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B08023 A notable discourse of the happinesse of this our age, and of the ingratitude of men to God for his benefites: written in Latine by that godly learned man Iohn Riuius, and now Englished for the comfort, and commoditie of the vnlearned, by W.W. student..; De seculi nostri felicitate, et hominum erga Dei beneficia ingratitudine, liber. English Rivius, Johann, 1500-1553. 1578 (1578) STC 21064.5; ESTC S94909 108,359 160

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Popish satisfaction For that punishment which Iesus Christ suffered for vs and which brought saluation to vs is the onely satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole worlde And truely they which are of opinion that sinne may bee recompensed with fastinges with Pilgrimages with indulgencies and such like toyes or that Gods wrathe may any other way bee pacified rather than by the death of the Sonne of God doe not sufficiently ponder either the weight of sinne it selfe or the wrathe of GOD against our sinne Notwithstanding in Penance wee doe not disallow the auncient rites and ceremonies instituted either for example sake and for discipline or perteining to some amendement of life which smell not of gaine or couetousnesse And wee doe thinke that they which confesse their faultes ought againe and againe to bee exhorted to bring foorth those fruites which become true repentance Yea wee bid euen them which haue falne againe into sinne to satisfie as it were to pacifie God through the sorowe of repentance through the sighes of humilitie through the sacrifice of contrite heart as Dauid saith also wee bid them now chaunge their olde yll manners for better to reconcile God vnto them by almes deedes and by liberalitie towardes the poore which is principally to vse Tertullians wordes Dei misericordiae illex that is to say A verie prouoker of Gods mercie finally wee will them to bee warie heedie and diligent to auoyd those sinnes into which they haue once fallen wee bid them take heede by all meanes and beware that they offend not either in woorde or deede yea that they commit not any thing in thought which is either euill to bee done or wicked to be saide Now wee neither can nor ought to allow that necessitie of certeine woorkes which was woont to bee put vpon those which had confessed their sinnes and that way of satisfying for their sinnes and of deseruing deliuerance from the punishments of Purgatorie fire prescribed to the people by the sacrificing Priestes As concerning the sacrifice of the Masse thus wee thinke that the true Masse in the Church of God is that common Supper of the Lorde in which the bodie and bloud of our Lorde is distributed to renew the memorie of the most wholesome death of Christ and of his torments which hee suffered for the redemption of mankinde For the Fathers and Doctours of the Church in old time vsed to call the Supper of the Lord A sacrifice for that it was instituted and ordained to this end to wit that the same might stirre vs vp to the remembrance of that sacrifice of Christ who offered vp himselfe to his father vpon the crosse a sacrifice for the sinnes of the world according to that saying of Christ Doe this in remembrance of mee For least wee should forgett Christes death Christ now readie to passe out of this worlde vnto his father left vnto vs a memoriall of himselfe namely his body in the Eucharist and mysticall banket Wherefore we in our Churches haue restored the true right vse of the Eucharist according to the institution of Christ and according to the obseruation of the primitiue Church to wit that it might be the communion of Christian people to the receiuing and participation of the bodie and bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christ that it might also be a thankesgeuing whence it taketh his name of the Greeke worde Eucharistia and finally that it might be a godly recordation and remembrance of that one onely sacrifice of Christ and of that immolation done vppon on the altar of the Crosse We doe condemne and take away the abuses of those men which with this sacrifice worship Saintes which by it deliuer the dead from the fire of Purgatorie which thinke they doe obteine for others either pardon of their sinnes or an happie successe in their affaires And we denie not that to be true which that instaurer of auncient Diuinitie complaineth of namely that heretofore the Masse hath bene either a gaine for filthie Massemonging Priestes or else a trustie staffe and staie for all men that haue ledde an euill life For we must needes confesse that which by no meanes can be denied But also as concerning the taking away of the cup frō the Laie people which is contrarie to Gods institution wee doe not thinke it to bee in any wise allowable as likewise neither that reseruation of the Lordes bread nor that ostentation and open shewe of it in publike Processions and Ecclesiasticall pompes Wee haue wholy taken away those ceremonies which helpe nothing at all to promote and further godlinesse yea which rather hurt and hinder it as the consecration and hallowing of salte and of herbes the aspersion or sprinkling of holie water