the law and rested theron and vtterly contemned the grace of our lord Iesus Christ And what was the reason Forsooth because he looked no further but vnto the dead letter and outward shew thereof as when it is saide Thou shalt not kill in verie deed he right well knew that he was no murtherer Afterward it is said Thou shalt not commit adultrie neuer any man knew him to be a leacher or whoremaister Next after Thou shalt not steale neither yet was it euer knowne that he was a theefe And therefore he thought himself to be cleare before God Thus wee see how in what a sound drowsie sleepe he was in his vaine flatteries But afterward God awakened him and drew him further on and made him enter and search into the depth of his thoughts And where it is said Thou shalt not couet then he saw himselfe so conuicted and condemned as that there was no more absolution for him For he felt a great many of vanities in himselfe that tickled him his weakenes made him thinke vpon many temptations and hee knew that he was not able to discharge himselfe of the hundreth part of the loue of GOD which ought to be in al the faithful This did Saint Paul know and so we see how that he like a miserable dead man forgot his life whereof he was beguiled deceiued acknowledged himself to be altogither like a wretched rotten carkes before God For the law so slue him as that hee had nothing in the world to presume vpon in himselfe And therfore as I haue alreadie said wee may see that there is an especiall reason conteined in the lawe of God to shewe vs that there is nothing in vs but coÌ„demnation For we must chiefly stand here vpon euery commandement Wee must haue but one only God And what is he how must wee honour and serue him Seeing then that we must be wholy bound and tied vnto him let vs looke after none other good felicitie nor reioycing but to glorifie him let there be neuer heard from our mouthes anie thing els but praises thanksgiuing vnto his maiesty let it not be perceiued any maner of way but that we forsake the world and wholy desire to come vnto him to magnifie his name as he worthily deserueth Thus then wee see the foure Commandements of the first table set here before vs. Now when we shal haue throughly serched the contents of them let vs theÌ„ come to the examining of our selues and we shall finde that in steed of resting vpon him we are become verie wilde roges vacabonds and such also as that our thoughts imaginations do lead vs and carry vs away euery where And first let vs come to speake of praier for this action should cause vs that are here beneath on the earth to haue our cogitations in heauen because we are then as it were in the presence of our God And yet notwithstanding when wee do praie what a number of friuolous imaginations shall wee haue in our heades which will holde vs their captiues And seeing it is so what must be the rest of our whole life Euen the lyke will become of all the Commandements of the lawe when as we shall compare them with our liues And therefore wee shall not finde one onely death but an hundreth thousand Furthermore wee see also how God in his lawe meaneth to touch vs to the quicke for it is sayd that the heart must in deede and in good earnest bee wounded For after that this sentence is pronounced Deu. â—7 26 Cursed bee hee that shall not doo all thinges which heere are written hee is not contented alone to bee Iudge and to haue thus condemned vs by his owne mouth but will haue the people also to say Amen that is to say he wil haue euery man to condemne himselfe willingly and of his owne accord and so be altogither held as condemned confessing the sentence which he hath giuen to be iust and right So then we see how the law driueth vs so to enter to examine trie our life that we shal finde no hope in our selues but bee driuen to seeke the beginning of our righteousnes at our Lord Iesus Christ his hand Now we see that these two things are as contrary one to another as fire and water as to be accounted righteous before God by our works and to be accepted of him by the vertue and power of faith For as Saint Paul saith if wee should bring any thing that is ours no doubt of it God should then be beholden vnto vs although wee were neither wholly nor yet perfectly righteous yet how euer it were there might some proportionable reward be done vnto vs. But it is saide that faith and workes can neuer agree togither and therefore this must be our conclusion that when we are iustified by faith workes must needes cease and be nothing worth Now this at the first sight may seeme to be an hard kinde of speech to wit that faith and good works can neuer go togither for it might seeme that if faith onely iustifieth that the raines are slacked and let lose to all iniquitie Gal. 3.12 Now S. Paul speaketh this according to a certaine qualitie and regard as he also speaketh of the law and faith the law saith he can no way agree with faith for they are two incompatible things And in what sort For is not God as well the Authour of the law as of the Ghospell Is there any contrarietie or repugnancie in him without doubt no for hee is vnchangeable Why then findeth S. Paul such a contrarietie betweene the law and the Ghospell Forsooth it is in respect of our iustificatioÌ„ And euen so is it between faith works and the contrarietie is this because workes are made merits And that which is more we can doo no good worke but by faith as wee haue already said and hereafter shal be more largely handled For the cause and the effect are not contraries but when we wil establish any merit in our works that is to say when as we wil go about to make theÌ„ auailable to obtain fauor at Gods hand to satisfie for our sinnes to be short when as we would bring them in to serue vs for our saluation this is vtterly to ouerthrow faith by this means make it of no worth Thus then we see that it is not without cause why Saint Paul concludeth thus That seeing we are iustified by faith then are workes of no value but must be quite and cleane shut out of the doores for any opinion that wee ought to attribute vnto merites or vertues whereby to please God withall Now we are here eftsoones to note that God of his meere liberalitie iustifieth vs and searcheth after our miseries to sustain them that he might be knowne to be only righteous the commendation of our saluation to bee absolutely giuen vnto him accordingly as Saint Paul right well noteth both in
a man shall see him as the scripture speaketh to become a new creature And without doubt we can neuer be said to be right Christians without we be after that maner renued and be made the workemanship of God created in our Lord Iesus Christ to doo the workes which God hath prepared all this I say must be in it But herein may seeme to be some absurditie God iustified the theefe that was hanged because he acknowledged his saluation to be in Iesus Christ and when hee was iustified had hee none other qualitie in him then he had before Yes verely Why then say we that free righteousnes hath hir course all our life long In deed a faithfull man will at the least be well affected to hold himselfe within the compasse of Gods obedience he will be displeased with his sinnes yea groane and greeue for them and his chiefe deâ—â—re wil be to frame his life according to the lawe Now when a faithful man is come to this we must not say that hee is iustified as hee was at the first bicause he was then a dissolute man and altogither estranged from God To this we answere when God at the first iustifieth vs that is to saie when hee hath mercy vpon vs and plucketh vs out from that condemnation wherein we were he vseth then a generall pardon and then when hee iustifieth vs afterward he then acknowkledgeth the benefits which hee hath bestowed vpon vs and auoweth alloweth them for he cannot deny himself when he gouerneth vs by his holy spirit although sinne dwelleth in vs yet reigneth it not in vs as it is written Although wee doo not the good which wee would yet wee striue to do it And therefore God alloweth and liketh of that because it commeth from him but here we are to note that he iustifieth vs both in our persons and also in our workes by faith only For when he receiueth vs at the first he cannot iustifie anie workes that are in vs. And why so because they are all wicked For as wee haue alreadie saide what fruit can a rotten tree bring forth And therefore when God draweth vnto him miserable sinners that are banished and cast out of his kingdome and Church he doth not iustifie their works but beholding their miseries and hauing compassion of their perdition lo for that cause he iustifieth them Now after that hee hath receiued them he iustifieth them in their persons that is to say he accepteth them as his children and after that he iustifieth their workes and how doth he that Forsooth not by calling them to an account nor iudging them rigorously for there will be alwaies as I haue said some corruptioÌ„ amongst or els some slips and by slidings and such like things which wil marre all For if a man put the best wine in the worlde into an vnsauery hogshead or into a fustie bottle the wine wil be all mard Euen so fareth it with all our works for so long as God guideth and gonerneth vs by his holy spirit they ar good holy commendable but marke what vessels we are surely very filthy corrupt Euen so are our works therfore God must purge cleanse them And how is that verily euen by his grace in pardoning the faults imperfectioÌ„s which are in them Wherfore euen as there is diuersitie between a faithfull man whoÌ„ God calleth at the beginning vnto the Gospel so also is there some diuersity in iustificatioÌ„ But it altereth not in this behalf that is that God alwaies iustifieth his freely that is to say that he accepteth them not for anie vertues that are in theÌ„selues for there is none at all in them neither yet for those which he hath bestowed vpon them for they are to be condemned by reason of the infirmitie that is in them But because as Saint Paule saith That those whome hee hath chosen he hath iustified Here then we see in summe what we are to retaine as touching the motion of this question Now we are to note that ouer and besides the thing which the Papists imagine that we may partly obtaine to be righteous and so consequently bee pardoned at Gods hand they are too too grosSecondly deceiued bicaly deceiued in their satisfactions and blind also I say in this they are to thinke themselues to haue certaine vertues which God ought to allow and like of But in very deed they are ashamed to say that their workes doo merite but that they carry some likelihood with them for say they although they do not perfectly merit yet is it meet that God who is iust should accept of that good which they do Yea but they are so farre blinded in their righteousnes as that they vnderstand not their sinnes as we haue alreadie said Againe they are secondly deceiued bicause they think themselues able to acquite themselues by their satisfactions I will heere forbeare to speake what their satisfactions are because they are most foolish whereby they do nothing else but prouoke the heauy wrath of God against them thinking to pay him with filthie toyes and trifles to wit with superstitions deuised of their owne braine for what satisfactions can we make to deliuer vs from the iudgement of God And what is the committing of one sinne worthie of Truely we thinke that when wee haue violated the righteousnes of God and haue payd some small portion for it that we haue done inough Must we not thinke that Sathan wholly possesseth vs when as we become thus arrogant Now this is the greatest part of Popish doctrine to be pardoned when as we haue deserued rather to be punished And this proceedeth herehence because they think they should be iustified by their workes and therefore they saie that this is but coniecturall for they cannot choose but see that if wee examine our selues we shal come short in the end neither can wee haue that which is requisite for the making vp of our accountes before God to say that we are discharged But ouer and besides this coniecture they haue another foolish toye in their heads which is this why say they if it were true that God fououred vs to day it may be that hee would not doo so to morrow Now they neuer thinke that faith is alwaies accompanied with hope and that hope extendeth it selfe both in life death And we see also besides that there is a farre greater fault that is they neuer looke vnto the last article of death whereof we will speake God willing hereafter And therefore we will at this time go on with that wee haue begun which is they thinke to satisfie and appaise God when as they bring with them some recompence for the sinnes iniquities which they haue committed Wherin they robbe God of his honor for if it were so then hee alone were not sufficient to reconcile vs vnto God his father Now it is not without cause that he is called our ransome for hee made himselfe our suretie vpon
