcelin one of the secte of the Carpocratines which did worshippe the image of Iesus Christe and of Saint Paule of Homer and of Pythagoras prostrating hirselfe before them and offering vnto them incence Shee is put in the rolle of the heresyes by Saint Augustine The counsel of Constantinople celebrated by Constantine the fift and by .38 Bishoppes of Asya and of Grece people excellently lerned amonge whome the cheefeste were the Byshoppe of Ephesus the Byshoppe of Perga and the Byshoppe of Constantinople and was begonne the .15 day of Februarye continuing vntill the 15. day of August decreed that it was not lawfull for those that beleeue in God through Iesus Christe to haue any images of the creator nor of creatures in the temples for to worshippe them But that all such thinges ought to be taken awaye out of the temples according to Gods lawe and for to auoyde offence Asmuch hath the second counsell of Toledo decreed condemning images The counsell of Illyberis or Granado in the .48 Canon We haue often times admonished the faithfull that they doe let and hinder asmuch as they can that there be no images in their houses which if they feare the force and strength of their seruants yet at the leaste they them selues auoyde from them And if they doe it not that they bee reputed as strangers from the Churche Origen against Celsus 8. booke Celsus sayth That we doe auoyde the Temples Aultars and Images to the end that they be not builded nor edified by vs forasmuch as hee esteemeth that the fayth of this our inuincible communion charitie and the which cannot be expressed that it is a faction or sect In the meane season notwithstanding hee doth not see that there is in vs a spirite of righteousnesse in stead of the Aultar and of the temple out of whom without doubâ—e doe goe most sweete sauors and encense thâ—t is to saye prayers and requestes proceeding from a pure conscience And to that effecte Saint Iohn saith thus in his Apocalips that the incense and odours are the prayers of the Saintes And Dauid prayed saying Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense Lorde Furthermore these are images and oblations agreable vnto God which are not made by vnclene workes but formed and fashioned in vs by the worde of God Euen so then all men haue such images in them I doe meane those which haue acquired and gotten by heauenly doctrine continency righteousnesse strength wisedome and a true feare of God And the buyldinges of all other vertues the which I doe beleeue to be reasonable to beare honor vnto that which is the true patron of all images to wete the image of the inuisible God which is the only God or rather those which doe kill the olde man with his workes putting on the newe man the which is renued in the knowledge of God after the image of him which hath created him And then they shall make such images as that great and soueraigne workeman desireth And incontinently afterwardes he saith to the ende that I may speake in fewe wordes all christians doe endeuer them selues greatly to buyld such Aulters as we haue spoken of and such images as we haue declared not of thinges insensible and without life neyther of Gods and Idolles of wicked spirites neyther of dwellinges where the diuells doe make their abiding But of places capable of the spirit of God which dwelleth where vertue is and also of that great God which hath created vs to his owne image and which doth approche nigh vnto vs as comming to his domesticall and familiar freendes And in such sorte that the spirite of Christ be resident in vs which are so figured and fashioned And the heauenly worde willing to set the same foorth hath described God making promise to the righteous and speaking vnto them after this manner I will walke among you and will be youre God and ye shall be my people And the heauenly word hath also described the sauiour saying thus He that hath my commandementes and keepeth them the same is he that loueth me and he that loueth me shall be loued of my father and I wil loue him and will shewe mine owne selfe vnto him manifestlye Whosoeuer then woulde haue suche aultars as I haue lately declared that he doe seeke diligentlye and if he thinke it good that he doe conferre with such aultars Immediatlye afterwardes he sayth speaking of Images Truly one ought to knowe that they are insensible and without mouing and in processe
And also we must wryte letters vnto our companions that the lawe of the Gospell and the doctrine of the Lorde be kept of euery one and that wee doe not goe backe from that the Christ hath taught and done c. Afterwardes he saithe If wee bee the priestes of God and of Christe I doe not finde that we ought to followe any other than God and Christ Forasmuch as especially he saith in the Gospell I am the light of the worlde he that followeth mee shal not walke in darkenesse but shal haue the light of life Lactantius Firmianus in the .6 booke of his godly institutions 8. Chapter We ought not to follow men but God. S. Augustine writing vnto Fortunatus 198. Epistle We ought not to holde or esteeme all the disputations of men as canonicall scriâ—tures although they haue bene made by learned men insomuch that it is lawefull for vs sauing the honor of men which is due vnto them to gainesay or reproue some thinges in their writinges if peraduenture we doe finde that they sauor otherwyse then the veritie conteyneth vnderstoode by others or of vs through the help of god I am such a one in other mens writings as I woulde that they shoulde be which