witnesse it Butte if any man will leape from the mere goodnesse of God to the worthinesse of workes he shal be nothing holpen by these testimonies to the stablishing of his errour For you caÌ„ gather nothing rightly therof but the mere inclinatioÌ„ of Gods tendernes towarde vs forasmuche as to encourage vs to wel doinge although the seruices whiche we do to him are not worthy of so muche as his onely loking vpon them yet he suffreth none of them to be loste But thei more enforce the woordes of the Apostle whiche when hee comforteth the Thessalomans in troubles reacheth that the same are sent to them that thei maye be accoÌ„pted worthy of the kingedome of God for whiche thei suffer For saith he it is righteous with God to render trouble to theÌ„ that trouble you but to you rest with vs when the lorde Iesus shal be shewed from heauen But the authore of the epistle to the Hebrues saith God is not vnrighteous that he sholde forget your work the loue which you haue shewed in hys name for that you haue ministred to the saintes To the firste place I answer that there is no worthinesse of merit spoken of but bycause God the father willeth that we whome he hathe chosen to be hys chyldren shoulde be made like to Christie his firste begotten sonne as it behoued that hee shoulde firste suffer and then entre into the glorie apointed for him so muste we also by manye tribulations entre into the kingdome of heaueÌ„ Therfore when we suffer tribulations for the name of Christe there are as it were certayne markes printed vpoÌ„ vs wherew t God vseth to marke the shepe of hys stock After this maÌ„ner therfore we are accoÌ„pted worthy of the kingdome of God bicause we beare in oure body the markes of oure lord master which ar the signes of the childreÌ„ of God To this purpose make these saiengs That we beare about in our body the mortificatioÌ„ of Ieâ— Christ that his life maye bee shewed in vs. That we bee fashioned like to his suffringes that we may come to the likenesse of his resurrection from the dead The reason whiche is adioined serueth not to proue any worthinesse but to confirme the hope of the kingdom of God as if he had said As it agreeth with the iust iudgmente of God to take vengeance of your enemies for the vexations that thei haue done to you so agreeth it also to geue to you release and reste from vexations The other place whiche teacheth that it so becommeth the righteousnesse of God not to forgett the obediences of them that be his that it declareth it to be in a maÌ„ner vnrighteous if he shold forget them hath this meaning God to quickeÌ„ our â—outhfulnesse hath geuen vs assurance that the laboure shall not bee vaine which we shal take for his glorie Let vs alwaye remembre that this promise as all other shold bring vs no profit vnlesse the free couenaunt of mercie went before wherevpon the whole assurednesse of our saluacion shold rest But standing vpon that couenant we ought assuredly to trust there shal also not want rewarde of the liberalitie of God to oure workes howsoeuer thei be vnworthy The Apostle to confirme vs in that expectation affirmeth that God is not vnrighteous but wil stand to his promise ones made Therefore thys righteousnesse is rather referred to the truth of Gods promise than to his iustice of rendring due Accordyng to which meaning there is a notable saienge of Augustine which as the holy maÌ„ sticketh not to reherse often as notable so I think it not vnworthy that we should continually remeÌ„bre it The lord saith he is faithful which hath made himself decter to vs not by receyuing any thinge of vs but by promising all thinges to vs. There are also alleged these saienges of Paul If I haue al faithe so that I remoue mouÌ„taines out of their place but haue not charitie I am nothing Again Nowe there remaine hope faith charitie but the greatest amoÌ„g these is charitie Again Aboue all things haue charitie which is the boÌ„d of perfectioÌ„ By the first two places our Pharises affirme that we are rather iustified by charitie than by faith namely by the chefer vertue as thei saie But this fond argument is easily wyped away For we haue in an other place already declared that those things whyche ar spokeÌ„ in the first place perteine nothing to true sayth The other place we also expound of true faith thaÌ„ which he saith that Charitie is greater not that it is more meritorious but bicause it is more fruteful bicause it exteÌ„deth further bicause it serueth mo bicause it remaineth alway iÌ„ force wheras the vse of faith coÌ„tinueth but for a time If we haue regard so excellence the loue of God shold worthily haue the chefe place of whiche Paul here speaketh not For he enforceth this thing onely that we shold with mutuall charitie edifie one an other in the Lord but let vs imagine that charitie dothe euery waie excell faithe yet what man of sounde iudgement yea or of sound braine wil gather thereof that it doth more iustifieâ—punc The power of iustifieng which faith hath consisteth not in the worthinesse of the worke Our iustification standeth vpon the onely mercie of God the deseruing of Christ which iustificatioÌ„ when faith taketh holde of it is said to iustifie Now if you aske our aduersaries in what cause they assign iustification to charitie thei wil answer that bicause it is a dutiefull doing acceptable to God therfore by the deseruing therof righteousnesse is imputed to vs bi the acceptatioÌ„ of the goodnes of God Here you see how wel the argument procedeth We say that faith iustifieth not bicause by the worthinesse of it selfe it deserueth righteousnes to vs but bicause it is an instrument by whyche we freely obteine the ryghteousnesse of Christ. These men omitting the mercy of God and passing ouer Christ where the summe of righteousnesse standeth do affirme that we are iustified by the benifite of charitie bicause it excelleth aboue faith euen as if a man wolde reason that a king is fitter to make a shooe than is a shooemaker bicause he is an infinite way more excellent This only argument is a plaine example that all the Sorbonicall schooles doo not so much as taste with the vttermoste part of their lippes what the iustification of faith is But if any wrangler do yet carpe and aske why in so small distance of place we take the name of faith in Paul so diuersly I haue a weightie cause of this exposition For sithe those giftes whyche Paul rehearseth are after a certaine maÌ„ner vnder faith hope bicause thei perteine to the knowledge of God he contemneth them al by way of recapitulation vnder the name of faith hope as if he shold say by the prophecie tonges the grace knowledg of interpretation tend to this
thinking of the heaueÌ„ly life or froÌ„ study to garnish thy soule But this was long ago truely sayd of Cato that there is great carefulnesse of trimming our body great carelesnesse of vertue And it is an old prouerbe that they whiche are much busied in care of their body ar commoÌ„ly carelesse of their soule Therfore although the libertie of the faithfull in outward thinges is not to be restrained to a certain forme yet truely it must be subiect to this law to beare very little with theyr owne affections but contrariwise still call vpon them selues with continually bent mynde to cut of all shew of superfluous plentie muche more to restraine ryotous excesse and to take diligent hede that they do not of helpes make to them selues hinderaunces The other rule shal be that they that haue but small and sclender rychesse may learne to lacke pacieÌ„tly that they be not carefully moued with immeasurable desire of them whiche pacieÌ„ce they that kepe haâ—â—e not a litle profited in the Lordes schole as he that hath not at least somewhat profited in this behalf can scarcely haue any thing wherby â—o proue him selfe the scholar of Christ. For beside this that the most part of other vices do accompanie the desire of earthly thinges he that beareth pouertie impatiently doth for the moste part bewray the contrarie disease in abuÌ„dance I meane hereby that he whiche wil be ashamed of a poore cote wil be proude of a costly cote he that will not be content with a hungry supper will be disquieted with desire of a deintier and would also intemperately abuse those deinties if he had them he that hardly and vnquietly beareth a priuate base estate will not absteine from pryde if he climbe to honors Therfore let all them that haue an vnfained zele of Godlinesse endeuour to learne by the Apostles example to be full and huÌ„gry to haue store and suffer want The Scripture hath also a third rule wherby it tempereth the vse of earthly thinges of whiche we haue spoken sumwhat when we entreated of the preceptes of charitie For the Scripture decreeth that al earthly thinges are so geuen vs by the bountifulnesse of God and apointed for oure coÌ„moditie that they may be as things deliuered vs to kepe wherof we must one day yelde an accompt We must therfore so dispose them that this saying may continually sound in our eares yeld an accoÌ„pt of thy â—aylywike Therwithall let this also come in our mynde Whoe it is that asketh suche an accompt euen he that hath so muche commended abstinence sobrietie honest sparing and modestie and abhorreth riotous sumptuousnesse pride ostentation and vanitie whiche alloweth no other disposing of goodes but suche as is ioyned with charitie whiche hath already with his own mouth condemned all those deliteful thinges that do withdrawe a mans mynde from chastitie and cleannesse or doe dull his wit with darkenesse Last of all this is to be noted that the Lorde biddeth euery one of vs in al the doinges of his life to haue an eye to his calling For he knoweth with how great vnquietnesse mans wit boyleth with howe skipping lightnesse it is caried hether and thether how gredy his ambitioÌ„ is to holde diuerse thinges at ones Therfore that all thinges shoulde not be confounded with our follie and rashenesse he hath apointed to euerie man his duties in seuerall kindes of lyfe And that no man rashly runne beyond his bondes he hath named all suche kyndes of lyfe vocations Therfore euery mans seuerall kinde of life is vnto him as it were his standing apointed him by God that they should not all theyr life vncertainly wander about And this diuision is so necessary that al our doinges are measured thereby in his sight and oftentimes contrary to the iudgemeÌ„t of mans reason and Philosophie There is no dede accompted more noble euen among the Phylosophers than for a man to deliuer his contrie from tyrannie but by the voice of Gods iudgemeÌ„t the priuate man is openly condemned that layeth hand vpon a tyrant But I wil not tarry vpon rehearsing of examples It is sufficient if we knowe that the calling of the Lord is in euery thing the beginning and fundation of well doing to whiche he that doth not diriect himself shal neuer kepe a right way in his doinges He may paraduenture somtime do somwhat seming worthy of praise butte whatsoeuer that be in the sight of men before the throne of God it shal be reiected moreouer there shal be no conuenient agrement in the partes of his life Therfore our life shall then be best framed when it shal be directed to this marke For then no man caried with his owne rashenesse will atteÌ„pt more thaÌ„ his calling may beare because he knoweth that it is not lawful to passe beyond his bondes He that shal be a man of base estate shal contentedly liue a priuate life least he shold forsake the degree wherin God hath placed him Againe this shal be no smal relefe to cares labors greues and other burdens when a man shall know that in all these thinges God is his guide The more willingly the magistrate will execute his officeâ— the housholder will bynd him selfe to his dutie euery man in his kinde of life will beare and passe through the discommodities cares tediousnesse and anguishes therof when they are perswaded that euery maÌ„s burden is laid vpon him by God Hereupon also shal growe singular coÌ„fort for as muche as there shal be no worke so filthy vile if it be such a one as thow obey thy calling in it but it shineth is most precious in the sight of God The aleuenth Chapter ¶ Of the iustification of Fayth and fyrst of the definition of the name and of the thyng I Thinke I haue already sufficiently declared before howe there remayneth for men being accursed by the lawe one only helpe to recouer saluation agayne what Faith is and what benefites of God it bestoweth vpon man and what fruites it bringeth fourth in hym The summe of all was this that Christ is geuen vs by the goodnesse of God and coÌ„ceiued and possessed of vs by faith by partakyng of whome we receiue principally twoo graces the first that being reconciled to God by his innocencie we may nowe in stede of a iudge haue a merciful father in heauen the second that being sanctified by his Spirite we maye geue our selues to innocencie and purenesse of lyfe As for regeneration whiche is the second grace we haue alredy spoken of it as muche as semed to be sufficient The manner of iustification was therfore lesse touched because it serued well for our purpose first to vnderstande both how the Faythe by whiche alone we receiue frely geuen righteousnesse by the mercie of God is not idle from good workes and also what be the good workes of the holy ones wherupon part of this question entreateth Therfore they are first to be throughly discussed and so discussed that we must
