walke in we ought then rather to behold the goodnesse which we haue not yet done then those of which we doe reioyce our selues to haue already done and the elect are often times tempted with such vices and oftentimes it is rysen in their heartes to bring them in remembraunce of all the goodnesse that they haue done and to reioyce themselues of the band of assurance But if they be truly elected they will turn awaye their eyes from thinking of the same wherein they doe please themselues and keepe backe in them all the ioy of the goodnesse which is alreadye done and be sorie for those which they knowe to be by no maner of meanes done They doe esteeme themselues vnworthye and they onely do not see their goodnesse which are of all men seene by good example c. Of iustification of Fayth Augustine in the first Quinquagesima in the prologue of the 31. psal TRuly the Apostle Saint Iames in his Epistles hath praised the works of Abraham agaynst those which woulde not do any good and which presume them selues of fayth of which Abraham Saint Paule hath praysed his fayth and yet the Apostles are not contrarie the one to the other but he speaketh of the work which is knowne to all men that is to saye that Abraham did offer his sonne vnto God for to doe sacrifice That is a great worke but that is of fayth I doe prayse the buylding of the worke made vpon the foundation but I doe beholde the foundation of faith I doe prayse the fruite of the good and iust worke but I acknowledge the roote in fayth For if Abraham did those things without right fayth nothing woulde haue profited him whatsoeuer worke it hadde bene Furthermore if Abraham did keepe so the fayth that when God commaunded him to offer his sonne for sacrifice hee thought in himselfe I will not doe it and yet neuerthelesse I doe beleeue that God will deliuer me although that I doe contemne and despise his commaundements Fayth without workes shoulde be deade and shoulde abyde as a drie roote barren and without fruite What then we ought not to preferre workes before fayth that is to say nothing is sayde to be well done before fayth although that they are esteemed of men prayse worthye yet notwithstanding they are vayne And me thinketh that they are like vnto great strengths and vnto the easie course out of the waye Let none then esteeme his workes c. Afterwardes he sayth Let vs not then obiect the Apostle Saint Iames to Paule but the same Paule to himselfe and let vs say vnto him by this worde thou doest suffer vs somwhat to sinne without punishment when thou sayest wee doe esteeme man to bee iustified thorowe fayth withoute workes but thou wilt saye to the same faith worketh by loue How am I so much assured by the same if I doe nothing yea I shall not bee counted by the same to haue trust in the good fayth if I doe not worke by loue O Apostle I doe heare thee wilt thou here prayse vnto me fayth without workes But loue is the worke of fayth which loue cannot be ydle that it doe forsake all euill and doe all the good that it can And what maketh loue Declyne from euill and doe good Praysest thou then fayth without works And thou sayest in another place If I had all fayth so that I coulde moue mountaynes out of their places and yet had not loue I were nothing then if fayth doe not profite any without loue and that there where loue shall be it behoueth that it work for faith worketh by loue howe then is man iustified without workes The Apostle aunswereth O thou man therefore haue I sayde this thing vnto thee that thou doe not presume of thy workes and that thou doe not thinke to haue receyued the grace of fayth thorowe the merite of thy works Presume not then of workes before fayth acknowledge that fayth hath founde thee a sinner and if the fayth which hath founde thee a sinner hath made thee righteous then it doth finde him an infidell whiche it hath made righteous The fayth sayth he is counted for righteousnesse vnto him which beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly Augustine in his booke of the 83. questions 76. Chapter If any man doe departe out of this life immediatly after that he hath beleued the iustification of faith abideth with him and commeth not to him by any workes precedent or going before for it is not giuen through merite but through grace nor through workes following bicause that he is not permitted to be in this life and therefore the two sentences of the two Apostles Paule and Iames are not contrary the one to the other For the one saith that man is iustified through faith without workes And the other saith that faith is dead without workes for Paule speaketh of workes whiche goe before faith and Iames speaketh of works which doe followe faith Origene vpon the Epistle to the Romans 3. booke 3. Chapter The onely iustification of God sufficeth so that he which beleeueth onely is iustified when in deede no workes shall be done by him For the thefe was iustified through faith without the workes of the lawe and vpon that faith the Lorde did not demaunde what that is that he had done before and did not tarry after that he had beleeued what worke he shoulde doe but receiued him as iustified throughe the onely faith for to enter with him into paradise Also that woman which is receited by the Euangelist the which did heare at Iesus feete thy sins are forgiuen thee And again thy faith hath saued thee go in peace But also in many places of the gospell Iesus Christ hath vsed such wordes where he sayth that the cause of saluation is the faith of him which beleeueth Man then is iustified through faith vnto whome the workes of faith serue nothing at all for iustification But where faith is not which iustifieth the beleeuing man when any one shall haue the workes of the law neuerthelesse bicause they are not buylded vpon the foundation of faith although that in appearance they are good yet they cannot iustifie the worke if it be without faith the which is the marke and token of those which are iustified of god And what shall he be which wyll boste him selfe of his righteousnesse when he heareth God and the Prophet saying all our righteousnesse are as a menstruous cloth wherefore the only right glorye is in the fayth of Christ Augustine in his .50 homilies homily 17. Peace be vnto the bretheren and loue with the faith of God our Father and of our Lorde Iesus Christ What hast thou that thou hast not receiued If thou hast receiued it why reioysest thou as though thou haddest not receiued it Did Abraham so reioyce He reioysed of faith what is the full and perfect faith The same which beleeueth that all our
trye and proue it selfe more strong to be full of grace when it dooth attrybute all to the grace that is the beginning and the ende otherwyse howe shall it be full of grace if it had any thing which was not of the grace There is no place where grace shall enter where meryte already hath taken place Nowe then the full confession of grace dooth signifie the fulnesse of the same grace in the soule of the confessor For if there be any thing of itselfe forasmuch as it is there it is necessary that grace doth giue place vnto it All that which thou imputest vnto meryte is taken away from grace I wyll none of the merite which putteth out grace I am afrayd of all that which is of my selfe which doth make me to be to my selfe if it be not that peradueÌ„ture rather it should be I which causeth me to be to my selfe Grace doth make me iustified freely so doth deliuer me from the seruitude bondage of sinne Ye haue not chosen mee but I haue chosen you and I haue not founde thy merytes for to chose thee but I haue preuented thee euen so then I haue espoused and marryed thee in fayth and not by the workes of the lawe I haue ioyned thee in righteousnesse but in the righteousnesse wich is through fayth and not of the lawe It resteth that you iudge right iudgement betwene thee and mee that is to say the iudgement in the which I haue fianced thee where it is manifested that thy merite hath not bene the meane but only my pleasure For beholde the iudgement that thou doe not exalt thy merit that thou do not preferre the works of the lawe that thou doe not preferre the charge of the heate of the daye But that thou doe knowe rather to haue all thy hope and trust in fayth in mercye and kyndenesse Augustine of the predestination of Saintes Mans merites shall keepe silence here which were lost in Adam and the grace of God shall reygne as it reygned by Iesus Christ Saint Augustine vpon the 139. Psalme The Saintes doe attribute nothing to their merites but all to the mercie of God. Augustine in the 2. Quinquagesima Psal. 88. When man doth see and perceyue that all that goodnes that he hath he hath it not of himselfe but of his God he doth see that all that which is praysed in him is not of his merites but of the mercy of God. Chrysostome vpon Genesis Homilie 33. All our workes whiche doe followe the thankefull calling of God are as debtes which we doe render vnto him but his benefites are of grace beneuolence and pure liberalitie S. Hilarie vpon S. Mathew in the 20. Canon vpon this place called the labourers Truly no hyre is not of gift for it is due for the worke But God hath giuen vnto all men grace freelye in iustification of fayth Augustine in his Quinquagesima psalm 137. I doe not say vnto the Lorde that he shoulde dâ—â—pise the worke of my handes It is very true that I doe seeke the Lord with my handes and am not deceyued but I doe not esteeme the workes of my handes for I doe feare that if God behold them that he should finde more sinne then meryte This onely doe I say pray and desire that he doe not despise the worke of his handes O Lorde then see and beholde thy worke in me and not mine for if thou doest see mine thou wylt condemne it if thou seest thine thou wylt rewarde and crowne it and in deede all the good works which I haue are come from thee S. Barnard vpon the canticles sermon 61. Where shall those that are weake find true rest and saftye but in the woundes of our sauiour I doe dwell there so much the more safely for that he is puyssant to saue The worlde is nigh vnto me to trouble me my body doth molest and griue me the deuill also lyeth in wayght to catche me I wyll not fall bicause that I am stayed vpon a sure rocke If I haue greuously sinned my conscience is troubled but it shall not be confounded when I shal remember the woundes of the Lorde c. Afterwarde he concludeth saying my meryte is the mercye of the Lorde I am not poore of merytes whilest that the Lorde is ritch in mercye So muche the more as the mercyes of the Lord are great so much the more do I abound in merits Shall I sing my righteousnesse O Lord I wyll remember thine only righteousnesse for the same is myne forasmuche as thou hast bene made for me the righteousnesse of God thy father S. Barnarde vpon the psalme Who so dwelleth c. sermon 15. psalm 91. Behold all the merytes of man is to put all his hope and trust in him whiche doth saue man wholy Augustine vpon the .88 psalm in his fyrste treatise I might despayre bicause of my great sinne and through my infinite negligences if the sonne of God had not taken our fleshe Afterwarde he sayth all my hope all the assurance of my confidence is put in his precious bloud the which hath bene shedde for vs and for our saluation In him my poore hart doth take breath And trusting altogither in him I desire to come vnto thee O father hauing not my righteousnesse but that of thy sonne Iesus Christe Augustine writing vnto Boniface the .3 booke Chapter 5. All the faithfull people which doe sigh and grone vnder the burthen of their corruptible fleshe and inclosed with this present life haue this only hope that we haue a mediator to say Iesus Christe whiche hath satisfied for our sinnes Augustine vpon the .32 psalm and the .109 psalm The Lorde is faithfull who made him selfe debter vnto vs not in taking any thing of vs but in promising vs all thinges freely Augustine in the first Quinquagesima psalm 31. O what are you which secretely doe take pleasure or delight in your owne vertue O proude infidells which doe reioyce your selues in your strengthes If you doe beleeue hereafter in him which doth iustifie the wicked your fayth shall be compted for righteousnesse Reioyce you righteous in God and be mery and wherefore Bicause you are righteous and whereof are ye righteous The same is not through your merytes but through the grace of God whereof are you righteous But for bicause he hath iustified you by fayth and knowledge the which without your merytes he hath giuen vnto you Also in the same booke Vnto him sayth the Apostle whiche doth the workes the higher is not imputed according to grace but according to the debt If thou wilt seperate thy selfe from grace boste thy selfe of thy merytes Truly God doth knowe very well what thou art and what thing he ought to giue vnto euery one And he whiche dooth not good workes and which after many euills that he hath done beleeueth in God who iustifieth the sinner whiche beleeueth in him his fayth will
