Selected quad for the lemma: work_n

Word A Word B Word C Word D Occurrence Frequency Band MI MI Band Prominent
work_n evil_a good_a tree_n 33,809 5 11.7409 5 true
View all documents for the selected quad

Text snippets containing the quad

ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A07763 Fovvre bookes, of the institution, vse and doctrine of the holy sacrament of the Eucharist in the old Church As likevvise, hovv, vvhen, and by what degrees the masse is brought in, in place thereof. By my Lord Philip of Mornai, Lord of Plessis-Marli; councellor to the King in his councell of estate, captaine of fiftie men at armes in the Kings paie, gouernour of his towne and castle of Samur, ouerseer of his house and crowne of Nauarre.; De l'institution, usage, et doctrine du sainct sacrement de l'Eucharistie, en l'eglise ancienne. English Mornay, Philippe de, seigneur du Plessis-Marly, 1549-1623.; R.S., l. 1600. 1600 (1600) STC 18142; ESTC S115135 928,225 532

There are 7 snippets containing the selected quad. | View lemmatised text

Alexandria All that the Lord hath done is not written but rather so much as the pen-men thought to be sufficient both for maners and doctrine of faith to the end that shining through a right faith manners and the truth we may come to the kingdom of Christ Now those pen-men of whom he speaketh were they not inspired of God Is it not his holy spirit himselfe Againe Lib. 5. in Leui. whether it were he or Origen vpon Leuiticus In the two Testaments we may finde out and discusse whatsoeuer matter concerning God from the same gather whatsoeuer knowledge of things in so much as that if any thing remaine not determined by these Scriptures there is not any third which we are to receiue and admit of for the authorising of such knowledge Cyrill Bishop of Ierusalem Beleeue me not Cyril Hierosolim Catec 4. if I shew it thee not by the Scriptures for the saluation of our faith is not bolted out by the meanes of any disputation but plainly demonstrated by them Thom. 1. part Sum. q. 1. art 3. Supra omne debitum creaturae Et q. 147 art 4 p. 3. in add q. 6 art 6. And what will they say more when as Thomas one of their side saith That the things that proceede of the onely will of God besides whatsoeuer is due vnto the creature cannot be made knowne vnto vs otherwise then in that they are deliuered vnto vs in the Scripture That the doctrine of faith and the Sacraments cannot bee but of Christ That the ordinances and statutes of the church are not of themselues of the necessitie of saluation When also expounding the place in controuersie at this day of the second to Timothie chapter the third he vseth these wordes That the Scriptures teach the truth In 2. ad Tim. c. 3. ● reproue falshood perswade vnto that which is good and draw backe from that which is euill Not saith he after any faint or feeble maner but to the perfecting of the worke of saluation yea saith he euen in the highest degree c. And Scotus after him That the holy scripture is sufficient for the Pilgrime that is to say for the Christian trauailing heere below to come to the end of his purposed voiage that is to say vnto saluation That this way is not doubtfull but most certaine that in the same likewise is founde sufficiently laid open whatsoeuer is to be beleeued hoped for or done And Cardinall Caietan vpon the place afore named To the making saith he of the man wise vnto eternall saluation and furnished with all those partes requisite for the making of the man of God perfect Admit will some say vnto vs that it is sufficient The scripture is cleare and plaine vnto saluation Lactan l. 5. c. 1. but yet notwithstanding obscure difficult ambiguous by consequent daungerous This is all that which can be said against a wicked mā making his will taking pleasure to set his heires togither by the eares through sutes in the law And what would they say then to the Gentiles to Celsus to Iulian to all the Philosophers who tooke occasion by reason of the facilitie and simplicitie of the same to account thereof as base and contemptible He that is the light of lights and together therewith all goodnes it selfe shall he delight himselfe in becomming obscure and darke vnto vs This light that lightneth euerie man that commeth into the world shall he be come downe here vpon earth to blind the world euen them whom he hath chosen and set apart from the world Shall not the essentiall almightie word of God haue power or knowledge or will to expresse and make plaine his meaning in his worde when as he is come from heauen vnto vs from the bosome of the father amongst men to expresse and manifest himselfe The holy Ghost sent downe from the father and the sonne to teach the Apostles the things concerning saluation and in them vs comming downe vpon them in tongues of fire to interpret himselfe in all maner of languages shall he be no better then barbarisme and darknesse shall he not be prouided of wordes cleare and plaine inough to make himselfe to be vnderstood in the Scriptures Verily we learne not this lesson in the Prophets if they be not able to auouch vnto vs in that they speake their own cause Thy word saith Dauid is a torch vnto my feete Psal 119. 