and foremoste we haue declared that we are freelye iustified that is to say deliuered from synne eternall dampnation and euerlastinge death and coumpted righteouse in the syghte of God through fayth only in our sauiour Iesus Christ without any merits or deseruynges goynge before Which thinge hathe bene mooste strongly proued both by manyfest and playne texts of the scriptures and also by the autoryties of the aunciente fathers of the primitiue churche contrarye to the sklaunderous and most lyinge reportes of the enemyes of the truth which do most vngodlye blowe abroade that we haue of late dayes sucked out thys doctrine of oure fyngers endes not one af the olde writers saying once Sola fides iustificat faith onely or fayeh alone doth iustifye But how false this their report is ye shal be iudges your selues after ye haue reade the whole worke We dyd almooste in the begynninge of this disputation least anye impedimente or let should be lefte vnto the reader concile Paul and Iames together where vnto the ignoraunt they dyd seme to disagree whiche I truste is so substantiallye done that any reasonable man wyll holde him self satisfyed Secondlye it hath bene shewed that as all the works that we do afore oure iustification I meane afore we be graffed in Christ and throughe fayth made members of his bodye althoughe they seme neuer so glorious so perfect and excellent yet are but mere synne and abhomination in the syght of God so after we be once iustifyed and made lyuely braunches of that true vyne we must not remain harein and vnfruteful trees but bringe foorth the frutes of our fayth and abounde or flow in all kinde of good woorkes that God hath prepared for vs to walk in remembring that we are therunto created in Christ Iesus who hath redemed vs and clensed from our syns to the end that we shuld be a peculiar people vnto him earnestlye geuen vnto good workes Here haue we by the waye ouerthrowen wyll workes that is such maner of works as are set foorth by the mere inuētion of man with out anye sure ground or foundation in Gods boke or wythout any promysse conteyned in the same prouinge that all suche workes for as muche as they bee done withoute fayeth canne in no wyse please god but are an abominatiō vnto him althoughe they be done as they doe commonlye terme it of a good intente and so vppon occasion we haue declared and made manifest and playne by the historyes of Nadab and Abihu of Saule and of Dauid in bringinge the Arke in to Ierusalem otherwise than God had ordayned how perilous a thinge it is to attempte any thinge of good intente without a sure warant of gods word in the religion worshipping seruice of God Thyrdlye we teach what be those workes that are to be takē for good works euen such as God doeth expresselye comaunde vs in his worde Which are moste liuely set foorth vnto vs in manye places of the old and new Testament How be it this lesson is also geuen that al they that do those good workes althoughe they be neuer so good workes in them selues do not by and by deserue the comendation and prayse of well doinge in the sight of God eyther because that they do them to the end that they may be glorified of menne or for reward sake the hope wherof beinge taken awaye they woulde not as muche as geue a cuppe of colde water or for feare of punishemente after this lyfe and not for the loue onely that they beare to God and to theyr neighboure or for to shew their obedience towardes his wyl and commaundementes But for the better instruction to the ignoraunt we haue set foorth at large all the chiefe and pryncipall causes that oughte to moue vs to do good woorkes althoughe we looked for no rewarde at all at Goddes hande who notwithstandinge wyll not leaue our good workes vncrowned or vnrewarded first because that we haue throughe sayeth felowship with his sonne Iesus Christ whose perfecte obedience he imputeth vnto vs for our owne therbye most amplye and aboundantly supplying what soeuer is wantinge and lackinge in vs. Secondlye because that he hathe made him selfe debtour vnto vs not by receauing any thinge of vs but by promissing all thinges as saint Augustine doeth witnesse Here also are the causes shewed why oure good workes althoughe in them selues they be full of imperfection do please God and are acceptable vnto him whiche ought to be vnto vs a great encoragemente to lyue Godlye and to excercise our selues in all maner of good workes that God hathe cōmaunded vs in his word beinge sure that we canne not but please him in so doing And as for merits it hath ben moste strongly proued that althoughe we were able to do what soeuer God hath cōmaunded vs yet we oughte to reckenne our selues vnprofitable seruauntes that we haue done but our dutye But for as muche as no man is able to