our sinnes And thus much as touching the definition of the word And yet wee are taught that it is the proper office of God to iustifie vs. For he saith that he was in Iesus Christ in recoÌ„cilng the world vnto himselfeâ— and besides hee is ouâ— righteousnes that is to saie hee alloweth and liketh of vs why then is it sayd that faith iustifieth Forsooth euen this way for if wee did looke vnto the principall cause and sought out who is the Authour of our saluation wee would still saie that GOD of his meere goodnes iustifieth vs because hee hath mercie vppon vs imputeth not our sinnes but pardoneth vs. Now it is Iesus Christ also that for his part iustifieth vs because hee is the verie true matter of our iustification Where then must we seeke after it In the washing of his blood which hee shed for vs in the sacrifice which hee offered for the recompence of our sinnes in that hee rendered full obedience in such sort Ioh. 17. as that all our offences are buried and blotted out because hee was sanctied for vs as in the seuenteenth of Saint Iohn it is saide Thus then we see after what maner and degree Iesus Christ iustifieth vs. Now in that it is saide that faith iustifieth vs is not by reason of the power and venue that is in it or for anie woorthinesse that it hath And herein it is that the Papists are deâ—â—â—ued for they make a comparison betweene faith and workes and say how is it that faith iustifieth more then loue For S. Paul saith That Loue is greater then Faith True it is that they mistake this place but admit that loue were more worthy then faith For we do not now speake about such trifling toyes as to say that hee were worthie to be the greatest king in the world that could may nure and dresse the ground as wel as any husband man or vine-dresser And euen so fareth it with faith for it iustifieth vs not as I haue already said for any excellency that is in it selfe but because it borroweth that of Iesus Christ which is wanting in vs. And therefore is it that S. Paul saith That the righteousnes of faith ouerthroweth and maketh voyd all the righteousnes of workes and whatsoeuer worldly glory else And therefore the Papists are herein too too blockish and wee for our partes are so much the rather to rest vpon this point which we haue already spoken of that is to say that we are iustified by faith to wit that the way to make vs to bee acceptable vnto God is to haue vs laie open a ready way vnto our Lord Iesus Christ that thereby hee may applie his righteousnes vnto our selues Here wee see then that faith is the only meane and instrument but that God is the cause and author and that all praise belongeth vnto our Lord Iesus Christ who is the right and true matter and substance thereof And this is it that we are here to remember And consequently we see also that the Papists do too too foolishly cauill to say that faith it self is a worke and that if we be iustified by faith that then workes are not excluded And to proue their matter withall they alledge that which is written in the sixt of Saint Iohn Ioh. 6.29 This is the worke that God requireth of you that you belieue in his only Sonne Now Iesus in this place calleth faith a worke as if he should haue sayd you see whereat you must ayme and applie your whole studie for the questioÌ„ is not that the worke should merit And besides if wee did confesse that faith were a worke which indeed it is not yet iustifieth it not as a work done by vs for if I giue almes and pretend therby to merit before God see how I shuld bee iustified by my woorkes if I helpe my neighbour and trauell to do good vnto this man or vnto that as they shall haue neede Loe how I should be iustified by my workes Now the reason is cleane contrarie in faith for in confessing that we are all accursed and that by faith we receiue that which God offereth vnto vs we bring nothing with vs on our behalf but come empty fisted vnto him Faith then iustifieth not by bringing anie worthines or merit with it vnto God but because God receiueth from Iesus Christ that which hee presenteth vnto him in our name And this confession must goe before that there is nothing in them which keepe such a course that is to saie to demand righteousnes at Gods hands wherof they are vtterly void And therefore we see that the Papists herein deale verie foolishly to say that we are iustified by a worke if so bee wee bee iustified by faith Now faith is a sacrifice wherewith God is pleased because he is thereby honored and praise and thankes rendred vnto him who is only iust and good and yet are we not iustified by the power and vertue thereof To be short when God iustifieth vs by faith there is in this iustifying enclosed the grace which hee bestoweth vpon vs because hee will not see and behold the infirmitie which is in our faith Faith then iustifieth but yet as it is defectiue and imperfect and yet therein it iustifieth How can that be being defectiue and imperfect Yes well inough for as I haue alreadie said it is not required at the hand of faith to do any such thing as hauing power of it selfe to iustifie but receiueth simply that which is giuen it to doo it from God And therefore if wee haue but the least sparke of faith as a man would saie with this conclusion that there is no life in vs but that which we haue in Iesus Christ and that all fulnesse is in him from whom we draw that which we haue and wherwith we are filled without all doubt we haue then inough Wherefore let let vs learne so to belieue in our Lorde Iesus Christ as that when soeuer we shall stand in doubt wee yet neuer cease to submit our selues vnto his mercy which can neuer faile and continually flie vnto him knowing right well that all perfection of righteousnes is in him and is such also as that we shall be made partakers thereof and that although we had but the least drop of faith as Saint Paul saith Rom. 8. and were enuironed and laden with this huge heape of corruption and sinne that is in vs whiche bringeth nothing else with it but death yet if Iesus Christ be in vs there is life that is to say the rest of the infirmities and corruption of our flesh whatsoeuer els that may hinder our saluation shall all bee abolished by the spirit of our Lord Iesus Christ if we haue neuer so litle a portion we shal be of whom sure to liue for euer Let vs now prostrate our selues before the maiestie of our good God in acknowledging our sinnes beseeching him to make vs feele the power and vertue which hee
had no forme or fashion Thus wee see what a iolly imagination the Papistes haue whereby they declare that they know not what faith is For it is an absolute and singular gift of God And after it is said That we receiue the spirite of adoption by which he so renueth and also incorporateth vs into our Lorde Iesus Christ as that wee are made members of his bodie and withall newe creatures VVee see then that the Papistes knowe not these things neither yet vnderstand the principles and rudiments of Christianitie no more than brute beastes without sence And vvhat a feareful thing is this that they do nothing else but brag of these things And yet they thinke themselues to be the greatest diuines in the vvorld vvhen as they haue made a distinction forsooth betvveene vnformed and formed faith vvhich is as much as if they had said a God in vvhome is no povver nor vertue then a God who shevveth himselfe povverfull and iust And thus haue they forged vnto themselues a double faith And vvhy then doeth S. Iames vse here this vvord And vvhy do vvee vse this vvorde Church This vvorde Bishop this saying Gods seruice Deuotion Zeale But vvhen vve speake of the Papistes vve neuer yeelde vnto them in truth that they haue any church vvhich is to be obeyed For in deed they haue nothing but some ruynes of a Church and a certaine canuassing and tossing of seruice of their ovvn deuising and as they thought to serue God vvithall But that is the Church vvhere God dvvelleth by his vvorde Aftervvard vvhen vvee speake of them vvee vse honourable vvordes and yet our meaning is none other but that they vsurpe these titles vvith iolly shevves markes Hovvbeit vvee do not altogether stand vpon vvords And after this manner dealeth S. Iames for he standeth not vpon the vvorde but taketh vpon him to speake of the friuolous vaunting vvhich vvas in the mouth of these scoffers that vvould be taken for good Christians saith your faith that is to saie that faith vvhich you talke of is nothing As if vvee should aske the question at this day vvhat is the Catholicke Church vvhich the Papists so bragge of Surely it is a very harlot For vve knovve that the true Church is the spouse of our Sauiour Iesus Christ vvhich ought to bee purged and vvashed vvith his bloud Eph. 5.27 1. Tim. 3.15 that she might bee as saint Paul saith vvithout spot or vvrinkle and after that to bee the piller of truth And in steede hereof beholde a den of the eues and an harlot vvhich hath corrupted all the seruice of God and begot nothing but Bastards Thus should vve say and then vvee see that vvee should not thinke saint Iames his phrase of reasoning to be strange because it is an ordinarie and common thing amongst vs. VVe novv then first see that vvhen it is saide that Faith iustifieth vs vve speake not of Faith but after the accustomed manner But vvhen saint Iames saith that faith vvithout vvorks is dead it is to barre such as abuse this name and haue a iollitie to bragge and glorie thereof but in deede haue it not Let vs come novv to the second part vvhen saint Iames saith that vvee are iustified by our vvorkes it should by this seeme that hee is contrary vnto saint Paul Novv vvorkes must not be ioined vvith faith to part halfe stakes vvith it as vve haue already said For if that vvere so then vvee should neuer bee certaine and sure And therefore all consideration of our vvorkes must