19 12. that is to say a light causing our eies to see They that speake not according to this word saith Esai it is because they haue no light in them Neither yet of S. Peter Esai 8.2 Pet. 1.19 who in his iudgement hath thought it to be so far off from obscuritie as that he hath commaunded vs to hearken to the Propheticall worde as vnto a light that shineth in darknesse And what then shall be the brightnesse of the Gospel which is the light of this light the Sunne in respect of the lampe and declared vnto vs by the Sonne the brightnesse of the glorie of the father Afterward the Apostle saith that he hath spoken diuerse wayes to the Fathers and to the Prophets c. And to whom then shall he be obscure to whom shall he bee hidden except as Saint Paule saith vnto vs vnto them which perish 2. Cor. 44. to them whose vnderstāding the God of this world hath blinded to the end that the light of the Gospel of the glorie of Christ might not shine vnto them Likewise the Fathers they speake not according to our aduersaries According to the fathers for when they aunswere the Pagans they go not about to excuse the simplicitie and clearnesse thereof by denying them but rather say they it behoued them to be such to the ende that that which was for the saluation of euerie particular partie might be vnderstoode of all Irenaeus saith Iren. cont hae res l. 2. c. 42 67. Iust in Tryph. Tertul. de resurrect All the Scripture both Propheticall and Euangelicall is manifest and without ambiguitie and may likewise be vnderstoode of all Iustine Let vs haue recourse vnto the Scripture that therein we may find where to be safe and sure Tertullian The heretikes shun the light of the Scripture So farre is it off that they should be able to shrowde themselues vnder the darknesse of the same Athanasius Athan. in Epi. ad Iouinian True faith in Christ is cleare by the Scriptures Let vs set saith he against the Arrians this candle vpon the Candlesticke and it is sufficient Saint Hillarie to the same purpose Hillar de vnit patris fil●i The Lord hath set forth the faith of the Gospel in the greatest simplicitie that possibly can be and hath fitted his wordes for our capacitie so farre forth as our infirmitie is able to beare it Constantine the Emperour likewise in the same cause Constant in Concil Nicen. Socrat. l. 1. Chrysost in 2.
which was to come by which it was signified that by one sacrifice of which that was but a figure the liues of the people shoulde spirituallie bee spared And that one is Iesus Christ Idem de ciuit Dei l. 10. c. 5. who was offered vppe and giuen for our sinnes and is risen againe for our iustification whereupon also the Apostle saieth vnto vs Pascha nostrum immolatus est Christus Christ our true Passeouer was slaine and sacrificed c. And this is that which hee sayeth elsewhere in one word That which euerie man calleth a sacrifice that same is the signe of the true sacrifice Now all of them vse these wordes Altars Sacrifices and these verbes to Offer to Sacrifice for the considerations hereafter set downe for these manners of speaking did runne verie smoothlie and pleasantlie amongst Christians in those dayes comming either newlie from amongst the Iewes or else the Gentiles whose principall seruice consisted in sacrifices and yet notwithstanding they put thereunto continuallie if wee giue good heede thereto such corrections as are necessarie Whereby wee may iudge if they had but a little foreseene in what diuerse sortes they are now abused the Sacrament being drawne by little and little to a Sacrifice and then the worde Sacrifice drawne from his Metaphoricall sence to a simple and proper sence and from a sacrifice of thankesgiuing to a sacrifice propitiatorie what restrainte and limits they would haue closed them in withall CHAP. V. How and by what Degrees the sacrament of the holy Supper was turned into a propitiatorie sacrifice SOme there are which aske how this did happen vnto the Church Truelie not all at once For wee see in euerie dayes successe that when Sunne is set there is a twilight before that darknes it selfe doe come to hide and couer all thinges So after that those great lightes of the church which tooke their brightnes from the true light of the Gospel had runne their course yet there remained some glimses of that their brightnes a long time after notwithstanding that they were smothered and stifled with the palpable fogs of blinde superstition and although they were violently forced by a contrary sēce to do the thing they were neuer ordained for And this we see in Beda Beda in Leui. c. 1. the grand Disciple of S. Augustine who sayeth Christ is offered for vs both the Priest and Sacrifice together and hath eaten and destroyed our sinnes inasmuch as hee is our Priest according to the order of Melchisedech and in like manner the true Ministers of the Church doe eate the sins of the people by attributing vnto them the remission of their sinnes in the Church wherein sinnes are forgiuen If hee had beene of the same opinion with our aduersaries hee shoulde haue concluded And therefore the true Priestes do eate the sinnes of the people when they say the Masse for them c. Again We are commaunded to celebrate the feast of the Passeouer euerie daye Our aduersaries would saye here To say the Masse euerie daye But hee Idem in Exod. that is asmuch as to saye Let vs daylie goe from euill to good and from good to better and let vs consecrate our first borne vnto God euen our good workes seeing hee hath ouercome the Diuels for our sakes Again The high Priest entred into the forepart of the Tabernacle euerie day for to sacrifice And this is to put vs in minde to offer dailie vnto God the sacrifices of praise of humilitie and of a contrite spirite c. Thus turning euen the propitiatorie Sacrifices of the law into the Sacrifices of praise those which were offered by the hand and ministerie of the Priest to those which were offered by euerie Christian Albinus sayeth the same as also Charles the great And as for the Sacrament of the Eucharist The sacrament of the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ saith Charles the great was giuen vs thereby to renew the memory of his passion and our saluation And this was about the yeare eight hundred Bertram in the time of Charles the bald about the yeare 900. Bertram de corpore san●uine Domini Heb. 7. Our Lord hath done this at once euen in offering vp himselfe that is to say sacrificing