doo the tenth parte of Gods cōmaundements with such a perfection as God doth require what do we merit or deserue if our workes be examined after the streightnesse of Gods iudgement but the endelesse tormentes of hell fyer Laste of all concerninge the degrees of glorye after thys life it hathe bene sufficientelye declared and shewed that there can be no such diuersities or degrees of glorye by reason of any merites but that if therebe any it commeth of the mere mercye and goodnesse of God who doeth in vs moste liberally croune his owne giftes The chefe scope or marke that we shote at in settinge foorth of this doctrine is that we hauing learned whence our saluation doeth come shoulde geue the whole glorye thereof to the onely mercye and goodnesse of God declared vnto vs in his sonne Iesus Christ and most surely sealed vp by his bloude To whome wyth the father and the holye ghost be all prayse glorye and honoure worldes wythoute ende Amen ⧠The ouer throwe of the iustification of workes and of the vayne and found doctrine of the meryts of mē with the true assertiō of the iustification of faith of the good workes that do procede and come of thesame and in what respecte they be crowned or rewarded of God setsoorthe Dialogewise by Ihon Veron The names of the speakers Dydimus Eutrapelus Albion Philalethes DYdimus Syth the we haue already sufficiently spoken of the doctrine of predestination of the diuyne prouydence of God and of free wyll I am of opinion that it were good to entreate somewhat of the iustification of faythe and of the good workes that do spring and come of the same For manye there be which when they heare that we be iustyfied by fayth onely withoute the workes of the law streight waies do crye out that they nede not to do good woorkes yea that it maketh no matter how they liue so that they beleue onelye The blasphemers of the iustificatiō of faythe I woulde fayne that by settinge foorth this matter playnely as ye
the same sorte he that by the gyfte of God hathe obtayned the health of his soule and by his grace doethe the thinges that belonge to the preseruation of the same shall we saye that he doeth deserue any rewarde at Goddes handes because that he is made suche by his gyfte and doeth now through his helpe ayde and assistaunce kepe the same grace for his owne profytte and commoditye eyther by earnest beliefe or by vnfaygned loue or by assured hope or by well doynge and patience in aduersitye trouble Obiecti ∣ on 9 DYDI. Yet God doeth crowne suche PHILA God in deede doeth croune in them his giftes Aunswer whiche are theyr good workes so that all thinges remaine safe and sounde to the glorie of the grace of God Nowe where all thinges oughte to be attributed vnto the grace of God what is lefte for the merites of men For where grace is there is no place left for merite if we do consider a right the nature propertie of merite But let our good workes be examined after the streightnes of Gods iudgement who is so ignorant The imperfectiō of oure workes of mans imperfection that will not acknowledge that we ought rather to feare punishement for the defautes that be in them than loke for any reward or boaste I can not tell of what merites Is it for naught thinke ye the the holy Prophete doth lykene our righteousnes to so filthy a thinge Esa 64. that any man will abhorre to loke on it Obiect 10 DYDI. But this saye they ought to be vnderstanded of the righteousnes of the flesh I mean of the man that is not yet iustified PHILA Sainct Augustin in his bokes of confessions Aunswer doeth crye out that it ought to be vnderstanded of the righteousnesse of the Christians I meane of those that he alredy graffed in Christ where he sayeth Nae vniuersae iustitie nostre Augu. li. 9. confessionū si remota misercordia iudicetur That is Wo be to all our righteousnes if it be iudged mercy beainge taken awaye or set asyde What manner of merite is that whiche can not abyde the censure of Gods iudgement nor be deliuered from condemnation but thorough mercy onely withoute all doubt better it is for vs to confesse our sinnes with the Publicane Aug. de S. virg ca. 42. than to glorie boast bragge of our merites with the Pharisee Such are our merites that the cōfession acknowledging of our sinnes ought to be preferred before the nūbring of thē Bernard doeth not in this poynte disagree from saincte Augustine For these are his woordes Sed quid potest esse ōnis iustitia nostra coram deo None iuxta prophetam velut pānus menstruate reputabitur Bernardus in sermone pefesto omnium sanctorum 1. et si districte iudicetur intusta inuenietur omnis iustitia nostra et minus habens Quid ergo depeccatis erit quando 〈◊〉 quidem per se poterit respondere iustitia Propterea enixe cum propheta clamantes non intres in iudicium