the singular numbre to be slightly passed ouer for euen with the lyke obseruation S. Paule dothe presse vppon the Iewes GOD hadde promysed vnto Abraham that in his seede all Nations shoulde bee blessed The Iewes althoughe they referred thys to the Messias in especiall as the Papistes pretende to beleeue on Christe in especiall yet as the Papistes wyll beleeue on all theyr Sainctes besydes so the Iewes referred this to all theyr whole stocke and nation besides But Saincte Paule letteth not siyppe the promyse so but very earnestely vrgeth the woorde whereon hee proueth Chryste to bee that promised seede Abrahae dictae sunt promissiones semini eius non dicit seminibus quasi in multis sed quasi in vno semini tuo qui est Christus Vnto Abraham sayeth Saincte Paule were the promyses spoken and to hys seede he sayeth not and to his seedes as though it were to many but as in one and to thy seede whyche is CHRISTE Thus confuted hee the Iewes and euen so shall wee confute the Papistes that no lesse take away the beleefe of Chryste than didde the Iewes but styll vrge them wyth thys saying of Chryste Qui credunt in eum not in eos They that beleeue in hym not in them and yee shall quyte confounde them nor all the Papists in the world well may they champe on the brydle and wrangle after theyr confuse manner but they shall neuer be able to answer directly to this one argument that euidentely proueth them not to beleue in God nor to bee any partakers of this benefite excepte they forsake their inuocation with their other errours only beleue in him And although here the Papist might be cleane reiected as none of the housholde of faith yet bicause he quarelleth also in this part of receyuing this gift of God by faith and can not abide that we shoulde ascribe the receipt hereof to faith let vs heare what he hath to say against it But fyrste note that all his drift is againste faith And the controuersie of faith is the matter that of al other he can not abide And why is he suche an enemie vnto fayth bicause he himselfe hath no faith but always doubteth and hangeth betweene dispaire and hope For as Scientia non habet inimicos nisi ignorantes Science hath no enemies but those that knowe it not so the Papiste is the enemie of faith bicause he knoweth â—…ot what faith is First he is offended that Fayth shoulde be so extolled before all other vertues and woulde haue loue more principally required and cryeth out that by this doctrine charitie is waxen very colde and almoste cleane extinguished But this is not that the Papist hath such liking of loue and charitie except it be as is aforesayd S. Francis charitie that he loueth his Popes courtizans more than he beleueth in God and therfore would haue loue be set before beleefe As for that charitie that doth good to her enemies so heapeth burning coales vpon their heads rather than the Papists wold seme to want it they wil not cast ashes in our eyes as did Pope Bonifacius the eight on Ash wednesday to Porchetto archbishop of Genua nor onely heape very burning coales vppon oure heades but couer all our bodies with faggots also and burne vs cleane to ashes so feruent hot is their charitie againste vs or rather their boyling hatred and enuie that they beare vs and do these murderers so vaunt of loue and lament the decay of charitie This is euen as the theefe that hauing robbed a poore man asked him if he had any more the poore man denyed it but when the thefe serching him further founde somwhat more than the poore man thoughte had ben aboute him Ha good Lord quod the theefe what a hard world is this whom shall a man trust nowe a dayes And euen so the Papists spoyle murder with all kind of moste barbarous crueltie the poore professers of the Gospell and faith of Christe and yet they crie out Ha good God wher is charitie where is charitie What a harde and vncharitable worlde is this It is not charitie therefore that the Papiste reckeneth on though he vse the name of charitie to bleare the simple people withal for rather than he wold lese one iote of his aduantage or the pope one title or inche of his honour he careth not and all the worlde were together by the eares yea he will clap them on the backe and set them to it as at this day he doth This then is not charitie but vnder the name of charitie hee meaneth mannes workes bicause charitie is the bonde wherewith they are all tied and so are all comprehended vnder the name of charitie and therefore sayeth he charitie is the principall by the preparatiue workes whereof wee receyue euen faithe it selfe But herein he lyeth we receyue not faith by the preparation of any works but whatsoeuer worke springeth not out of faith the same work how glorious soeuer it seeme is nothing els but sinne Quicquid non est exfide peccatum est Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne marke this word ex of if it be not of it if it come not out of it it is sinne then faith goth before all other things in this matter of iustification and so faith is the principal thing and root of all Yea not only the principall but in this matter faith only and that without workes doth it And here againe the Papist is more offended than before that faith is made the only meanes of receauing this benefite What saithe he and nothing but faith No say I Christ mencioneth here nothing but faith Qui credit in eum He that beleueth in him Si potes credere If thou couldest beleue saith Christ all things are possible to him that beleeueth Confide fili tantum crede only beleue Be it vnto you acording to your faith Fides tua te saluum fecit fides tua