himselfe for vs For he was once offered for the sinnes of the people and this oblation notwithstanding is daily celebrated by the faithfull but in a mysterie to the end that what our Lord Iesus hath accomplished in offering himselfe once might be handled euerie day by the celebrating of the misteries of the renewing of the memorie of his passion Where it is to be noted how he opposeth the mysticall receiuing to the reall receiuing and the daily renewing of the remembrance to the once offering of the sacrifice Againe He hath saith he left vs an example which is daily offered by the faithfull in the mysterie of his bodie and of his blood namely that whosoeuer wil draw neere vnto him may know that he must haue part in his sufferinges the image and representation whereof is exhibited in the holy mysteries that is to say in the breaking of bread the renewing of the memorie of his bodie broken in the powring out of the wine the shedding of his blood for vs. Haimo saith To speake morally Haimo in c. 5 Ose in c. 2 Abac. Malach 1. the sacrifices of the Lord are the praises vttered by the belieuers the penance of sinners the teares of the humble suters whereof it is written The sacrifice of God is a contrite spirite c. Againe Prayer is a speciall sacrifice to be offered to God and so is almes also c. Remig in Psal 55. Remigius If we will sacrifice to God let vs not seeke out of our selues for that which wee are about to offer vnto him we haue in our selues the incense of praise the sacrifice of faith onelie let all that which wee offer be kindled made the more feruent and coupled with charitie Againe Idem in Psal 95. There are not any sacrifices that auaile without faith for there is no place for a true sacrifice out of the Church c. These men howbeit great and renowned for knowledge at this time doe call the sacrament of the holy supper as also the Masse such as it was then celebrated a sacrifice but doubtles with the same mind and in the same sence that Rabanus one of the same time with them did vse it Rabanus de Institu Cleric l. 1. c. 32. Sacrificium saieth he quasisacrum factum a sacrifice as if a man would saye a holy and consecrate worke or action which is consecrated by a mysticall prayer in the remembrance of the passion and suffering of our Lorde c. Which selfe same thing Paschasius calleth otherwise The passion of Christ in a mysterie Pasc de corp Sang. Domini Theophil in Iohan. c. 8. the calling to minde of the passion of the Lorde on the Altar
better come out of this Labyrinth then by the course of the text Saint Paul therefore hauing spoken before of the Doctors and Pastors that doe teach in the Church and continuing his discourse saith That the foundation of Religion is Christ that is to say the remission and forgiuenesse of sinne in him That if those Doctors and Pastors doe build vppon this foundation matter conformable and correspondent vnto the same that is to say sound and sincere doctrines and instructions that then when they come to triall they will be able to beare out and vndergoe the same whereas on the contrarie vaine and friuolous doctrines will vanish and turne to nothing as dooth the smoake in the ayre The sound and sincere ones he compareth to Gold Siluer and precious stones matters able to indure the fire but the corrupt and vaine ones to wood haye or straw all of them being matter which doe not beare or indure the fire yea which on the contrarie doe serue for nothing more then to set it on flame and kindle it Comparisons vsed elswhere in the Scriptures Psal 29. 119 Prou. 8. and 16 and to the same sence The commaundements of God saith Dauid are more to be desired then Gold Siluer or precious stones The fruit of wisedome is better then Gold Siluer or any Iewel-house In the Psalmes and Prouerbes the vaine opinions of men of which notwithstanding they make great accompt are compared to haye that passeth and withereth away Esay c. 40. Esay 1. and 58 Tertul. aduers Matc. l. 5. Dignam aut indignam doctrinam and opposed vnto the word of God which indureth for euer Esay 40. dooth compare them to stubble and drie wood Esay 1. and 58. And thus Tertullian Saint Ierome and Saint Ambrose doe interpret it Bellarmine also doth not turne it into any other sence The Apostle saith Euerie mans workes shall bee discouered and made manifest for the day will declare what it is The day that is to say the light opposed and set against darknesse such darknesse as vnder the cloake whereof the most corrupt Marchandises are couered and shrowded the light which maketh them knowne to bee such as they are Ioh. 5. according to that which is said Who so worketh truely and iustly let him come to the light that so his workes may bee made manifest Againe That which maketh all things manifest Ephes 4.5 that is the light And indeede it is not said here The day of the Lord but the day And Saint Gregorie and Saint Augustine doe vnderstand it of this present life And this day saith hee shall declare the worke vnto euerie one because it shall bee manifested by fire for the fire shall trie the workes of euerie man c. Assuredly no materiall fire but a fire fitted and proportioned according to these matters for it behooueth that the Allegorie should hang together Now the matters or substances are spirituall as true or false sound and durable or else vaine doctrines This fire then must be spirituall that is the effectuall power of the word of God and of his spirit vsing to accompanie the same which pearceth euen into the most secret ioyntes and parts before which in shorter or longer time all false doctrines and humane traditions not builded vpon the foundation which Christ hath laid will bee made vnable to stand An vsuall Metaphor in the Scripture The words of the Lord are as siluer refined in the fire Psal 19. Malach. 3. Leuit. 