remembre that this the chefe stay of vpholding religion that we may be the more carefull and hedefull about it For vnlesse thou first knowe in what state thou art with God and what his iudgement is of thee as thou hast no ground to stablishe thy saluation so hast thou also none to rayse thy reuerent feare toward God But the necessitie of this knoweledge shall better appere by knowledge it selfe But that we stumble not at the first entrie whiche we should doe if we should entre disputation of a thing vnknowen let vs first declare what is meant by these speches Man to be iustified before God To be iustified by fayth or by workes He is sayd to be iustified afore God that is pronounced by the iudgement of God bothe iust and accepted for hys owne righteousnesse sake For as wickednesse is abhominable before God so a sinner can not finde fauour in his eyes in respect that he is a sinner or so long as he is accompted suche a one Therfore wheresoeuer synne is there also appereth the wrath and vengeance of God He is iustifid that is not accompted in place of a sinner but of a iust man and by reason therof he standeth fast before the iudgemēt seate of God when all sinners fal As if an innocent be brought to be arayned before the seate of a righteous iudge when iudgemēt is geuen accordinge to his innocencie he is sayde to be iustified before the iudge so he is iustified before God that being exempt out of the number of sinners hathe God a wytnesse and affirmer of his ryghteousnesse Therfore after the same manner a man shal be said to be iustified by workes in whose lyfe there is founde suche cleannesse and holienesse as may deserue the testimonie of righteousnesse before the throne of God or he that with the vprightnesse of his workes is able to answere and satisfie Gods iudgement Contrariwyse he shal be said to be iustified by faith that being excluded from the righteousnesse of workes doth by fayth take holde of the righteousnesse of Christ wherwith when he is clothed he appereth in the sight of God not as a sinner but as righteous So we simply expound iustification to be an acceptation wherby God receiuing vs into fauour taketh vs for righteous And we say that the same consisteth in forgeuenesse of sinnes and imputation of the righteousnesse of Christ. For confirmation hereof there are many and euident testimonies of Scripture First it can not be denied that this is the proper and moste vsed signification of the word But because it is to long to gather al the places and compare them together it shal be enough to put the reders in mynde of them for they may of them selues easely marke them But I wyll bring fourth some where this iustification that we speake of is expressely entreated of by name First where Luke sayeth that the people when they had heard Christ did iustifie God And where Christ pronounceth that wisdome is iustified by her children he doth not meane there that thei do geue righteousnesse which alway remaineth perfect with God although all the worlde goe about to take it awaye from hym nor in this place also to make the doctrine of saluatiō righteous which hath euer that of it selfe But bothe these speches are as muche in effect as to geue to God and his doctrine the praise that they deserue Againe when Christ reprocheth the Pharisees that they iustifie them selues he doth not meane that they obteine righteousnesse by well doing but do vainegloriously seke for the same of righteousnesse whereof in dede they be voyde They that are skilfull of the Hebrue tongue doe better vnderstande the sense of this phrase in whiche tongue they are not only called wicked doers that are gylty in their conscience of anye wicked doing but also they that come in daunger of iudgement of condemnation For when Bersabe sayeth that she and Solomon shal be wicked doers she doth not therein acknowledge any offense but complayneth that she her son shal be put to shame to be numbred among the reprobate and condemned But by the processe of the text it easelye appeareth that the same worde in Latine also can not otherwyse be taken but by way of relation and not to signifie any qualitie But as cōcerning the matter that we are nowe in hande with where Paul saith that the Scriptur did forsee that God iustifieth the Gentiles by faith what may a man vnderstande thereby but that God doth impute righteousnesse by faith Againe whē he sayth that God iustifieth the wicked man that is of the fayth of Christ what meanyng can be therof but by the benefite of fayth to deliuer them from the damnation whiche their wickednesse deserued And yet he speaketh more playnely in the conclusiō when he cried out thus Who shal accuse Gods elect It is God that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christe that died yea that rose againe and nowe maketh intercession for vs. It is as muche in effect as if he should say Who shall accuse them whome God acquiteth whoe shall condemne them whose patrone Christ is and defendeth them To iustifie therfore is nothing els than to acquite hym that was accused from gilthynesse as allowyng his innocencie Sithe therfore God doth iustifie vs by the intercessiō of Christ he doth acquite vs not by allowāce of our own innocencie but by imputatiō of righteousnesse that we may be cōpted for righteous in Christ which are not righteous in our selues So in the .xiii. Chapter of the Actes in Paules sermō by him is forgeuenes of sinnes preached vnto you and euery one that beleueth in him is iustified from al those thynges from whiche you could not be iustified in the lawe of Moses You see that after forgeuenesse of sinnes iustification is added in place of an exposition You see playnely that it is taken for absolution you se that it is taken awaye from the workes of the lawe you see that it is the mere beneficial gyft of Christe you see that it is receiued by fayth Finally you see that there is a satisfaction spoken of where he sayeth that we are iustified from sinnes by Christe So when it is sayde that the Publicane came iustified out of the Temple we can not saye that he obteyned righteousnesse by any deseruing of workes This therefore is sayde that after pardon of his sinnes obteyned he was coumpted for ryghteous before God He was therfore ryghteous not by approuinge of workes but by Gods free absolutiō Wherefore Ambrose sayeth very well that calleth the confession of sinnes a lawefull iustification But to leaue striuing about the worde If we loke vpon the thyng it selfe as it is described vnto vs there shall remayne no more doubte For truely Paule doth expresse iustification by the name of acceptatiō when he saith Ephes. i. a. v. we are apointed vnto adoption by Christ accordyng to the good pleasure
we suffer with him we shal also reigne together with him that we be so fashioned like to his suffringes till we atteyne to the likenesse of his resurrection For asmuch as the Father hath predestinate these to be fashioned like the image of his sonne whome in him he hath chosen that he maye be the first begotten among all his brethreÌ„ and therfore that neyther death nor present thinges nor thinges to come shall seuer vs from the loue of God which is in Christ but rather all thinges shall turne to vs to good and to saluation Loe me do not iustifie a maÌ„ by workes before God but we say that all they that are of God are regenerate made a newe creature that they may passe out of the kingdome of sinne into the kingdome of righteousnesse that by this testimonie thei make their callyng certayne and are iudged as trees by the frutes The .xvi. Chapter ¶ A confutation of the sclaunders whereby the Papistes goe about to bryng this doctrine in hatred WIth this one word may the shamelesnesse of certayne vngodly men be confuted whiche sclaunder vs with sayeng that we destroy good workes and doe draw men awaye from the followyng of theÌ„ when we say that they are not iustified by workes nor do deserue saluatioÌ„ and againe that we make to easy away to right cousnesse when we teache that it lieth in the free forgeuenesse of sinnes and that we do by this enticement allure men to sinne whiche are of their owne will to much enclined thereto already These sclaunders I say are with that one word sufficiently confuted yet I will brefely answer to them bothe They allege that by the iustification of fayth good workes are destroyed I leaue vnspoken what manner of men be these zelous louers of good workes whiche doe so backbite vs. Let them haue licence as freely to rayle as they do liceÌ„tiously infect the whole world with the filthinesse of their life They faine that they be greued that when fayth is so gloriously aduaunced workes are dryuen downe out of their place What if they be more raysed vp and stablished For neyther doe me dreame of a fayth voyde of good workes nor a iustification that is without them This onely is the difference that when we confesse that fayth and good workes do necessarily hange together yet we set iustification in fayth not in workes For what reason we doe so we haue in redinesse easily to declare if we do but turne to Christ vnto whome our faythe is directed and from whome it receyueth her whole strength Why therefore are we iustified by faith bycause by fayth we take holde of the righteousnesse of Christ by which alone we are reconciled to God But this thou canst not take holde of but that thou must also therewithall take holde of sanctification For he was geuen to vs for righteousnesse wisdome sanctification redemptioÌ„ Therfore Christ iustifieth none whome he doth not also sanctifie For these benefites are coupled together with a perpetuall and vnseperable knot that whome he enlighteneth with his wisdome them he redemeth whome he redemeth he iustifieth whom he iustifieth he sanctifieth But for asmuch as our question is only of righteousnesse and sanctifieng let vs staye vpon these We maye put difference betwene them yet Christ conteineth them bothe vnseperably in himself Wilt thou therfore obteine righteousnesse in Christ Thou must first possesse Christ thou canst not possesse him but that thou must â—e made partaker of his sanctification bicause he can not be torne in peces Sithe therefore the Lord doth graunt vs these benefites to be enioyed none otherwise than in geuing himself he geueth them bothe together the one neuer without the other So appereth how true it is that we are iustified not without workes and yet not by workes bycause in the partaking of Christ wherby we are iustified is no lesse coÌ„teined sanctification than righteousnesse That also is moste false that the mindes of men are withdrawen from the affection of weldoyng when we take from them the opinion of merityng Here by the way the readers must be warned that they foolishly reason froÌ„ reward to merit as I shall afterward more plainly declare namely bicause they know not this principle that God is no lesse liberal when he assigneth reward to workes than wheÌ„ he geueth power to do well But this I had rather differre to the place fit for it Now it shal be enough to touche howe weake their obiection is whiche shal be done two wayes For first whereas they say that there shal be no care of well framyng of life but when hope of reward is set before them they erre quite from the truth For if this only be enteÌ„ded when men serue God that thei loke to reward or let out to hire or sell their labors to him they litle preuayle for God will be freely worshipped freely loued he I say alloweth that worshipper which when all hope of receyuing reward is cut of yet cesseth not to worshippe him Moreouer if men be to be pricked forward no man can put sharper spurres vnto them than those that are taken of the ende of our redeÌ„ption and calling such as the word of God spurreth men withal when it teacheth that it is to wicked vnthaÌ„kefulnesse not mutually to loue him agayne whiche first loued vs that by the blood of Christ our consciences are cleansed from dead workes to serue the liuyng God that it is a haynous sacrilege if beyng ones cleased we defile our selues with newe filthinesse and prophane that holy blood that we are deliuered from the handes of our enemies that we maye without feare serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of our life that we are made free from sinne that we maye with a free Spirit folow righteousnesse that our olde man is crucified that we may rise agayne into newnesse of life agayne that if we be dead with Christ as becommeth his members we must seeke those thinges that are aboue and must in the world be wayfaring men from home that we may long toward heauen where is our treasure that the grace of God hath appered to this end that forsakyng al vngodlinesse worldly desires we maye liue soberly holyly and godlyly in this world lokyng for the blessed hope and the appering of the glorie of the great God sauior therefore that we are not apointed that we should stirre vp wrath to our selues but that we may obteyne saluation by Christ that we are the teÌ„ples of the Holy ghost which it is not lawfull to be defiled that we are not darknesse but light in the Lord whiche muste walke as children of light that we are not called to vncleannesse but to holinesse bicause this is the will of God our sanctificatioÌ„ that we absteyne from vnlawfull desires that our callyng is holy that the same is not fulfilled but with purenesse of life that we are
honour not weyeng the worthinesse of them that he accompteth them of some value The third that he receiueth the very same workes with pardon not imputyng the imperfectiō wherwith they al beyng defiled should otherwise be rather reckened amōg sinnes than vertues And hereby appereth how much the Sophisters haue ben deceiued whiche thought that they had gaylye escaped al absurdities when they sayd that workes do not of their owne inwarde goodnesse auayle to deserue saluation but by the forme of the couenant bicause the Lord hath of his liberalitie so much estemed them But in the meane time they considered not howe far those workes whiche they would haue to be meritorious were from the conditiō of the promises vnlesse there went before bothe iustification grounded vpon only fayth and the forgeuenesse of sinnes by which euē the good workes themselues haue neede to be wiped from spottes Therefore of three causes of Gods liberalitie by which it is brought to passe that the workes of the faythfull are acceptable they noted but one suppressed two yea and those the principall They allege the sayeng of Peter whiche Luke rehearseth in the Actes I finde in truthe that God is not an accepter of persones but in euery nation he that doth righteousnesse is acceptable to him And hereupon they gather that which semeth to be vndouted that if man doth by right endeuors get himselfe the fauor of God it is not the beneficiall gift of God alone that he obteyneth saluation yea that God doth so of his mercie help a sinner that he is by workes bowed to mercie But you can in no wise make the Scriptures agree together vnlesse you note a double acceptyng of man with God For such as man is by nature God findeth nothyng in him whereby he maye be enclined to mercie but only miserie If therfore it be certayne that man is naked and needy of all goodnesse and on the other side full stuffed and loden with al kindes of euels when God first receyueth them for what qualitie I pray you shal we say that he is worthy of the heauēly calling ▪ Away therefore with the vaine imaginyng of merites where God so euidētly setteth out his free mercifulnesse For that which in the same place is sayde by the voice of the Angell to Cornelius that his prayers and almes had ascēded into the sight of God is by these men most lewdly wrested that man by endeuor of good workes is prepared to receiue the grace of God For it muste needes be that Cornelius was already enlightened with the Spirit of wisdome sithe he was endued with true wisdome namely with the feare of God that he was sanctified with the same Spirit sith he was a folower of righteousnesse which the Apostle teacheth to be a most certaine frute therof Al those things therefore whiche are sayd to haue pleased God in him he had of his grace so far is it of that he did by his own endeuor prepare himself to receiue it Truely there cā not one syllable of the Scripture be brought forth that agreeth not with this doctrine that there is none other cause for God to accept man vnto him but bicause he seeth that mā should be euery way lost if he be left to himselfe but bicause he will not haue him lost he vseth his own mercie in deliueryng him Now we see how this accepting