they haue done not according to that whiche they haue professed and spoken Manye shall saye vnto mee in that daye saith Christ Lorde wee prophecyed in thy name caste out diuels and done many greate woorkes in thy name and yet for all their so saying Christe sayth he will tearme them workers of inniquitie and bid them depart from him For not euery one that saith Lord Lord shal enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that dothe the will of my father shall enter into the kingdome of heauen so that many good wordes shall bee found in hell but good workes goe all to heauen I speake not this as houlding that wee are iustified by our woorkes No we are saued by grace through faith and that not of our selues it is the gift of god But if thou braggest of faith shews me that saythe of this harte by the sruictes of thy life for true christianitye consisteth of owo parts profession practice or to vse the phrase of the scripture of fayth and good woorkes and to the perfection of a christian man both are necessarye and each doth mutually accompanye other as the shadowe goeth with the bodie And as the bodye is knowne to haue lyfe by it mouing so is the lyfe of faythe perceiued by working The life of the bodye is the soule and the life of faith is loue and as the bodie is dead withoute the soule so is fayth withoute loue and as circumcision profited the Iewes nothing without the lawe so neither doth faith profit vs without charitye Whatsoeuer wee professe howe muth soeuer we knowe our Sauioure Christ pronounceth vs so farfoorth blessed as we doe that wee professe and followe that we knowe They that profes the fayth of christians and doe not confirme it with a Christian lyfe are like belles in the steeple whiche call others to churthe with their sounde but neuer come into it them selues lyke fayre paynted sepulchers whiche are full of gaye golden pictures and immages without but ful of dead carcases and filthie corruption within like salte which hath his colour but lost his sauour like a candell whiche is lighte but hidden vnder a bushell But let youre lighte saith Christ speaking to Christians so shine beefore men that they maye see your woorkes c. If you be the sonnes of Abraham doe the workes of Abraham If ye call mee Lorde Lorde dooe the woorkes that I commaunde you The tree is not coÌ„mended for bearing leaues but fruites euen so the commendation of a Christian consisteth not in speaking but in dooinge They shall leaue their woordes beehinde them but theire woorkes shall followe them and they receaue according to that whiche they haue doone Dooing is double and of two sortes 1 Well dooing 2 Ill dooing And boeth shall bee rewarded accordinglye Hee that hathe doone well shall receaue accordinge to his well doing not that any man doth wel of him selfe For all fleshe hath corrupted his way and all the immaginations of oure hartes is euill euerie daye There is not one that doth good no not one our lips are full of cursing and bitternesse not apt or abell to vtter a good word much lesse are we able to doe a good worke Men doe not gather grapes of thornes nor figges of thistles we beinge shapen in wickednes conceiued in sinne are as vnapt as vnable to bring foorth good fruites as thornes are to bring foorth grapes or thistles figges But yet as the stocke of a sower crabbe may bring foorth a sweete apple if the graffe bee good so we being the children of wrath by nature may bring foorth good fruits by grace if Christe bee ingraffed into our hartes by faith For withoute mee sayth hee you can do nothing I am the vine you are the braunches he that abideth in me and in whom I bide he bringeth forth much fruit But as the braunch cannor bring forth fruit of it self except it abide in the vine so neither can you except you abide in me To make our workes good therefore it is necessarie to obserue these foure circumstaunces that we doe them in loue with a pure hart a good conscience and faith vnfayned Howe glorious a shewe of godlinesse or good intention soeuer our woorkes doe carrye before men if these foure conditions bee not obserued in doing them wee that are the doers of them as saythe the Apostle are but vaine ianglers and no frutifull workers To make the woorke good sayth Augustine It is not onelye requisite vt aliquid fiat quod in suo genere bonum sit sed prâ—cipue vt bene fiat 1. that the thinge whiche is donne bee in his owne nature good but especiallye that it is well done For many things being of their own nature good may be done they notwithstanding not doeing them wel of whom they are done It is good to helpe anye man in necessitie but he that seeketh the glory of men therby rather then of God bonum facit non bene saith Augustine he doth that which is good but he doth it not well because hee doth it not with a good minde and conscience Hence it is that Christe condenmeth the