through faythe Ergo by fayth in Christe we receyue remissioÌ„ of synnes and we can nat lay agaynste the yre of god our loue and our workes Secondly It is certayne yâ— synnes be remitted because of Christ our mercystocke 〈◊〉 whoÌ„ god hath ordeined to be a mercistocke And Paule addeth through faythe wher fore this mercystocke shal ayde vs if by fayth we stycke to the mercy promysed in hym and plede it in arreste of the iudgement and yre of god And to this purpose it is wrytten ad Hebreos .4 hauiÌ„g a byshope cÌ„ let vs approche with truste He byddeth vs approche to god nat by trust of our owne meritê but by trust of our byshop Christe Ergo he requyreth fayth Thyrdly Peter in the actê cap. x. sayeth thus To hym al the prophetes bere wytnes that all whiche beleue in him receyue remission of synnes through hys name Howe myght he speke it more clearly we receyue he sayteh remission of synnes throughe hys name that is to say for his sake Ergo nat for our merites nat for our contricion attricion loue ceremonies workes And he addeth that beleue in hym Ergo he requyreth fayth For we caÌ„ nat cleaue to the name of Christ but by fayth Furthermore he alledgeth the coÌ„sent of al the prophetes This is truly to allege the authoritie of the church But of this place we shal speake here after in the tytle of penaunce Fourthly RemissioÌ„ of synnes is a thyng promised for Christ. Ergo it can nat be receyued but by fayth only For the promyse can nat be receyued but by only fayth RomÌ„ 4. Therfore is it by fayth to the ende it may be a sure promyse hangyng vpon grace as who shuld say If the matter shulde hange vpon our merites the promyse were vncertayne and vnprofitable because we can neuer determyne when we haue merited ynoughe And that the assayed conscience vnderstande ryght wele Therfore Paule sayth Galat. 3. God hath concluded all thyngê vnder synne that the promise through the faythe of Iesu Christe myght be gyuen to the beleuers Here he plucketh away merite froÌ„ vs because he sayeth that all be gylty and concluded vnder synne then he addeth that the promyse meanyng of remission of synnes and iustificacion is gyuen and telleth howe the promysse may be receyued that is to say by faythe And thys reason taken out of the nature of promysse is moste chief with Paule ofte repeted Nor there can nat be any thyng inueÌ„ted or feined to auoyde this argument of Paule wherfore let nat godly myndes suffre them selues to be dryuen from thys opinion that by onely faythe we receyue remission for Christ. For in this they haue a sure and ferme coÌ„solacion agaynst the terrours of synne and agaynst euerlastyng death and agaynst all the gates of helle And syth by only faythe we receyue remission of synnes and reconciliacion for Christe ergo only fayth iustifieth because the reconciled be reputed ryghtwyse and the chyldern of god nat for theyr owne clennes â–ª but through mercy for Christ if so be that we cleaue to thys mercye by fayth and therfore the scripture recordeth that by faythe we be reputed ryghwyse we wyll adde therfore authorities fyrste of scripture theÌ„ of doctours that shal clearely testifye that onely fayth is the very iustice by whiche we be reputed iuste before god that is to say nat because it is a worke worthy of it selfe but because it receyueth the promisse by whiche god hath promised that for Christ he wyll be mercifull to the beleuers in him or be cause it beleueth that Christe is made for vs by god a wysdom iustice sanctificacion and redempcion Paule in the epystle to the Romanes disputeth principally of thê place and propouneth that we be frely iustified by fayth if we beleue that god is pacified with vs for Christe And in the thyrde chapitre he bryngeth in this proposicion whiche conteyneth the sum of his hole disputacion Arbitramur igitur hominem fide iustificari non ex operibus legis .i. we iudge therfore that maÌ„ is iustified by â—ayth and nat by the workes of the lawe Here the aduersaries do iÌ„terprete the workê of the lawe to be the Leuitical ceremonies But Paule nat only speketh of the ceremonies but of the hole lawe For he alledgeth a litle after forth of the Decalogie Non concupisces .i. thou shalte nat couet Moreouer if the morall workê myght deserue remission of synnes and iustificacion then neded nat Christe nor the promise then all were to no purpose that Paule speketh of promyse He shulde wryte also amys to the Ephesians that we be saued frely and that it is a gyfte of god and procedeth nat of workê Also Paule alledgeth Abraham he alledgeth Dauid But these had a coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god of circumcision wherfore if any workes iustifyed it was necessary that tho workes whiche then were commaunded shulde haue iustifyed But Austyne doth ryghtly teache that Paule spake of the hole lawe as he disputeth copiously in his boke de spiritu litera where at last he sayeth thus His igitur coÌ„sideratis pertractatisâ—â— pro viribus quas dominus donare dignatur colligimê° non iustificare â—ominem preceptis bone vite nisi per fidem Iesa Christi .i. These therfore consydered and handled accordyng to the power whiche god vouchsaueth to gyue vs we gather that man is nat iustifyed by the preceptes of good lyfe but by faythe of Iesu Christe And leaste we shulde thynke that this sentence fell from Paule vnwares that fayth iustifieth he mainteyneth and confyrmeth it with a longe disputacyon in the fourthe chapitre to the Rom. And after he repeteth it in all the epystles In the .4 chap. to the Romanes he sayeth thus Operanti merces non imputatur secundum graciâ— sed secundum debitum Ei autem qui non operatur credit autem in eum qui iustificat impium reputatur fides eius ad iusticiam .i. To him that worketh is geueÌ„ a rewarde nat of fauour but of dutie CoÌ„trary wyse to him that worketh nat but trusteth on hym that iustifieth the wycked hys beleue is accompted for ryghtwysnes Here he clerely pronounceth that very faythe is accompted for ryghtwysenes Faythe then is the thynge whiche god pronounceth to be ryghtwysnes and he addeth that it is frely imputed And he denieth that it can be frely imputed if it shuld be due for workes Ergo he also excluded the merite of morall workes For if to these were due the iustifycacion before god faythe shuld nat be accompted ryghwysenes without workes And after he sayeth â–ª For we saye that fayth was iÌ„puted to AbrahaÌ„ for ryghtwysnes In the fyfthe chapitre he sayeth Iustifyed by fayth we haue peace towarde god .i. we haue quyet and glad consciences before god Roma 10. with the harte it is beleued for ryghtwysnes Here he pronounceth faythe to be the iustice of the harte Gal. 2. Nos in Christo hesu credimê° vt
fauour and that theyr synnes be forgyuen for Christes sake who with his dethe hath satisfyed for our synnes Thys faythe god reputeâ—h and taketh in stede of ryghtwysnes before hym As Paule teacheth in the thyrde fourth chapiters to the Romans To the obteynynge of this fayth was ordeyned the ministerie of teachynge the gospell and gyuinge the sacramentes For by the worde by the sacramentes as by instrumentes is gyuen the holy gost who worketh fayth wher and whan it pleaseth god in them whiche heare the gospel that is to wyt that god nat for our own merites but for Christe iustifyeth those whiche beleue that they be receiued into fauour grace for Christes sake They dampne the Anabaptistes other which thynke that the holy gost cuÌ„meth to men without any eâ—terne or outwarde worke by there owne preparations and workes Also they teach that this faythe ought to briÌ„ge forth good frutes that men ought to do good warkes coÌ„maunded by god because of goddes wyll and pleasure but nat that we shulde truste that by tho workes we deserue to be iustifyed in the syght of god For the forgyuenes of synnes and iustification is purchased by fayth as testifyeth also Christ which sayth WheÌ„ ye haue done al these thinges yet say we be vnprofytaâ—le seruauntes The same thynge the olde wryters of the churche do teache For. S Ambrose sayth Hoc constitutum est a deo vt qui credit in Christum saluus sit sine opere â–ª so la fide gratis accipiens remissionem peccatorum That is to saye That is ordeyned and instituted of god that who beleueth in christ is saued without worke only by fayth freely receyuynge forgyuenes of synnes Also they teache that one holy Church shall continually remayne The churche is a congregation of holy persons in whiche congregation or company the Gospell is ryghtly taught and the sacramentes ryghtly ministred Aâ—d to the true vnitye of the churche it is ynoughe to consent of the doctryne of the gospell and ministration of the sacramentes Neyther is it requisite that in euery place be lyke humane traditions rytes or ceremonies ordeyned and instituted by men As Paule sayth one faythe one baptyme one God and father of all cÌ„ All thoughe the church properly be a congregation of holy parsons and of true beleuers yet neuertheles sythe in this lyfe many hypocrites and euyll parsones be myxt amonge the good it is lawefull to vse the sacramentes whiche be ministred by euel men accordynge to the sainge of Christe The scribes and phariseis syt in the chayre of Moyses cÌ„ And the Sacramentes and word because of thordinaunce and coÌ„maundement of Christ be effectual not withstandynge they be ministred by euyll parsons They dampne the Donatistes and suche lyke whiche denyed it to be lawfull for vs to vse the ministerie of euyl men in the church and which thought that the minysterie of euyll men was vnprofytable and of none effecte Of baptyme they teache that it is necessarye to saluation and that by baptyme is offered the grace of god that chyldren are to be baptized whiche by baptyme beynge offered to god be receyued into the fauour and grace of god They daÌ„pne the Anabaptystes which disalowe the baptyme of Chyldren and saye that chyldren be saued without baptysme Of the souper of the lorde they teach that the bodie and blode of Christe be verely present and he distributed to the eaters iÌ„ the souper or mauÌ„dy of the lorde and dysproue them that teache other wyse Of confession they teache that priuate absolution in churches ought to be retayned kepte althoughe in confessyon the rehersall of all the sines be not necessarie For it is vnpossyble according to the psalmist Delicta quis intelligit who vnderstandeth his synnes Of penaunce they teache that they which after baptysme be fallen agayne into synne maye be forgyuen of theyr synnes what tyme so euer they turne and repente And that the churche to suche which returne to repentaunce ought to gyue the benefyte of absolution And penaunce standeth properly in these two partes that is to say in contrition whiche is a feare dryuen in to the conscience after that synne is espied And in faythe whiche is conceyued by the gospell or absolution and whiche beleueth that for Christes sake the sinnes be forgeuen and comforteth the conscience and delyueteth it from terrours feares After that muste folowe good workes whiche be the frutes of penaunce They dampne the Anabaptistes whiche denye that they which be ones iustifyed may lose the holy ghost Also those whiche contende that to some men so greate perfection do chaunce iÌ„ this lyfe that they can nat synne They daÌ„pne also the Nouarâ—ans whiche wolde nat assoyle those that were fallen after baptyme came agayne to repentaunce They reiecte and disalowe also those which teache nat that remission of sinnes is gyuen by faythe but that it cummeth by our owne loue and workes They be also disallowed and reiected whiche teache that the Canonical satisfactions be necessarie to redeme euerlastynge paynes or paynes of purgatorie Of the vse of the sacramentes they teache that the sacramentes be ordeyned and instituted nat only that they shulde be cognysauncies badges or markes by whiche Christyan men are discerned and knowen frome other people But rather that they shulde be sygnes and testymonyes of the wyll of god towarde vs to styrre vppe and to conferme faythe in vs which vse them so propowned Wherfore we muste so vse the sacramentes that faythe be added and putte vnto them to th entent we maye beleue the promyses whiche be exhibyted and shewed by the sacramentes They dampne therfore those whiche teache that sacramentes euen by theyr owne proper vertue do iustifye which teache not that fayth is requyred in the vsynge of the sacramentes which fayth may beleue that sinnes be forgiuen Of the Ecclesiasticall order they teache that no man ought openly to teache in the churche or congregatyon or mynistre the sacramentes onles he be duely and lawefully there vnto called and appoynted Of the rytes of the churche they teache that such rytes ought to be kept which may be kept without syn and whiche be ê“fytable to a tranquillitie and good order in the churche as certayne holy dayes feastfull dayes and lyke yet neuertheles of such rytes and ceremonies men be admonyshed leste theyr consciencies be combred as thoughe such ceremonies be necessarie to saluation They be also admonyshed that mans traditions ordeyned to pacifye god to deserue grace and to satisfye for synnes be contrarie to the gospel and doctrine of fayth Wherfore vowes and traditions of meates so forthe ordeyned to purchase grace and to satisfye for synnes be vnprofytable and agaynst the gospell Of politik or ciuile thynges they teache that lawful ordinauncies for a publyke weale be the good workes of god and that it is lawfull for
lawes in al comeÌ„ wealthes wel ordered yea with the hethen men haue furnyshed and adourned matrymonie with moste hyghe honours But nowe men shal lose theyr lyues yea and that prestes agaynst the mynde of the canon lawes for none other cause but for maryage Paule calleth it the doctrine of deuylles which prohibiteth matrimony This thynge to be true may be easely perceyued nowe when the prohibition of mariage is defended with such punyshmentes But nowe as no mans lawe can take away the commaundement of god so no vowe can take away the commaundement of god Therfore CypriaÌ„ also perswadeth that women be maried which kepe not theyr chastytie promysed these be hys wordes in the fyrst boke the .11 epistle yf ether they wyl nat or elles they can not perseuer and abyde styl it is better that they be maried then that they fal into the fyer with theyr deyntiâ—s at the leste waye that they gyue none occasyon of euyll to theyr brethern and sustern And the canon lawes them selues do vse a certayn equitie shewe fauour towarde them whiche before they be of sufficieÌ„t age haue vowed as comenly it hath ben accustomed to be done ontyl thê day ¶ Of the Masse OUr churches be falsely accused that they vtterly destroy and take away the Masse for the Masse is retayned and holde styll with vs and is celebrate with hygh reuerence Also the vsuall and customable ceremonies all moste all are obserued and kepte sauynge that amonge the laten songes be mixed here there Germane soÌ„gê which be added to teach the people For ceremonies serue to teach the vnexpert rude people and that the intreatinge or handlinge of the worde of god may stirre vppe some men to the true feare faythe and prayer And nat allonly Paule commaundeth to vse in the Churche a tonge which the people do perceyue and vnderstonde but also it is so constitute and ordeyned by mans lawe The people be accustomed to vse the sacrament together yf any be apte therto and that also dothe augment and encrease the reuerence and the religion of publik ceremonies for none be admitted and allowed to receyue the sacrament but such as be examined before They be also monyshed warned of the dignitie and vse of the sacrament howe greate comforte it bringeth to feareful and tremblinge consciences to theÌ„â—ent that they may lerne to beleue and gyue credence to god and to loke for aâ— thynges that good is of god and to aske all thinge that good is of god This honour deliteth god such vse of the sacrament dothe noryshe loue and reuerence towardes god therfore it appereth not that the Masses be done more religiously with our aduersaries theÌ„ with vs. It is vndoubtedly euideÌ„tly knoweÌ„ also that this hath bene a comeÌ„ a very greuous complaynte of all good men a longe season that the Masses haue bene shamefully abused and applied to lucre and euery maÌ„ seeth howe wyde this abuse dothe appere in all temples and of what maner of men Masses be soâ—ge and sayde allonly for rewarde or stipende hoâ—e many agaynste the inhibiâ—ion of the Canons do celebrate But Paule greuously thretneth them whiche entreate and receyue the sacâ—ameÌ„t vnworthily wheÌ„ he sayeth who eaâ—eth thys breade or drynketh the cuppe of the lorde vâ—worâ—hely shal be gilty of the body and bloude oâ—â—he lorde Therâ—ore when prestes were monished with vs of that syn priuaâ—e Masses ceased with vs because almoste no priuate Masses were done but for lucre and aduauntage And the byshoppes dyd knowe of these abuses well ynoughe whiche yf they had corrected them in tyme there shuld haue bene nowe lesse dissentioÌ„ then there is Before by reason of theyr dissimulaâ—ion nothinge willynge to here and se what was amysse they suffered many vices to creape inâ—o the churche Nowe they begyn ouer late to complayne of the calamities and miseries of the churche where as in dede all thys busynes and ruffelinge toke occasion of none other thiÌ„g then of those abuses whiche were so manifeste that they coulde be suffred no lenger There be nowe great dissentions rysen as touchinge the Masse and the sacramente And paraduenture the worlde is punished for so longe prophaning and abusinge of Masses which these byshopes haue suffred so many hundred yeres in the churches and yet bothe myght also ought to haue ameÌ„ded them for it is writen in the boke of the tenne commaundementes of god called the Decalogie that he that abuseth the name of God shall not be vnpunished But syth the world beganne nothyng that euer god ordayned hathe bene so abused and turned to fylthy lucre as it appereth that the Masse hath ben There was added and putte to an opinion which encreased priuate Masses aboue measure that is to saye that Christe with hys passyon dyd satisfye and make amendes for origynall synne and dyd institute and ordeyne the Masse that in it shulde be made an oblation for quotidian and daylye synnes bothe mortall and veniall Of thys dyd sprynge forth a comen opinion that the Masse is a worke that taketh awaye the synnes of the quycke and of the deade by vertue of the worke wrought Then they beganne to dispute whether one Masse sayde for many were as moche worthe as yf for euery maÌ„ were sayde a seueral Masse Thys dysputation brought forthe and caused thys infinite multitude of Masses Of these opinions our prechers lerned men gaue warninge that they dyd varie and dissente from holy scripture did hurt diminyshe the glorie of the passion of Christ for the passon of Christ was an oblation and a satisfactyon not onely for the synne of byrthe called origynall syn but also for all other synnes as it is wryten to the Ebrues we are sanctifyed by the oblatyon of Iesu Christ ones for euer Also he made perfect the sanctifyed without oblation for euer Also the scrypture teacheth vs to be iustifyed before god by faythe in Christe when we beleue that our synnes be forgyuen vs for Christe Nowe if the Masse dothe take awaye the synnes of the quicke and of the deade euen of the owne proper vertue then iustifycation dothe chaunce come of the worke of Masses not of fayth Whiche thynge scripture doth not suffer but Christ commaundeth to do it in rememberaunce of hym Wherfore the Masse was institute to thentente that fayth in them that vse the sacrameÌ„t shulde remember what benefytes it taketh by Christe and so shulde rayse vp and comforte the trembling and fearful consciences For to remembre Christe is to remember the benefytes of Christ and to fele perceyue and thynke that truly and in very dede they be exhibited and gyueÌ„ vnto vs Nether is it ynough to remember the historie for thys maye also Iewes and wycked men remember Wherfore the Masse is to be done for this entent that the sacrament may be reached forthe and ministred vnto those that haue nede of comforte as Ambrose sayth Quia semper pecco semper
