righteousnesse of God by which we are iustifyed And they are said to be of God and of the Lord because that both the one and the other are the giftes of his bountifull liberalitie Againe And by this faith wee are iustified not by the workes of the Law neither of nature neither yet by the power of free wil for iustification is obtained by faith Idem in c. 10. ad Rom. and thus by the righteousnesse of faith is accomplished the true righteousnesse of the Law yea saith he notwithstanding we be iustified by faith yet it is gratis for euen faith it selfe is a franke and free gift proceeding from aboue c. Againe Idem in c. 5. ad Rom. My impietie saith hee meriteth not this benefit but what is it then which the pietie of my redeemer meriteth Neither yet my vnrighteousnesse maliciousnesse or pride but what is it then that on the contrarie his righteousnesse goodnesse and humilitie cannot effect and bring to passe Yea what is not the punishment of the Crosse able to preuaile in against the kingdom of death Or the Son of God made man for the redemption of man especially seeing that with him and in him al our sinnes are pardoned and forgiuen vs and all his graces giuen vnto vs This faith therefore which iustifieth shall it goe bare naked and vnaccompanied Shall it not carrie with it good workes Yes rather it will appeare and shine out more euidently by workes but not therefore iustifie vs by the workes thereof Haimo saith From faith man commeth to workes Haimo in c. 11 ad Rom. but not from workes to faith faith is conceiued in the heart vttered and confessed by the mouth and garnished by good workes and by this faith liueth the iust and righteous man vnto eternall life but as for that which is without workes it is dead Idem in c. 1. 4. Now if Abraham himselfe had beene able to haue beene iustified without being assisted by the grace of God then the gift of iustification should not haue beene reckoned as a gift but as a thing of dutie and then Christ should haue died in vaine Ausbertus We must first belieue for after that a man belieueth he loueth Ausbert l. 2. c. 2. in Apocaly p. Theophyl in c. 6. ad Ephes An Ielme in c. 1. ad Rom. Ausbert in A-Apocaly p. l. 10 c 22. Radulph l. 1. c. 1. in Leuit. and faith and loue do make vs doe good workes Theophilact Charitie without faith profiteth nothing yea which is more without faith it cannot be Anselme By faith the soule beginneth to liue being before dead by infidelitie And faith by which a man liueth worketh by loue because that faith without works is dead But Ausbertus saith How holie and righteous soeuer a man may be yet he is alwaies in such case as that he may still grow and increase in vertue whereupon the Psalmist saith Lord shouldest thou forget to take pitie vpon me c. And Radulphus Hardly can a man doe anie good worke without the cleauing thereto of some sinne and therefore it is to be feared that so long as we expect and looke for the recompence of perfect deuotion God still exacteth the penaltie of the sinne which wee haue mingled therewith And Anselme Anselm de mensur crucis If a man should serue God a thousand yeares and that with great zeale and feruencie hee should not merit ex condigno to inherite the kingdome of heauen one halfe day For saith he in another place Workes are by grace and not grace by workes Idem in c. 2. ad Galath and therefore no man by anie meanes can be iustified by workes but onely by faith which proceedeth of grace And yet herewithall I am not ignorant that sometimes these selfe same Doctors doe attribute much to workes As when Haimo following Cesarius his trace Haimo super Euang. in oct Pasch setteth downe seuen waies for the obtaining of remission of sins And when Rabanus recommendeth to the same end fasting and almes deedes and yet rather as themselues say To enter into a certaine kind of recompence for their veniall sinnes which notwithstanding is contrarie to their owne Maxims then to merite rather thereby to shew forth some tokens of repentance then to make vp any worke of satisfaction c. Then thus it behoueth namely that their Maxims stand firme and immoueable and that what they say more bee squared and bounded by them and that so much the rather because such Maxims are vttered by them at such times as when they speake not after the conceipt of their owne corrupt and carnall sence but as searchers and seekers out of the true and proper sence and meaning of the word of God And yet notwithstanding all this we are farre off from those kindes of doctrine which came to bee preached in the beginning of this age wherein we liue namely That workes without faith do merite to receiue and haue faith giuen That the works of the faithful do merite deserue eternall life That Christians are able to merite the same not only for themselues but also for others c. And thus we are come to the yeare 1100. But this was the mischiefe that that which was preached ordinarilie to the people by the Priestes whether couetous or ignorant could more preuayle to leade them out of the way then the other which was written by these Doctors who were not but for the learned could worke to reduce and bring them into the way And on the other side that the soile whereinto this euill seede fell was verie apt to receiue and intertaine this abuse namely the naturall pride and presumption of man And yet further we are to note and obserue that which wee haue seene intreating of the inuocation of Saints that in the Catechisme of the sicke or rather such as draw neere their death Anselm in Ep. manuscript drawne out of the Epistles of Anselme they were daily taught to oppose and set against the reprochfull checkes of Sathan and the deadly accusations of their owne consciences nothing but the onely merit of our Lord and against the wrath of God for sinne no other thing then his righteousnesse And for a further proofe by a place out of Anselme a sufficient scantling and taste whereby wee may see what consideration all the holy men of the same age Anselme in medit bad of this matter My life saith he doth astonish me for when I haue well and throughly sifted it I find it either wholly sinne or else nothing but barrennesse But and if there appeare any fruit it is either counterfeit or imperfect or else corrupted and spoyled in such sort as that it cannot possibly please God yea that it cannot possibly but displease him In summe either it is wholly inwrapped in sinne and thereupon damnable or vnfruitfull and thereby contemptible But what cause or neede is there that there should a difference be