needes bee excluded or the calling vpon God vvith true confidence to bee taken for his children to hope for the inheritance of the heauenly life vvhich is promised vs vvorks must needes be laid aside for vvhat vvere it if vvorks iustified Novv this vvorde Iustifie is not taken in saint Iames to be approoued before God to reconcile vs vnto him and to make him receiue vs as his children Hovve is it then taken Euen as himself declareth it vvithout any other exposition For he addeth that Abram vvas iustified vvhen hee vvent about to offer vp in sacrifice his sonne Isahack Novv vvee neuer yet read that he sacrificed him to vvit that he meant to make a sacrifice of his sonne vnto God vvhat meant hee then Forsooth this obedience vvhereof vvee shall hereafter speake vvas it that iustified Abram If vvee did speake of the approouing of that vvhich he had at that time done and vvas yet not indeede done VVee must therefore conclude that saint Iames speaketh not in that place hovv vvee are acceptable vnto God but how vve are made righteous For vvhat a blockish speech vvere this to say that the sonne had begotten the Father Novv vvee right vvell knovv that faith is the mother of righteousnes that is to say that it is the meane and instrument by vvhich vve are reconciled vnto God and allovved for his children And therefore faith must go before righteousnes for it is the meane cause the instrumentall or formall cause as vve call it Let vs novv come vnto the obedience of Abram vvhen he vvas readie to sacrifice his sonne for if that be the cause of Abram his righteousnes it must needes be that it vvent before For vvhat a doltish speach vvere this to say that the corne that shall grovve a yere hence shall feede me from this day vntill this time tvvelue monethes Novve there is not the least childe in the vvorld vvhich seeth not this Novv there vvas a long time part before God commaunded Abram to sacrifice his sonne and yet vvas he iustified before VVe see then in summe that vve neede not to looke for any glose out of saint Iames his vvords he saith that he vvas iustified that is to say that he vvas shevved to be iustified For these Scoffers against vvhom hee contendeth saide vvee are iustified by faith and therefore vvhat need vve to take any great care to serue God seeing our vvorkes are of no vvorth neither any reckoning bee made of them in time to come Novv first and formost they peruert all in saying that there shall bee no reckoning made of vvorks For they shal come in account vvith the grace of God But vvhen they shall scoffingly say that it is to no purpose to doo good vvorks is as much as if they vvould teare Iesus Christ in pieces For by faith vve receiue him and are vnited vnto him vvith this condition that he reconcileth vs vnto his father putteth avvay our sinnes and regenerateth and gouerneth vs by his holy spirit And these are inseparable thinges as vve haue alleaged out of saint Paul Seeing then it is so saint Iames had good cause to say how can you be iustified without works For Faith saith he without workes is dead And besides if you bee the faithfull children of God you can be none othervvise iustified than your father Abram vvas Novve Abram vvas so iustified as that good vvorkes vvere ioyned vvith Faith And therefore you must
satisfactions and do recōpence God otherwise in doing of things which they are not commanded as fasting on such a day abstaining from eating of flesh another day going on pylgrimage causing Masses to be sung and such other like tryfling toyes which they make a mountaine of to acquite themselues before God Thus we see how they bestow themselues all their life long to be made righteous by their workes and merits being once iustified by faith that is to say being brought into the way They confesse that Iesus Christ openeth the doore vnto them but they saie that they themselues must enter in at it and performe the voyage There is in them also another error for they thinke that when they do any good deed although there be much euil amongst yet that this good deed is accounted of and this they call partiall righteousnes And thus they make a patched and peeced righteousnes taking here and there a peece rouing about making such a medley as is nothing worth but a confused matter or no vnderstanding They say also that we are first iustified by the meere grace of Iesus Christ and next by Faith and then by our workes and partly by our satisfactions which serue to appaise the wrath of God against vs and to acquit vs of all the sinnes wherof we are guiltie And this is the opinion of the Papists Let vs now see when it was that Abram was iustified as we haue alreadie touched it hee was a man indued with all vertues a man that had forsaken him selfe wholy to please God And therefore it might seeme that hee mought haue had some righteousnes in him if any were to bee founde in anie liuing creature and yet for all that his faith was imputed vnto him for righteousnes And therefore S. Paul concludeth therupon that he had no workes in him to iustifie himselfe And when I pray you had hee none in him For sooth euen then when hee had had so notably trauelled endured such trials as that hee might haue been the verie patterne as it were of all Angellike vertues for his chastitie for his patience for his obedience towardes God for his pietie to bee short he mortified all his affections that he might frame himselfe wholly vnto the righteousnes of God And when he had done all this yet as Saint Paul saith had he nothing whereof to glory but must stop his mouth vntill such time as hee was iustified by faith and therfore we see by the circumstance of the time that the righteousnes of faith wherof wee now speake is not such as the Papists imagine But it is as much as if the scripture should say seeing then that we are poore miserable sinners engaged vnto God and vnder the condemnation of eternall death it must needs be that hee must accept of vs by some other mean that is he must not examin what we are nor yet looke to finde any thing in vs which any way might make vs acceptable in his sight but hold vs to be righteous because it is his good pleasure so to doo or else because we rest vpon his promises by which he hath preuented vs. Here wee see the righteousnes that endureth which extendeth it selfe both in life and death But we are now to set downe these thinges more largely and plainly And first wee are to remember that which earst I touched that is wee must seeke for our righteousnes els where then in our selues because there is none in vs. And see why S. Paul so greatly insisteth and standeth vpon the curse of mankinde when as he would driue vs to this point that God freely justifieth vs for there hee sheweth that the Heathen are also condemned although they haue neither lawe scripture nor Prophets and saith that they are of themselues alreadie damned and need neuer go any farther For God hath manifested himselfe to all in general in giuing vs eyes to behold the creation of the world Now we see that we smother and suppresse the glory which we ought most manifestly to behold And therfore we must conclude that we are all yea most vnthankfull sacrilegers because we robbe God of that honour that is due vnto him As for those that are vnder the law there is a double condemnation vppon their heades for they sinne wittingly because they know the will of God plainly manifested vnto them Heere then wee see all mankinde enclosed within the curse Let therefore saith he euerie mouth be stopped and be still whereupon hee bringeth in many places of the scripture to shewe that God looked vppon the children of men and found not one good but all corrupt that is to say they were so wrapped vp in their iniquities as that they were to be abhorred Here then we see what we are to note in the first place that is wee are hereby to vnderstand what our state condition is vntill such time as God commeth vnto vs to haue mercie vpon vs and looketh after vs when as we are plunged in the bottomles pit of hell Thus then we see at what ende we must begin if we will rightly vnderstand how and wherefore we are iustified by Faith But this cannot now be followed as it should and therefore we wil let it alone vntill our next exercise Let vs now then fall downe before the maiestie of our good God and mercifull Father in Iesus Christ in acknowledging our manifold sinnes and iniquities whereby we are most engaged and bound vnto him and for which wee ought to be vtterly confounded in our selues And although we be cast down into such a bottomles depth of dispair yet let vs not cease to lift vp our heades and hands vnto his maiestie seeing he hath shewed vs such fauour as to looke after vs because he would gather vs vnto himselfe and because also that Iesus Christ descended into hell to bring vs out thereof and lead vs vnto the kingdome of heauen And therefore let this bee so printed in our hearts as that wee may be truely lifted vp by faith to call vpon this good God who hath adopted vs for his children and wholly rest vppon him And let vs farther beseech him to grant vs the grace so to walke as that his adoption be not vaine nor vnprofitable in vs but that it may shew the fruites thereof insomuch as we shall bee gouerned by our Lorde Iesus Christ accordingly as hee hath incorporated vs into himselfe Let vs not onely c. THE SECOND SERmon of Iustification Gen. Cap. 15. 6 Abram beleeued the Lord and hee counted that to him for righteousnes WE beganne yesterday to handle which was the right way to learn how to please God by faith that is wee must begin at our first estate and condition and see what wee were borne in Abram In whom we see our selues to be all accursed damned and lost And vntill such time as we know that aright we shal neuer feele what it is to obtaine the fauour and mercie of God Here
