than for the loue and glory of God and so he defileth all his works with selfeloue for the loue of himselfe and for his own profit But he that knoweth himselfe to be become righteous by the merits and righteousnesse of Christe which hee maketh his owne by fayth laboureth happily doeth good woorkes alonely for the loue and glory of Christ and not for love of himselfe nor to make himselfe righteous And thervpoÌ„ it coÌ„meth that the true ChristiaÌ„ that is to wit he that accounteth him self righteous by reason of Christes righteousnes asketh not whether good works be coÌ„manded or not but being wholly moued prouoked with a certaine violence of godly loue he offereth himselfe willingly to doal the works that are holy Christianlike and neuer ceaseth to doe well He therefore which féeleth not the meruailous effects by his faith which we haue heretofore declared y â— the inspired faith worketh in y â— heart of the christiaÌ„ Let him assure himselfe that he hath not the christiaÌ„ faith let him pray earnestly vnto God to giue it him saying Lorde helpe mine vnbeleefe And when he heareth it said that only faith maketh men righteous let him not deceiue himself say What néede I to weary my selfe in doing good workes faith is inough to send me to Paradise To such an one I answeare that onely fayth sendeth vs to Paradise but yet let him take good héed for the diuels doe also beléeue and tremble as saith S. Iames O miserable man wilte thou goe w t them too Paradise By this false coÌ„clusioÌ„ thou maist know my brother in what an error thou art for thou wéenest to haue the faith that maketh men righteous and thou hast it not Thou sayest thou art rich and hast no néede of any thing and thou seest not howe thou art poore wretched blind and naked I councel thée to buy golde of God that is throughly fixed w t fire that is to say true faith set on fire with good works to the intent thou maist become riche and to cloth thy self with white raiment that is to wit with Christes innocencie to the ende that the shame of thy nakednesse which is the great filthinesse of thy sinnes be not séene to the whole world Then is the iustifying faith as it were a flame of fire which caÌ„not but cast foorth brightnesse And like as the flame burneth the wood without the helpe of the light and yet the flame cannot bee without the light so is it assuredly true that fayth alone consumeth and burneth away sinne without the helpe of woorkes and yet that the same fayth cannot be with out good woorkes Wherefore like as if we see a flame of fire that giueth no light we knowe by and by that it is but vayne and painted euen so when wee see not some light of good woorkes in a man it is a token that he hath not the true inspired faith which God giueth to his chosen too iustifie and glorify them withall And hold it for certayne that S. Iames meant so when he sayde shewe mee thy faith by thy works I wil shewe thée my faith by my works For his meaning was that he s â— is pluÌ„ged in ambitiousnes and worldly pleasurs beleueth not though he say he beleue forasmuch as he sheweth not in himself the effects of faith Also we may liken this holy faith too the Godhead which is in Iesus Christ who being very maÌ„ but w tout sin did wonderful thinges healing the sicke giuing sight to the blind walking vpon the water and raysing vp the dead vnto life again yet these merueilous works were not the cause that he was God For before he did any of those things he was God and the lawful and only begotteÌ„ sonne of God and he néed not to worke those miracles to make himself God by them but forasmuch as he was God therfore he did them And so the miracles that Christ wrought made him not to be God but shewed openly that he was God In likewise true fayth is as it were a Godhead in the Soule of a Christian which doeth wonderous works is neuer weary of well doyng and yet those works are not the cause that a Christian is a christian that is to wit that he is righteous good holy and acceptable vntoo God neither néedeth he to woorke all those good workes to become such a one But forasmuch as he is a christian by fayth lyke as Iesus Christ being a man was also God by his Godhead hee dooth all those good woorkes which make not the christian too be righteous and good but shewe him to be good righteous and holy So then like as Christes Godhead was the cause that hée wrought miracles euen so faith working through loue is the cause of the good works that a christen man doeth And like as a maÌ„ may say of Iesus Christ that hee hath done this miracle or that that those miracles besids that they glorified God were also a great honor vnto Iesus Christ as he was maÌ„ who for his obedience euen vnto death was recoÌ„penced at Gods haÌ„d in his resurrectioÌ„ had geuen vnto him al power both in heauen earth which he had not afore as in respect of his manhood but deserued it by the vnion w t is betwixt the worde of God and the maÌ„hood of Christ So doeth faith in a Christian which faith by reasoÌ„ of the vnion that it hath with the soule attributeth that thing too the one in is proper to the other whervpon it coÌ„meth that the holy scripture promiseth the christian euerlasting life for his good woorks because good works are the fruites and testimonies of liuely faith and procéed of it as light procéedeth froÌ„ a flame of fire accoÌ„rding as I haue said hertofore And by this holy faith which imbraceth Iesu Christ it commeth to passe that our soule is ioyned with Christ and is so vnited and knit to him that whatsoeuer Christ hath merited deserued the same is imputed vnto the soule as though it had merited and deserued it And therefore S. Augustine saith that God crowneth his owne giftes in vs. Of this vnion of the soule with Iesus Christ Christ himselfe beareth good recorde where hee prayeth so his father for his Apostles and for such as should beléeue in him by their preaching I pray not saith he for them onely but also for al those that shal beléeue in me through theyr word to the end they may be all one thing that like as thou my father art in me and I in thee so they also may bâ—e one in vs and that the world may beléeue that thou hast sent me and that I haue geuen them the glory which thou hast geuen me so as they should be one selfsame thing like as thou and I are one Whereby it appeareth euidently that if we beléeue the word of the Apostles who preached that Iesus Christ died for our sinnes
of the threatnings which S. Paule vseth to the Galathians who hauing béene deceiued by false Preachers beleeued not that the Iustification by fayth was sufficient of it selfe but went about stil to be made righteous by thelaw Unto whom S. Paule saith Iesus Christ shall nothing profite you that iustifie your selues by the law for you bee falne from grace because that we through the spirit of sayth wayt for the hope of righteousnesse Now if the seeking of righteousnesse forgiuenesse of sinnes by the keeping of the law which GOD gaue vpon mount Sinai with so greate glorie and maiestie bée the denying of Christe and of his Grace what shall wée say to those that will néeds iustifie themselues afore God by theyr owne lawes and obseruances I woulde wishe that suche folkes shoulde a little compare the one with the other and afterwarde geue Iudgement themselues God myndeth not too doe that honour nor to geue that glory to his owne lawe yet they will haue him too geue it too mens lawes and ordinances But that honour is geuen onely to his onely begotten sonne who alone by the sacrifice of his death and passion hath made full amendes for al our sinnes past present and to come as Saint Paule and Saint Iohn declare Wherfore as often as we apply this satisfaction of Iesus Christs vnto our soules by fayth out of all doubt we obteine forgeuenesse of our sinnes and become good and righteous before God through his righteousnesse And