in looking vppon the image of Simeon and that an other found a Well by causing the image of Theodosius the Abbot to be brought her An image of the virgine Mary kept the candle of a certaine Abbot from going out a long way and an other helpeth to conueigh water from the cesterne to the house And how a woman was tempted of the Deuill by forsaking and leauing to vse the image of the virgin whereupon the Abbot Theodorus sheweth her that it were better to go to the stewes and brothell-house a thousand times then to leaue and forsake the worshipping and adoring thereof What baggage are these to oppose set against the holy law of God Giuen as saith the Apostle by the ministery of Angels and vttered by his owne mouth Thou shalt not worship images Now let vs heare on the contrarie the foundations of the Councell of Francford We must not saith it worship images seeing we must not worship any besides one onely God one onely Iesus Christ who with the father the holy Ghost raigneth eternally Because likewise there is neither commandement nor example either of the Apostles Patriarkes or prophetes or of the fathers of the primitiue Church for the same And on the contrary that if any man haue images for remembrances and monumentes that yet notwithstanding it ought not to be any president for the trimming decking vp of the Church that such ornamentes and courses are nothing els but the waies of the Gentils that the good fathers Antonius Hilarius and others who loued well the beautie of the house of God did yet verie well leaue off to haue any dealing with them And as little for the instruction of the people That God hath giuen them the holy scriptures to this end the law whereby to come to the knowledge of Christ and not by Images And not any more for imitation or example sake to bee followed That the vertues of the Saintes as faith hope and charitie are inuisible and that we must therefore seeke them in their workes and not in their painted pictures It further proueth that whatsoeuer the patrons of images alleadge of scripture it is eyther to no end or contrarie to the end for which they alleadge it that their tales of the image of Christ are Apocrypha their authorities out of the fathers meerely imaginarie and their pretended miracles no better then either doubtfull or notoriously false or els diuelish Yea and although saith it that they were true because that God appeared to Moyses in a bush shall we therefore worship all bushes or vnder the colour of Aarons rod shall we worship all rods And so for Sampson his iaw-bone all other iaw-bones Or from the shaddow of S. Peter all other shadowes c. That this assertion of the Nicene Councell is damnable I adore and worship the image with the same worship wherewith I worship the Trinitie it selfe and do curse those that say otherwise The word being so plaine and euident Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and that exclusiuely meant say they of all other maner of worship besides that which is due vnto God alone not excluding onely that of images but of whatsoeuer other creatures be they neuer so excellent In like manner that their other reason is as weake which they would draw from the nature of relation and reference which the image hath with the thing whereof it is the image seeing that Christ said not He that receiueth Images but he that receiueth you receiueth me Nor that which you haue done to images you haue done to me but rather what you haue done to one of these little ones And therefore that whosoeuer doth say of a picture This is Christ sinneth lyeth and committeth villanous wickednesse instead that the second Nicene Councel hath by name said and affirmed that a man may speake it in godly religious maner And all these things with such grauitie learning and religiousnesse together with such reasons drawne so to the purpose from the scriptures fathers S. Ierome S. Augustine S. Gregorie c and pressed with such good consequence and so necessarily as that all the Dagons of the Philistines bee they neuer so firmely vnderpropped shal not be able possiblie to stand before them And yet furthermore this booke is approued by Hincmarus Archbishop of Rheimes who alleadgeth a whole Chapter out of the same against Hincmarus Bishop of Laon who liued in the time of Charles the great and as for Ecchius himselfe hee doeth not once call it in question Let vs go forward with the effectes and successe insuing vppon these two Councels The effect of these Councels It appeareth that that of Franckford did stay the course of idolatrie for a time in the Churches of France and Germanie which is gathered hereby namely for that Haimo and Rabanus who followed shortly after do not speake a word of the worshipping of images and in that Walfridus Strabo liuing at the same time continueth all one phrase and manner of speech Walfrid Strabo c. 8. That it is not lawfull either to worship them or els to banish and cast them out And because likewise that Claudius a famous Priest brought vp in the Court of Charles the Great was no sooner made Bishop of Turin in the time of Lewes the Gentle then that hee pulled downe and defaced the images when as hee founde the people of his Diocesse giuen to worship them by reason of the Romish superstition which had gained and preuailed so farre amongst them Claud. Taurinens de adorat imaginum An Abbot called Theodomirus set himselfe against his proceedings wherevpon this Claudius writte a booke vnto him against the worshipping of Images which hee was not afraide to send to the Emperour Lewes who committed the same to Ionas of Orleance to examine But hee neuer vouchsafed to vtter his iudgement of it till after that both Lewes and Claudius were deade neither is it found that Claudius was disturbed or troubled by the French Church vppon this occasion Anno. 840. Ionas Aurelian aduers Claud. Taurinens a signe that the doctrine of images was gouerned by the Councell of Franckford Now of this booke of Claudius Bishoppe of Turin there is no parte to come by more then that which Ionas his booke wherein hee goeth about the confutation of the same doeth afford vs and that after his death It may iustlie bee doubted whether hee haue dealt faithfullie with it in alleadging and setting downe the whole but onely that his owne aunsweres do sufficiently witnes that Idolatrie as yet was verie young and tender in the Churches of France Claudius reproueth the worshipping of Images according to the Councell of Francford Ionas doth not maintaine the same for hee aunswereth onlie as Gregory aunswereth Serenus that they may bee had for instruction sake to the people and not for to bee worshipped proceeding euen to the cursing of them who do worshippe them Claudius maintaineth and proueth by Origen
Aquitanus moueth a question to this purpose wherefore the iust are called sinners for if they bee iust how are they sinners And if sinners how are they iust Not one of them saith he that liue in this mortall bodie can say that hee is without the contagion of sinne no not those excellent leaders of the flockes of Christes sheepe seèing that he hath enioyned euen them to say Idem in Epigra 46. in Psalme 129. Forgiue vs our trespasses c. Not any one of the Saints how well and commendably so euer hee liue in this world But saith hee in an other place those are called iust because that sinne is dayly taken away and diminished in them that is by the growth and proceeding of regeneration but these are called sinners because that it increaseth in them dayly that is by the increase of the proceeding of their corruption c. As also we alleadged heretofore out of Saint Chrysostome That God to shew that he is only iust and all the rest of the iust and righteous sinners suffered euen the best and most approued to fall c. as Dauid Abraham Peter c. In so much as that the exception would not extend vnto the Virgine Marie Orig. hom in Luc. 17. whome sometimes hee taxeth for her ambition and sometimes for weakenesse of faith c. And Origen goeth further If saith hee shee had not taken offence at the passion of the Lord the Lord hath not died for her sinnes And if all haue sinned and stand in need of the