hath not regard to the righteousnesse of man but is a mere token of the goodnesse of God toward men beyng miserable and moste vnworthy of so great a benefit But after that the Lord hath brought man out of the bottomlesse depth of destruction and seuered him to himselfe by grace of adoption bicause he hath nowe begotten him and newely formed him into a newe life he nowe embraceth him as a newe creature with the giftes of his Spirit This is that acceptyng whereof Peter maketh mention by whiche the faythfull are after their vocation allured of God euen in respecte also of workes for the Lorde can not but loue and kisse those good thinges whiche he worketh in them by his Spirit But this is alwaye to be remembred that they are none otherwise acceptable to God in respect of workes but in as muche as for their cause and for their sakes whatsoeuer good workes he hath geuen them in encreasyng of his liberalitie he also vouchesaueth to accept For whense haue they good workes ▪ but bicause the Lord as he hath chosen them for vessels vnto honor so will garnish thē with true godlinesse Whereby also are they accompted good as though there were nothing wanting in them but bicause the kinde Father tēderly graunteth pardon to those deformities spottes that cleaue to them Summarily he signifieth nothing els in this place but that to God his children are acceptable louely in whom he seeth the markes and features of his owne face For we haue in an other place taught that regeneratiō is a repairyng of the image of God in vs. For asmuch as therfore wheresoeuer the Lord beholdeth his owne face he both worthily loueth it and hath it in honor it is not without cause sayd that the life of the faithful beyng framed to holinesse righteousnesse pleaseth him but bycause the godly beyng clothed with mortall fleshe are yet sinners and their good workes are but begonne and sauoryng of the faultinesse of the fleshe he can not be fauorable neyther to those nor to these vnlesse he more embrace them in Christ than in themselues After this manner are those places to be taken whiche testifie that God is kinde mercifull to the folowers of righteousnesse Moses sayd to the Israelites The Lord thy God kepeth couenant to a thousand generations which sentēce was afteward vsed of the people for a common manner of speache So Salomon in his solemne prayer sayth Lord God of Israell whiche kepest couenant and mercie to thy seruātes which walke before thee in their whole heart The same wordes are also repeted of Nehemias For as in al the couenātes of his mercie the Lord likewise on their behalues requireth of his seruātes vprightnesse holinesse of life that his goodnesse should not be made a mockerie that no man swelling with vaine reioysing by reason therof should blesse his owne soule walking in the meane time in the peruersnesse of his own heart so his wil is by this way to kepe in their dutie them that are admitted into the cōmuniō of the couenāt yet neuerthelesse the couenāt it self is both made at the beginnyng free perpetually remayneth such After this māner Dauid when he glorieth that there was rēdred to him reward of the cleannesse of his hādes yet omitteth not that fountaine which I haue spoken of that he was drawen out of the wombe bicause God loued him where he so setteth out the goodnesse of his cause that he abateth nothyng from the free mercie whiche goeth before all giftes whereof it is
imputed to him for righteousnesse Sith therfore it is said that the acte done by Phinees was imputed to him for righteousnesse what Paule affirmeth of faith the same may we also conclude of works Whervpon our aduersaries as though thei had wonne the victorie determine that we are in dede not iustified without faith but that we are also not iustified by it alone and that workes accomplish our righteousnesse Therefore here I beseache the godly that if thei knowe that the true rule of righteousnesse is to be taken out of the Scripture only thei will religiously and earnestly weie with me how the Scripture may without cauillations be rightly made to agree with it selfe For asmuch as Paul knewe that the iustificatioÌ„ of faith is the refuge for them that ar destitute of their own righteousnesse he doth boldly coÌ„clude that al thei that ar iustified by faith ar excluded from the righteousnesse of works But sith it is certayne that the iustification of faith is common to all the faithfull he dothe thereof with like boldenesse conclude that no man is iustified by works but rather contrariewise that men are iustified without any helpe of workes But it is one thing to dispute of what value works are by themselues and an other thing what accompt is to be made of them after the stablishing of the righteousnesse of faith If we shal set a price vpon works according to their worthinesse we saie that thei are vnworthy to come into the sight of God and therefore that man hath no workes whereof he may glorie before God then that being spoiled of al helpe of works he is iustified by only faith Now we define righteousnesse thus that a sinner being receiued into the communion of Christ is by hys grace reconciled to God when being cleansed with his bloode he obteineth forgeuenesse of sinnes and being clothed with his righteousnesse as with his own he staÌ„deth assured before the heauenly iudgment â—eate WheÌ„ the forgeuenesse of sinnes is set before the good workes which folowe haue now an other valuation than after their own deseruing bycause whatsoeuer is in them vnperfect is couered with the perfectioÌ„ of Christ whatsoeuer spottes or fylthinesse there is it is wyped away wyth hys cleannesse that it maye not come into the examination of the iudgement of God Therfore when the giltines of al trespasses is blotted out whereby men are hindred that thei can bring forthe nothing acceptable to God and when the faulte of imperfection is buried whiche is wonte also to defile good workes the good workes which the faithful do are compted righteous or which is all one are imputed for righteousnesse Now if any man obiect this against me to assaile the righteousnesse of faithe first I will aske whether a man be compted righteous for one or two holy works being in the rest of the works of his life a trespasser of the law This is more than an absurditie Then I will aske if he be compted righteous for many good works yf he be in any parte founde gilty This also he shal not be so bolde to affirme when the penal ordinaâ—ce of the law crieth oute against it proclameth al them accursed which haue not fulfilled all coÌ„maundementes of the lawe to the vttermost Moreouer I wil go further ask whether ther be any work that deserueth to be accused of no vncleannesse or imperfection And howe could there be any such before those eies to whom eueÌ„ the very starres are not cleane enough nor the Angeles righteous enough So shal he be compelled to graunt that there is no good worke which is not so defiled with transgressions adioyned with it with the corruptnesse of it selfe that it can not haue the honoure of righteousnesse Nowe if it bee certaine that it proceedeth from the righteousnesse of faith that woorkes which are otherwise vnpure vncleane and but halfe workes not worthy of the sight of God much lesse of his loue are imputed to righteousnesse why do thei with boasting of the righteousnesse of workes destroye the iustification of faith wheras if this iustification were not thei shold in vaine boaste of that righteousnes Wyll thei make a vipers birthâ— For therto end the saiengs of the vngodly meÌ„ Thei can not denie that the iustificatioÌ„ of faith is the beginning foundatioÌ„ cause matter substance of the righteousnesse of works yet thei coÌ„clude the man is not iustified by faith bycause good workes also are accoÌ„pted for righteousnesse Therfore let vs let passe these follies confesse as the truth is that if the righteousnesse of works of what sort soever it be accoÌ„pted hangeth vpon the iustificatioÌ„ of faith it is by this not onely nothing minished but also coÌ„firmed namly wherbi the strength therof appeareth more mighty Neither yet let vs think that works ar so coÌ„meÌ„ded after fre iustificatioÌ„ that thei also afterward come into the place of iustifieng a maÌ„ or do parte that office betwene them faithe For vnlesse the iustificatioÌ„ remaine alway whole the vncleannes of workes shal be vncouered And it is no absurditie that a man is so iustified by faith that not only he himself is righteous but also his woorkes are esteemed righteous aboue their worthynesse After this maÌ„ner we wil grauÌ„t in workes not only a righteousnes in parts as our aduersaries theÌ„selues wold haue but also that it is alowed of God as if it wer a perfect ful righteousnesse But if we remeÌ„bre vpoÌ„ what fouÌ„datioÌ„ it is vpholdeÌ„ al the difficultie shal be disolued For then noâ— til their beginneth to be an acceptable worke wheÌ„ it is receiued with pardoÌ„ Now whense coÌ„meth pardoÌ„ but bicause God beholdeth both vs â—amp al our thinges in Christe Therefore as we when we are graffed into Christ do therfore appeare righteous before God bicause our wickednesses are couered with his innocence so our workes are be taken for righteous bicause whatsoeuer faultines is otherwise in theÌ„ being buried in the cleannesse of Christe it is not imputed So we may rightfully sai that bi onli faith not oÌ„ly we but also our works ar iustified Now if this righteousnes of works of what sorte soeuer it be hangeth vpoÌ„ faith tree iustification is made of it it ought to be included vnder it and to he sette vnder it as the effect vnder the cause therof as I may so cal it so farre is it of that it oughte to bee raysed vp either to destroy or darken it So Paule to dryue men to confesse that oure blessednesse coÌ„sisteth of the mercy of God not of works chefli enforceth that saying of Dauid Blessed are thei whose iniquitties are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is he to whom the Lord hath not imputed sinne If any maÌ„ do thrust in to the contrary innumerable sayings wherin blessednesse seemeth to be geuen to works as are these Blessed is the man whiche feareth the Lord whiche hath pitie on the poore
I praye you and howe greate a thyng is thys that the name of the Sonne only is preached vnto vs whom he willeth to glory in the knowledge of hymselfe alone Who dare saye that he is but a creature of whom the onely knowledge is our whole glorye Beside that the salutacyons sette before the Epystles of Paule wyshe the same benefites from the SoÌ„ne which they do from the Father wherby we are taughte not only that those thyngs whych the Father geueth vs do come vnto vs by his intercessioÌ„ but also by communitie of power he is the author of them Whiche knowledge by practise is wythoute doute more certayne and perfecte than any idle speculacion For there the godly mynde doth beholde God moste present and in maner handle him wher it feleth it selfe to be quickened lightened saued iustified and sanctifâ—â—d Wherefore out of the same fountaines we must fetch our meane of prouing to confirme the Godhead of the Holy ghost Uery plaine is the testimonie of Moses in the history of the creacion that the spirite of God was vppon the depthes or vppon the vnfashioned heape because he sheweth that not onely the beautie of the worlde that is nowe to be seen is preserued by the power of the Spirite but ere this beautie was added the Spirite was then busied in preseruing that confused lumpe of thinges And that saying of Esaie cannot be cauilled against And now Iehouah and his Spirite hath sent me For he communicateth with the Holy ghost his chiefe power in sending of Prophetes Whereby appeareth the diuine maiestie of the Holy ghost But our best proufe as I haue saied shal be by familiar vse For that whiche the Scriptures impute vnto it is farre from the propertie of creatures and suche a thing as we oure selues doe learne by assured experience of godlinesse For he it is that being eche where poured abrode dooeth susteine and geueth growing and life to all thinges in heauen and in earth And by this pointe he is proued to bee none of the number of creatures for that he is not comprehended within any boundes but by pouring his liuely force into all thinges to breath into them life and mocion this is the very worke of God Moreouer if regeneracion into an incorruptible life be better and more excellent than any presente quickening what shall we iudge of him from whose power the same procedeth And that he is the author of regeneracioÌ„ not by a borrowed but by his own force the Scripture in many places teacheth and not of that onely but also of the immortalitie to come Finally as vnto the Sonne so vnto him also are applied al those offices that are most of all properly belonging to the Godhead For he searcheth the depe secretes of God wherwith none of al the creatures is of counsel He geueth wisdome and skill to speake wheras yet the Lord pronounceth to Moses that it is only his worke to do it So by him we come to a partaking of God so that we may fele his power as it were working life in vs. Our iustificacion is his worke From him is power sanctification truethe grace and what good thing soeuer maye be thoughte of because it is the Holie ghoste onely from whom procedeth all kinde of giftes For that sentence of Paule is righte worthy to be noted Although there be diuerse giftes and manifolde and sondry is the distribucion of them yet is there but one holie Spirite because he maketh him not onelye the original or beginning but also the author Whiche a little after is more plainly expressed in these woordes One and the same Spirite distrybuteth all thinges as he will For if he were not some thing subsisting in God he woulde not attribute vnto him choise of minde and wyll Therefore moste euidentlye doth Paule geue to the Holie ghost diuine power and sheweth that he is substantially resident in God And the Scripture it selfe when it speaketh of hym forbeareth not the name of God For Paul hereby gathereth that we are the temple of God because his spirite dwelleth in vs which thing is not lightly to be passed ouer For wheras God so often promiseth that he wil chose vs for a temple to himselfe that promyse is no other way fulfylled but by hys spirite dwelling in vs. Surely as Augustine very well sayeth if we wer commaunded to make vnto the Holy ghost a temple of timber and stone because such worship is due to God onely it were a cleare argument that he is God now therfore how much clearer is this that we ought not to make a temple but our selues to be a temple for him And the Apostle himselfe calleth vs sometime the temple of God sometime the teÌ„ple of the Holy ghoste both in one meaning And Peter repreheÌ„ding Ananias for that he had lied to the Holy ghost said that he lied not vnto men but vnto God And where Esay bringeth in the Lord of hostes speaking Paul teacheth that it is the Holy ghost that speaketh Yea where commonly the Prophetes say that the wordes whiche they vtter are the wordes of the Lord of hostes Christ and the Apostles doe referre them to the Holy ghost Whereby it foloweth that he is the true Iehouah that is the chiefe author of prophecies Again where God complaineth that he was prouoked to wrath by the stubbornesse of his people in steade of that Esay saith that his holy Spirite was greued Last of al if blasphemie against the Holy ghost be not forgeueÌ„ in this world nor in the worlde to come whereas he maye obteine pardon that hath blasphemed against the soÌ„ne his diuine maiesti is here plainly proued the offense or diminishment wherof is an vnpardonable crime I dooe wittingly and of purpose omitt many testimonies that the auÌ„cient writers haue vsed They haue thought it a maruellous mete place to allege out of Dauid with the word of the Lorde the heauens wer stablished and al the power of them with the spirite of his mouth to proue that the world was no lesse the work of the Holy ghost than of the Sonne But forasmuch as it is commonly vsed in the Psalmes to repete one thynge twise in Esay the spirite of his mouth is as much to say as his word that reason is very weake Therfore I thought good to touche a fewe such thinges as godly mindes might soundly rest vpon And as God hath more plainly disclosed himselfe by the comming of Christ so is he also in the thre Persons become more familiarly knowen But of al the testimonies lette this one suffice vs for this present Paule so knitteth these three together God Faith Baptisme that he reasoneth from the one to the other in this maner Because there is but one Faith he therby sheweth that there is but one God And because there is but one god he therby proueth that there is but one Faith Therfore if we be entred into