hath giuen vnto his onely sonne that we might thereby be drawne and wholly cleaue vnto him And that wee may learne to be gathered togither vnder the confidence which hee hath giuen vs in him fighting against all our infirmities and in the meane while that all presumption and pride be cast downe in vs and that there remaine nothing else in vs but to confesse that as he is iust so also that it belongeth to him to poure out his righteousnes vpon vs to the ende wee may enioy the fruite which proceedeth thereof to wit the inheritance of the heauenly life And that hee will not onelie c. THE FOVRTH Sermon of Iustification 6 Abram beleeued the Lord and he counted that vnto him for righteousnes 7 Againe he said vnto him I am the Lorde that brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees to giue thee this land to inherit it WE said yesterday that when God had once receiued the faithfull into his grace and fauour that he acknowledged and maketh knowne also that which he bestoweth vpon them For by faith we receiue the holie Ghost because Iesus Christ cannot be separated from it And therefore wee must needs be renewed when as we beleeue God because we apprehend his power which hee offereth vnto vs to communicate with vs in his sonne Now God cannot set light by and reiect his owne gifts wherefore hee must accept of these workes which hee giueth vs not that they are worthy as we haue alreadie said because there is alwaies some infirmities so to corrupt them as that they are vnworthy either to be accounted of or receiued And although God should find fault reiect whatsoeuer good that we able to thinke or doo yet could we in no wise accuse him of crueltie And why so Forsooth because they may be alwaies amended and yet doth hee accept of that which is not worthie the acceptation al because he acknowledgeth vs for his children and also vpholdeth vs as by his Prophet is saide If then wee aske why God alloweth of our weake affection in seruing of him It is because he beareth with vs and would not haue vs marked as mercenarie and hired men but contenteth himselfe to see vs serue him franklie and freelie none otherwise than as a naturall father requireth at the handes of his childe For although a childe shall marre that which his father setteth him to doo yet is the father glad when as he hath seene that in very deede his meaning was to doo it well Euen so fareth it with our good God who bearing a fatherly loue vnto vs forgetteth whatsoeuer defect is in our workes and will not call them to an account Here I say wee see in summe how that ouer and besides our persons wee are iustified also by that we doo that is to say that God accepteth both of our selues and of our workes also as righteous And let vs also see from whence this word Reward whereof the Scripture so often speaketh proceedeth For God sheweth not onely in the lawe but also in the Gospell that they which serue him faithfully shall not lose their labour nor be frustrate of their hope And why so Verily because their Reward is surely laide vp in heauen But how can this agree with that which wee haue alreadie said That is that if our works iustifie vs then must faith and the promises as saint Paul saith be of none effect Now wee shall see them agree right well together when as one of them shall depend vpon another But if we shall on the one side put our works in one ballance and the grace of God in another without doubt we shall find great contrarietie Neuerthelesse when as wee say e that God hath mercie vpon vs because wee are sinners and that when hee hath regenerated vs by his holy spirite that hee alloweth and liketh of the good which he hath put in vs albeit it be nothing in respect of the ill that remaineth When we shal speake after this manner it is as much as if wee should say that first God is mercifull vnto vs and doth not impute vnto vs our sinnes and iniquities but adopteth vs who were lost and damned soules to bee his children And in the second place it is said that hee iustifieth vs also by our works and that because he is mercifull and will not iudge vs rigorouslie neither regardeth them what they are to esteeme of them as worthy or meritorious But dealeth in this behalfe as a natural louing father doth And herein in I say Math. 9.13 1. Tim. 1.13 2. Tim. 1. Tit. 3.5 is no repugnancie And so although our Sauiour Iesus Christ saith that hee came to call sinners and not the righteous and although saint Paul also saith that he came to call sinners to saluation and that it is not for any workes that we haue done that the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen is prepared for vs but because he is louing and kinde vnto vs and is disposed to bestowe his infinite goodnes vpon vs and yet for all this receiue we reward that is to say that when we haue serued God we shall be rewarded as oftentimes it is saide in the holy Scripture Thus we see that after this sort these two places which seeme to be repugnant one to another agree very wel together that is that by Faith we are imputed righteous and that the zeale which Phineâ—â— had in maintaining the honour of God and purging the Sanctuarie which was polluted Num. 25.7 Psal 106.30.31 was imputed vnto him for righteousnes Heere wee see when Phinees the Priest sawe so infamous and detestable an act to bee committed by an Adulterer and an Adulteresse in the Sanctuarie as could not bee a greater and such a villanie as the like was neuer heard of in Israell that the Lord so armed him as that he slewe them both and it is saide that it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes Now this was a vertuous worke and therefore shuld seeme that he was not iustified by faith but yet as I haue already saide this may very well hang together For Phinees was the sonne of Abram and therefore God must be mercifull vnto him as well as vnto the rest But because that God holpe him and was reconciled vnto him by that grace which hee bestoweth vpon all his chosen euen vnder the old Testament wee see that God reputed it as a righteous worke And how so verily that forsomuch as there was some imperfection and weakenes in him therefore must God as I haue already saide support him Let vs also heare what saint Paul saith which is this Colos 1.5 that wee must labour powerfullie to serue God for the hopes sake which is laid vp for vs in heauen of which hope we haue heard before in the word of truth of the Gospell where saint Paul sheweth that the faithfull more couragiously and vehemently goe on to serue and honour God and giue themselues to bee
charitable because they right well knowe that they shall not loose their labour as it is written Yea but how know they that Forsooth by the testimonie of the Gospell Now what are the words of the Gospel Verily Rom. 3. that God will bee mercifull vnto vs if so wee beleeue in his onelie sonne For the righteousnes which is there offered vs as saint Paul saith hath borne witnes of the law But is not holpen by the law that is to say by whatsoeuer works we are able to doo But because wee are grounded on the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ This Text then sheweth vs that the faithfull may bee a great deale better and more earnestly disposed to serue God because they knowe that their paines shall be accepted And yet notwithstanding they rest themselues vpon this free goodnes which is promised them because they flie vnto our Sauiour Iesus Christ Heere wee see how grosly the Papists are deceiued For from this word Reward they draw the word Merite as if they would play the Alcumistes Now there is great difference betweene the one and the other For what importeth this word Merite To Merite is to make God bound vnto vs that we might say I haue wel deserued this thing or that I am worthy of it And he which doth not acknowledge the Merite is vnthankfull if hee discharge his duetie vnto him vnto whom he is bound and beholden If we could then deserue any thing at Gods handes it must needs follow that he for his part should he beholden vnto vs and doo vs wrong if he paid vs not that which he ought vs. True it is that he is pur debtor but a voluntary debtor For hee shall neuer find any thing in vs why hee should be beholden vnto vs but bindeth himselfe by his promises Now in very deede hee hath promised vs Reward but it is of his owne free gift and of no desert of ours for that were to come from a poste to a pudding-prick to go so from one to another and to conclude that these two words are all one where there is so great diuersitie Wherefore let vs not meruaile though the Papistes still conclude their Arguments thus and storme when we say That works cannot iustifie vs. For their supposall is false that is to say that if GOD rewardeth those that are his that therefore he is bound to doo it and that they are also worthy of it and that their workes import some Merite Nowe all this is not worth a straw The reason I haue alredy shewed to wit that when God promiseth vs Reward it is not because that wee are worthy thereof but because it pleaseth him to adde grace vnto grace and all of his meere mercie goodnes and liberalitie Now we are alwaies to keepe this in minde and in very deede what should we look for at his hands if we had nothing but that that we deserue Assuredly we should be driuen to that vnquietnes vvhereof vvee erst spake that vve should alvvaies bee in doubt and perplexed And therefore our faith must bee certaine And this is that in summe vvhich heere vve are to remember Let vs now come vnto the wordes of Saint Iames who seemeth to be contrarie vnto S. Paul and all the rest of the holie Scriptures as we haue alreadie spoken Iames. 2.24 For Saint Iames saith That we are not iustified by faith but by workes A man would thinke that there could not be found two places more contrarie one to the other as to say That we are iustified by faith onely without works and that we are iustified by workes and not by faith and yet notwithstanding it is most certaine that S. Iames who spake by the spirite of God gainsaid not the doctrine which was preached and published from the beginning in the Church ratified by the Prophets and which hath beene lastly more notably confirmed by our Lorde Iesus Christ and by his Apostles Howbeit the solution is verie easie when as wee shall looke into the drift and meaning of S. Iames For he reasoneth not there what true faith may do neither doeth he speake at all of true faith but of a counterfait faith and such as is but like vnto an image and an illusion For he reasoneth there against such as vnder the colour of Christianitie will take libertie to do al wickednes as at this daye there are too too many And besides the diuel doth so bestirre himselfe to blind vs as he would make vs beleeue that all our sinnes are forgiuen vs and so vnder the name of Christianitie would make vs become verie brutish and thereby peruert all And to bring also the doctrine of the Gospell professors into a slaunder to the end also it might be thought that the doctrine of the Gospell did ouerthrow good workes would not haue vs worship and serue God as the Papistes at this day despitefully reproche vs therewithall VVherefore S. Iames seeing many dissolute and profane people thus falsly abuse the name of the Gospell and pretended the name Faith He saith well Let mee see thy faith without workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my workes whereby he sufficiently sheweth that his meaning was not to speake of such a faith as we haue defined that is that we should be certaine and sure of the goodnes of God by his word and knowe him to be our Father through our Lorde Iesus Christ Now S. Iames speaketh not of such a faith as this is and that which is not such a one cannot bring foorth workes VVe haue alreadie said that by faith we receiue the spirite of our Lord Iesus Christ And he and his spirite cannot be separated And wee knowe that it is said That it is not giuen vnto vs onely for righteousnes but for sanctification also that is to say that wee might be purged of all the filthie lustes of our flesh That we might be made like vnto the righteousnes of God So then if S. Iames had spoken of this true faith it had beene great follie for him to haue said Shewe me thy faith without workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my worlds as is he would haue said that true faith is so conioyned with good workes as without them it is dead to wit it is no faith as afterward he saith And therefore S. Iames right well sheweth that he spake not of a faith which embraceth the promises of God and by which we are certified of our saluation And herein the Papistes do grossely abuse them-selues to forge vnto themselues a faith which they call vnformed that is to say without figure or shape and say that faith of it selfe is as it were but like a piece of earth or claye which a man shoulde take to dawbe withall Here yee see say they what faith is And besides they saie that when Charitie is conioyned thereto then it is like a pot that is made of the same piece or lump of earth which before