1.3 Am●ros in Psal 118. Ser 13. God will purge the Sonnes of Leui as Gold you are tried like Gold in the fire c. And so Saint Ambrose hath vnderstood it expounding these words Ignitum eloquium tuum c. Let come saith hee the worde of God let it enter into the Church let it become a consuming fire let it burne the haye and the strawe and whatsoeuer is therein that is not holye and consecrate vnto the Lord let it melt this leaden Masse of iniquitie c. Againe This fire it is the word of Christ a good fire which heateth and burneth not any thing saue sinne By this fire built vppon the good foundation this Gold of the Apostles was tried by this fire the Siluer of workes or of maners is examined and proued by this fire these goodly buildings of beautifull Iewels and precious stones haeue their glasse and goodly shew giuen vnto them but the haye and the straw are consumed Wherefore this fire refineth and maketh cleane the spirit but consumeth and wasteth errour c. And note that this is hee that did interpret vnto vs this place heretofore to be vnderstood of Doctors and doctrines and in the same hee still persisteth and continueth vnderstanding by Gold doctrines and by Siluer workes in that of sound or vaine doctrines proceede good or euill workes Hieronim in Daniel c. 7. In Esay c. 66. Saint Ierome in like manner God saith hee is called a consuming fire for to deuour all that which is vicious in vs as haye wood stubble c. And I suppose that this is that fire that did sit vpon the tongues of the Apostles And it is generally to bee noted that not one of the old Fathers hath vnderstood it of their Purgatorie And what is it that will ensue of the triall made by this fire that if the doctrines that shall bee prooued therein doe abide the hammer then hee which shall haue builded vppon that good foundation shall receiue his reward but and if they burne or flie away in smoake hee shall loose his time and labour and yet notwithstanding in as much as he hath built vpon the good foundation and hath not defiled nor ouerthrowne it hee shall be saued but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were by fire that is to say as one that escapeth the fire He that escapeth out of the fire thinketh himselfe to haue performed verie much in hauing saued himselfe all bare and naked For hee accompteth his life for a pray how much so euer he loose otherwise And this is the true signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is also of sauuer in our tonge Acts. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saue your selues from this froward generation that is Eripite vos As also these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but so as it were by fire are held for a prouerbe Cicer. de consol Zachar. 3. Amos. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which wee shall not faile to meete withal in all languages amongst good Authors In Latine Tanquam ex incendio effugere vel euadere In Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if a man should say in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a brand saued out of the fire And these Particles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Sic autem quasi doe sufficiently shew vs that he doth not speake of any sire here in this place but of a power like vnto fire and namely that fire whereof hee
yet notwithstanding the same hee loueth them For saith he There is not any one sinne that God iustifieth and aloweth he hateth them all but by his grace he causeth sinne to bee consumed in vs in as much as it is wasted somewhat and diminished in the liues of such men as profit but consumed in the liues of such as haue attained to perfection that is to say after this life And this he maketh plaine in an other place by S. Hillarie There is not saith he in this life any purifying and cleansing away of all sinne Idem l. 2 cont Iulianum and yet hee hopeth to attaine humane perfection that is to say a nature perfectly cleansed in the last resurrection Which thing our Lord if so be that our Aduersaries would haue belieued him hath said in one word vnto his Apostles You are now cleane because of my word And yet hee had said My father cleanseth you and purgeth you euerie day that so you may beare more fruit c. If then sinne do still dwell in the regenerate and that such sinne as begetteth infinite other sinnes in vs and these sinnes death yea so many deathes so many hels doe we purchase vnto our selues as we commit sinnes and therefore farre off from meriting of life for an other seeing we cannot doe it for our selues Neither haue wee any other exception to alleadge against it but this There is iust cause and matter in vs to condemne vs yea and more then inough but praised be the grace of our God That we are in Christ c. That there is no condemnation to such as are in him But if they say to vs that euen as the flesh worketh sinne in vs vnto condemnation if grace doe not preuent euen so the regenerate spirit worketh good workes vnto saluation yea sufficiently yea aboundantly c. We answere That the beginning and originall of good workes is altogether of God whereas the beginning and originall of sinne is of our selues so that in deed damnation doth belong to vs and saluation to God as also that these good workes proceeding from a heart not perfectly regenerate haue alwaies a spice of euill euen of the euill that is in and of vs and that sufficeth to make them displeasing vnto God saue that he beareth with them through his mercies exhibited in his Sonne the goodnesse which we cannot make our accompt and reckoning of before God seeing it is his It is generally therefore said of all men but this word is expresly and properly appointed and directed to the regenerate to the end that in their miserie and misdeeds they may seeke and search for the