iustifie him Euen as Dauid sayth Blessed is the man whome the Lorde accepteth and iustifieth without workes and how is he iustified But forasmuch as he receiueth of God righteousnesse and what righteousnesse the righteousnesse of fayth the which God giueth without any good workes preceeding but not without good workes following after for righteousnesse of fayth profiteth not if after the fayth receiued man doth not exercise him selfe in all good workes In the same I doe not account thy workes good what soeuer they be if they doe not proceede from the good roote of fayth In the same God doth not giue vnto thee the payne and punishment whiche thou hast well deserued but he doth giue vnto thee the grace not deserued nor due He oweth vnto thee punishment and he giueth vnto thee mercie and doth pardon thee Begin then to be in fayth through the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes Gregorie vpon Ezechiel the first boke homilie 7. Then our iust aduocate doth defende vs for iust at the iudgement bicause that we shoulde acknowledge our selues and accuse our selues as vniust Let vs not then trust in our weepings nor in our works but in the allegation of our aduocate Augustine in his booke of meditations Chap. 14. This is lyfe eternall that they knowe thee to be the only very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ through a right fayth and through workes worthy of fayth For thy inestimable loue exceedeth all knowledge the which thou hast shewed vnto vs throughe thy pietie and goodnesse vnto vs whiche are vnworthy For thy sonne our God in no sort toke the Angels but he tooke the seede of Abraham being made like in all things vnto vs without sinne This is verily all my hope and all my trust for the porcion of euery one of vs is to the same Iesus Christ our Lorde that is to saye the fleshe and the bloude and so where my porcion doth reygne there I doe beleeue that I shall reygne there where my flesh is glorified there I doe know my selfe to be glorified there where my bloude doth beare rule there I doe knowe that I shall rule Although I be a sinner yet I doe not distrust of the communication of this grace and if my sinnes do hinder or let it my substance doth require and aske it And if my offences doe shut me out the communion of the nature doth not dryue me backe but our Lord God is meeke and lowly and loueth his fleshe and his members and his bowels in himselfe which is God and in Iesus Christ our Lorde most meeke and louing and gentle in whome we are raysed vp and are already ascended into heauen and already sitting in the celestiall place Our fleshe doth loue vs and we haue in him the prerogatiue of our bloude for we are his members and his fleshe and finally he is our heade of whome all the bodie doth depende as it is written bone of my bones and fleshe of my flesh and they shall be two in one fleshe this mysterie here is great I saye in Christ and in the congregation sayth the Apostle Augustine in his manuel Chap. 22. All my trust and hope is in the death of my Lorde his death is my merite my refuge my helth my life my resurrection my merite is the mercy of god I am not poore of merite so long as the Lorde of mercie shall be in being if the mercies of the Lorde are great I am great in merites the more puissant he is for to saue so much the more am I assured Augustine in his manuel Chap. 23. I haue committed a great sinne and do feele my selfe culpable of a great many of sinnes and yet I will not despayre For where sinnes haue abounded grace hath more abounded He which hopeth not to haue pardon of his sinnes he denyeth that God is mercifull he doth great iniurie vnto God which distrusteth of his mercy as much as he can he denyeth that God hath loue truth and strength in whiche things consisteth all my hope that is in the loue that he hath towards me to make me his adoptiue sonne in the veritie of his promise and in the puissaunce of his redemption Let my foolishe thought nowe thinke and murmure as long as it will saying but what art thou and what is this glorie and by what merites thinkest thou to haue it Then I doe aunswere in good fayth I doe knowe verye well vnto whom I submit my selfe and that through great loue he hath made me his adoptiue sonne and is true in his promises and of power to fulfill them and it is lawfull for him to doe all that pleaseth him I cannot then bee afrayde of the multitude of my sinnes if I doe remember the Lordes death S. Ambrose in the booke of Iacob and of blessed life Euen as Iacob hauing not of his meate the eldershippe hid him selfe vnder the habite of his brother and apparayled him selfe with his coate the which did giue a most sweete sauour and in this manner presented him selfe vnto his father to receiue to his profite the blessing vnder the person of another so it is necessary that we doe cloth our selues and put on the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ through fayth and that we doe hide our selues vnder the deuine purite of our eldest brother if wee will be accepted and taken for righteous before God And truly the same is the true verytie for yf we doe appeare before God not clothed with the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ without doubte we shall be iudged worthy of eternall damnation S. Ambrose vpon the .4 chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines They are manifestly blessed vnto whom without laboure or without any workes iniquities and wickednesse are pardoned and the sinnes couered not requiring of them any works of penance but that they doe beleeue onely Ambrose vpon the 3. Chapter of the Epistle to the Romaines They are iustified freelye throughe his grace bicause that not doing anye thing and not rendring the lyke by onely fayth they are iustified through the gift of God. Augustine in his boke of 50. homilies Homilie 14. The Lord will giue vnto me the crown as a iust and righteous iudge For hee which beholdeth after that he hath beheld the worke cannot deny the reward I haue fought a good fight that is a worke I haue fulfilled my course that is a worke I haue kept the fayth that is a worke There remayneth for mee the crowne of righteousnesse that is the rewarde But thou doest nothing to the rewarde and in the worke thou hast not wrought alone thou hast the crowne of him but the work is of thee and yet it is not but throughe the ayde of him I haue fought I haue ended and fulfilled my course I haue kepte the fayth He doth rewarde the goodnesse but what goodnesse Such as he hath giuen Hath not he giuen vnto thee to fight a good
fight If he hath not giuen it what is that that thou sayest in another place I haue laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which is in me In that then that he hath ayded thee and that he hath giuen vnto thee thou hast fought a good fight and hast fulfilled thy course and hast kept the fayth Pardon mee Apostle I doe knowe nothing of thine owne but the euils Pardon me Apostle we doe speake it bicause that thou hast taught it I do heare him which confesseth himselfe and I doe not finde that he is vnthankfull Truly in all that thou art instructed of thy selfe we can knowe nothing but euill Then when God doth crowne thy merites he crowneth nothing but his giftes to the ende that none be waxen proude of such fayth or of such puritie in good workes through his free will. Augustine vpon the wordes of the Apostle sermon .15 Thou shalt doe the worke of God not only bicause thou art a man but also bicause thou art iust and righteous for it is better to be righteous then to be a man if God hath made thee a man and that thou makest thy selfe righteous thou doest a better thing then God hath done But God hath made thee without thy selfe for thou hast giuen no consent vnto God for to make thee how shouldest thou consent which wast not then borne He then which hath made thee without thy selfe doth he not iustifie thee without thy selfe He hath then made him which giueth not his consent but he iustifieth him whiche giueth thereunto his wyll and consent yet he doth iustifie thee to the ende it shoulde not be thine owne righteousnesse and that thou shouldest not turne thy selfe to hurt detryment and vnto filthynesse And shouldest be found in him not hauing thy owne righteousnesse which is by the law but that which is of God through the fayth of Iesus Christ that is to say the righteousnesse of fayth for to knowe it and also to knowe the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowshippe of his afflictions and that same vertue shall be the fellowshippe of the afflictions of Christe that shall be thy vertue Augustine in the first Quinquagesima in the Prologue of the .31 psalm Who be those that are blessed Are not those they in whome God did finde no sinne No for he did finde it in all men for all haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God. If then sinne be found in all it followeth that none are founde blessed but those whose sinnes are pardoned Therefore hath he euen so praysed the same Abraham beleeued God and it was rekened vnto him for righteousnesse but vnto him which doth the worke that is to say which doth presume of workes and which by the meryte of the same saith that the grace of faith is giuen vnto him The rewarde is not imputed according to the grace but according to the debt What is this but that our rewarde is called grace if that be grace it is giuen freely What is this that is giuen freely It is that thou hast done no good thing and yet the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes is giuen vnto thee if thy workes be considered they shal be founde all wicked and euill if God should render that which is due to such workes truely he shoulde condemne them God doth not render vnto thee the punishment due but he doth giue thee grace which is not due vnto thee Augustine in the fyrst Quinquagesima vpon the .31 psalme verse Lorde I haue hoped in thee O Lorde deliuer me and redeeme me through thy righteousnesse For if thou doe consider my righteousnesse thou condemnest me deliuer me through thy righteousnesse for the righteousnesse of God is ours when it is giuen vs but it is called the righteousnesse of God to the ende that man doe not esteeme or thinke to haue righteousnesse of him selfe For as the Apostle saith vnto him which beleeueth in him which iustifieth the infidell or vnbeleeuing man What is he that iustifieth the infidell He which maketh the infidell righteous What is he that is not saued freely Is it he vnto whome the sauiour doth finde nothing for to crowne him but for to condemne him He doth not finde the merytes of goodnesse but he findeth the merites of euill if he doe as moste truly it is purposed and set foorth by the rule of the lawe the sinner ought to be damned if he doe after that rule whome shall he deliuer For he hath found them all sinners he is come alone without sinne who hath foūd vs sinners The same the Apostle speaketh saying all men haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God he doth deliuer thee and not thou thy selfe bicause thou canst not deliuer thy selfe whereof dost thou vaunte and boste thy selfe Wherefore dost thou presume of the lawe and of righteousnesse Dost thou not see that which shall heale thee inwardly is against thee Dost thou not heare the rebell and the confesser and him which desireth ayde and helpe in the battayle saying O wreatched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death the grace of God through our Lorde Iesus Christe wherefore the grace bicause that it is giuen freely without merytes preceeding but the benefites of God haue preuented it S. Ambrose vpon the Epistle vnto the Romains chapter 34. Bicause that without the workes of the lawe faith is reputed for righteousnesse vnto him which beleeueth that is to say vnto the gentill which beleeueth in Christ as it was reputed vnto Abraham how then doe the Iewes thinke to be iustified by the workes of the lawe of the iustification of Abraham seeing Abraham to be iustified not through the workes of the lawe but only through faith The lawe then taketh no place when the infidell is iustified only through faith before God according to the purpose of the grace of God. Euen so ought it to be ordayned to the ende that the lawe doe cease and that we demaund only faith of the grace of God for our health and saluation As also Dauid saith confirming the same by the example of the Prophet The blessednesse of man is in him vnto whome God imputeth righteousnesse without workes He calleth those blessed vnto whome God hath confirmed the same that without labour and without any obseruations through faith only they are iustified with God he declareth then the blessednesse of the time in whiche Christe was borne as also the Lord did saying That many Prophetes and iust men haue desired to see those thinges which ye see and haue not seene them and to heare those things which ye heare and haue not heard them Augustine vpon the words of the Lord in the mountayne Sermon 7. O thou Christian take heede take heede I say of pride for although that thou be a follower of the Saintes yet repute alwayes euery thing to the grace