the circumgestation or carrying about of images and pictures the fuming and burning of Franckincense before the altars of Saintes the baptising of belles the yeerely exequies and solemnities for the dead the obseruation and keeping of the houres of our Ladie other innumerable like to these which are ioyned with a certeine impietie and superstition But hitherto of these matters wee haue spoken sufficiently The thirde parte of this discourse wherein the obiections of the Aduersarie are plainely refuted NOwe let Vs fall to the third part of this book wherein as muche as in vs lieth we will labour to confute those things which in this cause are woont to be brought against vs First of all many men are offended at this that our Preachers teach of onely faith in Christ but truely if we will iudge aright they are offended without any weightie or probable cause at the least much more without any iust and necessarie cause For when as wee say that wee are iustified by faith alone wee doe not take away good deedes or honest actions but wee exclude confidence and trust in woorkes and wee shut out mens merites which ought to haue no place in the matter of iustification But all men almost were heeretofore fully persuaded that these merites of men were of abilitie and power to remit sinnes and to satisfie for them in so much that the Monkes would not freely communicate to others their woorkes of supererogation which they had lesse neede of themselues to their owne saluation but would set them to sale at a price if any man would redeeme them with monie Therefore we excluding mens merites doe teache that all the trust and assurance of our saluation ought to bee put and placed in the onely free mercie and reconciliation of God for Christ who gaue himselfe an expiatorie sacrifice for mankinde And that which the Apostle saith Gratis freely excluding verely the condition of dignitie and merite the same we doe say with the Ecclesiasticall fathers Sola fide by faith alone least you should thinke the mutation of the wordes to change the thing it selfe These things as I suppose are both so cleare and
and a certeine idle and vaine dreame of faith howsoeuer otherwise the aduersaries of wholesome doctrine doe cry out against it who when as light is nowe restored vnto the worlde had rather embrace darkenesse than loue the light But heere wee must obserue and note a difference betwixt good woorkes For our aduersaries doe say commonly that almost those onely are good woorkes which wee haue rehearsed before to witte Pilgrimages woorshipping of images burning of Franckincense and such like odours inuocation of Saintes and such like ioyned with impietie and idolatrie or els full of the greatest follie and madnesse that may bee and whiche God did not prepare that wee shoulde walke in them as Saint Paule saith These woorkes wee doe both flatly reprehende in woord and remoue in deede There are also besides these other woorkes good indeed but yet such as rather perteine to discipline and to the exercise of the body than to true godlinesse as abstinence from daintie meates often fastinges watchinges lying vppon the bare grounde the necessitie of liuing according to the prescript of man and such like by whiche the flesh is after a sorte bridled that it may not waxe wanton and lasciuious and that it may not exult too immoderately out of all measure These woorkes wee very well like allowe of albeit wee doe not esteeme and set so much by them altogether as the vnskilfull people was woont to doe but wee doe farre preferre before these workes those which come neerer to true godlinesse of which wee will speake hereafter And verely the common people if they see any men leane with hunger broke with trauell brought lowe with watching doe much magnifie them for an opinion of holinesse by these things they doe esteeme godlinesse Neither cōmeth it seldome to passe but very often that men swell secretly in pride and are puffed vp in minde about that externall hypocrisie of good woorkes which so glorieth boasteth it selfe in the eyes of the people Yea those same works are now then kept obserued more superstitiously than needed and well nigh with a Iudaicall mind as if in these the greatest godlinesse that can bee did consist wheras indeed they bring small profite with them vnlesse those true workes be in them to which Christ inculcateth beateth into the eares and mindes of his scholers And it may be that hee which pineth his bodie with fasting which breaketh it with paines taking which corrupteth it with watching which of his owne accorde abstaineth for euer from wine and flesh which goeth in beastly beggerly apparell which lieth vppon the bare grounde which beareth heate and colde it may be I say that he in the meane time is not farre estranged from ambition from wrath from enuie from priuie grudges hartburning from other vices wickednesse though by this hardnesse austeritie of life he haue gotten him a great opinion of holinesse among all men though he wonderfully please him self in these his outward workes as in fastinges watchings lyinges vpon the grounde and in the obseruation of such like things as did the whole companie of Monkes and Friers Last