grace of God being iustified and redeemed by his grace then Marie also as who for a time was also offended c. We cease here to repeate many other for that they are before alleadged Wherefore without exception wee are all sinners but from these sinners hauing sinne proceeding and springing from them to the meriting of condemnation can there also proceed workes meriting life and saluation Let vs heare them yet further Origen expounding these words of Saint Paul To him that worketh the reward is not accompted for grace but for a debt c. But I saith he cannot be perswaded that there is any worke that can craue recompence or reward of God as a dew debt c. And hee rendreth a reason Idem in Ep. ad Rom. 4.4 August de verb. Apost Serm. 31. Idem Ep. 54. ad Maced Idem in psalm 142. For the wages of sinne is death but grace is eternall life Saint Augustine Wee are not in this world without sinne but wee shall goe foorth of it without sinne Againe Who so saith that he is without sinne is not in the truth and who so saith that in any worke that is verie well done he is without sinne he deceiueth himselfe For saith hee Neuer did man any good worke with that charitie that he might and ought and therefore euerie man remaineth vniust now the vniust and vnrighteous cannot but sinne in a iust and righteous worke And to be short saith he Charitie is a vertue whereby we loue that which ought to be beloued In some greater in some lesse and in some not at all and in no man growne to such perfection but that it may increase and grow in him as long as he liueth And that lesse measure that any man hath then he should euen that is a vice and such a vice as that it causeth that there is not a iust or righteous man on the earth not one that doth good nay which sinneth not Such a vice as that man whiles he liueth cannot be iustified before God A vice whereof it is said if we say that we haue no sin c. by reason whereof we are to say how well so euer we haue profited Forgiue vs our sins c. Where we see that S. Augustine maintaineth that the want of charity continueth alwaies here being of it selfe sufficient to make insufficient that which we take to be the most sufficient of all our workes Idem Ep. 30. ad Hieronym In a word he cleane cutteth off all Who are they that are blessed Not those in whome God findeth no sinne for hee findeth sinne in all c. Not those that doe good workes for all thy workes saith he are viewed and found to bee wicked And if there should bee giuen and rendred to thee according to that which is due to thy workes without doubt hee should condemne thee for the reward of sinne is death And what is due vnto wicked workes but condemnation But they are blessed whose sinnes are remitted God heapeth not vpon thee the punishment that is due but bestoweth grace fauor vpon thee which is not due or deserued Saint Ambrose saith I hold it for good and sound Ambros de Iacob that we are not iustified by the workes of the Lawe then it must follow that J haue nothing wherefore I should boast my selfe in my workes but rather in Christ. J will not glorifie or boast my selfe as though I were iust but because J am redeemed because I am disburdened and deliuered from sinne but because that my sinnes are forgiuen me not because that I haue helped my selfe therein or yet any other for me Quia profui Idem de vocatione Gent. l. 5. c. 5. but because I haue an aduocate with the Father c. Againe As there is no action so wicked as that it can hinder the gift of grace so there are no workes so excellent as that they may challenge as their due recompence that which is freely giuen For otherwise the redemption of Christ should grow base and contemptible and the prerogatiue of the workes of man should not yeelde and humble it selfe vnder the mercie of God if the iustification which is wrought by his grace were due vnto precedent merites For so it should not be any more the gift of one that giueth but the wages of one which laboureth c. To bee briefe mans merites whether past or to come are not to make vp any part of the price in this purchase Saint Ierome saith What vprightnesse Hieronym in Prou. 20. in Eccle. c. 7. Gregor Nyss l. de orat Bernard Serm. 50. what cleannesse can there be in the liues of the righteous The workes that wee discharge by the ministerie of our bodies are alwayes mingled with some errour Againe We are saith Gregorius Nyssenus taught by the Scripture that there is not any one amongst men to bee found which can passe ouer one day without spot or staine But Saint Barnard though hee liued in an age full of all humane presumptions did notwithstanding hold fast this puritie of doctrine If there be saith hee any righteousnesse in vs it may bee vpright and honest but it can neuer be pure If so be that we will not thinke better of our selues then wee doe of our forefathers all which haue confessed no lesse truely then humbly That all our righteousnesse is as the menstruous clothes of a woman c. For where shall
committing new sinnes Let vs put off the old man c. But saith he The ransome of the bloud of Christ should bee too much abased Idem de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 5. if the iustification which is by grace should bee due vnto precedent merits But neither precedent neither yet subsequent ones can come in for any paiment in this accompt But rather saith hee in an other place seeing that we being quickned in Christ are dead vnto the world Idem de suga Secul c. 7. wee are not any longer to serue the world wee are not any longer to liue according to our former liues but according to the life of Christ euen the life of innocencie of chastitie and of all other vertues We are risen againe with Christ let vs liue with him let vs ascend to him let vs ascend and goe vp on high in him And let vs prouide that the Serpent may not henceforth find euer a heele about vs to trip vs vpon or to bruse by not finding vs any more ouertaken and carried away with these earthly things Now what is all this but the same which Saint Paul said That faith causeth loue that hauing receiued life by the faith of Christ we would liue hencefoorth in Christ And this is the same that wee said that hee which hath iustified vs by his spirite hath sanctified vs also by the same spirite vnto the renuing of the inwarde man c. Saint Augustine in like manner We say that workes iustifie the faith August de spir lit c. 18. De fid operib c. 1.4 Ep. 105. ad Sixt. and the faith the Christian that is to say that the truth of his faith is proued by them Saint Augustine his words follow No man doth a good worke but he that is alreadie iustified but iustification is obtained by faith And these Maxims are ordinarie with him Opera sequuntur iustificatum non praecedunt iustificandum Workes follow him that is iustified they doe not goe before him that is to be iustified The merits of the righteous doe serue for vse Idem ad Simplic l. 1. q. 9 11 Idem de spir liâ— c. 10. Idem de patient c 21. Lib. 1. ad simp q. 11. Idem de fid operib c. 4. Idem Serm. 181. de temp de fid oper Idem quest 23 because that they are righteous but not to make them righteous Workes doe not beget grace but grace workes Grace is freely giuen vnto vs not because we haue done good workes but to the end wee may be able to to doe them Workes doe not preuent the mercie of God but follow it Againe