goodnesse are of God yea faith it selfe Againe the Apostle saith I haue obtayned mercie O true confession He doth not say I haue obtayned mercy bicause that I was faithful but to the ende that I should be faithfull I haue obtayned mercie Let vs come vnto the first works of Paule Let vs behold Saule which did wax madde let vs behold him in his crueltie let vs behold him breathing out his threatnings and thirstie after bloude This was the way of Paule Christ was not yet his way what had he in his heart What had he but euill Giue me his merites Whiche if we doe searche his merites they shall bee merites of damnation and not of deliuerance Augustine vpon the wordes of the Lorde Sermon 40. The medecine of the soule is the only propitiation for the sinnes of all that is to beleeue in Christ c. Afterwarde he saith wherefore doe the children of God whiche beleeue in him liue for they are borne of God by the adoption of grace whiche is through the faith of our Lorde Iesus Christ And therefore welbeloued it is not without cause that our Lord and Sauiour saith that same to be the only sinne of which the holy Ghost rebuketh the world to wete because they haue not beleeued in him He would then that the world should be reproued only of that sinne that they doe not beleeue only in him to wete because that in beleeuing in him all sinnes are pardoned he woulde that to be imputed by which all the other are assembled And therefore in beleeuing they are borne of God and are made the children of God for he hath giuen vnto them the power saith he to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name c. Chrysostome vpon the .25 chapter of Saint Mathewe 2. Tome .2 homilye Come ye blessed of my father inherite ye the kingdome prepared for you from before the beginning of the worlde bicause that you haue giuen that which you cannot haue receiue that which you shall possesse eternally for one graine that you haue sowen vpon earth you shall haue an hundreth folde asmuch in heauen For the kingdome of heauen hath not bene created suche as the righteousnesse of man could merite it but such as the power of God might prepare it for if he woulde haue created the kingdome of heauen according to the merites of mans righteousnesse Truely he would haue created it after mans workes but bicause that nowe he hath not ordayned the reward of Saintes according to the reward of men but according to his greatnesse therefore hath he prepared the kingdome of heauen in heauen before that he created the saints in heauen S. Barnarde vpon the first sermon of the Annunciation of the virgin Marie The testimonie of our conscience is our reioycing sayth the Apostle not such testimonie as the proud Pharisey had in his wicked thought and seducing his master which bare witnesse of him selfe whiche witnesse is true which the spirite doth witnesse vnto our spirite For I doe beleeue that this witnesse consisteth in three things First and aboue all things it is necessarie to beleeue that thou canst not haue remission and forgiuenesse of thy sinnes but throughe the indulgencie of god Secondly thou canst not haue any good workes except he himselfe doe giue them vnto thee Finallye that thou canst not merite eternall life for any workes and it must be giuen thee freely c. Afterwardes he sayth For we doe well know that as for eternall life the afflictions of this lyfe are not worthie of the glorie which shall be shewed vpon vs although that one only man doth abide and suffer al. For mans merites are not suche that for them eternall life shoulde be due of right or that we shoulde saye that God doth vs wrong if he doe not giue them vs by reason of them For though I shoulde holde my peace that all merites are the gifts of God insomuch that for them man is more indebted to God than God is to man What is that that all the merites doe in respect of so great glorie To conclude what is he that is more excellent than the Prophete vnto whome the Lorde doth giue so excellent a witnesse saying I haue founde a man according to mine owne heart And yet he had neede to saye vnto God Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant c. Let no man then deceyue himselfe for if he will thinke well he shall finde without all doubt that he can not with ten thousande men go to meete him whiche commeth agaynst him wyth xx thousande But these things which we haue now spoken of are not yet altogither sufficient but wee must the rather holde them for a beginning and foundation of fayth Therefore if thou beleeue that thy sinnes cannot be put or blotted out but by him agaynst whome onely thou hast sinned thou doest well But adde yet one thing more to wete that thou beleeue also that thy sinnes by him are pardoned Beholde the testimonies and witnesses which the holy ghost doth giue into our heartes saying thy sinnes are pardoned thee For euen so doth the Apostle think that man is iustified freely through fayth In lyke maner as touching merites if thou beleeue that one cannot haue them but by him it sufficeth not vntill such time as the spirite of fayth doth witnesse that thou hast them through him Euen so it is necessarie that thou haue also witnesse to wete that thou doest come therevnto thorowe Gods liberalitie For it is he which pardoneth sinnes which giueth merites and yet neuerthelesse doth giue agayne the rewarde For all his testimonies are most assured For as to the remission of sinnes I doe hold the passion of our Lord for a most strong argument For the crye of his bloude hath had greater force than the bloude of Abel in as much as he doth crie in the heartes of the electe remission of all sinnes For he was deliuered to death for our sinnes And there is no doubt but that his death is more puissant and of greater force to doe good than our sinnes are to doe euill As touching good workes his resurrection is an argument for me which hath no lesse vertue For asmuch as he is rysen againe for our iustification as touching the hope of reward his ascention serueth for a witnesse for he is ascended for our gloryfication Thou hast these three things in the psalm saying Blessed is the man vnto whome the Lorde imputeth no sinne And in another place blessed are the men whose strength is in thee Also in an other place Blessed is the man whom thou hast chosen and receiuest vnto thee that he maye dwell in thy courte such is the true glory I say which is within for that dooth departe from him whiche dwelleth in our heartes through faith But the sonnes of Adam seeking the glorye which
all the Apostles The rocke giueth name to Peter not Peter to the rocke Mat. 16. 1. Cor. 3. Iohn 8. Mat. 16. Collo 2. 1. Iohn 5. Philip. 1. 2. Pet. 1. S. Augustine recanteth Iesus Christ hath builded his Church vpon him selfe and not vpon Saint Peter 1. Cor. 1. Gregorie vvoulde not be called vniuersall Pope Iohn 8. Rom. 3. Iohn 15. 2. Cor. 3. Galat. 5. Philip. 1. Philip. 2. Rom. 7. Man cannot be made better by the merit of his vvorkes Free vvill lost 2. Pet. 2. Iohn 8. Man is solde vnder sinne Iohn 8. Râ—â—â—â— 9. VVe ought not to defeÌ„d free vvill or nature as the vvise men of this vvorlde doe Psal. 49. Libertie lost thorovv sin Psal. 148. No good cogitation can procede from vs but by the vertue of God in vs. Psal. 95. Ezec. 18. God commaundeth that vvhich man caÌ„not and giueth that vvhich hee commaundeth Adam hath damned all his posteritie in himselfe Free vvill to doe euil but not to doe good Rom. 8. Augustine sayde that man hath freevvill but he doth vnderstande it to doe euill Iohn 15. Pro. 16. 2. Cor. 3. Catholike fayth destroyed by free vvill Psal. 81. Man naught of himselfe 1. Cor. 4. Genes 1. Iames. 1. Good vvorkes procede not of man. Free vvill deliuereth not No grace of God by free vvill nor by the lavve Rom. 9. Throughe sinne the free vvill is lost 2. Pet. 2. Iohn 15. Iohn 6. Iam. 1. 2. Cor. 3. Rom. 7. Galat. 5. 1. Cor. 2. 1. Cor. 12. Esay 26. 1. Cor. 12. Psal. 39. Genes 8. Ephes 2. VVe ought not to accorde vvith them vvhich do establish free vvill Phil. 2. 2. Ephe. 2. Nothing done by our vertue Deut. 9. VVee can through no vvorkes merite eternall lyfe Iob. 14. Psal. 32. Rom. 8. VVe receyued al things of God. 2. Tim. 1. Grace cannot bee vvhere merite hath taken place Grace doth iustifie vs freely Iohn 15. Oseas 2. VVe are indebted vnto God vvith all oure vvorkes VVe ought not to esteme our vvorkes Safetie in the vvounds of our Lord. Our merite is of the mercie of the Lorde 1. Cor. 1. The sonne of God hath taken oure proper flesh vvherby vve haue firme assurance Iesus Christ hath satisfied for our sinnes The proude reioyce in their ovvne strength To boast vpon merits is to be seperate from grace Psal. 32. Iames. 2. Good vvorkes are the fruite of fayth Rom. 8. Iohn 17. Heb. 2. Our proper flesh and our proper blud is in Iesus Christ and there vvhere hee doth reygne vve doe reygne vvith him Math. 11. Ephes 5. Genes 2. The death of Iesus Christ is our merite Genes 27. Psal. 32. Rom. 4. Rom. 3. 2. Tim. 4. 1. Cor. 15. 2. Tim. 2. He vvhich maketh him selfe righteous doth more than if he made himselfe a man. Phil. 3. Psal. 32. Rom. 3. Rom. 4. If GOD should revvarde our vvorkes he should finde them altogither vvicked vvold condemne vs. Gods righteousnesse giuen vs is ours MaÌ„ hath no righteousnesse Rom. 3. Rom. 7. Abraham iustified thorovv fayth only before the lavve Onely faith doth saue vs. Psal. 32. Mat. 13. Ephe. 2. God giueth his grace freely bicause he can finde nothing for to saue 2. Cor. 11. The righteous cannot abyde in righteousnes if he be not holpen Math. 9. Rom. 3. He vvhich doth pardon sinnes is god Ephe. 2. Free vvill lost by sin Gala. 2. If the streÌ„gth of our nature coulde iustifie vs then Christ dyed in vain Rom. 10. Psal. 100. Gene. 2. If we haue povver to iustifie our selues vve neede not pray vnto God to iustifie and make vs cleane Mat. 18. Luk. 19. 1. Cor. 4. 1. Cor. 1. 2. Cor. 10. Ierem. 9. Rom. 2. Psal. 62. Mat. 16. Apoca. 22. Galat. 5. Rom. 5. Rom. 12. Ephe. 4. 1. Cor. 12. Iam. 1. The grace of God not giuen vnto vs by our vvorkes Psal. 59. There is no Saint vvhich is vvithout sinne Psal. 143. Iob. 9. Rom. 7. The ende of vertue is but a beginning Galat. 5. Our righteousnesse is only of the mercye of God. Luk. 18. Rom. 11. Esay 40. 1. Cor. 2. Sap. 9. It behoueth that faith do ayde oure debilitie VVee are debters to God. Lam. 2. S. Paule and S. Iames are not contrarie the one to the other Rom. 4. Galat. 5. Loue cannot be ydle for it forsaketh euil and doth good 1. Cor. 13. Rom. 4. Rom. 4. Iame. 2. The meaning of S. Paule and of S. Iames and hovve vvee ought to vnderstaÌ„d them Luc. 7. The vvorkes of the lavve serue nothing for iustification Esay 64. 1. Cor. 4. 1. Tim. 1. Gala. 1. Act. 9. Iohn 6. Mat. 9. Mat. 5. All sinnes pardoned by fayth Iohn 1. Mat. 25. Mat. 19. The kingdom of heauen not created as man coulde merite but as God might prepare it 2. Cor. 1. Luk. 18. No remission of sinnes but of God. Rom. 8. 1. Reg. 16. Psal. 143. Luc. 7. Rom. 3. Let vs assure our selues to come to heauen through the gift of God. Heb. 12. Rom. 4. Remission of sinnes is through the bloude of Christ Ephe. 4. Psal. 32. Psal. 84. Psal. 65. Iames. 1. The trusting to vvorkes auaileth nothing to seke eternall life Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 1. Colos 1. Rom. 7. Rom. 11. Rom. 9. Ephes 2. Titus 3. Act. 15. 2. Par. 10. Titus 3. Philip. 1. Philip. 1. Philip. 3. Rom. 8. Esay 50. Psalm 3. Psal. 73.44.102 Ephe. 2. 1. Pet. 2. Philip. 1. Iohn 1. Psal. 36. Deut. 29. Psal. 119. Ezech. 36 Psal. 62. Ierem. 31. Rom. 3. Rom. 4. Genes 15. Galat. 3. Iam. 2. Rom. 4. Rom. 5. Rom. 11. Rom. 14. Galat. 2. Galat. 2. Galat. 3. Genes 15. Deut. 27. Abac. 2. Rom. 1. Heb. 10. Leuit. 18. Deut. 21. Galat. 3. Rom. 3. Heb. 11. 1. Pet. 1. Act. 15. Math. 9. Math. 9. Luk. 8. Iohn 6. Mar. 9. Rom. 6. Rom. 10. Rom. 10. Esay 28. 1. Cor. 1. 2. Cor. 10. Ierem. 9. Iere. 23. and 33. Act. 10. Ierem. 31. Mich. 7. Act. 4. Galat. 5. Rom. 12. Iob. 9. Iob. 10. Iob. 15. Iob. 25. Esay 64. Eccle. 7.3 Reg. 8. 2. Cor. 6. 1. Iohn 1. Esay 45. Esay 50. Esay 53. Titus 3. Ierem. 2. Ierem. 14. Esay 57. Act. 13. Iohn 1. Rom. 8. Rom. 8. Psal. 143. Prou. 24. Psal. 130. 1. Tim. 1. VVhat vvee ought to demaunde Psal. 141. Psal. 37. Philip. 2. God giueth vvill that vve may doe that vvhich hee commaundeth 1. Cor. 15. The lavve vveakened thorovv the fleshe Rom. 7. 〈◊〉 â—5 〈◊〉 Christ 〈◊〉 â—hou◠〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 vve 〈◊〉 to vâ—â—â—â—stâ—nde 〈…〉 â—ne Rom. 8. Galat. 4. Rom. 10. Rom. 10. Galat. 3. Galat. 3. Galat. 5. Galat. 3. Galat. 3. Abac. 2. Rom. 1. Galat. 3. Galat. 3. Deut. 27. Iames. 2. Pro. 24. Gala. 4. Rom. 13. Mat. 22. Galat. 5. Ephe. 2. Col. 2. Rom. 3. Rom. 5. Rom. 7. Rom. 7. To loue god vvith all our heart and our neighbour as our selfe cannot be accomplished in this life Mat. 18. It is asked againe of him vvhich hath not vvherevvith to pay as also God demaundeth
