be the lesse to be passed vpon so that the rest maye profite which wil be more desirous to know the truth then when it is playn enough to contende aboute it and with cōtencious and capcious cauillacions to obscure and darkē it Truthe it is that out awne woorkes doo not iustifye vs to speake properly of our iustificacion that is to saie our workes do not merite or deserue remissiō of our synnes and make vs of vniust iuste before God But God of his mere mercie through the onely merites and deseruynges of his sonne Iesus Christ doth iustifie vs. Neuerthelesse because fayth doth directely sende vs to Christe for remission of our synnes that by faithe geuen vs of God we embrace the promise of Gods mercie and of the remission of oure synnes whiche thyng none other of oure vertues or woorkes properly doth therfore scripture vseth to say that faith without workes doth iustifie And for asmuch that it is al one sentēce in effecte to saye Faithe without woorkes onely fayth doth iustifie vs therfore the olde auncient fathers of the Churche from tyme to tyme haue vttered our iustificacion with this speache Onelye faythe iustifieth vs meanyng none other thing then sainct Paule meant whē he sayd faith without workes iustifieth vs. And because al this is brought to passe through the onely merites and deseruinges of our sauior christ not through our merites or through the merite of any vertue y t we haue within vs or of any worke that cōmeth frō vs therfore in that respecte of merite deseruyng we renoūce as it wer altogether agayn faith workes and all other vertues For our awne imperfeccion is so greate through the corrupciō of original synne that al is imperfect that is within vs faithe charitie hope dreade thoughtes wordes workes and therefore not apte to meryte and deserue any parte of our iustificacion for vs And this forme of speakyng we vse in the humblyng of oure selfes to God and to geue all the glory to our sauior Christ whiche is best worthy to haue it Here you haue heard the office of God in oure iustificacion and how we receyue it of him frely by his mercie without our desertes through true and lyuely faythe Now you shall heare the offyce and duetie of a christian man vnto God what we ought on oure parte to rendre vnto God agayne for his greate mercye and goodnes Oure offyce is not to passe the tyme of his present lyfe vnfruictfully and idlely after that we are baptised or iustified not caryng howe fewe good workes we do to the glory of God and proffite of our neighbors much lesse it is oure office after that we be once made Christes mēbres to lyue cōtrary to thesame makyng our selfes membres of the deuil walking after his inticementes and after the suggestions of the world and the fleshe wherby we know that we do serue the world and the deuill and not God For that faythe which bryngeth furth without repentaunce either euyll workes or no good workes is not a right pure and liuely faithe but a ded Deuilishe counterfeit and feyned fayth as sainct Paul sainct Iames cal it For euen the deuilles know and beleue that Christ was borne of a virgyn that he fasted forty dayes fortye nightes without meate and drynke that he wrought all kynde of myracles declaryng hymself very God They beleue also that Christe for oure sakes suffered moste paynfull death to redeme vs from eternal death that he rose agayn from death the thyrde daye They beleue that he ascended into heauen and that he sitteth on the right hand of the father and at the laste ende of this world shal come agayne and iudge bothe the quicke and the deade These articles of our faith the deuilles beleue and so they beleue all thinges that be writtē in the new and old Testamēt to be true yet for all this faith they be but deuilles remainyng styll in their dampnable estate lackyng the very true christian fayth For the right and true christiā faith is not onely to beleue that holy scripture all the forsaied articles of our fayth are true but also to haue a sure trust confidence in Gods mercifull promises to be saued from euerlastynge dampnacion by Christe wherof doeth folowe a louyng harte to obey his cōmaundementes And this true Christian faythe neyther any deuyll hath nor yet any man which in the outwarde profession of his mouth and in his outward receiuyng of the Sacramentes in commyng to the churche and in all other outward apparaunces semeth to be a Christian man yet in his liuyng and deedes sheweth the cōtrary For how can a man haue this true faith this sure truste and confidence in God That by the merites of Christe his synnes be remitted and he reconciled to the fauor of God and to be partaker of the kyngdom of heauen by Christ when he liueth vngodly and denieth Christe in his dedes Surely no suche vngodly man can haue this faith trust in God For as they know Christe to bee the onely sauior of the worlde so they knowe also that wicked men shall not possesse the kyngdō of God Thei know y t God hateth vnrighteousnes that he will destroye all those that speake vntruly that those that haue doen good workes whiche can not be doen without a liuely faythe in Christe shall come forth into the resurrection of lyfe those that haue doen euill shall come vnto resurrectiō of iudgement and very well they know also that to them that be contencious to them that will not be obedient vnto the truth but wil obey vnrighteousnes shall come indignacion wrathe and affliccion c. Therfore to conclude considerynge the infinite benefites of God shewed and exhibited vnto vs mercifully withoute oure desertes who hath not onely created vs of nothyng from a pece of vile clay of his infinite goodnes hath exalted vs as touchyng our soule vnto hys awne similitude and lykenesse but also wheras we were cōdempned to hel death eternall hath geuen his awne natural sonne beyng God eternall immortall and equal vnto himselfe in power glory to bee incarnated and to take our mortall nature vpō oim with the infirmities of the same and in the same nature ▪ to suffre moste shamefull and paynful death for our offences to thintent to iustifye vs to restore vs to lyfe euerlastyng so makyng vs also his dere beloued chyldrē brethren vnto his only sonne our sauior Christ inheritors for euer with him of his eternall kyngdō of heauē These greate and mercifull benefites of God if they be well considered do neither minister vnto vs occasiō to be idle to liue without doyng any good workes neither yet stirreth vs ▪ by any meanes to do euill thinges ▪ but contrarywise if we be not desperate persones and oure hartes harder then stones they moue vs to rendre our selfes vnto God wholy with all
Neither we maye reioyse in any woorkes that we do which al be so vnperfect vnpure that thei are not able to stāde before the righteous throne of God as the holy Prophete Dauid saieth entre not into iudgemēt with thy seruaūt O Lorde for no man that liueth shalbe found righteous in thy sight To God therfore muste we flee or els shall we neuer finde peace rest and quietnesse of conscience in our hartes For he is the father of mercies and God of all consolacion He is the Lorde with whō is plenteous redempcion He is that God which of his awne mercie saueth vs and setteth out his charitie and exceding loue towardes vs in that of his awne voluntary goodnesse when we wer perished he saued vs and prouided an euerlastyng kyngdom for vs. And all these heauenly treasures are geuen vs not for our awne desertes merites or good deedes whiche of our selfes wee haue none but of his meere mercie frely And for whose sake Truely for Iesus Christes sake that pure and vndefiled lambe of GOD. He is that dearely beloued sonne for whose sake god is fully pacified satisfied and sette at one with man He is the lambe of God whiche taketh awaie the synnes of the worlde of whom onely it maie be truely spoken that he did al thynges well in his mouthe was founde no craft nor subtilitie None but he alone maie saie the Prince of the worlde came and in me he hath nothyng And he alone maie saie also whiche of you shall reproue me of any faulte He is that high and euerlastyng priest whiche hath offered hymself once for all vpon the aulter of the Crosse and with that one oblacion hath made perfect for euermore them that are sāctified He is the alone mediator betwene God and man whiche paied our raunsome to God with his awne bloud and with that hath he clensed vs all from synne He is the Phisicion whiche healeth al our diseases He is that sauior whiche saueth his people from all their synnes To be shorte