They cannot bee if grace haue not preuented them by faith And good workes are by him sometimes called The workes of righteousnesse because saith he they follow righteousnesse that is to say iustification And thus you see that workes are the touchstone of faith yea the inseperable effectes necessarily following where faith is For saith he to belieue in him that is to loue him but this can neither the wicked nor yet the Diuels doe but Christians onely because that faith without loue is nothing worth And it is saith he of that health fall faith of the Gospell that the Apostle speaketh of from which workes proceede by this loue For that which bringeth forth none Saint Peter calleth a dried fountaine Saint Iude a cloud without water Saint James a dead faith c. And Saint Paul saith hee is expounded by Saint Iames namely that he vnderstandeth not that hee that belieueth Non finitur is not bound to doe well but rather that he knoweth that he is not come to the gift of iustification by the merits of his precedent workes neither yet by those that follow because it is not permitted in this life For be that is iustified by faith how can he but afterward walke righteously c. One man therefore saith he praiseth the faith of Abraham and an other his workes Idem in Psal 31. Ex side Idem in Psal 30. Confesss l. 12. and yet they bee not contrarie Great is the worke of Abraham but as it commeth of faith J see the foundation to bee faith and I praise the fruite of the good tree but in faith I knowe the roote to bee neither barren nor withered c. Whereupon hee concludeth Let not a man boast of his workes before faith neither let any man neglect them after hee hath once receiued grace to beleeue c. And as our Sauiour Christ doth liue in thine hart so let him also remaine and dwel in thy mouth Concil Arans c. 12. so also in thy deedes and actions c. This is that which the Councell of Orange doth hold vpon this question To loue God is a gift of God Hee hath vouchsafed maâ—â— to be beloued himselfe hauing loued without being loued He loued vs when we displeased him to the end that he louing vs we might please him for he hath shed loue into our hearts c. To be briefe these good fathers say Wee begin not in any good worke but afterward God helpeth vs to make an end Nay hee without any precedent merits inspireth into vs his faith and his loue c. But it may be at the least you will say that man may merit afterward Nay saith hee Prosp de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 23. l. 2. c. 8. What hast thou that thou hast not receiued c. And Prosper Aquitanus who was of the same time Vnto euerie man saith hee is giuen Sine merito vnde tendat adâ—meritum without merit where by he may take the way to merite and it is giuen before any paâ—ines or labour taken to euerie man for which he is to receiue a reward according to his labour c. And then you wil say yet loe here both merit and reward but then againe behold â—and marke how hee expoundeth it If God find in vs what we haue committed in our selues we cannot but be condemned Idem sentent 126. but if be find in vs what he himselfe hath wrought we shall bee crowned Because saith he in an other place all our merit from the beginning vnto the end is the gift of God all our workes otherwise tending to nothing but condemnation Which thing â—ee setteth downe in these verses against the vnthankfull Nam meritum ad mortem subeundam sufficit vnum Ad vitam Idem contr collat contr ingrat nisi quod donarit gratia nullum And therefore concerning the iustice imputed vnto vs he saith Our righteousnesse consisteth more in the remission of our sinnes then in the perfection of our vertues And that same remission consisting also in the righteousnesse of Christ for from that commeth our righteousnesse in as much as wee are renued Ipsa inquit virtutum gaudiaâ—â—oulnus habent Idem in sent The greatest ioyes that their vertues can moue in them haue their pearcing wounds and scorching Corasiues Wee
to be innocent and redeemed they frustrate and make of no value the redemption in them But saith he in another place Notwithstanding that the soule of the holy man do wander out of the way of righteousnes yet if it lay fast hold by faith on him which iustifieth the sinner and bewaile vncessantly the sinnes committed in the time of this faith by such his continual washings it retaineth and kepeth stil his righteousnes And of faith he hath these Maxims verie ordinarie and samiliar Idem in Ezec. l. 1. hom 9. 7. In Ezec. hom 19. In Euang. hom 29. l. 3 indict 12. Ep. 27. All the Saints before the comming of Christ were saued by faith let vs not put our confidence in our teares and mourning neither yet in our deedes but in the intercession of our Aduocate faith goeth before brotherly loue and charitie It must bee first preached and taught thereby to raise vs vp vnto good workes vertues bring vs not to beleeue but faith bringeth vs to a vertuous life True faith is that which saith it and harboreth not any conditions or manners contrarie vnto the same we hold fast the faith and therewithall wee exercise it in good workes What is all this but the same which we affirme and say That the iust man liueth by faith that his faith sheweth it selfe aliue by his workes In the same sence dooth also Cassiodorus Olympiodorus Orgelitanus and others of the same time verie often speake although not altogether so properly in certaine places The ages following hold of the night shut in Anno 700. The proceeding of the abuse and yet so as that there shined forth some little glimces of star light Then in stead of the teaching of one onely remission of sinnes in the onely bloud of Christ and that in such sort as that it was famous and reuerently receiued throughout al the time that the purer antiquitie continued Gregorie and Cassiodorus had begun to teach that sins were remitted and forgiuen by martyrdome almes deedes forgiuing of our brethren reclaiming of a sinner c. acknowledging notwithstanding that nothing of all this stood good otherwise then in faith but contrarily that it was continually euill and against true and liuely faith Such as followed after as Cesarius Adelhelmus and others doe reckon vnto vs twelue deedes which do iustifie vs Baptisme Charitie Almes-deedes Teares and lamentation confession affliction correction intercession of the Saints mercie the conuerting of a sinner the forgiuing of our brethren and the suffering of martyrdome But as for faith which is the onely and alone meanes they negligently cast it behinde them This was the remainder of Pelagius his opinion which as our aduersaries they thought that they had well and sufficiently qualified when they said That the first grace was of God the first remission and forgiuenesse of Baptisme and as for all the rest Anno. 800. we ought to seeke and search for it in our selues by our works Now the inuocating and praying vnto Saints iumping and falling in togither with the same about this time did fortifie and adde more force to the error And it is to be noted that as in the change of the winds we see the cloudes in doubtfull sort to wauer and as it were stagger before they resolue vpon and take the direct course before the winde euen so it fared with the ancient writing of those times Beda in Psal 24. 