¶ THE STAFFE of Christian Faith profitable to all Christians for to arme themselues agaynst the enimies of the Gospell and also for to knowe the antiquitie of our holy fayth and of the true Church Gathered out of the vvorks of the ancient Doctors of the Church and of the Councels and many other Doctors vvhose names you shall see here follovving Translated out of Frenche into English by Iohn Brooke of Ashe next Sandvviche With a Table to finde out all that which is contayned in the booke EPHES. 6. Put on the vvhole armour of God that ye maye stande stedfast agaynst the craftie assaultes of the Deuill Jmprinted at London by Iohn Daye dwelling ouer Aldersgate ANNO. 1577. Cum Priuilegio Sr. Richard Newdigate of Arbury in the County of Warwick Baronet 1709 To the Right honourable and his singular good Lorde and maister Edwarde de Vere Lorde d'Escales and Badlesmere Vicount Bulbecke Earle of Oxenforde and Lorde great Chamberlayne of Englande Iohn Brooke vvisheth long lyfe vvith the increase of honor c. ALTHOVGH VERtue the roote of well doing Right honorable Lorde hath of it selfe sufficient force to withstande repell and ouerthrowe both the open malice and secrete slaunders of euill tongues yet notwithstanding considering howe daungerous yea howe vnpossible a thing it is to escape that poysoned sting of Zoilus and also that nothing hath euer ben so well done but that this Scorpion hath eyther openly or priuily stong I nede not to doubt nay I may be right sure that these my labors shal come into the hands of some more curious than wyse more ready to nippe and tante yea euen withoute fault then frendly to admonishe or amende By occasion whereof right honorable and my singular good Lorde I haue not only thought it expedient for hope of your honours fauourable patronage towardes these also my laboures bestowed in translation But also for respect of my particular duetie towardes your honor to offer and dedicate the same likewyse to your fauorable allowance and well liking For if in the opinion of all men there can be found no one more fitte for patronage and defence of learning then the skilfull for that he is both wyse and able to iudge and discerne truly thereof I vnderstanding righte well that your honor hathe continually euen from your tender yeares bestowed your time and trauayle towardes the attayning of the same as also the vniuersitie of Cambridge hath acknowledged in graunting and giuing vnto you such commendation and prayse thereof as verily by righte was due vnto your excellent vertue and rare learning Wherin verily Cambridge the mother of learning and learned men hath openly confessed and in this hir confessing made knowen vnto al men that your honor being learned and able to iudge as a safe harbor and defence of learning and therefore one most fitte to whose honorable patronage I might safely commit this my poore and simple labours Likewyse remembring howe much and many wayes I am by dutye bounde vnto your honor as also howe vnable I am to discharge the same I haue thought it in respecte also of my behalfe and duty most meete to offer and exhibite such trauelles as my abilitie and skill can reache vnto to your Lordship as pledge and token of my dutifull and vnfained good wil To the ende that such profyt as by this my trauels may growe to my countrey and common wealthes may be receiued vnder your Lordshyppes approbation and defence that all men which doe reape benefyte thereby should owe thankes vnto you in whose duety and good will I am Wherefore hartely requiring and humbly beseeching your Lordeshippe to take on you the patronage and defence of these my labors by translation that by your approbation and well liking others may also the rather like thereof Crauing pardon for this my symple boldnesse or rather bolde symplicitie hoping also of the continuance of your honors accustomed goodnesse towardes mee and instantlye praying to God for your prosperous estate I cease further at this time to sollicite you Your honors obedient seruant Iohn Brooke Vnto the Church and congregation of God which is in L. Guido desireth grace and peace and the mercie of God through Iesus Christ our Lorde And perpetually to perseuere in the knovvledge of the holy Gospell of the sonne of god Amen KNOVVING AND CONsidering the vvarre and combat that yee daylye suffer to mayntaine and keepe the true and pure Christian doctrine of the ancient and true Church of God agaynst a sort and heape of glorious deceiuers vvhich hyde and boast themselues vvith false ensignes of the name and title of the auncient Church and of the auncient Doctors I haue dedicated vnto you my vvelbeloued frendes this present booke entituled The Staffe of the Faith gathered out of the vvorkes of the auncient doctors of the churche and of the counselles and out of many authors to the ende that thereby you may learne vvholy to fight against your ennemies vvith the same staffe vvith vvhich they doe fight agaynst you that is to say the auncientes I doe not tell you hovv this staffe shall keepe you from the danger of your ennemies only I vvill content my selfe in speaking but one vvorde touching the same that is to say that you shall not only obtayne and get victory of your ennemies but also send them avvay vvith their mouthes stopped Therefore I desire you in Gods name that ye be not slothfull nor negligent to study therein often and to haue those sentences therein alledged readily at yovr fingers endes that thereby the kingdome of Iesus Christe be auaunced and the dominion of the deuilles and infidels destroyed and abolished I doe knovve very vvell that manye people haue accustomed to saye vvhen it is spoken vnto them of the auncients speaking vvithout eyther iudgement or reason in saying that as touching the Auncientes they haue nothing to doe vvith them for they vvvere men as they but that they content themselues only vvith the vvorde of god I vvoulde not altogither denie or gainesaye them in that if they vvould not reiect thereby God and his giftes by thinking to reiect men and their doctrine Therefore vve ought to take good heede vnto men vvhen they speake of themselues and also vvhen God speaketh by them The same vve may knovve vvhen their doctrine is confirmable and agreeing to the rule of all right vvhich is the vvord of God the doctrine of the prophets Apostles Furthermore vve vvould not haue you ignorant that the auncient fathers haue ordayned and established a great many of ceremonies and thinges in the churche respecting the time and personnes and the infirmitie of those that dayly come vnto the knovvledge of the Gospell asvvell of Ievves as of panims and Idolaters But they haue done that onely but for a certaine time to the ende they might dravve to the Gospell all nations and let and stoppe the vvay of the Heritickes and ennemies of the catholyke faithe from gayning and vvinning the vveake
Poet flourished in the time of Maximilian the first and Alexander the .6 Pope Marcus Antonius Coccius Sabellicus borne in the dominion of Venice a bishop flourished the yere 1501. vnder Maximilian Emperour and Pius the 3. Pope He wrate a large historie from the creation of the worlde to the yeare 1504. whiche is augmented by Gaspar Hedio Gesner Simler The order of the Councelles according to Pantaleon AT Carthage once very famous now ruinous and cleane destroyed a Citie in the kingdome of Tunes vnder the Turkes dominion were celebrated sixe Councelles The first in the yeare 360. Galienus being Emperor 32. in succession and Stephen the first Pope The seconde the yere 413. Honorius being Emperor The thirde in the yeare 429. vnder Theodosius the 2. The fourth fifth in the yeare 437. vnder the same Emperor The sixt by 217. Byshops in the yeare 459. vnder Martianus At Anticyra in Galatia was celebrated a Councell by Vitalis Bishop of Antioche the yeare 295. Diocletian being Emperour At Nice a Citie in Bithynia nowe called Nichea in Asia the lesse vnder the Turke were celebrated two Councels The first against the Arians the yeare 326. vnder Constantine the great where was established the Nicene Creede The seconde the yeare 781. vnder Constantine the sixt The Councell of Gangra nowe called Cangri in Asia the lesse was celebrated the yeare 333. vnder Constantine the great At Elyberis or Illyberis nowe called Granado in Spayne was celebrated a Coūsell in the yere 337. vnder Constantine the great by xix Bishops At Ariminum now called Rimino in the territorie of Flaminia nowe Romandiola in Italie was celebrated a Councell the yere 362. vnder Iulian the Apostata The Councell of Laodicea in Syria was celebrated the yeare 368. vnder Iulian the Apostata At Constantinople in Thrace sometime called Byzantium builded by Constantine the great nowe the chiefe seate of the Turke and called in his language Stambola were celebrated eyght Councelles The first the yeare 383. by 180. Bishops vnder Gratian the Emperour The seconde the yeare 448. vnder Theodosius the seconde The thirde in the yere 546. vnder Iustinian the first The fourth the yeare 576. vnder Iustine the seconde The fift the yeare 681. by 289. Bishops vnder Constantine the v. The sixt the yeare 695. vnder Iustinian the seconde The seuenth the yeare 726. by 330. Byshoppes vnder Leo the thirde Emperor The eyght the yeare 870. vnder Basilius Macedo Emperor of the East and Lewes the seconde of the West At Toledo in Spayne were celebrated 13. Councelles The first the yeare 393. vnder Arcadius and Honorius by 18. Byshops The seconde the yeare 470. vnder Leo the first The thirde the yeare 615. vnder Heraclius by 62. Byshoppes The fourth the yeare 632. vnder Heraclius The fifth and sixt the yeare 639. vnder Constantine the thirde The seauenth the yere 680. But according to Phrygio 640. by 30. Bishoppes vnder Constantine the fourth The eyght the yeare 666. by 59. Bishoppes vnder Constantine the fourth The ninth and tenth the yeare 675. by 16. Bishoppes vnder Constantine the fourth The xi xii xiii the yeare 692. vnder Constantine the fourth The Councell Mileuitan was celebrated at Mileuita in Aphrica against the Pelagians the yeare 418. vnder Honorius The Councell of Ephesus nowe called Epheso in Ionia in Asia the lesse was celebrated the yeare 430. by 200. Bishops agaynst the Pelagians and Nestorians vnder Theodosius the 2. At Orenge in France but excepted from the dominion of the Frenche Kings hauing a seuerall Prince were helde two Councelles The first the yeare 451. vnder Theodosius the seconde and Valentinian The seconde the same yere vnder the sayde Emperors The Councell of Chalcedon in Bythinia nowe called by the Turkes Scutari situated right ouer against Constantinople was helde the yeare 453. agaynst the Eutychians Manichees and Dioscorus by 600. Byshops vnder the reygne of Theodosius the 2. and Valentinian the 3. At Orleans in Fraunce were helde fiue Councelles The first the yeare 518. vnder Iustinus the first by 33. Bishops The seconde the yeare 550. vnder Iustinian the great The thirde the same yeare vnder the same Emperor The fourth the yeare 567. vnder Iustinus the second The 5. the yeare 572. vnder the sayde Emperour At Bracara now called Braga in Spain were helde three Councelles The first the yeare 555. vnder Iustinian the great The seconde and thirde the yeare 583. Martianus being Emperor The Laterane Councelles were seauen The first by Stephan the 3. the yere 767. vnder Leo. The seconde by Nicolaus the seconde the yeare 1058. vnder Constantine the 12. of the East and Henrie the 4. of the West The thirde by Innocentius the 2. the yeare 1138. vnder Caloioannes of the East and Lotharius the 2. of the West Emperors The fourth the yeare 1167. by Alexander the 3. vnder Emanuel of the East and Frederike of the West The fift the yeare 1205. by Innocentius the thirde in the presence of 7. Archbishoppes 412. Bishops 1300. Prelates vnder Henrie the 6. of the West and Balduine the first of the East The sixt the yeare 1446. by Eugenius the 4. vnder Frederike the 3. The seauenth the yeare 1510. by Iulius the 3. vnder Maximilian the first At Chalons in Fraunce were helde two Councelles The first the yeare 670. vnder Constantine the 4. The seconde the yeare 805. vnder Charles the first Emperour of the West and Nicephorus of the East At Wormes in Germany were 5. Councelles The first the yeare 868. vnder Lewes the seconde of the West and Basilius of the East Emperours The second the yere 1067. vnder Romanus the second of the East and Henrie the fourth of the West The thirde the yeare 1494. vnder Maximilian the first The fourth the yere 1520. vnder the sayde Emperour The fift the yeare 1536. vnder Charles the fifte FINIS The summe of the common places contayned in this Booke OF the Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ Pag. 1. Of confession to God and of auricular confession Pag. 40. Of the power to binde and lose Pag. 46. Of free will. Pag. 51. Of merites and of good workes Pag. 70. and iustification by fayth Pag. 107. Of the Lawe Pag. 133. Of Purgatorie Pag. 147. Of the honouring of Saintes Pag. 174. Of one onely Mediator Pag. 191. Of Images whether they be lawfull in Churches of Christians or no. Pag. 201. Of fasting and meate Pag. 228. Of Mariage Pag. 243. Of Vowes Pag. 254. Of the Church and howe it may be knowen and the authoritie thereof Pag. 258. Of holy Scripture and that it is lawfull for all men to reade it Pag. 293. Of the assemblies and congregations of the faythfull Pag. 340. Of constraining no person to beleeue Pag. 347. Of persecuting Magistrates which vnder shadowe of religion doe persecute the faythfull and their torments of eternall paynes Pag. 368. Finis The Staffe of the Christian Faith. Of the holy Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christ. I Am that liuing breade which came downe from heauen If any man eate