iustificemâ—â— ex fide Christi et non ex operibus legis .i. we beleue in Christ Iesu that we may be iustified by the fayth of Christ nat by the workes of yâ— lawe Ephe. 2. Gratia enim saluati estis per fidem et hoc noÌ„ ex vobis dei enim donum est non ex operibus ne quis glorietur .i. For by grace ye be saued by faythe and that nat of your selues for it is the gyft of god nor of your workes leaste any man shulde glorie IohaÌ„ 1. Dedit eis potestatem filios dei fieri his qui credunt in nomine eius qui non ex sanguimbus neque ex voluntate carnis neque ex voluntate viri sed ex deo nati sunt He gaue them power to becum the chyldren of god they I meane whiche beleue in his name whiche be borne nat of blodes neyther of the wyl of the fleshe neyther of the wyl of man but of god Ioh. 3. Sient Moses exaltauit serpeÌ„tem in deserto ita exaltari oportet filium hominis vt omnis qui credit in ipsum non pereat i. Lykewese as Moses exalted the serpent in desert so must the soÌ„ne of man be exalted that all whiche beleue in hym peryshe nat Also Non misit deus filium sunin in mundum vt iudicet muÌ„dum sed vt saluetur mundus per ipsum Qui credit iÌ„ eum non indicatur .i. God seÌ„t nat his son into the worlde that he shulde iudge the world but that the worlde shulde be saued by hym who beleueth in hym is nat iudged Actes 13. Notum igitur sit vobis viri fratres ê™ per hunc vobis remissio peccatorum annunciatur c. i. Be it knowen therfore vnto you o brethern that by him remission of synnes is preached vnto you and of al tho thinges by which ye coulde nat be iustified in the lawe in hym all that beleueth is iustifyed Howe myght it be more clearely spoken of the office of Christe and of iustifycacyon The lawe quod he iustifyed nat therfore Christe was gyuen that we shuld beleue that we be iustified for him He openly plucketh froÌ„ the lawe iustifycacyon Ergo for Christe we be accompted iuste whan we beleue that god is pacified with vs for hym Act. 4. This is the stone which is disallowed of you buylders whiche is made the corner-stone and there is nat helth in any other For there is none other name vnder heuen gyuen vnto men in which we ought to be saued But the name of Christ is only sticked to by fayth Ergo by the truste of his name and nat by the trust of our workê we be saued For name signifyeth here a cause whiche is alledged wherby helth is obteined And to alledge the name of Christ is to truste in the name of Christ as in the cause or pryce for whiche we be saued Act. 15. Fide purificans corda nostra i. By faythe purifyeng our hertes wherfore the faythe of whiche thapostles speake is nat an ydle knowledge but a thyng receyuyng the holy ghoste and iustifyeng vs. Abacuc 1. Iustus ex fide viuet The ryghtwyse man shall lyue of faythe Here fyrst he sayeth that men be iust by fayth because they beleue that god is mercifull and he addeth that the same fayth viuifyeth because this fayth genderethin the harte peace and ioy and euerlastynge lyfe ⧠⧠⧠Esa. 53. Noticia eius iudicabit multos .i. The knowledge of hiÌ„ shall iudge many But what is the knowledge of Christ but to knowe the benefitê of Christe the promyses whiche by the EuaÌ„gell he hathe sparsed into the worlde And to knowe the benefytes is properly and truly to beleue in Chryste and to beleue that the thinges whiche God hathe promysed for Chryste he wyll surelye fulfyll But the scrypture is ful of suche aucthorytes and testymonyes for otherwhiles it sheweth the lawe otherwhyles the promyses of Chryst remyssyon of synnes and free acceptaunce for Chryste ✚ There be also amonge holye fathers spred many lyke testymonyes For Saynt Ambrose sayth in hys Epystle to Ireneus thus Subditus autem mundus eo per legem factus est quia ex prescripto legis omnes conueniuntur et ex operibus legis nemo iustificatur id est quia per legem peccatum cognoscitur sed culpa non relaxatur Videbatur lex nocuisse que omnes fecerat peccatores sed veniens dominus Iesus peccatuz omnibê° quod nemo poterat euitare donauit et chirographum nostruÌ„ sui sanguinis effusione deleuit Hoc est quod ait Abundauit peccatuÌ„ per legem superabundauit autem gratia per Iesum Quia postquaÌ„ totus mundus subditus factus est totius muÌ„di peccatum abstulit sicut testificatus est Iohannes diceÌ„s Ecce agnus dei ecce qui tollit peccatuÌ„ mundi Et ideo nemo glorietur in operibus quia nemo factis suis instificatur Sed qui instus est donatum habet quia post lauacrum iustificatus est Fides ergo est que liberat per sanguinem Christi quia beatus ille cui peccatum remittitur et venia donatur That is to saye The world is made subiect therfore by the lawe because by the prescript of the lawe al be conuented before the hyghe iudge of the workes of the lawe no maÌ„ is iustifyed that is because by the lawe synne is knowen but the offence is not remytted the lawe semed to haue hurted whiche made all men synners but the lorde Iesus by his comyng pardoned unto al men synne whiche no man coulde eschewe and dyd clene stryke out our chirografe with the shedyng of his blode Thys is it that he sayeth Syn was aboundaunt by the lawe But grace by Iesus was more aboundant For after that the hole worlde was become subiecte he toke away the sinne of the hole worlde as testifieth Iohan saing Lo the lambe of god Lo he that taketh awaye the syn of the worlde And therfore lette no man glorye in hys workes for no man is iustyfyed hy hys factes But he that is iustifyed hath it gyuen him Wherfore fayth is the thynge which delyuereth by the bloude of Chryste for blyssed is he to whom synne is remytted and pardone gyuen These be the wordes of Saynt Ambrose which apertly do defende our opinion For he plucketh awaye from workes iustificacyon and gyueth it to faythe because it delyuereth by the bloude of Chryste Let all the Sentenciaryes be layde together on a heape be they furnyshed with neuer so gloryous tytles For some be called angelycal some seraphical some subtyle some irrefragable All they red and red agayne shal not make so moche to the vnderstandynge of Paule as thys one sentence of Saynte Ambrose dothe ☞ ⧠☞ In lyke sentence wryteth also Saynte Austyne moche agaynste the Pelagyans and in hys boke de spiritu et litera he saythe thus Ideo quippe proponitur iusticia legis ê™ qui
fecerit eaÌ„ viuet in illa vt cum quisque infirmitatem suam cognouerit non per suas vires neque per literam ipsius legis quod fieri non potest sed per fidem concilians iustificatorem perueniat et faciat et viuat in eam Opus rectum quod qui fecerit viuit in eo non fit nisi in iustificato Iustificatio autem ex fide impetratur i. For therfore is the iustyce of the lawe propowned that who dothe it shall lyue in it so that when euery man shal knowe hys owne infyrmity he may attayne it and do it and lyue in it not by hys owne powers neyther by the letter of the lawe which can nat be done but reconcylyng the iustyfier by fayth A ryght worke whiche who dothe shal lyue in it is not done but in a iustifyed person And iustificacyon is purchased by faythe Here he saythe clerely that the iustifyer is reconcyled by faythe and iustifycacyon is purchased by faythe And a lytle furder he sayth Ex lege timemus deum ex fide speramus in deum sed timentibus penam absconditur gratia sub quo timore anima Laborans c. per fidem confugiat ad misericordiam dei vt det quod iubet That is to saye By the lawe we feare god by fayth we truste in god but from theÌ„ that feare payne grace is hyd With whiche feare the soule oppressed must fle by fayth to the mercy of god that he maye gyue the thynge that he commaundeth Here Saynt Austine teacheth that by the lawe the hartes be made aferde but by fayth they receyue coÌ„solatyon And he teacheth that fyrste by faythe we muste purchase mercy or we go about to do the lawe we wyll recyte a lytle after other thinges also Truely it is a wonderfull thynge that the aduersaryes be nothinge moued with so many places of scrypture whiche openly gyue iustyficacyon to faythe and take it from workes Thynke they that the same thynge is so ofte repeted in vayne Or suppose they that the thynge so ofte repeted eschaped out of theyr mouthe inspired with the holy goste vnaduysedly But these idle workers haue inuented a proper cauillation to defete this matter They saye that Paule muste be vnderstonded be side formata so that they wyll not attrybute iustificacyon vnto faythe but by reason of loue nay vtterly they wyll not attrybute iustyfycacyon to faythe but only to loue For they dreame that faythe maye stande with mortall synne To what purpose belonge thys but that they wyll agayne dysanul the promyse and returne to the lawe If faythe receyueth remyssyon of synnes for loue remissyon of synnes shal be alwayes vncertayne for we neuer loue so moch as we owe yea we loue not onles our hartes be assured that our synnes be perdoned so the aduersaryes whyles in remyssyon of synnes and in iustyfycacyon they requyre a trustynge of theyr owe loue they vtterly disanull the Euangell of free remyssyon of synnes where as yet they nether performe that loue nor vnderstande it onles they beleue that remyssyon of synnes is frely receyued We also say that loue ought to folowe fayth as Paule also teacheth saynge In Chryste Iesu neyther cyrcumcysyon is any thyng worth nor vncircumcision but faythe workynge by loue And yet we maye not for al thys thynke that we shal be pardoned our synnes or be reconciled because of thys loue as we receyue not remyssyon of synnes for other workes folowynge but only by faythe in the proper sygnifycatyon we receyue remyssyon of synnes For the promyse can nat be taken but by faythe But fayth in the proper sence is thassentynge to goddes promyse For of thys faythe speketh scrypture And because it receyueth remyssyon of synnes and reconcyleth vs to god we be fyrst accompted ryghtwyse by faythe oâ— we loue do the lawe notwithstandynge loue ensueth And yet thys is nat an idle knowledge nor it can nat stande with synne but it is the worke of the holy goste wherby we be delyuered froÌ„ deathe and the myndes whiche tofore were affrayed erecte and viuifyed And because thê faythe receyueth onely remyssyon of synnes and maketh vs acceptable to god and quiet of conscyence it myght better be called gracia gratum faciens â— a grace makynge a maÌ„ acceptable then loue may whiche is theffecte ensuynge Hethervnto we haue very copiously shewed aswele by authorities of scrypture as by reasons deryued out of scrypture that by onely faythe is graunted remyssyon of synnes and that only faythe iustyfyeth that is maketh of iniust iust and regenerate It is easely iudged howe necessary the knowledge of thys faythe is For in this onely is espyed thoffyce of Chryst by this only we receyue the benefites of Chryst this only bryngeth vnto godly myndes a sure and ferme consolacyon And it is a necessarye thynge that some doctryne be publyshed in the churche by which men may conceiue a sure hope of helth For thaduersaries gyue vnhappy couÌ„sel vnto men which byd them doute whether they haue obtayned remyssyon or no. Howe shall these felowes bere vp them selues in deathe whiche haue harde nothiÌ„g of this faith which thinke that they owe to doute whether they haue obteyned remyssyon of synnes or no furthermore the Euaungell of Chryste must nedes be reteyned in the churche that is to say the promyse that synnes be frely remitted for Christ thys Euaungell they vtterly dysanull whiche teach nothynge of this fayth But the schole men of thys faythe speake nat one worde And our aduersaryes all to gether folowe them and do dysalowe thys faythe Nor they see nat that they defete the hole promyse of the fre remyssyon of synnes and of the iustyce of Chryst where as they dysproue thys faythe ¶ Of loue and fulfyllynge of the lawe HEre thaduersaryes obiecte Si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandata That is to saye If thou wylte entre into lyfe kepe the commaundemeÌ„tes Also The doers of the law be iustified and many other lyke senteÌ„cies of the law to whiche before we make answere we wyll shewe our opinion of loue and of the fulfyllynge of the lawe It is wrytten in the prohete I wyll gyue my lawe in theyr hartes And Paule sayth that the lawe is establyshed and nat abrogate by fayth And Christ sayth If thou wylt enter into lyfe kepe the coÌ„maundementes Also If I haue not loue I am nothyng These and suche lyke sentencyes testifye that the lawe must begynne in vs although nat absolutely in an hyghe perfectyon and oweth to to encrease as moche as may be more more We speake not of the ceremonyes but of that law which is made of the motions of the hart I meane the Decalogye And bycause faythe bringeth with it the holy gost and engeÌ„dereth a newe lyfe in the hartes it muste of necessitie also engeÌ„der spiritual motions in the hartes And which be tho mocyons the prophete sheweth when he saythe I wyll gyue my loue into
that we be iustifyed by the lawe Thaduersaries be deceiued because in this hole coÌ„trouersarie they haue respecte only to the lawe For humane reason can none otherwise iudge but that iustificacion is to be sought for in the lawe because the obedience towarde the lawe is iustice But the Euangel calleth vs away from the lawe to the promises and teacheth that we be reputed iuste nat for the obedience of the lawe for we satisfye nat the lawe but because that reconciliacion is gyuen vnto vs for Christ whiche we only receyue by fayth wherfore before we do the law we must by fayth receyue remission of synnes and reconciliacion O Lorde god with what face dare these men name Christe with what countenaunce dare they beholde the EuaÌ„gell which deny that we obtayne remissioÌ„ of siÌ„nes for Christe by only fayth SecoÌ„dly this selfe fulfyllyng of the lawe whiche foloweth renouacion is both smal and vnclene For though renouacion be attempted sumwhat begunne yet the dregges of synne stycke styl in nature alway accusyng vs onles by fayth in Christe we obtayne remission of synnes knowe that we haue a cummynge to god nat for our owne fulfyllyng of the lawe but for Christe Therfore that fulfyllyng of the lawe is nat accepted for it selfe but for faythe Wherfore when Paule sayeth that the lawe is stablyshed by fayth nat only this must be vnderstaÌ„de that they which be regenerate by fayth do conceyue the holy ghoste and haue mocions consentyng to the lawe of god but moste of all it is requysite to adde this that we owe to thynke that we be farre from the perfectioÌ„ of the lawe Wherfore we may nat affyrme that before god we be reputed iust for our owne fulfyllyng of the lawe but we muste thynke that we be recouÌ„pted iust or acceptable for Christe and nat for the lawe or for our workes and that this imperfecte or inchoate fulfyllyng of the lawe pleaseth god because we be in Christe and also that for the fayth in Christ the lackyng of fulfyllyng the lawe is nat imputed vnto vs. Thys teacheth Paule saying Christe redemed vs frome the malediction of the lawe beyng made for vs a curse that is to saye the lawe condempneth all men But Christe because he voyde of synne susteined the penaltie of synne and was made an hoste for vs he toke away the rigorous power of the lawe so that it shall nat accuse nor coÌ„deÌ„pne the beleuers in him for he is our propiciacion for whiche we be nowe accoÌ„pted ryghtwise In lyke seÌ„tence he wryteth to the Colossenses In Christe ye be consummate or perfyte as who shuld say although ye be yet farre from the perfeccion of the lawe yet the dregges or leauynges of synnes do nat condempne you because ye haue for Christ a certayne and ferme reconciliacion so that ye beleue natwithstandyng that synne stycketh styl in the fleshe For the death and the satisfaccioÌ„ of Christe gyuen for vs ought to be set farre aboue the very lawe to th ende that we may be assured that through the satysfaccyon we haue god mercifull vnto vs and nat for our fulfyllyng of the lawe wycked is that truste whiche is put in our fulfyllyng of the lawe But that trust is necessarie which is put in the satisfaccyon for Christe ☞ ⧠⧠☜ Thyrdly Only that thyng iustifieth before god whiche pacifieth the conscience For so longe as the conscience fleeth the iudgement of god and is angry with god we be nat ryght wyse nor viuifyed But only faythe pacifyeth the conscience accordynge to this of Paule Iustifyed by fayth we haue peace Also The ryghtwyse man shal lyue by fayth that is to say by fayth he veynquysheth the feares of death by faythe he is susteined and conceyueth ioye and lyfe And this bringeth fayth nat because it is a worthy worke of it selfe but onely because it reuiueth the offered promyse nothiÌ„g regardyng the owne propre worthynes Only therfore fayth iustifyeth and good workes do please by reason of fayth what can the aduersaries brynge agaynste thys reason what can they inuent agaynst the manifest trouth For the Minor is moste certayne that our workes can nat pacifye the conscience sythe god iudgeth and reproueth vs and sheweth vnto vs our vnclennes And that the scripture dothe oftentymes inculcate dryue into our hedes As the Psalme Non intres in iudicium cuâ— seruo tuo quia non iustificavitur in conspectu tuo 〈…〉 that is to say Enter nat into iudgement with thy seruaunt for no lyuyng creature shal be iustified in thy syght Here he quyte taketh away from all yea and from the saynctes and seruauntes of god the glorie of iustice if god dyd nat pardon but wolde iudge and detecte theyr hertê For where as in other places the Psalmist doth glorie of hys owne ryghtwysenes he speketh of his quarel or cause agaynst the persecutours of the worde of god and nat of hys personal clennes and he desyreth that the quarell and glorie of god may be defeÌ„ded As in the seuenth Psalme Iudica me domine secundum iusticiam meam c. i. Iudge me lorde accordyng to my ryghtwysnes And in another place Iudge O lorde my cause But on the other parte he teacheth that no man can susteyne the iudgemeÌ„t of god if he obserueth our synnes For thus he sayeth Si iniquitates obseruaueris domine domine quis sustinebiâ— If thou woldest marke o lorde the iniquities of men who can o lorde endure And Iob sayeth Vâ—rebar omnia opera mea .i. I feared all my workes Also if I were washed euen as it were with waters of snowe and my handes dyd shyne as moste pure cleane yet thou wylt embrewe me with fylthynes And Prouerb 20. Who can say my hert is cleane And .1 Ioan. 1. If we say that we haue nat synne we seduce our selues and trouth is nat in vs. Also in the Pater noster the holy men desyre remissioÌ„ of synnes â— holy men also haue synnes In the boke of Numer And the innocent shal be no innocent And Zacharie sayeth Silâ—at a facie domini omnis caro .i. Let euery man holde his tongue in the lordê preseÌ„ce And Esaye Euery fleshe is haye and all hys glorie is lyke a flower of the felde The haye wythereth vp and the floure fadeth because the spirite of the lorde hath bloweÌ„ in it that is to say the fleshe and the iustice of the fleshe caÌ„ nat abyde the iudgement of god And Ionas sayeth in the seconde chapiter In vayne they obserue vanities which leaue mercy .i. Al trust is voyde saue the truste of mercye Mercy saueth vs our owne merites our owne propre endeuours saue vs nat These and semblable sentencies in scriptures testifie that our workes be vncleane haue nede of mercie Wherfore workes do nat pacifie the conscience but mercie conceyued by faythe Fourthly Christe ceaseth nat to be a mediatour styll after that we be renewed For they erre which say that he