therfore after that Saint Paule hath said that as touching the righteousnesse of the law he had liued vnblameable he addeth and yet whatsoeuer I haue gained by it I haue accompted in all respectes too bée but losse for the loue of Christe And specially I esteeme all thinges to bée losse for the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christe my Lord for whom I haue compted all things too bée losse and déeme them but as doung so may I winne Christ and be founde in him not hauing mine owne righteousnes which is of the lawe but the righteousnes which is by the fayth of Iesus Christe w t righteousnes is giuen by God I meane the righteousnes of faith that I may come to the knowledge of Iesus Christ. O most notable words which al Christians ought to haue engrauen in their hearts praying God to make them to fast it perfectly Lâ—e howe Saint Paule sheweth plainely that whosoeuer knoweth Christe aright estéemeth al the woorks of the lawe to be hurtfull for somuch as they make vs too swarue from our trust in Iesus Christ too whom euery man ought to impute his saluation and too trust onely vnto him alone And to inforce this sentence the more he addeth further that he estéemeth all things but as doung so he may gayne Christ he found incorporated in him declaring therby that whosoeuer trusteth in his owne workes pretendeth not iustifie himselfe by them getteth not Iesus Christ nother is engraffed into him And forasmuch as the whole mystery of our faith consisteth in the truth hereof to the end we might the better vnderstand what he meant to say he addeth and repeteth oftentunes that he had nothing to do with all the outward iustification all y â— righteousnes that is grounded vpon the keping of the law but y â— he would cloth himself with the righteousnes which God geueth by sayth to all them that beléeue that all our sinnes are fully chastised and punished in Iesu Christ and that Iesus Christ as Saint Paule saith is made our wisedom righteousnesse holinesse and redemption to the end as it is writteÌ„ that he which wil glory should glory in y â— Lord and not in his owne woorks Uery true it is that in the holy Scriptures there are some textes to be found which beyng misvnderstood séeme to gainesay this holy doctrine of Saint Paules to attribute iustification remission of sinnes vnto works and to charity But those authorities haue already byn well expounded by some who haue shewed plainly that such as haue vnderstood them in the sense aforesaid vnderstood them not aright Wherefore my déere beloued brethren let vs not folow the fond opinions of the bewitched Galathians but rather let vs followe the trueth which S. Paule teacheth vs and let vs geue the whole glory of our iustification vnto Gods mercie and to the merites of his Sonne who by his owne bloodshed hath set vs frée from the soueraintie of the law and from 〈…〉 geue vs life and endlesse felicitie I say yet further that he hath deliuered vs from the dominion of the lawe insomuch as he hath geuen vs his holy spirit who teacheth vs al truth that he hath satisfied the law to the ful giuen the same satisfactioÌ„ vnto al his members that is to wit to al true Christians so as they may safely appeare at Gods throne because they be clothed w t the righteousnes of his Christ by him deliuered from the curse of the lawe Then can not the law any more accuse vs or coÌ„ndenm vs nor moue our affections or appetites nor increase sinne in vs. And therefore S. Paule saith that the obligation which was against vs is cancelled by Iesus Christ discharged vpon the trée of the crosse insomuch as he hath set vs frée froÌ„ the subiectioÌ„ of the law consequently from the tyranny of sinne and death which can no more holde vs oppressed because it is ouercome by Iesus Christ in his resurrection so coÌ„sequently by vs which are his members in such maner that we may say with Saynte Paule and with the Prophet Osée Death is quite vanquished and destroied O death where is thy sting O Hel where is thy 〈…〉 strength of sinne is the law But God bée praised who hath granted vs victory by our Lorde Iesus Christ. He is the blessed séede that hath crushed the head of the venomous Serpent that is to wit of the Diuel insomuche that al those which beleue in Iesus Christe reposing their whole trust in his grace doe ouercome sinne death the diuel hel as Christ hath done He is that blessed séed of Abraham in the which God hath promised blessednesse to al nations It behooueth euery particular person too fighte with the sayd horrible serpent to deliuer himselfe froÌ„ that curse But that enterprise was so great that all the force of the whole world knit together was not able too goe through with it Wherfore our God the father of mercy being moued with compassion of our miseries hath geuen vs his onely begotten sonne who hath deliuered vs froÌ„ the venim of the serpent and is himself become our blessednesse and righteousnesse condicionally that we accept the same renouncing all our owne outwarde iustifications Then my déere brethren let vs imbrace the righteousnesse of our Lord Iesus Christ and let vs make it ours by meanes of fayth let vs assure our selues that we be righteous not for our own workâ— but
we should not shake it off nor make light of our trust which hath great recompence and rewarde But this so holy and diuine affiance is gendred in our heartes by the working of the holy Ghost who is communicated vnto vs by faith which neuer goeth without the loue of God And héere of it commeth that wâ—e are prouoked too doe good workes with a certaine liuelinesse and effectual chéerefulnesse whereby wée gather such a strength inclination to do them as we be throughly ready and forwarde to doe and to suffer all intollerable thinges for the loue and glory of our most gracious and mercifull father who hath inriched vs with so abundant grace through Iesus Christe of his enimies made vs his most déere children This true faith is no sooner giuen a man but he is by and by indued and imprinted with a certain violent loue of good works to yeelde right sweete and amiable fruites both vnto God likewise vnto his neighbour as a very good and fruitfull trée And it is no more possible that he should bée otherwise than it is possible that a Faggot should be set on fire and not cast light immediately This is the holy Faith without the which it is vnpossible y t any man shuld please God and whereby all the holy men as well of the olde Testament as of the new haue byn saued according as S. Paul witnesseth of Abraham concerning whoÌ„ the Scripture saieth that Abraham beléeued God and it was reckoned to hym for righteousnes And therefore he saith a litle before We beléeue that a man is iustified by faith without the déedes of the law And in an other place he saith So then in that time shall the remnant be saued according to the election of grace and if they be saued by grace then is it not by workes for then were grace no grace And to the GalathiaÌ„s hée sayth it is a manyfest matter that no man becommeth righteous before GOD by the Lawe because the righteous lyueth by Faith And the Lawe consisteth not in beliefe but hée that perfourmeth the things that the law commandeth shal liue by that performance And further be saith that a man caÌ„not become righteous by the déedes of the law but only by beléeuing in Iesus Christe Againe a litle after he saith that if a man can become righteous by the law Iesus Christe dyed in vaine Moreouer to the Romans making comparisoÌ„ betwéene the righteousnesse of the law the righteousnes of the Gospel hee saith that the one consisteth in the doing of workes and the other in beléeuing For if thou confesse our Lord Iesus Christ wnâ— thy mouth and beléue in thy hart that God hath raysed him vp from death thou shalt be saued For the beliefe of the heart maketh a man righteous the confession of y â— mouth