he is that flowyng moste plenteous fountain of whose fulnesse ▪ all we haue receiued For in hym alone are all the treasures of the wisedom and knowledge of God hidden And in hym and by hym haue wee frō God the father all good thynges perteinyng either to the body or to the soule O howe muche are wee bounde to this our heauenly father for his greate mercies whiche he hath so plenteously declared vnto vs in Christe Iesu our Lorde and sauior What thankes worthy and sufficient can we geue to him Let vs all with one accorde burste out with ioyfull voyces euer praisyng and magnifiyng this Lorde of mercy for his tendre kyndnesse shewed to vs in his derely beloued sonne Iesus Christ our lord Hetherto haue we heard what wee are of our selfes verely synfull wretched and dampnable again we haue heard how that of oure selfes and by oure selfes wee are not hable either to thynke a good thought ▪ or worke a good deede so that we can fynd in our selfes no hope of saluacion but rather whatsoeuer maketh vnto our destrucciō Again we haue heard the tendre kyndenesse and greate mercie of God the father towardes vs and how beneficial he is to vs for Christes sake without our merites or desertes euen o◠his awne meere mercie and tendre goodnesse Now how these excedyng greate mercies of God set abrode in Christe Iesu for vs bee obteined and how we be deliuered from the captiuitie of synne deathe and helle it shall more at large with Gods helpe be declared in the next Homelie In the meane season yea and at all tymes let vs learne to knowe our selfes our frailtie and weakenesse without any ostentacion or boostyng of our awne good dedes and merites let vs also knowledge The excedyng mercie of God towardes vs and confesse that as of our selfes commeth all euill and dampnaciō so likewise of hym commeth all goodnesse and saluacion as God hymself saieth by the prophet Oze O Israell thy destruccion commeth of thy self but in me onely is thy helpe and comforte If wee thus humbly submit our selfes in the sight of God wee maie bee sure that in the tyme of his visitacion he will lifte vs vp vnto the Kyngdome of his derely beloued sonne Christe Iesu our Lorde to whō with the father and the holy Ghoste bee all honour and glory for euer AMEN ¶ An Homelie of the saluacion of mankynd by onely Christ our sauior from synne and death euerlastyng BEcause all men be synners and offendors against GOD and breakers of his law and commaundementes therfore can no manne by his awne actes woorkes and deedes seme thei neuer so good be iustified and made righteous before God but euery man of necessitie is constrayned to seke for another righteousnesse or iustificacion to be receiued at Gods awne handes that is to saie the remission pardon and forgeuenesse of his synnes and trespasses in suche thynges as he hath offended And this iustificacion or righteousnesse whiche we so receiue by Gods mercie Christes merites embraced by faithe is taken accepted and allowed of God for our perfect and full iustificacion For the more ful vnderstandyng hereof it is our partes and duetie euer to remembre the greate mercie of God how that al the worlde beyng wrapped in synne by breakyng of the lawe God sent his onely sonne our sauior Chrste into this worlde to fulfill the lawe for vs and by shedyng of his moste precious bloud to make a sacrifice and satisfaccion or as it maie bee called amendes to his father for our synnes to asswage his wrathe and indignacion conceiued against vs for thesame In so much that infantes beyng baptised and diyng in their infancie ▪ are by this sacrifice wasshed from their synnes brought to Gods fauor and made his children and inheritors of his kyngdome of heauen And thei whiche actually do synne after their baptisme whē thei conuerte and turne again to God vnfainedly thei are likewise washed by this sacrifice from their synnes in suche sorte that there remaineth not any spotte of synne that shalbe imputed to their dampnacion This is that iustificacion or righteousnes whiche sainct Paule speaketh of when he saieth no man is iustified by the workes of the law but frely by faith in Iesus Christ. And again he saieth we beleue in Christ Iesu that we be iustified frely by the faith of Christe not by the workes of the lawe because that no man shalbe iustified by the workes of the law And although this iustificaciō be fre vnto vs yet it commeth not so frely vnto vs that there is no raunsome paied therfore at all But here maie mannes reason be astonied reasonyng after this fashion if a raunsome bee paied for our redempcion then is it not geuen vs freely For a prisoner that paieth his raunsome is not let go frely for if he go frely then he goeth without
raunsome for what is it els to go freely then to bee set at libertie without paiment of raunsome This reason is satisfied by the greate wisedome of God in this mistery of our redempcioÌ„ who hath so tempered his iustice and mercie together that he would neither by his iustice condempne vs vnto the perpetuall captiuitie of the deuill and his prison of hel remediles for euer without mercie nor by his mercy deliuer vs clerely without iustice or paiment of a iust raunsome but with his endlesse mercie he ioyned his moste vpright and equall iustice His greate mercy he shewed vnto vs in deliueryng vs from our former captiuitie without requiryng of any raunsom to be paied or ameÌ„des to be made vpon our partes whiche thyng by vs had been impossible to bee doen. And where as it laie not in vs that to do he prouided a raunsome for vs that was the moste precious body bloud of his awne moste dere and best beloued sonne Iesu Christe who besides his raunsom fulfilled the lawe for vs perfectly And so the iustice of God his mercie did embrace together and fulfilled the mistery of our redempcion And of this iustice and mercie of God knit together speaketh saincte Paule in the .iii. Chapiter to the Romans al haue offended and haue nede of the glory of God iustified frely by his grace by redempcion whiche is in Iesu Christ whom God hath set furth to vs for a reconciler peace maker through faith in his bloud to shewe his righteousnesse And in the .x. Chapiter Christ is the ende of the law vnto righteousnes to euery man that beleueth And in the .viii. Chapi that whiche was impossible by the lawe in asmuche as it was weake by the flesh God sendyng his awne sonne in the similitude of synfull fleshe by synne dampned synne in the fleshe that the righteousnesse of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs which walke not after the flesh but after the spirite In these foresaied places the Apostle toucheth specially three thynges whiche muste concurre and go together in our iustificacion Upon Gods part his greate mercie and grace vpon Christes parte iustice that is the satisfaccion of gods iustice or the price of our redempcion by the offryng of his body and shedyng of his bloud with fulfillyng of y e law perfectly throughly and vpon our part true and liuely faithe in the merites of Iesu Christe whiche yet is not oures but by Gods workyng in vs. So that in our iustificacion is not onely Gods mercie and grace but also his iustice whiche the Apostle calleth the iustice of God and it coÌ„sisteth in paiyng our raunsome and fulfillyng of the lawe and so the grace of God doth not exclude y e iustice of God in oure iustificacion but onely excludeth the iustice of man that is to saie the iustice of our woorkes as to be merites of deseruyng our iustificacioÌ„ And therefore sainct Paule declareth here nothyng vpon the behalf of man concernyng his iustificacioÌ„ but onely a true and liuely faith whiche neuertheles is the gift of God and not mannes onely worke without God And yet that faithe dooth not exclude repentaunce hope loue dread and the feare of God to be ioyned with faithe in euery maÌ„ that is iustified but it excludeth theÌ„ froÌ„ the office of iustifiyng So that although thei be all present together in hym that is iustified yet thei iustifie not all together Nor that faithe also doth not exclude the iustice of oure good workes necessarily to bee doen afterward of duetie towardes God for wee are moste bounden to serue God in doyng good deedes commaunded by hym in his holy scripture all the daies of oure life But it excludeth theim so that we maie not doo theim to this intent to be made good by doyng of them For all the good workes that we can do bee vnperfecte and therfore not able to deserue our iustificacioÌ„ but our iustificacion dooth come frely by the mere