prayers fasting and almes of the scribes and pharisees who sought not to please God therin but rather to procure themselues a name and credit before men Many excellent morall vertues were in the heathen philosophers which notwithstanding bicause they referred them not to God were no hetter then sinnes before him Sine cultu veri dei etiam quod virius videtur esse peccatuÌ„ est nec placere vllus deo si deo non potest that is without the worship of the true God that which seemeth a vertue is a sinne neyther can any man please God without god Omnis vita infidelium peccatorum est nihil bonum sine summo hono The whole lyfe of infidels is sinne and nothing good without him that is the perfection of all that is good And to say all in one word without faith it is impossible to please God why saith Iulianus to Augustine if a Pagan should cloth a naked christian bicause it is not of faith were it sinne yea indeede were it saith Augustine Ipsa miserico dia per se opus est bonum at hoc bonum malefacit qui infideliter facit i. non fideli sed infideli 〈◊〉 Mercy it selfe is a good work but this good work doth he euilly which doth as infidels that is not with a faithfull but an vnbeleeuing hart And whatsoeuer is not of faythe is sinne Whereuppon Prosper de vita contemplatina lib. 30. cap. 10. Apostl non dicat quicquid non est ex fide nihil est sed dicendâ— peccatum est declarauit quod si non fuerint ex fide non sunt aliqua bona credenda sed vitia que non iuuant suos operarios sed eadem mane that is the Apostle saide not
whatsoeuer is not of faith is nothing but saying it is sin declareth that whatsoeuer thinges are not of faith they are not to be decided as good things but as vices rather which iustify not the doers of them but rather do condemne them When the scripture therefore saythe in this place Euerye man shall receaue according to that which he hath done in other places that euery man shalbe rewarded accordinge to that whiche hee hath doone that manner of speaking is not ment of the merite of oure dooinges for that wee shoulde all be rewarded with euerlasting damnation and hell fier but that we shall receiue and be euerie man rewarded according to the testimonye of that which hee hath done bearing witnesse of our faith with vs or of want of sayth against vs. If that which we haue done proceede of faith then doth God accept it and impute it to vs for a good woorlie not in respect of the woorke it selfe or for our sakes or for oure faythe sake but for Iesus Christes sake in whome he is well pleased and in whose name we do it and he doth accept it and in mercie reward it Now we are to consider that the Apostle saith Euery inan shall receiue according to his well doing so likewise Euery man that hath doone euil shall receiue according to his doing ill whiche must not be 〈◊〉 conâ—â—ued of vs as though man at the laÌ„tter iudgement shoulde receiue onely according to that ill whiche hee hath done and not aunswere at all nor receiue anye punishnent for that ill whiche hee hath spoaken For I tell you saith our sauioure Christ a man shall giue accompte for euerye euell woorde Quid ost in omni vit a nostra cutus nos minus rationis habeamus quam verborum what is there in the whole course of our life whereof we haue lesse regard then of oure wordes and therefore in what daunger stand we before God if we shal aunswere euery idell woorde wherein we haue offended before men Or if we shall aunswere euery idle worde Alas how shall we answere euery idell word If we must answere euery idell woorde how shall we answer euery lying word euery blasphemous word euery flandorous worde Or if wee cannot answere our idell words how shall we answere of one idell deedes and time mispent Or if we caÌ„not answere our idel deedes how shal we be able to susteine the punishment which we must receiue for our il deedes Heere we may all crye out and appeale from God his iustice and oure deseruings to his mercie Enter not into iudgement with thy seruants O lorde for no flesh is righteus in thy sight and haue mercie vppon me O God not according to my merites but according to the mercie doe awaye my offences c. For otherwise we must all prepare our selues to taste of the reward of sinne which be our sinne neuer so light or littell committed in thought woorde or deede is death of bodye and death of soule to euery one according to that which he hath done Vppon the vngodlye shall come snares fier brimstone stormie tempest this shalbe their portion to drinke The Prophet vseth many words wher of euery one may seeme more greeuous then other to teache vs that the greater shalbe the punishment which the sinner shal receiue according to that which he saith in the second chapter to the Romaines that the impenitent presumptious sinner doth heap vp wrath to himself c. as who should saye God will heape damnation vpon his head in life to come