shevve your selues like vnto him or else you mocke God in prophaning so holy and sacred a thing as the name of faith and righteousnes is Here vve see saint Iames his meaning out of this Text But these Popish mastiue Curres can no vvhit skill of this and vvhat is the reason Verily because they contemne God hovvbeit you shall heare them vvith open mouth talke of good vvorkes and a man vvoulde thinke to heare them debate thereof that they vvere Angels and yet you may see vvhat they are And I vvould to God that the vvhole state of their life vvere not altogether dissolute for a man shall finde neither Monke nor Fryar Doctor nor yet any of that shorne Rable but they are either rybauldes skorners of God vvhoremongers drunkards blasphemers To bee short it shoulde seeme that they had conspired vvith the Diuell to bring the vvhole vvorld vnto confusion And yet for all this they vvil pretend good vvorks and speake of nothing else And therefore it is no meruaile although they bee so blind But to speak but a vvord of that vvhich vve haue explaned out of saint Iames vve are to note that vve ar iustified but not vvithout vvorks yet vve are iustified vvithout vvorks vvhen vve say that vvee are iustified but not vvithout vvorkes vve separate not this And hovv so verily because that he vvho is iustified before God by faith is as much to say that God forgiueth him his sinnes beleeueth in the passion and death of our Lord Iesus Christ and knoweth that by his resurrection he receiueth life from him So then vvhosoeuer beleeueth after this sort is not iustified vvithout vvorkes And vvhy Because that God bestovveth his holie spirit vpon him vvhich so reformeth him as that good vvorkes cannot be chosen but be ioyned together vvith faith And yet is the other saying also true to vvite that vve are iustified vvithout vvorkes that is to saie vvithout any helpe of good vvorkes so as vve alvvaies remain bound vnto God Here vvee see tvvo places vvithout altering the vvordes vvherein it should seeme they vvere altogether diuers and sundry as to say that we are iustified without works that we are not iustified without works howbeit the meaning is that works are not for all this the cause of our saluation as to make them merite any whit before God so as to accept vs according to our worthines But it is because that as I haue already said our Sauiour Iesus Christ beareth vs not onely a simple grace and fauour but a double that is to say that on the one side he couereth all our iniquities and offences through his pure obedience and appeaseth the wrath of God his father by that Sacrifice which hee offered vp once for all to make satisfaction for our sinnes And yet hee so ruleth and gouerneth vs in the meane while by his holy spirite whome hee hath receiued in all fulnes and resteth vpon him that if so be we doo not abuse his grace bestowed vpon vs we are freed from the bands of Sathan that we might take good heede as S. Peter saith not to follow the lusts and desires of the flesh This then wee see may suffice for the exposition of this place Nowe Moses addeth immediately following that God spake againe vnto Abram and said I am the Lord which brought thee out of Vr of the Chaldees to giue thee this Land to inherite it Here we see that God reitereateth his promises for the confirming nourishing and increasing of Abram his faith vntill such time as it was growne vnto a full perfection VVherevppon wee are to conclude that although Abram was the mirrour and patterne of all the faithfull and the very Image of righteousnes yet was his faith imperfect For else the promise that is here set downe were superfluous For if the faith of Abram was so throughly confirmed as that it coulde not bee amended God needed not to haue spoken any more And why so The promises haue this vse and benefit that they draw vs vnto faith and when wee haue gotten it they are to leade vs to the right way to incourage and stirre vs vp to goe on valiantly to refresh vs when we are almost weary to augment our vertue when it beginneth to faile and to be weake Here I say we see why our Sauiour Iesus Christ testifieth declareth vnto vs of his meere goodnes that he is our God that is to begin faith in vs or els to bring it to perfection And therefore wee must conclude that it was needfull for Abram to goe somewhat further And hereby we see that although our faith be vnperfect yet that God ceaseth not to iustifie vs. And what is the reason Because he imputeth not the infirmity that is in it vnto vs but how euer it is wee are here admonished by this place not to bee preuented by any foolish opinion of our owne as a great many of men are who thinke themselues to be such great Clarks as that they will not once vouchsafe to come any more vnto the schoole of God Let vs therefore vnderstand and know that although our faith were greater and more powerfull than now it is yet must wee be schollers all our life long to haue the word of God sounding in our cares and to haue our memories rubbed ouer refreshed that we might not forget that which wee haue learned that that which hath not taken deepe roote in our heartes may receiue a better and deeper impression and that God when he hath cast his seede into vs according to saint Paul his comparison wee may daily water it in vs For it were not inough to haue the seede cast into the grounde without God shoulde sende downe raine from heauen and bedewe it for when the husband-man shall haue done his duety in tilling the lande it is to no purpose without GOD should giue increase thereof from heauen Euen so must it bee with vs when as wee shall haue receiued the seede of the incorruptible life GOD must raine downe from heauen that is to say hee must continually benefite and strengthen our faith which cannot be except we be daily instructed from his mouth Let vs nowe come to the contents of this sentence I am the Lord which brought the out of Vr of the chaldees These words here are inserted for Abram to cause him to eschew all Idolatry and superstition wherein he had been hertofore brought vp For as it is often shewed vnto vs out of the holy Scripture that we must not worship God confusedly nor imagine him to bee such a one as we thinke But wee must know what God that is which we must flie vnto and must bee separated distinguished from all the imaginations deuises of mans braine whereby we so greatly deceiue our selues and are also deceiued by Sathan And that is the reason which S. Paul maketh in his Epistle to the Hebrewes the eleuenth Chapter and the sixth verse saying When wee will come
SERMON of Maister Iohn Caluin on the Historie of Melchisedech Wherein is also handled Abrahams courage in rescuing his Nephew Lot and his Godlines in paying tithes to Melchisedech Also Abrahams Faith in belieuing God comprehending foure Sermons And Abrahams Obedience in offering his sonne Isaack in three Sermons Translated out of French by Thomas Stocker Gent. LONDON Printed by Iohn Windet and are to be sold at the shop of Andrew Maunsell in the Royall Exchaunge 1592. TO THE RIGHT HONOrable Syr Robert Cycill Knight one of her Maiesties most honourable priuie Councell AS it hath been for the most part right Honorable a very commendable and orderlie course amongest the learned as well diuine as prophane writers to publish their workes to bee read and heard of the common people either in their owne vulgare toong for their benefit or els in Hebrew Greeke or Latin for the learneder sort so hath been also their maner to dedicate them vnto some honorable or worshipfull personages for the patronizing of those their paines and trauels which their doings haue at this present made mee presume vppon your honourable curtesie to dedicate this my trauell of these Sermons of Maister Iohn Caluin translated by me out of French into English for the benefit of my Country men that vnderstand not the same language Most humbly beseeching you Sir to accept hereof as a tokeÌ„ of my pore good will towards you not in respect of my trauell which is but rude and of no worth but in regard of the worthines of the matter and of the graue and reuerend handling thereof by mine Authour The Lord of Lords increase all honorable and godly vertues in you that you may be as excellent a Magistrate in this common-weale as your honourable and most wise father hath of long time been and stil is with prosperitie in this life to his diuine pleasure and after the course of this time ended perpetuall ioy and felicitie Your Honors at commandment Thomas Stocker The Translator to the Christian Reader THou shalt receiue here ChristiaÌ„ Reader these fewe Sermons of Maister Iohn Caluin for thy benefit if thou wilt diligently read them without a preiudicate mind Where in the first three thou shalt finde how Abram deliuered his nephew Lot from the hands of those which had taken him prisoner and wherein also is handled who they are that ought to take warre in hand and how farre they ought to proceed therein In the next foure is handled the doctrine of iustification and saluation by Faith onely whereby such as are ledde away by a false opinion of their good workes and frree will may greatly profit themselues and lay fast hold vpon Iesus Christ alone for their righteousnes and sanctfication knowing how greatly these two graces must bee distinguâ—shed and not confused and that although they bee neuer so closely tied and linked togither yet whosoeuer he is that will be said to be reputed to be righteous and acceptable before God by the benefit of his onely beloued sonne and in the meane while haue no care nor conscience ne yet will shew any signe and token of the amendment of his life and liue in an holy conuâ—rsation that man I say must needs diuide them and cut in sunder the inseperable bond of them as much as in him lieth striueth to dismember Iesus Christ who by his righteousnes hauing made vs good trees doth also sanctifie vs to cause vs beare bring forth good fruit In the last three there is haÌ„dled AbrahaÌ„s obedience in the sacrificing of his son Isahac which was a woÌ„derfull trial so that in this thou maist see that Abraham who is by the spirit of God named the father of the faithfull was all the course of his life maruellously tried And therfore as many as will be indeed the children of faithful Abraham must walke in his steppes and abide many hard trials all their life long except it shall please the Lord in great mercy to forbeare them Let vs therfore beseech the Lord of all mercy in the name of this great mediator by whom alone we haue accesse vnto the throne of grace daily to purge vs more and more to the end that by his holie spirit we may bring foorth more and better fruit then we haue yet heretofore dene that it may all serue for his glory and the edification of his whole Church Farewell Faultes escaped in the Printing Page Line Faultes Corrections Pa. 4. Li. 24. been peaceably liued peaceably 60. li. 1. mighty aray mighty Army 60. li. 15. and vnto himselfe and not vnto himself 65. li. 30 Aduichilate Adnichilate 84. li. 28. and to apply then to apply 86. li. 14 sophisled sophisted 102. li. 7. Aduichilate Adnichilate 102. li. 18. may remoue might remoue 102. li. 18. the same may remoue might remoue 109. li. 6. OF HER OF HVR 158.  without we haue without doubt we haue THE FIRST SERMON of the Historie of Melchisedech wherin is also handled the deliuerance of Lot done by Abram Gen. Cap. 14. 