merâ—ie of GOD and of so greate and free mercie that whereas all the worlde was not able of their selfes to paye any parte towardes their raunsome it pleased our heauenly father of his infinite mercie without any our deserte or deseruyng to prepare for vs the mooste precious iewelles of Christes body and bloud wherby our raunsome might be fully paied the lawe fulfilled and his iustice fully satisfied So that Christe is nowe the righteousnesse of all them that truely doo beleue in hym He for theim paied their raunsome by his death He for theim fulfilled the lawe in his life So that nowe in hym and by hym euery true Christian man maie be called a fulfiller of the lawe forasmuche as that whiche their infirmitie lacketh Christes iustice hath supplied Before was declared at large that no manne can be iustified by his awne good workes because that no manne fulfilleth the lawe accordyng to the full request of the lawe And saincte Paule in his Epistle to the GalathiaÌ„s proueth thesame saiyng thus If there had been any lawe geuen whiche coulde haue iustified verely righteousnesse should haue been by the lawe And again he saieth if righteousnesse bee by the lawe then Christe died in vain And again he saieth you that are iustified by the lawe are fallen awaie from grace And furthermore he writeth to the Ephesians on this wise by grace are ye saued through faithe and that not of your selfes for it is the gift of God and not of workes lest any man should glorie And to bee shorte the summe of all Paules disputacion is this that if iustice come of woorkes then it commeth not of grace And if it come of grace then it commeth not of woorkes And to this ende teÌ„deth al the Prophetes as saincte Peter saieth in the tenthe of the Actes Of Christe all the Prophetes saieth saincte Peter do witnes that through his name al they that beleue in him shal receiue the remission of synnes And after this wyse to be iustifyed onely by this true and liuely faithe in Christ speaketh all the olde and auncient aucthors bothe Grekes Latyns Of whom I will specially reherse thre Hillary Basill Ambrose Sainct Hillary sayeth these wordes plainly in the ninth Canon vpon Matthewe Faithe onely iustifyeth And saincte Basill a Greke aucthor writeth thus This is a perfect and a whole reioysyng in God when a man auaunteth not hymselfe for hys awne righteousnes but knowledgeth hymself to lacke true iustice and righteousnes and to be iustifyed by the onely faithe in Christ And Paul saieth he doeth glory in the contempte of hys awne righteousnes and that he loketh for his righteousnes of God by faythe These be the verye woordes of sainct Basill And sainct Ambrose a Latyn aucthor sayeth these wordes This is the ordinaunce of God that he whiche beleueth in Christ should be saued without workes by faithe onely freely receiuyng remission of his synnes Consyder diligently these woordes without
woorkes by faythe onely freely we receyue remissyon of oure synnes What can be spoken more plainlye then to saye that freely withoute woorkes by fayth onely we obteyne remission of oure synnes These and other lyke sentences that we be iustifyed by fayth onelye frelye and without workes we do reade oftymes in the moste best and aūcient writers As beside Hillarye Basill sainct Ambrose before rehersed we read thesame in Origene saincte Chrisostome saincte Cypriane saincte Augustine Prosper Oecomenius Phocius Bernardus Anselme and many other aucthors Greke and Latine Neuertheles this sentence that we be iustified by fayth onely is not so meāt of them that the sayed iustifiyng fayth is alone in man without true repentaunce hope charitie dread and feare of God at any tyme or ceason Nor when they say that we be iustified frely they meane not that we should or might afterwarde be idle that nothyng should be required on oure partes afterward Neither thei meane not so to be iustified without our good workes that we shoulde do no good workes at all lyke as shalbe more expressed at large hereafter But this proposicion that we be iustifyed by faith onely frely and without workes is spoken for to take away clerely all merite of oure workes as beyng insufficient to deserue our iustificacion at Gods handes and thereby moste plainly to expresse the weakenes of man and the goodnes of God the great infirmitie of oure selfes and the myght and power of God the imperfectnes of oure awne workes and the moste aboundaunt grace of our sauior Christe And thereby whoey to ascribe the meryte and deseruing of our iustificaciō vnto Christe onely and his moste precious bludshedyng This faythe the holy scripture teacheth this is the strong rocke foundacion of Christian religion this doctryne all olde and auncient aucthors of Christes churche do approue this doctrine aduaūceth setteth furthe the true glory of Christ and suppresseth the vayne glory of man This whosoeuer denieth is not to be reputed for a true christian man not for a setter furth of Christes glory but for an aduersarye of Christe and his Gospell for a setter furth of mēnes vain-glory And although this doctrine be neuer so true as it is most true in dede that we be iustified freely without al merite of our awne good workes as S. Paule doth expresse it and freely by this liuely and perfect fayth in Christe onely as the auncient aucthors vse to speke it yet this true doctrine must be also truely vnderstande and moste plainly declared lest carnall men should take vniustly occasyon thereby to lyue carnally after the appetite and will of the world the flesh and the deuil And because no man should erre by mistakyng of this doctrine I shall plainely shortely so declare the right vnderstandyng of the same that no man shall iustly thinke that he maye therby take any occasion of carnall libertie to folowe y e desires of the flesh or that therby any kind of synne shalbe committed or any vngodly liuyng the more vsed First you shall vnderstande that in our iustificacion by Christ it is not all one thinge the office of God vnto man and the office of man vnto God Iustificacion is not the offyce of man but of God For man cannot iustifye himselfe by his awne workes neither in parte nor in the whole for that were the greatest arrogancie presumpciō of man that Antechrist could erect agaynst God to affirme that a man might by his awne workes take awaye and purge his awne synnes and so iustifie himself But iustificacion is the office of God onely and is not a thyng whiche we rendre vnto hym but whiche we receiue of him not whiche we geue to him but whiche we take of him by his free mercie by the onely merites of his moste derely beloued sonne our onely redemer sauiour and iustifier Iesus Christ. So that the true vnderstandyng of this doctrine We be iustified freely by faith without workes or that we be iustified by faithe in Christ onely is not that this our awne acte to beleue in Christe or this oure faithe in Christe which is within vs dooth iustifie vs and merite oure iustificacion vnto vs for that were to cōpte our selfes to be iustified by some acte or vertue that is within oure selfes But the true vnderstandynge and meanynge thereof is that although we heare Gods woorde and beleue it although we haue faith hope charitie repentaunce dread and feare of God within vs and do neuer so many good woorkes thereunto yet we must renounce the mertte of all our saied vertues of faith hope charitie and all our other vertues and good dedes which we either haue doen shal do or can do as thynges that be farre to weake and insufficient and vnperfecte to deserue remission of our synnes and oure iustification and therefore we must trust onely in Gods mercie and in that sacrifyce whiche our high prieste and sauior Christ Iesus the sonne of God once offered for vs vpon the crosse to obtein therby Gods grace and remission aswel of our originall synne in baptisme as of all actuall synne cōmitted by vs after oure baptisme if we truely repente and conuerte vnfainedly to hym agayn So that as sainct Ihon Baptiste although he were neuer so vertuous and Godly a man yet in this matter of forgeuyng of synne he did put the people frō hym and appoynted them vnto Christ saiyng thus vnto them Behold yonder is the lambe of GOD whiche taketh awaye the synnes of the world Euen so as greate and as Godly a vertue as the liuely fayth is yet it putteth vs from it self remitteth or appointeth vs vnto Christ for to haue only by him remission of oure synnes or iustification So that our fayth in Christ as it were saieth vnto vs thus It is not I that take awaye your synnes but it is Christ onely and to him onely I send your for that purpose renoūcyng therein all your good vertues woordes thoughtes and woorkes and onely puttyng your trust in Christe Thus you do se that the very true sense of thys proposicion We be iustifyed by faythe in Christe onely accordyng to the meanyng of the old auncient aucthors is this we put oure faithe in Christe that we be iustifyed by hym onely that we be iustified by Gods free mercie and the merites of our sauior Christe onely and by no vertue or good worke of our awne that is in vs or that we can be able to haue or to do for to deserue thesame Christ hymself onely beyng the cause meritorious thereof Here you perceiue many woordes to be vsed to auoyd cōtencion in wordes with them that delighte to braule aboute woordes and also to shewe the true meaning to auoyde euill talking misunderstandyng And yet peraduenture all wyll not serue with theim that be contencious but cōtenders will euer forge matter of contencion euen when thei haue none occasiō thereto Notwithstandyng such