meriteth only the fyrst grace and that we theÌ„ by our owne fulfyllyng of the lawe do please and deserue euerlastyng lyfe The mediatour Christe taryeth styll and we must alwaies thynke that for him we haue god pacifyed although we be vnworthy as Paule sayeth By hym we haue an entre to god thorugh fayth For our fulfyllyng of the lawe as we sayde is vnclene sythe our nature is horriblely corrupted Therfore the Psalme sayeth Blessed be they whose synnes be forgyuen Wherfore we haue nede of remission of synnes yea euen when we haue good workê But that remission is alwayes purchased by faythe so Christe remayneth a byshop and mediatour g o ergo that fulfyllyng of the lawe pleaseth nat of it selfe But because we coÌ„ceiue Christ by fayth and fele that we haue god pacified nat for the lawe but for Christe Fyfthly If we shulde thynke that after baptisme we ought to be accepted nat by fayth in Christ but for our fulfyllyng of the lawe our conscience shulde neuer be quyete but shulde runne into desperation For the lawe alwayes accuseth syth we neuer satisfy the lawe which thyng the hole churche coÌ„fesseth For Paule sayeth Good that I wolde do I do nat but euyl that I wolde nat do I do He also sayeth In mynde I serue the lawe of god but iÌ„ fleshe I serue the lawe of syn For who sufficiently loueth or sufficiently feareth god who paciently ynough susteyneth tribulacions whiche god putteth vpoÌ„ him who doth nat oft doubt whether humane thynges be ruled by goddes prouidence who doth nat oft doubte whether god heareth his prayer who dothe nat oft disdysdayne and grudge that the wycked haue better fortune than the godly people and that the godly be oppressed of the vngodly who is nat angrie with the iudgemeÌ„t of god whan he semeth to caste vs away who doth satisfy his calliÌ„g who loueth his neyghbour as him selfe who is nat ouerthrowen of his concupisceÌ„ce Of these synnes speaketh the psalme sayeng For this euery saynt shal pray to the. Lo here he sayeth that sayntes or holy men desyre remission of synnes They be more then blynde which se nat that the euil affectioÌ„s iÌ„ the fleshe be nat synnes of whiche Paule sayeth The fleshe lusteth agaynst the spirite the spirit agaynst the fleshe The fleshe distrusteth god trusteth in thinges present seketh humane socours in distresse and affliction yea agaynste the wyll of god it fleeth tribulations whiche by the commaundement of god it oweth to suffre it doubteth of the mercy of god The holy spirite in meÌ„nes tencies of the lawe one solution may be gyueÌ„ that the lawe can nat be done without Chryst if any ciuile workes be done without Christ they please not god Wherfore when the workes be preached it is necessarye to be added that fayth is requyred that for faythe they be preached that they be frutes and testimonies of faythe What thynge can be spoken more symply and syncerely thaÌ„ this doctryne For it is necessarie to the knowledge of the benefytes of Christ to discerne the promyses from the lawe Ambiguouse and perilous causes do engender many and sundry solutions But in good and ferme causes one or two solutions taken out of the fountaynes do answere all that maye be obiected Whiche thynge also appereth in thys our cause For that rule whiche I ryght nowe recyted expounneth all the saynges whiche be recited of the lawe and of the workes For we graunte that the scripture otherwhyles doth teache the lawe otherwhyles the free promyse of remyssyon of synnes for Christe But our aduersaries do vtterly destroy the promyse in sainge that fayth dothe not iustifie but teache that for our loue and workes we receyue remission of synnes reconciliation For yf remissyon of synnes shulde hange of the condicion of our workes so were it very vncertayne For we neuer do sufficient workes Then the promyse shall be put out of yre Wherfore we call agayne good myndes to the coÌ„sideration of the promisses and we teache them of the free remyssyon and reconcilement that is made by the faythe in Christe After thys we adde also the doctrine of the lawe nat that by the lawe we shulde deserue forgyuenes of siÌ„nes or that for the lawe we shulde be compted ryghtwyse and nat for Christ but for thys entent because god requireth good workes For we muste wysely distincte the lawe and the promyses It must be sene what scripture gyueth to the lawe and what to the promyses For it prayseth and commaundeth good workes in such sorte that it taketh not awaye the free promyse nor the benefyte that we haue by Christe For good workes are to be done because God requireth them and therfore they be the effectes of regeneration as Paule teacheth We be his worke made by Christe Iesus to good workes whiche God hathe prepared that we shuld walke in them Wherfore good workes ought to ensue faythe as a geuynge of thankes towarde god also that in them faythe maye be bothe excercised and encrease and be shewed to other that by our confessyon other maye be styrred to deuotyon Therfore sayth Paule that Abraham toke circumcisioÌ„ not that for the very worke he shuld be compted ryghtwise but that he might haue a marke printed in his body wherby he myght be brought in rememberaunce and conceyue styll more faythe and more Also to thentente he shulde confesse hys fayth before other and by hys wytnessynge prouoke other to beleue So Abell by reason of hys faythe offered a more acceptable sacrifice for the sacrifice pleased god not for the very sacrifice but bycause Abel by hys faythe was assured that god was pleased with him because of hê mercie And he dyd that worke only to th ende to excercise his faythe and to prouoke other by hys ensample and confessyon to beleue Syth good workes ought after thys sorte ensue faythe men that can nat beleue and determyne in theyr hartes that they be frely pardoned for Christes sake â–ª do vse workes farre an other way These persons when they see the workes of sayntes and holy persons they iudge after a worldly fashoÌ„ that the sayntes by tho workes haue deserued forgiuenes of synnes and that for tho workes they be accompted ryghtwyse before God Therfore they folowe them and thynke that by lyke workes they deserue remyssion of synnes they go aboute to pacifye the ire of God and truste that for suche workes they shall be accompted ryghtwyse These wycked opinions in workes we damne Fyrst because they obscure the glory of Christ when men do propowne to god these workes as a pryce raunsom Thus the honour due to only Christ is gyuen to our workes Secondly because that notwithstandynge all theyr good workes yet the conscyence fyndeth no peace in them but heapynge workes vpon workes in true trobles at laste dispayreth for when it findeth no worke clene ynoughe the lawe alwayes accuseth and engendreth ire Therdly Such neuer atteyne to the knowledge of god when
is without workê And where he saieth that we be iustified by fayth and workes suerly he meaneth nat that we be renewed or regenerate by workes nor he meaneth nat that partly Christ is our redemer and partly that our workê be our redemption Nor he describeth nat here the maner of iustifycation but he describeth what manner of persones the iuste be after they be ones iustified and renewed And thys worde iustificari i. to be iustifyed signifyeth here nat to be made of the iniust iuste but after an outwarde fashion to be pronounced rightwyse â–ª as it is taken in thys sayeng Factores legis iustificabuntur .i. The doers of the lawe shal be iustifyed Lyke therfore as these wordes haue no incoÌ„uenience the doers of the lawe shal be iustified so thynke we of the wordes of Iames man is iustified nat only by fayth but also by workes for vndoubtedly men be pronounced iuste hauynge fayth and good workes For good workes in holy men and women as we sayde before be iusticies of the lawe whiche be accepted bycause of the faythe and nat bycause they satisfye the lawe Men then be iustified by faythe and workes nat bycause of the workes but by cause of the faythe whiche yet good workes muste nedes folowe For Iames speaketh of tho workes whiche folowe faythe as he wytnesseth when he sayeth fayth helpeth his workes so we muste take The doers of the lawe shall be iustified that is to saye they whiche beleue and haue good frutes be pronounced ryghtwyse For the lawe is satisfied if we beleue and it pleaseth bycause of the faythe and nat bycause the workes do satisfye the lawe Thus we se that in these sentencies is no inconuenience but the aduersaries depraue and corrupt them addyng theyr owne gloses For it is nat sayde that workes deserue remission or that men for theyr workes be accepted and reputed ryghtwyse before god nat for Christ and that the workes do pacify the hartes and ouercum they re of god and that workes nede nat mercie None of all these thynges sayeth saynt Iames whiche yet the aduersaryes asscribe to his wordes ☞ ⧠There be cyted also agaynst vs other sentencies of workes as Daniel 4. Redeme thy synnes with almes dedes And Esay 58. Breke thy bread to the hungrye then pray and god wyll heare the. Luke 6. Forgyue and ye shal be forgyuen Matth. 6. Blessyd be the mercifull for they shall obtayne mercye To these sentencies and semblable of workes fyrste we make thys answere whiche hathe be made before that the lawe is nat trulye wrought without fayth Neyther dothe it please but for faythes sake in Christe accordyng to that sayeng of Christe without me ye can do nothyng Also without faythe it is impossible to please god Also by Christe we haue coÌ„mynge or way to god through faythe Therfore as often tymes as workes be required and praysed the gospell of Christe is to be put vnto Secondarily these textes which I haue a lytle here tofore recited be well nere sermons or preachynges of penaunce for they be made of two partes They haue in the begynnynge preaching of the lawe whiche rebuketh synne and commaundeth good workes Afterwade there is added a promyse But this is moste certein and vndoubted that in preachynge of repentaunce it is nat sufficient to préache the lawe whiche dothe comonly trouble and condeÌ„pne the coscience But it is requysite that preaching of the gospell be added that synnes be frely forgyuen for Christe and that by faythe we obtayne remission of synnes These thynges be so certayne and so clere that if our aduersaries wolde vary from them and exclude Christe and faythe from the preachyng of repentaunce they were worthy to be reiected as persones blasphemous agaynst Christ. Wherfore the sermon of Daniel ought nat onely to be applyed to almose deades but faythe also is to be requyred in it The sermon of Daniel is farre vnlyke the speache of Aristotle who wryttyng vnto his kynge Alexander doth also exhorte hym to liberalite and counseilleth him to vse his power to the comen vtilite and to the welth of al the people and nat to pride For thus he wrytteth to Alexander wherfore assay and endeuour your selfe to vse apply your Empiere and dominion nat to any contumely or pryde but to munificence and liberalite For sothe thys was a very honest sayeng and there coulde nothiÌ„g be sayde better touchiÌ„g the duetie of a greate prynce But Daniell instructeth and teacheth his kyng nat only of his office or calling but also of repentaunce of loue and deuotion towardes god of remission of synnes and of those greate thynges whiche be clene aboue philosophy Nat only therfore almouse deadê be to be requyred here but also faythe And that the texte dothe declare where it sayeth that the kyng was conuerted nat only to gyuing of almouse but muche rather to faythe For there remayneth yet the excellent confession of that kynge and prayse of the god of Israel There is none other god whiche can saue in this wyse So then there be two partes of the sermon of Daniel The one parte is the preachyng of repentauÌ„ce whiche rebuketh synnes and gyueth monition of a newe lyfe sayeng Redeame thy synnes with ritghtuousnes thy wyckednes with benefites towardes yâ— pore For so speaketh Daniell in his owne tongue where it appereth sufficieÌ„tly that he gyueth nat only instruction of almes dedes but of all iustice .i. of the knowlege of god fayth For he sayth Redeme thy sines by rightuousnes Nowe iustice toward god is fayth by whiche we beleue yâ— god forgyueth vs. Afterward Daniel giueth iÌ„struction of benifites towardê pore men whiche is that he shuld nat gouerne proudly nor cruelly but prouide diligeÌ„ly se for the profetê of his subiectê the other parte of his sermoÌ„ promyseth remission of siÌ„nes Lo thy sines shal be healed Hierome here besydes yâ— purpose puttith to a dubitatiue particle forsitaÌ„ muche more vnwysely he disputeth in hys coÌ„mentaries that remission of synnes is vncertayne But let vs remembre that the gospell vndoubtedly promyseth remissioÌ„ of siÌ„nes And he is to be iudged to disannull abrogate the gospell whosoeuer thynketh that remissioÌ„ of siÌ„nes is vncertayn Let vs therfore nat regard Hierome in thys place Nowe for asmuche as here is a promyse euidently put doubtles faythe is required for a ê“myse can nat be receyued but by fayth Howbeit eueÌ„ there also he sheweth yâ— remissioÌ„ might chauÌ„ce wheÌ„ he sayth Redeme thy siÌ„nes And thys promyse of remissioÌ„ of synnes is a verie prophetical and an euangelical sentence which doutles Daniel wold to be receyued by fayth For Daniel knewe that remissioÌ„ of siÌ„nes was promised for the sede that was to come that is to wyt Christ and that nat only to the Israelites but also to al nations For els he coulde nat haue promysed to the kynge remissyon of synnes For it belongeth nat to man namely in the affrayes of