cum seruo tuo o domine nam non iustificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis viuens tota humilitate ad misericordiam recurtamus que fola potest saluare animas nostras That is to saye But what can al our righteousnes be before god Shall it not according to the prophette Esa 64. be coumpted as a fylthye bloudi cloute And if it be streightlye iudged shal not al oure righteousnesse bee sounde vnryghteouse and hauynge lesse than it oughte to haue What shall then become of our syns if our righteousnesse Psal 143. canne not aunswer by it selfe Therefore cryinge earnestlye wyth the prophete Enter not in to iudgemente o Lorde wyth thy seruaunte for in thy syght no man liuinge shall be iustifyed let vs with al humility haue oure recourse vnto mercye whiche alone is able to saue our soules But go to al these golde sayings being laied a side let vs compare the inestimable glorye of lyfe euerlastinge The inestimable glorye of life euerlasting doth cut of all merites and of endelesse felicitye not onelye with oure good works be they neuer so glorious and exelent but also with the afflictions troubles persecutions and aduersities that we do here suffer for Christs sake what shall we finde in them that is able too counterpease the vnspeakeable ioyes that are laied vp for the electe and chosen of God For thus sayeth sainte Paule Rom. 8. I coumpt that the afflictions of this presente tyme are not worthye of the glorye whiche shall be shewed vnto vs. EVTRA. Nowe one thing doe I learne by that whiche hathe bene spoken of the merites of our owne workes And that is this Sith that God in geuing vs vnto life euerlasting doeth not respect or regard the dignitie of our good workes howe can the doctrine of them stande which do appoint degrees of ioye and felicitie in heauē affirming that we shal there excel one an other in glorye This is most sure that we obtayn heauēly felicitye by the mere mercy of god And therefore this diuersitye or difference of rewards must depend or hange of the mercy of God and not of oure owne workes Wherupon they grounde thē selues that do appoynte diuersityes or degrees of glorye in the life to come PHILA We see that they whiche mayntaine the contrarye do ground them selues vpon this that we do by oure good workes deserue life euerlastinge as they saye ex condigno or accordingely Which thing if we wold graunt then withoute all controuersye God shoulde seeme vnrighteouse if he shoulde not geue greater rewardes to those that haue laboured merited and deserued more than the other But let vs come to the scriptures Math. 20. Fyrste a penye is equaly geuen to those that laboured in the vineyarde although some of them came at thre of the clocke some at nyne and some at eleuen and when they began to murmure the father of the houshoulde stopped their mouthes sayinge that he did iustelye Secondlye the Apostell affyrmeth 1. Cor. 15. that God shall be all in all And when our sauiour Iesus Christ speaketh of the rewarde of the righteouse The righteouse sayeth he shall shyne as the sunne in the sighte of God Mat. 13. But there is no greater lyghte than the light of the sunne and no manne shall enter in to the kingdome of heauen excepte he be righteous They shal then haue al the light or brightnesse of the sun that is lyke or equall glorye Again our sauiour Iesus Christ reasoning with the Saducees of the resurrectiō doth say Luc. 20. that we shal be like vnto the Aūgels neither goeth he any farther or appointeth any degrees Besides this that there be diuers and sondrye differences betwixte the Sayntes here in this life that cometh by the reason of the fleshe that they carye aboute and the more or lesse that they be addicted vnto it the more or lesse they doe profytte in the
a kingedome of lyes folio 4. They that are iustified by workes are able or must be be able to aunswere fullye to the iustice of God folio 5. The offeringe of Isaac is a testymonye of the fayth and righteousnesse of Abraham fol. 8. This word to iustify is otherwise taken of Paul then of Iames. fo 9. To attribute iustificatiō vnto any merites goyng before is a derogation of the grace of God fo 12. The enemies of the truth are to be likened to the Arians fol. 15. The purpose of God doeth exclude all merites and deseruinges from the iustification of man fo 17 The fathers were to be blamed that do affyrme fayth onely to iustify if that doctrine wer not true fo 24 The history of Cornelius fo 30 The frutes of iustification fo 31 The firste frute of iustifycation folio eodem The 2. frute of iustification fo 32. The certaynety of Gods promise folio 33. The .4 frute of iustificatiō fo eodē The .5 frute of iustificatiō fo eodē The common doctrin of preachers touching good works fol. 35. The deuil did peruerte the