representacion of the thyng it self and is with out life or any maner of mouyng so be the workes of all vnfaithfull persones before God Thei do appere to be liuely workes in deede thei be but ded â–ª not auailyng to the eternall life Thei bee but shadowes and shewes of liuely and good thynges and not good and liuely thynges in dede For true faith doth geue life to the workes and out of suche faith come good woorkes that be very good woorkes in dede and without it no worke is good before God as saieth saincte Augustine wee muste set not good workes before faithe nor thynke that before faithe a man maie do any good worke for suche workes although thei seme vnto men to bee praise worthy yet in deede thei bee but vain and not allowed before God Thei bee as the course of a horse that ruÌ„neth out of the waie whiche taketh great labor but to no purpose Let no man therefore saieth he reckeÌ„ vpon his good workes before his faithe Whereas faithe was not good woorkes were not the intent saieth he maketh the good workes but faith must guide and order thintent of man And Christ saith if thine iye be naught thy whole body is ful of darkenesse The iye doth signifie the intent saith sainct Augustine wherwith a man doth a thyng So that he whiche doth not his good workes with a Godly intent and a true faithe that woorketh by loue the whole body beside that is to saie all the whole nuÌ„bre of his workes is darke and there is no light in it For good deedes bee not measured by the factes theimselfes and so disseuered from vices but by the endes and intentes for the whiche thei bee doen. If a Heathen man clothe the naked fede the hongerie and do suche other like workes yet because he doth theim not in faithe for the honor and loue of God thei â—e but ded vain and fruitles workes to hym Faithe is it that dooth commende the woorke to god for as s. Augustine saith whether thou wilt or no that worke that coÌ„meth not of faithe is naught where the faith of Christ is not the fouÌ„dacion there is no good worke what buildyng soeuer we make There is one worke in y t which be al good workes that is faithe whiche worketh by charitie If thou haue it thou hast the ground of all good woorkes For the vertues of strength wisedom temperaunce iustice be al referred vnto this same faith Without this faith we haue not theÌ„ but onely the names and shadowes of them as s. Augustine saieth All the life of them that lacke the true faithe is syn and nothyng is good without hym that is the aucthor of goodnes where he is not there is but feined vertue although it be in the best workes And s. Augu. declaryng this verse of the psalme the Turtle hath found a nest where she may kepe her young birdes saith that Iewes heretiques and pagans do good workes thei clothe the naked fede the poore and do other workes of mercy but because thei be not doen in the true faithe therfore the birdes be loste But if thei remain in faith then faith is the nest and sauegard of their birdes that is to say safegard of their good workes that the reward of them be not vtterly lost And this matter whiche s. Augustin at large in many bokes disputeth s. Ambrose concludeth in fewe wordes saiyng he that by nature would withstand vice either by naturall will or reason he doth in vain garnishe the tyme of this life and atteineth not the very true vertues for without the worshippyng of the true God that whiche semeth to be vertue is vice And yet moste plainly to this purpose writeth s. Ihon Chriso in this wise you shall finde many which haue not the true faith and be not of y e flocke of Christ and yet as it appereth thei florishe in good workes of mercy You shall finde them full of pitie compassion and geuen to iustice and yet for all that thei haue no fruite of their workes because the chief worke lacketh For when the Iewes asked of Christ what thei should do to worke good workes he aunswered this is y e worke of God to beleue in hym whom he sente So that he called faithe the worke of god And assone as a maÌ„ hath faith anone he shall florish in good workes for faith of it self is full of good workes and nothyng is good without faith And for a similitude he saith that thei whiche glister and shine in good workes without faithe in God be like dead men whiche haue goodly precious toÌ„bes and yet it auaileth them nothyng Faith may not be naked without good workes for then it is no true faith and when it is adioyned to workes yet is it aboue the workes For as men that be very men in dede first haue life and after be norished so must our faithe in Christe go before after be norished with good woorkes And life maie be without norishment but norishment cannot be without life A man must nedes be norished by good workes but first he must haue faithe he that doth good deedes yet without faith he hath no life I can shew a man that by faith without workes liued cam to heaueÌ„ but without faithe neuer man had life The thiefe that was hanged when Christe suffered did beleue onely and the moste mercifull God did iustify hym And because no manne shall obiecte that he lacked tyme to doo good woorkes for els he would haue doen them truthe it is and I will not contend therin but this I will surely affirme that faithe onely saued hym If he had liued and not regarded faith and the workes thereof he should haue lost his saluacion again But this the effecte that I saie that faithe by it self saued hym but workes by theim selfes neuer iustified any man Here ye haue heard the minde of sainct Chrisostome wherby you maie perceiue that neither faith is without workes hauyng opportunitie therto nor workes can auaile to eternall life without faithe Now to procede to the third parte whiche in the former Sermon was noted of faithe that is to say what maner of workes thei be whiche spring out of true faithe and leade faithfull menne vnto eternall life this cannot bee knowen so well as by our sauior Christe hymself who was asked of a certain greate man thesame question What woorkes shall I do said a Prince to come to euerlastyng life To whom Iesus aunswered If thou wilte come to the eternall life kepe the commaundementes But the Prince not satisfied herewith asked farther whiche commaundementes The Scribes and Phariseis had made so many of their awne lawes and tradicions to bryng men to heauen besides Gods coÌ„mauÌ„dementes that this man was in doubte whether he should come to heauen by those lawes tradicions or by the lawes of God therfore he asked Christe whiche