31. before that they wholy and altogither inclined vnto this corruption For Beda doth cleane and wholie cleare and free the whole matter Forgiue me my sinnes not for my merits but for thy goodnes sake for there is no merit that is a sufficient price or raunsome for eternall blessednesse there is nothing but the meere grace of God that bringeth saluation yea grace freely giuen no regarde had either to merit precedent or such as may after insue And by faith by the alone righteousnesse saith hee of faith Idem in Psa 77 Idem l. â— in Marc. c. 2. 4. Idem l. 1. in Luc. c. 1. 2. Idem l. 4. in Luc. c. 11. Idem in Ioh. c. 6. Albin l. 3. de Trinit c 1. 7 Idem in Psal 4 20. paenit in 7. In Ioh. l. 1. c. 1. Bed l. 3. in Iob. c. 1. Anno 900. Haimo in Ep. ad Rom. c. 1. 4. Impertiendo Idem in Ps 84. Idem in Ps 26 Idem in Mich. c. 6. Idem in Zach. c. 3. Idem in Cantic Cant. c. 4. Consortium Diuum Idem in Epist ad Rom. c. 10. Idem in Ep. ad Heb. c. 5. 9. Idem in Ep. ad Rom. c. 6. Adelbert in altercat Theophil in Ep. ad Tim. c. 1 Anselm in Ep. ad Rom. passim which onely healeth the inwarde man which onelie forgiueth sinnes which onelie saued them which liued in the time of Circumcision and that without their offerings and sacrifices and which alone adopteth vs the children of God c. which is the life of our soule yea which sheweth forth his life by good workes c. And Albinus writeth in like manner Wash mee O Lorde from the spottes of mine vnrighteousnesse by the gift of thy mercie I am verie able to pollute and defile my selfe but I haue no power to cleanse my selfe there is no man iustified in thy sight but by thy grace by thy mercie in the name of the Sauiour and not by his merits And this grace is distributed and giuen vnto vs by the meanes of faith in Iesus Christ c. and the same the gift of God c. Neither yet haue these famous men so written but that withall there haue escaped and slipped from them some places verie different and vnlike such was the contagion of the time as that we are iustified by humilitie patience virginitie c. Notwithstanding that they euermore ioyne faith therewithall Haimo Archbishop of Halberstat saith The righteousnesse of God that is to say the iustification by which hee iustifieth them that belieue in him is manifested in the Gospell when the Lord saith He that shal belieue be baptised shal be saued that is to say shall be righteous This is that righteousnesse by which all those that belieue are iustified by the gift of the Father of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost which is called the righteousnesse of God because that hee in making the faithfull partakers of the same maketh them righteous c. and it is called the righteousnesse of faith by which Abraham was iustified c. And Christ is the Author of this righteousnesse vnto vs For before the world was framed saith hee God decreed with his Sonne to saue mankind without any precedent merites for euen man was not as yet c. This Sonne which hath giuen remission of sinnes and all other benefites of his onely and meere mercie Which is vnto vs the foundation of all righteousnesse In whose onely bloud it resteth for vs to be saued in as much
is the fountaine and welspring of iustification And in an other place Magniloqui dicuntur c. Such saith he are rightly called the greatest brauers who put their trust in themselues as being righteous and thereupon presume of the workes of the Law As on the contrarie those are called and are truely poore which know themselues sinners and perceiue that they can no way be iustified but by the faith of Christ. And therefore saith he it is requisite that this conceitednesse of thinking to be saued by workes should be laid downe Idem in Soph. l. 2. c. 3. Idem l. 2. in Genes c. 3. Idem in Esa c. 8. Without faith it is impossible to please God it is in like manner impossible but by faith Abraham Isaac and Iacob c. were not saued any otherwise For righteousnesse is Ex fide in fidem of faith and vnto faith Of faith that is of him who hath promised who hath sworne Vnto faith that is of him who hath belieued in him that promised and giuen credite to him that swore c. But as for such as are not true Israelites they haue no such faith for in seeking and searching after their owne righteousnesse they could not stoope vnto or vndergoe this of faith but haue toyled themselues by seeking the same from workes to workes as if Abraham had beene iustified by workes when as the Scripture testifieth of him Idem de Victor verb. Dei l. 4. c. 21. that he belieued and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse c. Verie excellently therefore is it said From faith to faith for in that the Sonne of God is come c. this proceedeth of the faith fulnesse of God of whome it is written God is faithfull c. Namely herein that Dauid and others moe haue not pearced him through with their sinnes and that he accomplisheth by his exceeding great faithfulnesse what hee had promised of his exceeding great grace And this righteousnesse tendeth in fidem vnto an other faith because it is not possible that any man should be iustified before him by his workes but by faith Idem in reg l. 2. c. 39. According to that which is said If thou obserue and marke mine iniquities O Lord c. And to be briefe he oftentimes vttereth these words The onely faith of Iesus Christ is able to iustifie c. Lombard likewise Loâ—bard l. 3 d. 19. 25. We are iustified by the death of Christ that is to say cleansed from our sinnes by faith in his death Beholding him by faith after the manner of the brazen Serpent we are deliuered from the bands of sinne and the Diuell in so much as that he is not to demaunde or looke for any thing at our hands Without faith in this Mediatour no man hath beene saued either before or since no man was euer deliuered from that condemnation that came by Adam otherwise then by faith Idem l. 3. d. 26. Rupert in Ioh. c. 1. Impraegnatam mentem Lombard l. 3. d. 23 Honor. in Specul Eccles Richard in Apocal. l. 1. c. And this faith saith he is of God according to that which Saint Augustine saith The mercie of God shall preuent me the mercie of God shall follow me c. That is saith Rupertus Because that to belieue is to haue conceiued the seed of the word of God with loue in his heart as also to haue his mind and spirit conceiued and laden with the same And Lombard To loue God is by belieuing in him to cleaue vnto him and to be incorporated into him by such faith the wicked is iustified inso much as that from thence forward faith worketh in him by loue for there are no good workes but those which are done by the loue of God and this loue is the worke of faith Honorius He is most happie in deede that belieueth rightly and that together with this beliefe liueth well but faith is the foundation and the loue of God and our neighbours is grounded vpon the same And Richard Of faith proceedeth charitie and of charitie doe good workes spring and growe And what is all this but the same which we affirme daily that faith cannot stand without charitie any more then fire can without heate That the life of faith euen as that of trees is knowne because it bringeth forth fruit In a word that wee are iustified by faith onely And yet such a faith as is neuer alone but which containeth in it a certaine heate which is naturall vnto it alwayes acting somewhat neuer idle continually bringing foorth as a fountaine of water the effects