ende of our creation which Christ restored agayne fo eodem The works of the papistes fo 36 They that are enemies of the papistes good workes are enemies of synne and of most detestable abhomination fo 37. Terrible and dreadefull histories folio 38. The order that god had appointed touchinge the Arke fo 39. The historye of Saul fol. 40 The vntrue reporte of the papists folio 43. They the worke for feare are lewde seruauntes fol. 44. The causes whye our good works do please God fo 47. The causes why we canne by our good workes merit no part of our saluation fo 51. The imperfection of our workes folio 57. The inestimable glorye of lyfe euerlastynge doeth cutte awaye all merites fo 59. To attribute any parte of the heauenly felicitye and glorye vnto the merits of men it is to be iniurious vnto the glory of the grace of God folio 62. The exposition of Daniels words folio 63. The diuersity that now is among Aungels shal ceasse at the generall resurrection of the righteous fo 67 To the parable of the talents fo eodē To the place of the .2 to the Cor. fo eo To the place of the .22 of Luc fo 99 The epilogus or cōclusion fo eod Three sortes of people althoughe thei do good works do not deserue the praise of wel doinge fo 73 The perfecte obedience of Christe is imputed vnto vs. foli 73. V. Vzah smitten of the Lord fo 39. Vayn shadowes of men fo 47 W. Why ther is a diuersity in the punishementes of the reprobate and non in the rewarde of the elect and chosen foli 65 Who thei be that can sing the new songe foli 70. Why the true electe are called virgines foli eodem What it is to folowe the lambe whether soeuer he goeth fo eodem Who the be that storme at the doctryne of predestination foli 2. We ought not for the feare of men to hyde the truth fol. 3 What scope or marke we oughte to shote at in settinge foorth the doctrine of iustification of fayth fo 3. What it is to be iustified by workes fo eodē What it is to be iustified by fayth folio 6. What fayeth Abraham was iustified by fo 7 What be the meanes whereby we are iustified or deliuered frome the state of dampnation fol. 11. What Paul vnderstandeth by the workes of the law fo 14. What they must do that wyll enioye the righteousnesse of Christe folio 15. What credyt ought to be geuen to the enemis of the truthe and what shamful ignoraunce thei be wrapped in fo 19. Whye the scrybes and Pharisees were vtter ennemies vnto the gospell fol. eodem Whye our greate rabbies wil not acknowledge theyr errour fo 20 We ar not deliuered frō our sins to this end that we should walow in them agayne fo 23. Why the Athenians woulde here Pauls doctrine fo 29. Why the spirit of Christ is geuen vnto them that be iustified fo 34. Whereof the enemies of the truth be ashamed fo eodem Why man was created fo 35. Why we be regenerate in Christ folio 36. Who they be that are offended at the doctrine of iustification of faith folio 36. Whiche be the true good workes that God doth require of vs. fo 41 Whye the good workes of mercye are set most chieflye foorth vnto vs folio eodem Whiche be the good workes that god hath prepared for vs to walke in foli 42. Whye all they that doe those good workes that God hath commaunded in his word do not deserue the prayse of well doing fo eodem Why fayth is likened to a sparke folio 45. Wherin our iustification doth consyste foli 5. What causeth Turkes and Paynimes to abhorre Christs religion folio 46. Whether our good workes be acceptable vnto God or not fo 47. Whether our good works shal be rewarded or not fo 49. We are all debters vnto god fo 51 Woorkes of supererogation are blasphemous and iniurious to the merits of Christ and therfore they oughte rather to be called workes of derogation fol. 55. Whereupon they grounde them selues that do appoynte diuersities or degrees of glorye in the lyfe to come foli 59. Here endeth the Table ¶ IMPRYNTED at London by Ihon Cysdale and are to be solde at his shoppe in the vpper ende of Lombard strete in Allhallowes churchyard nere vnto grace churche 1561.
The ouer throw of the iustification of workes and of the vain doctrin of the merits of men with the true assertion of the iustification of faith and of the good workes that procead or come of the same and in what respect our good workes are crouned or rewarded of God sette foorth dialoge wise by Iohn Veron Ephe. 2. Ye are saued by grace and that throughe fayth not of your selues it is the gyfte of God not of workes least any man shoulde glorye ¶ Newlye set foorthe and alowed accordynge to the order appoynted in the Quenes maiesties iniunctions Ano. 1561. TO THE RIGHT honorable Syr Iames Blount knight Lord Mont ioy c. Iohn Veron wisheth grace peace of conscience and encrease of Godlye honoure frome God the father throughe