to whom bee all glory now and euer Amen HEreafter shal folow Homelies of fastyng Praiyng Almose dedes of the Natiuitie Passion Resurreccion Ascencion of our sauior Christ of the due receiuyng of his blessed body and bloud vnder the forme of bread wine against Idlenesse against Gluttony and druÌ„kennesse against Coueteousnesse against Enuy Ire and malice â–ª with many other matters aswell fruitefull as necessarie to the edifiyng of Christian people and the increase of Godly liuyng Amen GOD SAVE THE KYNG ¶ IMPRINTED AT LONDON THE LASTE DAIE OF IVLII IN THE FIRST YERE OF THE REIGNE OF OVR SOVEREIGNE LORD KYNG EDVVARD THE VI. BY RICHARD GRAFTON PRINTER TO HIS MOSTE ROYALL MAIESTIE ANNO. 1547. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum SVSCIPITE â—â—CITVM VERBVM â—ACO ·1 The prayse of holy scripture The perfeccion of holy scripture The knowledge of holy Scripture is necessary To whoÌ„ the knowlege of holy scripture is sweete pleasaunt Who be enemies to holye scripture An apte similitude declaryng of whoÌ„ the scripture is abhorred An eâ—hortacion vnto the diligent readynge hearynge searchinge of the holy scriptures Matth. iiii The holy scripture is a sufficieÌ„t doctrine for our saluacion What thynges we maye learne in the holy scripture Holy scripture ministreth sufficient doctrine for all degrees and ages Matth. iiii Luke xi Ihon. xvii Psalm xix What commodities and profytes the knowledge of holy scripture bringeth Luke x. Ihon. vi Collos. i. Hebre. iiii Matth. vii Ihon. xii Ihon. xiiii i. Regum xiiii ii Para xx i. Corin. xv i Ihon. v. Who profite moste in readyng Godes worde Esaie v. Matth. xxii i Corin. xiiii What incommodities the ignorauÌ„ce of Gods worde bringeth Gods woorde excelleth all sciences Uain excuses dysswadynge froÌ„ the knowledge of gods woorde The firste The secondâ— â–ª Matth. xxii How mooste commodiously and without all perill the holy scripture is to be redde Scripture in some places is easie and in some places harde to be vnderstaÌ„d God leaueth no man vntaught that hath a good wil to knowe his woorde â–ª Howe the knowledge of scripture may bee atteined vnto Matth. vii A good rule for the vnderstandynge of the scripture No maÌ„ is excepted froÌ„ the knowledge of Gods will What persones would haue ignorauÌ„ce to continue The holy scripture is one of gods chief benefites The ryghtâ— readyng vse and fruictful studiyng iÌ„ holy scripture â–ª Psalme l. Gene. iii. Iudith iiii and .ix. Iob xlii Hier. vi â–ª xxv â—apâ—en viâ— Esai â—â— Iob. xiiii Ge. v. â— vi Hiere xxiâ—â— Roma iii. Roma xi Galat. iii. Ephe ii Pro. xxiiii Luke i Matth. iii. i. Ihon. â— â—â— Eccle. vii Psalm li. Psal. xxlii Psal. xix Psalm li. Marke x. Luke xviii Ihon. xv Luke xviâ— â–ª Luke xviii Matth. ix Matth. xii Matth. xv Galat. v. Luke v. Psalm â—vi Luke xv Baruch â—i Daniel â—i â—â— Cor. iii. Psal â— Ephe. ii â— Pet. ii Psal. â—xliii ii Corin. i. Psalm cxxx Ihon. i. i. Peter ii Ihon. xiiii Ihon. viii Hebre. vii i. Ihon. ii Matthew i. Ihon â— Oze xiii The efficacie of 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 Roma â–ª iii â–ª Roma viii Obiection An answere â–ª 〈◊〉 iii. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viii Three thynges muste go togâ—ther iÌ„ our â—â—stificacion Howe it is to be vnderstand that faith iustifieth without woorkes Galath â—ii Ephes ii Actes x. Faithe onely iustifieth is the doctrine of old doctors Philip. iii. Faithe alone 〈◊〉 it is to 〈◊〉 â—nderstande The profit of the doctrine of faithe onely iustifieth What thei be that impugne the doctrine of faith only iustifieth A declaracion of this doctryne faythe without workes iustifieth IustificacioÌ„ is the office of Gâ—d onely Ihon. i. Thei that preache faith onelye iustyfieth doo not teache carnall libertie or y t we should do no good workes The deuils haue fayth but not the true faithe 〈◊〉 that 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 haue not true faith Psalm v. Faithe A deed faith Iames. ii Titâ— A liuely faith Galat v. Hebre. xi Thre thynges are to bee noted of faith Faithe is full of good workes Abac. ii Hiere xvii Eccl. xxxii Libâ—o de fide et operibus Capit. ii Sermo de lege et fide Hebre xi Gene. iiii Gene. vi Eccle. xliii Gene. xi Gene. xii Eccle. xiiii Exod. ii Exod. xiiii Iosue vi Daniel vi Daniel iii. In Iho. â—ra â—lv ii Cor. iiii Esaie xliii i. Ihon. ii i. Ihon. iii. i. Ihon. iii â–ª i. Ihon. iii. i. Ihon. v i. Ihon. v. â—ii Ihon. i. i. Ihon. iii. i. Ihon. ii i. Ihon. v. Ihon iii. i. Ihon v. Ihon. vi Matth. xv Apoc. xxi Charitie bringeth furth good woorkes Ihon. xiiii Ihon. xiiii Eccle. i. Eccâ—e xv i. Ihon. i. i. Ihon. ii â–ª i. Ihon. iiii i. Ihon. ii i. Ihon. iii. 〈◊〉 i Pâ—â—er â— Iames. ii i. Peter i. No good worke can bee dooen withoute faithe Ihon. xv Hebre. xi Roma xiiii In prefati Psalme xxxi Matth. vi In prefati Psalme xxxi De vocati Gentium Lib. i. capi iii. In sermons de fide lege spiritu sctoÌ„ â–ª Ihon. vi What workes thei are that spriÌ„g of faith â–ª Matthe xix Matth. xix Matth. xix The workes y t leade to heaueÌ„ be the workes of Gods commaundementes Man froÌ„ his firste fallyng from Godes commaundementes hath euer been redy to do the like and to deuise workes of his awne phantasye to please God withall The deuises Idolatrye of the Gentiles The deuises Idolatrye of the Gentiles Exod xxxii ReligioÌ„s and sectes emong the Iewes Matth. xxiii Matth xv Esai xxix Mans lawes must be obserued and kept but not as Gods lawes Holy tradicions wer estemed as Gods lawes Luke xvi â—oly tradicions 〈…〉 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 is commonly occasion that GOD 〈◊〉 offended Matth xii Matth. xv Math. xxiii Sectes Religions emoÌ„g christian men The .iii. chief vowes of religion Matth. xv 〈◊〉 Other deuised and supersticions Decrees and Decretalles An exhortacioÌ„ to the kepyng of Gods commaundementes A brief rehersall of Godes commaundementes What Charitie is The loue of GOD. Math. x. The loue of thy neighbor Matt. xxii Math. v. Math. v Ihon. v. Mat. xxvi Esai iiii Acteâ— viii Ihon. xliii i. Ihon. iiii Againste carnall men that will not forgâ—ue their enemies â— Pet. ii A question An aunswere Charity hath two offices Roma xiii â— â–ª Timo. v. Howe and in what causes it is lawefull â–ª to sweare Deuter. vi Psal. lxii Ihon. iii. ii Cor. i. Gene. xxiiiâ— Gene. xxi Hebre. vi Hier. iiii What coÌ„dicions a lawful oth ought to haue The â—irste The seconde The thirde Why wee bee willed iÌ„ scripture to sweare by the name of God Esaie xlii Psalme â—l CoÌ„modities had by laweful othes made obserued Uain swearyng is forbidden An obieccion An answere Eccle. xxxiii Another obieccion An aunswere Lawful othes and promises would be better regarded Iosue ix â— Regum xi Unlawful othes and promises are not to bee kept Matth. xiiii Actes xxiii Iudicum xi Againste periurie Eccle. x. Ozee v Esaie xxxi Zacha. vii Hier. vii Hiere vii Orige super Exodi homi xii i. Regum xv The turnyng of God from man Hebre iiii Psal. xcv Esaie v. Matth. xxi Nume xâ— Psal. i. Psal. xxvi Psal. cxlii i. Reg. xv Eze. xviii And .xxxiii. Against desperacion Eze. xxxiii Against presumpcion i. Thessa. v. Ozee xiiii Eccle â–ª xli Luke xvi The firste The seconde The thirde Hebre. ii i. Corin. iii. Roma viii Ihon. vâ— Ihon. vi Ihon. vi â–ª i. Corin. â— Collos. iii. Roma xiiii Hebre. xiii Luke xxiii Luke xvi The seconde cause why some do feare death Philip. ii â–ª Hebre. xii Mat. xxvi The thyrde cause why death is to be feared Ephe. i. Phil. i. Sapien. iii. Sapien. iiii Ihon. xvii Actes vii Ihon â–ª v â–ª Psalm â—xvi Luke ii Psalm cxiiii Apoc. xiiii Galat vi Matth. vi Iames. v. Luke xvi Matth. xxv i. Pet. v. Phil. i. Prouer. viii â–ª Sapien. vi Sapien. vi Deu. xxxii Roma xiii Ihon â–ª xix i. Peter ii i. Peter ii i. Peter ii i. Reg. xiii xix and .xx â–ª i. Reg. xxiiii Obiection Answere Psalm lxxx and .viii. ii Reg. i. 〈◊〉 v. Nume xi Nume xii Nume xxi Nume xvi ii Re. xvâ—ii Eccle. x. Matth. xvii Luke ii i Pet. ii i. Pet. ii Roma xiii Matth. xxii Roma xiii i. Timo. ii Iudith v â–ª Exode xx Deute xxiii Matth. v. Ihon. xv Matth. xv Matth. xv Matthe xv Ihon. xiiii Titus i. Ihon. viii Roma vi i. Ihon. iii. Ihon. viii Roma vi Actes xv Româ— â–ª xii â–ª Roma xiii Ihon. iii. Matth. xiii Roma viii i. Corin. vi i. Corin. vi i. Peter i. Luke i. Esay xxxviii Ephe. v. Galath v. i. Corin. vi i. Peter i. Leui. xi â— xix Math. xix Hebre. iii. Hebre. iii. Gene. vi Gene. iiii Gene. xix Gene. xiii Gene. xx Leuit. xx Num. xxv Psalm v. i. Corin. x. Lâ—wes deuysed for punisâ—â—â—nt of whoredome Luke xi i. Coun. vi Galath v Ephe. v Apo. xxi Math. xiii Luce iii. Remedies whereby to auoyde fornicacion adulterye i. Corin. vii Math. v i. Timo. i i. Timo. ii i. Corin. iii. i. Cor iii. Iames. iii i. Cor. i Ephe. iiii Philip. ii Howe we shoulde reade the scripture Matth. xi Iames. iii. i. Cor. v. Agaynst querell pickinge i Cor. vi i Cor. vi Agaynst froward answeryng Matth. v. Roma xii Deu. xxxii An obiecâ—ion An aunswere i. Peter ii Esai iiii Luke xxiii Actes vii i. Cor. iiii Reasons to moue meÌ„ froÌ„ querel pickiÌ„g Matth. xii Reasons to moue meÌ„ne froÌ„ froward answeryng Prouerb xv i. Regum xâ—v An obieccion Prouer xxvi Ihon. xix An aunswerâ— Matth. iii. Galathi iii. Titus i. Philip. iii. Matth. xxiii Matth. xvi Actes xiii Actes v. Ihon. ii Exod. xxxii Nume xxv But these exaÌ„ples are not to be folowed of euery body but as men be called to office and set in aucthoritie Iames. iiii Prouer. xx i. Peter v. Luke i.