remedie which God hath prepared for them in Christ Eccles 6. Prou. 10. Iob. 15. Psal 143. that all are sinners There is not a man vpon the earth that doth good No man can say I am cleane from sinne yea euen amongst his Saints God cannot find any that are able to abide the triall And if we say saith the Apostle that we haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. On the contrarie it standeth vs vpon continually To craue pardon Psal 19. because we are continually euen euerie houre sinning and pardon Ab occultis nostris From the sinnes that we neither see nor perceiue We are so seared in respect of the sence and feeling of sinne And of all this it followeth that as God hath shut vp all vnder sinne so likewise vnder condemnation the same extending and stretching it selfe also vnto vs if he had not shrowded vs vnder the protection of his grace As concerning our good workes Without me saith the sonne of God you can doe nothing no not so much as thinke a good thought Iohn 15.6 2. Cor. 3.5 Acts. 16.14 Psal 119. Philip. 2.13 Iam. 1.17 but in that you are any thing fitted thereto it is of God of God that openeth our heart that inclineth it vnto his lawes and which strengthneth it in his waies that accomplisheth in vs both the will and the worke according to his owne free-will and good pleasure Of God the father of lights from whome euerie good gift commeth c. But principally the gift of faith without which neither we neither any thing of ours can please God Math 16. the faith I say of the Sonne of God Which flesh and bloud do not reueale but the father that is in heauen And what should God be bound and indebted to vs for that which he himselfe worketh in vs of his meere grace for these pretended good workes Osce 13. Nay let vs say rather with the Prophet Israell thy destruction is of thy selfe And thou must impute and lay it to no other but to thine owne selfe But thy saluation is of me Thou hast not any thing then to reproach or accuse But how will the case stand if these verie workes weighed in the balance of iustice bee found to be sinnes And so much the rather and more likely because that thou dost make accompt of them for holy and sanctified deedes as also so much the more cursed and damnable by how much the more thou accomptest of them for meritorious The Sonne of God said vnto his Apostles When you haue done all that is commaunded you say we are vnprofitable seruants Luk. 17.10 But how farre off are we And next what meaneth this To do that which we ought But to doe it as we ought and to that end that it ought to be done c. And who is he that is able to obserue all that and if it were but in one onely action And that I may not presse them withall how would he bee able to doe it for Gods glorie c. without making some mixture for his owne interest as either for his owne profit or honour c. But as for sinne and that which is euill what is it that wee are not cunning inough in to doe verie well and on the contrarie where is that good thing that fadgeth not and falleth out most ill fauouredly in our hands and that in diuers respects So then we must say with the Propht All our righteous deedes are as a stained cloath Our righteous and best deeds saith he and not our vnrighteousnesse for in all our workes how good so euer they seeme to bee there doe iumpe and meete together something that is of the spirit and something that is of the fleshe as they are more or lesse strong in vs according to the saying of Saint Paul who teacheth vs not to flatter our selues When I would doe the good as if hee said euen when I buckle my selfe about it with all the power within me Rom 7. Philip. 3. Euill is readie with me to will is present but I cannot find the meanes to doe and performe it c. And for the proofe hereof wee neede no other proofe but to consider and looke into our selues and our best actions as into our praiers with what an
committing new sinnes Let vs put off the old man c. But saith he The ransome of the bloud of Christ should bee too much abased Idem de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 5. if the iustification which is by grace should bee due vnto precedent merits But neither precedent neither yet subsequent ones can come in for any paiment in this accompt But rather saith hee in an other place seeing that we being quickned in Christ are dead vnto the world Idem de suga Secul c. 7. wee are not any longer to serue the world wee are not any longer to liue according to our former liues but according to the life of Christ euen the life of innocencie of chastitie and of all other vertues We are risen againe with Christ let vs liue with him let vs ascend to him let vs ascend and goe vp on high in him And let vs prouide that the Serpent may not henceforth find euer a heele about vs to trip vs vpon or to bruse by not finding vs any more ouertaken and carried away with these earthly things Now what is all this but the same which Saint Paul said That faith causeth loue that hauing receiued life by the faith of Christ we would liue hencefoorth in Christ And this is the same that wee said that hee which hath iustified vs by his spirite hath sanctified vs also by the same spirite vnto the renuing of the inwarde man c. Saint Augustine in like manner We say that workes iustifie the faith August de spir lit c. 18. De fid operib c. 1.4 Ep. 105. ad Sixt. and the faith the Christian that is to say that the truth of his faith is proued by them Saint Augustine his words follow No man doth a good worke but he that is alreadie iustified but iustification is obtained by faith And these Maxims are ordinarie with him Opera sequuntur iustificatum non praecedunt iustificandum Workes follow him that is iustified they doe not goe before him that is to be iustified The merits of the righteous doe serue for vse Idem ad