13 Then came one that had escaped and tolde Abram the Hebrew which dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner who were confederate with Abram 14 When Abram heard that his brother was taken hee brought foorth of them that were borne and brought vp in his house three hundreth and eighteene and pursued them vnto Dan. 15 Then he and his seruants diuided themselues against them by night and smote them and pursued them vnto Hobah which is on the left side of Damascus 16 And he recouered all the substance c. WE are to proceed in the historie which yesterday we began with all concerning Lots deliuerance And first wee may behold the great goodnes fauour of God towards Abram in giuing him the meane for the rescuing of him And mark why Moses especially saith That one which had escaped came vnto Abram the Hebrewe True it is that this word is not spoken by way of reproach For the Tribe of Eber was there so called And Eber was descended of Sem as heretofore wee haue declared so that now God had seperated Abram in such sort as that he should not be tainted or polluted amongst the Cananites Neuertheles how euer it is Moses gaue him this title as if hee should haue said Thou art but a straunger a new come ghuest in the land of Canaan And besides no maruell though there was no account made of him sith he had neither kinsfolkes nor yet friendes there And yet for all that God graunted him such fauour and priuiledge as that when time and place serued hee was aduertised of the euill that was betide his Nephew that he might helpe to rescue him Now Moses addeth that hee was in league with some of his neighbours And yet we see that he was not long before driuen to wander from place to place this way and that by reason he was euery where discurteously entreated for where euer hee
and had canozized him as a man would say as if he had been an Angell it had vanished away all like smoke but it is God that spake it euen hee who is a competent iudge and to whom belongeth thé giuing of sentence either of saluation or condemnation Wherefore when God absolued Abram after that maner and acknowledged held him for righteous this we see was the principall point And therefore we now see that Abram was iustified by Faith Whereuppon S. Paul saith it followeth that he could no way deserue to be righteous by his workes and that he brought nothing with him of his owne why God should like of him but that he freely receiued him and made him one of his children And in deed S. Paul when hee meaneth to speake of free iustification taketh here this way with himself to shew that there is none other hope to bee saued but by the meere mercie and goodnes or God because hee pardoneth our sinnes that wee might please him Wherefore when S. Paul entreth into this argument hee fetcheth this Theme from Abram for hee presupposeth that which is true that there are not sundrie waies to be iustified before God and that there is but one onely rule And therefore if Abram was iustified by faith we al also must so be without exception Moreouer if there could be found in any mortall man that vertue which might merite no doubt of it Abram surmounted all others therin We haue alreadie heard how he forsooke the country wherin he was borne how he renounced him selfe and all his humane and naturall affections and how he absolutely obeyed God We haue also heard of his patieÌ„ce how coÌ„stantly he aboad in al his temptations how he persisted to the end in the vocatioÌ„ wherunto god had called him to be short we haue heard that he failed in nothing Now we that are here are far from this perfection How then dareth he whatsoeuer he is be once so bold as to vant himself to be able to appeare righteous before God through his owne merits considering that Abram was neuer able to doo it howbeit let that suffice vs which I haue alreadie spoken of to wit that there is but one onelie rule that can make vs please God and that is it which is heere set downe vnto vs in the person of Abram And withall wee must thus conclude also that sith Abram was iustified by beleeuing God that our workes can no whit auaile vs to be lyked of God and to make a foundation of the hope which we must haue of euerlasting saluation it is God that must giue vs all in all and not wee once presume to bring any thing with vs of our owne towardes it We will speake hereof more at large hereafter but in the meane while wee will vse the easiest way of proceeding herein we possibly may Here now we see as I haue already said our A. B. C. And this is the perfection of all our wisedome And will not this be inough when as we haue learned the principle and ground of our faith and vnderstood what entrance we should haue for our profit in the schoole of God which is the principall key of all the Gospell and which leadeth vs euen to the true end wherby we may know which way we may walke aright and attaine vnto the inheritance which God hath layd vp in store for vs. And therefore when as wee shall perceiue that this place leadeth vs thereunto no doubt of it we should either ought to looke vnto it or els we shal be most villainously vnthankfull Now we haue hitherto set downe these things most familiarly and easily so that there is not so yoong a childe as cannot but taste therof Let vs now then come to the point which I haue a ready touched which is that Abram brought nothing with him whatsoeuer why God should accent him but rested wholly vppon the meere grace and liberalitie conteined in the promise Let vs now then hereuppon consider of what time it is spoken Certaine it is that Abram had serued God so long as that a man would haue thought hee might now haue been very well discharged and freed in the common ordinary iudgement of man And therefore it must necessarily follow that Abram was all his life long iustified by the only meane of Faith Now this would seâ—me somewhat obscure and darke if wee should â—not make it more plaine and manifest And it shall bee made the plainer and minifester in giuing light vnto the truth by the leasinges of Poperie and by the errors wherewith all those infernall schooles are corrupted and infected I haue alreadie said that the Papists wil easily inough grant that without faith we can no waies please God â—or be in his fauor Wherfore wheÌ„ they haue â—nce granted this principle that wee are all accursed in Adam then may they as wel say that we must receiue the first grace from Iesus Christ That is to say that seeing we are plunged in the bottomles pit of destruction through originall sinne Iesus Christ must needs fetch vs out of it Now from hence they draw a false and pernicious doctrine by which they corrupt and falsifie Moses conclusion and S. Pauls also most excellent interpretation For they say that the righteousnes which they call Initiall commeth of faith and of pure and simple Faith but that afterward we must be partly iustified by our workes Now this is somewhat darke to bee vnderstood howbeit I will so set it downe as that euerie one shall be able to vnderstand it This word then Initiall is as much to say as Beginning and it is a word that is taken from the Latine for it is as much to say as the beginning righteousnes in a pure faith Wherfore the Papists will confesse that God taketh vs to be his enimies and doth accuâ—se vs because we are nothing els but as it were a most filthie and stinking dunghill aâ—d therefore by reason of our staines and pollâ—tions he cannot chuse but reiect vs. They wil grant al this and it seemeth at the first sight to be the way to humble vs. And besides also they shew no les but that it is Iesus Christ that must help remedie whatsoeuer wants we haue to hold vs by the hand and reconcile vs vnto God his Father Now when they haue brought vs to this then they tel vs that we must in part merite to be righteous and that must forsooth be done though the merites of our workes so as they set downe free righteousnes all at once when as we are receiued into the Church by Baptisme which is inough so we see that Iesus Christ hath done his part And yet in verie deed they adde and say that we cannot be absolutely righteous but they shall in spite of their teeth feele it and experience also will conuince them that they are many waies beholden to God But soone after they come in say that they haue their
we see that it is humilitie that leadeth vs vnto our Lord Iesus Christ that wee might be partakers of the righteousnes which he bringeth vs. Now humilitie is not such a maner of thing as many suppose it to be as to shewe a godly and humble countenance before God but we must be so bare and emptie of any good thing in vs as that we must cast our selues downe at his feete and acknowledge that wee are nothing els but miserable and wretched sinners and so without al hope of saluation as of our selues Thus we see how wee come vnto his mercie which is by the feeling apprehending of our miseries And these two things caÌ„not be seperated For why is it that God taketh pitie vpon vs and helpeth vs Forsooth it is because he beholdeth our miseries and that is it which stirreth and moueth him to mercie And see also why S. Paul treating of our saluation saith Ephe. 2.8.10 you are not saued as of your selues it is the gift of God throgh faith for ye are his workemanship because hee hath created you in Christ Iesus vnto good works which he hath before ordeined that ye should â—oo them Here Saint Paul excludeth whatsoeuer good opinion wee can conceiue of our owne power when as he saith Go to now if ye shal attribute any part of commendation of saluation vnto your selues and yet thinke that you haue not atteined thereunto as of your selues but that you haue been holpen therein see how this geare may or can stand togither For you were created mortal men that is to say Sinners and therefore all accursed banished and estraunged from the presence of God in whom is all goodnesse And therefore you must conclude that you are all as it were dead Wherefore there must be a new and a second amendment and reparation before you bee any thing in the sight of God And when you haue been regenerated in Iesus Christ the same then is called a new creation And therefore euerie one of you is the creature of God when as he hath formed and called you vnto himselfe without anie disposition therunto for your owne part but God hath prepared good workes by his holie spirit Seeing then that it is thus we may very well conclude that our saluation commeth no whit of our selues no not one drop of it but is the onely meere gift of God proceding of his owne liberality Thus then we see as touching the first point that for the obteining of mercy and grace at God his hands wee must truly acknowledge our selues what we are how miserable our estate conditioÌ„ is that we are all but castawaies Now wheÌ„ I speak thus it is not meÌ„t that our knowledge must be a rouing vnderstaÌ„ding swimming in our brain but our harts must by it be deadly wounded that we may feele the iudgements of God so to terrifie vs as that wee may bee brought almost into vtter dispaire For how shuld we know what a benefit meat drink is except we were touched with hunger and thirst For if we were stuffed ful we would continue so we would neuer seek after crum nor crust as we say but it is hunger that driueth vs to hunt after victuals for when wee are sicke wee seeke for remedie but if a man wer so