te saluam fecit Thy faith saith Christ hathe saued thee Qui credit in filium habet vitam aeternam He that beleueth in the sonne hath life euerlasting and this is life euerlasting saith Christ to beleue thee to be the true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ. And therfore say we with Iesus Christ we receaue this benefite euen only by faith in him By faith saith S. Paule our harts be purified by faith the iust man liues by faith we are al the sonns of God euen because we beleued in Iesus Christ by faith with the hart we beleue to righteousnesse By faith were all those benefites wrought that S. Paule to the Hebrues reckeneth vp We conclude therefore with Sainct Paule as he concludeth with Iesus Christ that we receaue this benefite only by faithe in him What by bare and naked faith saith the Papiste without all maner of works Sayeth not saint Iames shew me thy faith by thy workes True it is he doth so and
reward giuen for of good conscience by right and iustice he deserueth somwhat euen of dutie Therfore if hee wrought any thing in this matter of the cause of his owne saluation he deserueth then somewhat euen of dutie to the obteyning of his owne saluation Neither let the Scholemen go so gingerly to worke with theyr threefolde distinction of deseruyng Merito digni condigni congrui by the merite of dignitie condignitie congruitie descanting by which of these three they shoulde make their clayme least they shoulde seeme to attribute too muche to manne A good playne fellowe that coulde scarse vnderstand these quaint termes what woulde he thynke hearing of desert but that it is plain debt and dutie ▪ Yea what could he thinke otherwise and why should he not clayme for his due somuch as he deserued for his worke And doth not saint Paul here without any such nicenesse go as plain ly to the matter and saye if it be of worke it is of duetie And againe Dignus est operarius mercede sua The workman is worthy of his rewarde He must be payde it he is worthy of it it is his dutie daly not with him in termes muche lesse tell hym it is free gift it proceedeth of gracious fauour of mere loue curtesy Thou liest it is his own euen of dutie he hath earned it wel and truly and therfore it is not gift nor fauour nor loue ▪ nor curtesy nor free nor grace but euen playn debt and dutie And shal we now say that of dutie we deserue heuen or deserue some part of our saluation of dutie that God is in our debt This were Iacke sauce in dede to claime debt of God to chalenge God of dutie but thou must nedes do thus if thou puttest in workes for any part of the cause of thy saluation Neither canst thou delude god on this wise by ioyning these two together as who shoulde saye thou wilt not ascribe all to thy selfe lyke the priest at Masse but like a good felow let God haue som part with the. Ha sut◅le foole Sim suttle deceued himself Thinkest thou thus to mo◅k God Thou mayst so bleare and deceiue a blinde Papist But Deus non irridetur God is not mocked no nor any that hearken to S. Paule that sayth These two can not be ioyned togither The olde bottell wyll holde no new wine the olde coate will not be pieced with new cloth for so the rent is worse so the bottels are burst and the wine is spilt This is an busit matche of mans workes and Gods grace in the cause of our saluation This is worse than Iugum ducere cum infidelibus To drawe the yoake with infidels This were euen Christe and Belial together For what is man but the child of Belial before God geue him his grace and wylte thou ioyne mans works and the grace of God togither to be cause of thy saluation nay S. Paule hath sued such a diuorce alredy betwene these two that if thou wilte haue grace to be a doer grace must be all the doer farewel works If thou wilt bring in works adiew fauor grace is clean gone These two cānot be ioyned together in the causes of saluation For sayth S. Aug. Si vllis bonis meritis datur iam non gratis datur sed debita redditur ac per hoc non vero nomine gratia nuncupatur vbi mer ces c. If it be geuen for any good merits then is it not geuē free but is of duty rendred and hereby it is not called grace by a true name sith that as the same apostle sayth reward is accompted not after grace or fauor but by debt But if that it may be fauor that is to say free it findeth nothyng in man whereunto it may be rightly indebted whiche is also truely vnderstode that is said Euen for nothing shalte thou make them safe then truly fauor giueth merites fauour is not giuen for merits then fauor goeth before faith it selfe from whom all works haue their beginning To conclude therefore as it commethe not by works alone nor chiefly so not ioyntlye neither with the fauoure and loue of God neither in partnor parcell nor any whyt by works at all for if it shoulde grace is expelled challenge is made of duty debt is claimed reioising is made but not with god but it commeth all of fauor Gratia saluati estis yee are saued by grace challenge dare not be made of dutie Dimitte nobis debita no◅tra Forgiue vs our deseruings Debt is damnation Nobis cō fusio faciei Unto vs belōgeth confusion of our faces Vbi est igitur gloriatio tua ▪ exclusa est Per quam legem factorum non s◅d per legem fidei arbitramur enim iustificari hominem per fidem absque operibus legis Where is then thy reioicing It is excluded By what lawe of workes No But by the law of Faith. Therfore wee deeme that a man is iustified by Faith without the workes of the lawe If then workes are thus by S. Paul in the matter of Iustification thrust clean out of the dores by the heade and shoulders shall