Simplic l. 1. q. 9 11 Idem de spir li● c. 10. Idem de patient c 21. Lib. 1. ad simp q. 11. Idem de fid operib c. 4. Idem Serm. 181. de temp de fid oper Idem quest 23 because that they are righteous but not to make them righteous Workes doe not beget grace but grace workes Grace is freely giuen vnto vs not because we haue done good workes but to the end wee may be able to to doe them Workes doe not preuent the mercie of God but follow it Againe They cannot bee if grace haue not preuented them by faith And good workes are by him sometimes called The workes of righteousnesse because saith he they follow righteousnesse that is to say iustification And thus you see that workes are the touchstone of faith yea the inseperable effectes necessarily following where faith is For saith he to belieue in him that is to loue him but this can neither the wicked nor yet the Diuels doe but Christians onely because that faith without loue is nothing worth And it is saith he of that health fall faith of the Gospell that the Apostle speaketh of from which workes proceede by this loue For that which bringeth forth none Saint Peter calleth a dried fountaine Saint Iude a cloud without water Saint James a dead faith c. And Saint Paul saith hee is expounded by Saint Iames namely that he vnderstandeth not that hee that belieueth Non finitur is not bound to doe well but rather that he knoweth that he is not come to the gift of iustification by the merits of his precedent workes neither yet by those that follow because it is not permitted in this life For be that is iustified by faith how can he but afterward walke righteously c. One man therefore saith he praiseth the faith of Abraham and an other his workes Idem in Psal 31. Ex side Idem in Psal 30. Confesss l. 12. and yet they bee not contrarie Great is the worke of Abraham but as it commeth of faith J see the foundation to bee faith and I praise the fruite of the good tree but in faith I knowe the roote to bee neither barren nor withered c. Whereupon hee concludeth Let not a man boast of his workes before faith neither let any man neglect them after hee hath once receiued grace to beleeue c. And as our Sauiour Christ doth liue in thine hart so let him also remaine and dwel in thy mouth Concil Arans c. 12. so also in thy deedes and actions c. This is that which the Councell of Orange doth hold vpon this question To loue God is a gift of God Hee hath vouchsafed ma●● to be beloued himselfe hauing loued without being loued He loued vs when we displeased him to the end that he louing vs we might please him for he hath shed loue into our hearts c. To be briefe these good fathers say Wee begin not in any good worke but afterward God helpeth vs to make an end Nay hee without any precedent merits inspireth into vs his faith and his loue c. But it may be at the least you will say that man may merit afterward Nay saith hee Prosp de vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 23. l. 2. c. 8. What hast thou that thou hast not receiued c. And Prosper Aquitanus who was of the same time Vnto euerie man saith hee is giuen Sine merito vnde tendat ad●meritum without merit where by he may take the way to merite and it is giuen before any pa●ines or labour taken to euerie man for which he is to receiue a reward according to his labour c. And then you wil say yet loe here both merit and reward but then againe behold ●and marke how hee expoundeth it If God find in vs what we haue committed in our selues we cannot but be condemned Idem sentent 126. but if be find in vs what he himselfe hath wrought we shall bee crowned Because saith he in an other place all our merit from the beginning vnto the end is the gift of God all our workes otherwise tending to nothing but condemnation Which thing ●ee setteth downe in these verses against the vnthankfull Nam meritum ad mortem subeundam sufficit vnum Ad vitam Idem contr collat contr ingrat nisi quod donarit gratia nullum And therefore concerning the iustice imputed vnto vs he saith Our righteousnesse consisteth more in the remission of our sinnes then in the perfection of our vertues And that same remission consisting also in the righteousnesse of Christ for from that commeth our righteousnesse in as much as wee are renued Ipsa inquit virtutum gaudia●●oulnus habent Idem in sent The greatest ioyes that their vertues can moue in them haue their pearcing wounds and scorching Corasiues Wee
haue not any reward but that which is bestowed vppon vs in our free pardon Saint Barnard saith in one word Bernard in Psal 91. Serm. 9. 15. De Sepulch Idem in Cant. Serm. 22. By faith Christ dwelleth in our harts and as for works they giue testimonie vnto our faith how that it liueth Againe The fruit of the knowledge of God is the strong crie of prayer c. Death being dead life is restored into his place in like manner sinne being taken away righteousnesse succeedeth it c. And how Because saith he●e in an other place they that are iustified from their sinnes desire and resolue themselues ●o embrace and follow holinesse without the which no man shall see God For they heare the Lord who cryeth Be holy c. But All these workes saith he all these pretended merits Sunt vi●● regni non causa regnandi They are the way to raigne but not the cause thereof But as we said before these two righteousnesses are verie much differing namely that which approueth and iustifieth our faith from that which iustifieth our selues that burning and beeing consumed at the onely appearance of the shining bright●nesse of the face of God this beeing of proofe against the Cannon shot of Gods wrath and Hell it selfe that being the worke of the newe man which is renued but slowly in vs this of the eternall God himselfe who hath giuen himselfe wholly and intirely vnto vs. And therefore all that righteousnesse