maketh him safe Loe how this good Teacher S. Paul sheweth euidently that faith maketh a man righteous without any works And not only S. Paul but also â— holy doctors that came after him haue confirmed and allowed this most holy truth of Iustification by faith among whom S. Augustin is the chiefe who in his booke of faith and workes and in his booke of the Spirit and the Letter and in his booke of fourescore thrée questions and in his booke which hée did write to Bouiface and in his treatise vpon the xxxi Psalme and in many other places defendeth this article shewing that we become righteous by faith without any helpe of good workes Howebeit that good workes are the effectes of righteousnesse not the cause of it And he sheweth that the wordes of S. Iames being soundly vnderstoode are nothing contrary to this article Which thing Origen doth also affirme in his 4. booke vpon the Epistle to the RomaÌ„s saying that S. Paules meaning is that faith only is sufficient to make men righteous in somuche that a man becommeth righteous only by beléeuing although hée haue not doone any good worke at all For so it is that y â— Théef became righteous w t out the works of the law forasmuch as the Lord sought not what good workes he had doone in times past nor waited vntil he had done any after he had beléeued but hauing accepted him for righteous vpon his onely confession tooke him for his companion euen he shoulde enter into Paradise Likewise that so renowmed woman in the Gospell of S. Luke while shée was at the féete of Iesus Christ heard it said vnto her thy sinnes are forgiâ—en thée And a litle after he saith vnto her thy faith hath saued thée goe thy way in peace Afterward Origen saith In many places of the Gospell a man may sée how our Lorde Iesus Christe hath spoken in suche wise as hee sheweth that faith is the cause of the saluation of the beteeuers Then is a man maâ—e righteous by faith the works of the law further him nothing at al. On the contrary where Faith is not which Faith maketh the beléeuer righteous although a man do the workes which the Law commandeth yet notwithstanding forasmuch as they be not builded vpon the foundation of faith albe it that to outward appearance they séeme good yet can they not iustifie him that doth them because he wanteth faith which is the marke of them that are become righteous before God And who is he that can boast himself to be righteous when he heareth God say by his Prophet Esay that all our righteousnesse is as a defiled cloath of a menstruous woman Then can wée not iustly glory in our selues but in the onely faith of the crosse of Iesus Christ. S. Basâ—l in his Homilie of humilitie sayth that the Christian ought to holde him selfe for righteous through beléefe in Iesus Christ and his wordes are these The Apostle sayth that he which gloryeth should glory in the Lord in that God hath made Iesus Christ to be our wisdome righteousnesse holynes and redemption to the end that hée which would glory should glory in the Lord because that â—he perâ—ite aud sounde gloriyng is to glory in the Lorde For in so doing a man presumeth not vpon his owne righteousnesse but acknowledgeth his want or â—he true righteousnesse that he is made righteous only by beléeuing in Iesus Christe And S. Paul glorieth of the despiting of his owne righteousnesse and of his séeking of Christes righteousnesse by faith which commeth of God S. Hyllary in his nienth Canon vppon the exposition of S. Matthewe sayth these woordes The Scribes considering Iesus Christe but only as man were troubled that a man shoulde forgeue sinnes and pardon that thing which the Lawe coulde not doe becauss that only faith iustifieth Saint Ambrose in expounding these wordâ—s of S. Paul Vnto hym that beleeueth in him which iustifieth the vngodly his faith is accounted for righteousnesse according to the purpose of Gods grace Like as Dauid also saith that
vntoo Iesus Christ and become his spouse Howe can I assuredly glory that I am Quéene and Mistres of his great riches as a wife may I can easily beléeue that other folkes shall receiue this honour and glory but I cannot perswade my selfe that I am one of those same too whome God hath geuen so greate grace For I knowe mine owne wretchednesse imperfection My déerebe loued brother I answeare thée that thyne assuraÌ„ce consisteth in true and liuely faith wherewith as S. Peter saith God cleanseth mens hearts and this faith is grounded in the beléeuing of the gospel that is to say in the beléeuing of the gladde tidinges which haue béene published on Gods béehalfe through the whole world which conteineth in effect y â— God hath vsed the rigorousnes of his iustice agaynst Iesus Christ chastizing and punishing all our sinnes in him And whosoeuer receiueth this good tidings and beléeues it stedfastly hath the true faith and doth enioy the forgiuenes of his sinnes and is also recoÌ„ciled vnto God and of the child of wrath is becom the child of grace and recouering the image of God entreth into the kingdome of God and is made the teÌ„ple of God who marieth mans soule to his onely Sonne by the meane of this sayth which faith is a worke of God and the gift of God as S. Paule saieth oftentimes And God geueth it vntoo those whom he calleth to him of purpose to iustifie theÌ„ and to glorify theÌ„ and to geue theÌ„ euerlasting life according as our Lord Iesus Christ witnesseth saying This is the will of him that sent mée euen that euery one which séeth the sonne and beléeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will rayse him vp agayne at the latter day And like as Moyses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man bée lifted vp to the ende that euery one which beleueth in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting Also he saith too Martha He that beleueth in me shal liue although he were dead euery one that liueth bele ueth in me shall not die for euer And to a company of the Iewes he saith I am come a light into the world to the end that euery man which beléeueth in me shoulde not abide in darknesse And S. Iohn in his Epistle saith Heere in appeared the loue of God towards vs for that God is loue and sent his onely begotten Sonne intoo this worlde that we might liue through him And herein is loue known not in that wée loued God but in that he loued vs and sent his Sonne too make attonement for our sins And moreouer he sent him to destroy our enimies For the bringing whereof too passe he made him partaker of our fleshe of our bloode as sayeth Sainte Paule too the end that by his death he might destroy him that had the dominion of death that is to wit the diuel and set all such at liberty as were subiect to boÌ„dage all their-lyfe long for feare of death Seeing then that we haue recordes of the holy scripture concerning the promises wherof we haue spoken héertofore and concerning many other promises that are dispersed in diuers places of the same we cannot doubt of it And forsomuch as the holy scripture speaketh to al ingeneral none of vs ought to distrust in himselfe that the selfsame thing which the scripture saith should not belong particularly to himselfe And too the end that this poynt wherin lieth and coÌ„sisteth the whole mystery of our holy fayth may bee vnderstood the better let vs put the cace that som good and holy King cause the proclamation to be made through his whole Realmâ— by the sounde of a Trumpet that al rebels and banished men shal safely return home to their houses because that at the suite deserte of some déere friende of theirs it hath pleased him to pardon them certeinly none of those rebels ought too doubt of the obtayning of true pardon of his rebellion but rather ought assuredly too returne home too his house to liue vnder the shadowe of that holie King And if he wyll not returne by shal beare the penâ—lty of it because that through his