wee suffer the Papists to bring them in and shoulder out grace and the fauour of God in the cause of his election and of our saluation But needes wyll the Papistes ioyne these two that can not be ioyned the merits of man and the fauour or loue of god Now syth they will needes ioyne them together whether wer it fitter to haue the better ende of the staffe to be the greater cause of the twain the cause proceding from god or the cause proceeding from man a reasonable man would think say without any studie for the matter surely the greater cause is in god Were he not then vnresonable and too too wicked that durst affirm the greater cause of our saluation to be in man Well what say the Papists to this question Man shal be saued why so Bicause God loues him as ye haue alredy proued yea but answere me precisely to this point wherfore thinkest thou God loues him Forsoth bicause that eyther he is a good man a iust man a vertuous man a man that loueth and feareth God or bicause he foreseeth he shuld so be and therfore he loueth him Why then mās goodnes is the cause of Gods loue But Vnumquodque propter quid illud magis Euery thing loke wherfore it is done and the thing wherfore it is done is greater than the thing that tendeth thereto I eate my meate wherefore To nourishe my bodye then is the nourishement of my bodye a greater cause than my meat as sayth Saint Paule Esca ventri The meate is made for the belly and not the bellie for the meate I take Physicke when I am sicke wherfore to recouer my health the r◅couery then of my health is greater than phisicke I laye mee downe to slepe why so to rest
that rightly Neyther are we against it that faithe shewe it selfe by works but rather they that dare not let theyr works come to the light and shew of the word of God least the worde should reproue their workes and shew them to be but works of darknesse to be their owne deuises not any suche good workes at all as they to the simple do crake vpon For the triall of this they shunne the light ▪ and therefore it is a good argument of our 〈◊〉 Christe against their works that they be nought Qui malè agit odit lucem nec venit ad lucem ne arguantur opera eius Hee that do the euill hateth the light and commeth not to the lyght least his workes should be reproued Wheras therfore faith should be shewed forth by works euen by this argument of S. Iames Ex effectibus fidei of the effects and and works of faith besides the forlayd argument of Saincte Paule are they agayne consuted to to haue no Fayth For where they not onely doo the woorkes of darknesse but openly defende and maynteyne them as the sitting vp of stewes and brothell houses and that euen vnder theyr owne Popes nose And thys is a ruled case of Christ A good tree can not bring forth euil frute Then surely if they were true beleuers on Iesus Christ they could not mainteine and defend suche wickednesse which is a thousand partes worse than the doing of it But as S. Iohn sayth In hoc manifesti sunt filij dei filij diaboli In this is manifest who are the sons of God and who are the sonnes of the diuell The sonnes of God doo sinne but it is of infirmitie but to maynteyn their sinfull worke is the very declaration of the childe of Sathan Oh saye they we mainteyne it not as good but confesse it to be euill howebeit we maynteyne it to driue away a greater euill But sayth S Paule Non faciamus malum vt inde eueniat bonum Let vs not do euill that good may come of it For it followeth Quorum damnatio iusta est Whose damnation is iust Now if they shall iustly be damned that wyll do euill that good may come theron shall they escape more iust damnation that will doo euill not that so muche as good may come thereon by theyr owne confession but onely the auoyding of a greater euill and yet that is no necessary auoyding of it neither Now if these euil doers shall be damned and no true beleuers shal be damned then are the Papistes no true beleuers muche lesse were they not extreme impudēt can they boast of workes that maynteine sutche open wickednesse But they wil say they boast not of this as in dede they haue little cause and mighte more honestly seeke fygge leaues to hyde their shame therein but they haue infinite other woorkes to shewe their faith by and that I do them iniurie they vpbrayding want of worls to vs to shewe our faith by and we to stande in examining of their workes to improue therby their faith but I crie them mercy I will no further rippe vp their euill workes but be contente for this once to haue shewed this one euil herbe that I thinke is able to marre all their pot of porrage For I tell yee it is Mors in olla Death in the porrage pot that no lesse thā damnation had they twenty good herbes besides But let them doe now as mutche for vs hardily and spare not and lay in our dishe so muche as but one like faulte I speake not this as though wee were without fault we are sinners greuous sinners the iustest of vs all and if we shoulde say we had no sinne we shoulde deceiue our selues and there were no truth in vs This doo the Papistes that say they can do all that God commanded but God commaunded not to sinne and therefore in saying they can fulfill the commaundements of GOD what do they saye but that they can be withoute sinne Whiche the proude Pharisey vaunted of that he was not a sinner as other men We sinne euen with the Publican but with the publican we are sorie for and repent vs of our sinne But name me one worke that God forbiddeth and we bidde defende and mainteyne the same one good worke that god biddeth and we forbid oppugne write against the