was I am sure of the â—ame mynde that the prophete was of which sayed Lorde enter nat into iudgemeÌ„t with thy seruaunt for no lyuing creature shal be iustifyed in thy syght saynt Barnarde confesseth that hys owne workes be nat worthy eternall lyfe whan he sayeth I haue lyued wretchedly But he comforteth hym selfe and gathereth hope of saluation hereof because he perceyueth that for Christes sake through mercy is gyuen remission of synnes and eternall â–ª lyfe as the Psalme teacheth whiche sayeth Blessyd be they whose iniquities be forgiuen And Paule sayeth Dauid callith the man blessed to whom god imputeth ryghtuousnes without workes Paule sayeth that he is blessed to whoÌ„ ryghtuousnes is imputed by fayth in christe although he haue no good workes With suche coÌ„solations be consciences to be comforted and strengthed that is to say that for Christes sake by fathe is goten remission of synnes reputation of iustice eternal lyfe Nowe if in these places of workes fayth after this maner shal be vnderstande they hurte no thyng our sentence or opinion And verely it is necessary alwayes to put to faythe that we do nat exclude the Mediatour Christe And good workes ought to folowe faythe because faythe without good workes is hypochrisye They haue also in the scholes certayne propre and shorte sayengê agreing to our senteÌ„ce of whiche sorte be these that good workes do please god because of grace and fauour Also that we must truste to the grace of god These sayenges they do nat well interprete For the olde wryters dyd meane that we muste truste to grace that is to wete to the mercy of god promysyng that for Christes sake we be accepted But the wryters of later tyme haue traÌ„slated this trust to our owne worke Theyr opinion is that we muste truste to grace that is to wete to the loue where with we loue god This is a false and a corrupte interpretatioÌ„ For we ought nat to truste to our owne loue forasmuch as it is vncleane smal but to the promise of mercy Thys is also a coÌ„men sayeng a monge them that good workes be of strengthe by the vertue of Christes passion it is wel sayd but there ought to haue ben made mention of faythe in these sentencies For the merite of Christes passion is nat coÌ„municate â—o vs onles we do receiue it by faythe and do set it agaynste the terrours of syn and death For Paule sayeth Christe is a propitiatioÌ„ by faythe Also the churche in all prayers or collecâ—es addeth at the ende Per dominum nostrum Iesum Christum that is to say By our lorde Iesus Christ. Here also men are to be monyshed and to be put in remembraunce of fayth For the church meaneth that our workes and our prayers do plese god if we do beleue that god is gracious for Christes sake the hyghe bysshop Let these thynges suffise at thys tyme coÌ„cernyng this place And we do knowe that this sentence and opinion whiche we defend is consonauÌ„te and agreing to the gospell and dothe bringe moste stronge and sure consolations to godly consciences Therfore let nat godly consciences suffer them selues to be led away from this sentence opinion for cause of the vniuste false and sclaunderous iudgementes of our aduersaries For the scripture â—ophecieth that the tyme shulde come whan 〈◊〉 teachers shulde play mastries in the churâ—â—e â–ª whiche oppressing the iustice of faythe in Christe shulde teache to merite remission of synnes by our owne obseruauÌ„ces and workes And the thynges done in Israel be an ymage and figure of the state that shulde afterwardes folowe in the churche Nowe we do se that the prophetes do euerywhere rebuke this persuasion of the people whiche dyd dreame that they dyd merite forgyuenes of synnes by the sacrifices of the lawe and by the reason of thê opinion dyd heape workes vpon workes and sacrifices vpon sacrifices So in the churche there be many persones whiche haue a false persuasion of theyr owne workes and ceremonies But the scripture hathe taught vs that we shulde nat be troubled with the multytude of wickeâ— and vngodly persones and yet it is no mastrie to iudge the spirite of our aduersaries For we do se that in many of theyr articles the manifest and open truthe is condempned by them And let nat this trouble or offeÌ„d any man that they do chalenge and take vpoÌ„ them selues the name of the churche For the churche of Christe is amonge them whiche do teache the gospel truly nat among theÌ„ whiche do defende wronge opinions agaynst the gospell as the lorde sayeth My shepe do heare my voyce ⧠Of the Churche ⧠THe seuenth article of our confession they dampne in whiche we sayde that the churche is a coÌ„gregation of sayntes or holy meÌ„ And they make a longe proces that euyll persons are naâ— to be segregate or deuided froâ— the churche sythe that Iohan Baptist coâ—â—pared the churche to the floure of the Barnâ— in whiche bothe corne and chaffe be layde together on an heape And Christe compared it to a nette in whiche be caught bothe good fysshes and badde Without doubte it is a trewe sayde prouerbe Agaynst the byting of a sycophaunt or sclauÌ„derer there is no remedy Nothyng can be spokeÌ„ so circumspectly but that a captious sclaunderer shal fynde occasion to depraue it We euen for thys very cause dyd adde the eyght article leaste any man shulde thynke that we seuered the euyll persons and hypocrites from the outwarde societie of the churche or plucked away the vertue from the sacramentes whiche be ministred by hypocrites and euyll men Wherfore here nedeth no longe defense agaynste thys sclaunder The eyght article dothe sufficently purge vs. For we graunt that hypocrites and euyll men be in this lyfe mixed in the churche and be membres of the churche as touchyng the outward societie of the signes of the churche that is to wete of the worde profession and sacrameÌ„tes namely if they be nat excoÌ„municate Nor the sacramentes be nat therfore without vertue because euell men minister them or euyll men receyue them For Paule ê“phecieth that the tyme shulde come when Antichrist shuld sytte in the teÌ„ple of god that is to say shulde haue dominion and beare officies in the churche But the churche is nat only a societie of externe thynges and rites as other polecies or ciuile societies be but principally it is a societie of fayth and of the holy ghoste in mens hartes whiche yet natwithstaÌ„dyng hathe outward notes tokyns wherby it may be knoweÌ„ as the syncere and pure teachyng of the gospell and the ministration of the sacramentes agreable to the Euangel of Christe And this churche only is called the bodye of Christe whiche Christ with his spirite reneweth sanctifyeth and gouerneth as testifyeth Paule sayeng And hym he made head aboue al of the churche whiche is his body that is to say an entiertie or the hole congregation of hym whiche worketh all together in all
be forgyuen the thy faythe hath made the saufe Go thy way in peace ⧠This is the other parte of penaunce faythe whiche lyfteth vp and conforteth her Of all these thynges it apperethe playnely to godly reders that we do put those ê‘tes of penauÌ„ce whiche be proprely in the conuersion or regeneration remission of synne worthy frutes and punyshementes do folowe regeneration and remission of synne And therfore we haue put these two partes to th entent that fayth myght be the better sene whiche we require in repentaunce And it may be the better ê‘ceyued what the faythe is whiche the Gospell preacheth whan it is set agaynste contrition and mortification ⧠⧠And to thentente that all the worlde maye see howe greate is the ignoraunce of true pietie and godlynes in our controllers and iudges whiche wrote the confutation we wyll adde also the senteÌ„ce of saynt Barnarde who euen in lykewyse knytteth together in repentauÌ„ce these two meÌ„bres coÌ„trition fayth as we do These be his wordê in the thyrde sermone of the AnnuÌ„ciatioÌ„ AuditaÌ„ faâ— mihi mane miÌ„ am tuam quid in te sperdui dnÌ„e Sola nimiruÌ„ spes apud te miserationis locum obtinet nec olcum miÌ„ae nisi in uase fiduâ—iae ponis Sed ost infidelis fiducia solius utique maledictionis capax cum uidelicet in spe peceamus Quanâ— nec fiducia illa dicenda siâ— sed insensibilitas quaedam dissimulaâ—io ê‘niciosa Quae enim fiducia est ei quaÌ„ periculuÌ„ non attenditâ— auâ— quod ibi timoris remedium ubi nec timor sentitur nec materia ipsa timoriâ—â— fiducia solacium est nec eget ille solatio qui laetatur cum male fecerit in pessimis rebus magis exultat Rogemus itaque fratres responderi nobis quaÌ„tas habeamus iniquitates peccata scelera nostra delictaâ— nobis desideremus ostendi Scrutemur uias nostras studia nostra periculaque uniuersa uigili inteÌ„tione pen semus Dicat quisque in pauore suo uadam ad portas in feri ut iam noÌ„ nisi in sola dei miÌ„a respiremê Haec uerâ—â— hominis fiducia est a se deficientê inniteÌ„tis domino suo Haec inquam uer a fiducia est cui misericordia non denegatur propheta testante BeneplacituÌ„ est domino super timentes eum in his qui sperant super misericordia eius Nec parua utiq suppetit nobis in nobis quidem causa timoris in ipso autem causa fiduciae .1 Lorde let me heare thy mercy early in the mornyng because I haue trusted in the. Undoubtedly only hope obteyneth place of mercy with the. Neyther doste thou put the oyle of mercy but in the vessel of hope But that is an vnfaythfull hope and a vessell apte mete to receyue malediction when we do synne in hope Howebeit that ought nat to be called any hope or truste at all but rather a certayne insensibilitie a perelous dissimulation For what truste hathe he whiche regardeth nat the ieoperdye Or what remedy of feare is there where neyther feare is felt neyther the mater it selfe and cause of feare Truste is a comfort but he nedeth no comfort whiche is mery wheÌ„ he hathe done amisse and reioyceth in his vngracious factê Let vs therfore o bretherne pray that answere may be made vnto vs howe greate iniquities and synnes we haue Let vs desyre to haue our synnes and trespasses shewed vnto vs. Let vs serche and ransake our wayes and all our studies and all our ieoperdies let vs consider and ponder with diligent intention Let euery man say in his feare and dreade I shall go to the gates of helle to the ende we may nowe reste and comforte our selues in the only mercy of god This is the true truste of man shrynkyng away froÌ„ him selfe and leanyng to his lorde Thys I say is the trewe truste to whiche mercie is nat denyed wytnessyng the Prophete in the psalme The lorde hathe bene wele plesed with theÌ„ that feare him and in them whiche truste vpon hys mercie And there is verely in vs no lytle cause of feare and in him no lytle cause of truste Thus farre speaketh Bernarde whose sentence and mynde we were therfore the more wyllyng to reporte that the readers myght see perceiue howe we in thê place do take fayth to be meaÌ„t of the hope of mercie whiche lyfteth vp and comforteth affrayed myndes whiche faythe Bernarde calleth ryght wele fiduciam that is to say truste And this may be euidently sene when there is made an antithesis or contention of terrours and of comfortes Lykewyse as Barnarde here wyl that there be in men an acknowlegyng of synnes or contrition or terrours And wyl also that there be added trust whiche may lyfte vp and comforte vs in contrition But because our aduersaries do here principally expressely condempne vs where we saye that men by faythe obteyne remission of synnes we wyll adde a certayne fewe probations by whiche it may be vnderstaÌ„ded that forgyuenes of synnes do chaunce nat by the worke wrought for coÌ„trition but by that especial faythe by whiche euery persone beleueth that he is forgyuen and pardoned of his synnes for Christes sake For this is the principal article about which we do stryue with our aduersaryes and the knowledge wherof we thynke to be moste necessarie to all Christen men But forasmoche as we seme to haue spoken ynoughe of the same thynge before in the title of iustification therfore here we wyll be the shorter For they be placê very moche like as who wolde say nere cosyns the doctrine of repentaunce and the doctrine of iustificacion Our aduersaries when they speake of faythe say that it goeth before repentaunce they meane faythe nat this whiche iustifyeth â–ª but that whiche in a generalitie beleueth that god is and that there be paynes ordeyned for wycked men cÌ„ But we ouer besydes that faythe do require that euery man shuld beleue hys synnes to be forgyuen hym for Christes sake About this speciall faythe we stryue and do set it againste the opinion whiche byddeth to truste nat in the promyse of Christe but in the worke wrought of contrition of confessioÌ„ and of satisfactions cÌ„ This faythe dothe so folowe and ensue the terrours that it dothe ouer come them and setteth the conscience at quietnes and reste This fayth delyuereth vs from terrours and dothe create and engendre peace ioy and a newe lyfe in the harte Thys faythe we do defende to be truly necessary to the remission of synnes Therfore we put it amonge the partes of repentauÌ„ce or of conuersion Neyther dothe the churche of Christe thynke eny otherwyse although our aduersaries do say the contrary And fyrste of all we do aske our aduersaries whether to receiue absolution be a parte of penaunce or repentauÌ„ce or els no Nowe if they do seperate it from coÌ„fession as they be very subtile in distinctioÌ„s we can nat
the lawe not of the gospell whiche doth fayne and imagine that man is fyrste iustified by the lawe before that he be reconciled by Christ to god notwithstandyng that Christe hym selfe saythe Without me â—e can do nothynge Also I am the true vine and ye be the braunches But oure aduersaries do imagine that we be the braunches not of Christ but of Moyses For they wyll fyrst be iustified by the law and offre theyr loue workê vnto god before that they be reconciled to god by Christe before that they be braunces of Christe Paule contrarywyse sayth playnly that the law can not be wroughte nor fulfylled without Christe Therfore the promyse is fyrst to be receyued that by faythe we maye be reconciled to god for Christis sake or that we worke the lawe These thynges we do iudge to be clere euident ynough to godly coÌ„sciences And herof they shall playnely ê‘ceyue the cause why we dyd heretofore holde opinion professe that men be iustified by fayth and not by loue For we muste plede agaynst the wrathe of god not our loue or our workes nor truste in our loue and workes but Christe the mediator and we muste fyrste receyue the promyse of remission of synnes or euer we worke the lawe Finally Whan shall the conscience be set at reste if we do receyue remission of synnes because we loue or worke the lawe For the law wyll always accuse vs bicause we neuer satisfie the lawe of god accordyng to the sayenge of saynte Paule Lex iram operatur The lawe worketh wrathe Chrisostome asketh the question concernyng penaunce wherby we be assured that our synnes be forgyuen vs our aduersaries also in the senteÌ„ces do aske the question concernyng the same thynge This can not be declared neyther consciences can not be made quiete onles they know that it is the coÌ„maundement of god and the very gospell that they shulde be assured that for Christes sake synnes be freely forgyuen and that they shulde not doubte but that they be freely forgyuen vnto them selfes If any manne dothe doubt he as IohnÌ„ sayth accuseth the diuine promyse of a lye This certeyntie and assuraunce of faythe we teache is required in the gospell But oure aduersaries leaue mennes conscieÌ„ces vncertayne and in a doubtfulnes Nowe coÌ„sciences do worke nothyng by fayth whan they do coÌ„tinually doubt whether they haue remission Howe can they in this doubtfulnes call vpon god Howe can they ê‘suade them selues be assured that they be herde Thus all theyr lyfe is without god and without the very true honoure and worshyppynge of god This is it that Paule saythe that what soeuer is not done of faythe is synne And bicause they continue alwayes in this doubtfulnes they neuer haue experieÌ„ce what faythe is So it coÌ„meth to passe at the laste that they fall in to desperation Suche is the doctrine of our aduersaries euen a verye doctrine of the lawe a dissanullyng and an aâ—rogation of the gospell and a doctrine of desperation Nowe we do gladly permitte vnto all good men to gyue iugement of this place concernyng penaunce for it is playne ynoughe without any maner of obscuritie and to pronounce whiche of vs haue taughte the more godly and more holsome doctrine for consciences whether we or our aduersaries Certes these dissensioÌ„s in the churche do nothyng delyte vs wherfore if we had not great and necessarie causes to dissent from our aduersaries we wolde with ryghte good wyll holde our peace Nowe sith it is so that they condempne the manifest and open veritie it standeth not with our profession neither is it laufull for vs to leaue this cause vndefended whiche is not ours but Christê cause and the cause of the churche We haue shewed for what causes we haue put these two partes of penauÌ„ce contrition and faythe And we haue done it so moche the rather bicause there be borne aboute many sayenges concernyng penaunce whiche be alledged of the fathers but maymed and vnperfecte whiche our aduersaries haue detorted wrested to the defacynge of faythe As for example Penaunce is to sorowe bewayle the offeÌ„ces coÌ„mitted and not to coÌ„mitte agayne whiche thou oughteste to bewayle and sorowe Also penaunce is a certeyne punyshement or vengeaunce of the sorower aueÌ„gyng in hym selfe the offence whiche he is sorye that he hath coÌ„mitted In these sayenges is no mention of fayth no not so moche as in the scholes whan they do interprete and declare them is any thyng at all added of faythe Wherfore we to th entent that the doctrine of faythe myght be the better espied haue nombred faythe amonge the partes of penauÌ„ce For those sayenges whiche do require coÌ„trition or good workes and whiche make no mention of faythe that iustifiethe the very thynge it selfe shewethe that they be very perylous And doubtles it may be thoughte and that not without cause that those men lacked a poynt of prudence wysedome whiche haue heaped together these peced and patched rablemeÌ„tes of sentences and decrees For where as the fathers in diuerse other places do speake of the other parte of Penaunce it shulde haue bene profitable to haue pyked out the sentences of both partes â–ª and to haue ioyned them together not only out of one parte For Tertulliane speakethe ercellently of faythe amplifienge the othe of the lorde whiche is in the prophete â–ª Viuo ego dicit dominus nolo mortem peccatoris sed ut conuertatur et uiuat .i. I lyue saythe the lorde I wyll not the deathe of a synner but that he be conuerted lyue For in as moche as the lorde dothe sweare ther he wyll not the deathe of a synner he shewethe and declareth that credence fayth is required by whiche we shuld beleue his othe surely reken with our selues that he dothe forgyue vs. The promyses of god ought to be of greate auctoritie with vs although they be made without any othe put vnto them at all But this ê“myse is also coÌ„fermed and bounde with an othe Wherfore if any man doth not surely reken with hym selfe that he is forgyueÌ„ he denyeth that god hath sworne a true othe whiche is so great a blasphemie that there can none be imagined more haynous For thus saythe Tertulliane He calleth vs to saluation with a reward swearyng also in that he saythe I lyue and couetethe that we gyue credece vnto hym O blessed be they for whose cause god sâ—â—eareth O moste wretched be we if we beleue not the lorde whan he also sweareth And here it is to be knowen that this faythe oughte to thiÌ„ke that god freely forgyueth vs for Christis sake bicause of his owne ê“myse and not because of our workes or contrition confession satisfaction or loue For if faythe shulde leane vnto these workes be grounded vpon them anone it is made vncerteine and doubtfull For the fearefull coÌ„science doth se that these workes be vnworthy Therfore saythe Ambrose very