before this is held for nothing● by the Apostle himselfe for worse then nothing that is for corruption and filthinesse so farre off is it from meriting any thing And this also euen with the little● goodnesse that it hath in it is the gift of God and the worke of God working in our hearts by his spirit which saith vnto our pride What hast thou that thou hast not receiued That which is most rife in thee is the worke of Adam more weightie ordinarily then the rest and which concludeth against him Who can draw that which is cleane out of that which is foule and filthie c. For how should a perfect worke spring from an imperfect faith A sound fruie from a diseased tree But the case so standeth as that wee dayly crie here on earth Increase our faith strengthen it purge it from all diffidencie and distrust And notwithstanding wee admire heere the goodnesse of the mercifull God in respect of that which hee hath giuen to him whome hee hath iustified by the gift of faith and by the gift of righteousnesse hee will haue it called a reward but verily such a one as groweth due vpon free promise and not by purchase And thereupon our pride hath set in foote to build the matter of merit a word not heard of throughout the whole Scripture a word condemned throughout the whole Analogie of faith which setteth before it no other thing then the merit of Christ according to the free promise of the eternall father In the meane time where so euer there is Merces The abuse of this worde Merit Ierem. 31.16 Thom. l. 2. q. 114. art 2. a hire or reward promised of God the pride of man hath caused them to find out the merit of men Ieremie saith to the Church of the Iewes assuring them of their reestablishing They shall returne from the Countrie of the enemie Thy worke shall haue his reward From thence Thomas maketh an argument to proue their merit notwithstanding that there is properly handled the estate and condition which was to befall them in this world and not in the kingdome of heauen but hee concludeth notwithstanding that reward and merite cannot be but improperly spoken betwixt God and men betwixt whome there is no maner of equal proportion that is saith he That man obtaineth of God as in the nature of a reward it is because that he hath giuen him power and vertue to labour Quasi mercedem Hieronym in Esa l 15. c. 95. Mat. 5.22 Luke 6.23 Ambr. in Luc. l. 5. c. 6. But Saint Ierome hath spoken better alleadging this place That this reward is their inheritance which serue God In the Euangelists oftentimes Reioyce yee for great is your reward in heauen c. Ambrose verily wheresoeuer there is this word Merces interpreteth it praemium he causeth it to be attributed to the mercie of God and to be receiued by a Christian faith and in like manner all the rest as we shall see And as for that which Thomas argueth That that which is giuen according to iustice may seeme to be a condigne and worthy reward But the Apostle saith 2. Timoth. 4. Ambros in 2. Tim. c 4. Amplissima praemia The crowne of righteousnesse is reserued and laid vp in store forme which the Lord the iust Iudge will render vnto me in that day c. Verily he should haue called to mind that Saint Ambrose expounding this place saith Because that God giueth exceeding great gifts to them that loue him that is worthie of his greatnesse and not of our merits And the ordinarie Glose Seeing that faith is grace and eternall life grace it cannot be but that he hath giuen grace But Saint Augustine August in hom 50. Idem hom 14. as we shall see more largely and fully hereafter Nay saith hee Paul if he had giuen thee that which was due vnto thee he should haue bestowed punishment vpon thee c. Pardon me Apostle I doe not see any thing that is properly thine except euill and this is thine owne doctrine that thou hast taught vs That when God crowneth thy merites he crowneth nothing but his owne gifts c. And Thomas himselfe likewise may seeme to come neere to the same Thom. l. 2. q. 114. art 3. when hee saith That our workes considered as proceeding from our free will cannot merite but rather as proceeding from the grace of the holy Ghost giuen vnto vs. And in deed what man shall bee so proud as to dare to say That Abraham merited God by his workes vnder colour of those words which God saith vnto him I am thy reward Abraham saith the Apostle To whome faith was imputed for righteousnesse Now it were to be desired that the old writers had vsed this word more sparingly although their intention and drift be sufficiently cleare and manifest And whence it sprang But the truth is that that which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dignitie or worthinesse the Latines haue translated Merit and consequently that which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be made or reputed worthie they haue expounded mereri for want of an other verbe to expresse it in one word And in deed the old Glosarie saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mereri to bee made worthie is expounded by this word to merit And it may be verified by many places In the disputation that fell betwixt the Orthodoxes and the Donatists in the time of Saint Augustine this word was ordinarily