same This wee haue named in them neyther shall they be euer able to name the lyke in vs But what neede we name say they any particular vice publikely defended of you when this only doctrine takes away all good workes For if I be iustified only by faith what neede I doo any good works are they not all cleane taken awaye No forsooth are they not taken away at all bycause they be remoued from the article of Iustification the workes remayn and that as necessarily to be done as before is shewed but they be not set in the place where the papists wold haue them placed in this article of receauyng Iustification where only faith consisteth Why then say they ye turne faith out of her cloathes if ye take works from her ye leaue her naked and doth a naked and bare faithe iustifie vs In deede woorkes are the cloathes of faith and serue as clothes doo decke and set this lady out but as the body was before the clothes and without the clothes and is of an other substance than the clothes so was faith before workes and is borne of God as naked as my nayle in respect of any merite of woorkes eyther preceding or concurring And thus was alwayes fayth pictured Nuda fides a naked faith But not so but that she is clad streyght wayes with the frutes of the spirite and the ornaments of al good woorkes but it is not her apparell that sets her out to god Omnia nuda sunt aperta oculis eius All things are naked open to his eyes But her apparell sets her out to man And so sayth S. Iames being a man Shewe me thy fayth by thy workes and I will shew thee my faithe by my woorkes Therfore works serue to shew forth faith to them that can not see but by outwarde shewing and so iustifieth one man before an other declareth vnto me y suche an one is iustified not to iustify him before God who seeth the things not seene Nec iuxta intuitū hominis ego iudico Homo enim videt ea quae parēt Dominus autē intuetur cor Neither do I iudge saith God after the sight of man for man seeth those things that appere but the Lord beholdeth the heart He loketh on the faith hidden within Domine oculi tui fidem respiciunt sayeth Ieremie O Lord thy eyes loke vppon the faithe Corde creditur ad iustitiam sayth S. Paule with the hearte wee beleeue to righteousnesse Fides est argumentum non apparentium Faith is an argument of things that appeare not But works
S. Paule you were sealed with the holy spirite of promise whiche is the earnest of our inheritaunce So that we haue boldnesse and entrance with the confidence which is by faith on him Nolite itaque amittere confidentiam Cast not away therfore your confidence which hath a great recompence of rewarde This is the trust that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs And if we know that he heare vs whatsoeuer we aske wee know we haue the petitions that we desire of him This is no diuels faith neuer a diuel in hel can do this Neither is this y faith of those wicked ones that are his meÌ„bers howsoeuer they vainly crake of that they haue not neyther is this the papists faith by the papists owne profession that he must stil waue in suspeÌ„ce haÌ„g in doubt but this is the faith of all those y shal receiue eternall lyfe These things sayth S. Iohn haue I written to you that beleue in the name of the sonne of God. Not that ye should hang in doubt but that ye should knowe howe that ye haue eternall life That yee haue it saith he not that ye may haue it may goe with it but ye haue it for saide he immediately before He that hathe the sonne hathe life and he that hathe not the sonne of God hath not life Sutche is the vertue of true belefe faith that he hath alredy life in true assurance bicause he hath him assuredly the whiche is truthe and life Well saithe the Papist for all this heauing and shouing yee shall not haue all youre will we haue yet then at the least one good qualitie vertue whiche shall saue vs and that is euen our faith if ye will admitte nomore But here the Papists begin to cauell and wraÌ„gle which is a signe they draw to the last cast For they know well inough where the scripture thus ascribeth iustifieng and saluation to faithe that it taketh not faith in that respect that it is any quality or habite in vs no not infused of God nor any vertue theologicall nor yet any action of the minde But only in respect of the relation that it hath to Iesus Christ to grace to the mercies to the promises and to the gift of God God is all in all the gift Christ is only my iustification but bicause the feete wherwith we com vnto it is faith We are brought in saith S. Paule Through faith into this grace wherin we stand Nam fide statis By faith we stand Per fidem ambulamus with the feet of faith we walke to the mounte of God Bycause the eye wherby I looke on Christe is faithe Abraham vidit diem meuÌ„ Abraham sawe my daye saith Christ with the eye of faith Bicause the hande wherby I receaue it is faithe Quotquot receperunt eum So many as receaued him euen those that beleeue in his name he gaue them power to be the sons of God by which hand God guided the Isralites Apprehendi manum eorum vt edueerem eos è terra Aegipti I tooke them by the hand to leade them out of the land of Aegipt And by which hand we take hold on heauen Apprehende vitam aeternam Take holde fast on eternall life with this hande of faith Bycause the hart wherin I kepe it is faith Corde creditur with the heart we beleue and he dwelleth in the harte by faithe Bycause all these things are ascribed to faith Therefore the scripture saith that faith doth iustisie vs when Christ dothe iustifie vs bicause by faith I receaue Christ which is my iustification This I do not by my works but by my faithe therefore I saye with S. Paule Faith iustifieth without workes that is faith only applyeth the mercies and merits of Iesus Christ freely offred vnto me without any preparation or merite at all of mine And thus dothe S. Paule plainly expound him selfe in the seconde chapter to the Ephesians Ye are saued by grace through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gifte of God it comme the not of works leste anye man shold boast him selfe For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordayned that we shold walke in them Here is first set down the state of iustification how we be saued Works are excluded from thys matter yea our selues and all as any cause hereof The reason is alleaged least we shold boast our selues and so all the glory shoulde not redeâ—…nde to God Then do they deface Gods glory and beaste themselues that put works or any thing in them selues in the cause of iustification The only 〈◊〉 is here made grace and least we sholde thinke any part of this grace to be in vs that is debarred also and grace is pronounced to be the only gift of God. Then is the meane shewed wherby we receyue this iustification through faith saith he here again works are lefte clene out and only faith is mencioned And thus is our iustificatioÌ„ wrought which done then beginneth S. Paul to deale with good works and sheweth the ende and ordinance of them not to be our iustifying or our meriting but only to walke in them And sheweth withal what good works are sutche as God hath ordained in Iesus Christ and not our own traditions And so in short and most pithy words knitteth vp all this controuersie Now if the Papist require to be further satisfied where S. Paule hath sayd we are saued by grace how it is wrought by grace least he sholde mistake grace for the good gifts that God hath geuen vs thinking by them for to be saued S. Paule with the lyke pithe and breuitie in the fourthe of the Romains declareth all the circumstance to him how it is wrought To him that worketh not saith he but beleueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is accounetd for rightousnesse euen as dauid declareth the blessednesse of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse with out works saying blessed are those whose iniquities are forgeuen and whose sinns are couered blessed is the man to whom the lorde imputeth not sinne The partie iustifieng is God the partie iustified is the vngodly man the vngodly manne hath no godly woorkes how then shall hee be iustified God offereth his promyse of iustification in Christe his sonne the vngodly man and destitute of all godly works beleueth Gods promise streight is thys man accepted before God for righteouse Why he hathe no righteousnesse in hym What though he is accepted for righteous He is altogether vngodly What of that All hys vngodlynesse is cleane couered neyther shall any poynt thereof be layde to his charge euen as though he had none at al And this is blessednesse and grace that that goodnesse he hath not is imputed to him euen as though hee had it And that wickednesse that hee hath â–ª is not
churche of Christe so often called the spouse the wyfe the welbeloued of Christ but bicause the Lorde of his only loue mercie chose her Wherefore was Dauid chosen king from following the sheepe but bicause hee was a man SecuÌ„dum cor meum eueÌ„ after the hart of God that is to say whom God delighted in and loued Wherfore was Salomon chosen to sitte in the seate of Dauid before all his brethren but bicause Dominus dilexit cum The Lord loued him Wherfore did Christ choose the twelue Disciples before all other in the worlde Non vos me eligistis sed ego elegi vos You chose not me but I chose you But bicause sayth he as my father loued me so haue I loued you Wherefore leaned Iohn on the breast of Iesu and durst aske him more boldly than the other Disciples but bicause he was the disciple Quem diligebat Dominus whom the Lorde loued Wherefore are we chosen to be the people of God in the Iewes place But euen bycause God hath sayd Vocabo non plebem meam plebem meam non dilectam dilectam non misericordiam consecutam misericordiam coÌ„secutam I will call them my people whiche were not my people and her beloued whiche was not beloued and her to haue obteined mercy which had not obteyned mercy Wherfore now that we are chosen of God are we afflicted Quos diligit Dominus castigat The Lorde correcteth whome he loueth Wherfore can no affliction ouercome vs make vs fall from God as doo the reprobate the chaffe and seede in the stonie grounde but the Electe are purifyed in tribulation as golde in the forneys In his omnibus superamus per eum qui dilexit nos In all these thyngs wee ouercome through hym that loued vs Wherfore haue we in those afflictions sutche a confident truste in God that they shall not hurte vs Quia charitas Dei diffusa est in cordibus nostris per Spiritum Sanctum qui datus est nobis Bycause the loue of GOD is shead abroade in our hartes by the Holy Ghost whyche is gyuen vnto vs Then the fountayne and onely cause of all the grace and fauour that wee receyue of God is the loue of god Propter multam suam dilectionem qua dilexit nos Euen for the greate loue that hee loued vs withall And therefore Christe whyche is the well beloued sonne of God Hic est filius meus dilectus in quo mihi complacui Thys is my well beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased and in whom wee are made also the beeloued sonnes of God and who hath so loued vs that hee gaue his lyfe for vs