well in his worke of PenauÌ„ce these wordes folowynge Therfore it is conuenient that we beleue both that penauÌ„ce is to be done and that forgyuenes shal be gyuen but yet so that we do hope forgyuenes as through faythe For faythe obteyneth as it were by an especialtie or obligation Also faythe it is whiche dothe couer our synnes So than there be senteÌ„ces in the workes of the fathers not onely of contrition and workes but also of faythe But our aduersaries because they neyther perceyue the nature of penaunce neyther the sayenges of the fathers do pyke out the sayenges concernyng the one parte of penauÌ„ce that is to wit workes But those thyngê whiche be spoken in other places of faythe because they do not vnderstande them they passe them ouer ⧠Of confession and satisfaction ⧠GOod men may easely iudge that it is verie profitable and necessary that the true doctrine be kepte concernynge the partes aâ—ouenamed that is to wete concernyng contrition and faythe Therfore in settynge forthe of these places we haue alwayes most busied our selues and as for confession and satisfaction we haue nat greatly coÌ„tended nor striuen For we also do retayne kepe styll confession and specially because of absolution whiche is the worde of god because the power of the keyes by the auctoritie of god dothe pronouÌ„ce and gyue seÌ„tence of euery thiÌ„g Wherfore it shulde be a wycked dede to take away priuate absolucion out of the churche Neyther do they perceyue and vnderstande what is remission of siÌ„nes or what is the power of the keyes who soeuer they be that do despyse and take away priuate absolution But coÌ„cernyng the rehersall and reckenyng vp of synnes particularly by name in confession we haue sayde before that we do nat thynke it necessary by the lawe of god For where as certeyne meÌ„ do obiecte that a Iudge ought fyrste to knowe the mater before that he do gyue sentence this obiectioÌ„ is nothyng to this purpose For absolutioÌ„ is but the execution of the benefite gyuen by an other and nat a iudgement For Christe gaue charge and coÌ„mauÌ„dement to forgyue synnes Thys commaundement the ministers do eâ—ecute They haue no coÌ„mauÌ„dement of knowiÌ„g the synnes that be secrete Thys thynge may well be perceyued herof because they forgyue innumerable synnes whiche they them selues do neuer remembre to whome they be forgyuen And if remission shulde hange vpon the knowledge of sinnes then al the mater shulde be vncertayne and doutful But in those synnes whiche be openly knowne what maner iurisdiction the churche hathe that belongeth nat to thê preseÌ„t disputatioÌ„ For these because they be open and knowen they be accused by name and afterwardes be forgyuen by name if the doer of them wyl be receiued agayne of the churche And it is a folyshnes to apply vnto this mater the sayeng of Salomon whiche is thys Diligenter cognosce vultum pecoris tui .i. Knowe diligeÌ„tly the face of thy catayle For SalomoÌ„ speaketh no whit of coÌ„fession but he gyueth a morall lesson and instruction to an housholder that he shulde vse that whiche is his owne and forbeare from that whiche is an other mans and he biddeth hym to loke diligently vnto his owne thyngê but yet in suche wyse that hys mynde beyng occupied and set all vpon the desyre of gatheryng goodes he do nat caste away the feare of god or faythe or the loue of the word of god But our aduersaries do merueilously transforme and chauÌ„g the wordes of scripture into what soeuer sentences or meanynges it lyketh them selues here vnto theÌ„ this worde knowe betokeneth to here confessions The face betokeneth nat the outewarde conuersation but the secretes and priuities of conscience And catayle signifieth men Forsothe a goodly and a propre interpretation and semely for suche despysers of the studies of eloquence But if any man lyste by a similitude to translate thys instruccion from the householde keper and to apply it vnto a pastor or curate of the churche then doubtles he ought by the face to vnderstande the outwarde coÌ„uersatioÌ„ Thys shal be a more apte a more agreable similitude But let vs passe ouer these thynges some tymes there is mention made of confessioÌ„ in the psalmes as Dixi coÌ„fiteâ— or aduersum me iniustitiam meam domino et tu remisisti iniquitatem peccati mei .i. I sayde I wyll confesse and knowledge agaynst my selfe my wickednes vnto the lorde and thou haste forgiuen the wickednes of my syn Suche maner coÌ„fession of syn whiche is made vnto god is the very ryght contrition For when coÌ„fession is made vnto god it muste nedes be done with the harte and nat only with the mouthe so as is done of the players in enterludê Suche maner confession therfore is contrition in whiche we felyng perceiuyng the wrathe of god do coÌ„fesse that god is wrothe nat with out iuste cause and that he can nat be pacified with our workes And yet neuertheles we seke mercie of god for hys promyse sake Suche maner coÌ„fession is this confession of the prophete Tibi soli peccaui c. To the alone haue I synned that thou mayste be iustified mayst ouercom when thou shalt iudge that is to say I knoweledge my selfe to be a synner and to haue deserued euerlastyng wrathe neither can I set my ryghtuousnes nor my merites agaiÌ„st thy wrathe Therfore I pronounce the to be rightuous when thou doste condempne punyshe vs I pronouÌ„ce that thou haste the victorie wheÌ„ hypochrites do iudge the that thou arte vnrightuous because thou doste punyshe or condempne theÌ„ wel deseruyng it yea more ouer our merites can nat be sette agaynste thy iuâ—gement but in suche wyse we shal be iustified if thou doste iustify vs if thou dost repute vs iustified through thy mercye Perauenture suÌ„me man wyll alledge Iamys who sayeth coÌ„fesse your synnes one of you to another But he speaketh nat here of confession to be made to the preestê but in a generalitie of the reconciling of bretherne among them selues for he biddeth coÌ„fession to be made of eche to other Furthermore our aduersaries shall condeÌ„pne many of the moste approued auctours if they wyll contende that the rehersall of synnes in confession is necessary by goddê lawe For although we do approue coÌ„fession and do iudge that a certayne examination is profitable to the entent that men may be the better instructed and taught yet neuertheles the thyng is in suche wyse to be moderated and measured that consciences be nat tangled and snarled whiche vndoubtedly shall neuer be quiete if they shulde thynke that they can nat obteyne remission of sinnes onles they make that scripulous and iuste rehersal of synnes That sayeng doubtles is verie false whiche our aduersaries haue put in the coÌ„futation that an hole and perfecte confession is necessary to saluation For suche confession is vnpossible And I pray you what snares caste they here vpon the conscieÌ„ce whan they require a hole
to be inflate and inspired by the diuine influence and power and as these Anabaptistes do at this day Nowe as touchyng matrimonie vndoutedly it was nat fyrste instituted in the newe testament but forthwith in the begiÌ„ning after that mankinde was created And it hathe in mayntenaunce of it the coÌ„maundement of god it hathe also promyses but nat properly belongyng to the newe testameÌ„t but rather apperteynyng to a corporal lyfe Wher fore if any man lyste to call it a sacrament yet he ought to discerne and distincte it froÌ„ those other aboue rehersed whiche ê“perly â–ª be signes of the newe testament and be testimonies of grace and of remission of synnes That if matrimony shall therfore haue the name of a sacrament because it hathe for it the commaundement of god then other states or offices also whiche haue the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god may be called sacramentes as the state of a prince or gouernour Finally if all thinges ought to be nombred amonge the sacramentes whiche haue no mayntayne them the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of god and to which promises be added why do we nat put to prayer whiche may moste truly be called a sacrament For it hathe nat onely the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of god but also very many promises And set amonge the sacrameÌ„tes as it were in a more open and bright place dothe prouoke and allure men to pray Almouse dedes also might be rekened amonge them Also afflictions whiche be tokens to whiche god hathe added promyses but lette vs passe ouer these thynges For no wyse man wyl greately striue aboute the nombre or the name so that those thynges be reserued and kepte whiche haue the coÌ„maundemente of god and the promyses of god to maintaine and fortifye them This thynge is more necessary to vnderstaÌ„de and knowe howe we ought to vse the sacrameÌ„tes And here we dampne and vtterly dispraise the hole multitude of scolasticall doctours whiche teache that the sacramentes to hym that putteth no stoppe or impedimente of his owne parte do giue grace by the vertue of the worke that is wrought without the good mocion of the harte This is vtterly a Iudaicall opinion to thynke that we be iustified by a ceremony without good motioÌ„ of the harte that is to say without faythe And yet neuertheles this wycked and pestilente opinion is taught with greate auctoritie in all the kyngdome of the pope Paule crieth agaynst it and denieth that Abraham was iustified by circumcision and sayeth that circumcision was but a token or signe put forthe to exercise faythe So we do teache that in the vse of the sacramentes faythe ought to be put vnto whiche dothe beleue those promises dothe receiue the thiÌ„gê promysed whiche be offred in the sacramente And the reason to proue it is playne and very stronge whiche is this The promyse is vnprofitable onles it be receiued by faythe but the sacramentes be signes of the promyses Ergo in the vse of theÌ„ faythe ought to be put vnto As for example if any man shal vse the souper of the lorde let hym so vse it Because that it is a sacrament of the newe testameÌ„t as Christ playnly declareth Therfore lette hym beleue stedfastly that the thingê promised in the newe testament be geuen or offred vnto him that is to wete free remissioÌ„ of synnes And this thiÌ„g let hym receiue by faythe let hym comforte lyfte vp hys fearefull conscience and let hym thynke these testimonies nat to be deceitfull but to be so sure and vndoubted as if god with a newe miracle dyd promyse from heuen that he wyll forgyue But what shulde these miracles and promises auayle to hym that dothe nat beleue them And we speke here of special faythe whiche dothe beleue the present promyse and nat only of that faythe whiche in generall dothe beleue that god is but whiche dothe beleue that remission of synnes is offered Thys vse of sacramente dothe comforte godly and fearefull myndes But howe great a multitude of abuses haue ben brought vp in the churche through that mad opinion of the work wrought without the good motioÌ„ of the vser no man can with wordê expresse Hereof coÌ„meth that infinite defoylyng or prophanation of masses but of this we shall speake here after Neyther can there any texte ne any lettre be brought forthe of the auncient wryters whiche doth make with the scholemen in this matter But rather the contrarie S. Austine dothe playnely affyrme who sayeth the fayth or belefe of the sacrament dothe iustifie and nat the sacrament And the sayeng of Paule is knowen Corde creditur ad iustitiam With harte we beleue to Iustice. THe .xiiij. article in whiche we say that the administrations of the sacramentes of the worde in the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ is to be grauÌ„ted vnto no man onles he be in due forme maner called they do receiue vpon the condicion that we do vse canonicall ordination or giuiÌ„g of orders CoÌ„cernyng this matter we haue in this asseÌ„ble oftentimes openly witnessed that we do with all our hartes desyre to kepe the ecclesiastical ordre and discipline and the degrees in the churche euen those that be made also by mans auctorite For we do knowe that for a good and a profitable entent and purpose the ecclesiasticall discipline was ordeyned by the fathers after suche maner and fashyon as the olde auncient canones do describe But the byshopes eyther do compel our prestes to caste awaye and to condempne thys kynde of doctrine whiche we haue confessed acknowledged orels if they refuse so to do they do with meruailous straunge crueltie suche as hathe nat ben herde kyl the sely pore men and that gyltles These causes do let that our prestes can nat knowe these men for byshoppes So the crueltie of byshops is the cause wherfore the canonical ordre or discipline is some where dissolued and nat obserued whiche we dyd greatly desyre to kepe Aduise them howe they wyll make accoÌ„ptes to god for that they do in thê wyse disseuer and dissipate the churche Our consciences in this matter be clene out of daunger and ieoperdy For sythe we knowe our confession to be true godly and catholyke we ought nat to approue the crueltie of them whiche do persecute thys doctrine And we knowe that the church is amonge those â–ª whiche teache the worde of god well truly â–ª and whiche ministre the sacramentes well and duely and nat amonge them whiche nat only with theyr decrees go aboute to put away the worde of god but also sley theÌ„ that teache wel and truely To whome yea doyng any thyng coÌ„trary to the canones yet the very canones them selues be a greate deale more gentle and fauorable And here againe we do opeÌ„ly make protestation that we shall gladly obserue and kepe the ordre discipline of the churche and of the canones vpon condition that the bysshoppes cease to rage and vse thys crueltie agaynste our congregations Thys our mynde and wyll bothe before god and amonge al nations
shal excuseys to al them that shal come after vs so that it can nat be layde to our charge ne any faute can be put in vs that the auctoritie of bysshoppes is minished and enfebled when men shall reade and heare that we albeit we desyre the bysshoppes nat to vse this vniuste crueltie towardes vs yet can we iÌ„ no wyse obtayne any maner equitie or ryght of them Of mans traditions in the churche IN the .xv. article they receyue the fyrste parte in which we say that those rites and ceremonies in the churche are to be obserued which may be obserued with out any syn and whiche helpe to the keping of tranquilite and good ordre in the churche The seconde parte they vtterly condempne in which we say that mans traditions instituted to appeace god to merite grace and to satisfy for synnes be contrary to the gospell Albeit in our confession coÌ„cernyng the choyse of meares we haue spoken many thynges ynough of traditions yet this natwithstaÌ„ding certayne thingê shal here brefly be repeted For although we thought that our aduersaries wolde for other causes defende the traditions of men yet we dyd nat thynke that euer they wolde haue coÌ„dempned this our article whiche is That we deserue nat forgiuenes of siÌ„nes or grace through the obseruyng of mennes traditions Syth therfore thys article is condempned we haue an easy and a playne cause Now our aduersaries do openly play the Iewes and do openly oppresse the gospell with deuillyshe doctrines For than dothe the scripture call tradicions the doctrines of deuyls wheÌ„ it is taught that they be seruices profitable to deserue remissioÌ„ of synnes and grace For then they endymme the gospel they minishe the benefite of Christ they annulle the iustice of faythe The gospel teacheth vs that we through faythe for Christes sake frely receiue remission of sinnes and be recoÌ„ciled to god Our aduersaries coÌ„trary wyse make another mediatour that is to wete these traditioÌ„s For the traditions sake they wyll obteine remission of sinnes by these they wyll appease the wrathe of god But Christe sayth openly They honour me in vayne with the coÌ„maundementes of men We haue herebefore largely disputed that men be iustified throughe faythe whan they beleue that they haue god pacified not for our workes but frelye for Christe This is vndoubtedly the doctrine of the gospell for Paule sayth playnly to the Ephesians Ye be freely saued through faythe and that not of your selues it is the gyfte of god and coÌ„methe not of men Nowe our aduersaries say that men deserue remission of synnes by these humane obseruaunces What other thyng is this than besides Christ to set vp a nother iustifier a nother mediator Paule saythe to the Galathians Ye be fallen from Christ ye whiche be iustified by the law â–ª that is to saye if ye thynke that by the obseruynge of the lawe ye deserue to be accompted ryghtuous in the syght of god Christe shall nothing auayle you For wherunto nede they Christ which thynke them selues to be ryghtuous by theyr owne obseruynge of the lawe God hath set forthe Christe vnto vs that for this mediatours sake and not for our iustices sake he wyll be mercyfull to vs. But these men thynke that god is pacified and made mercyfull for our traditions sake and not for Christê sake They take therfâ—â—e â—om Christ the honour and prerogatiue of a mediator Neyther is there any difference betwyxte our traditions the ceremonies of Moyses law as concernynge this matter Paule therfore condempneth the ceremonies of the lawe of Moyses lykewyse as he condempneth traditions bicause they were iudged to be workes whiche dyd merite iustice in the syght of god by reason wherof the benefite of Christe and the iustice of faythe were obscured wherfore he putteth awaye the lawe he puttethe awaye traditions and proueth playnlye that not for these workes sake but for Christis sake remission of synnes is freelye promysed so that by faythe we receyue it For asmoche therfore as by faythe ne receyue remission of synnes and syth through faythe we haue god mercyfull and fauourable to vs for Christis sake it is playne errour and heresy to decree that by these obseruauÌ„ces we deserue remission of sinnes If any man do here say that we deserue not by these traditions remission of synnes but that we being alredy iustified do by these traditions deserue grace here agayne Paule cryeth agaynst hym sayeng that Christ shuld be the minister of synne if after iustification it were to be thoughte that afterwardes we be not reputed ryghtuous for Christis sake but that fyrst we ought by other obseruations to deserue to be reputed ryghtuous Also to a testament made by man nothynge ought to be added Ergo to the testament of god whiche promysethe that for Christis sake he wyll be mercyfull vnto vs it oughte not to be added that fyrste by these obseruations we ought to merite to be reputed acceptable ryghtuous Howbeit wherto nedethe any longe disputation No tradition hath ben instituted by the holy fathers for this entent that it shulde merite forgyuenes of synnes but they haue ben instituted for cause of good ordre to be had in the churche and for cause of traÌ„quilitie And though any man wolde institute certeyn workes to deserue remission of synnes or ryghtuousnes howe shall he know that those warkê please god whan he hath no testimonie or witnes of the worde of god Howe shall he make men assured of the wyll of god withoute the coÌ„maundement and worde of god Dothe not god euerywhere in the prophetes forbydde to institute any peculiar maner of honour or seruice without his coÌ„mauÌ„dement In Ezechiel it is wryten thus In the preceptes of your fathers do ye not walke neyther do ye kepe theyr iudgementes ne be ye polluted with the ydoles of them I am your lorde god â–ª walke in my preceptes and kepe my iudgementes and worke ye them If it be laufull for men to institute worshyppyngê or seruice and by the sayde seruices they merite grace â–ª than shall the honourynge seruice of all nations be to be allowed than the honours instituted by Ierohoam other without the lawe shal be to be approued For what difference is there if it hath ben laufull for vs to institute seruices profitable to merite grace or iustice whye was not the same thynge laufull to the gentyles and to the chyldren of Israel But therfore were the honours of the Gentyles and of the Israelites disalowed because they thought them selues by the sayde honours to merite remission of sinnes and iustice and dyd not knowe the iustice of fayth Finally wherby be we made sure that honours or seruices instituted by men without the coÌ„maundement of god do iustifie For of the wyll pleasure of god nothynge can be affermed without the worde of god What if god dothe not accepte ne allowe these seruices Howe than do oure aduersaries afferme that they iustifie sythe this thynge can