his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord. HEre haue I added right honourable Lorde vnto my treatises of predestination and of free wyll a small booke whiche I haue entituled The ouer throwe of the iustification of workes and of the vayne doctryne of the merites of men with the true assertion of the iustification of fayeth and of the good workes that do proceade of the same and in what respecte our good workes are rewarded or crouned of God because that these doctrines do so depende one of an other that they can in no wyse be separated or put a sunder onlesse we wyll wante the perfecte vnderstandinge of them all and so be blynde styll in the cheyfest and moste principall poyntes of oure relygion Of predestination howe frutefull and necessarye the doctrine of it is what so euer the swynishe gruntynge Epicures and carnall worldelinges doth saye to the contrary I wyl speake nothing nowe at this presente because that I am fullye determined by the healpe and assistaunce of the holye spirite of God shortlye to set foorthe an Apologye or defence of my doctrine touchinge that poynte of our religion beyng directed to the quenes maiestye vnto whome the treatyse therof is dedicated Neyther do I nede greatlye to speake of the doctrine of free wyll sythe that in the settinge foorthe of it I haue so tempered my style that I kepte my selfe alwayes within the lymites and boundes of Gods worde goinge neyther on the ryghte nor on the lefte hande but walkinge styll in that most sure and plain hyghe waye that the Patriarches Prophettes and Apostels wyth the Godlye aunciente wryters of the primitiue church had alreadye trodden or beaten vnto vs. Many obiections of the Popepelagians and free wyllmen of our tyme which neuer were touched before haue I fully answered in it as it shall playnlye appeare vnto them that wyll wyth a syngle eye and with an vprighte iudgement reade the whole treatise The only marke that I shoote at in all these woorkes is that the grace of God maye be throughlye magnified and the vayne gloryinge of men in theyr owne strength which all thinges beynge rightly considered and diligently wayed is nothinge at al beinge taken awaye the whole glorye of oure saluation shuld be geuen only vnto the mercy goodnes of our heauenly father ▪ who as by the death passion bloudshedding of his son Iesu Christ doeth fully saue vs so by his holye spirit he doeth regenerate vs and takinge awaye our stony heartes from vs he geueth vs fleshy hearts that is obedyente and treatable he maketh vs of vnwyllinge wyllinge ▪ of the bounde slaues of synne the seruauntes of his sonne Iesu Christ for to serue him in holynesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of oure lyfe and so brynginge vs in to the freedome of the children of God for where the spirit of the Lord is there is fredome he maketh vs to walke in those good workes that he hath prepared for vs to walke in Neyther can it iustely be sayed that eyther in my booke of predestination or in my booke of free wyll I did minister to any man occasion eyther to lyue lycentiouslye asthough it made no matter how they lyue that are by the immutable decree of God ordayned vnto lyfe euerlastinge or to beslacke in doynge of those good woorkes that are required of vs in Goddes booke Whiche all menne shall moste euidently see excepte they wyll be wylfullye blinde by this booke that now at this present I haue set foorth and dedicated vnto your honourable Lordship whom I see of all men to be most earnestlye geuen vnto good letters and moste principally to the study of the holy and sacred scriptures Which as it is a thinge verye rare amonge the greatest part of the noble men of our tyme so wyl it be a most precious ornamente bothe to you and to to the honourable stocke that ye come of For what greater cōmendacion can there be to suche as ye are than to haue a knowledge and vnderstandinge of the liberall sciences and of the tonges that they be written in and specially to be so acquainted wyth the infallible worde of God the onlye Antidotus or conterpoyson against all venimous sects and heresyes that ye shal at all tymes be able mightely to withstande all false and erroneous doctrines that by the procuremente of Sathane the deuyll the enemye of oure saluation haue heretofore rysen and doo daylye ryse in Christes church I do here let passe how muche good ye wyll do by youre good example vnto those that are of the basseste sort when they see your Lordship to be so seriously geuen to suche vertuous excercises it wyll be an wonderfull encoragemente vnto them and vnto the other that be of the same degree that ye are of or of an higher a marueylous prickinge forrewardes For if ther be any sparke or drop of Godly shamefastenes in them they wil blushe and be ashamed when they