loue them that hate vs to recompense euel with doyng good to render blessynges for reporches if we remeÌ„ber that we muste not consider the malice of men but loke vpon the image of God in theÌ„ whiche defacing blotting out their faults doeth with the beautie and dignitie of it self allure vs to embrace it Therfore this Mortification shal then only take place in vs when we performe the dueties of charitie But it is not he that performeth them that only doeth all the dutifull workes of charitie although he leaue none of them vndone but he that doth them of a syncere affection of loue For it maye happen that a man maye fully performe to all menne all that he oweth so muche as concerneth outward duties and yet he maye be far from the true performyng of it For you maye see some that would seeme very liberall whiche yet doe geue nothyng but eyther with pryde of loke or with chorlishnesse of wordes they vpbrayde it And we become to suche wretchednesse in this vnhappy worlde that almoste no almes are geuen of any menne or at least of the moste parte of men without reprochyng Whiche peruersnesse should not haue ben tolerable among the very heathen For of Christians is somwhat more required than to shew a cherefulnesse in couÌ„tenance and make their doynges louely with gentlenesse of wordes First they must take vpon them the personage of him whome they see to neede their helpe and then so pitie their case as yf themselues dyd fele and suffer it so that they maye bee caried with felynge of mercie and gentlenesse euen as they would be to helpe themselues He that shall come so minded to helpe his brethren will not only not defile his doynges with any arrogante or vpbraydyng but also neyther will despise his brother to whome he doeth good as one needyng his helpe nor treade hym vnder foote as one bounde vnto him no more than we vse to reproche a sicke member for easyng whereof the whole body laboreth or to thynke it specially bounde to the other members bycause it hath drawen more helpe vnto it than it hath recompensed For it is thought that the common enterpartenyng of duties betwene members of one body hath no free kynde of gifte but rather that it is a payement of that whiche beyng due by the lawe of nature it were monstruous to denie And by this reason it shall follow that he may not thinke himself discharged that hath performed one kinde of dutie as it is commonly vsed that when a riche manne hath geuen any thing of his owne he leaueth other charges to other men as not belongyng to him But rather euery manne shall thinke thus with himselfe that he is altogether detter to his neyghbours and that he must determine none other ende of vsyng his liberalitie but when abilitie fayleth which how large so euer it be must be measured by the rule of charitie Nowe let vs more fully declare the principall parte of forsakyng our selues whiche we sayd to haue respecte to God We haue sayd muche of it already whiche it were superfluous to rehearse agayne it shal be sufficient to entreate of it so far as it frameth vs to quietnesse of minde and sufferance First therefore in sekyng the commoditie or quietnesse of this present life the Scripture calleth vs herunto that resignyng vs and our thinges to the Lordes wil we should yeld vnto him the affections of our heart to be tamed and subdued To couâ—t wealth and honors so compasse authoritie to heape vp riches to gather together al such follies as serue for royaltie poÌ„pe our lust is outragious and our gredinesse infinite On the other side of pouertie ignobilitie base estate we haue a maruellous feare and maruellous hatred that moue vs to trauaile by al meanes to eschue theÌ„ Hereby a man may see how vnquiet a minde they haue how many shiftes they attempt with what studies they wery their life that frame their life after their owne deuise to atteyne those thinges that their affection of ambitioÌ„ or couetousnesse requireth and on the other side to escape pouertie basenesse Therfore the godly must kepe this waye that they be not entangled with such snares First let them not either desire or hope for or thinke vpon any other meane of prosperyng than by the blessing of the Lord therfore let them safely boldely rest theÌ„selues vpon it For how so euer the flesh thinke it self sufficient of her self whoÌ„ she eyther trauaileth by her owne diligence or endeuoreth with her owne studie or is holpen by the sauour of men to the atteyning of honour and wealth yet it is certayne that all these thinges are nothing that we shall nothyng preuayle with wit or trauaile but in so much as the Lord shall prosper bothe But on the other side his only blessyng findeth a waye through al stoppes to make all thinges procede with vs to a ioyfull and lucky end Then how soeuer we maye moste of all obteyne any glorie or wealth without it as we dayly see the wycked to get heapes of greate honours and richesse yet for as much as they vpon whome resteth the curse do fele no parcell of felicitie we can obteine nothing without his blessing that shal not turne vs to euell And it is not at all to be coueted that maketh men more miserable Therefore yf we beleue that all the meane of prosperous successe and such as is to be wished coÌ„sisteth in the only blessing of God which beyng absent all kindes of miserie and calamitie muste happen vnto vs this remayneth also that we do not gredyly endeuour to wealth and honours standing vpon our owne finesse of wit or diligence nor leauing to the fauour of men nor trustyng vpon a vayne imagination of fortune but that we alwaye looke vnto the Lord to be led by his guidyng to what so euer lot he hath prouided So first it shall come to passe that we shall not violently rush to the catchyng of richesse and inuadynge of honours by wronge by guile and euell crasty meanes or extortion with doyng iniurie to our neighbours but shal onely followe those fortunes that maye not leade vs from innocence For whoe maye hope for the helpe of Gods blessyng among fraudes extortioÌ„s and other suttle meanes of wickednesse For as Gods blessing followeth no man but him that thinketh purely doeth rightly so it calleth back all them of whom it is desired froÌ„ croked thoughtes and corrupt doynges TheÌ„ we shal be bridled that we burne not with inmeasurable desire of growyng riche nor ambitiously gape for honors For with what face may a man trust to be holpen of God to obteine those thynges that he desireth agaynst his worde For God forbidde that God should geue the helpe of his blessyng to that whiche he curseth with his own mouth Last of all if it succede not according to our wish and hope yet we shal be restrayned from impatience and
of God vnto the prayse of his glorious fauour whereby he hath accompted vs acceptable or in fauour For the same is meant by it that is sayde in an other place that God doeth frely iustifie In the .iiii. Chapter to the Romaines he first calleth it an imputation of righteousnesse and sticketh not to saye that it consisteth in forgeuenesse of synnes That man sayd he is called of Dauid a blessed man to whome God accompteth or imputeth righteousnesse without workes as it is writteÌ„ Blessed are they whose iniquities ar forgeueÌ„ c. Truely he there doth entreate not of one part of iustification but of all iustification wholly And he testifieth that Dauid in that place maketh a definition of iustification when he pronounceth that they are blessed to whome is geuen free forgeuenesse of sinnes Whereby appereth that this ryghteousnesse wherof hee speaketh is in comparison simply set as contrary to giltinesse But for this purpose that is the best place wher he teacheth that this is the summe of the message of the Gospel that we should be reconciled to God because it is his will to receiue vs into fauour through Christ in not imputing sinnes vnto vs. Let the reders diligently wey all the whole processe of the text For by by after where he addeth by way of exposition that Christ whiche was without sinne was made sinne for vs to expresse the manner of recoÌ„ciliation doubtlesse he meaneth nothing els by the word recoÌ„ciling but iustifiyng And that whiche he sayth in an other place that we are made righteous by the obedience of Christ could not stand together vnlesse we be accompted righteous before God in hym and without our selues But where as Osiander hath brought in I wote not what monster of essential righteousnes wherby although his wil was not to destroy free righteousnes yet he hath wrapped it within such a mysâ—e as darkneth godly mindes and bereueth them of the earnest feling of the grace of Christ therfore ere I passe further to other thynges it is worth the labour to confute this doting errour First this speculation is but of mere and hungry curiositie He doth in dede heape together many testimonies of Scripture to proue that Christe is one with vs and wee one with hym whiche nedeth no profe but because hee kepeth not this bonde of vnytie he snareth hym selfe But wee whyche holde that wee are made all one wyth Christe by the power of his Spirite may easily vndoe all his knottes He had conceiued a certayne thynge very neare to the opinion of Manichees to desire to conuey the substance of God into men Herupon riseth an other inuention of his that Adam was fashioned after the Image of God bicause euen before the fall Christe was ordeyned the paterne of the nature of man But bycause I woulde bee shorte I wyll tarry vpon the matter that I haue presently in hande He saith that we are one wyth Chryst. We graunt But we denie that the substance of Christ is mingled with oures Moreouer we say that this principle that Christe is righteousnesse to vs bicause he is an eternal God the fountaine of righteousnesse and the very selfe righteousnesse of God is wrongfully drawen to defende hys deceites The readers shall pardon me if I do nowe but touche these thinges that the ordre of teaching requireth to be dyfferred into an other place But although he excuse himself from meaning nothing els by the name of essentiall righteousnesse but to resist thys opinion that we are accompted righteous for Christes sake yet he plainly expresseth that he is not coÌ„tented with the righteousnes that is purchased for vs by the obedience sacrifice of Christ but faineth that we are substantially righteous in God as well by substance as by qualitie poured into vs. For this is the reason why he so earnestly affirmeth that not only Christ but also the father and the holy ghoste do dwel in vs. Which although I graunt to be true yet I saie that he wrongfully wresteth it For hee shold haue considered the manner of dwellyng that is that the father and the holy ghoste are in Christe and as the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in hym so do we possesse whole God in him Therfore al that he saith seuerally of the father and the holy ghost tendeth to no other end but to draw the simple froÌ„ Christe And then he thrusteth in a mixture of substances whereby God pouring himselfe into vs doth make vs as it were a part of himself For he reckeneth it almost a matter of nothing that it is wrought by the power of the holy ghost that we growe into one with Christe and that he is oure heade we his membres vnlesse his very substance be mingled with vs. But in the father the holy ghost as I haue said he doth more openli bewraie what he thinketh euen this that we be iustified not by the onely grace of the Mediator and that righteousnesse is not simply or perfectli offered vs in his persone but that wee are made partakers of the righteousnesse of God when God is essentially made one with vs. If he did saye no more but that Christe in iustyfying vs ys by essentiall conioynynge made oures and that not onely he is our heade in that hee ys manne butte also that the substaunce of the diuine nature ys powred into vs. Hee shoulde wyth lesse hurte feede hym selfe deyntyly and paraduenture so greate a contention shoulde not haue been raysed for thys doubtynge erroure Butte sythe thys beginning is lyke a cuttle that with casting oute of blacke and thycke bloode hydeth her many tayles we muste nedes earnestly resiste vnlesse we wyll wittyngly and wyllyngely suffer that ryghteousnesse to be taken from vs whiche onely bryngeth vs confydence to glorie of saluation For in all this discourse the name of ryghteousnesse and thys worde iustifyeng extende to two partes that to be iustified is not only to be reconciled to God with fre pardoÌ„ but also to be made righteous that righteousnes is not a free imputation but a holinesse and vprightnesse whiche the substance of God remayning in vs doth breath into vs. Then he stoutly denieth that Christ is our righteousnesse in respect that being a prest he did with satisfactorily purging sinnes appease his father towarde vs but in respect that he is eternall God and lyfe To proue that fyrst point that God dothe iustifie not onelye by forgeuinge but also by regenarating he asketh whether God doeth leaue them whome he dothe iustifie suche as they were by nature chaunging nothyng of theyr vyces The aunswere hereof is verye easye that as Christe can not be torne in partes so these two things whiche we together and ioyntly receiue in hym that is to saye righteousnesse and sanctification are inseparable Therfore whomesoeuer God receiueth into fauour he dothe also therwith all geue them the spirite of adoption by the power wherof he newly fashioneth them after his image But