Doest thou thinke that the keyes of the kingdome of heauen are onely giuen vnto Peter and that none other of the blessed shall receyue them Augustine vpon the wordes of the Lord in S. Mathew in his 13. sermon Thou art then Peter and vppon this rocke which thou hast confessed vpon this rocke whiche thou hast knowne saying thou art Christe the sonne of the liuing God I will builde my church Vpon me I will buylde thee and not me vpon thee For those men which woulde be buylded vpon men doe saye I holde of Paule and I holde of Apollos and I holde of Cephas that is to saye rocke and the other which will not be builded vpon Peter but vppon the rocke doe saye I holde of Christ c. Iesus Christ is the heade of the church reade Ephes 4. Colos 1.2 Reg. 22. Augustine in his 3. booke of Baptisme the 3. Chap. And they are the wordes of S. Cyprian in the counsell of Carthage None of vs truly is establyshed Byshoppe of Byshoppes or none shall compell his companions by cruell tyranny through necessitie to come thereunto Gregory wryting to Eulogius Byshoppe of Alexandria in the 7. booke .3 Epistle Behold how you haue wrytten to me you haue put this worde of pryde in calling me vniuersall Pope but I pray your holinesse to call me no more so hereafter For all that which is giuen vnto an other aboue reason is taken from you Concerning my selfe I doe not repute that for honor wherein I doe see the honor of my bretheren weakened For my honor is that the estate of the vniuersall Church and of my bretheren be mainteyned in theyr strength If your holynesse doe call me vniuersall Pope you confesse that you are not in part of that which you attribute and giue vnto me for the whole Of free wyll of the merites of workes and of iustification by faith Iesus Christ sayth whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne Rom. 6. 2. Peter 2. All haue sinned and haue neede of Gods mercie Also Iesus Christ sayth without mee ye can doe nothing We are not apt to thinke any thing as it were of our selues but our abilitie commeth of God. The flesh ryseth agaynst the spirit and the spirite agaynst the flesh and these thinges are contrary one to an other so that ye cannot doe the same thinges that ye woulde Also he which beganne a good worke in you shall goe foorth with it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Agayne it is God which worketh in you both the will and also the deede according to his pleasure Likewyse I doe not that good thing which I would but that euill doe I which I would not Augustine in his Enchiridion to Laurence Chapter .29 This part of mankinde vnto whome God hath promised deliueraunce and the euerlasting kingdome can it be made better by his workes No no for what good can he doe which is lost but asmuch as he shall be deliuered from his perdition Can he doe by his free wyll the same the same also he cannot doe For man ill vsing his free wyll did lose him selfe and his free wyll and as he which killeth him selfe whiles he is liuing killeth him selfe but in putting him selfe to death he liueth no more and cannot rayse him selfe vp agayne when he is dead so when he hath sinned by his free wyll bicause that sinne hath bene victoryous hath free wyll ben loste For of whome soeuer a man is ouercom vnto the same he is in bondage This is truly the sentence of S. Peter And bicause that it is true I praye you what may be the liberty of a seruant that is in bondage but when he doth take pleasure to sinne For he serueth freely which doth willingly the wyll of the Lorde and therefore he is free to sinne which is the seruant of sinne and no man shall be free to doe iustly if first being deliuered from sinne he doe not begin to be the seruant of righteousnesse This is the true liberty for the bond of the worke that is wel done and also it is the faithfull bondage bicause of the obeying of the commaundement But from whence shall this libertie to doe well come vnto the man which is brought vnder and solde but by him who hath redeemed him of whom it is sayd if the son make you free then are ye free in deede Augustine vnto Paulinus in the .106 Epistle Let no man stumble agaynst the stumling stone as in defending subtelly free wyll and nature euen as the Philosophers of this world haue done with great force for to be esteemed or for to thinke to great the blessed life by vertue of theyr owne proper wyll Let such people then take heede to make through wysedome of wordes the crosse of Christe vayne and that the same be not vnto them to stumble against the stumbling stone For when humayne nature abydeth in that integryte in the which it hath bene made yet it cannot in any wise keepe it if his creator doe not ayde him Forasmuch then as it cannot keepe the health and saluation that it hath receiued without the grace of god How can it receiue that which it hath lost S. Augustine in the 107. Epistle vnto Vitalis If we will in deede defend free wyll let vs not fight against that whereof it is free for he which gaynsayeth the grace by the which our wyll is made free for to decline from euill and for to doe good he would that his free will be yet bond and captyue When man was in honor he did not vnderstand it he was compared vnto the beastes and was made like vnto them Augustine in his booke of corrections grace the 12. Chapter Now then forasmuch as that greate liberty is lost through the demeryte of sinne euen so doth remayne and abyde the infirmytie for to be ayded and holpen with greater giftes in truth It hath pleased God so to the ende cheifely to quenche the pryde of mans presumption that all flesh that is to say euery man should not glorie in himselfe before him c. The Counsell Mileuitan in two Canons Free will weakened to the first man can Canon 1 not be repayred and amended but thorow the grace of baptisme the which after that it is lost cannot be restored agayne but by him whiche hath power to giue it Wherefore the truth sayth if the sonne make you free then are you free in dede The seconde Canon sayeth God doth Canon 2 worke so in the heartes of men and to free will that if there be any godly cogitation any deliberation tending to the honor of God and any motion of good will all the same proceedeth from god For by him we may doe some good thing and without him we can doe nothing Augustine writing to Valentine of grace and free will. Chap. 18. To the end it should not seeme that men should doe any
downe from the father of lights Saint Paule also We are not able of oure selues to thinke anye thing that is good as it were of our selues but our abilitie commeth of God. Agayne vnto the Romaynes I knowe that in me that is to saye in my fleshe dwelleth no good thing For to will is present with me but I finde no meane to performe that which is good for I doe not that good thing which I woulde but that euill doe I which I would not Also the naturall man is not able to perceyue the thinges of the spirite of God for they are but folishnes vnto him neyther can he knowe them bicause they are spiritually discerned And 1. Cor. 12. God worketh all things in euery man. Agayne No man can say that Iesus is the Lorde but by the holy ghost Also Dauid Euery man liuing is altogither vanitie And in the 8. Chapter of Genesis The heart of man is enclined to euill euen from his youth To the Ephesians We were naturally the children of wrath euen as well as other Gregorie vpon the 7. psalme vpon the versicle Anima mea c. Forasmuch as freewill is corrupted in our first father we haue not the power to will well if we bee not ayded with the grace of God. Saint Hierome in his commentarie vpon Ieremie Chapter 23. Forasmuch as the heretikes haue accustomed to promise felicitie and to open to sinners the kingdome of heauen saying thou mayest imitate the maiestie of God so that thou be withoute sinne bicause thou hast receyued the power of free will and the intelligence and vnderstanding of the lawe by the which thou mayst obtayne that which thou wouldest Euen so the sayde heretikes doe abuse the poore simple people through fayre wordes and chieflye the yong women charged wyth sinnes who are caryed here and there with euery kynde of doctrine deceyuing thorowe flatterie all those which heare them Augustine in the 30. booke of his homilies Homilie 41. Let vs not consent vnto those which thorowe great pride go about to eleuate and extoll free will the whiche so doing doe bring more euill than good and seeke nothing but to ruinate and destroy man but let vs consider meekely that which the Apostle speaketh It is God that worketh in vs both the will and also the dede euen of his free beneuolence Let vs giue thankes vnto the Lorde our redeemer which without any merite preceding hath healed vs of our wounds sores and hath reconciled vs vnto God and redeemed vs from captiuitie and reduced and brought vs from darkenesse into light and called vs from death to lyfe c. Of merite and of good workes By grace are yee made safe throughe faith and not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least anye manne shoulde boast himselfe For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God ordeyned that we shoulde walke in them S. Ambrose in the first booke of Cain and Abel Chap. 7. It is the deede of a dull and slowe heart to attribute to his proper vertues that which is good or that whiche he doth obtayne of God and not to the author of grace but to esteeme himselfe to bee the author of his goodnesse There is another kinde of sinne yea lesse but of equall arrogancie and pryde that is to say of those which doe not denie God to be the distributer of goodnesse but doe thinke the goodnesse which commeth vnto them is bicause of their prudence and wisedome and that the merites of all other vertues are giuen vnto them of right And for that cause it is sayde agaynst those which haue receyued the heauenly grace that they doe not esteeme themselues in no wise to bee vnworthy to haue suche goodnesse of God When the Lorde thy God shall begyn to consume his people here in thy presence saye not in thine heart the Lorde hath brought me in to possesse this lande for my righteousnesse c. S. Barnard in the fyrst sermon of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary Beleeue not that thou canst throughe any workes merite eternall life except it be giuen thee freely For who is that which can make him cleane being conceiued of filthy seede but only he which is altogeather cleane And so that which is done cannot be vndon But bicause that God doth not impute it it shall be as though it had neuer bene done Whiche the Prophet considering speaketh in this sort blessed is the man vnto whome the Lord imputeth no sinne But as concerning good workes it is most certaine that none hath them of him selfe for if the humayne nature being yet entire and whole coulde not holde it selfe in his estate how much lesse can it rayse it selfe when it is already corrupted But we doe knowe very well concerning this eternall life that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be shewed vnto vs Yea when man shall suffer them all togeather For mans merites are not suche as by them eternall life shoulde of right be due vnto them or that God doth iniury and wrong vnto some men if he doe not giue it For although I should not say that all merites are the giftes of God in somuch as man is more bound vnto God for those merytes then God is vnto man yet what are all the merites in respect of so greate glory S. Barnarde of free will. What hast thou that thou hast not receyued art thou created art thou healed art thou saued whiche of them hast thou of thy selfe whiche of them is not impossible for free will thou couldest not create thy selfe when thou wast not made nor iustifie thy selfe when thou waste a sinner c. Agayne in the same booke But if that will vpon which all merites doe depende was not in Saint Paule by what meanes did he presume that the crowne shoulde bee kept for him which he calleth the crowne of righteousnesse But it is bicause that whiche is promised thankfully is of right demaunded as a thing due Finallye he sayth I knowe him in whome I haue beleeued and am persuaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to his keeping He doth call the promise of God the thing kept and therefore he hath beleued him which hath promised it confidently he doth aske agayne the promise the promise I say done through mercye but the which ought nowe to bee restored through righteousnesse The crowne then whiche Saint Paule hath striued for is the crowne of righteousnesse but it is of Gods righteousnesse and not of his This is trulye a iust thing that he doth restore that whiche he hath sayde but he oweth that whiche he hath promised and that is the righteousnesse of the whiche the Apostle did presume euen the promise of God. S. Barnarde vpon the Canticles sermon 47. Wherefore is that That is to the ende it doe