owne vnbelief he dieth in exile and in the displeasure of his Prince But this good king is the Lorde of heauen and earth who for the obedience desert of our good brother Iesus Christe hath pardoned as all our sinnes and as wee haue sayd aâ—ore hath made open proclamation through the whole world that al of vs may safely returne into his kingdom Wherefore hee that beléeueth this proclamation doth straight wayes returne into Gods kingdome whereout we were driuen by the offence of our first Parentes and blessedly gouerned by gods holy spirit And he that geueth no credite to the sayde proclamation shal neuer enioy the said generall pardon but for his vnbeleefes sake shal abide in banishment vnder the tyranny of the diuel and liue and die in extréeme misery liuing and dying in the displeasure of the King of heauen and earth and that iustly For me cannot commit a greater offence against this good God then to accompte him as a lyer and deceiuer which verily we doe in not giuing credite too his promises O howe passing heauy is this deadly sinne of vnbeleefe which so farre foorth as is possible â—ereueth God of his glory perfection besides the great harme that it doeth to a mans selfe which is his owne damnation the endlesse torment of his soule which the miserable 〈◊〉 féeleth euen in this life But on the contrary he that commeth vnto God with assurednesse of this faith beléeuing him without any mistrust or doubt of his promises and warranting himselfe for a certaintie that God will performe all that euer hee hath promised him geueth all the glory vnto God and liueth continually in rest endlesse ioy euermore praysing and thanking the Lord God for choozing him to the glory of the eternall life And héere of they haue an assured earnest penny and gage that is to wit the sonne of God whom they take for their most louing Bridegrome y â— blood of whom hath made their heartes so drunken that through this passing holy beliefe there is in the christian heart engendred so liuely a hope so certaine a trust of Gods mercy towardes vs and such an operatioÌ„ is wrought in vs as wée reste our selues wholy vpon God leauing the whole care of vs vnto him in suche wise that béeing throughly assured of Gods good will wée are not afraid neither of the Deuil nor of his ministers nor of death Which holy stedfast trust of Gods mercy inlargeth our hearte chéereth it vp with certaine merueilous swéete affections directeth it vntoo GOD filling it and setting it on Fyre with an excéeding feruent loue And therefore Paul incourageth vs too goe with all boldnesse to the throne of Grace and hée counselleth vs that
the man is bleâ—â—ed whom GoÌ„d accompteth righteous without good workes writeth thus S. Paul sayth that vnto him which beléeueth in Iesus Christ that is to wit to the Gentile his faith is imputed for righteousnesse as it was vnto Abraham In what wise theÌ„ thinke the Iewes to become righteous by the workes of the law and yet to be righteous as Abraham was séeing that Abraham became not righteous by the déedes of the Lawe but onely by faith Then is not the Law needful forasmuche as the sinner becommeth righteous before God through only faith according to gods gracious purpose as Dauid sayth The Apostle confirmeth that which he hath said by the Prophets example saying Blessed is y â— man whom God accepteth for righteous without workes Whereby Dauid meaneth that those men are very happy whoÌ„ God hath determined to accept for righteous before him by only faith without any paines taking or obseruation of the Law on theyr behalfe Thus sheweth hée the blessednesse of the time wherein Christ was borne insomuch as the Lord himselfe saith Many righteous men Prophetes haue coueted to sée the things that you sée and too heare the things that you heare haue not heard them The selfsame thing saith S. Ambrose in expounding the first cap. of the I. Epistle to yÌ„ Corinthians affirming openly y â— whosoeuer beléeueth in Iesus Christ is become righteous W tout workes without any desert receiueth forgiuenesse of his sinnes by faith alone Also he affirmeth the same thing in an Epistle which he writeth to Irenaeus saying let no man boast of his own workes for no man becommeth righteous by his owne workes but he that hath righteousnesse hath it of frée gift forsomuch as he is made righteous by Iesus Christ. TheÌ„ is 〈◊〉 faith that deliuereth by Christs blood for happy is hée whose sinne is forgeuen pardoned And S. Bernard in his thréescore and seuentéene Sermon vppon the Ballet of Ballets coÌ„firmeth the same saying that our owne merites beare no sway at all in making vs righteous which thing must be attributed wholy vnto grace w t maketh vs righteous fréely likewise dischargeth vs froÌ„ the bondage of sinne And he addeth that Iesus Christ marrieth the soule and â—oupleth it vnto himselfe by faith without that any desert of our works ought or can come betwéen But bicause I wil not be too long I wyll make an end of mine allegations when I haue vttered one very notable and good saiyng of Saint Ambrose in his booke intituled of Iacob concerning the blessed life The saide holy mansaith that like as Iacob hauing not on his owne behalfe deserued the birthright shrowded himselfe vnder the apparrell of his brother and cloathed him selfe with his garment which yéelded a very swéete sente and in that wise presented him selfe to his father to receiue the blessing vnder another maÌ„s person too his owne behoofe euen so is it requisite for vs to cloath our selues with the righteousnes of Iesus Christ by faith and to shrowd our selues vnder the diuine purenesse of our eldest brother if wée wyll be receiued for righteous afore God And certainely this is true For if wée appeare before God vnclothed of the righteousnesse of Iesus Christe out of all doubt we shal bée iudged worthie of euerlasting damnation But contrariwise yf GOD sée vs apparelled with the righteousnesse of his sonne Christ theÌ„ wil he surely take vs for righteous and holy and worthy of eternal life And verily it is a great rashnesse in such as pretende to attaine vnto righteousnes by y â— kéeping of Gods coÌ„mandements which are alcompreheÌ„ded in * louing God with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength and our neighbour as our selfe But who is so arrogant or so madde as to presume that he is able to perfourme those commandements to the full Or who séeth not that Gods law requireth perfect loue and condemneth all vnperfectnesse Let euery man consider well his owne workes which partly shall séeme good vnto him and hée shall finde that they ought rather to be called transgressions of that most holy law according also as they be altogeather vncleane and vnperfect so that he must bee faine to vtter this saying of Dauids Enter not into iudgemente with thy seruant O Lorde for no man liuing shall bée found righteous in thy sight And Solomon saith who is hée that may say my hearte is cleane And Iob cryeth out What man is he that can be vndefiled and what man borne of woman can shewe him selfe righteous Beholde hee found no stedfastnesse among his Saints yea the heauens are not cleane in his sight Nowe muche more abhominable and filthie is man who drinketh iniquitie as it were water And S. Iohn saith If we say wée bée without sinne wée deceiue our selues And specially our Sauiour Iesus Christe teacheth vs to say as often as wee pray Forgeue vs all our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs. And herby may wel be gathered the folly of those y â— make merchaÌ„dise of their workes presuming to saue by them not onely them selues but also their neighbors as though our Lord Iesus Christe had not sayd vnto them When yée haue doone all that euer is commanded you say yée we be vnprofitable seruantes wee have doone but as wee ought to doe Ye sée that although wee had perfourmed Gods lawe too the