righteousnesse that is of God by faith coÌ„pting not his righteousnesse that which is by the law but yâ— whiche is by the faith of Iesu Christ. You see that here is also a coÌ„parison of coÌ„traries that here is declared the he which wil obteine the righteousnesse of Christ must for sake his owne righteousnesse Therefore in an other place he sayth that this was the cause of fal to the Iewes yâ— goyng about to stablish their owne righteousnesse they were not subiect to yâ— righteousnesse of God If in stablishyng our owne righteousnesse we shake away the righteousnesse of God therefore to obteine Gods righteousnesse our owne must be vtterly abolished And he sheweth the same thyng when he fayth that our glorieng is not excluded by the law but by faith Wherupon foloweth that so long as there remaineth any righteousnesse of workes how litle soeuer it be there still remaineth to vs some 〈◊〉 to glorie vpoÌ„ Now if faith exclude al glorieng then the righteousnesse of workes can no wise be coupled with the righteousnesse of faith To this effect he speaketh so playnely in the .iiij. chapter to the Romanes that he leaueth no roume for cauillations or shiftes If sayth he Abraham was iustified by workes he hath glorie And immediatly he addeth but he hath no glorie in the sight of God It foloweth therefore that he was not iustified by workes Then he vryngeth an other argument by contraries when reward is rendred to workes that is done of det and not of grace But righteousnesse is geuen to fayth accordyng to grace Therefore it is not of the deseruinges of workes Wherfore farewell their dreame that imagine a righteousnesse made of faith and workes mingled together The Sophisters thinke that they haue a suttle shifte that make to themselues sport and pastime with wrestyng of Scripture and with vayne cauillations For they expoÌ„nd workes in that place to be those which men not yet regenerate doe only literally by the endeuour of free will without the grace of Christ and do saye that it beloÌ„geth not to spiritual workes So by their opinion a man is iustified bothe by faith and by workes so that the workes be not his own but the giftes of Christ and frutes of regeneration For they saye that Paule spake so for none other cause but to conuince the Iewes trusting vpoÌ„ their owne workes that they dyd foolishly presume to clayme righteousnesse to theÌ„selues sithe the only Spirit of Christ doth geue it vs and not any endeuour by our owne motion of nature But they doe not marke the in the coÌ„parison of the righteousnesse of the law the righteousnesse of the gospell which Paule bringeth in in an other place all workes are excluded with what title so euer they be adorned For he teacheth that this is the righteousnesse of the law that he shuld obteâ—â—e saluation that hath performed that whiche the law coÌ„maundeth and that this is the righteousnesse of fayth yf we beleue that Christ died and is risen againe Moreouer we shall her after shewe in place fitioâ— it that sauctification righteousnesse are seuerall benefites of Christ Whereupon foloweth that the very spirituall workes come not into the accompt when the power of iustifieng is ascribed to fayth And where Paule denieth as I eueÌ„ now alleged that Abraham had any thing wherupoÌ„ to glorie before God bicause he was not made righteous by workes this ought not to be restrayned to the literall and outward kinde of vertues or to the endeuour of free will But although the life of the Patriarch Abraham were spirituall and in manner Angelike yet he had not sufficient deseruynges of workes to purchace him righteousnesse before God The Scholemen teach a litle more grosâ—y that mingle their preparations but these do lesse infect the simple and vnskilfull with corrupt doctrine vnder pretense of Spirit and grace hydyng the mercie of God whiche only is able to appease tremblyng consciences But we confesse with Paul that the doers of the law are iustified before God but bicause we are all far from the keping of the law herupon we gather that the workes which should most of al haue auailed to righteousnesse do nothing help vs bicause we lacke them As for the coÌ„mon Papistes or Scholemen they are in this point doubly deceiued both bicause they cal faith an assuredneâ—se of conscieÌ„ce in loking for reward at the hand of God for deseruinges and also bicause they expound the grace of God not to be a free imputation of righteousnesse but the holy ghost helpyng to the endeuour of holinesse They reade in the Apostle that he which coÌ„meth to God muste first beleue that there is a God then that he is a rendrer of reward to them that seke him But they marke not what is the manner of seking And that they are deceyued in the name of grace is plamely proued by their owne writings For Lombarde expoundeth that iustification by Christ is geuen vs two wayes First sayth he the death of Christ doth iustifie vs when by it charitie is stirred vp in our heartes by which we are made righteous Secondly that by the same death sinne is destroyed whereby Satan helde vs captiue so that nowe he hath not whereby to condemne vs. You see how he considereth the grace of God principally in iustification to be so far as we are directed to good workes by the grace of the holy ghost He would forsoth haue folowed the opinion of Augustine but he foloweth him a far of goth far out of the waye froÌ„ rightly folowing him bicause if Augustine haue spokeÌ„ any thing plainly he darkeneth it if there be any thing in Augustine not very vnpure he corrupteth it The Scholemen haue stil strayed from worse to worse till with hedlong fall at length they be rolled downe into a Pelagian errour And the very sentence of Augustine or at least his manner of speakyng is not altogether to be receyued For though he singularly wâ—ll taketh from man all prayse of righteousnesse and assigneth it wholly to the grace of God yet he referreth grace to sanctificatioÌ„ wherby we are renewed into newnesse of life by the holy ghost But the Scripture when it speaketh of the righteousnesse of faith leadeth vs to a far other end that is to say that turnyng away from the loking vpoÌ„ our owne workes we should only loke vnto the mercie of God and perfection of Christ. For it teacheth this order of iustificatioÌ„ that first God vouchsaueth to embrace maÌ„ beyng a sinner with his mere and free goodnesse consideryng nothing in him but miserie whereby he may be moâ—ed to mercie for asmuch as he seeth him altogether naked voide of good workes fetchyng from himself the cause to do him good then that he moueth the sinner himself with feling of his goodnesse which desperyng vpon his owne workes casteth all the summe of his saluation vpon Gods mercie This is the felyng of fayth by
continuall brawling that they know not the very first rules of Logike Do thei thinke that the Apostle doted when he alleged these places to proue his sayeng The man that shal do these thynges shall liue in them and Cursed is euery one that fulfilleth not all thinges that are written in the volume of the lawe Unlesse they be mad they will not saye that life was promised to the kepers of Ceremonies or curse thretened onely to the breakers of them If these places be to bee vnderstanded of the morall lawe it is no doubte that the morall workes also are excluded from the power of iustifieng To the same purpose serue these argumentes that he vseth bycause the knowledge of sinne was by the lawe therefore righteousnesse is not by the lawe Bycause the lawe worketh wrath therefore it worketh not righteousnesse Bycause the lawe can not make conscience assured therefore also it can not geue righteousnesse Bycause fayth is imputed vnto righteousnesse therefore righteousnesse is not a rewarde of worke but is geuen beyng not due Bycause we are iustified by fayth therefore gloryeng is cut of If there had ben a lawe geuen that might geue life then righteousnesse were truely by the lawe but God hath shut vp all vnder sinne that the promise might be geuen to the beleuers Let them nowe fondly saye yf they dare that these thynges are spoken of ceremonies and not of manners but very children would hisse out so great shamelesnesse Therefore let vs hold this for certayne that the whole lawe is spoken of when the power of iustifieng is taken awaye from the lawe But if any manne maruell why the Apostle vsed such an addition not beyng content with only namyng of workes the reason is ready to be shewed for it For although workes be so hiely estemed yet they haue that value by the allowance of God rather than by their owne worthinesse For whoe can booste vnto God of any righteousnesse of workes but that which he hath allowed Whoe dare clayme any reward as due vnto theÌ„ but such as he hath promised They haue therfore this of the bountifulnesse of God that they are compted morthy both of the name and reward of righteousnesse they be of value only for this cause when the purpose of him that doth them is by them to shew his obedience to God Wherfore the Apostle in an other place to proue that Abraham could not be iustified by workes allegeth that the law was geuen almost fower hundred and thirty yeres after the couenant made Unlearned men would laugh at suche an argument bicause there might be righteous workes before the publishyng of the law But bicause he knew that there was no such value in workes but by the testimonie vouchsauing of God therfore he taketh it as a thing coÌ„fessed that before the law thei had no power to iustifie We vnderstaÌ„d why he namely expresseth the worke of the law wheÌ„ he meaneth to take awaye iustification froÌ„ any workes bycause controuersie may be moued of those and none other Albeit sometime he excepteth all workes without any additioÌ„ as when he sayth that by the testimonie of Dauid blessednesse is assigned to that man to whome the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes Therfore they can with no cauillatious bryng to passe but that we shall get this generall exclusiue only And they do in vayne seeke that triflyng sutteltie that we are iustified by that only faith whiche worketh by loue so that righteousnesse must stand vpon loue We graunt in deede witn Paule that no other faith iustifieth but that whiche is effectually workyng with chatitie but that faith taketh not her power of iustifiyng from that effectualnesse of charitie Yea it doth by no other meane iustifie but bicause it bryngeth vs into the communicatyng of the righteousnesse of Christ. Or els all that which the Apostle so earnestly presseth should fall to nought To him that worketh sayth he the reward is not teckened accordyng to grace but accordyng to Det. But to him that worketh not but beleueth in him that iustiâ—ieth the vnrighteous his fayth is imputed vnto righteousnesse Could he speake more euidently than in so sayeng that there is no righteousnesse of faith but where there are no workes to whiche any reward is due and that only then fayth is imputed vnto righteousnesse when righteousnesse is geuen by grace that is not due Now let vs examine howe true that is whiche is sayd in the definition that the righteousnesse of fayth is the reconciliation with God whiche consisteth vpon the only forgeuenesse of sinnes We muste alwaye returne to this principle that the wrath of God refteth vpon all men so long as they coÌ„tinue to be sinners That hath Esaye excellently well set out in these wordes The haÌ„d of the Lord is not shortened that he is not able to saue nor his eare dulled that he can not heare but your iniquities haue made disagreement betwene you and your God and your sinnes haue hidden his face from you that he heareth you not We heare that sinne is the diuision betwene man and God and the turnyng awaye of Gods face from the sinner Neyther can it otherwise be For it is disagreyng froÌ„ his righteousnesse to haue any felowship with sinne Wherefore the Apostle teacheth that manne is enemie to God till he be restored into fauour by Christ. Whome therfore the Lord receyueth into ioynyng with him him he is sayd to instifie bycause he can neyther receyue him into fauour nor ioyne him with himselfe but he muste of a sinner make him righteous And we further say that this is done by the forgeuenesse of sinnes For if they whome the Lord hath recoÌ„ciled to himself be iudged by their workes they shal be found still sinners in deede whoe yet must be free cleane from sinne It is certayne therefore that they whom God embraceth are no otherwise made righteous but bicause they are cleansed by hauing the spottes of there sinnes wiped awaye by forgeuenesse thaâ— such a righteousnesse maye in one worde be called the forgeuenesse of sinnes Both these are most clerely to be seene by these wordes of Paule whiche I haue already alleged God was in Christ reconcilyng the world to himself not imputyng their sinnes to man and he hath lette with vs the word of reconciliation And then he addeth the summe of his message that him which knew no sinne he made sinne for vs that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him Here he nameth righteousnesse and reconciliation without difference that we maye perceyue that the one is mutually conteyned vnder the other And he teacheth the manner to atteyne this righteousnesse to be when our sinnes are not imputed vnto vs. Wherefore doubte thou not hereafter howe God doth iustifie vs when thou hearest that he doth reconcile vs to himself by not imputyng sinnes So to the Romanes he proueth by the testimonie of