than the whiche no man can haue a greater loue hee hath fully declared in the very fyrste woordes of thys Sentence the very fyrst and principall cause of the Worldes saluation saying Sic DEVS dilexit So God loued the worlde there is no cause hereof in manne but onely and all in god I doo not thys for youre sakes O Israell sayeth the Lorde God but for myne owne names sake You shall remember your owne wycked wayes and youre deedes that were not good and shall iudge your selues worthy to haue bene destroyed for your iniquities and for your abhominations Bee it knowne vnto you that I doo not thys for youre sakes sayeth the Lorde God. And as God dothe thys mercyfully vnto his Electe not for any cause in them but for his owne names sake The cause is altogether in him not in vs so the cause that moued hym is his mere goodnesse his infinite mercye his owne good wyll and his very loue vnto vs. What shal we say then to those false prophets that haue so sotted vs in our owne loue that they haue made vs beleue the cause to be in vs of oure saluation our pure naturall qualities our preparatiue workes oure free will oure good deedes and satisfactions to bee the cause why wee escape perdition our merits and our righteousnesse to be the cause why wee receyue eternall lyfe Our election to be the cause of Gods election our loue of God to be the cause of Gods loue to vs Nay soft sayth the Papist ye tell oure tale amisse we say not that these be the only causes neither grauÌ„t we that the loue of God is the only cause but ther are causes in both these parties God and the worlde which causes both ioyntly coÌ„curring together we are therby saued from perdition receiue eternal life We here what they say but what sayeth S. Paul These two saith he caÌ„ not in this matter be compartners Reliquiae secundum electionem gratia Dei saluae factae sunt si autem gratia iam non ex operibus alioquin gratia noÌ„ est gratia The remnaunt shall bee saued accordyng to the Election of the grace of GOD but yf it bee by grace then is it not by woorkes For otherwise grace were not grace And so on the contrary parte if it be of works then is it not of grace for otherwyse workes were not works And the reason is bicause of the opposition betwene grace and workes that the one hath to the other in the cause of Iustification for although in those that be alredy iustified workes are not seuered from grace nor grace from workes but rather al their workes be graces and gifts of God as S. Hierome sayeth Deus in nobis operatur opera â—…am omnia opera nostra operatus es domine ait propheta de eius dono c. God worketh all our workes in vs of his gyft for as the Prophet sayth Thou Lorde haste wrought all our workes Yet in this poynt of the causes of our saluation whether they be altogether of God or altogether of maÌ„ or ioyntly of God and man together that is to saye of Gods grace and mans works concurrent in this poynt grace and workes do so disagree and are become Membra diuidentia haue such a contrary aspect the one to the other that they can not here be ioyned without confounding them yea the one taketh awaye the nature of the other For first grace which signifieth free fauor and gift as S. Augustin saith Gratis datur propter ê“ gratia nominatur It is giuen freely or gratefully whervppon it hathe his name Grace But admitte there can be founde any cause in the partie to whoÌ„ it is giuen that by any meanâ—…s did deserue to haue it giuen him then is it not a mere free gift proceding only of gracious fauour and so is it not grace Likewise on the contrary part for works To him that worketh reward sayth saint Paule is not giuen according to grace or fauour but according to duetie Hee that hathe wrought for any thing be it little or much that he hath wrought so litle so much it debarreth from the nature of grace It is not of mere and free fauour that he hath any
must appere Sic luceat lux vestra Let your light so shine before men that they may se your good workes And therfore works of S. Iames are called Fructus iustitiae the frutes of rightousnesse fructus spiritus the frutes of the spirite The frutes of the tree are not the cause of the trees iuyce sap but the iuyce and sap is the cause of the trees frutes The frutes are not the cause that the tree lyueth but the sappe and iuyce is cause of the trees lyfe The tree hath not fruite before it hath sappe and iuyce nor yet hath fruite in receyuing sappe and iuyce But after it hath receyued sappe and iuyce then in due tyme it bryngeth foorthe his fruite And very wel herein dothe the scripture in diuers places liken a iustified manne to a good and fruitefull tree for fyrste sayth Christ the tree muste be made good it muste bee planted sayeth Dauid by the water syde to take his iuyce Wee muste sayeth Saint Paul be grafted in Christ and his woorde sayeth Saincte Iames be ingrafted in vs Wee muste bee braunches of the true Uine we muste haue his sappe and iuyce in vs fyrste and thys is our fayth in hym and oure lyfe in vs or euer we can bring forth our frute Nowe being thus replenished with the moste sweete iuyce of faith it is not more vnpossible for a tree to be frute lesse thā it is for a faithful mā to be without good workes We do not say therfore faith is without good workes for good works immediatly folow faith and waite vppon her as their maistresse at an inche and be always attendant on the bidding and becke of faith to do whatsoeuer she comaundeth them but the maistresse is one and the mayden is an other only we denie that the handmaiden intermedleth in this high matter of Iustification