full yet neuerthelesse we shoulde esteeme and cal our selues vnprofitable seruants Nowe then séeing that men are so farre of from this ful perfourmance who is he that dareth be so bolde as to glorifie him selfe that hee hath added so great an ouerplus of deseruinges aboue the full measure as he may haue to deale abroade vnto others But to returne to our purpose I woulde that the proude sinner which beareth him selfe in hande that hée maketh himselfe righteous before God by doeing some workes which are allowable to the world would consider that all the works which procéed out of an vncleane and foule hearte are also vncleane and filthie and consequently cannot be acceptable vnto God nor haue any power to make the partie righteous Therefore wée must first of all cleanse the hearte if wee minde that our workes should please God The cleansing of the hearte proceedeth of faith as the holy Ghost affirmeth by the mouth of S. Peter Then must wee not say that the vnrighteous person and the sinner becommeth righteous good and acceptable vnto God by his owne workes But wée must of necessitie conclude that faith cleanseth our harâ—es and maketh vs good righteous and acceptable before God and furthermore causeth our woorkes too please him notwithstanding that they bée altogether vnprofitable and vnperfect For in as much as wée be become the children of God through faith hee considereth our workes not as a seuere rigorous iudge but as a most mercifull father hauing pitty of our frailenesse and regarding vs as
the members of his eldest sonne whose perâ—ection and righteousnesse doeth supply all our vncleannesse and imperfection which arenot layde to our charge forsomuche as they be couered vnder the purenes and innocencie of Iesus Christe and come not to iudgement before God And héereupon it coâ—neth too passe that all our woorkes which proceede of a true faith notwithstanding that they be wholy sinful and corrupt of themselues shall neuerthelesse bée praysed and allowed by Iesus Christe in the generall iudgement because they bee the fruites and Testimonies of our faith whereby wee bée saued For insomuche as we haue loued y â— brethren of Iesus Christ wée shall shew euidently that wée haue also béene faithfull and brethren of Christe and therefore by faith wée shall bee put in full possession of the euerlasting kingdome which our soueraigne Lord God hath prepared for vs before y â— creating of the world not for our merites sakes but through his mercy whereby he hath chosen vs and called vs to the grace of his Gospel and made vs righteous to the intent to glorifie vs euerlastingly with his only begotten sonne Iesus Christe who is the holinesse and righteousnesse of vs but not of them which wyll not confesse that faith is sufficient of it selfe too make a man righteous and acceptable to the Lord GOD who through his fatherly goodnes and louing kindnes offereth and giueth vs Iesus Christe with his righteousnesse without any desert of our owne works What thing can work or cause a man too deserue so great a gyfte and Ireasure as Iesus Christe is This treasure is geuen only through the grace fauour and mercyfulnesse of GOD and only faith is the thing that receiueth suche a gift as too make vs inioy the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And therfore when S. Paul other Doctors say that only faith maketh men righteous without workes they meane y â— it maketh vs so inioy y â— general forgeuenesse of our sinnes and to receiue Iesus Christ who as saith S. Paul dwelleth in our heartes by faith and ouercomming and pacifiyng the troubles of our consciâ—nces satisfieth Gods iustice for our sinnes Furthermore it appeaseth Gods wrath iustly mooued against vs quenetheth the fyre of Hell whereinto our naturall corruption did throw vs headlong and chéerefully destroyeth and ouerthroweth the Deuil togeather with al his power and tyranny Which things all y â— works that al y â— men in the worlde can lay together are not able to deserue nor to bring to passe That glory and that prerogatiue is reserued alonly to the sonne of God that is to wit too the blessed Iesus Christe who hath power aboue all the the powers that are in heauen in earth and in Hell and giueth himselfe and his merites to al such as distrusting in theÌ„selues doe set their whole hope of being saued in him and in his merites And therefore let no man beguile him selfe when hée heareth it saide that onely fayth iustifieth without workes and think as false christians doe who drawe all thinges to liue fleshly that the true faith consisteth in beléeuing the bare sâ—rory of Iesus Christ after the same manner as men beléeue the story of Caesar or Alexander Suche manner of beliefe is but an historicall belief grounded méerely vpon the report of men vpon their writinges lightly imprinted in our conceite by a certaine custome and is like to the faith of the Turkes who for the like reasons beléeue the fables of their Alcaron And such a faith is but an imagination of man which neuer renueth the harâ— of man nor warmeth it with the loue of God neyther doe any good woorkes insue or any change of life which faith shoulde bring foorth And therfore they falsty hold opinioÌ„ against y â— holy scripture and agaynst the holy Doctors of the church y â— only faith maketh not maÌ„e righteous but y â— they must also haue works vnto whoÌ„ I answere that this historical and fond beléefe and all the workes that insue therof are not only vnable to make a man righteous but also doo cast the parties headlong to the bottome of hel like vnto those y â— haue no oyle in their larpes that is to say no liecly â—aith in their harts The fayth that maketh men righteous is a work of God in vs wherby out old man is crucified wee being transformed in Iesus Christe become newe creatures the déere beloued children of God This heauenly faith is it that graffeth vs into the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ consequently mortifieth our flesh with the affects lustes therof For when we by the operation of fayth do knowe our selues to be dead with Iesus Christe wee are at a full point with our selues with the world are throughly resolued how it is méete that they which are dead with Iesus Christe shoulde mortifie their earthly members that is to wit the sinfull affections of they mind and the lusts of the flesh forasmuch as we know we bee raysed againe in Christ we bend our selues to the leading of a spirituall holy life like vnto that which we shal liue in heaueÌ„ after the last resurrection This holy fayth making vs to inioy the general pardâ—n that is published by the Gospel bringeth vs into the kingdome of our good God and pacifieth our coÌ„sciences mainteining vs in coÌ„tinual ioy holy spiritual sweetnes This self-same faith knitteth vs vnto God maketh him to dwell in our heartes clotheth our soule with himself so as theÌ„ceforth the holy Ghost moueth vs to doe the same things wherunto he moued Iesus Christ while he was in the world was coÌ„uersant among men that is to wit vnto lo wlines meekenes obedientnes vnto God louingnes other perfections wherthrough we recouer y â— image of God For these selfsame causes Iesus Christ did rightly attribute blessednes vnto this inspired faith which blessednes cannot be v â—out good works holines of life And how can it bée that a Christian should not beocme holy seeing that Iesus Christ is become his holines through â—aith Therfore by faith we be iustified saued and therfore S. Paul doth in a maner alwaies call those Saints whom we call nowe Christians who if they haue not Christs spirit are none of Christes consequeÌ„tly no ChristiaÌ„s at al. But if they have the spirit of Iesus Christe to rule and gouerne them we must not doubte but that although they knowe well that they bee made righteous through faith onely yet for al that they will become neuer the more slouthfull to do good workes For Christes spirite is the spirit of loue and loue cannot bee idle nor cease from the doing of good works But if we will say the truth a maÌ„ can do no good works except he first know himselfe to be become righteous by faith for before he knoweth that his dooing of good woorkes is rather too make himselfe righteous
and rose againe for our iustificatioÌ„ we become al one thing with him and forasmuch as he is all one with God we also become al one with god by the meane of Iesus Christ. D woÌ„derful glory of the ChristiaÌ„ to whom it is graunted through faith to possesse the vnspeakeable benefits which the Angels long to behold By this present discourse a man may plainly perceiue the difference y â— is betwixt vs them that defend the iustification by faith woorkes together Herein we agrée with them that we stablish workes affirming that the â—aith which iustifieth cannot be without good works that those which are become righteous are they that doe the good woorks that may rightly be called good works But we differ from them in this that we say that faith maketh men righteous without the help of woorkeÌ„s And the reason is ready namely because that by faith we put on Christe and make his holinesse and righteousnesse to be ours And séeing the case so standeth that Christes righteousnesse is geuen vs by fayeth We cannot be so thanklesse blind and vnhappy as not to beléeue that he is of sufficient ability to make vs acceptable and right before God Let vs say w t the Apostle If the blood of Oxen and Goates and the Ashes of a Cow sprinckled cleanseth the vncleane as touching the cleansing of the flesh how much more shal that blood of Iesus Christ who by the euerlasting spirite offered himselfe vndefiled vnto God to cleanse our consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God I pray thée now thou good and deuout christiaÌ„ consider wel which of these two opinions is the truest holiest and worthiest to be preached Ours which aduanceth the benefit of Iesus Christ pulleth downe the pride of man which would exalt his owne woorkes against Christes glory or the other which by affirming that faith of it selfe iustifieth not defaceth the glory and benefite of Iesus Christe and puffeth vp the pride of man who cannot abide to bée iustified fréely by our Lord Iesus Christ without some merit of his owne But say they it is a greate quickening vp to good woorkes to say that a man maketh himself righteous before God by meanes of them I answeare that we also confesse that good workes are acceptable to God that he of his méere grace and frée liberalitie recompenceth them in paradise But we say more ouer that no woorkes are good sauing those that S. Augustine saith are done by those that are become righteous through faith because that if the tree be not good it cannot yeelde good fruit And â—urthermore we say that such as are become righteous through fayth forasmuch as they knowe themselues to be righteous through Gods righteousnesse purchased by Christ make no bargayning with God for their works as though they woulde buy their maner of iustification such as it is with them but béeing inflamed with the loue of God and desirous to glorifie Iesus Christ who hath made them righteous by geuing them his merites and riches they bestow all theyr whole studie and labour to doe Gods will fighting manfully agaynst the loue of theÌ„selues and agaynst the world and the Diuel And when they fal through frailty of y â— flesh they recouer themselues by and by are so much the more desirous to do good so much the more in loue with their God coÌ„sidering that he layeth not their sins to their charge bicause they be ingrafted into Iesus Christ who hath made ful amendes for all his members vppon the trée of his trosse and maketh continuall intercession for them to the eternall father who for the loue of his onely begotten sonne beholdeth them alwaies with a gentle countenance gouerning and defending them as his most deare children and in the end geuing them the heritage of the world making thé like fashioned to the glorious image of Christ. These louing motions are y â— spurres that pricke forward the true Christians to doe good woorks who considering that they are become the children of God through faith made partakers of his diuine nature are stirred vp by the holy Ghoste dwelling in them to liue as it becommeth the children of so great a Lord are greately ashamed that they mainteine not the beauty of their heauenly noblenes and therfore they imploy their whole indeuour to the following of their firstborue brother Iesus Christ lyuing in great lowlines and mâ—eekenes in al thinges séeking the glory of God geuing their liues for their brethren doing good to their enimies gloriyng in y â— sufferance of reproches in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ saying with Zachary We be deliuered out of hande of our enimies to serue God w tout feare in holines and righteousnes all the daies of our life They say with S. Paul The grace of the Lord is appeared to abolish al wickednes and al worldly desires in vs to the end we should liue a sober holy and honest life in this worlde wayting for the blessed hope and for the glorious appearing of the great God and sauiour These and such other like thoughts desires and affections are wrought by inspired faith in the soules of them that are become righteous And as for him that eyther wholly or partly feleth not these godly affections and operations in his heart but is geuen ouer to the flesh and the world let him assurâ— himselfe that hee hath not yet the iustifying faith nor is the member of Christ because he hath not Christes spirit and coÌ„sequently is none of his and he that is none of Christes is no Christian. Then let mans wisedom cease henceforth to fight agaynst the righteousnesse of the most holy faith and let vs geue al the glory of our iustification to the merits of Iesus Christ with whom we be clothed through faith The fifth Chapter In what wise the Christian is clothed with Iesus Christ. ALthough that by the things aforesaid a man may easily and plainly inough percâ—iue how a Christian may clothe himselfe with Iesus Christ yet neuerthelesse I mind to speake a little of it assuring my selfe that vnto the good and faithfull Christian it can séeme neither grieuous nor troublesome to speake therof although the thing were repeated a thousande tunes Therfore I say that the Christian knoweth that Iesus Christ together with al his righteousnesse holinesse and innocenâ—ie is his owne through faith And like as when a man purposeth to present himselfe before some great Lorde or Prince hâ— laboureth to aray himselfe in some faire and rostely apparreli euen so when the Christian is decked and arayed with the innocencie of Christ and with all his perfection he preseÌ„teth himselfe boldly before God the Lord of all assuring himself y â— through Christs merites he is in as good case as if he had purchased al that which Iesus Christ hath purchased and deserued And truely fayth maketh euery of 〈◊〉 to possesse