our wil â–ª hartes â–ª might and power to serue him in all good dedes obeyng his commaundementes during our lifes to seke in al thinges his glory and honor not our sensuall pleasures vaynglory euermore dreadynge willingly to offende suche a merciful God louyng redemer in worde thought or dede And the sayde benefites of God depely considered do moue vs for his sake also to be euer redy to geue our selfes to our neighbors and asmuch as lyeth in vs â–ª to study with all oure indeuour to doo good to euery man These be the fruites of the true faythe to do good asmuche as lieth in vs to euery man And aboue all thynges and in all thinges to auaunce the glory of God of whom only we haue our sanctificacion iustificacion saluacion and redempcion â–ª To whome be euer glory prayse and honor â–ª worlde without ende AMEN ¶ A short declaration of the true liuely and Christian Faithe THE firste entrie vnto God good christian people is through faith whereby as it is declared in the laste Sermon we be iustifyed before God And least any maÌ„ should be deceyued for lacke of right vnderstanding thereof it is diligently to be noted that faythe is taken in the scripture two manes of wayes There is one fayth whiche in scripture is called a dead faythe whiche bryngeth furth no good workes but is idle barrain and vnfruitefull And this faith by the holy Apostle sainct Iames is compared to the fayth of deuilles which beleue God to be true and iuste and tremble for feare yet they do nothynge well but al euill And suche a maner of fayth haue the wicked and naughtie thristian people whiche confesse God as saincte Paule sayeth in their mouthe but denye hym in their deedes beynge abhominable and withoute the righte fayth and to all good workes reproueable And this faith is a persuasioÌ„ and belief in maÌ„nes harte wherby he knoweth that there is a God and assenteth vnto all trueth of Gods moste holye worde conteyned in holy scripture So that it consisteth onely in beleuing of the woorde of God that it is true And thys is not properlye called faythe But as he that readeth Cesars Commentaries beleuyng thesame to be true hath thereby a knowledge of Cesars lyfe and noble actes because he beleueth the history of Cesar yet it is not properly saied that he beleueth in Cesar of whome he loketh for no helpe nor benefite Euen so he that beleueth that all that is spoken of God in the Bible is true and yet liueth so vngodly that he caÌ„not loke to enioy the promises and benefites of God although it maye be saide that such a man hath a faith belief to y e wordes of God yet it is not properly saied that he beleueth in God or hath suche a fayth truste in God wherby he may surely loke for grace mercy eternall lyfe at Gods hand but rather for indignacion punishment according to the merites of hys wicked life For as it is written in a boke entituled to be of Didimus AlexaÌ„drinus forasmuch as faith without workes is ded it is not now faith as a ded man is not a man This ded faith therfore is not y t sure and substancial faith which saueth synners Another fayth there is in scripture whiche is not as the foresayde faith idle vnfruitfull and dead but worketh by charitie as S. Paule declareth Gal. v. Whiche as the other vayn faith is called a ded faithe so maye thys be called a quicke or liuely faith And this is not onely the coÌ„mon belefe of the Articles of our faith but it is also a sure truste and confidence of the mercy of God through our lorde Iesus Christ and a stedfast hope of all good thynges to be receiued at Gods hande that although we through infirmitie or temptacioÌ„ of our ghostly enemie do fall from him by synne yet if we returne agayn vnto hym by true repentaunce that he wyll forgeue forget oure offences for hys sonnes sake our sauior Iesus Christ will make vs inheritors with him of his euerlastyng kyngdom and that in the meane tyme vntyll that kyngdom come he will â—e our protector and defendor in all perils daungers whatsoeuer do chaunce and that though somtyme he doth sende vs sharpe aduersitie yet y t euermore he wilbe a louyng father vnto vs correctyng vs for our synne but not withdrawyng hys mercy finally from vs if we trust in hym and commit our selfes wholy vnto hym hang onely vpon hym and call vpon hym ready to obey and serue hym Thys is the true liuely and vnfayned christian faith and is not in the mouthe and outward profession onely but it liueth and stirreth inwardly in the hart And this faythe is not without hope and truste in God nor without the loue of God and of our neyghbors nor without the feare of God nor without y e desyre to heare Gods worde and to folowe thesame in eschewyng euill and doyng gladly all good workes Thys faith as sainct Paule describeth it is the sure ground and foundacioÌ„ of the benefites whiche we ought to loke for and trust to receyue of God a certificat sure expectacion of them although they yet sensiblie appere not vnto vs. And after he saith he that coÌ„meth to God must beleue both that he is that he is a mercifull rewarder of wel doers And nothyng coÌ„mendeth good men vnto God so muche as this assured faith trust in him Of this faithe iij. thinges are specially to be noted First that this faithe doth not lye ded in the hart but is liuely and fruitful in bringing furth good workes Second y â— without it caÌ„ no good workes be doen y t shalbe acceptable pleasauÌ„t to God Thirde what maner of good workes thei be y t this faith doth bryng furth For the first as the light cannot be hid but will shewe furthe it self at one place or other So a true faith cannot be kept secret but when occasion is offered it will breake out shew it self by good workes And as the liuyng body of a maÌ„ euer exerciseth suche thinges as belongeth to a naturall liuyng body for nourishement preseruacion of thesame as it hath nede opportunitie and occasion euen so the soule that hath a liuely faith in it wyl be doyng alwaye some good worke whiche shall declare that it is liuyng and will not be vnoccupied Therfore when men heare in the scriptures so high coÌ„mendacions of faythe that it maketh vs to please God to liue with God and to be the children of God if then they phantasie â–ª that thei be set at libertie froÌ„ doyng all good workes and may liue as thei liste thei trifle with God deceyue themselfes And it is a manifest token that thei be farre from hauing the true and liuely faith also farre from knowledge what true faith meaneth For the very sure liuelye christian faith is not
only to beleue al thinges of God whiche are conteyned in holy scripture but also is an earnest trust and cōfidence in God that he doth regarde vs and hath cure of vs as the father of the child whom he doth loue and that he will be mercifull vnto vs for his onely sonnes sake and that we haue our sauior Christ oure perpetuall aduocate priest in whose onely merites oblacion sufferyng we do trust that oure offences be continually wasshed and purged whensoeuer we repentyng truly do returne to hym with our whole harte stedfastly determinyng with our selfes through his grace to obey and serue him in kepyng his commaundemētes and neuer to turne backe again to synne Such is the true faythe that the scripture doeth somuche cōmende the whiche when it seeth and considereth what God hath doen for vs is also moued through continual assistence of the spirite of God to serue please hym to kepe hys fauor to feare hys displeasure to continue his obedient childrē shewing thākefulnes agayn by obseruyng his cōmaundementes and that frely for true loue chiefly and not for dread of punishement or loue of temporall reward cōsideryng how clerely without our deseruynges we haue receyued his mercy and pardon frely Thys true faythe will shewe furthe it selfe and cannot longe be idle For as it is written The iuste man doth liue by his fayth He neither sleapeth nor is idle when he should wake and be well occupyed And God by his prophete Hieremie sayeth that he is a happy and blessed man whiche hath fayth and confidence in God For he is lyke a tree sette by the water syde that spreedeth hys rootes abroode towarde the moysture and feareth not heate when it commeth his leafe will be grene and will not cease to brynge furth his fruite Euen so faithefull men puttyng awaye all feare of aduersitie wyll shewe furthe the fruite of their good workes as occasion is offered to do them The Wisemā saieth he that beleueth in God wil harken vnto his commaundementes For if we doo not shewe our selfes faithfull in oure conuersacion the faith which we pretend to haue is but a fayned faith because the true Christian faith is manifestly shewed by good liuyng and not by woordes onely as sainct Augustine saith good liuyng cānot be separated frō true faith which worketh by loue And S. Chrisostome saith faith of it self is full of good workes as sone as a mā doth beleue he shalbe garnished with thē How plētifull this faith is of good workes and how it maketh the woorke of one man more acceptable to God then of another S. Paule teacheth at large in the .xj. chap. to the Hebr. saiyng that faith made the oblacion of Abell better then y e oblaciō of Cain This made Noe to buyld y e arcke This made Abraham to forsake his countrey and all his frendes and to go vnto a far countrey there to dwel emong straungers So did also Isaac and Iacob dependyng onely of the helpe and trust that they had in God And when they came to the countrey which God promysed them they would buylde no cities townes nor houses but liued like straungers in tentes that might euery daye be remoued Their trust was so muche in God that they set but litle by any worldly thyng for that god had prepared for them better dwelling places in heauē of hys awne foundacion and buylding This faithe made Abraham ready at Gods commaundement to offre hys awne sonne and heire Isaac whom he loued so well by whom he was promysed to haue innumerable issue emong the whiche one shoulde be borne in whom all nacions should be blessed trustynge so muche in God that though he were slain yet y e God was able by his omnipotent power to raise him frō death perfourme his promyse He mistrusted not the promise of god although vnto hys reason euery thyng semed contrary He beleued verely that God woulde not forsake hym in dearthe and famyne y t was in the countrey And in al other daungers that he was brought vnto he trusted euer y t God would be hys God and his protector whatsoeuer he sawe to the contrary Thys faithe wrought so in the hart of Moses that he refused to be takē for Kyng Pharao hys daughters sonne and to haue great inheritaunce in Egypt thinkyng it better with the people of God to haue affliction and sorowe then with naughtie men in synne to lyue pleasauntly for a tyme By faith he