of God for the grace of God hath done it in thee and not thy merite which hath had anye abyding in thee c. Augustine vpon the Apostles words Ser. 15. By grace are yee made safe throughe fayth and not of your selues but it is the gyft of God not of workes least peraduenture thou doe say I haue deserued it and therefore I haue receyued it doe not thinke that thou hast receyued it in deseruing it thou which shouldst not deserue it if thou didst not receyue it Grace hath gone before thy merite grace commeth not of merite but merite commeth of grace for if thou hast bought grace thorowe thy merite then thou hast not receiued it freely thou wilt saue thē sayth he freely thou doest find nothing in thē for to saue thē and yet neuerthelesse thou doest saue them Thou giuest freely thou sauest frelye thou precedest all merites to the ende that merites doe followe thy giftes thou giuest altogither freely for thou findest nothing for to saue but many things to condemne Augustine vpon the wordes of the Lorde in the mountaine Sermon 7. In this time the remnant haue bene saued through the election of grace But if it be through grace sayth he then it is not through workes that is to saye doe not nowe eleuate nor exalt thy selfe vpon thy merite otherwise grace shall be no more grace For if thou presumest vppon thy workes then the rewarde is giuen thee and grace is not giuen thee but if it be grace it is then giuen freely I doe now demaunde of thee thou sinner doest thou beleeue in Christ I doe beleeue And what doest thou beleeue that thy sinnes generally maye be pardoned through him freely Thou hast that that thou hast beleeued O grace thankfullye giuen Thou righteous person what doest thou beleeue That thou canst not keepe without God his righteousnesse Then impute vnto fayth all that of which thou art righteous and in that thou art a sinner impute it to thy infidelitie Be thou thine own accuser and he shall be thy forgiuer But euery crime all euill and all sinne commeth of oure negligence and all vertue and holynesse is of the indulgence of God. Augustine vpon the 43. psalme vpon the verse And redeme vs for thy names sake That is to saye freely bicause of thy name not for my merite forasmuche as thou hast vouchsafed to doe it bicause that it pleased thee to doe it not that I am worthye that thou doe it For in as muche as we haue not forgotten thee that our hart is not retired and plucked back from thee And that we haue not stretched out our hands vnto another God howe haue we power to doe the same but through thy ayde but through thy worde speaking inwardlye and exhorting vs and thereby also thou doest not leaue of or cease to helpe and ayde vs of whome wee haue the power Then be it that wee are pacient in tribulation or be it that we be ioyfull in prosperitie redeme vs not thorowe our merite but bicause of thy holye name S. Hilarie vpon S. Mathew in the 9. Canon The same moued the Scribes that sinne shoulde be pardoned by a man for they regarded and behelde nothing in Iesus Christ but manhode and that the law could not release that which was pardoned of him for only faith iustifieth and afterwardes the Lorde behelde inwardly their murmuring and sayd that it was easye for the sonne of man to pardon sinnes in earth but neuerthelesse none can pardon sinnes but God only wherefore hee which doth pardon them is God for none doth pardon but God. Augustine vpon the wordes of the Apostle Sermon 2. By grace are wee made safe through faith and not of our selues but it is the gifte of god Truly there are men that are vnthankefull to grace which doe attrybute much to the poore and wounded nature It is true that when man was made that he receyued great force of free will but he lost it in committing sinne he faynted in death and was made feeble c. Againe in the same Sermon We are very much constrayned to complayne of our bretheren which gainsay and speake against the grace of God not against the secrete but against the cleare and manyfest grace he is to pardon the Iewes but what shall be done to the christians Wherfore are they enimies of that grace of Christ Wherfore do they presume of them selues Wherefore are they vnthankefull For wherefore is Christe come Was not nature here Was not nature shee which hath deceyued you in praysing was not shee the lawe But the Apostle sayth if righteousnesse came by the lawe it followeth then that Christ dyed in vayne That whiche the Apostle sayde of the law vnto the Iewes the same say we of nature vnto those here Then if righteousnesse is by nature Christ died in vayne The same then which was sayde to the Iewes we see in those here They haue a feruent mynde to Godwarde but not according to knowledge For they being ignorant of the righteousnes of God and going about to establishe their owne righteousnesse haue not bene obedient to the righteousnesse of god My brethren beare with me where you shall finde such doe not conceale nor hyde them Let not peruerse and wicked mercie be in you where you shall finde such in no case hide them rebuke those that speake agaynst it and those that do resist the same bring them vnto vs. Augustine vpon the Apostles words Ser. 11. He hath made vs and not wee our selues The holy spirite hath foreseene that some shall saye that God hath made them men But that they shoulde make themselues righteous he hath foreseene them he hath admonished and warned them and hath called them backe agayne from that pryde saying That it is he that hath made vs and not we our selues For to what purpose hath he added and not we our selues in asmuch as it sufficeth to say that it is he that hath made vs What is the same But that hee woulde admonishe vs of that doing of which men saye that we are made of our selues that is to say that we haue bene righteous we are made righteous of our free will when we were created we receyued free will then where we are righteous we doe the same of our free wil. Wherfore do we yet inuocate and call vpon God that he doe make vs righteous in asmuch as we haue the power of our selues to make our selues righteous Beholde beholde him that hath made vs both righteous and vnrighteous and not we our selues The first man was created of nature without faulte without vices he was created right But that which he did is most euident that in falling from the hande of the potter he was broken Afterwards he sayth Then God did shew vnto mā how much worth fre wil maye be without God we haue proued howe auayleable it is without God therfore haue we bene
made miserable bicause that we haue proued what power we haue without god Beholde man was made good and through free will he was made euill Then when shall the wicked man be a good man in forsaking God through free will. He being good coulde not kepe himselfe good Nowe he being euill can he make himselfe good When hee was good he coulde not keepe himselfe good And when he is euill he sayth I do make my selfe good What doest thou being euill when thou art lost being good except that he which continueth alwayes good doe not repayre and amende thee Augustine writing vnto Paulinus 106. Epistle What is he which shal seperate vs from that masse or burthen of perdition and from that fight but only he which is come to saue that whiche was lost Of whome also the Apostle being asked say who is he that doth iudge or discerne thee where if man say it is my fayth it is my will it is my good worke It may be answered him agayne and what hast thou that thou hast not receyued If thou hast receyued it why reioycest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it And yet neuerthelesse all this is sayde not that man shoulde reioyce but hee that reioyceth shoulde reioyce in the Lorde and not of workes to the ende that none doe exalte himselfe not that good workes are frustrate thorowe that faythfull cogitation Howe is it that God will rewarde euery man according to his deedes And that vnto euery man which doth good shall be rendred prayse honor and peace but bicause that workes are of grace and not grace of workes for faith which worketh by loue is nothing worth if the loue of God bee not spreade abroade in our heartes by the holy Ghoste which is giuen vnto vs yea we haue not that faith if God doe not deale to euery man the measure of faith c. Augustine writing to Valentin 46. Epistle Euery good gift and euery perfecte is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lightes and let no man say that the grace of God is giuen vnto him eyther by the merites of workes or by the merite of his prayer or by the merites of his faith And that he doe not esteeme that to be true which the Heritickes say that the grace of God is giuen vnto vs according to our merites the which is altogither false But the grace and mercie of God doth conuerte man of whom the Psalmist sayeth The mercie of my God shall goe before me to the ende that he that is an infidell be iustified that is to say that of an infidell he be made a righteous man and that he doe begin to haue good merites the which God shal crowne when the world shall be iudged Augustine in his booke of the true definition of faith There is neyther Saint nor righteous man which is without sinne and yet neuerthelesse he leaueth not of nor ceaseth therefore to be holy and iuste inasmuche as through affection hee holdeth sanctification for we are not holy through the force and strength of mans nature but we doe obtayne sanctification through the grace of God whiche dooth ayde and helpe our purpose And therefore all the Saintes truely doe declare them selues to be sinners for truely they haue inough for to lament and bewayle And although that their consciences doe not rebuk them yet they haue to lament bicause of the nobilitie and vnconstancie of nature subiecte to preuarication S. Ierome against the Pelagians A certayne man of our writers hath very well affirmed the Philosophers to be the Patriarkes of Heriticks to haue defiled the puritie of the Church through peruerse doctrine insomuch as that they doe not knowe that which they speake of mans fragilitie or weakenesse Whereof should earth and ashes bost them selues In asmuch cheifely as of them the Apostle speaketh saying I see another law in my members c. And againe I doe not that good thing which I would but that euill doe I which I would not If he doe not that which he woulde how can that be true whiche is sayde that man may bee without sinne if he will By what reason may he be that which he will when the Apostle affirmeth that he cannot accomplishe and fulfill that which he desireth When I shall thinke my selfe to be come to the ende of vertues then shall I but beginne the onely perfection of men is to acknowledge them selues imperfect Chrysostome in his imperfect worke Chapter 6. If euery one doe consider the motions or mouinges of his flesh he shall be founde to do no goodnesse for all goodnesse is accomplished of vs in gainesaying and speaking against our selues bicause that the nature of the fleshe is contrary to goodnesse S. Ierome against the Pelagians firste booke Then are we righteous when we doe confesse our selues to be sinners and our righteousnesse is not of our owne proper mertie but consisteth in the mercy of God for the Scripture saith the righteous man is an accuser of him selfe in the beginning of the worde S. Barnard in his .5 Sermon of dedication Who shall be saued Say the Apostles to the Sauiour And he saide vnto them things which are vnpossible with men are possible with god This is all our trust this is all our consolation this is all the reason of our hope but we whiche are already certayne and sure of the possibilitie what doe we determine of the wil Who knoweth whither he be worthy of loue or hatred Who hath knowen the minde of the Lorde Or who was his counseller Now it is here necessary for vs that fayth doe helpe vs It behoueth here that the truth doe ayde vs insomuche as that which is hid from vs in the heart of the father be reueled vnto vs by his holy spirite and that his spirite in giuing witnesse doth perswade our spirites and mindes that we are the children of God that he doth perswade vs in calling in iustifying vs freely through faith c. Gregory in his morales .22 booke 6. Chapter There are also some men who in doing any good thing doe forget incontinently their sinnes and doe fasten the eye of the hart in the consideration of the good works that they doe therby doe esteme thinke themselues already holy wherefore among the goodnesse that they do they take away the remembrance of their faults in the which peraduenture they are yet stil wrapped who if they did consider diligentlye the rigours of the Iudge they woulde more feare their euils then they woulde reioyce of their imperfect goodnesse They ought to regarde rather that they are debters of thinges that they ought to doe that they haue not payed by their good workes the parte already due And so after the manner of the trauayler we ought by no manner of meanes to regarde or marke what way we haue walked in but what way we haue yet to