as he hath heaped one sinne vppon an other in this life not that there are many helles or many siers in bell but that the iustice of God re quireth to measure out y â— grieuousnes of their punishment accor to the grieuousnes of their sines vt et ignem non dissimilem habeant tamen eosdem singulos exurat that not hauing a diuerse fire yet euery one to be tormented the same w t fire euen as we feel in our do dies wheras many stand together in the sun the sun hath like power of them all alike yet doe they not all feele the like heat but some feele it hotter then other some euery man according to the complexion and constitution of his body Euen so according to the quality of his sinne shall euerye man receaue his punishment And therefore in the daye of iudgement it shall hee easie for Sodome and Gomortha then for those Cities Townes and persons which haue hard remission of sinnes preached in the name of Iesus yet haue not repented For the seruant that knew his maisters wil and did it not shalbe beaten with many stripes If that reuerend and childish feare of God therefore cannot win vs to eschue euill and do good yet let this seruile and slauishe feare the feare of punishement staie vs and make vs a fraide to perseuer in our ill least accordinge to the greeuousnes of the same in oure soules at last we reseaue double damnation in our bodyes For although euery man so sone as the soule and body are parted by death hath his particular iudgement and receiueth in his soul which presently mounteth either to heauen or is carryed to hell the rewarde of ioye or paine which either thorough sinne he hath deserued or the Lorde in merrye doth freely giue him yet doth he nor receiue the same in body which remayneth in the graue til the generall resurrection and iudgement of all flesh at what time the bodye shall be vnited to the soule and be made partaker of the same euerlasting ioyes in heauen or eternall torments in hell as it was partaker with the bodye in sin vpon earth If any man therfore aske wherefore and what there should neede to be a second iudgement since euerie man hath his iudgement already I answere out of the Apostle that euery man may receaue in his body that which hee hath already receaued in his soule Lâ—â— vs forbeare therefore to iudge of 〈…〉 mens sinnes to looke into other mens liues and either euery man that calleth vpon the name of the Lorde depart from iniquity and learne to amend him selfe For euery man shall receaue accordinge to that which he hath done in his body I shall not receaue accordinge to that which thou haste done in thy bodye nor thou shalt not receaue according to that which I haue done in my bodye but I according to that which I haue done in my bodye and thou according to that which thou 〈◊〉 done in thy body and so forth euery maÌ„ according to that which he hath done in his own bodye That soule that hath sinned that soule shall dye the death Though the father haue eaten sowre grapes the childrens teeth shall not be set on edge The sonne shall not beare the fathers iniquity nor the fathers beare the sonnes The righteousnes of the righteous shall be vppon him the wickednes of the wicked vpon him
also and euery man shall die in his own sinne or liue in his owne righteousnesse Noe Daniell and Iob shall in their owne righteousnesse deliuer but their owne soules not the soules of their sonnes daughters seruauntes or wyues but euery man receiue his wages sayth the Apostle according to his own labour Let no man therefore truste to other mens works prayers after he is deade thinking to be releaued by them as he that was sent for to the great supper though he might bee excused by the messenger though he came not himself manye in these dayes hauing liued very wickedly theÌ„ selues think to compound with God almighty for their sins life mislead by almes deedes and prayers not dooinge them selues in their own liues but making other men their factors posting them ouer to their executors to be done for theÌ„ after their deathes But thou foolish man then that good which after thy death is done by others is theirs and not thine and they shall receaue for it and not thou While thou hast time therfore make sure thy saluation thy selfe and as much as in thee lyeth Doe good to all men especially to the houshold of faith Remember thy maker in thy youth before the dayes of aduersitye come put thy righteousnesse before iudgement so shalt thou finde grace in the sight of the Lord. For the graue which thou goest vnto there is neither worke counsell nor wisedome but what a man soweth now he shall reape then He that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly he that soweth liberally shall reape also liberally For God is not vnrighteous to forget our workes and labours of loue But what soeuer good thing any man doth he shal receaue of the Lorde at the resurrection of the