of all there are woorkes very good and Euangelicall which Christ inculcateth which the doctrine of the Apostles commendeth whiche the ten Commaundementes doe conteine What they bee wee haue declared before as the feare of God assured trust in God inuocation or calling vppon God thankesgiuing to God patience in afflictions all kindes of dueties towardes our neighbour liberalitie towards the poore the rest which wee rehearsed before These onely are the workes whereby yow may knowe a true Christian man For he is not to be thought to liue Christianly as the Apostle saith woorthie of God whiche doeth the first kinde of workes which calleth vpon Saintes which gaddeth into wooddes and desertes which redeemeth and buieth indulgēcies which sprinkleth him self with holie water which weareth a waxe candle consecrated by the Pope nor if a man busie him selfe aboute the second sort of workes if he fast if he watch if he lie harde vpon the ground if he teare rent his owne bodie with stripes if he flee and auoyde all delicates and dainties the obseruation of whiche thinges was woont heeretofore to puffe vp the Monkes with intollerable pride but he onely is to bee thought to liue Christianly which studieth and endeuoureth to declare and manifest his faith to the worlde by the last kinde of woorkes that is to say whiche repenteth perpetually which feareth GOD truely whiche loueth him vnfeignedly whiche calleth vppon him in trouble and aduersitie whiche giueth him thankes in prosperitie which laudeth praiseth and confesseth God at all times whiche is patient in miseries and calamities which is modest in the prosperitie of this life which is diligent in his duetie which is temperate in his diet apparell which is iust vpright to his neighbor which is bountifull to the poore which tolerateth iniuries which prayeth for thē which curse him which beareth good will to them which owe ill will to him which deserueth well of them which hurt him which feedeth the hungrie which giueth drinke to the thirstie and the rest which we haue rehearsed which are truely and indeed good woorkes and worthily beseeming a Christian man Wherefore these woorkes we teach to these woorkes wee exhorte men these workes wee vrge continually without end This greeueth our aduersaries sore that both wee flatly reiect the first kind of workes also that we set not such store by the second sort of workes as the ignorant people are woont to doe lastly that we inculcate the third kind of works oftner thā they can bere abide it Secondly this also vexeth them that wee had rather ascribe our saluation to the free fauour and mercie of God for Christ than vnto mens merites good works that wee condemne them which put their trust and affiance in good deedes whiche of them selues seeke to satisfie for their owne sinnes whiche promise vnto them selues for their woorkes both deliuerance from eternall punishment also blessed immortalitie which thinke that heauen is due to their good deedes and chiefly them whiche are accustomed not to communicate with other men freely their ouerflowing merites but for siluer and gold readie told Finally they take it very greeuously and in great snuffe that wee doe teach according to that precept of the Apostle Flee the worshipping of idols that their manifest superstition impietie and idolatrie in worshipping of images in calling vppon the dead in the prophanation of the Supper of the Lorde in the trust of mens traditions wherein Monkerie wholy depended ought to bee shunned auoyded of all men This verely is the cause why they cry out so much that good workes are indeed vtterly taken away left only in worde name Now as oft as they crie out complaine that religion is polluted defiled that
rites and ceremonies are violated broken that the woorship seruice of God is neglected so often they do not speake of the third last forte of workes which we doe chiefly vrge but either of the light toyes foolish trifles of the first kinde of woorkes which wee as I saide before vtterly reiect or of the labours and exercises of the seconde sorte of woorkes apperteining rather to a straite discipline than to sincere godlinesse which exercises verely we doe not improue and disallowe if so bee there bee no superstition or other faulte in them albeit wee accounte them woorthie to bee placed farre vnder the thirde kinde of woorkes euen as Saint Paule warneth vs to doe For vnto Timothie hee writeth thus Exercise thy selfe vnto godlinesse for bodilie exercise profiteth little but godlinesse is profitable vnto all thinges Now although perhaps a few fonde fellowes speake not warily and wisely enough of woorkes the fault and blame of a fewe must not be laide vpon all For euen in S. Augustines age there wanted not certeine Pastours and Preachers which did offend almost in the like manner and did blab out many things amongst the people vnaduisedly and rashly neither to edification as the Apostle saith nor to profite Concerning which matter I passe not muche if I set downe his owne wordes Absit inquit vt dicamus vobis Vinite vt vultis securi estote Deus neminem perdit tantùmmodò fidem Christianam tenete Non perdit ille quos redemit non perdet pro quibus sanguinem