commeth from man will not haue that whiche commeth from one only God and therfore in seeking it outwardly they haue no glory in them selues but rather in an other Sixtus Pope of Rome in his Epistle to the first tome of the Councels He that is doubtfull in the faith is an infidell wherefore let vs esteeme and iudge those which doe commaund vs to doubt of the fauour of God towardes vs not only to contende and striue againste the sentence of the true Catholicke church but also to giue euill counsell to the health and saluation of the church S Barnard in his .5 Sermon in Quadragesima It may be that some doe not seeke through humilitie euerlasting life but as in the trust and confidence of their workes and merits I do not say this that grace receiued doth not giue boldnesse to praye but it must not be therefore that in the same they haue their hope and trust to obtayne it for that only doth giue the giftes promised to the ende that of the mercy of God which giueth those thinges we may hope yet for greater thinges Let then those thinges which doe belong to our only necessities be restrayned the prayer which is made for the temporall thinges and that which is made for the vertues of the soule sequestred from all impurite and vncleanenesse be only attentife towardes the good will of god And that whiche is made bicause of eternall life let it be made or done in all humilitie presuming as he must of the only deuine mercie Grace be with you and peace from God our father and from the Lord Iesus Christe O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death The grace of God through Iesus Christe our Lorde Euen so at this time the remnante is left through the election of grace if it bee of grace then it is not of workes or els were grace no more grace But if it be of workes then is it no more grace or els were workes no longer workes By grace are ye made safe throughe fayth and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least any man shoulde boast of himselfe Also That we being iustified by his grace shoulde be made heyres according to the hope of eternall lyfe Saint Peter sayth why tempt ye God to laye a yoke on the Disciples neckes which neyther our fathers nor we were able to beare but we beleue that through the grace of the Lorde Iesus Christ wee shall be saued euen as they doe God doth not saue vs of the deedes of righteousnesse which we wrought but of his mercie He which began a good worke in you shall go forth with it vntill the day of Iesus Christ Vnto you it is giuen for Christe that not onely ye shoulde beleeue on him but also suffer for his sake He sayth agayne And as touching the righteousnesse whiche is in the lawe I was without reproche But the thinges which were vauntage to me I counted losse for Christes sake yea doubtlesse I thinke all things but losse for that excellent knowledge sake of Christ Iesus my Lorde for whome I haue counted all things losse and do iudge them but dung that I might winne Christ and might be founde in him that is not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the law but that whiche is throughe the fayth of Christ I meane the righteousnesse which commeth of God through fayth c. I am nowe ready to be offred and the tyme of my departing is at hande I haue fought a good fight and haue fulfilled my course and haue kept the fayth From henceforth is layde vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lorde that is a righteous iudge shall giue me at that day not to me only but vnto all them also that loue his comming But nowe in Christe Iesus ye whiche once were farre of are made nye by the bloude I say of Christ It is God which worketh in vs bothe the will and also the dede euen of his free beneuolence To as many as receyued him to them he gaue power to bee the sonnes of God euen to them which beleeue in his name which are borne not of bloude nor of the lustes of the fleshe nor of the lust of man but of God. In thy light shall we see light Your eyes haue seene great miracles and wonders and yet the Lorde hath not giuen you an heart to perceyue nor eyes to see nor eares to heare O Lorde giue me vnderstanding open myne eyes for to beholde the wonderous things of thy lawe Gzechiel speaking in the person of God sayth A newe heart will I giue you and a newe spirite will I put into you as for that stonie heart I will take it out of your bodie and giue you a fleshie heart I will giue my spirite among you and cause you to walke in my commaundements to kepe my lawes and to fulfill them As for men they are but vayne if they be put in the ballaunce they are lighter than vanitie it selfe Conuert thou me and I shall be conuerted for thou art my Lorde God yea as soone as thou turnest me I shall reforme my selfe Therefore we gather that a man is iustified by faith without the deedes of the lawe Againe Abraham beleeued God and it was counted to him for righteousnesse To him that worketh the rewarde is not reckened of fauour but of duety But to him that worketh not but beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Also for if they whiche are of the lawe bee heires then is faith but vaine and the promise of none effect c. Therefore by faith is the inheritance giuen that it might come of fauour and the promesse might be sure to all the seede that is not to them only which are of the lawe but also to them which are of the faith of Abraham Then being iustified by faith we haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce in hope of the glorye of God. Bicause of vnbeleefe they are broken of and thou standest stedfast by faith Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne We know that a man is not iustified by the deedes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ euen we I say haue beleeued in Iesus Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Iesus Christ and not by the deedes of the lawe bicause that by the deedes of the lawe no flesh shal be iustified I doe not abrogate the grace of God for if righteousnesse commeth of the lawe then Christ dyed without a cause So ye knowe that they which are of faith are the children of Abraham for the Scripture sawe afore hand that God would iustifie the
Gentils through fayth and therefore preached before hande the Gospell vnto Abraham saying in thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed so then they which be of fayth are blessed with faythfull Abraham For as many as are vnder the deedes of the law are vnder the curse For it is written Cursed is euerye man that continueth not in all things that are written in the booke of the lawe to fulfill them And that no man is iustified by the lawe in the sight of God it is euident For the iust shall lyue by fayth and the lawe is not of fayth but the man that shall fulfill those things shall liue in them Nowe Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe when he was made accursed for vs. For it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on a tree That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ and that we might receyue the promise of the spirite through fayth But the Scripture hath concluded all things vnder sinne that the promise by the fayth of Iesus Christ shoulde be giuen to them that beleeue c. For ye are all the sonnes of God by fayth in Christ Iesus Galat. 3. De poenitentia Distinction 3. chap. which beginneth Totam c. And we are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set forth to be a pacification through fayth in his bloude to declare his righteousnesse in that hee forgiueth the sinnes that are passed Without fayth it is impossible to please God. In whome euen nowe though yee see him not yet doe ye beleeue and reioyce with ioye vnspeakable and glorious receiuing the end of your faith the saluation of your soules c. And God which knoweth the heartes bare them witnesse in giuing vnto them the holy Ghost euen as he did vnto vs and he put no difference betwene them and vs seing that with faith he purified their heartes S. Ierome vpon Sophon Chapter 3. They doe seeke the righteousnesse the which is not but Christ alone Iesus Christ sayeth Daughter bee of good comfort thy fayth hath made thee whole Agayne Beleeue ye that I am able to doe this And they sayde vnto him yea Lorde Then touched he their eyes saying according to your fayth bee it vnto you Also Daughter be of good comforte thy fayth hath made thee whole goe in peace Also What shall we doe that wee might worke the workes of God Iesus aunswered and sayd vnto them This is the worke of God that ye beleeue on him whom he hath sent Likewise all things are possible to him that beleeueth The wages of sinne is death but the gyft of God is eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lorde If thou shalt confesse with thy mouthe the Lorde Iesus and shalt beleeue in thine heart that God raysed him vp from death thou shalt be saued For the beleefe of the heart iustifieth and to confesse with the mouth saueth a man. Who soeuer beleeueth on him shal not be ashamed But ye are of him in Iesus Christ who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption that according as it is written He that reioyceth shoulde reioyce in the Lorde This is the name that they shal call him euen the Lorde our righteous maker To him giue all the Prophets witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receyue remission of sinnes For among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen whereby wee must be saued Ye are gone quite from Christ as many as are iustified by the lawe and are fallen from grace Let no man esteeme of himselfe more then it becommeth him to esteeme but that he discretely iudge of himselfe according as God hath dealt to euery man the measure of fayth How shoulde I then aunswere him or what wordes shoulde I finde out agaynst him yea though I be righteous yet will I not giue him one worde agayne but meekely submit my selfe to my Iudge If I will iustifie my selfe myne owne mouth shall condemne me If I will put forth my selfe for a perfect man he shall proue mee a wicked doer for that I shoulde be an innocent my conscience knoweth it not yea I my selfe am weary of my life Thou hast graunted me lyfe and done me good and the diligent heede that thou tookest vpon me hath preserued my spirite c. If I doe wickedly wo is me therfore If I be righteous yet dare I not lift vp my heade so full am I of confusion and see mine owne miserie What is man that he shoulde be cleane what hath he which is born of a woman whereby he might be knowen to be righteous Beholde there is no trust in hys Saintes yea the very heauens are not cleare in his sight Howe much more then an abhominable and vile man which drinketh wickednesse like water But how may a man compared vnto God be iustified Or how can he be clean that is borne of a woman We are all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as the clothes stayned or a menstruous cloth There is not one iust vpon earth that doth good and sinneth not Verely in the Lord is my righteousnesse and strength To him shal men come but all they that thinke scorne of him shal be confounded And the whole seede of Israell shall be iustified and praysed in the Lorde The Lorde helpeth me therefore shall I not be confounded I haue hardened my face like a flint stone for I am sure that I shall not come to confusion Mine aduocate speaketh for me who will then goe with me to lawe My righteous seruant shall with his wisedome iustifie and deliuer the multitude for he shall beare away their sins c. We being iustified by his grace should be amde heires according to the hope of eternall life Yet darest thou say I am giltlesse Tushe his wrath cannot come vpon me behold I wyll reason with thee bicause thou darest say I haue not offended O howe euill will it be for thee to abyde it when it shall be knowen how oft thou hast gone backwarde Doubtlesse our owne wickednesse rewarde vs but Lorde doe thou according to thy name thoughe our transgressions and sinnes be many and haue sinned against thee They that put their trust in me shall inherite the land and haue my holy hill in possession Be it knowen â—nto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached vnto you the forgiuenesse of sinnes and that from all sinnes from which you could not be iustified by the lawe of Moyses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified And of his fulnesse haue all we receyued euen grace for grace Which he predestinated before them also he called and whoÌ„ he called them also he iustified