whiche is alone betwene God and vs faith she onely on oure parte maketh vp the spousall betwixte Christe and vs Desponsabo te mihi fide I wil sayth Christ espouse thee to me by faith faith shal ioyne our hands togither A saucie Iill were that handmayden that woulde intrude her selfe in to her mistresses priuiledge This then belongeth to faith alone to receiue this benefit at gods handes and to nothing but onely faithe for she alone can fully doo it Why then sayth the Papist what should let but that the diuell may be saued and that the diuell may doo good also and so be no more the diuel that was a lier and murderer from the beginnyng For the diuels haue faith Daemones credunt sayth S. Iames the diuels beleue The diuell in dede was a lier from the beginning and a murtherer Et qui facit peccatum ex diabolo est He y wilfully maliciously cōmitteth maynteineth these sinnes is euen a limme of the diuell But how the Papists legende or rather legion of lies will euicte them to be willfull mainteyne◅s of lies let them looke to it as for their murders al the world doth ring of them and openly crie with Christ Vos estis ex patre vestro diabolo ye are euen of your father the deuell And as this is an argument against the deuell that he hath not faith Euen so is it an argument against them that they haue no faith neither And where in the diuels defence they replie that the deuill beleueth this argueth not that he hath the true and right belefe No say they Did not he crie out to Christ that he was the holy one and son of the liuing God Here was belefe profession of it the thing that they professed to beleue is true What wil they gather hereon that saying of the Apostle If we confesse with our mouth the lord Iesus Christ and beleue in our hart that God raised him from death we shall be safe Do they thinke the diuell beleueth on this fashion They shew themselues earnest proctors for the deuell but the deuell hath no true faith for all that he so sayde nor they his proctoures neither thoughe they confesse Christ and thinke him to be the sonne of God euen as mutche as did the deuel althoughe their works shew the contrarye that they thinke him not so mutche to be Christe as the deuels dyd thinke him for to be For if they did they woulde at least haue that the dyuels haue with all a feare and trembling at him they wold feare so shamfully to abuse him as they doe For saynt Iames ioyneth these two things together in the diuels Daemones credunt contremis◅unt The diuels beleue and tremble Which later word of horror and feare hauing hatred ioyned withall Quem metuūt oderūt whom they feare they hate him this the Papists leaue out As the diuell alleaging scripture to Christ left out the best parte of it and hacked and hewed the sentence as the Papists mangled the word of God in piece meale and dare not set it out whole as God hath set it out This therefore shewethe they haue no more faith thā the diuel hath Yea they know not what faith doth meane For as already is sayde beleefe is not only a knowledge nor an acknowledging of Christ wherby we verely thinke him to be the sonne of God and sauior of the world and approue this our thought with assent thervnto alowing it so to be But also it is a stedfast confidence and trust in him apprehēding him and applying him to vs And this thing which is the principall thing in belefe the diuels haue not nor can not haue They haue the first part of knowledge and a shew they made here of the seconde that is acknowledging But the third and especiall thing in belefe a trusty confidēce in him they had not Which if they had had they wold haue fled vnto hym haue caught holde on hym but they feared and hated him and therefore with trembing fled from him Now this third thing in faith whiche is principally to be reckened vppon the Papist considereth not And this is the cause whie hee so staggereth in a continuall doubte whether he shall be saued with Christe or he shall bee damned with the diuell and feling thys continuall trembling in himselfe for who wolde not tremble standing in this perplexitie And hearing that the diuels tremble also in their belefe he concludeth that belefe is no more but a fyrme opinion of a thing so to be and at the most a trembling assent therunto And therfore saithe the Papist the diuell hathe faithe But seing withall the diuells apparant condemnation that he is not nor can be iustified he concludethe hereon that only faithe iustifieth not for if it dyd the diuel were iustified Then reasoneth he if faith be not able to iustifie we must seeke helpe of good woorkes to iustifie vs whiche good workes the diuell hathe not Now seeking to be iustified by works he is entred into sutche a laborsom mase and infinite
labyrinthe that he is neuer able to winde him selfe out to sit downe and rest him in a quiet conscience and persuade him self that he is alredy iustified For how can he thus quiet himselfe seeking iustification by woorkes when hee heareth Chryste saye When yee haue doone all that yee can do ye are vnprofitable seruantes and he feelethe styll in hym selfe manye doubtes and mutche imperfection And therefore hee maketh a generall resolution that wee can neuer attayne to any certaintie whether wee bee iustified or no and so ought continually to hang in a doubt therof and that it suffyseth vs in the meane space to recomforte oure selues wyth a generall beleefe that some shall bee saued but whether wee shall be saued or no that we still stande in doubt of say the Papistes Thus blyndely myserablye and infinitely they runne from one errour to an other for Ex