who by al meanes seeketh to rob vs of that faith and confidence that springeth of faith assureth vs of Gods good will towardes vs. He laboureth to strip our soule out of this precious garmēt for he knoweth y ◠none is a true Christian except he beléeue Gods woorde which promiseth forgeuenesse of all sinnes and peace too all them which accept the grace of the Gospel Uerily I say that he which vpon these promises of God perswadeth not himselfe assuredly that God is a mercifull and louing father vnto him nor with stedfast confidence looketh to receiue the inheritance of the heauēly kingdome at his hand is not faithful in déed maketh himselfe vtterly vnwoorthy of Gods grace In respect whereof S. Paule saith that we be the temple of God so farfoorth as we firmely mainteine the confidence and glory of our hope vnto the ende And in another place he exhorteth vs that we shoulde not geue ouer our trust which hath great reward of recompence And therfore my brethren let vs geue our whole indeuour to doe the will of God as it becommeth good children and beware that wee sinne not as neere as wee can And although wee fall oftentimes intoo sinne through our owne frailtie yet let vs not by by surmise that we be vessels of wrath or that we be vtterly forsaken of the holy Ghost for we haue our Aduocate Iesus Christ before God the father and he is the attonement maker for our sinnes Let vs bethinke vs of the opinion of S. Augustine who saith that none of the Saints is righteous and without sinne and yet notwithstanding that he ceaseth not to be righteous and holy so farfoorth as he retaine his holinesse with affection And therfore if we haue afflictions and tribulations let vs not think that God sends thē because he is our enimy but bicause he is our most louing father The Lord saith Salomon chastiseth him whome hee loueth and scourgeth euery childe of his whō he receiueth Wherfore if we haue receiued the grace of the gospel wherby man is receiued of God for his childe me must not doubte of Gods grace and good will towardes vs. And when wée perceiue our selues too delight in Gods word and to haue a desire to folow the life of Iesus Christ we must stedfastly beleue that we be the children of God the temple of the holy Ghost For those thinges cānot bee done by the power of mans wisedome but are the giftes of the holie Ghost who dwelleth in vs by fayth and is as it were a seale of authoritie which sealeth vp Gods promises in our heartes the certainly wherof is printed aforehād in our minds and is geuen vs as a pleadge to stablishe confirme the same Assoone as you beléeue saith the Apostle S. Paule ye be sealed by the holy spirit of promise who is the earnest peny of our inheritance Beholde how he sheweth vs hereby that the heartes of the faythfull are marked with the holie Ghost as it were with a seale in respect◠whereof he calleth the holy Ghost the spirit of promise forasmuch as he cōfirmeth the promise of the Gospel the which as I haue oftentimes tolde you is a happy tidinges that promiseth forgeuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting life to all such as beléeue that all their misdoings are blotted out in Iesus Christ. All we that beléeue in Iesus Christ saith Saint Paule are become the children of God and because we bee his children he hath sent the spirit of his sonne into our heart which crieth Father Father And to the Romaines those saith he that are guided by the spirit of God are the children of God for ye haue not receiued again the spirite of bondage in feare but the spirit of adoption whereby me cry father father For certeinly the same spirite beareth our spirite recorde that we be the children of God Now then if we be children we be also heires And we must mark wel that in these two places the Apostle Saint Paule speaketh plainly not of any speciall reuelation but of a certayne record which the holy Ghost doeth commonly yéelde too all such as receiue the grace of the Gospel Then if the holy Ghost assure vs that wee bée Gods children and heires why shoulde we doubt of our Predestinatiō The same man saith in the same Epistle Whome hée hath predestinated them hath hee also called and whom he hath called them hath he also made righteous and whom he hath made righteous them also hath he glorified What shall wee then say too all these things if God be on our side who can bee against vs And therefore if plainly perceiue that God hath called mee by geuing me faith and the fruites of fayth that is to wit Peace of conscience mortification of the flesh and quickening of the spirit whether it be in whole or in parte why shoulde I doubt that I am not predestinated And moreouer we say with Sainte Paule that all true Christians that is to wit all such as beleeue the Gospel receiue not the spirite of this worlde but the spirit that commeth from God by the inspiration whereof they discerne the thinges that God hath geuen them What maruel then is it if we know that God hath certeinly geuen vs euerlasting life But there are some which say that no man ought to presume so farre as to boast humselfe to haue the spirit of God They speake in such wise as if the Christian should glory of y ◠hauing of it for his owne desertes and not by the onely and méere mercy of God and as though it were a presumptuousnes to professe himselfe a Christian or as though a man coulde be a Christian without the hauing of Christes spirite or as though wee coulde without flat hipocrisie say that Iesus Christ is our Lord or call God our father if the holy Ghost moued not our harts and toungs to vtter to sweete wordes And yet notwithstanding euen they that count us presūptuous for saying that God hath geuen vs his holy spirite with faith forbid vs not to say euery day Our Father but rather commaunde vs. But I would haue them to tell me how it is possible to separate fayth and the holy Ghost asunder séeing that faith is the peculiar worke of the holy Ghost If it be presumption to beléeue that the holy Ghost is in vs why doeth S. Paul bid y ◠Corinthiās try thēselues whether they haue faith or no affirming them to be reprobates if they know not y ◠Iesus Christ is in thē But in very déed it is a great blindnes to accuse the Christiās of presumptuousnes for taking vpon them to glory of the presence of the holy Ghoste without w t glorying there cannot be any Christianity at al. But Iesus Cherist who cānot ly saith y ◠his spirit is vnknowē to y ◠world and that they onely doe know him within whom
he dwelleth Then let them begin to become god Christians and put away their Iewish mindes and imbrace the grace of the holy Gospel in good earnest then shal they know that the good and true Christians both haue the holy Ghost also acknowledg ethēselues to haue him But some one may say to me that the Christiā cannot by any meanes know that he is in Gods fauour without some speciall reuelation and so consequently that he cannot know whether he be predestinated or no. And he may specially alledge these wordes of Solomon A man knoweth not whether he be worthy of hatred or of loue and also these wordes of the Apostle S. Paul to the Corinthians I féel not my selfe guilty of any thing and yet féele I not my selfe iustified for all that It séemeth to be sufficiently declared by the textes of holy scripture that the sayde opinion is false and now remayneth onely to bee shewed briefly that these two textes wherevpon the same opinion is chiefly grounded ought not too bee taken in that sense As touching Solomons sentence although it be scarce wel faithfully translated in the commontranslation yet is there not any man so dull who in reading Solomōs whole discourse may not plainely perceiue that by saying so he ment that if any man will take vpon him to iudge by the casualties that happen in this life who is loued or hated of God Hée laboureth in vain◠considering that the selfesame chaunces which light vppon the righteous light also vpon the vnrighteous vpon him that sacrifizeth aswell as vpon him that sacrifizeth not and as soone vppon the good man as vppon the sinner Whereof it may be gathered that GOD doeth not alwayes shew his loue towards those whome hée indueth with outwarde prosperities and contrariwise that hée sheweth not his displeasure towards those whome hée punisheth Then my ryght deare brethren in Christe Iesus our Lorde doe you thinke it reason to conclude that a man cannot bee sure of Gods fauour because the same surenesse cannot bée perceiued by the sundry chaunces that happen euery day in these transitory and temporall thinges A little afore Solomon saith that a man cannot discerne any difference betwéene the soule of man