cared not for the threatenynge of kyng Pharao for his trust was so in God that he passed not of the felicitie of this worlde but loked for the rewarde to come in heauen settyng hys hart vpon the inuisible God as if he had seen hym euer present before hys eyes By faith the children of Israel passed through the redde sea By fayth the walles of Hiericho fell doune without stroke and many other wonderfull miracles haue been wrought In al good men that heretofore haue been faithe hath brought furth their good woorkes and obteyned the promises of God Faith hath stopped the Lions mouthes faithe hath quenched the force of fire faith hath escaped the swordes edges faithe hath geuen weake men strength victorie in battaill ouerthrowen the armies of infidels raised y e dedde to lyfe faith hath made good men to take aduersitie in good parte some haue been mocked and whipped bounde and caste in prison some haue loste all their goodes and liued in great pouertye some haue wādered in moūtaines hilles and wildernesse some haue been racked some slayn some stoned some sawē some rent in peces some hedded some brent without mercy and would not be deliuered because they loked to rise agayne to a better state All these fathers martyrs and other holy men whom sainct Paul spake of had theyr fayth surely fired in God when all the worlde was agaynst thē They did not onely knowe God to be the Lord maker and gouernor of all men in the worlde but also they had a special confidence and trust that he was and would be their God their comfortor aider helper mainteyner and defendor This is the Christiā faythe whiche these holy men had and we also ought to haue And although thei were not named christian mē yet was it a christian faithe that they had for they looked for all benefites of God the father throughe the merites of hys sonne Iesu Christe as we now do This difference is betwene thē and vs for they looked when Christ should come and we be in the tyme when he is come Therfore saieth sainct Augustyne the tyme is altered but not the faythe For we haue both one fayth in one Christ. Thesame holy Ghost also that we haue had they saieth sainct Paule For as the holy Ghoste doeth teache vs to trust in God and to call vpon hym as our father so did he teache them to saye as it is wrytten Thou Lord arte our father and
redemer and thy name is without beginnyng and euerlastyng God gaue thē then grace to be hys chyldren as he doeth vs now But now by the cōming of our sauior Christ we haue receyued more abūdātly the spirite of god in our hartes wherby we maye cōceyue a greater faithe a surer truste then many of them had But in effect they we be al one we haue thesame faith that they had in God thei thesame y t we haue And s Paul so muche extolleth their faith because we should no lesse but rather more geue oure selfes wholy vnto Christ both in profession liuing now when Christ is come then y e olde fathers did before his cōmyng And by all the declaraciō of s Paule it is euident that the true liuely and christian fayth is no dead vain or vnfruictfull thyng but a thyng of perfecte vertue of wonderful operacion and strength bryngyng furth all good mocions good workes All holye scripture agreably beareth witnesse that a true liuely faith in Christ doeth bryng furth good workes and therfore euery mā must examine himself diligētly to know whether he haue thesame true liuely faythe in hys harte vnfaynedly or not whiche he shall know by the fruictes therof Many that professed the faith of Christ were in this error that they thoughte they knewe God and beleued in hym when in their lyfe they declared the contrarye whiche error sainct Ihon in his first Epistle confutynge writeth in this wyse Hereby we are certified that we know god if we obserue his cōmaundemētes he that saieth he knoweth god obserueth not his cōmaundemētes is a liar the trueth is not in him And again he saieth whosoeuer synneth doeth not se God nor knowe him let no man deceiue you welbeloued childrē And moreouer he saieth hereby we know y t we be of the truth so we shal perswade our hartes before hym For if our awne hartes reproue vs God is aboue our hartes and knoweth al thinges Welbeloued if our hartes reproue vs not the◠haue we confidence in God and shall haue of hym whatsoeuer we aske because we kepe hys commaundementes and do those thynges that please hym And yet further he saieth euery man that beleueth that Iesus is Christe is borne of God we knowe that whosoeuer is borne of God doeth not synne but the generacion of God purgeth him and the deuill doth not touche hym And finally he concludeth shewing the cause why he wrote this epistle sayth For this cause haue I thus written vnto you that you maye knowe that you haue euerlastyng lyfe whiche do beleue in the sonne of God And in hys thirde Epistle he confirmeth the whole matter of faith and workes in fewe wordes saiyng he that doth well is of God and he that doeth euill knoweth not God And as s. Ihō saieth that as the liuely knowledge and faith of God bryngeth furth good workes so saieth he likewise of hope Charitie that they cannot stande with euill liuynge Of hope he writeth thus we knowe that when God shall appere we shalbe lyke vnto hym for we shall se hym euen as he is And who soeuer hath this hope in hym doth purifie himself like as God is pure And of charitie he saieth these woordes He that doeth kepe Gods woorde or commaundemente in hym is truely the perfecte loue of God And agayne he saieth this is the loue of God that we should kepe hys commaundementes And s. Ihon wrote not this as a subtile proposicion deuised of hys awne phantasie but as a moste certain necessarie truth taught vnto him by Christ himself the eternall in fallible veritie who in many places doth moste clerely affirme that fayth hope charitie cannot consist without good godly workes Of faith he saith He that beleueth in the sonne hath euerlastyng life but he that beleueth not in the sōne shal not se that life but the wrath of God remayneth vpō him And thesame he confirmeth with a double othe saiyng Forsothe forsothe I saye vnto you he y t beleueth in me hath euerlastyng lyfe ▪ Now for asmuch as he that beleueth in Christ hath euerlastīg lyfe it must nedes consequently folow that he y t hath this faith must haue also good workes be studious to obserue Gods cōmaundemetes obediently For to thē that haue euill workes leade their lyfe in disobedience transgression of Gods commaundemētes without repentaūce perteineth not euerlasting life but euerlastyng death as Christ himself saieth they that do wel shal go into life eternal but thei that do euill shal go into y e eternal fire And again he saith I am the first lettre the last the beginnyng the endyng to him y t is a thirste I wil geue of the welle of the water of lyfe frely He that hath the victorye shal haue all thynges I will be his God and he shalbe my sonne But thei y t be fearfull mistrusting God lacking faith thei y t be cursed people murderers fornicators sorserers Idolaters all liars shall haue their porciō in y e lake that burneth with fire brimstone which is the secōd death And as Christe vndoubtedly affirmeth that true faythe bringeth furth good workes so doth he say likewyse of charitie Whosoeuer hath my cōmaūdementes kepeth thē y t is he y t loueth me And after he saieth he that loueth me will kepe my worde he y t loueth me not kepeth not my woordes And as the loue of God is tried by good workes so is the feare of God also as the Wisemā saieth y e dread of God putteth awaye synne And also he saieth he that feareth god wil do good workes A man may sone deceiue hym self thinke in hys awne phātasie that he by fayth knoweth God loueth him feareth him belongeth to him whē in very dede he doth nothyng lesse For the triall of all these thinges is a very godly christian lyfe He that feleth hys harte set to seke Gods honor studieth to know the wil cōmaundemētes of God to cōforme himself therunto leadeth not hys life after the desire of hys awne fleshe to serue y e deuill by synne but setteth hys minde to serue God for gods awn sake for his sake also to loue al hys neighbors whether they be frēdes or aduersaryes doyng good to euery mā as opportunitie serueth willingly hurtyng no mā Such a mā maye wel reioyce in God perceiuinge by the trade of his life y t he vnfamedly hath y e right knowledge of God a liuely fayth a constant hope a true vnfeined loue feare of god ▪ But he y t casteth awaie y e yoke of gods cōmaundemētes frō hys necke geueth hymself to liue without true repētaūce after hys awne sensual mynde pleasure not regardynge to knowe Gods worde much lesse to
liue according therunto such a man clerely deceiueth himself seeth not hys awn harte if he thinketh y t he either knoweth god loueth him feareth him or trusteth in him Some peraduēture phātasie in themselfes y t thei belōg to God althouh they lyue in synne so they come to y e Church shewe thēselfes as Gods dere childrē But s Ihō sayth plaīly if we saie y t we haue any company with God and walke in darkenesse we do lye Other doo vainly thīke that thei know loue God although they passe not of his cōmaundementes But s. Ihon saieth clerely he y t saieth I know God kepeth not hys cōmaūdementes he is a liar Some falsly perswade thēselfes y t thei loue God whē they hate their neighbors But s. Ihon saieth manifestly if any mā say I loue god yet hateth his brother he is a liar He that saieth y t he is in the light hateth his brother he is stil ī darkenesse He y t loueth his brother dwelleth in the light but he y t hateth hys brother is in darkenesse walketh in darkenesse and knoweth not whether he goeth for darkenesse hath blynded hys eyes And moreouer he saieth hereby we manifestly knowe the childrē of God from the children of the deuill He that doeth not righteously is not the childe of God nor he that hateth hys brother Deceiue not your selfes therfore thinkynge that you haue faith in God or that you loue God or do truste in hym or do feare hym when you lyue in sinne for then your vngodly sinfull life declareth y e contrary whatsoeuer ye saye or thinke It perteineth to a christian man to haue this true christian fayth and to trye himself whether he hath it or no to knowe what belongeth to it how it doeth worke in hym It is not the worlde that we can trust to ▪ the world and all that is therin is but vanitie It is God that muste be oure defence and protection against all tēptacion of wickednesse sinne errors supersticiō ydolatrie al euill If al the world were on our side God agaīst vs what could y ◠worlde auaile vs Therfore let vs set our whole fayth and trust in God neither the worlde the deuil nor al y e power of thē shal preuayle agaynst vs. Let vs therfore good christiā people