death to make vs a new creature For we se that oftentimes specially of the Apostle the goodnes of god is set foorth vnto vs by this title God saith he which is riche in mercy for the great loue wherw t he loued vs euen whē we were dead by sinnes hath made vs aliue together in Christ. c. In an other place wher vnder the figure of Abrahā he entreateth of the general calling of the faithful he saith it is God that geueth life to the dead calleth those thinges that are not as though they were If we be nothyng what I beseche you can we do Wherfore the lord strongly beateth downe this arrogancie in the historie of Iob in these wordes who preuenteth me I shal rendre it him for al thinges ar mine Which sentēce Paul expoūding applieth it to this that we shold not think that we bring ani thīg to the lord but mere shame of needines emptines Wherfore in the place aboue cited to proue that we ar come into the hope of saluatiō by his grace alone not by works he allegeth that we ar his creatures bicause we ar new begottē in Christ Iesus to the good works which he hath prepared that we shuld walk in thē As if he had said which of vs may boaste that he hathe with his righteousnes prouoked God sith our first power to do good procedeth out of regeneratiō For as we ar made by nature oyle shal soner be wrong out of a stone thā a good work out of vs. Truly it is wonderful if mā being condēned of so great a shame dare yet say that ther remaineth ani thing with him Therefore let vs confesse with this noble instrumēt of God that we ar called of God with a holy callīg no◠accordīg to our works but accordīg to his purpose grace that the kindnes loue of God our sauior toward vs hath appeared bicause he hath saued vs not by the works of righteousnes which we haue don but according to his own mercie that being iustified by his grace we might be made the heires of eternal life Bi this confessiō we dispoil mā of al righteousnes euē to the least litle pece therof til he be bi only merci regenerate into hope of eternal life forasmuch as if the righteousnes of works do brīg any thīg toward the iustifyīg of vs it is falsly said that we ar iustified by grace Truly thapostle had not forgottē hīself whē he affirmed iustificatiō to be of fre gift which in an other place resoneth that grace is now not grace if works do any thing auail And what other thīg doth the lord mean whē he saith that he came not to cal righteous mē but sinners If only sinners ar receaued why seeke we an entry by fained righteousnesses Stil this same thought hath now thē recourse to my mind that it is peril least I shold do wrong to the mercies of God which do so carefully trauail in prouīg of this thīg as though it wer doutful or darke But bycause our enuiousnes is such as vnlesse it be most straightli thrust out of place it neuer yeldeth to God that which is his I ā cōpelled to tary sōwhat the lōger vpō it Yet for asmuche as the scripture is clere inough in this matter I wil in fighting rather vse the words therof thē mine own Esai whē he hath described the vniuersal destructiō of mākind doth īmediatly after veri fitly adioyn the ordre of restoring The lord hath seen it semed 〈◊〉 in his eyes And he saw that ther is no mā he maruailed that there is none that offereth himself he hath set saluatiō in his own arm hath strēgthned hīself with his own righteousnes Where are our righteousnesses if it be true which the prophet saith that ther is no mā that helpeth the lord in recouerīg his saluatiō So an other prophet wher he bringeth in the lord discoursīg of the recōciling of sīners to hīself saith I wil espouse the to me for euer in righteousnes iudgmēt grace mercie I wil sai to hir that hath not obteined merci thou hast obtained merci If such couenāt which it is certain to be the first cōioyning that we haue with God stādeth vpō the mercy of god ther is left no foūdatiō of our own righteousnes And I wold fain learn of those mē which fame that mā meteth God with sō righteousnes of works whether thei think that ther is ani righteousnes at al but that which is acceptable to God If it be madnes to thīk so what acceptable thīg to god cā procede frō his enemies whō he wholli abhorreth with al their doings That al we I sai ar the dedli professed enemies of our god the truth it self testifieth til being iustified we ar receiued into frēdship If iustified 〈◊〉 the beginnīg of loue what righteousnes of works shal go before 〈…〉 Ihon to turne away that pestilent arrogance dothe diligently put vs in mind how we did not first loue him And the self same thing the lord had long before taught bi his prophet I wil loue thē saih he with a fre loue bicause mine anger is turned Certainly his loue is not prouoked by workes if it hath of his owne accorde inclined it self vnto vs. But the rude cōmon sorte of men think it to be nothing els but that no mā hathe deserued that Christ shoulde performe oure redēption yet that to the entring into the possession of redemptiō we be holpen by our owne works Yea but hosoeuer we be redemed of Christ yet till we be by the calling of the Father graffed into the communion of him we are bothe heires of darkenesse and death and the enemies of God For Paul teacheth that we are not cleansed wasshed from our vncleannesses by the blood of Christ vntill the holy ghoste worketh y◠cleansing in vs. Whiche same thing Peter minding to teache declareth that the sancrifinge of the Spirite auaileth vnto obedience the sprinkling of the bloode of Christ. If we be by the Spirite sprinkled with the bloode of Christ vnto cleansing lette vs not thinke that before such watering we be any other than a sinner is without Christ. Let this therfore remaine certaine that the beginning of oure saluatiō is as yt were a certain resurrectiō frō death to life bicause when for Christes sake it is geuē to vs to beleue in him thē we first begin to passe frō death into life Under this sort are comprehended they whyche haue in the diuision aboue set ben noted for the second third sort of men For the vncleannesse of conscience proueth that both of them ar not yet regenerate by the Spirit of God And againe wheras there is no regeneration in them this proueth the want of faith Wherby appeareth that thei are not yet reconciled to God nor yet iustified in his sight forasmuch as these good
boasted concernyng the merites of workes do ouerthrow as well the praise of God in geuing of righteousnesse as also the assurednesse of saluation NOw we haue declared that which is the chefe point in this matter that bycause yf righteousnesse be vpholden with workes it must needes by by fal downe before the sight of God it is conteined in the only mercie of God the only coÌ„municating of Christ therefore in only faith But let vs diligeÌ„tly mark that this is the chefe stay of the matter least we be entangled with that general error not only of the coÌ„mon people but also of learned meÌ„ For so sone as question is moued of the iustificatioÌ„ of faith workes they flee to those places which seme to geue to workes some merit in the sight of God as though the iustification of workes were fully wonne if it be ones proued that they be of any value with God But we haue aboue plainely shewed that the righteousnesse of workes coÌ„sisteth only in the perfect and ful keping of the law Wherupon foloweth that no maÌ„ is iustified by workes but he that hauyng climbed vp to the hiest top of perfection can not be proued gilty of any offense be it neuer so litle Therefore it is an other a seueral questioÌ„ Howsoeuer workes suffice not to iustifie a man whether yet do they not deserue fauour with God First of the name of merit I must needes say this afore hand yâ— whosoeuer first applied it to workes of meÌ„ coÌ„pared to the iugemeÌ„t of God he did very ill prouide for the purenesse of faith Truely I do by my good wil absteine froÌ„ striues about words but I wold with that this sobrietie bad alway beÌ„ vsed amoÌ„g Christian writers that they wold not haue fouÌ„d in their heartes to vse words strange froÌ„ the Scriptures which engeÌ„dred much offense no frute For whereto I beseche you was it needeful to haue the name of Merit brought in when the price of good workes might be fittly expressed by an other name wtout offense But how much offense the word coÌ„teineth in it is euident with the great hurt of the world Surely as it is most proude it caÌ„ do nothing but darkeÌ„ the grace of God and fill meÌ„ with froward pride The old writers of the Church I grauÌ„t haue coÌ„monly vsed it I wold to God they had not with the abusyng of one litle word geueÌ„ to posteritie matter of error Howbeit they theÌ„selues also do in many places testifie how in no case thei meant to geue any preiudice against the truth For thus sayth Augustine in one place Let Merites of men here hold their peace which haue perished by AdaÌ„ let the grace of God reigne by Iesus Christ. Againe The saintes geue nothing to their owne Merites they will geue al to none but to thy mercie O God In an other place WheÌ„ maÌ„ seeth that whatsoeuer good he hath he hath it not froÌ„ himself but froÌ„ his God he seeth that al that which is praised in him is not of his own Merites but of the mercie of God You see how taking froÌ„ men the power of doing wel he also throweth downe the dignitie of Merit And Chrysostome sayth Our workes if there be any which folow the free calling of God are repayment det but the gâ—â—tes of God are grace bouÌ„tifulnesse the greatnesse of liberall geuing But leauing the name let vs rather loke vpoÌ„ the thing I haue verily before alledged a sentence out of Bernard â–ª As it sufficeth to Merit not to presume of Merites so to want Merites sufficeth to iudgemeÌ„t But by adding forth with an expositioÌ„ he sufficieÌ„tly mitigateth the hardinesse of the word where he sayth Therfore care thou to haue Merites wheÌ„ thou hast theÌ„ know yâ— thei are geueÌ„ hope for frute the mercie of God so thou hast escaped al daÌ„ger of pouertie vnthaÌ„kfulnesse presumptioÌ„ Happy is the church which neither waÌ„teth Merites without presumptioÌ„ nor presumptioÌ„ without merites And a litle before he had largely shewed how godly a meaning he vsed For of Merites saith he why shold the Church be careful which hath a stedfaster surer cause to glorie of the purpose of God God caÌ„ not denie himself he wil do that which he hath promised If there be no cause why the shuldest aske by what merites may we hope for good thinges specially sith yâ— hearest it sayd Not for your sakes but for my sake it sufficeth to Merit to know that Merites suffice not What al our workes deserue the scripture sheweth wheÌ„ it saith that thei can not abide the sight of God bicause thei are ful of vncleannesse then what the perfect obseruing of the law if any such could be found shal deserue wheÌ„ it teacheth that we should think ourselues vnprofitable seruaÌ„tes when we haue done al thinges that are coÌ„maunded vs bicause we shal haue geueÌ„ nothing freely to the Lord but only haue performed our due seruices to whiche there is no thanke to be geuen But those good workes which he himself hath geuen vs the Lord both calleth oures testifieth that thei are not only acceptable to him but also that they shal haue reward It is our duetie againe for our part to be encouraged with so great a promise to gather vp our heartes that we be not weried with wel doyng to yeld true thankfulnesse to so great bouÌ„tifulnesse of God It is vndouted that it is the grace of God what soeuer there is in workes that deserueth prayse that there is not one droppe which we ought properly to ascribe to our selues This if we do truely earnestly acknowlege there vanisheth away not only all affiance but also opinion of Merit We I say do not part the prayse of good workes as the Sophisters do betwene god maÌ„ but we reserue it whole perfect vnminished to the lord Only this we assigne to man that eueÌ„ the self same workes that were good he by his vncleannes corrupteth defileth For nothing coÌ„meth out of maÌ„ how perfect so euer he be that is not defiled with some spot Therefore let the Lord cal into iudgement eueÌ„ these things that are best in the workes of meÌ„ he shal verily espie in them his owne righteousnesse but mans dishonestie shame Good workes therfore do please God are not vnprofitable to the doers of them but rather they receiue for reward the most large benefites of God not bicause thei so deserue but bicause the goodnesse of god hath of it self apointed this price vnto theÌ„ But what spitefulnesse is this that men not contented with that liberalitie of God which geueth vndue rewardes to workes that deserue no such thing do with ambitioÌ„ full of sacrilege endeuor further that that which is wholly of the liberalitie of God maye seme to be reÌ„dred to the merites of meÌ„ Here I appelle to the coÌ„mon iudgement of euery man If any
for this purpose deliuered from sinne that we should obey to righteousnesse Can we be pricked forward to charitie with any more liuely argument thā that of Iohn that we shold mutually loue one an other as God hath loued vs that herein his children do differ from the childrē of the Deuell the children of light from the children of darknesse bycause they abide in loue Againe with that argument of Paule that we if we cleaue to Christ are the members of one body which it is mete to be holpen one of an other with mutuall duties Can we be more strongly prouoked to holinesse than when we heare agayne of Iohn that all they that haue this hope do sanctifie thēselues bycause their God is holy Agayne of the mouth of Paule that hauyng the promise of adoptiō we should cleanse our selues from all the defilyng of the flesh spirit than when we heare Christ settyng forth himself for an example vnto vs that we should follow his steppes And these fewe thinges I haue set forth for a taste For yf I should entēd to goe through all I should be dryuen to make a long volume The Apostles are all full of encouragementes exhortatiōs and rebukynges whereby they maye instruct the man of God to euery good worke and that without any mention of merit But rather they fetch their chefe exhortations from this that our saluation standeth vpon the only mercie of God and vpon no merite of oures As Paule after that he hath in a whole Epistle discoursed that there is no hope of life for vs but in the righteousnesse of Christ when he cōmeth downe to morall exhortations he besecheth them by that mercie of God whiche he hath vouchesaued to extēd to vs. And truely this one cause ought to haue ben sufficient that God may be glorified in vs. But if any be not so vehemently moued with the glorie of God yet the remembrāce of his benefites ought to haue ben most sufficient to stirre vp such mē to do well But these men whiche do paraduenture with thrustyng in of merites beate out some seruile and constrayned obediences of the lawe do falsly saye that we haue nothing whereby we maye exhorte men to good workes bicause we goe not the same waye to worke As though God were much desired with such obediences whiche protesteth that he loueth a cherefull geuer and forbiddeth any thyng to be geuen as it were of heauinesse or of necessitie Neyther doe I speake this for that I doe eyther refuse or despise that kinde of exhortation whiche the Scripture oftentimes vseth that it maye leaue no meane vnattempted euery way to stirre vp our mindes For it rehearseth the reward which God will render to euery mā according to his workes But I denie that that is the only thing yea or the chefe amōg many And then I graunt not that we ought to take beginning therat Moreouer I affirme that it maketh nothing to the settyng vp of such merites as these men boste of as we shal hereafter see Last of all I saye that is to no profitable vse vnlesse this doctrine haue first taken place that we are iustified by the only merit of Christ which is cōceyued by faith but by no merites of our workes bicause none can be fit to the endeuour of holinesse vnlesse they haue first digested this doctrine Which thing also the Prophet very wel signifieth when he thus speaketh to God with thee is mercie that thou mayest be feared For he sheweth that there is no worshippyng of God but whē his mercie is acknowleged vpon which alone it is bothe founded and stablished Which is very worthy to be noted that we maye know not