of loue which it beareth towards God and the good works it performeth vnto neighbours But Saint Bernard whome we haue so oft heretofore cited goeth further then all the rest For there was in his time a certaine man named Petrus Abailardus a verie Pelagian who durst say That whereas Christ had abased and humbled himselfe euen vnto the death c. that it had not beene but to haue left vs a patterne of liuing well and that our saluation consisteth not in his death and passion but in the growth and proceeding of our good conuersation Whereupon he is not content to giue him to vnderstand that this his assertion is the same which the Apostle calleth the making of the Crosse of Christ of none effect but taketh his occasion and proceedeth further and hauing taken the beasome once into his hand he sweepeth not onely this filth out of the Church that caused him to take it into his hand but withall he applieth himselfe all vnder one to sweepe away whatsoeuer the Iew Gentile Philosopher or superstitious Monke had brought and shuffled thereinto with their vncleane feete or else was negligently looked vnto or tolerated by the sorenamed it hauing fallen out then as it doth oftentimes vnto vs now who are not moued or stirred vp to remoue put away the thing that is euill be it neuer so great And therefore reprouing the waies that S. Augustine did walke in hee dealeth vpon the true iustification in the bloud of Christ by faith more exactly then all the rest Our master saith he knew well that the Law did require more then was in our power Bernard in Serm. 50. super Cant. Idem Serm de verb orig Idem Serm 38 super Cantic Idem Serm. 11 in Annunciat Mariae Idem de milit templ c. 11. Idem Ep. 99. Idem Serm 22 super Can. fusissime but notwithstanding he would giue it vnto vs that we might be admonished of our insufficiencie and that such and so great saith he as that we are neuer able to render vnto God that which we owe him in such sort as that if we should teare and pull our skinnes from off our backes yet are we neuer able to satisfie for our sinnes But wee haue recourse vnto the voice of the bloud of Christ which hath cried farre lowder then the bloud of Abell which proclaimeth in
constant assertion doth become fool-hardie and faith if it become wauering is infirme and weake And therefore it appeareth by his effects and sheweth foorth the life that is in it The life thereof saith he is Christ dwelling in our hearts Idem Serm. 1. in Oct. Pasch Idem ibidem and of a certaintie looke where he dwelleth he dwelleth not without loue sanctification and good workes The life thereof is loue and charitie These are the life of faith as faith is the life of our soules For saith he If thou deuide actum a fide action and working from faith thou makest an vnlawfull diuision and killest faith Idem Serm 24 in Cant. Ep. 107. Idem Serm. de resurrect Domini 2. Idem de Serm. omn. fester for faith is dead without workes And wilt thou offer vnto God a dead sacrifice a faith without loue a bodie without a soule c. Nay saith hee workes doe testifie the life of faith Our life is knowne by mouing and that of faith by good workes Now we reason thus Man liueth not because hee is moued but he is moued because hee liueth and then the faithfull is not iustified neither inioyeth he the life of his soule because he doth good workes but because hee is iustified because his soule inioyeth life in Christ by faith he doth good workes These good workes notwithstanding are such as if the righteousnesse of God bee considered are by him compared vnto the most filthie thing in the world and such notwithstanding as they bee if you consider them according to that small quantitie of goodnesse which they containe they are of God and not of our selues Idem Serm. de Annunciat Mariae the fruit no lesse then the tree For saith hee It is meete that the holy Ghost should testifie vnto thee that thou hast them not but of him he is the author the rewarder and the whole reward This soueraigne good thing is a twofold cause of good things vnto vs the efficient and the finall And yet further hee saith Without grace wee are not sufficient onely to thinke a good thought Idem Serm. 9 in Psalm 91. Serm. 32 In so much as that speaking of his owne workes hee attributeth them vnto God As in that his soule hath not beene giuen our from the beginning vnto all sinne in that it hath beene changed from bitternesse and vexation into ioy and comfort in that it hath repented after a sound and profitable sort Idem de Sept. misericord contrarie to the repentance of many others in that hee hath obtained free remission in that he hath beene kept from falling backe into his former sins in that he hath profited in abstaining from euill accustomed the practise of that which is good and in that he hopeth and looketh for a better estate in the world to come c. Now then what remaineth for to attribute vnto man In stead that of our aduersaries we say what reserue they then as a remainder for God For if we owe vnto God that which we pretend challenge to merit by namely a faith working by charitie which is our pretended merit for what owe we not to him of whome we hold all that we haue What hire can we pretend for a thing that is not our owne but only his mercy which hath made it ours and which himselfe according to the riches of his grace will bee ours And this is that which this our good and bountiful father left vs by testament I know well saith he that I haue not any merit In â—â—t Bernar. to bring me to heauen but my Lord doth possesse it by a double title and claime namely by nature and obedience hee is himselfe content with the one and giueth me the other c. CHAP. XXI How the doctrine and opinion of merit prospered proceeded and went forward from the time of Saint Barnard vntill these our daies And what contradictions and resistances were made against it vntil the time of the full springing vp againe of the Gospell BVt let vs now drawe neere vnto the yeare one thousand three hundred wherein Christendome felt a notable change in doctrine generally but especially in this article Therein at that time Philosophie began to raigne and ouertop the sacred profession of Diuinitie by the introduction and bringing in of Schoolemen so that Aristotle got the vpper hand of Saint Paule Sound and grounded dealing melted into fine and filed subtiltie curiositie and temeritie the later enuied the former and that consequently from one to another euen to the memorie of our age This scholasticall dealing fell amongst the Monkes who added Pharisaisme vnto Philosophie seeking how to make themselues highly reuerenced amongst the common people yea and to make God himselfe bound beholden vnto them by reason of their austere and stoical obseruations deuised and affected of their owne voluntarie inuentions They ingrossed for good debt which God should become answerable vnto them for all their Masses praiers fastings sermons contemplations watchings abstinences and the discipline and correction vsuall in their Cloisters c. And that to the making of them auailable not onely for theÌ„selues for they were not vnprouided of a remanet but vnto so many as became benefactors vnto their fraternities and couents And to the common people they assigned them for readie money therewith to pay for and discharge their sinnes to satisfie the wrath of God