prayed vnto her shulde dye with out housell Another of them sayd ouer the hole psalter dayly standyng on the one foote Some wyse man paynted a Christofore that is to say a bearer of Christ whiche wolde signifie by an allegorie that there had nede to be greate streÌ„gth of mynde in theÌ„ whiche shulde beare Christe that is to saye whiche shulde teache the gospel or confesse and acknowlege Christ because that suche one muste nedes abyde great ieopardies Afterwardes folyshe freers taught amonge the people to call and pray to Christofore as though there had ben ones suche a Polypheme that is for to saye suche a greate gyauÌ„t in very dede And where as sayntê in dede haue done very greate thinges eyther profitable to the comon weale or els conteynynge priuate examples the rehersall wherof shulde be very profitable bothe to establyshe the faythe and also to ê“uoke other to folowe theyr actê no man sought out these thynges out of the true histories Undoubtedly it is profitable to heare howe holy men dyd administre comen weales what chauÌ„ces what ieoperdies they put them selues in how holy men dyd helpe kynges in greate ieopardies howe they taughte the gospell what disputations and batayles they had with heretikes The examples also of mercy be profitable as when we see that Peter was ê‘doned the denieng of his maister that Cyprian was forgyuen that he was a negromancer whan we se Augustine in his syckenes prouinge the strengthe of faythe to afferme stedfastlye that god dothe in dede heare the prayers of them that do beleue Suche maner exaÌ„ples which do conteyne eyther faythe or feare or administration gouernaunce of the comen weale it were profitable to be recited But certayn hypocrites or stage players not indued with any knowlege eyther of faythe or of gouernynge of comen weales haue imagined tales countrefaytynge the workes of poetes in whiche be nothyng els but only superstitious exaÌ„ples of certeyn prayers of certeyn fastes and there be added also certeyne thinges makyng for lucre As for example the fayned miracles of the Rosaries and lyke ceremonies Neither is it nede to reherse heare any examples For there be legendê as they cal them glasses of examples and Rosaries in whiche there be many thynges not vnlyke to the true narrations of Luciane in whiche is neuer a true worde These wonderfull and wycked tales byshoppes diuines religious men do fauour and allowe because they make for the belye But vs they may not abyde which to th entent that the honour benefite of Christ myght the more be sene do not require inuocation of sayntes and do rebuke the abuses in the honouryng of sayntes And notwithstandyng that all good men euerywhere do desire either the auctoritie of the byshops or the diligence of the preachers in the redressyng of these abuses yet our aduersaries in the confutation do vtterly dissemble and wyll not be a knowen euen of those vices which be manifest and open as thoughe if the confutation were receyued they wolde compelle vs to allowe euen the most knowen euident abuses So disceytfully is the confutation made not onely in this place but almoste euerywhere There is no place in which they do discerne the manifest abuses from their decrees and opinions And yet amonge them selues if any be wyser than other they do graunte that many false persuations do stycke in the doctrine of schole men canonistes and besydes this that many abuses haue cropen in to the churche throughe the greate ignoraunce and negligence of pastors and curates For Luther was not the fyrste whiche complayned of open abuses Many ryghte connynge and excellent men haue longe before these dayes sorowed and bewayled the abuses of the masse the truste in the obseruaunces of monkes and freers the gaynfull worshyppynge of sayntê the confuse darkenes of the doctrine of penaunce whiche ought to be euen most playne and open of all other in the churche We our selues haue herde excellent diuines saye that there waÌ„teth measure in the doctrine of scole men wherin is conteyned moche more philosophicall braullyng than godlynes And yet amonge these the olde men be more nere to the scripture than the wryters of late tyme. So the diuinitie of them hath thus gone out of kynde more and more Neyther was there any other cause to many good men whiche beganne to loue Luther at the begynnyng then that they sawe hym to rydde and delyuer the myndes of men from those endeles mases of mooste confuse and enuegeled disputations whiche be amonge the schole diuines and canonistes and to teache thynges profitable to true vertuous lyuynge Wherfore our aduersaries dyd very maliciouslye that whan they wolde haue vs agree to the confutation they dyd dissemble and speake no worde of the abuses And if they wolde the welthe and profite of the Churche they ought speciallye in this place in this occasion to exhort the Emperours maiestie that he wolde take counsell coÌ„cernyng the redresse of these abuses whom we perceyued very euidently to be most desyrous of well orderynge and healynge of the churche But our aduersaries go not aboute to helpe and further the most honeste and holy entente and purpose of themperoure but that they maye oppresse vs by all maner meanes Many euidente tokens shewe that for the churche they take lytle thoughte They gyue no diligence that the people maye haue amonge them some certeyn fourme of decrees and opinions in the churche Manifest abuses they defende with a newe straunge crueltie They suffre no worthye teachers in the churche What they entende by these thyngê good men maye easelye iudge But by this waye they neyther ê“uyde well for theyr owne kyngdome neyther yet for the churche For whaÌ„ the good teachers be burned and slayne and the true doctrine is oppressed afterward there shall ryse madde and frantike persones whom our aduersaries shall not be able to represse whiche shall trouble the churche with wycked opinions and shall ouerthrowe the hole ordre of the Churche whiche we desyre very greately to conserue and kepe Wherfore we beseche praye you moste noble emperour Charles for the glorie of Christe which we do not doubte but your maiestie desyreth to garnyshe set forthe and encrease that ye wyll not assente to the violente counsayles of oure aduersaries but that ye wyll seke other honest wayes of makyng concorde and peace in suche wyse that godly consciences be not ouercharged ne any crueltie be exercised vpon innoceÌ„t men so as we haue sene vsed yet hytherto nor the holsome and true doctrine in the churche be oppressed This seruice ye mooste speciallye owe vnto god to conserue I meane the ryght and holsome doctrine and to prouyde that it maye come to them which shall folowe after your tyme and to defende them that teache the ryghte and true doctrine For this thyng god requireth whan he garnyshethe kynges with his owne name and callethe them goddes sayenge I sayde ye be goddes that is
se what confession auayleth without absolutioÌ„ But if they do nat seperate the receyuing of absolution from confession they muste nedes thynke that faythe is a parte of penauÌ„ce For absolution is nat receiued but by fayth And that absolution is nat receiued but by faythe it may be proued by Paule whiche teacheth that the promyse can nat be receiued but by faythe Howe absolution is the promyse of the remission of synnes Therfore it dothe necessarily require faythe And we do nat se howe he can be sayde to receiue absolution whiche dothe nat assente and agre to it And what other thyng is it nat to agre to the absolution then to accuse god of a lye If the barte dothe doubte it thynketh that those thynges be vncerteyne vayne whiche god dothe promise Therfore it is wrytten in the epistle of Iohan whosoeuer beleueth nat god maketh hym a lyer because he dothe nat beleue in the testimonye whiche god hathe witnessed of his sonne Secondaryly we suppose that our aduersaries do graunt that remission of synnes is eyther parte or the ende or terminus ad queÌ„ as they vse to speake of penauÌ„ce or repentauÌ„ce ergo that thyng wherby remissioÌ„ of synnes is receyued is of ryght added to the partes of penaunce But most certayne it is most vndoubted although al the gates of helle wolde crye agaynste it that remission of synnes can nat be receiued but only by fayth whiche beleueth that sinnes be forgyuen for Christê sake according to that sayeng of Paule to the Romaines whom god hathe set forthe a propitiator by faythe in the bloude of hym Also in the fyfthe to the Romaynes By whom we haue waye throughe faythe into grace c. For the troubled arraryed coâ—icence can nat plede nor laye agaynste the wrathe of god theyr owne workes or loue but so is only the conscience made quiete when it receiueth the mediatour Christe and beleueth the promises gyuen for hys sake for they do nat perceyue what remission of synnes is or howe it cometh to vs which dreame that hartes be set at peace without faythe in Christe Peter alledgeth out of Esaye thys sayeng whosoeuer shall beleue in hym shall nat be confounded or ashamed â–ª Wherfore hypocrites muste neues be confounded which truste that they receiue remission of synnes for theyr owne workê and nat for Christes sake And Peter sayth in the actes To him all the prophetes beare witnes that al whiche beleue in him do receiue remission of synnes throughe his name It coulde nat be spoken more manifestly than yâ— he sayth throughe his name And he addeth all that beleue in hym We do only therfore thus receiue remission of synnes through the name of Christe that is to wete for Christes sake â–ª and nat for any meritê or workes of our owne And this is so done when we beleue that synnes be forgyuen vs for Christes sake Our aduersaries crye out that they be the churche that they do folowe the coÌ„sent of the church But Peter here in thys our cause alledgeth also the coÌ„sent of the churche To him sayth he al the prophetes beare wytnes that by his name they receiue remission cÌ„ Undoubtedly the consente of the prophetes is to be iudged the consente of the vniuersall churche We do neyther grauÌ„t to the byshop of Rome neither yet vnto the church power or authoritie to decre agaynst this coÌ„sent of the ê“phetes But the Bulle of Leo byshop of Rome do openly condempne this article of remission of sinnes our aduersaries do also coÌ„dempne it in theyr confutation By whiche thynge it appereth what maner churche theyr churche is to be iudged whiche not onely with decrees disalowe this sentence that remission of synnes is purchased by faith not for our workes but for Christ but also coÌ„maunde to destroy that sentence and opinion with violence and with the swerde They coÌ„mauÌ„de also with all kynd of crueltie to destroye the good men whiche be of the same opinion and mynde But they wyll saye that they haue greate and famous authours for them as maister Duns Gabriel â–ª and other lyke the sayenges also of fathers â–ª whiche be recited in the decrees but maymed and vnperfecte Certes if we shulde falle to numbring of testimonies they haue the better bande For there is a great rablement of tryfelyng wryters vpon the mayster of the Sentencies whiche do euen as it were conspire to gether in defendyng these figmentes lyes of the merite of attricion and of workes and the thynges whiche we haue here to fore recyted But let no man be moued with the multitude of them For thauctoritie is not greate of the late wryters whiche were not the fathers of theyr owne wrytynges but onely embesylyng and robbyng the olde fathers dyd shyfre and turmoyle opinions forth of one boke in to an other They vsed no maner iugemeÌ„t but only after the fashyon of the Senatours whiche were called Pedarij without any wordes allowed the errours of them that had writen before whom they perceyued not We therfore wyll not be afraide to set this sayenge of Peter who allegeth the consente of the prophetê agaynst the legions of sententiaries be they neuer so manye And to this preachynge of Peter is added the testimonie of the holy gost For thus sayth the texte Adhuc loquente Petro uerba haec cecidit spiritus sanctus sup omnes qui audiebant uerbum .1 And as Peter was yet speakynge these wordes the holy ghoste lyghted vpon al them which dyd heare the worde Let all good godly consciences therfore knowe that this is the coÌ„maundement of god that they shulde beleue theyr synnes to be freelye forgyuen them for Christes sake and not for our owne workes And with this coÌ„maundement of god let them strengthen and susteyne them selues agaynst desperation and agaynst the terrours of synne and of deathe And let them knowe that this senteÌ„ce opinion hath always remayned in the churche amoÌ„ge holy and good men sythe the begynnynge of the worlde For Peter dothe clearely alledge the consent of the prophetes And the writynges of thapostles testifie that they were of the same mynde we haue also testimonies of the fathers For Barnarde sayth the sawe in playn and open wordes Necesse est enim primo omnium credere quod remissionem peccatoruÌ„ habere noÌ„ possis nisi per indulgeÌ„tiam dei sed adde adhuc ut credas hoc quod per ipsum peccata tibi donantur Hoc est testimonium quod ê‘hibet spiritus sanctus in corde tuo dicens dimissa sunt tibi peccata tua Sic enim arbitratur apostolus gratis iustificari hominem per fidem .i. For it is necessarye fyrste of all to beleue that thou canste not haue forgyuenes of synnes but by the indulgence of god but adde yet hereunto so that thou doste beleue this also that by hym thy synnes be forgyuen the. This is the testimonie which the holy ghost heareth in thy herte
worke it may holde her handes from murdre from adulterie from thefte Sythe there is lefte in the nature of man reason and iudgement of thynges sensible there is lefte also a choyse of these thynges and a libertie and power to worke ciuile iustice For yâ— doth the scripture cal the iustice of the flesshe whiche iustice carnal nature that is to say reason dothe worke by her owne selfe withoute the holy ghooste howbeit the strength of concupiscence is so greate that men do more often obeye and folowe lewde affections than the ryght iudgement And the deuyll who hath greate power ouer wycked persones as saynt Paule saythe dothe not ceasse to styrre and prouoke this weyke nature vnto diuerse and sondry synnes These be the causes wherfore euen ciuile iustice also is so seldome a thynge amonge men that as â—e do see not the philosophers them selues haue attayned it whiche seme to haue greately desyred it But this is a false sayeng to say that man doth not synne whiche dothe the workes of the coÌ„maundementê out of grace And they adde also more that remission of synnes and iustification is due of necessitie to suche maner workes For the hertes of men without the holy ghoste be without feare of god without trust towardes god they do not beleue that they be herde of god that theyr synnes be forgyuen that they be holpen and saued of god Therfore they be wycked But so it is that an euyll tree can not brynge forthe good frutes And without faythe it is impossible to please god Wherfore although we graunt vnto frewyll libertie and power to worke the outwarde workes of the lawe yet we graunt not to frewyll power to worke spirituall workes that is to witte to drede god truelye to beleue and truste in god truelye to decree with it selfe truelye and to thynke that god dothe loke vpon vs doth heare vs dothe forgyue vs. c. These be the verye workes of the fyrst table whiche maÌ„nes herte can not worke without the holye ghooste as Paule saythe The naturall man that is to saye man vsynge onely his naturall powers dothe not perceyue those thynges whiche be of god And this may be iudged if men consydre howe the hertes do thynke of the wyll of god whether they do verelye decree with them selues that they be fauoured and herde of god This fayth it is an herde thyng euen for holy men also to kepe and holde fast ergo moche lesse it is in wycked men and it is receyued as we sayd before whan hertê thrughly made affrayde do heare the gospell and do take consolation and conforte This distribution therfore or diuision is profitable in whiche ciuile iustice is assigned and gyuen to frewyll spirituall iustice to the gouernauÌ„ce of the holy hhoste in them that be regenerate and borne agayne in Christe For so is kepte and reteyned good ordre and discipline For all men ought to knowe bothe that god dothe require that ciuile iustice and that we be able after a certeine maner to ê‘fourme fulfyll it And yet neuertheles there is shewed the diuersitie betwyxte ciuile iustice and spirituall iustice betwyxte philosophicall iustice and the doctrine of the holy ghoste and it may be ê‘ceiued where we haue nede of the holy ghoste Neyther is this diuision fyrst inuented by vs â–ª but the scripture dothe moste euideÌ„tly teache it Augustine also treateth of the same and of late dayes it was very well handeled of Wyllyam of Parrhise but it is vngraciously and wyckedly troden vnder foote and oppressed by them whiche haue dreamed that men may obeye the lawe of god without the holy ghoste And that the holye ghoost is gyuen there where is respecte of merites ⧠Of