suum fudit si spectaculis volueritis oblectare animos vestros ite Impleamini cibo vino ad hoc enim data est ista creatura vt perfruamini c that is God forbid saith S. Austine that we should say vnto you Liue as ye list be secure carelesse God destroyeth no man onely hold fast the Christian faith He will not destroy them whom he hath redeemed he will not destroy them for whom he hath shead his bloud and if ye be disposed to solace your mindes with shewes and spectacles goe to them on Gods name Fill your bellies with good meates and wines for this creature was geuen of God to this end that ye should enioy it c. But we at this day doe bid all men make an end of their owne saluation with feare and trembling and to beware that their heartes be not ouerladen with surfeting and dronkennesse nor that they ouerwhelme themselues with wine wherein is excesse we bid them to watch and to be sober to eate meate not for pleasure but for necessitie to sustaine life we bid them pray daily and without intermission and eftsoones by fasting to prepare themselues to prayer we declare that the Apostle doth reckon amongst the woorkes of the flesh both dronkennesse and riotous banqueting and that the same Apostle doeth denie that they which are wholy giuen to those vices shall euer be heires of Gods kingdome Nowe that I may make an end of this confutation concerning woorkes it appeareth plainly what notable iniurie they doe vnto vs which say that we attribute lesse to good woorkes than is meete and conuenient and which for that cause call vs haters of all good workes fighters and warriours against good woorkes yea verie hangmen of good woorkes For albeit we doe not inculcate those monasticall flat superstitious workes to wit filthie attire hatred of wedlock choyce of meats babling of prayers as Christ calleth it vowes watchinges fastes and such like notwithstanding we teache men both truely to forsake the world which thing we haue all professed promised to doe in our Baptisme and also to liue godly holily and religiously And we shew verely that that same may be done marie not if thou thrust and shroude thy selfe into some wildernesse and hide thy selfe close in a Monasterie which in old time was a foule fault and a great errour not if thou voluntarily seeke and procure thine owne harme and cruelly afflict thine owne body finally not if thou cast away of thine owne accord and refuse those goodes and possessions which thou hast nor by any such meanes How then I pray you If thou take it well in woorth whatsoeuer God doth vnto thee and howsoeuer he dealeth with thee if thou doest vse thy wealth and all thy riches with thankesgiuing when thou hast them and canst willingly be content to want them as oft as God taketh them from thee If thou doe neither procure voluntarily thine owne vexations and tormentes nor refuse calamities and sorrowes sent of God if thou neither despaire in aduersitie nor be insolent and proude in prosperitie if both thou liue contented with thy present state and also omitte the carking care for thinges to come if thou neither murmur and grudge at the griefe of ill things nor loath and mislike the plentie of good things if thou hast monie so that thou put no trust in it that thou spend it in godlie vses that thou be neither sorie for the losse of it nor be puffed vp with the abundance of it not to vse many wordes if thou alwayes beare and suffer with one and the same minde and countenance how soeuer it shall seeme good vnto almightie God riches pouertie scarsitie plentie abundance penurie glorie ignominie honor dishonor losse gaine health sicknesse and such like whether they bee hard or softe sharpe and sowre or pleasant and sweete and if thou giue thankes to the Lorde alwayes for all thinges both gladsome and sorrowfull thinges howsoeuer matters fall out ill or well This is onely to renounce and forsake the world truely this is truely to addict and consecrate himselfe wholy to God this is truely to renounce Sathan the prince of the world Hitherto also perteine these to be farre from pride from auarice from excesse from ambition from vaine glorie from hatred from enuie from desire of reuenge and from such like affections which are repugnant and contrarie to the spirit of Christ Also both to doe and to speake curteously to all men to embrace other men with a certeine brotherlie good will and loue to procure other mens profite and commoditie before his owne to account other mennes miserie his owne to weepe at others mens calamities what blessing gift of God soeuer thou hast to impart it wholy to the helping of others briefly in all thinges which thou thinkest speakest doest not to shoote at any other marke than at the glorie of God onely and at the profite and saluation of thy neighbour to referre all thy deedes sayinges counselles and deuises all thy desires endeuours trauelles all thy studies cogitations cares labours watchings carefulnesse to the amplifying of Gods praise to the succouring releeuing of mortall men in any thing thou canst doe in the meane time to ascribe and arrogate nothing to thine owne strength neither to despise other men as sinners but both to acknowledge thine owne imbecillitie and also