quolibet se quitur quodlibet Grannte one falshoode and a number will followe and all commeth of this that boasting of faith theyknow not what faith meanes And so contending with vs about faith they bewray them selues that they haue no faith but in stede of faith mayntein plain infidelitie That whiche Christe flatly reproueth O ye of litle faith in respect that they douted that do they allowe for good necessarie That which made Peter to sinke and crie for helpe they crake they swimme safely and holde vp themselues by the chinne therin This argueth sayeth Saincte Iames whom they allege for their diuels faith that they them selues haue no true faith in God nor shall obteine any thing at his hands For sayeth he Postulet in fide nihil haesitans qui enim haesitat similis est fluctui maris non enim existimet homo ille Quam accipiat aliquid à domino Let him aske of the lorde in faithe doubting nothing at all for he that doubteth is tossed of the winde and caried away like a waue of the sea Neither let that man thinke that he shall receaue any thing of the lorde For a wauering minded maÌ„ is vnstable in al his ways By this popish doctrine then we shall obteyn nothing at the handes of God least of all saluation which aboue all ther things we ought to pray for if we doubte of Gods promises therin wee shall neuer be partakers of it But the Papists defend we must continually doubt thereof let not those Papistes therefore thynke that they shall receyue any goodnes no not faith or any grace of god or wisdom wher of S. Iames did speake left of all that euer they shal be saued but euer be faithlesse gracelesse godlesse frutelesse hopelesse and all euen bicause they euer doubt in God and call in question the veritie of his promises whiche is playne to deface them and to make him a lier like them selues as saithe S. Iohn Qui non credit deo mendacem facit eum He that beleeueth not GOD maketh him a lier and so muche the greater lier do they make him as God hath bound him selfe by an othe and therfore saithe S. Paule VVhen God made promise to Abraham bicause he had no greter to svvere by he sware by him selfe c. So God vvilling more abundantly to shevv vnto the heyres of promise the stablensse of his councell bownd him self by an othe by two immutable things wherin it is impossible that God shold lye that we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to hold faste the hope that is set before vs which vve haue as an anker of the soule bothe sure and stedfast Ideo ex fide saithe S. Paule Therfore it is of faithe that it mighte come by grace and the promise might be sure to all the seede not to that only vvhich is of the lawe but also to that seede whiche is of the faithe of Abraham vvho is the father of all as it is written I haue made thee a father of many nations before God whome hee beleued who quickeneth the dead and calleth those things whiche be not as though they were whiche Abraham aboue hope beleeued in hope that he should be the father of many nations according to that which was spokeÌ„ euen so shal thy seed be as the starres of heauen and the sands of the sea and he fainted not in faith nor yet considered his owne body which was nowe dead being almoste an hundred yeares olde neyther yet that Sara was past chylde bearyng he staggered not at the promise of God thorough vnbeleefe but was strengthened in faith and gaue glorie to God being full assured that he whyche had promysed was able to do it and therfore it was imputed to him for righteousnes neuerthelesse it is not written for him onely that it was reckned to him for righteousnesse but also for vs to whom it shall be imputed for righteousnesse so that wee beleeue on him that raysed vp Iesus our Lorde from the dead who was deliuered to death for our sinnes and rose agayne for our iustification Thus S. Paule most pithyly expresseth the nature of true faith most contrary to the Papistes wauering doubt and their generall houeryng in the aire of an opinion knowing acknowledging suche a thing to be but true faith is a stedfast and confident application therof to our selues wherby we may be able to say vnto Christ with Thomas Dominus meus Deus meus My Lorde and my my God To say with Dauid Dominus salus mea quem timebo The Lorde is my saluation whome shall I bee afrayde of In te Domine speraui non confundar in aeternum In thee Lord haue I trusted I shall neuer bee confounded The Papistes call this a bolde presumption but God graunt vs to presume on this fashion as sayth S. Bernard Ego fidenter quòd ex me mihi deest vsurpo ex visceribus Domini quoniaÌ„ misericordia affluunt nec desunt foramina ê‘ quae effluaÌ„t That that I haue not of my selfe I will boldly vsurpe of the bowels of the Lord for bycause they flow in mercie neyther want they holes whereout they flow This boldnesse vsurpation is a good presumption It is a firme faith that shal stand like mount Sion and nor be moued It is buylt on the rock that no tempest 〈◊〉 ouerturâ—…e and not on the sands of mens workes that euery doubtefull waue shall tosse and shatter it no the gates of hell shall not preuayle against this faith Si ambulauero in medio vmbrae mortis If I walke in the middle of the shadowe of death I will not feare for thou art with mee sayth Dauid And therfore sayth S. Paule Iustificati ex fide pacem habeamus erga Deum Being iustified by faith let vs haue peace not doubt to Godwarde lette vs assure our selues of the loue and fauour of god Qui credit in filium habet testimoniuÌ„ in seipso He that beleueth in the sonne hath the witnesse in himselfe For when you beleued sayth