the cause of synne THe .xix. article our aduersaries receyue in whiche we confesse that althoughe one god alone hath created made all nature and doth conserue and kepe all thingê that be yet that notwithstandynge the cause of synne is in the deuyll and men a wyll turnynge it selfe awaye from god accordynge to the sayenge of Christe of the deuyll Cum loquitur mendacium ex propriâ—s loquitur Whan he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his owne ⧠Of workes IN the .xx. article they put these wordê expressely that they do reiecte and disalowe our sayenge that men do not merite forgyuenes of synnes by good workes This article they do saye openly and playnly that they do reiecte disalowe What is to be sayd in a matter so manifest Here the workmaysters of the confutation do openly shewe and declare with what spirite they be moued and ledde For what is more certein vndoubted in the churche thaÌ„ that forgyuenes of sinnes coÌ„meth freely for Christê sake that Christe is the mercy stocke for our synnes not oure workes as Peter sayth To hym all the prophetê beare witnesse that in his name al they that beleue in hym do receyue remission of synnes To this churche of the prophetes let vs assente and agree rather than to these vngratious writers of the coÌ„futation whiche so boldely without shame blaspheme Christe For although there haue ben certein writers whiche haue thought that after the remission of synnes men be ryghtuouse in the syghte of god not by fayth but by the selfe workes yet dyd they neuer thinke this that the remission of synnes doth come for our workes sake and not freelye for Christis sake Therfore this blasphemye is not to be suffred that the honoure of Christe be gyuen translated to our workê These diuines be ashamed of nothiÌ„g if they dare pronounce suche maner sentence in the Churche And we do not doubte but that the Emperours maiestie and the mooste parte of the princis wolde in no wyse leaue this place remaynynge in the confutation if they were admonyshed ⧠⧠We coulde in this place recite infinite authorities and testimonies of the scripture and of the fathers but we haue sayd many thynges alredye of this matter heretofore And there is no nede to reherse many testimonies vnto hym whiche knowethe wherfore Christe was gyuen vnto vs and whiche knoweth that Christ is the mercy stocke for our synnes Esaie sayth The lorde hath layde on hym the iniquities of vs. Our aduersaries do teache the coÌ„trary that god dothe laye our iniquities not on Christe but on our owne workes Neyther it lustethe me here to tell what maner workê they teache We do se an horrible decree to be made agaiÌ„st vs whiche shulde feare vs a greate dele more if we dyd stryue aboute doubtfull or tryflynge matters But nowe for asmoche as our consciences do vnderstande and knowe that oure aduersaries condempne the manifeste truthe the defence wherof is necessarye to the hole churche and dothe amplifie and set forth the glorie of Christ we easyly despise al terrours and punyshementes of the worlde and with a bolde mynde we shall abyde and suffre if any thyng is to be suffred for the glorie of Christ and for
of the lord dothe nat coÌ„ferre ne gyue grace by the vertue of the worke that is wrought neyther when it is applyed for other men eyther quicke or deade dothe deserue forgyuenes of synnes neyther a culpa as they saye neyther yet a pena And the cleare and stronge probation of thys state is thys because it is impossible to obteyne remissioÌ„ of siÌ„nes for our owne worke by the vertue of the worke wrought but by fayth must the terrours of synne and of death be ouercomen when we comforte our hartes with the knowledge of Christe and thynke â–ª that we be forgyuen for Christê sake and that the merites and iustice of Christe be giuen vnto vs as Paule to the Romaynes sayth Iustificati ex fide pacem habemus that is to say Being iustified by saythe we haue peace â–ª These thinges be so vndoubted and so stronge and sure that they be able to stande agaynste al the gates of hell If we ought to haue sayde asmuch as nede is thaÌ„ is our cause alredy at an ende For no maÌ„ onles he be madde can allowe that pharisaicall hethen parsuasion of the worke wrought And yet this persuasion contynueth and stycketh faste among the people and this persuasion hathe encreased masses to infinite nombre For masses be hyred to appease the wrathe of god and by this worke they wyl obteyne remission a culpa et pena they wyll obteyne whatsoeuer they nede in all thys lyfe They wyl also delyuer deade men This pharisaicall opinion haue freers and sophisters taught in the churche Albeit we haue sufficiently declared our cause alredy yet that natwistaÌ„dyng because our aduersaries do wreste many scriptures folyshely to the defense of theyr errours we shal adde a fewe thynges to this place They haue spokeÌ„ many thynges of sacrifice in the confutation where as we in our confession purposely dyd eschue that name because of ambiguitie and doubtfull takyng of the worde We haue declared the thyng what these men do meane nowe by sacrifice whose abuses we do repreue and speake agaynste But nowe to the entent we may declare the scriptures wroÌ„gfully wrested it is necessary fyrste at the begynnynge to expoune what sacrifice is All these hole tenne yeres our aduersaries haue made almost infinite volumes of sacrifice And yet hathe none of them all hytherto put the diffinition of sacrifice All only they take the name of sacrifice eyther out of the scriptures â—rels out of the workes of the fathers That done they putte dreames of theyr owne ymagination as though sacrifice dyd betokeÌ„ whatsoeuer pleaseth them ⧠⧠What is sacrifice and whiche be the kyndes of sacrifice ⧠SOcrates in the worke of Plato entitled Phaedrus saythe that himselfe was moste desirous of distinctioÌ„s or diuisioÌ„s because without them nothynge can be declared by speakyng ne yet by vnderstanding And if he fouÌ„de any man connyng of diuiding him he sayeth he wayted vpon and folowed hys steppes as though he were a god And he byddeth hym that deuideth to cutte the membres and partê in the verie ioyntes leaste he brouse breake any membre after the fashyon of an euyl coke But these pÌ„ceptes our aduersaries do hyghly despyse and in very dede as Plato sayeth they be naughty cokes corruptyng the membres of sacrifice as it shal be perceyued when we shall reherse and recken vp the kyndes of sacrifice The diuines be wonte and that verie well to put a difference betwixt a sacramente and a sacrifice Let therfore ceremony or holy worke be Genus as the logiciane speaketh yâ— is to say the general terme vnto them bothe A sacrament is a ceremony or an holy worke in which god gyueth vnto vs that thing whiche the ê“myse annexed to the ceremony doth offre as baptisme is a worke nat whiche we offre vnto god but in whiche god dothe baptize vs that is to wete the minister in the stede of god and here god offereth and gyueth remission of siÌ„nes c. accordyng to his promise Qui crediderit baptizatus fuerit saluus erit who soeuer shall beleue be baptised shal be saued On the other syde a sacrifice is a ceremonie or a worke whiche we gyue vnto god to honour and worshyp him with all And there be two nerest kyndes of sacrifice â–ª and there be no mo The one kynde is called sacrificium propitiatorium whiche ye may cal in englysshe a sacrifice of raunsom that is to say a worke makyng satisfactioÌ„ bothe for the offence and the punyshement that is to say reconciling god or pacifieng the wrathe of god or whiche meriteth to other men remission of synnes The other kynde is sacrificium eucharisticon whiche in the englysshe tongue a man may cal a sacrifice of thankes gyuinge whiche deserueth nat forgyuenes of sinnes or reconciliation but is done of them that be reconciled to the entent to gyue thankes or to rendre thankes for remission of synnes and other benefites whiche they haue receyued of god These two kyndes of sacrifice we muste bothe in this controuersie and also in many other disputations haue alwayes in syght before our eyes and we wust with singular diligeÌ„ce take hede that they be nat coÌ„founded and mengled to gether That if the quantitie of this boke wold suffre it â–ª we wolde adde also the reasons of this our diuision For it hathe sufficient authorities and testimonies in the epistle of Paule to the Hebrues in other places And al the leuitical sacrificies may be reduced and brought to these membres as to theyr owne ê“pre houses For they were called in the lawe certayne propitiatorie sacrifices because of theyr signification or similitude â–ª and nat because they dyd merite remission of synnes before god but because they dyd merite remission of synnes as touchiÌ„g to the iustice of the lawe so that they for whom suche sacrifice were made shuld nat be excluded from this polecie or comen weale And therfore Holocaustum pro pâ—ccato and Holocaustum pro delicto that is to saye an hole brent sacrifice for synne and an hole brent sacrifice for a fault or offense these I say were called propiciatorie sacrificies But oblation libation retributioÌ„s fyrst frutes tenthes al these were called sacrificê Eucharistical that is to say sacrifices of thankê gyuyng But in very dede there was but onely one sacrifice propitiatorie in the worlde and that was the death of Christe as the epistle to the Hebrues teacheth whiche sayeth Impossibile est sanguine tauâ—orum et hircorum auferri peccata that is to say It is impossible that synnes shulde be taken away by the bloude of bulles and gotes And a lytle after he sayeth of the wyl of Christ. In whiche wyl we be santified by the oblation of the body of Iesu Christe ones for euer And Esaie interpretith the lawe to the entent that we shulde knowe the deathe of Christe to be verie satisfaction for our synnes or purgatioÌ„ nat the ceremonies of
the lawe and therfore he sayeth After that he shall haue gyuen hys lyfe an hoste or sacrifice for synnes he shal se sede or posteritie of longe contynuaunce c. For the hebrue worde whiche Esaie dothe vse in this place betokenith sacrifice for syn whiche sacrifice iÌ„ the lawe dyd betoken that there was a certayne hoste or sacrifice to come whiche shulde make satisfaction for our synnes and shulde recoÌ„cile god to the ende that men shulde knowe that nat for our owne ryghtuousnes but for the merites of another that is to wete of Iesu Christe god is wyllyng to be reconciled to vs. Paule expoundeth the same hebrue worde to signifie or betoken synne in the viii chapitre to the Romaynes sayenge By synne he condempned synne that is to saye â—e punyshed synne by the hoste or sacrifice offred for synne The signification and strengthe of the worde may be more easely perceiued by the maners of the gentiles whiche we se to haue bene taken of the wordes of the fathers nat ryghtly vnderstaÌ„ded Latine men dyd cal piaculuÌ„ that hoste or sacrifice whiche was offred in greate calamities to pacifie the wrathe of god when god semed to be excedingly angry and sometime they made sacrifice with maÌ„nes bloude because peraduenture they had herâ—e that the sacrifienge of a man shulde in tyme cuÌ„myng appease god to all mankynde The Grekes haue called them in some place Catharmata and in some place Peripsemata Esaie therfore and Paule do vnderstaÌ„de that Christ was made an oblatioÌ„ or sacrifice suche as latine men do call Piaculum that by hys merites and nat by ours god shulde be reconciled Let this therfore remayne and abyde in the cause that onely the deathe of Christe is the very true ê“pitiatorie sacrifice For those leuiticall propitiatorie sacrifices were called so onely to signifie the verie propitiatorie sacrifice that was to come And therfore by a certayne similitude and lykenes they were satisfactions redemynge the iustice of the lawe leste they which had offeÌ„ded shulde be excluded from that comen weale But these sayde sacrifices ought to cease after that the gospel was ones reueled and brought to lyght And because they ought to cease at the tyme of the reuelation of the gospell they were nat verie propitiations sythe the gospell was therfore promysed to gyue and shewe propitiation Nowe remayne only Eucharistical sacrifices whiche be called sacrifices of prayse preachyng of the gospel faythe inuocatioÌ„ thaÌ„kê gyuing confession the afflictions of holy meÌ„ yea al good workes of sayntes These sacrifices be nat satisfactions for the doers of them or satisfactions that may be applied for other folke whiche may meritie vnto them remissioÌ„ of synnes or reconciliation by the vertue of the worke wrought For they be done of them that be alredy reconciled And suche maner sacrifices be the sacrifices of the newe testamente as Peter teacheth in his fyrste epistle sayeng To an holye presthod that ye shulde offre spirituall hoostes and sacrifices Howe spirituall sacrifices be set agaynst as coÌ„trary not onely to the sacrificing of beastes but also to the workes of men whiche be offred because of the worke wroughte For this worde spirituall betokenethe motions of the holye ghoste in vs. Paule teacheth the same whan he saythe Offre your bodyes as a quicke sacrifice holye and a reasonable seruice But by reasonable seruice or honour is betokened that seruice in whiche god is vnderstanded and perceyued in the mynde as is done in the motions of feare and of truste towardes god Therfore it is not onely set agaynst the leuiticall honour or seruice in whiche beastê were slayne but also that honour or seruice in whiche is fayned a worke to be offered by the vertue of the worke wrought The same thynge dothe the epistle to the Hebrues teache whiche saythe By hym let vs offre sacrifice of prayse alwayes vnto god and he addethe the interpÌ„tation that is to witte the frute of lyppes coÌ„fessyng his name He byddeth vs offre prayses that is to say inuocation thaÌ„kes gyuyng confession or knowlegyng of his name and other semblable thynges These thyngê be of strengthe not by the vertue of the worke wroughte but by the meanes of faythe And this teacheth this ê‘ticle by him let vs offre that is to say by faythe in Christe Breuely the seruice and worshyppyng coÌ„maunded by the newe testament is spiritual that is to say is iustice of faythe in the herte and the frutes of faythe Therfore it dothe abrogate the leuiticall sacrifices And Christe saythe The true worshyppers shall worshyppe the father in spirite and truthe For suche worshyppers wolde the father haue to worshyp hym God is a spirite they that â—orshyp hym muste worshyp hym in spirite and truthe This texte clerely condempneth the opinions of all suche sacrifices whiche they fayne to be of strengthe by the reason of the worke wrought And it teacheth also that we muste worshyp in spirite yâ— is to say with motions of the herte and faythe Therfore the prophetê also in the olde testament coÌ„dempne the opinion of the people whiche they had of the worke wrought and do teache ryghtuousnes sacrifices of the spirite For thus sayth the prophete Hieremie I haue not spoken with your fathers nor I haue not gyuen them coÌ„maundement in that daye whan I broughte them out of Aegipte of any sacrifices But this worde I coÌ„mauÌ„ded them sayeng Heare and obey my wordes and I wyll be your god c. After what fashyon shulde we thynke that the Iewes dyd herken receyue this sermon whiche semeth to be clene repugnant and contrarye to the lawe of Moyses For this was vndoubtedly knowen that god had gyuen coÌ„maundement to the fathers of diuerse maner sacrifices But Hieremie condempneth the opinion whiche they had of sacrifices This opinion god dyd neuer teathe them yâ— is to witte that those sacrifices shuld pacifie hym by the worke wrought He addeth also faythe that god had coÌ„maunded it whan he sayth Herken me that is to say beleue me that I am your god that I wyl so be knowen whan I do shewe mercy and whaÌ„ I do helpe and yâ— I haue no nede of your sacrifices truste surely that I wyll be god a iustifier a sauiour not for your workes sake but for my worde and my promyse sake desyre loke for helpe of me truelye and from your hartes The psalme also dothe condempne the opinion of the worke wroughte whiche refusynge the sacrifice of beastes requireth inuocation â–ª and the sacrifice of prayse For thus it sayth Shall I eate the flesshe of bulles of gotes c. Call vpon me in the tyme of tribulation and I wyll delyuer the and thou shalte worshyp and honoure me c. Here he witnesseth that this is the very latria the very true honour if we do hertely call vpon hym Also in the .xxxix. psalme it is wryten Sacrifice oblation thou woldest none of but thou haste made