and the life of a Beast for it is séene that both man and Beast dye after one manner Shall wée then conclude by this outwarde accident that the perswasiō which we haue conceaued of the immortality of y ◠soule is grounded but only vpon coniecture so surely and it were a great folly to stande vppon a thing so notably knowne And as for S. Paules wordes I say that forasmuche as he was speaking of the administration of the Gospell hee ment that his hearte misgiues him not of any misdealing therein and yet for all that that hée is not sure hee hath doone his whole dutie to the full and therein obteined the prayse of righteousnes to Godward as if he had done all that perteyned and was conuenient to be done by a faithful Steward and therefore in speaking of his office like a iust and discrete person he durst not iustifie himselfe nor auow that he had discharged his dutie to the uttermost and satisfied his Lords wil but referred all thinges to the only iudgement of his Lord. And verily whosoeuer readeth these wordes of the Apostle S. Paul and considereth the wordes going afore them with some iudgement and likewise the wordes that folow wil not doubt but this is the true sense of them I know well that some men in expounding these woordes of the Apostle S. Paul say that although hée knew himselfe to be without sinne yet hée knew not whether hee were righteous to Godward or no according as Dauid affirmeth that no man can perfectly know his owne sinnes But these men perceiued not that S. Paul groundeth not righteousnes vppon woorkes but vppon faith and that he vtterly refuseth his owne righteousnes to imbrace onely the righteousnesse which God hath geuen vs through our Lord Iesus Christ. Also they cōsider not y ◠he was most certaine to be accepted for righteous in mainteining the soundnesse purenes of the Christian faith and that hee knewe well how the crowne of that righteousnes was laide vp for him in heauen and also that he was fully assured that no creature in heauen earth nor hel was able to separate him from the loue of God and that he longed to die because he knew for a trueth that after his death he should bée with Iesus Christ. All which things should be false if he had not béen well assured that he was righteous I meane by faith and not by works therefore my dearely beloued brethren let vs ceasse to speake y ◠thing of the Apostle S. Paul w t he neuer once thought of himself but fircely fought against it continually in answering suche as measured righteousnesse by workes and not by faith in our Lorde Iesus Christe But beside◠these two authorities of Solomon and S. Paul a man myght alledge some other places of Holy Scripture which wheras they warne and encourage men to feare GOD séeme too bée contrary too the assurance of this our Predestination And if I would declare them all particularly I shoulde be ouerlong But I say generally that the feare of punishment was proper to the old Testament and childly loue too the newe Testamente according as Saint Paul witnesseth when hée saith to the Romans yée haue not receiued the spirite of bondage too feare but yée haue receiued the spirite of adoption whereby wée crie father father And likewise vnto Timothie he saith that GOD hath not geuen vs the spirite of fearefullnes but rather of power and loue which spirite Iesus Christe hath geuen vs according too the promise made by the mouth of the Holy Prophetes and brought to passe that wèe being deliuered out of our enimies handes may serue him without feare before his holy presence in all holynesse righteousnesse all the dayes of our life By these and many other places of the holy Scripture a man may playnly gather that the paineful and slauish fearefulnesse agréeth not with a Christian and this is already confirmed by this that such manner of fearefulnesse is vtterly contrary to the spirituall chéerefulnesse and ioy which is peculiar to the Christian as the Apostle Saint Paul sheweth openly to the Romanes saying that the kingdome of God is righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost that is to say that euery man which entereth into the kingdome of the grace of the Gospell is become righteous through faith and afterwarde addeth peace of conscience which consequently bréedeth such a spirituall and holy rest and gladnes in respect wherof the same Saint Paul doth oftentimes incourage the Christians to liue meryly And Saint Peter sayth that all they which beléeue in Iesus Christe doe continually reioyce with an unspeakeable and glorious ioy notwithstanding that they be afflicted
1. Iohn 4. 〈◊〉 2. A very goodly similitude and fitte for the expressing of the free forgiuenes of 〈◊〉 for Iesus Christes â—ake 〈…〉 â—eb 4. â—eb I0 Heb. 8. Rom. 4. Gen. 15. Rom. 2. Galat. 3. Abac. 2. Galat 3. Rom. 10. S. Augustin Origen * Mary Magdalâ— Luke 6. Faith is the marke of those that are iustified Esay 64. S. Basil. S. â—iâ—â—â—lary S. Ambrose Rom. 4. Psalm 31. S. Bernard Gâ—n 17. A very good comparison how we bee clothedwith the righteousnes of Iesus Christe No man can boast of the perfourmance of Gods lawe Psalm 102 Prou. 20. Iob. 15. â— Ihon. 2. Matth 6. Luke 17. Acts. 15. How the woorkes of the faithful though they be vnperfit please God Matth. 25. In what maner faith iustifiet â—phe 3. Mat. 12. Rom. 6. S. Paule calleth theÌ„ saints whoÌ„ we call Christians He that beleeueth cannot be with out good workes Mark 2. Iames 2. Apoc. 3. A liuely coÌ„parison Ihat S. Iames meant concerning works Iames. 2. A heanenly comparison Iohn 17. Rom. 4. 2. Cor. 6. 1. Pet-2 â— Galat. 3. 〈◊〉 9. Galat. 6. â—â—ke 2. 〈◊〉 2. Rom. 8. Gala. 3. Rom. S. Iesus thrist the 〈◊〉 example of Christians 2. â—et 2. Ephe 4. Rom. 15. 〈◊〉 2. Marke 12. 2. â—im 2. Rom. 12. 1. Tim. 1. Galat 5. Luke 9. Iohn 15 Phillip 3. 2. Cor. 12. 2. Cor. 4. Galat. 6. Rom. 5. After what sort pacieÌ„ce ingendreth tryall Rom. 8. â— Cor. 2. Marke 9. Fourereme dies against the temptations of Distrust Prayer Math. 9. 1. Ches 5. True praiâ— Baptisme 1. Pet. 3. Marke 10. Galat. 3. Rom. 4. Psâ—lâ—â— 3. The supper of the Lord. Luke 22. Marke 16. Gaâ—at 3. Heb. ◠〈◊〉 lib. 1 Iohn 6. 1. Cor. 11. What is ment by not making a diâ—fereÌ„ce of thâ— Lords body Hee that receiueth this Sacramenâ— protesteth himselfe too trust in none other thing than the blood of Christe Rom. 4. Rom. 8. Why the holy sacrament of thankesgiuing was ordainâ—d Christen peace and vnion are betokened by the bread and wine â—e that offeÌ„eth one of his ChristeÌ„ brethren offendeth Christ 〈◊〉 A preparation to the receiuing of the holy Sacramenâ— He that receiueth the Sacrament bindeth himâ—selfe to all the dueties of charity The true end for which the holy sacrament is ordained The foâ—rth remedy against 〈◊〉 Ephe. 5. Luke 10. Psal. 36. Rom. â— Be that receiueth the Gospel is sure that he is predesinateâ— The effect proceeding of the knowledge of predestination Rom. 8. Heb. 3. Heb. 10. Afflictions are no signes of reprobation Pro. 5. A true mark to knowe God children by Ephe. 2. Wherefore the Apostle calleth the holy Ghost she spirit of promise Galaâ— â— Rom. â— Rom 8. A true mark of Predestiâ—n 1. Eor 2. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 1â— He that glorieth not that he hath the holy Ghost is no true Christian Iohn 14. Eccle. 6. 1. Cor. 4. A man may know that he is in Gods fauoure By the chaâ—ces of this life no maâ— can iudge whether a man bee in Gods fauor or displeasure Rom. 3. 5. Phillip 3. 2. Tim. 4. Rom. 8. Phâ— 1. The two sortes of feare childly â—â—uish â— Tim. 1 Rom. 14 Ephe. 6. Phillip 4. 1. Pet. 1. The slauish feare threateneth the wicked and thâ— childly feare encourageth the chosen The effects of childly feare Ephe. 4. The Christian may warrant himself the forgeuenesse of his sinnes S. Hillary Iames. 1. S. Auguâ—t S. Bernard Eche one must beleue particularly his sinnes are released forgeuen him freely