sensles as that he felt no kind of grief he would die an hundreth times before hee wold call for help or yet once desire it wherfore as I haue alreadie said wee must bee so touched with our miseries as if we wer dead in deed as if wee felt that death whereof the scripture speaketh that wee might attaine to that life whiche our Lorde Iesus Christ offereth vnto vs by his Ghospell and this is the cause why the scripture so often reproueth and as it were condemneth vs for our sinnes For God taketh no pleasure in dealing with vs after this maner but because he knoweth the necessitie thereof So then looke how many threatenings sentences of condemnation of reproofes and such like are in the holy scripture they are euen so many Mallettes to knocke vs on the heads to bring vs vnto that humilitie which wee are so farre from vntill such time as hee hath violently in such sorte mortified vs. And thus much for this straine Moreouer we must come to a larger account and reckening of that which hath bin already spoken which is that vntill such time as we haue beheld our miseries in the word of God wee shall be lulled in a dead sleepe in our hypocrisie become very careles and this securitie will cause to contemne the word of God and so by little and little be quite and cleane excluded from it Now God hath set before vs our condemation namely in the lawe and in verie deed all the scripture is full of them and when it is said that it is profitable amongst other thinges it layeth out the reproofes And besides we knowe what the Ghospell teacheth 2. Tim. 3.16 Mat. 3.2 4.17 Repent and amend for the kingdome of God is at hand Thus wee see how God disposeth his elect to receiue the free righteousnes which he bestoweth vpon them by his sonne which is that wee should repent and amend And what is the meaning hereof Forsooth there must be such a sorrow and griefe in vs for our sinnes as that we must condemne our selues for our wickednes and be reuenged of our selues as S. Paul saith â— Cor. 7.9.10.11 for hee setteth not downe only the word Sorrow and Feare but â—aith that wee should haue such a vehement desire and zeale as to be as it were a duenged of our selues because wee are so great enemies vnto God Now although this doctrine is met withall in all the holie scripture neuertheles God hath especially or deined his law for that purpose and therefore it is why Saint Paul saith rom 7. That it bringeth nothing but wrath When as wee shall thronghly weigh and consider that which is spoken wee shall finde God to be against vs and cannot come neare without it be to haue him armed and thundring against vs clearly to destroy vs. True at is that the law right well sheweth vs what it is to liue righteously and to attaine thereunto if we were capable therof as hereafter shal be more largely handled It is written in Leuiticus That who soeuer shall do these thinges shall liue by them but in the meane while let vs see whether we come anie thing neare vnto that which God commandeth vs yea or no In very deed we are so arrogant and proud as that the law vntill we well vnderstand it can neuer bee able to conuince and conquere all our fond presumption For we see how Saint Paul Rom. 7.9.10 who from his youth was trained vp and instructed in the law and a Doctor thereof yet notwithstanding saith that hee still presumed on his vertues and thought himself to be a very righteous man because he knew
his Epistle vnto the Ephesians also vnto the Romanes Ephes 1. Rom. 3. saying That God hath concluded all vnder sin that he might be knowne to be onely righteous and euerie mouth bee stopped because it is hee onelie that iuslifieth sinners through the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ and that bringeth vs into the way of his righteousnes As also in the third to the Galathians when as Saint Paul propoundeth this question How is it possible that God gaue the lawe after the promise For it should seeme that God chaunged his purpose and was misaduised because hee freely iustified Abram and a long time after gaue the law and therein hee saith That whosoeuer shal do these things shall liue by them Hereunto Saint Paul answereth That the law was not giuen to adnihilate the free promise but for the vse whereof I haue alreadie spoken that is that wee must bee all concluded vnder sinne and condemnation for else wee should neuer feele of what price the mercie of God was nor neuer looke after it and besides wee would thinke that wee had no neede of it And in verie deed there are two sortes of people which make no account of our Lorde Iesus Christ robbing themselues of all the benefites which we haue by him and of the faluation also which we haue by his death and resurrection The one sort are they which persuade themselues to haue some worthines in them and therupon in the aboundance of their pride despite God and such are your iolly rable of Monkes Friers and their like who haue a certaine glorious glittering shew of righteousnes counterfetting a maruellous and as it were Angellike holines These men I say shut vp the Gate and haue no enterance vuto Iesus Christ for the thrust him farre inough of from themselues The second sort are they which are negligent and secure think not themselues to be righteous And why so for some of them ar whoremaisters some are theeues some drnnkards some effeminate persons and some such contemners of God as that little children may iudge them to be so These men are not deceiued by pride and arrogancy but are made so drunke by satan as that they neuer thinke of euerlasting life but are become altogither brutish And see why Salomon saith That he is happie and blessed who is carefull ouer his owne heart And which feareth and watcheth to vnderstand his sinnes and wretchednes We see then that the law was not giuen after the promise for any other reason but to condemne vs to the end we might seek for all our righteousnes in God and to giue all praise vnto him for our saluation Let vs then here note this finall cause and therefore S. Paul in the first Chapter to the Ephesians discourseth of this matter more at large For hee passeth it not ouer slightly but handlet the matter so as if he would thunder it in our cares to the end saith hee That the glorie of God might bee knowne hee alone to be glorified hee alone to bee knowne righteous that we might know that from him we haue all For wee must know saith hee That without his meere fauour and grace we are all camned Here we see I say in summe what God his pretence is when he taketh from vs all opinion of our owne power and strength that is hee meaneth that he would haue him selfe to be knowne to be onely iust and vs to be lost and damned soules of our selues So that whosoeuer they are which chalenge to themselues the least righteousnes that may be as if they were aiders and assisters vnto God as the Papists call themselues Cooperators or workers togither with God doo without doubt commit a more detestable fault then all the theeues in the world For what is it to take away from a mortall man gold and siluer and all that hee is worth besides in respect of robbing God of his honor being the chiefest thing that he desireth to haue to be reserued vnto himselfe which is this that hee alone is to bee acknowledged righteous and then when miserable mortall creatures or rather crawling vermine on the earth who are no better then a most corrupt and filthie thing shal stand vp in Gods steed and say Thou art not the whole worker of our saluation but we haue holpen thee in it Is not this most cursed blasphemy when as we shall presume to bring with vs some portion of righteousnes before God But here we are to remember that which we yesterday handled that is to say that this word Iustifie importeth not that wee are made righteous that is that God so renueth vs as that we are Angels but it importeth that hee accepteth and alloweth of vs of his meere goodnes albeit we be miserable sinners And therefore wee may heere see how Moses in this place toucheth this word Impute as if hee should haue said that this hangeth vpon the free fauour of God and is not be enquired of whether righteousnes is in regard of man or whether he is worthie to be accepted There is none at all of this meant But let vs be contented that God accepteth vs for righteous al thogh we are no whit so in deed And here also wee see why the righteousnes of faith excludeth works for looke what is wanting in vs we receiue from Iesus Christ I say not in part as the Papists ensnare themselues but we borrow the righteousnes of Iesus Christ because there is not a droppe or yet a myte therof in vs. And therfore works must needs be ouerthrowne when as we seek for righteousnes els where For if there were onely one part in Iesus Christ and another in vs hee should not be the whole then how should this saying be fulfilled Iohn 1. That the fulnes of graces were giuen to him by the holie Ghost that hee might distribute them vnto euerie one according to measure For these two words To get and to Receiue are cleane contrarie one to the other and when God iustifieth vs it is by his adoption and because wee are by nature the children of wrath therefore he adopteth vs and taketh vs for his children And what findeth hee in vs nothing in the world that can induce vs to do well And therefore the inheritance of our saluation which wee hope after and which is promised vs in the Ghospell commeth from this adoption of God and from nothing that is in vs for if wee could obtaine or get anie thing of our selues without doubt wee would part stakes with God euen as the Papistes doo But because GOD so dealeth as that wee doo nothing therefore is hee alone to bee glorified We now presently see in summe that the righteousnes which is here spoken of importeth nothing else but the remission of sinnes and the credite which we haue in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ to bee made righteous through the merite of his obedience but when Saint Paul would seuerely instruct vs according