and obtaine eternall life Mightie therefore was the growth increase of this abuse when once such multitudes of people tanquam agmine facto lent their helping hand therunto And that so much the more for that they being mendicant begging people had their maintenance assigned them vpon the pretended merits of the coÌ„mon people which also that they might the better attaine and come by they assigned vnto them eternall life to be receiued vpon the reckoning of their deuotions And here we are not to forget the maner and forme of their donations gifts Bulla fraternitatum Dominicanorum FranciscanoruÌ„ which were passed at this time to Monasteries which was as foloweth Euery man must deeply weigh and consider how swiftly this present life doth passe away and that other approch and come on and by the same meanes thinke and consider with himselfe if there be any thing in his possession to giue vnto worshipfull places for his soules health that so hee may merite to inioy eternall rest in Paradise with saint Peter and saint Andrew because that they by giuing their goodes haue purchased the kingdome of heauen The kingdome of God is woorth as much and according to that which thou possessest For what is there that is more cheape when it is bought or more deare when it is possessed and obtained c. This was the declaration and maner of speech vsed for the moouing of their affections whereupon insued their maner of giuing and disposing vpon this promise then which was made vnto them by the
Serm. de verit mater 27. by the same grace the meanes to cause it to become and prooue such And therefore saith he Man is not onely said to haue the grace of God because he is beloued of God vnto eternall life but also because he giueth him a gift by the which he maketh him wore thie of eternall life which we cal gratiam gratum facientem Grace which maketh a man acceptable that is to wit this faith infused by the holie Ghost into our hearts by the which saith he all the fathers of the olde Testament became acceptable to God and iustified and whereby wee also are deliuered from sinne and death And this fayth saith hee quickeneth the soule by grace Galat. 2. It purgeth it from sinnes Actes 17. c. It giueth righteousnesse vnto the soule Rom. 3. It betrotheth and affianceth vs vnto God Osee 2. Iden in 1.2 q. 102 art 5 Idem in expos 1. Decret In offic de corp Christ In Hymno Tert. summ q. 4.49 arr 1. AEgid Fom c. 12. l. Examer l. 2. c. 4. It adopteth men to be the sonnes of God 1. Iohn 2. It causeth vs to approch and draw neere vnto God Heb. 11. Finally by it men attaine the hire of eternall life Iohn 6. c. Againe To establish and strengthen a sincere heart onelie faith sufficeth c. By faith the passion of Christ is applied vnto vs that so wee may be able to receiue the fruits thereof Rom. 3. It is vnto vs both the beginning and cause of righteousnesse Rom. 8. That righteousnesse which is by the faith of Christ c. Yea and yet Aegidius saith further That all our good workes are the workes of God Thou hast O Lord saith Esai wrought and brought to passe our workes And wee are not sufficient saith the Apostle to thinke anie good of our selues it is he which maketh vs righteous and which effecteth in vs the workes of righteousnesse Nowe were it not better to holde him to these Maximes and to the conclusions necessarily insuing heereof as that wee owe vnto the infinite grace of God our iustification to the perfect and absolute righteousnesse of Christ our righteousnesse to God by Iesus Christ the beginning middest and ende of our saluation according to the Scriptures then according to the curious Meditations which happen vnto the most excellent wittes when the drie and barren veine ouertaketh them to seeke our saluation in our selues in whome there is nothing to bee found but destruction or for any thing wherewith we may pay God or wherewith we may purchase eternall life both for our selues and others out of our owne stocks and prouision In the meane time wee see howe the succeeding ages learned to build vpon these strawie and stubblie foundations Thomas had said That free-will mooued by the grace of God proceeded vnto good workes and became fellow-worker with his grace These men say That free-will of his owne nature dooth such workes as that they merit that God should illuminate the worker with his grace giue him faith c. In such sort as that the vnbeleeuers doe merit of God by their workes not any more the gift of faith and righteousnesse but faith and righteousnesse for a hire which they call Meritum de congruo as a man would say of well beseeming meaning thereby that if not for righteousnesse yet at the least for seemlinesse sake God is bound to giue them his grace See I pray you how this matter agreeth with the Scripture Whatsoeuer is done without faith cannot please God With Saint Augustine The workes of all vnbeleeuers considered in them are sinnes As also with Thomas Whereas God is mooued to distribute his grace it is not in consideration of ante merits gone before or to come but of his free grace and good will sed ex mera gratia And this is the same likewise which the Schoole-men say in their dunsicall doctrine That man by his naturall power doing that which is in himselfe without faith and without the holy Ghost is able to merit de congruo that God should giue him grace And Gabriel Biel expoundeth these woordes Gab. Biel. in 3. sent d. 27. In 4. Sent. d. 14 q. 1. d. 14 l. 3. q. 2. That which is in himselfe louing God saith he aboue all things And this he affirmeth that Man may doe of his owne naturall power Whereas notwithstanding in deed the case standeth thus that loue proceedeth from knowledge and that imperfect knowledge cannot beget perfect loue Yea hee passeth further for saith he as no subiect receiueth anie forme except it be prepared and fitted thereunto euen so it is requisite that our soule should bee prepared for the infusion of grace which is our formall righteousnesse before God and this it commeth to be by the meanes of free-will which maketh a man to know his sinne and to be displeased with himselfe for the same which he calleth dispositionem praeuiam after which he resolueth to loue God aboue all which he calleth dispositionem concomitantem which maketh the soule apt to receiue the stampe and marke namely the infusion of his grace by this act so meriting the same euen so farre foorth as that grace of necessitie and that verie speedilie is infused into it Neither more nor lesse saith hee then in naturall things vltima immediata dispositio necessitat ad formam Which is as much to say in plaine English as that our free-will dooth not onely merit grace at Gods hande for seemelinesse sake but euen of necessitie and perforce Quite contrarie to that which Saint Paule repeateth so often times By grace Thomas likewise Mera liberalitate meragratia c. As also cleane contrarie to that that hee maketh Grace the beginning of our saluation in intention and the effectiue in the execution c. Thomas againe had saide That free-will deliuereth by the grace of God and worketh certaine actions auailable to the purging and taking away of veniall sinnes as also to the stirring vp of the increase of grace But such as come after staie not there For this infused grace of God by the merit of the free-will of man is turned by them into a state and disposition of the spirit made conformable to the Law and will of God by which Man saith this Gabriell also is not onely deliuered from bond of damnation but also is made worthie of life and eternall glorie And the soule saith he informed and taught by this grace by an action drawne partly from this grace and partly from a mans owne will doth merit eternall life not any more de congruo that is to say of congruitie or for seemelinesse sake but de condig no for hauing done a deed worthie of the same that is to say by righteousnesse For euen so doe they define it That the workes of the regenerate done in charitie in this life deserue eternall life in as much as it is to be rendred and giuen to good workes