is the fountaine and welspring of iustification And in an other place Magniloqui dicuntur c. Such saith he are rightly called the greatest brauers who put their trust in themselues as being righteous and thereupon presume of the workes of the Law As on the contrarie those are called and are truely poore which know themselues sinners and perceiue that they can no way be iustified but by the faith of Christ. And therefore saith he it is requisite that this conceitednesse of thinking to be saued by workes should be laid downe Idem in Soph. l. 2. c. 3. Idem l. 2. in Genes c. 3. Idem in Esa c. 8. Without faith it is impossible to please God it is in like manner impossible but by faith Abraham Isaac and Iacob c. were not saued any otherwise For righteousnesse is Ex fide in fidem of faith and vnto faith Of faith that is of him who hath promised who hath sworne Vnto faith that is of him who hath belieued in him that promised and giuen credite to him that swore c. But as for such as are not true Israelites they haue no such faith for in seeking and searching after their owne righteousnesse they could not stoope vnto or vndergoe this of faith but haue toyled themselues by seeking the same from workes to workes as if Abraham had beene iustified by workes when as the Scripture testifieth of him Idem de Victor verb. Dei l. 4. c. 21. that he belieued and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse c. Verie excellently therefore is it said From faith to faith for in that the Sonne of God is come c. this proceedeth of the faith fulnesse of God of whome it is written God is faithfull c. Namely herein that Dauid and others moe haue not pearced him through with their sinnes and that he accomplisheth by his exceeding great faithfulnesse what hee had promised of his exceeding great grace And this righteousnesse tendeth in fidem vnto an other faith because it is not possible that any man should be iustified before him by his workes but by faith Idem in reg l. 2. c. 39. According to that which is said If thou obserue and marke mine iniquities O Lord c. And to be briefe he oftentimes vttereth these words The onely faith of Iesus Christ is able to iustifie c. Lombard likewise Lo●bard l. 3 d. 19. 25. We are iustified by the death of Christ that is to say cleansed from our sinnes by faith in his death Beholding him by faith after the manner of the brazen Serpent we are deliuered from the bands of sinne and the Diuell in so much as that he is not to demaunde or looke for any thing at our hands Without faith in this Mediatour no man hath beene saued either before or since no man was euer deliuered from that condemnation that came by Adam otherwise then by faith Idem l. 3. d. 26. Rupert in Ioh. c. 1. Impraegnatam mentem Lombard l. 3. d. 23 Honor. in Specul Eccles Richard in Apocal. l. 1. c. And this faith saith he is of God according to that which Saint Augustine saith The mercie of God shall preuent me the mercie of God shall follow me c. That is saith Rupertus Because that to belieue is to haue conceiued the seed of the word of God with loue in his heart as also to haue his mind and spirit conceiued and laden with the same And Lombard To loue God is by belieuing in him to cleaue vnto him and to be incorporated into him by such faith the wicked is iustified inso much as that from thence forward faith worketh in him by loue for there are no good workes but those which are done by the loue of God and this loue is the worke of faith Honorius He is most happie in deede that belieueth rightly and that together with this beliefe liueth well but faith is the foundation and the loue of God and our neighbours is grounded vpon the same And Richard Of faith proceedeth charitie and of charitie doe good workes spring and growe And what is all this but the same which we affirme daily that faith cannot stand without charitie any more then fire can without heate That the life of faith euen as that of trees is knowne because it bringeth forth fruit In a word that wee are iustified by faith onely And yet such a faith as is neuer alone but which containeth in it a certaine heate which is naturall vnto it alwayes acting somewhat neuer idle continually bringing foorth as a fountaine of water the effects of loue which it beareth towards God and the good works it performeth vnto neighbours But Saint Bernard whome we haue so oft heretofore cited goeth further then all the rest For there was in his time a certaine man named Petrus Abailardus a verie Pelagian who durst say That whereas Christ had abased and humbled himselfe euen vnto the death c. that it had not beene but to haue left vs a patterne of liuing well and that our saluation consisteth not in his death and passion but in the growth and proceeding of our good conuersation Whereupon he is not content to giue him to vnderstand that this his assertion is the same which the Apostle calleth the making of the Crosse of Christ of none effect but taketh his occasion and proceedeth further and hauing taken the beasome once into his hand he sweepeth not onely this filth out of the Church that caused him to take it into his hand but withall he applieth himselfe all vnder one to sweepe away whatsoeuer the Iew Gentile Philosopher or superstitious Monke had brought and shuffled thereinto with their vncleane feete or else was negligently looked vnto or tolerated by the sorenamed it hauing fallen out then as it doth oftentimes vnto vs now who are not moued or stirred vp to remoue put away the thing that is euill be it neuer so great And therefore reprouing the waies that S. Augustine did walke in hee dealeth vpon the true iustification in the bloud of Christ by faith more exactly then all the rest Our master saith he knew well that the Law did require more then was in our power Bernard in Serm. 50. super Cant. Idem Serm de verb orig Idem Serm 38 super Cantic Idem Serm. 11 in Annunciat Mariae Idem de milit templ c. 11. Idem Ep. 99. Idem Serm 22 super Can. fusissime but notwithstanding he would giue it vnto vs that we might be admonished of our insufficiencie and that such and so great saith he as that we are neuer able to render vnto God that which we owe him in such sort as that if we should teare and pull our skinnes from off our backes yet are we neuer able to satisfie for our sinnes But wee haue recourse vnto the voice of the bloud of Christ which hath cried farre lowder then the bloud of Abell which proclaimeth in