doe vnderstand mine S. Augustine in his Prologue of the .3 booke of the trinitie Obey not my writinges as if they were the canonicall Scriptures but all that which thou shalt finde in them beleeue the same without doubting But giue no farther credit vnto myne than they do accorde and agree with them In the same booke I cannot denie but aswell in my greate workes as in my small workes there are many thinges which iustly and without any temeritie might be blamed S. Augustine in his Epistle vnto S. Ierome .19 Epistle .3 Tome folio .161 I doe confesse thorowe thy loue tâ—â—t I haue learned to beare that honor and reuerence only vnto the bookes of the holy Scriptures which are called canonicall And I doe beleeue most surely that no Authors of them writing them haue erred but if any thinges are found in them the which do seeme to be repugnant to the truth I doe esteeme it none otherwyse but that eyther the booke is euill written or that the interpreter hath euil vnderstode that which is saide therein or els that I doe vnderstande it nothing at all And as for others I doe reade them in such sort that with whatsoeuer holinesse or doctrine they be set and paynted forth yet I do not thinke that to be true which they saye bicause that they haue such an opinion but so farre as they coulde persuade me eyther by those canonical authors or by probable reasons which are not disagreing from the truth And as for thee my brother I doe thinke that thou thinkest none otherwise Yea I doe esteeme truly that thou wouldest not that we shoulde reade thy bookes as the bookes of the Prophetes and Apostles which haue written so certainly that it shoulde be a wicked thing to thinke that they haue erred or fayled in their wryting S. Augustine in the .112 Epistle written vnto Paulinus I woulde not that thou shouldest follow mine authoritie thereby to thinke that it is necessary for thee to beleue it bicause I haue spoken it but to the ende that thou beleeue the canonicall scriptures c. Saint Ierome vpon the Epistle vnto Titus .1 Chapter Without authoritie of the Scriptures babling and scoffing ought not to be beleeued Tertullian in his prescriptions agaynst the heretikes It is not in our desire or free will lawfully to bring in to chose or to alledge for witnesse that that another shall bring in or alledge for his will and pleasure For we haue the Apostles of the Lord for authors who haue brought in nothing for their pleasure neyther no newe thing but they haue faythfully taught vnto the people the discipline knowledge which they haue receyued of God. S. Augustine of one onely Baptisme in the Epistle vnto Vincent What is hee that knoweth not the holy scriptures c. My brother meddle not against so great heauenly things For the places are knowen by the Canon lawe of the Bishops Saint Augustine writing vnto Vincent in the .48 Epistle Gather not togither false accusations agaynst the brethren of the writings of the Bishops or of ours as of Hilarie or of that vnitie before that the part of Denatus be deuided or seperated as of Cyprian or Agrippin agaynst the heauenlye witnesses which are in so great number so cleare and not to be doubted First of al bicause that such kynde of letters ought to be discerned from the authoritie of the canonicall Scriptures For we do not read them after that sort as for to take witnes to whiche it is by no meanes lawfull to speake agaynst except peraduenture they haue perceyued any thing otherwyse than the truth requireth Immediatlye afterwarde he sayeth But neuerthelesse let vs walke in that in which we are come vnto that is to saye in that waye whiche is Christ For the integritie and the knowledge of letters of any Bishop howe noble and vertuous so euer he be cannot bee kept as the canonicall Scripture is kept through or by so many letters orders and tongues and through the susception of the ecclesiasticall celebration Against the which there are some notwithstanding who vnder the name of the Apostles haue inuented and imagined many things neuerthelesse it hath bene in vayne bicause that it is to well proued celebrated and knowen c. S. Augustine in his .2 booke of Baptisme against the Donatistes 3. Chapter You haue accustomed to put before vs the letters of Cyprian the sentence of Cyprian wherefore doe you take the authoritie of Cyprian for your schisme and do repeale and keepe backe his example for to trouble the churche And what is he but that he knoweth that the holy canonicall scripture aswel of the olde testament as of the newe is kept within his limits which are certaine and that the same is to bee preferred before all the writinges of the Byshoppes that are past insomuch that we must nothing doubt thereof neyther dispute to wete whither that all that which is written in the same be true But it is lawefull to rebuke the writinges of the byshops which haue bene written or whiche they haue written sithence the confirmation of the canonicall scriptures or by word peraduenture more full of wisedome of euery one better instructed in such things or by greater authoritie of other byshops or through the wisedome of the wyse or by the counsels if peraduenture they haue swarued in any thinge from the truth and also the counsels which are done through out euery region or prouince without all doubtes ought to giue place vnto the authoritye of the first counselles whiche are made through out all Christendome and the first generall determinations ought often times to be amended by those that follow after when through any experience of