only that the beginning of worshippyng God aright is the affiance of his mercie but also that the feare of God whiche the Papistes will haue to be meritorious can not haue the name of merite bicause it is grounded vpon the pardon and forgeuenesse of sinnes But it is a moste vayne sclaunder that men are allured to sinne when we affirme the free forgeuenesse of sinnes in whiche we saye that righteousnesse consisteth For we saye that it is of so great value that it can with no good of oures be recompensed and that therefore it should neuer be obteyned vnlesse it were freely geuen Moreouer that it is to vs in deede freely geuen but not so to Christ which bought it so derely namely with his owne moste holy bloud byside whiche there was no price of value enough that might be payed to the iudgement of God When menne are taught these thinges they are put in minde that it is no thanke to them that the same moste holy bloud is not shed so oft as they sinne Furthermore we learne that our filthinesse is suche as is neuer washed awaye but with the fountaine of this moste pure bloud Ought not they that heare these thynges to conceyue a greater horrour of sinne than yf it were sayd that it is wyped awaye with the sprynklyng of good workes◠And yf they haue any thynge of God howe can they but dred beyng ones cleansed to wallowe themselues agayne in the myre as muche as in them lieth to trouble and infect the purenesse of this fountayne I haue washed my feete sayth the faythfull soule in Salomō how shal I againe defile them Now it is euident whether sort doe bothe more abace the forgeuenesse of sinnes and do more make vile the dignitie of righteousnesse They babble that God is appeased with their owne trysting satisfactions that is their donge We affirme that the giltinesse of sinne is more greuous than can bee purged with so light trifles that the displeasure of God is more heauie than can be released with these satisfactions of no value and that therefore this is the prerogatiue of the only bloud of Christ. They say that righteousnesse if it fayle at any time is restored repaired by satisfactorie workes we thynke it more precious than that it can be matched with anye recompense of workes and that therfore for the restoryng thereof we must flee to the only mercie of God As for the rest of those things that perteyne to the forgeuenesse of sinnes let them be sought out of the next chapter The .xvii. Chapter ¶ The agreement of the promises of the lawe and the Gospell NOw let vs also goe through the other argumētes wherwith Satan by the soldiars of his garde goeth about eyther to ouerthrowe or batter the iustification of fayth This I thinke we haue already wrong frō the sclaunderers that they can no more charge vs as enemies of good workes For iustification is taken awaye from good workes not that no good workes should be done or that those which be done shold be denied to be good but that we should not put affiāce in them not glorie in them not ascribe saluatiō to them For this is our affiance this is our glorie and the only authour of our saluation that
which hath not walked in the councell of the wicked which beareth temptation Blessed are they which kepe iudgement the vndefiled the poore in Spirit the meeke the mercifull c. they shall not make but that it shall bee true which Paul saith For bicause those thinges that ar ther coÌ„mended are neuer so in man that he is therfore allowed of God it foloweth the man is alwai miserable vnlesse he be deliuered from misery by forgeuenesse of sinnes For asmuch as therfore all the kindes of blessednes which ar extolled in the scriptures do fal down void so the man receiueth frute of none of theÌ„ til he haue obteined blessedness by forgeuenes of sins which mai afterward make place for theÌ„ it foloweth that this is not only the hiest the chefe but also the only blessednes vnlesse paraduenture you will haue that it be weakned of those which consist in it alone Now ther is much lesse reason why the calling of meÌ„ righteous shoulde trouble vs which is coÌ„monli geueÌ„ to the faithful I grauÌ„t verili that thei ar called righteous of the holines of liâ— but for asmuch as thei rather endeuor to the folowiÌ„g of righteousnes than do fulfil righteousnes it self it is mete that this righteousnes suche as it is giue place to the iustification of faith from whence it hath that which it is But thei say that we haue yet more busines with Iames namelye which with opeÌ„ voice fighteth against vs. For he teacheth both that AbrahaÌ„ was iustified by works and also that al we are iustified by workes not by faith only What then wil thei draw Paul to fight with Iames If thei hold Iames for a minister of Christ his saying must be so takeÌ„ that it disagre not froÌ„ Christ speakiÌ„g by the mouth of Paul The holy ghost affirmeth by the mouth of Paul that AbrahaÌ„ obteined righteousnesse by faith not by workes we also do teach that all are iustified by faith without the works of the law The same holy ghost teacheth by Iames that both Abrahams righteousnes and ours consisteth of workes not of only faith It is certain that the holy ghost fighteth not with himselfe What agrement shall ther be therfore of these two It is enough for the aduersaries if thei pluck vp the righteousnes of faith which we wolde haue to be fastened with most depe rootes but to render to consciences their quietnesse thei haue no great care Whereby verily you may see that thei gnaw the iustificatioÌ„ of faith but in the meane tim do apoint no mark of righteousnes wher coÌ„sciences may stay Therfore let them triumph as thei list so that thei may boaste of no other victorie than that thei haue taken away all certainetie of righteousnesse And this wretched victorie thei shal obteine where the light of truth being quenched the lord shal suffer theÌ„ to ouerspred the darknes of lies But whersoeuer the truth of God shal stand thei shall nothing preuaile I deny therefore that the saieng of Iames which thei still coÌ„tinually hold vp against vs as it wer the shelde of Achilles doth any thing at al make for theÌ„ That this may be made plaine first we must loke at the mark that the apostle shooteth at then we must note wher thei be deceiued Bicause there were theÌ„ many whiche mischefe is wont to be continual in the Church which openly bewraied their infidelitie in neglecting omitting al the propre works of the faithful yet cessed not to boaste of the false name of faith Iames doth here mock the folish boldnes of such meÌ„ Therfore it is not his purpose in any point to diminish the force of true faith but to shew how â—ondly those trifles did chalenge so much the vaine image of it that being contented herw t thei carelesly ranne dissolutely abroade into all licentiousnesse of vices This ground being coÌ„ceiued it shal be easy to perceaue where oure aduersaries do misse For thei fal into two deceites in the word the one in the name of faith that other in the word of iustifieng Whereas the Apostle nameth faith a vaine opinion farr distant from the truth of faith it is spokeÌ„ by waie of graunting which is no derogation to the matter whych he sheweth at the beginning in these words What profiteth it my brothreÌ„ If any man say that he hath faith hath no works He doth not say if any haue faith wtout workes but If any man boast More plainely also he speaketh a little after where he in mockerie maketh yt worse than the deuills knowledg last of al when he calleth it dead But by the definition you maye sufficiently perceaue what hee meaneth Thou beleuest saith he that there is a God Truely if nothing be conteined in thys faith but to beleue that there is a God it is now no maruel if it do not iustifie And when this is taken from it let vs not think that any thing is a bared from the Christian faith the nature whereof ys farre otherwise For after what manner doth true faith iustifie vs but when it coÌ„ioyneth vs with Christ that being made one with him we may enioy the partakyng of hys righteousnesse It dothe not therefore iustifie vs by this that it conceiueth a knowledge of the beinge of God but by thys that it resteth vpon the assurednesse of the mercy of God We haue not yet the work vnlesse we examine also the other deceite in the word for asmuche as Iames setteth part of iustificatioÌ„ in works If you wil make Iames agreing both with the rest of the Scriptures in himself you must of necessitie take the word of Iustifieng in an other significatioÌ„ thaÌ„ it is takeÌ„ in Paul For Paul saith that we ar iustified wheÌ„ the remeÌ„brance of our vnrighteousnes being blotted out we ar accoÌ„pted righteous If Iames had ment of that takinge he had wrongefully alleged that out of Moses AbrahaÌ„ beleued God c. For he thus frameth it together AbrahaÌ„ bi works obteined righteousnes bycause he sticked not at the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of God to offer vp his sonne And so the Scriptur was fulfilled whiche saithe that hee beleued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse If it be an absurditie that the effect is before hys cause eyther Moses dothe in that place falsely testifie that faythe was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse or he deserued not righteousnesse by that obedience whiche he shewed in offering vp of Isaac Abraham was iustified by his faith when Ismael was not yet conceiued whych was nowe growen past childehode before that Isaac was borne Now therfore shal we saie that he got to himself righteousnesse by obedience which folowed long afterward Wherefore either Iames did wrongfully misturne the order which it is a wickednesse to thinke or he meant not to say that he was iustified as though he deserued to be accompted righteous How then Truely it appeareth that he speaketh of the declaration of righteousnesse and not the
wrathe The .xix. Chapter Of Christian libertie NOw we must entreate of Christian libertie the declaration whereof he must not omitt whose purpose is to compreheÌ„d in an abridgment the summe of the doctrine of the Gospel For it is a thing principally necessarie without the knoweledg wherof conscience dare in a maÌ„ner enterprise nothing without doubting thei stumble and start back in many things thei alway stagger tremble but specially it is an appendant of iustification and auaileth not a little to the vnderstanding of the strength thereof Yea thei that earnestly feare God shal hereby receiue an incomparable frute of that doctrine which the wicked Lucianicall men do pleasantly taunt with their scoffes bicause in the spiritual darkenesse wherwyth thei be taken euery wanton railing is lawful for them Wherfore it shal now come forth in fiâ—t season it was profitable to differ to thys place the plainer discoursing of it for we haue already in diuers places lightly touched it bicause so sone as any mention is brought in of Christian libertie then either filthy lustes do boyle or mad motions do arise vnlesse these wanton wittes be timely met withall whiche doe otherwise most naughtily corrupte the veste thinges For some men by pretense of this libertie shake of all obedience of God and breake forthe into an vnbridled licentiousnesse and some men disdaine it thinking that by yt all moderation ordre and choise of thinges is taken awaie What shold we here do beinge compassed in suche narrowe streightes Shall wee bidde Christian libertie farewell and so cutt of all fitt occasion for suche periles But as we haue saide vnlesse that be fast holden neither Christ nor the truthe of the Gospel nor the inward peace of the soule is rightly knowen Rather we must endeuoure that so necessarie a part of doctrine be not suppressed and yet that in the meane time those fonde obiections may be mette withall whiche are wont to rise therevpon Christian libertie as I think consisteth in three partes The firste that the consciences of the faithful when the affiance of their iustification before God is to be sought may raise aduaunce theÌ„selues aboue the law and forget the whole righteousnesse of the lawe For sithe the lawe as we haue already in an other place declared leaueth no man righteous either we are excluded froÌ„ all hope of iustificatioÌ„ or we muste be loosed from the lawe and so that there be no regarde at al hadde of workes For whosâ—â—hinketh that he must bring somwhat be it neuer so little of good workes to obteine righteousnesse he can not apointe any ende or measure of them butte maketh him selfe detter to the whole law Therfore taking away al mention of the law and layinge aside al thinking vpon workes we must embrace the onely mercye of God when we entreate of iustification and turning away our sighte from our selues we must behold Christ alone For ther the question is not how we be righteous but how although we be vnrighteous and vnworthy we be taken for worthy Of which thinge if consciences wyll atteine any certaintie thei must geue no place to the lawe Neither can any man hereby gather that the law is superfluous to the faithfull whom it doth not therfore ceasse to teache and exhorte and pricke forwarde to goodnesse although before the iudgment seate of God it hath no place in their consciences For these two thinges as they are most diuerse so must be wel and diligently distinguished of vs. The whole life of Christians ought to be a certaine meditation of godlinesse bycause they are called into sanctification Herein standeth the offyce of the law that by putting them in mind of their duetie it shold stir them vp to the endeuor of holynesse innoceÌ„cie But when coÌ„scieÌ„ces are carefull how they may haue God mercifull what they shall answer vpon what affiance they shall stand if they be called to his iudgement there is not to be reckened what the law requireth but onely Christ must be set forth for righteousnesse whiche passeth all perfection of the â—awe Upon this point hangeth almost al the argumeÌ„t of the Epistle to the Galathians For that thei be fond expositers which teach that Paule there coÌ„tendeth only for the libertie of ceremonies may be proued by the places of the argumeÌ„ts Of which sort are these That Christ was made a curse for vs that he might redeme vs froÌ„ the curse of the law Againe Stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made you free be not againe entangled with the yoke of bondage Beholde I Paule say if ye be circumcised Christ shal nothing profit you And he which is circumcised is deitor of the whole law Christ is made idle to you whosoeuer ye be that are iustified by the law ye are falleÌ„ away froÌ„ grace Wherin truely is conteyned some hier thing than the libertie of ceremonies I grauÌ„t in deede that Paul there entreareth of ceremonies bicause he coÌ„tendeth with the false Apostles which weÌ„t about to bring againe into the Christian Church the old shadowes of law which were abolished by the coÌ„ming of Christ. But for the discussing of this questioÌ„ there were hier places to be disputed in which the whole controuersie stoode First bicause by those Iewish shadowes the brightnesse or the gospel was darkened he sheweth that we haue in Christ a fuâ— geuing in deâ—de of al those thinges whiche were shadowed by the ceremonies of Moses Secondly bicause these deceiuers filled the people with a most noughty opinioÌ„ namely that this obedieÌ„ce auailed to deserue the fauor of God Here he standeth much vpoÌ„ this point that the faithful shold not think that thei caÌ„ by any workes of the law much lesse by those litle principles obteine righteousnesse before God And therwithal he teacheth that thei are by the crosse of Christ free froÌ„ the daÌ„natioÌ„ of the law which otherwise hangeth ouer al men yâ— they shold with ful assurednesse rest in Christ alone Which place proprely perteineth to this purpose Last of al he mainteineth to the coÌ„sciences of the faithful their libertie that they should not be bound with any religion in thinges not necessarie The second part which hangeth vpon that former part is that coÌ„sciences obey the law not as compelled by the necessitie of the law but beyng free froÌ„ the yoke of the law it self of their owne accord thei obey the wil of God For bicause they abide in perpetual terrors so long as they be vnder the dominioÌ„ of the law thei shal neuer be with chereful redinesse framed to the obedieÌ„ce of God vnlesse thei first haue this libertie geuen theÌ„ By an exaÌ„ple we shal both more briefly more plainely perceiue what these things meane The coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of the law is that we loue our God with al our heart with al our soule with al our streÌ„gths That this may be done our soule must first be made voide of all