for to make of twayne one new man in himselfe so making peace Christ hath put out the hande wryting of ceremonies that was agaynst vs which I say was contrarie vnto vs he tooke it out of the way and hath fastened it on his crosse For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Lawe entred in that offence shoulde increase I had not knowen what lust had ment except the lawe had sayde Thou shalte not lust We knowe that the lawe is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder sinne Augustine in his 9. booke of confessions Chapter 13. Woe be vnto mans life although it be praysed neuer somuch if the mercy of God drawen from it thou wilt examine or discusse it Augustine in his first booke of Retractions Chapter 19. All the commaundementes of God are reputed to be done when that whiche is not done is pardoned Augustine in his booke of the spirit and of the letter Chap. 36. This first commaundement of righteousnesse by the which it is commaunded vs to loue God with all our heart with all our soule and with all our thought the which is following the other which is to loue our neighboure in this life then wee shal fulfil them when we shall see thee face to face But therefore it is commanded vs in this world that we may be admonished and warned of that which we ought to aske through faith afterwardes and by that same as farre as I can perceiue hee profiteth much in this life in righteousnesse which ought to be ended who in profiting knoweth how much he is farre from the perfection of righteousnesse Ambrose vpon the .3 Chapter of the Romaynes He that beleeueth in Christ keepeth the lawe The similitude of the creditor the goodman of the house willing to take account of his seruants one was brought vnto him which ought him ten thousande talentes and had not wherewith to paye and yet notwithstanding woulde be payde c. We are debters not to the fleshe to liue after the fleshe but to the spirite Ye haue not receyued the spirite of bondage to feare anye more but ye haue receyued the spirite of adoption whereby we crye Abba that is to say father There is no feare in loue but perfecte loue casteth out feare for feare hath painfulnesse and hee that feareth is not perfect in loue We loue him bicause he loued vs first Augustine of free will and grace Chapter 19. Iohn sayth God is loue And the Pelagians also doe saye that they haue God not of God but of themselues And where they confesse that the lawe is giuen vs of God they will haue the loue of themselues and do giue no eare vnto the Apostle which sayth Knowledge maketh a man swell but loue edifieth Also the Scripture sayth that true fayth and holy doctrine are both of god For it is written From his face proceedeth wisedome and vnderstanding And it is written Loue commeth of God. Augustine vpon the exposition to the Galat. 3. Chap. The lawe is not of fayth but the man that shall fulfill those things shall liue in them He doth not say he which shall doe the lawe shall liue in it insomuche that thou doe vnderstande that the lawe in that place is put for the workes themselues But those who doe liue in their workes doe feare that if they had not done them they had bene stoned or crucified or suffred some other kinde of payne Wherefore he sayeth he whiche shall doe those things shall liue in them that is to saye he shall haue the rewarde to the ende not to be punished with such death Saint Barnarde vpon the Canticles Sermon 50. He which hath commanded the commaundementes was not ignorant that the burthen of the commandement exceedeth the strength of men but by that meanes hath iudged that it is profitable to admonishe them that they are not able and that they may plainely know to what ende of righteousnesse they must endeuor them selues with all their vertues then in commanding impossible thinges God hath not made men transgressors of the lawe but hath made them humble that euerye mouthe might be stopped and that all the world be made subiect to god For no flesh shall be iustified before him through the workes of the lawe Euen so when wee haue receiued the commandement and that we doe feele our default we crye vnto heauen and God hath mercye on vs and knowe in that time that he hath saued vs not of the deedes of righteousnesse whiche we wrought but of his mercy Augustine against the aduersary of the lawe and of the Prophetes 2. booke 7. Chapter It was very needefull that the lawe in the old Testament should be set forth vnto the proud and vnto those which did truste in the vertue of their owne will the which lawe doth not giue iustice but it doth command it and euen as those being wrapped in through the death of preuarication or transgressiō ought to haue their refuge to grace the which only doth not commande but also helpeth The blasphemers of the heauenly wordes doe thinke that the lawe whiche was giuen by Moyses was euill bicause that it was called the administration of death figured in letters of stone not regarding that it is sayde for those whiche doe thinke that the lawe was sufficient for their free will. c. The lawe was giuen by Moyses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ Did not Moyses giue you a lawe and yet none of you keepeth the lawe Augustine vpon Saint Iohn 3. Treatise 1. Chapter The lawe was giuen by Moyses which helde them guiltie For what sayeth the Apostle The lawe entred in that offence shoulde encrease This is heauye vnto the proude that is that he sayth to the ende that sinne may encrease For they doe attribute muche to themselues and doe assigne much to their strengths And cannot accomplish righteousnesse if he which hath commaunded it helpe them not God willing to tame their pride gaue the law As if he had sayde beholde accomplishe it to the end that you doe not thinke your selues to be without him which commandeth you are not without a commaunder but there is no fulfiller Augustine of the spirite and the letter Chapter 14. Doth not S. Paule call that lawe written in his two tables killing letters When he sayth the letter killeth speaketh he only of the lawe of Circumcision and of other olde Sacramentes alreadye abolished Howe shall we esteeme it so in as much as it is put in this lawe thou shalt not couet By the which commaundement although that it be holy iuste and good he saith that sinne hath deceiued it and thereby killed And what is that the letter killeth and the spirite quickeneth but that the law cannot iustifie c. Immediatly afterwarde he saith these my commaundementes if they are well kept as they are written we must thinke that it appertaineth not to
those whiche doe reste in Christe we desire thee that thou wylt giue them place of comforte through the same Christe our Lord amen Aunswere In the 4. of the sentences Distinction 45. and the 13. glose Iniuriam facit martyri qui or at pro martyre That is to say he which prayeth for a Martyr doth iniury and wrong vnto the Martyr S. Cyprian in his .4 booke of baptisme and the maister of the sentences 4. distinct .4 Chapter If all the deaths and all the tormentes that all men the Patryarckes Prophets Apostles Martyrs and confessors haue euer suffered should be put togither they shall not be sufficient to put out the leaste sinne of the world Knowe ye not that the vnrighteous shal not inherite the kingdome of God Bee not deceiued neyther fornicators neyther idolaters neyther aduouterers neyther wantons neyther abusers of them selues with the mankinde neyther theeues neyther couetous neyther dronkardes neyther euill speakers neyther extorcioners shall inherite the kingdome of god And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirite of our God. Christe loued the church and gaue him selfe for it to sanctifie it and clensed it in the washing of water through the worde To make it vnto him selfe a glorious church without spot or wrincle or anye such thing but that it should be holy and without blame Iesus Christ sayth verely verely I doe saye vnto you except that a man be begotten of water and of the spirite he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen Saint Iohn Baptist sayde of Iesus Christe he shall baptise you with the holy Ghoste and with fire which hath his fanne in his hand and will make cleane his floure and gather the wheate into his garner but will burne the chaffe with vnquencheable fire Iesus Christ saith nowe are ye cleane through the wordes which I haue spoken vnto you Also Peter saide vnto Iesus thou shalt neuer washe my feete Iesus sayde vnto him if I doe not washe thee thou shalt not haue parte with me Peter saide vnto him Lord not my feete only but also my hands and my head Iesus sayd vnto him he that is washed needeth not saue to washe his feete but is cleane euery whit He shall put downe our wickednesse and caste all our sinnes into the bottome of the sea Raymonde sayth Gratia magna dei veniamnon dimidiabit Aut nihil aut totum propitiando dabit That is to say God doth not pardon the moytie or halfe but his great mercye pardoneth all or nothing Moyses and Saint Paule doe say our God is a consuming fire The Pope in his Canons in the Glose of Baptisme and of his effect Chap. which beginneth maiores Causas Larga dei pietas veniam non dimidiabit Nam nihil aut totū te lachrymante dabit That is to say the great goodnesse of God wyll not giue pardon for the moyte for when thou commest vnto him with teares and weepings he will giue thee all or nothing Moyses saith The workes of God are perfect O Lorde thou forgiuest all our sinnes Chrysostome in the .2 homily vpon the 50. psalme When one demandeth mercy that is that he might not be examined of his sinne to the end he should not be handled according to the rigour of righteousnesse and to the ende that all punishment may cease for where there is mercie there is no more hell fire neyther rigour nor paine Chrysostome in his sermon of penance and confession The Lord doth punish vs for our sinnes not for to take anye recompence of oure sinnes but for to aduise vs of things to come S. Ambrose vpon S. Luke of repentance first distinction Chapter which beginneth Petrus Peter was sorowfull and did lament for he hath transgressed as man I doe not finde what he sayde I doe knowe verye well that he hath wept I doe reade of his teares and not of his satisfaction The Priestes doe sing in the beginning or prose of those that be deade such wordes Rex tremendae maiestatis qui saluandos saluas gratis salua me fons pietatis That is to saye O redoubtable king in maiestie whiche doest saue freely those which ought to be saued saue me O fountayne of goodnesse Blessed are the deade which hereafter die in the Lorde euen so sayth the spirite For bicause they rest from their labours and their works followe them Of a truth he onely taketh away our infirmitie and beareth our payne yet wee shall iudge him as though he were plaged and cast downe of God where as he notwithstanding shall be wondred at for our offences and smitten for our wickednesse For the payne of our punishment shall be layde vpon him and with his wounds shal we be healed As concerning the place of S. Paule 1. Cor. 3. That euery one shall be saued as it were by the fire S. Augustine in his boke of the Citie of God the 21. booke Chapter .26 And in his treatise of fayth and of workes Chapter .16 And in his Enchiridion Chapter 28. expoundeth it of the fire of tribulation and of the crosse and persecutions of this worlde by the which the Lorde examineth those that be his Gregory vpon Iob the .29 Chapter And in his morals the .28 booke the .17 chap. And in the .16 distinct Chap. whith beginneth Canones glossae atque As touching the bookes of the Machabees the church doth not hold them for canonicall saying we doe nothing vnorderly if we bring in the examples of the bookes which although that they be not canonicall yet neuerthelesse doe serue for the edification of the churche S. Augustine of the citie of god .18 booke 36. Chapter And of christian doctrine .2 booke .8 chapter Speaking of the number of the times which haue bene sithence the returne from Babilon vntill the comming of Iesus Christe the count and computation of them are not found in the holy Scripturs which are called canonical but in the other among whom are the bookes of the Machabees S. Ierome in the Epistle written vnto Chromatius and Heliodorus bishops And also in the Byble before the booke of the Prouerbes The Churche doth reade the bookes of the Machabees but it doth not receiue them as canonicall Also although that the Church doth reade the bookes of Iudith Tobie and of the Machabees yet neuerthelesse the Church doth not receyue them as Canonicall scripture And so the Church may read these two bokes for the edification of the people but not for to confirme ecclesiasticall doctrine Ierome in his Prologue Galeatus which is set before the booke of the Kings Sayth that he hath neuer founde the seconde booke of the Machabees in the Hebue tongue but he hath founde it in the Greeke tongue And writing against the Pelagians The seconde booke of the Machabees is written by Iosephus the Historiographer