righteous where his reward shall be great in the kingdome of heauen and euerye man receaue accordinge to that which he hath don And thus we see the end vse of this doctrine concerning the generall resurrection iudgement the sum wherof is no more but this All that are in their graues shal heare the voice of God and shal come forth they that haue done good vnto the resurrection of lyfe and they that haue done ill vnto the resurrection of damnation They that by continuance in well doing seeke for glorie honor immortality shall haue eternall lyfe but vnto them that are contentious do not obey the truth but obey vnrightousnes shall come indignation and wrath tribulation and iniquitie A sweete and comfortable doctrine to the children of God who then shal haue an end of all those miseries whereto in this lyfe they were subiect resting at last in ioye peace and tranquility with the angels and saintes in heauen The sun shall be no more the daye light the light of the Moone shal not shine to theÌ„ but the Lord himselfe shalbe their euerlasting light and God their glorie Hee shall take the care from thine eyes neyther shall they taste of death heauinesse sorrow or paine but freed from all suche calamities haue the full fruitioÌ„ of al those ioyes which the lorde hath prepared for them that feare him and looke for his comming They shall receaue a glorious kingdome and a beawtifull crowne at the lords hand for with his right hand shall he carrie them and with his arme shall he defend them But on the contrarye moste terrible and fearefull to the wicked For the ielosie of the lord of hostes shall take on harnesse and he shall arme the creature to be auenged of his enemyes He shall put on righteousnesse for a brest-plate an stake vnfayned iudgement in stead of a helmet His ferce wrath shal bee sharpen for a swoorde and the whole compasse of the worlde shall fight with him against the vnwise Then shall the thunder boultes go right out of the lightninges and come as oute of the well bente bowe of the cloudes to the place appointed And as from an angrie caster of stones their shal fal thick haile and the water of the sea shall bee wroth against them and the winde shall stande vp againste them to scatter them abrode Then shall the righteous stande in great boldnes before the face of such as haue dealt extreamly with them and taken away then labours When the vngodlye shall see it they shall bee vexed with horrible feare and shall onder at their health so farre beyond all that they looked for And chaunging their opinions with groaning for redresse of minde they shall say this is he whom sometime we had in derision and iested vpon We fooles thought his life very madnes and his end to be without honour But loe how he is counted among the children of God and his portion is amonge the saints Therefore haue we erred from the way of truth the light of righteousnesse hath not shined vnto vs the sun of vnderstanding hath not rose vpon vs. We haue wearied ourselues in the waye of wickednes and destruction but as for the way of the Lord we haue not known it What good hath pride done vnto vs Or what profit hath the pompe of riches brought vnto vs. All these things are passed like a shadow and as a Post that hasteth by c. As sone as we were borne we began immediatlye to drawe to oure ende and haue shewed no token of vertue but are consumed in our owne wickednes If they shoulde haue no other iudge to condemne them if there were no diuel to watch for them no hel to receiue them no fire in hell to torment them what greater torment maye be imagined then this wofull complaint mutuall accusing of the worme of their owne consciences and the sensible feeling of their sinnes past acknowledging with their own mouthes themselues deserueâ—ly depriued of all those heauenlye ioyes whereof they shal see the children of God to be made partakers But not onely to be depriued of those heauenlye ioyes but to be partakers of euerlasting tormentes to bee tyed with perpetuall chaines to be caste into palpable darkenes of the Diuels dungeon where the worme dyeth not where the fire goeth not out but continual weping and gnashing of teeth howling yelling and criyng without ease of payne or comfort of minde this is such endlesse miserye as the griefe thereof can neyther be conceaued of vs that speaketh of it nor expressed of them that feele it The greatest crosse that can be sayd vppon man in this life is to bee caste into perpetuall prison leese our landes and goodes and want the companye of our wyues our children other our friends that loue vs. But yet in this case we alwaies liue in hope of liberty and release of our punishment Or if our hope be vaine yet will God stirre vp the heartes of straungers to visite vs to pittie vs to comfort and relieue vs some with meat some with mony some with cloth some with counsell euery man as he is able