I saye that euery one of their assemblies and the whole body wanteth the lawfull forme of a Chirch ¶ The .iii. Chapter ¶ Of the teachers and ministers of the Chirche and of theyr election and office NOwe it is mete that we speake of the order by which it was the Lordes will to haue his Chirche gouerned For although in his Chirche he onely muste rule and reigne yea and beare preeminence or excelle in it and this gouernement to bee vsed or executed by his onely word yet because he dwelleth not among vs in visible presence so that he can presently with his owne mouth declare his will vnto vs we haue saied that in this he vseth the ministerie of men and as it were the trauaile of deputies not in transferryng his right and honour vnto them but onely that by their mouthe he might do hys owne worke like as a workeman to doo his worke vseth hys instrument I am compelled to repete agayne those thynges that I haue already declared He might in dede do it eyther by hymselfe without any other helpe or instrumente or also by meane of Angelles but there are many causes why he had rather doo it by men For by this meane first he declareth hys good wyll toward vs when he taketh out of men them that shall doo his message in the world that shal be the interpreters of hys secrete wyll finally that shall represent his owne person And so by experience he proueth that it is not vayne that commonlye he calleth vs hys temples when out of the mouthes of men as oute of his sanctuarye he geueth answeres to men Secondly thys is the best and most profitable exercise to humilitie when he accustometh vs to obey hys worde howsoeuer it be preached by men like vnto vs yea sometime our inferiors in dignitie If he him selfe spake from heauen it were no maruell if his holy Oracles were without delaye reuerently receiued wyth the eares and myndes of all men For who woulde not drede his power beyng in presence who woulde not be throwen downe at the first sight of so great maiesty who would not be confounded with the infinite brightnesse But when some silly man risen out of the dust speaketh in the name of God here with very good testimony we declare our godlinesse and reuerent obedience toward God hymselfe if to his minister we yelde our selues willyng to learne whiche yet in nothyng excelleth vs. Therfore for this cause also he hath hidden the treasure of hys heauenly wisedome in brickle and earthen vessels that he mighte haue the certainer profe how much he is estemed of vs. Moreouer there was nothyng fitter for the cherishyng of mutual charitie than that mē shold be bounde together one to an other with this bonde when one is made a pastor to teache the rest and they that are commaunded to be scholars receiue al one doctrine at one mouth For if euery mā were able enough to serue himselfe and neded not the helpe of an other suche is the pride of mans nature that euery one would despise other and should againe be despised of them Therfore the Lorde hath bounde his Chirch with that knotte whiche he forsawe to be the strongest knotte to holde vnitie togither when he hath lefte with men the doctrine of saluation and of eternall life that by their handes he might communicate it to the reste Herunto Paul had respect when he wrote to the Ephesians One body one spirite as also ye be called in one hope of your callyng One Lorde one Faith one Baptisme One God and the Father of all whiche is aboue all and by all in vs al. But vnto euery one of vs grace is geuē accordyng to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherfore he saith Whē he was gone vp on hye he ledde captiuitie captiue he gaue giftes to men He that wente downe is the selfe same hee that wente vp that he might fulfill all thynges And the same hath geuen some to be Apostles and some Prophetes and some Euangelistes and other some Pastors and teachers vnto the restoryng of the holy ones to the worke of ministration to the edifying of the body of Christ vntill we com all into the vnitie of Faithe and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God into a perfect man into the measure of full growen age that we bee no more children that may be caried about with euery wynde of doctrine but folowyng truthe in charitie let vs in all thynges growe into him that is the hed euen Christ in whom the whole body conioyned and compacted together by all the ioynt of subministration accordyng to the workyng in measure of euery parte maketh encrease of the body vnto the edifiyng of it selfe by charitie By these wordes he sheweth that that ministerie of men which God vseth in gouernyng his Chirche is the chiefe synew wherby the faithfull cleaue together in one body and also he sheweth that the Chirche can not otherwise be preserued safe but if it be vpholden by these stays in whyche it pleased the LORDE to repose the saluation of it CHRIST saieth he is gone vp on hye that he myght fulfill all thinges This is the maner of fulfillyng that by his ministers to whom he hath committed that office and hath geuen the grace to execute that woorke he disposeth and distributeth his giftes to the Chirche yea and after a certayne maner geueth hym selfe present with extendyng the power of his spirite in this institution that it should not be vain or idle So is the restoryng of the holy ones performed so is the body of Christ edified so doo we by all thinges growe into hym that is the hed and doo growe together among our selues so are we all brought into the vnitie of Christ if prophecie flourishe among vs if we receyue the Apostles if we refuse not the doctrine ministred vnto vs. Therfore he goeth about the dissipation or rather the ruine and destruction of the Chirche whosoeuer he be that either endeuoureth to abolishe this Order of whom we speake and this kynde of gouernement or minisheth the estimation of it as a thyng not so necessary For neither the lighte and heate of the sunne nor meate and drynke are so necessary to nourishe and susteine this present life as the office of Apostles and pastors is necessarie to preserue the Chirche in earthe Therefore I haue aboue admonished that God hath oftentymes with suche titles as he coulde commended the dignitie thereof vnto vs that we should haue it in moste hye honour and price as the moste excellent thyng of all He testifieth that he geueth to men a singular benefite in raisyng them vp teachers where he commaundeth the Prophete to crye oute that faire are the feete and blessed is the commyng of them that bring tidyngs of peace and when he calleth the Apostles the lyght of the worlde and salte of the earthe Neither coulde this office bee more honourably
They all crie out with one voice that there was no one little woorde at all vttered of Christ which ought not necessarily to be obeyed And without any doutyng they do echewhere teache that these very same thinges by name were commaundementes whyche these good expositors triflyngly say that Christ did but counsell But forasmuche as we haue before taught that this is a moste pestilent error let it suffise here to haue brefely noted that the monkrie which is at this day is grounded vppon the same opinion whiche all the godly ought worthily to abhorre whiche is that there should be imagined some perfecter rule of life than this common rule which is geuen of God to the whole Chirch Whatsoeuer is bilded vpon this fundation can not be but abhominable But they bryng an other profe of their perfection which they thinke to be moste strong for them For the Lorde sayed to the yong man that asked hym of the perfection of righteousnesse If thou wilt be perfect sell all that thou hast and geue it to the poore Whether they do so or no I do not yet dispute but graunt them that for this present Therfore they boste that they be made perfect by forsakyng all theirs If the summe of perfection stande in this what meaneth Paule when he teacheth that he whiche hath distributed all his goodes to the poore vnlesse he haue charitie is nothyng What maner of perfection is this which if charitie be absent is brought with man to nothyng Here they must needes answere that this is the chiefest in dede but not the only worke of perfection But here also Paule crieth against them which sticketh not to make charitie the bonde of perfection without any suche forsakyng If it be certaine that betwene the maister and the disciple is no disagreement and the one of them clerely denieth the perfection of man to consist in this that he should forsake all his goodes and againe affirmeth that perfection is without it we must see howe that sayeng of Christe is to be taken If thou wilt be perfect sell all that thou hast Nowe it shal be no darke sense if we wey whiche we oughte alway to marke in all the preachynges of Christ to whom these woordes bee directed A yong man asketh by what workes he shall enter into euerlastyng lyfe Christ because he was asked of workes sendeth hym to the lawe and rightfully for it is the way of eternall life if it be considered in it selfe and is no otherwise vnable to bryng saluation vnto vs but by oure owne peruersnesse By this answere Christ declared that he teacheth no other rule to frame life by than the same that had in olde tyme ben taught in the lawe of the Lorde So did he bothe geue witnesse to the lawe of God that it was the doctrine of perfecte righteousnesse and therwithall dyd mete wyth sclaunders that he shoulde not seme by any newe rule of life to stirre the people to forsakyng of the law The yong man beyng in dede not of an euel mynde but swelling with vayne confidence answered that he had from his childhode kept al the commaundementes of the law It is most certaine that he was an infinite space distant from that to which he bosted that he had atteined And if his bostyng had ben true he had wanted nothyng to the hyest perfection For we haue before shewed that the lawe conteineth in it self perfect righteousnesse and the same appereth hereby that the kepyng of it is called the way of eternall saluation That he myght be taught to knowe how little he had profited in that righteousnesse which he had to boldly answered that he had fulfilled it was profitable to shake out a familiar fault of his When he abounded in richesse he had his hart fastened vppon them Therefore because he felte not this secrete wounde Christe launced him Goe sayth he sell all that thou haste If he hadde ben so good a keper of the lawe as he thought he was he wold not haue gone away sorowfull when he heard this word For who so loueth God with all his hart whatsoeuer disagreeth with the loue of hym he not onely taketh it for dong but abhorreth as bringyng destruction Therefore wheras Christe commaundeth the couetous richeman to leaue all that he hath it is all one as if he should commaunde the ambitious man to forsake all honors the voluptuous man all delites and the vnchast mā all the instrumentes of luste So consciences that are touched with no felyng of generall admonition must be called back to the particular felyng of their owne euell Therfore they doo in vayne drawe this speciall case to generall exposition as though Christe did set the perfection of man in forsaking of goodes whereas he mente nothyng els by this sayeng than to dryue the yong man that stoode to muche in his owne conceite to feele his owne sore that he mighte vnderstand that he was yet a great way distant from perfect obedience of the law which otherwise he did falsly take vpon him I graunt that this place hath ben euel vnderstāded of some of the Fathers and that therupon grew this couetyng of wilfull pouertie wherby they only were thought to be blessed which forsakyng all earthly thynges did dedicate themselues naked to Christ. But I trust that all the good and not contentious men will be satisfied with this my exposition so that they shall no more doute of the meanyng of Christ. Howbeit the Fathers thought nothyng lesse than to stablishe suche a perfection as hath sins ben framed by the cowled Sophisters thereby to rayse vp a double Christianitie For that doctrine full of sacrilege was not yet borne whych compareth the profession of monkrie to Baptisme yea and openlye affirmeth that it is a forme of seconde Baptisme Who can doute that the Fathers with all theyr harte abhorred this blasphemie Nowe as touchyng that laste thyng whyche Augustine sayeth to haue been among the olde Monkes that is that they applyed themselues whollye to Charitie what neede I to shewe in woordes that it is moste farre from thys newe profession The thyng it selfe speaketh that all they that goe into Monasteries departe from the Chirche For why Doo not they seuer themselues from the lawfull felowshippe of the faithfull in takyng to themselues a peculiar ministerie and priuate ministration of Sacramentes What is it to dissolue the Communion of the Chirche if this bee not it And that I may folowe the comparison which I beganne to make and may ones conclude it what haue they in this behalfe lyke to the olde monkes They although they dwelt seuerally from other men yet had not a seuerall Chirch they dyd partake of the sacramentes together with other they appered at solemne assemblies there they were a parte of the people These men in erectyng to themselues a priuate altar what haue they ells doone but broken the bonde of vnitie For they haue bothe excommunicate themselues from the