trie examyne our faith what it is let vs not flatter our selfes but loke vpō our woorkes and so iudge of our fayth what it is Christe hīself speaketh of this matter saieth The tree is knowen by the fruicte Therefore let vs doo good workes therby declare our faythe to be y e liuely christian faith Let vs by suche vertues as ought to spryng out of fayth shew our elecciō to be sure stable as s. Peter teacheth Endeuor your selfs to make your calling electiō certain by good workes And also he saieth minister or declare in youre faith vertue in vertue knowledge in knowledge tēperaunce in tēperaunce paciēce again in pacience Godlinesse in Godlinesse brotherly charitie in brotherly charitie loue So shall we shew in dede y t we haue y e very liuely christiā faith may so both certefie our cōscience the better that we be in the righte faith also by these meanes cōfirme other men If these fruictes do not folowe we do but mocke with God deceiue our selfes also other mē Wel maye we beare y e name of Christiā mē but we do lacke the true faith that doeth belonge thereunto For true faithe doeth euer brynge furthe good workes as s. Iames saieth shewe me thy faythe by thy deedes Thy deedes workes must be an opē testimonial of thy fayth otherwise thy fayth beyng without good workes is but the deuils faith y e faith of y e wicked a phantasy of faith not a true christian faith And like as the deuils euil people be nothyng the better for their counterfet faith but it is vnto them the more cause of dāpnacion so thei y t be christened and haue receiued knowledge of God of Christes merites and yet of a set purpose do liue idlely without good workes thinkyng y e name of a naked faith to be either sufficiēt for thē or els settyng their mindes vpō vain pleasures of this world do liue in syn w tout repentaūce not vtteryng the fruites y t do belōg to suche an high profession vpon suche presūpteous persōs wilful synners must nedes remain y e great vengeaunce of God eternal punishmēt in hel prepared for y e deuil wicked liuers Therfore as you professe y e name of Christ good christian people let no suche phantasy and imaginacion of faith at any time beguile you but be sure of your faith trie it by your liuyng loke vpon the fruites y t commeth of it marke the increase of loue charitie by it towades God and your neighbor so shal you perceiue it to be a true liuely faith If you fele perceiue suche a faith in you reioyce in it be diligēt to maintein it and kepe it stil in you let it be daily increasing and more more by wel workyng so shal ye be sure y t you shal pleace god by this faith at the length as other faithful mē haue doen before so shal you whē his wil is come to him receiue thēde and final reward of your faith as s. Peter nameth it the saluacion of your soules the which God graunt vs that hath promised thesame vnto his faithfull To whō be al honor and glory worlde without ende Amen ¶ An Homelie or sermon of good woorkes annexed vnto faithe IN the last Sermon was declared vnto you what the liuely and true faithe of a christiā man is that it causeth not a man to be idle but to be occupied in bringyng furthe good workes as occasion serueth Now by Gods grace shalbe declared the seconde thyng that before was noted of faith that without it can no good worke be doen acceptable and pleasaunt vnto God For as a braunche cannot beare fruit of it self saith our sauior Christ except it abide in the vine so cannot you except you abide in me I am the vine and you be the braunches he that abydeth in me and I in hym he bringeth furthe muche fruit for without me you can do nothyng And S. Paule proueth that Enoche had faithe because he pleased God For without faithe saieth he it is not possible to please God And again to the Romay he saith whatsoeuer worke is doen without faith it is sinne Faith geueth life to the soule and thei bee asmuche ded to God that lacke faith as thei be to the world whose bodies lacke soules Without faith al that is doen of vs is but ded before God although the woorke seme neuer so gaie and glorious before man Euen as the picture grauen or painted is but a ded
to be dissolued and losed frō hys body and to be with Christ which as he sayde was much better for him althoughe to them it was more necessary y t he should liue which he refused not for their sakes Euen like as sainct Martyn sayde good Lorde if I be necessary for thy people to do good vnto them I will refuse no labor but els for myne awne selfe I beseche the to take my soule Now the holy fathers of the olde lawe and all faythful and righteous men which departed before our sauior Christes ascencion into heauen dyd by death departe from troubles vnto rest frō the handes of theyr enemies into y e hādes of God frō sorowes sickenesses vnto ioyful refreashing into Abrahās bosome a place of al cōfort cōsolaciō as scriptures do plainly by manifest wordes testifie The boke of Wisedō saith y t the righteous mens soules be in the hand of God no torment shal touche thē They semed to the eyes of folishe men to dye and their death was cōpted miserable and theyr departing out of this worlde wretched but thei be in rest And another place saieth that the righteous shall liue for euer and their rewarde is with the Lorde their myndes be with God who is aboue al. Therfore they shall receyue a glorious kyngdome and a beautifull croune at the Lordes hand And in another place thesame boke saieth y e righteous though he be preuented with sodain death neuerthelesse he shalbe there where he shalbe refreshed Of Abrahās bosome Christes wordes be so playne that a christē man nedeth no more profe of it Now then if thys were y e state of y e holy fathers righteous mē before the cōminge of our sauior and before he was glorified how much more then oughte all wee to haue a stedfast faith a sure hope of this blessed state cōdicion after our death Seynge that oure sauior now hath perfourmed the whole worke of oure redempcion and is gloriously ascended into heauen to prepare oure dwellinge places with hym saied vnto hys father Father I will that where I am my seruauntes shalbe with me And we knowe that whatsoeuer Christe wyll hys father will the same wherfore it cannot be but if we be his faythfull seruauntes our soules shalbe with hym after oure departynge out of this present life Sainct Stephin when he was stoned to death euen in the middest of hys tormentes what was hys mynde moste vpon When he was full of the holy Ghoste sayeth holye scripture hauynge hys eyes lifted vp into heauen he sawe the glory of God and Iesus standinge on the righte hande of God The which truth after he had confessed boldely before the enemies of Christ they drewe hym oute of the citie and there they stoned hym who cried vnto God saiynge Lorde Iesu Christe take my spirite And doeth not oure sauior saye playnely in saincte Ihons Gospel Uerely verely I saye vnto you he that heareth my woorde beleueth on hym y t sente me hath euerlastynge lyfe and commeth not into iudgemēt but shall passe frō death to lyfe Shall we not then thinke that death to be precious by the whiche we passe vnto lyfe Therfore it is a true saiynge of the Prophete the death of the holy and righteous mē is precious in the Lordes sighte Holy Simeon after that he had hys hartes desire in seynge oure sauior that he euer longed for all hys lyfe he embraced hym in his armes and sayde Now Lord let me departe in peace for myne eyes haue beholdē that sauior which thou haste prepared for all nacions It is truthe therefore that the death of the righteous is called peace and the benefite of the Lord as the Church saieth in y e name of the righteousnes departed out of this world My soule turne the to thy rest for the Lorde hath bene good to the and rewarded the. And we se by holy scripture and other auncient Histories of Martyrs that the holy faithfull and righteous euer syns Christes ascencion in their death did not doubte but that they went to be with Christe in spirite whiche is oure lyfe healthe wealth and saluacion Ihon in his holy Reuelaciō saw a C.xl. and .iiij. M. virgins and innocentes of whome he saide These folow the Lābe Iesu Christ wheresoeuer he goeth And shortly after in thesame place he saieth I heard a voyce frō heauen saiyng vnto me Write happye and blessed are the dead whiche dye in the Lorde from hencefurthe surelye saieth the syirite they shall reste from theyr paynes and labours for their woorkes do folow them So that then they shall reape with ioye and comforte that whiche they sowed with labors and paynes They that sowe in the spirit of the spirit shall reape euerlastynge lyfe Let vs therefore neuer be wery of well doynge for when the tyme of reapynge or reward commeth we shal reape without any werines euerlastynge ioye Therfore whyle we haue time as saincte Paule exhorteth vs let vs doo good to all men not lay vp our treasurers in earth where ruste and mothes corrupt it whiche ruste as sainct Iames saieth shall beare witnes against vs at the great daye condempne vs and shal like most brennynge fyre tormente oure fleashe Let vs beware therefore as we tendre oure awne wealthe that we be not in the numbre of those miserable coueteous men whiche sainct Iames biddeth mourne and lament for their gredy gatherynge and vngodly kepynge of goodes Let vs be wise in time and learne to folowe the wise example of the wicked Stuarde Let vs so prudently dispose oure goodes and possessions committed vnto vs here by God for a ceason that we maye truely heare and obeye this commaundement of oure sauior Christes I saye vnto you sayeth he make you frendes of the wicked Mammon that they maye receiue you into euerlastynge tabernacles Ryches he calleth wicked because the worlde abuseth them vnto all wickednes which are otherwise the good gifte of God and the instrumentes whereby Gods seruauntes do truely serue hym in vsynge of thesame He commaunded them not to make them ryche frendes to get hyghe dignities and worldly possessiōs to geue great giftes to ryche men that haue no neede thereof but to make theim frendes of poore and miserable men vnto whome whatsoeuer they geue Christe accepteth it as geuen to hymselfe And to these frendes Christe in the Gospell geueth so greate honor and preeminence that he sayeth they shall receyue theyr benefactors into euerlastynge houses Not that men shalbe oure rewarders for our well doyng but that Christ will rewarde vs and take it to be done vnto hymselfe whatsoeuer is doone to suche frendes Thus makynge poore wretches oure frendes we make oure sauioure Christe oure frende whose membres they are whose miserie as he taketh for hys awne misery so theyr reliefe succour and helpe he taketh for hys succoure reliefe and helpe and will asmuche thanke vs and rewarde