Lord and hee counted that vnto him for Righteousnes WE heard yesterday that wee must in no case part stakes with God in the matter of our saluatioÌ„ but all praise must bee giuen to him for it For when we shall throughly looke into whatsoeuer can be found in vs wee must conclude that we are so voyd of all integritie as that there is nothing in vs but all corruption and so consequently nothing but death Ro. 1.17 Ga. 3.11 Now it is not inough for vs to know that God alone is to be glorified and we our selues as it were to bee assured to bee of no worth for if we do not so without wee haue shutte vp the gate of saluation against our selues For where Saint Paul alledgeth out of the Prophet Habacuck That wee liue by faith wee are thereby taught that faith is as it were the keye that openeth vnto vs the kingdome of heauen If it bee then our inheritance wee must needes beeing the children come thether and wee cannot bee the children of God as Saint Iohn in his first Chapiter saith but by faith Ioh. â— 12 Nowe this faith as we haue alreadie sayd importeth a certaintie And see also why it is sayd That wee may crie with open mouth that God is our Father and that except hee be so wee cannot bee reputed to bee his children And from whence commeth this crie Forsooth as Saint Paul saith as well in the eighth to the Romanes Ro. 8 1â— Gala. 5.6 as also in the fifth to the Galathians euen from the spirite of adoption And therefore the spirite of GOD doth so certefie our spirite that we are his children by adoption as that wee may without scruple or doubt call vppon him as our Father And in another place also it is saide Eph. 1.13.14 2. Cor. 1.22 That hee is called the seale of the inheritance of saluation which we wait and looke for Seeing then it is so that the certaintie of faith importeth that we are gods adopted children and that our saluation is grounded therupoÌ„ there must also be put to a seal as a signe and token that it is infallible Here then wee see that it is not inough for vs to confesse that God is the author of our saluatioÌ„ the same to be attributed to him only but we must also on the other sides come vnto him priuatly cal vpoÌ„ him as our father and be fully resolued that he will not forsake vs. Now this certaintie the Papists could neuer skill of but doo strongly and constantly repugne it saying that wee may not in anie wise resolue that God alloweth and liketh vs and that we stand in his grace and fauour but onely that wee may haue some probable coniecture thereof Now to say thus is vtterly to ouerthrow the whole foundation of Christianitie And in very deed when Saint Paul speaketh of this matter hee driueth vs vnto this reason Ro. 4.14 which is that if we depend vpon the law and trust vnto it then is Faith but vaine and the promise made of none effect And why so Forsooth it is not because God is not faithfull for his part but because we shal neuer be able to attaine vnto the accomplishment of that which is required for our saluation For God doth verâ—ly promise vs recompense when as we shall haue serued him and kept whatsoeuer he hath commanded vs from the one end to the other God vndoubtedly promiseth vs all that Now this is an impossible condition For neuer man yet hath accomplished the lawe nor neuer shall So then we for our parts are neuer able to effect performe this promise And therfore we shall alwaies be reasoning wauering and out of quiet and in the end fall into dispaire when as we shall go about to bring our workes with vs to keepe Audite and an account with God for it is saide in the 144. Psalme Psa 144.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for no man liuing shall be iustified in thy sight And therfore we must conclude that we shal be euer vexed and troubled and our spirits wonderfully perplexed if we had not saluation elfe where then from our merits And for the better vnderstanding hereof let vs wel weigh consider of that which hath been alreadie spoken that is wee must not thinke to paie God with nifles For it is a fearefull thing to haue him against vs. Now he cannot otherwise be but so long as wee shall presume vpon workes For we do euen so much derogate from him and robbe him of his right as hath been heretofore shewed that whosoeuer hath not his mouth stopped from attributing vnto himselfe the least glorie and his mouth wide to confesse God only to be iust without doubt that man opposeth himself vnto his maiestie Now we shal neuer obtaine our sute against him but the condemnation will stil light vpon our owne heads And therfore let vs not wittingly and in deed prouoke his wrath against vs besides it cannot be chosen but that wee must needs be out of our wits when as we wil trust vnto our merites And heerein is a twyfold abuse which also bringeth with it a third The one is when as we thinke to recken with God hand ouer head as the Papists do And although they faile in many things yet make they themselues belieue that hee accepteth them Now God hath promised nothing but to such as shall accomplish the whole lawe And therefore let vs note well these words That whosoeuer shall do all the things written in the lawe Leuâ— 18.5 shall liue by them It is not saide one part onely Which also agreeth with the saying of Saint Iames Iam. 2.11 That hee which forbad to commit adulterie forbad also to steale For although a man shall haue liued all the dayes of his life chastly and yet bee guiltie of some other precept hee is neuerthelesse but a damned soule Mat. 19.6 And why so Forsooth because that that which God hath coupled togither we must not seperate The righteousnes of the lawe is coupled and vnited togither and therefore we must not pretend to cut it in pieces gobets nor deuide it Let vs now then consider whether we be able in part or in whole so to acquite our selues as that the whole course of our life may not bee amended Alas what are wee then And as Salomon saith who can saie I haue cleansed mine hart Pro. 20.9 In very deed there are a great many that thinke they haue because there are a great many of hypocrites in the world And therefore that man as I haue alreadie said that is at that point must needs be more then sensles for if he consider with what a iudge he hath to deale withall how euer it fall out when as wee shall haue well bethoght vs of all the matter without doubt if wee bring with vs vnto him one ounce or perhappes an halfe ounce there will
onely speech And wee see that the Pharisie was reiected because hee so foolishly presumed of his workes And the Publican who plainly and simply confessed himselfe to be a miserable sinner and so wretched and damned a soule departed iustified before God and yet notwithstanding the Pharisie commended not himselfe by reason of his merits for he sayd not I haue done this and I haue done that and therefore God is beholden vnto me for them but said onely thus God I thanke thee that I am not as other men are an extortioner vniust a theefe nor an Adulterer nor as this Publican A man would thinke this to bee a iolly entrance when as hee submitted himselfe wholly vnto God and protested that whatsoeuer goodnes and vertue was in him proceeded from the meere gift of the holie Ghost but what of all this yet was hee so proudly and arrogantly puffed vp as that he thought himselfe to be allowed and liked of for his works And therfore we see why God condemned him for it could not be chosen but that he was exceeding blockish to think that God was bound vnto him for his works Wherefore wee must all flie vnto the meere mercy of God and then I saie we shall be assured that he will loue vs when as wee shall looke for all our merits in Iesus Christ neuer ceasing to praie vnto him notwithstanding our great vnworthines because he hath not adopted vs either for our persons or yet for our workes but of his meere and free mercy thus wee see how wee shall be assured of our saluation True it is that we shall alwaies be full of scruples and doubtes by reason that our faith is not perfect in vs but yet our assurance shall alwaies surmount so long as we fight stoutly and embrace the promises of God and make them a buckler and defence against all the temptations and distrustes which the diuell shall set before vs. When then we speake of this certaintie of faith we meane not but that it may be shaken and we many times be greatly perplexed distressed but our meaning is that we may in the end conclude how euer it fall out that God wil haue mercy vpon vs and so vpon this assurednes pray vnto him And this is it which we are now to keepe in minde We easily see then by this that they which haue taken this word Iustifie to be said that God chaungeth vs and gouerneth vs by his holie spirit to serue God are too too much abused for there are many that will say that wee are not iustified by our merits neither yet that there is anie one iote in vs wherein to glorie and that whatsoeuer goodnes is in vs commeth from the free gift of God because that as of our selues we can doo nothing els but sin all this they will confesse and wil in summe say that we are iustified by meere grace and not by our workes and that there is no goodnes in vs but that God giueth all haue they confessed all this Yea verily and yet they still go about to ouerthrow both themselues and others And how so Forsooth because they thinke that they haue atteined vnto perfection when as in verie deed there is nothing els in them but imperfection For where shal we find a man that when he shall be thus cast down in himself as to be no bodie as it were and confesse himself to be altogither accursed whatsoeuer goodnes is in him to come of Gods owne meere liberalitie so as God is therfore to be exalted magnified himselfe to be nothing to the ende hee might acknowledge humble himselfe vnto God say that all which he hath he receiueth from his meere goodnes Yea but we haue already said that if we be doubting then are heauen gates shut vp against vs. Now we cānot chuse but doubt or els be starke staring mad when as we regard our own works Admit that god by his holie spirit hath regenerated a man doth onely thanke God as the Pharisie did and say surely all that I haue I haue frō God and yet notwithstanding when he praieth he must pray confidently and in full assurance And how shall he do that For whilest he is yet imperfect and weake the vertues which God hath bestowed vpon him shall be mingled with many vices yea these vertues also shal be corrupt because I say he shal not be fully clensed of the spots of the flesh Whē a man shal find himselfe thus as a man would say half seas ouer yet be far from the end and marke whether he would go how can he otherwise do but doubt Let vs therfore now conclude that it is nothing to confesse say that our saluation proceeded frō the meere grace fauor of God because he gouerneth vs with his holy spirit but that we must flie vnto the remission of our sins And so they that plaie the wrangling so phisters herein saying that we are not iustified by our works because the good workes are not ours but the gifts of the holy Ghost forget that point which wee erst touched that is to say that our faith must be certain that it cānot be certain except Iesus Christ be our aduocat his death a satisfactiō for our sins so as we cannot do it without we confesse the debt as by the exāple of the publicā which we haue alleged may be seen And we see also that this righteousnes must not be for a day only but must cōtinue al the daies of our liues For although we haue profited by seruing of God yet for all that it hath bin in imperfection And therefore it is plaine faith that must iustifie vs. And here must be put to the wall and ouerthrowne that foolish and peruerse opinion of the Papistes who thinke themselues to bee partly iustified by their woorkes and partly by the forgiuenes which they obtaine by the grace of God for God must fully and wholly be mercifull vnto vs as hath been shewed And why so For part of our workes merite nothing and besides there is corruption euen in the verie best worke we do if we shall speake of iudging of it according to the worthines therof And therefore we see that we are fully and wholly excluded Wherefore we must grow to this point that the most righteous althogh they seeme as righteous as tht Angels yet must they be accepted of God freely But here may arise an obiection in this sort why fir there is a great difference betweene those whom God hath alreadie called and those who are altogither estranged from him and also there is great diuersitie betweene the faithfull man when as God hath set him in the right way and when he leaueth him vnto the corruption of his owne nature For wee shall see some man to haue liued a long time like a straied sheep castaway and at last God enlighteneth him by his Ghospell and so toucheth and reformeth him as that