to quench the same in the welspring of life this reuiuing water gushing out vnto eternall life this precious blood of our Lord which is made our iustification yea our iustice Againe in the holy Supper all the faithfull did communicate together in bread and in the cuppe in the bodie and in the blood of our Lord being taught thereby that they were but one bodie euen the bodie of Christ but diuers members quickened moued and gouerned by one spirite euen by his spirit liuing one life and consequently taught mutually to loue one another mutually to imbrace one another the greater becomming seruants to the lesser the strong vnto the weake the learned to the ignorant and the wise and prudent to the foolish and simple referring all their actions to the glorie of their head to the seruice of the bodie and to the saluation of his members In the Masse what is there that may imprint this brotherly loue and charitie in vs or expresse and teach vs any such instruction yea on the contrarie which doth not suppresse and burie charitie which doth not oppresse and smother that in all dispightfull manner such lessons and doctrine where the Priest if hee may be lawfully so called communicateth alone one for all where the auncient bread of the communion of the bodie of Christ great according to the proportion of the communicants is brought to one wafer that in some places no greater then a penie being for the priest alone whereas our Lord deliuered himselfe to death for all and gaue himselfe to all where also so oft as any are admitted thereunto they are depriued of the cup of the communion so much as in them lyeth of the blood of Christ Then what proportion holdeth it with the supper yea what opposition and contrarietie is there that it maintaineth not against the Apostle We are one onely bread 1. Cor. 10.17 and one onely bodie c. To be short in the holy supper man was taught how he was indebted vnto one onely God for his creation as likewise that hee was not bound to any for the work of his regeneration iustification sanctificatiō saluation but to one only Christ the eternall son of God the beginning midst and end of our spirituall life in so much as that he which doth regenerate vs in baptisme and doth nourish and feed vs in the holy supper is made our meat himselfe and in so much as that he which washeth vs from our sinnes doth cloath and couer vs with his righteousnesse In the Masse what shall wee say where of the holy table of our Lord they haue made vs an Altar of all sortes of saints where of the remembrance of his death they haue made vs a legend of the Saintes their sufferinges and passions where in stead of his blood the onely propitiation for our sinnes they pretend to administer vnto vs their praiers intercessions and merites where to shut vp all in a word is pretended to sacrifice in honor of the Saints him for whose glorie and names sake all the Saintes haue offered whatsoeuer they haue sacrificed yea and for whose names sake they ought to sacrifice themselues To bee short let vs set before vs on the one side an assemblie of faithfull people praying vnto God singing his praises hearing his worde and attentiue to the expounding of the same a seruant of God in all simplicitie so ripping vp their sinnes as that hee maketh them to haue a sence and feeling of the same by the worde declaring thereupon the remission thereof in the death and passion of our Lorde distributing vnto them rounde about the table his bodie and his blood in the sacrament of bread and wine which he hath instituted and prouoking and stirring of them vp to the giuing of all heartie and euerlasting praise vnto him for this so great a benefite This was the holy supper of the faithfull in the old Church this is ours And now set before your eyes on the other side a Priest with a straunge garment his face fixt vppon an Altar with a Clearke standing behind him muttering in an vnknowne language interlarded with signes lifting vppe a Wafer in an affected and ceremoniall sorte causing it to bee worshipped dippping it in his wine eating it alone vsing no word of interpretation or exhortation neither yet giuing the people any other taste thereof by any manner of instruction perswading them notwithstanding that by thus much as hath beene done being at their or his request and bought with some peece of money he hath sacrificed our Lord for them or him that hee hath with this his one labour set his father in Paradice drawne him out of Purgatorie c. This is the Masse of Rome that same which wee so greatly complaine of and whereof there is so much talke but how differing and disagreeing both for manner and effect I call their owne soules to witnes from the seruice of the fathers how farre off then from the institution of Christ and how farre off from the order of the Apostles But it is now time to finish this discourse let vs leaue the partes and looke into the circumstances and so we shall come to behold the truth of this matter in more cleare and euident manner The end of the first booke The Second Booke WHEREIN ARE HANDLED THE CIRCVMSTANCES AND APPERTINANCES BELONGING TO THE Diuine seruice as those also which belong vnto the Masse CHAP. I. Of Churches and Altars and of their originall and proceeding IT followeth after wee haue spoken of the parts of seruice their first originall and beginning as also of their increase and proceeding deprauing corrupting c. that we now examine the circumstances thereof And therefore let vs beginne with the Churches Altars and images and therein consider how by the good husbanding of the matter by the Sea of Rome the circumstances haue taken the place of the substance and the accidents of the subiect in such manner as that in Papistrie there is more regard had of a pretended adorning beautifying of places thē to the forme substance of that which is to be done therein for the saluation instruction of men The ancient Iewes by the commandement of God had built a temple for sacrifices Act. 2.5.21 Act. 9.13 after that many Sinagogues like parish Churches therein to reade and expound the word of God Our Lord did often vse to go into the same to draw the Iewes to the knowledge of the truth his Apostles likewise did imitate his example But in as much as it was not lawfull for them to doe the seruice ordained in the new Testament therein they are content to doe it in their owne priuate houses Act. 1.2.4.5.10.12.20.28 no lesse consecrate and dedicate then the temple and the synagogues seeing it is the seruice that sanctifieth the place and not the place that sanctifieth the seruice yea so much the rather in that the voice of Gods owne Sonne manifested in