alledge yâ— auctoritie of scripture and say that this theyr decree is expressed in the scriptures Besydes this they do iniurie and dishonour to Christe in sayenge that meÌ„ by Monastical lyfe do merite eternal lyfe God dothe not gyue this honoure no not to his owne lawe that it shulde merite eternall lyfe as he hym selfe sayth playnly in the .xx. chapitre of Ezechiel I gaue vnto them preceptes that were not good and iudgementes in whiche they shall not lyue Fyrste this is vndoubted that monkyshe lyfe dothe not merite remission of synnes but that we freely receâ—ue it by fayth as it hath ben said before SecoÌ„dly this also is wryten that for Christê sake thrughe mercye is gyuen eternall lyfe to them whiche by fayth receyue remission and pleade not theyr owne merites agaynste the iudgement of god as Barnarde most grauely and wysely dothe say It is necessarye saythe he fyrst of all to beleue that remission of synnes can not be obteyned nor had but by goddes indulgence and pardone Secundarilye that thou cannest haue no good worke onles he gyueth it vnto the. Finally that thou can nest not by no maner workes merite eternall lyfe oneles it also be freelye gyuen Other thynges that folowe concernynge the same senteÌ„ce we haue heretofore recited And Barnarde addeth in the ende these wordê Let no man deceyue hym selfe For if he coÌ„sidre wel he shall fynde without any doubte that he is not able no not with tenne thousandê to mete hym which cometh agaynst hym with twenty thousandes Sythe than it is so that not so moche as by the workes of goddê law we can merite remission of sinnes or eternall lyfe but it is necessary to seke the mercy promysed in Christ moche lesse is suche honour to be gyuen to Monasticall obseruauÌ„ces seinge theyr be nothynge elles but traditions of men that they shulde deserue remission of synnes or eternall lyfe Thus they vtterly destroye and burye the gospell of free remission of synnes and of receyuiÌ„g the mercy ê“mysed in Christ who soeuer teache yâ— the monkyshe lyfe dothe merite remission of synnes or eternall lyfe and they translate the truste whiche is due to Christe vnto those folyshe obseruaunces In the stede of Christe they worshyp thyr owne coulles theyr owne fylthynes And in asmuch as they theÌ„ selues also do nede mercy they do wyckedly in that they fayne meriteâ— of super erogation and sell them to other We speake the more briefly of these thynges because by the matters whiche we haue spoken before of iustification of repentaunce of humayne traditions it is euident ynoughÌ„e that monasticall vowes be nat the pryce for which remission of synnes and eternall lyfe be gyueÌ„ And sythe it is so that Christ him selfe dothe call traditions vnprofitable honours and seruices they be in no wyse euaÌ„gelical perfectioÌ„ But our aduersaries wolde full wylyly seme to moderate the comen ê‘suasion of pefection They wyll nat say that monastical lyfe is perfection but they say it is the state of gettyng perfetion In faythe properly sayde and we remeÌ„bre that this correction is made in Gersones workes For it apperith that wyse men offendid with those vnmeasurable prayses of monastical lyfe because they durst nat vtterly take from it the prayse of perfection they addyd this correction that it is the state of gettyng perfection If we folowe this opinion so shall monastical lyfe be no whyt more the state of perfection than is the lyfe of the plouman or of the carpenter For these be also states of gettyng perfectioÌ„ For all men of whatsoeuer callynge they be oughte to desyre perfection that is to wete to growe and encrease in the feare of god in fayth in louing of thyr neyghbour and in lyke spirituall vertues We reade in histories examples of Eremites saynt Antony and other whiche make the kyndes of lyuyng egal one to another It is wryten that to Antony when he desyred of god to knowe howe muche he had profyted in this kynde of lyuynge there was shewed in his dreame a certayne shomaker dwellyng in the citie of Alexandrie to whom he was compared On the morowe after Antony coÌ„mith into the citye and goeth vnto the shomaker to searche and knowe his exercises and gyftes When he had spoken with the man he hearith nothynge of hym but that he dyd euery mornynge in fewe wordes pray for the hole citie and afterwardê dyd applye his crafte and occupation Here Antony perceiued that iustification is nat to be imputed to that sorte of lyuing whiche he had taken vpon hym and professed But our aduersaries although they now moderate the prayses of perfection yet in very dede they thynke otherwyse For they sell merites and apply them for other vndre this preteÌ„ce that they obserue bothe the preceptes and also the couÌ„sayles Wherfore in very dede they thinke that they haue merites mo then they nede What is to chaleÌ„ge ê‘fectioÌ„ vnto them selues if this be nat Furthermore it is put in the coÌ„futation that religious men labour to lyue more nere vnto the rule of the gospel It doth therfore put perfection in the traditions of men if religious men lyue more neare to the rule of the gospell because they haue nothing propre but all comen because they lyue without wyues because they obey theyr rule in garmentes meates and other lyke trifles Also the confutation sayeth that religious men merite more pleÌ„teously euerlasting lyfe it alledgith the scripture Qui reliquerit domaÌ„ c. Whosoeuer shal forsake house here god wote the scripture gyueth perfection to these counterfaited and fained religious But this place of scripture maketh nothynge for monasticall lyfe For Christe dothe nat meane that to forsake father and mother wyfe or breâ—herne is a worke therfore to be done because it dothe merite remission of synnes and eternall lyfe Yea that forsakyng is a cursed forsaking For it is done with the iniury of Christe if any maÌ„ wyl therfore forsake father or mother or wyfe thaâ— by this selfe worke he may merite remission of synnes and eternall lyfe But there be two maner of forsakynges one is done without callyng and without the coÌ„maundemente of god this forsaking and renouncing Christ alloweth nat For workê chosen of our selues be vnprofitable seruices And hereof it apperith more euideÌ„tly that Christ dothe nat loue this ronnyng away or forsakyng because he speakith of forsaking wyfe and chyldren But we knowe that the coÌ„maundement of god forbyddeth to forsake wyfe and chyldren There is another maner forsakynge whiche is done by the coÌ„maundement of god that is to wete when tyrauntes or they whiche haue auctoritie ouer vs compell vs to denye the gospell or â—o breake goddes coÌ„maundement Here in this case we haue coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t that we shulde rather suffre wronge rather suffre nat onely our goodes our wyfe our chyldren to be takeÌ„ from vs but euen our lyfe also This maner renouÌ„cyng or forsakyng Christ dothe allowe and therfore he addith these wordes for the gospell
I pray you what incoÌ„uenience ensueth of the opinioÌ„ of our aduersaries if it shulde be thought that Christe dyd onely meryte the fyrste grace or fauoure as they cal it and afterwardes we be accepted for our owne fulfyllinge of the lawe and do deserue eternall lyfe when shall conscyencies be quiete when shal they be assured that they haue the fauour of god for the lawe alwayes accuseth vs as Paule sayeh Lex iraÌ„ operatur the lawe worketh wrathe So shall it come to passe that yf the conscyence shal fele the iudgement of the lawe they shall runne in to desperatyon Paule sayth All that euer is not of fayth is synne But these persons wyl neuer worke any thynge by faythe yf they shuld neuer thynke them selues to haue god gracyous and louinge vnto theÌ„ but when they haue fulfylled the lawe yea rather they shall euidently perceyue that they haue nat satisfyed it And therfore they shall neuer determyne within them selues that they haue goddes fauour and that theyr prayer is hard â–ª and consequently they shal neuer loue they shall neuer truly worshyppe god Suche maner of hartes and myndes what other thynge be they but very helle it selfe syth they be ful of desperatyon and of the hatred of god and yet in thys hatred they do cal vpon god and do worshype god as Saule dyd worshyppe hym Here we prouoke appele to godly mindes and skylled of spirituall thynges These can testifye that those forsayd evyls ensue of that vngodly persuasyon of our aduersaryes who thynke that we be reputed iuste in the syght of god for our owne fulfyllinge of the lawe and bydde vs nat trust in the promyse of mercie frely gyuen for Christê sake but rather in our owne fulfyllyng of the lawe It is therfore expedient to determyne with our selues that vndoutedly after renewinge we be rightwise or acceptable to god and yâ— we haue peace in yâ— sight of god through mercy for Christ and also that such incoÌ„plete beginninge of the lawe in vs is not worthy of eternal lyfe but that lyke wyse as remission of synnes and iustifycation is imputed throughe mercy for Christ and nat for the lawe euen so eternal lyfe with iustificatioÌ„ is offered nat for the lawe and for the perfection of our workes but throughe mercy for Christê sake as christ him selfe sayth This is the wyl of my father who hathe sente me that euery one which seth the son and beleueth in hym shall haue euerlastynge lyfe But let vs enquyre of our aduersaryes what counsell they gyue vnto them that be at the poynte of deth whether they do bydde them thinke that they be compted iust and to loke after euerlastynge lyfe for theyr owne workes or els for the mercy of god for Christê sake Certes nether Paule nether LaureÌ„ce wyl say that they are to be compted ryghtuouse for theyr owne clennes or that euerlastinge lyfe is to theÌ„ due for theyr owne workes or fulfyllynge of the lawe but they wyl thynke them selues to be reputed iust to receyue eternal lyfe for Christê sake throughe mercy Nether can godly myndes be armed againste desperation onles they thinke that through mercy for Christes sake they haue assuredly bothe ryghtuousnes and euerlastyng lyfe and nat for the lawe Thê sentence comforteth setteth vp and saueth godly myndes Wherfore thaduersaryes when they auaunce extolle meritum condigni .i. the merite of worthynes they quyte put away yâ— doctrine of fayth and of the medyator Christe dryue conscience to desperation But some happely wyll saye if we are to be saued by mercy what diuersitie is there betwyrt them to whoÌ„ saluation chaunseth and them to whom it doth nat chance Shal both good men bad meÌ„ egally hope and trust after mercye This argumente semeth to haue moued the schole men to seke meritum condigni .i. the meryte of condignitie or worthynes For there must nedes be some diuersity betwixt those that shal be saued those that shal be dampned And fyrste of all we say that with iustifycation is offered euerlastynge lyfe or that they whiche are iustifyed be the sonnes of god and coinheritours with Christ accordynge to thys sayinge of Paule Whome he hathe iustyfyed the same he hathe also gloryfyed Therfore saluatyon chaunceth to none saue to those that be iustifyed And lykewyse as iustifycation shuld be vncertayne yf it dyd haÌ„ge vpon the condition of our workes or of the lawe and were nat frely receyued for Christes sake thrugh mercie So yf hope dyd leaue to our workes then in dede it shulde be vncertayne because the lawe dothe alwayes accuse conscyence Nether can there be any hope of eternal lyfe except the conscyence be at peace and reste For the conscience that is in doute flâ—eth the iudgement of god despayreth but it is necessary that the hope of eternal lyfe be certayne and vndouted and therfore that it may be vndouted and certaine we must thinke that euerlastinge lyfe is gyuen frely throughe mercy for Christes sake and nat for our owne fulfyllyge of the lawe In courtes and in the iudgementes of men ryght or deuty is for the most parte certaine vndouted but the mercy of the Iudge is vncertayne But here in the sight of god the thinge is farre otherwyse for mercy hath the playne and euident commaundemente of god for the gospell is that same coÌ„maundement which byddeth vs beleue that god is wyllinge to forgyue and to saue vs for Christes sake accordynge to that sayenge of Christe God hath not sent hys son into the worlde to iudge the worlde but that the worlde shulde be saued by him whosoeuer beleueth in hym is not iudged As often tymes therfore as mention is 〈◊〉 of mercie it is to be vnderstondeâ— that faythe is required And this fayth maketh the â—â—â—erence betwixte them that shal be saued them that shal be daÌ„pned betwene them that â—e worthy â–ª and them that be vnworthy For eternal lyfe is promysed to theÌ„ that be iustifyed And fayth iustifieth whensoeuer men do receyue it And we ought to labour and striue al our lyue longe that we maye gette and establyshe thys fayth for thê fayth as we haue sayd before is won in repentaunce nat in theÌ„ which walke after the fleshe â–ª And it ought to encrease al our lyfe longe amonge ieoperdies and temptations And whosoeuer haue goten this faythe those be borne agayne that they maye worke well and that they may do the lawe Therfore lykewyse as we require repentaunce through out all our lyfe tyme so we do also reâ—uyre good workes all thoughe our workes be nat suche that for them eternall lyfe is due lykewyse as Christe sayde in lyke sentence When ye haue done all thynges saye we be vnprofytable seruauntes And Barnarde sayeth ryght well thus It is necessary fyrste to beleue that thou canst not haue remission of synnes but by the onely indulgence and pardon of god Secondarily that thou canst haue no maner good
worke at all onles it also be frely gyueÌ„ vnto yâ— And a lytle after he sayth Let no maÌ„ therfore begile hym selfe for yf he wyl consyder wel he shall fynde with out doute that he is not able to go forthe with tenne thousande agaynste hym whiche commeth to hym with twenty thousande c. We therfore to th entent that consciences shulde retayne a sure and vndouted consolation and hope do cal men backe agayne to the promise of Christe and do teache that it is necessarye to beleue that god for Christes sake and nat for the lawe dothe forgeue synnes doth iustifye and dothe gyue eternall lyfe accordynge to that saynge Who so euer hath the son hath lyfe But it is a worlde to heare howe our aduersaryes do dally and elude thê sayinge of Christ. When ye haue done all thynges yet say ye we be vnprofytable seruauntes In the confutatyon thus they corupt it fyrst they go about to coÌ„found vs with our owne reason by a fourme of argument which is called antistrephon in this maner If when we haue done al thinges we must saye we be unprofytable saruauntes g o ergo moche rather when we haue beleued all thynges we maye say that we be vnprofitable seruauntes Marke I praye you howe greatly our aduersaryes be delyted in vanities and in chyldishe sophistrie But albeit these folyshe trifles be nat worthy to be refuted and dysproued yet neuertheles we shall make answere to them in fewe wordes Theyr argumente called antystrephon is vicious and nothynge worth For our aduersaryes be deceyued in thys worde faythe which yf it betokened the knowledge of the historye or yf we had sayde that faythe of her owne worthines had saued then shulde the symylytude be of moche more strengthe that we be vnprofytable seruauntes thoughe we had beleued But we do speke of the fayth and truste of the promyse and of the mercy of god And thys faythe dothe graunte that we be vnprofytable seruauntes yea thys is the verye voyce and saynge of fayth that our workes be vnworthy and that we be vnprofytable seruauntes And for thys only cause we speke of faythe and seke mercie because we knowledge our selues to be vnprofytable seruauntes For faythe dothe therfore saue because it receyueth mercie or the promyse of grace all thoughe our workes be vnworthy And after this vnderstandynge the antystrephon dothe nothynge hurte vs when ye shal haue beleued all thynges yet say ye we be vnprofytable seruauntes it is well sayde yf it be onely vnderstonded that worthynes is taken from workê But agayn on the contrary syde yf it be thus vnderstonded that faythe also is vnprofytable then the symilitude is nothynge worthy to say when ye shall haue done al thynges do nat truste to your workes So whan ye shall haue beleued do not trust the promyse of god These thynges do not agre together for they be verie fare vnlyke Unlyke causes vnlyke obiectes of confydence and truste be in the fyrst proposytion and in the latter Truste in the fyrst proposytion is the trust of our owne workes Truste in the latter proposytion is the trust of goddes promyse Nome Christe condempneth confydence and truste in our owne workes but he dothe nat disalowe the trust in his owne promyse he wyllith nat that we despayre of the grace and mercie of god he rebuketh our warkes as vnworthy but he rebuketh not the promyse whiche frely offereth mercy And Ambrose speketh excedyngly wele in thê poynte thus Grace is to be knowen but nature is not to be knowen we muste truste to the promyse of grace and not to our nature But our aduersaries folowe there accustomed maner They do vngraciously wrest the sentence that maketh for fayth agaynst the doctrine of fayth For this cauillation dothe abrogate the gospel to say â–ª when ye shall haue beleued all thynges saye that fayth is vnprofytable Doth nat the gospell promyse remission of synnes and saluatioÌ„ euen vnto them whiche haue no good workes at all so that they wyll be conuerted and nat despayre but by fayth in Christe obtayne remission of synnes Do our aduersaryes bydde them despayre whose consciences fynde no good warkes whiche they may plede agaynst the iudgement of god Wyl they say vnto theÌ„ that faythe is vnprofytable God gyue these sophisters a myschefe with such cauillations whiche do subuerte the hole gospell whiche do abrogate the free remyssyon of synnes whiche do take awaye from godlye conscyences ferme and sure consolatyons But that cauillatyon amonge other is vtterlye childishe wher as they interprete the seruauntes to be vnprofytable because the workes be vnprofitable to god but profitable to vs. But Christ speketh of yâ— vtilitie and profet whiche maketh god dettour to vs of grace Howbeit it is besyde the purpose here in this place to dispute of vtilitie or inutilitie For vnprofitable seruauntes betoken vnsufficient or vnable seruauntes for no man feareth god so muche no man loueth so muche no man beleueth or trusteth god so muche as he ought to do no man fulfilleth the lawe But let vs nowe passe ouer these vayne cauillations of our aduersaries of whiche howe men wyll iudge if at any tyme they shal be brought forthe in to lyght Wyse men may easely gesse In wordes moste playne and euident they haue fouÌ„de a starriÌ„g hole But who seeth nat that in this place is reâ—uked the confidence and truste of our owne workes But our aduersaries do crye agaynst vs that eternall lyfe is due of worthynes for our owne god workes bycause eternal lyfe is called a rewarde We wyll make a shorte and a playne answere Paule calleth eternall lyfe a gyfte because when we be reputed ryghtuous for Christes sake we be also made the sonnes of god and coinheritours with Christ. But in another place it is wrytten Plentuous shal your rewarde be in heuen If our aduersaries do thiÌ„ke that theâ—e thinges be repugnaunte the one to the other let them selues dissolue the doubte But they be none indiffereÌ„t iudges For they leaue out this worde gyfte they leaue out also the fountaynes of the hole busynes that is to saye in what wyse men be iustified and that Christe is contynually a Mediatour In the meane season they pycke out thys worde rewarde And that they do most bytterly interprete nat only agaynst the scripture but also agaynste the custome and vsuall maner of speakyng Hereof they reason because it is called rewarde that therfore our workes are suche whiche ought to be the pryce for which eternall lyfe is dewe Uerely thys is a newe kynde of logyke We hear thê worde rewarde ergo our workê do satisfy and fulfyl the lawe Ergo we be accepted to god for our owne workes and nede nat the mercy of Christ the propitiatour or faythe receiuiÌ„g mercy And they cumulate a greate heape of argumentes one vpon another after the maner of Chrysippus Good workes be the pryce for whiche eternal lyfe is due Good workes do