shall heare you grauely and learnedly to reason of highe matters of learninge and of the principall poynts of our religion to stand lyke domme and paynted ymages and able to saye nothinge Therfore go on styll as ye haue Godlye begonne beinge most sure that he which hath of his free mercy and goodnesse begonne this good worke in you by his holy spirit styrring vp your hearte to such Godly studyes wyll shortlye performe it and bringe to suche a perfect end that it wyl be not onely to your euerlastinge comforte but also to the vnspeakeable vtility vnd profit of your own naturall contrey I woulde haue declared brieflye what be the chiefest poyntes that I do entreate of in this my boke but because that the argumente of it is set foorth afore the beginninge of the whole woorke I haue thought it vnnecessarye Here therfore wyll I make an ende most humblye besechinge your good Lordship too take this my symple laboure in good parte not so much consideringe the smallnesse of the gyfte as the heart and pure good wyll or zeale of the geuer Thus the eternal and euerlasting god preserue bothe youre good Lordshippe and my good ladye youre wyfe wyth all youre Godlye famylye and household ¶ The argument of the whole boke FYrste
haue done the other the mouthes of suche blasphemours myghte ones bee stopped EVTRAPELVS That whiche ye saye good neyghbour maye rather be wyshed than hoped or loked for The maliciousnesse of the enemies of the truth For suche is the wickednesse of the ennemyes of the truthe that nothing canne be so well spoken or so Godlye set foorthe but that they be alwayes moste readye too calumnyate and blaspheme the same As for an example oure brother Philalethes that the profyt of our laste talke and communication that we haue had touchinge predestination the diuine prouidence of God and of free wyll mighte come to manye did cause it to be published and set foorthe in prynte But Lorde God how is he rayled agaynst How is his Godlye trauaile and labour taken of the moste sorte of men And yet in it all thynges are made so playne that the simplest manne in the worlde maye haue edifyinge by it And all the obiections that coulde be made so pightelye bothe by the scryptures and also by the authorytyes of the auncyente fathers aunswered that anye resonable manne woulde holde him selfe satisfied ALBION Who be they think ye Who thei be that storme at the doctrine of predestination brother Eutrapelus that thus so vngodlye storme agaynste this most coumfortable doctrin of predestination and of the diuine prouidence of God Euen a sort of Atheistes and swinyshe Epicures whose gruntinge we oughte not to regarde or to care for How be it Atheistes are in English called Godlesse I do not doubte but that there be many that now speake euyl of the doctrine which if they had red the booke throughoute with sober iudgement and with a single eie woulde lyke it well ynoughe yea and receiue vnspeakable coumfort by it PHILALETHES I knewe rightwel when I toke the matter in hande that I shoulde styrre vp many enemies againste me But should I therfore haue kepte close and hidden from the faithfull congregation that thinge whiche the holy ghost wyll haue to be reueled to al his electe and chosen people God forfende that for feare of the dyspleasure of men We ought not for feare of the displeasure of men hyde the truthe or of the hatered of the wicked worlde we should counceale or hyde anye truthe Ye shal see that thei wil no lesse rage at this doctrine of the iustification of faith when they shal heare that God without anye workes or merits going before doeth frely iustifye vs through faith onelye in his sonne Iesus Christ our lorde sauiour then they do at the doctrine of predestinatiō Wil thei not by by crye out and say that by thys doctrine al maner of good works are cleane taken awaye and quite ouerthrowen For who being perswaded that faith onely iustifieth wil geue him self to do good workes or to leade a Godlye lyfe and Christianlike conuersation But yet we muste not because of these blasphemies of the wicked enemies of the truthe leaue of therfore to teache and set foorth the truthe of this doctrine What scope or marke we ought too shut at in settinge foorth the doctrin of the iustifycation of fayth that the holle glorye of oure saluation in despight of the deuyll and of all hys Aungels maye onelye and solelye be geuē vnto the merits of the death passyon and bloudesheddynge of the onely begotten sonne of God our sauioure Iesu Christe ALBION Therfore brother Philalethes that we maye somewhat the better be edifyed in thys matter and also edifye other we doe mooste earnestlye desire you that ye wyl sith that we are now at leasure and haue nothinge els to do set foorth at large this holle doctrine of iustification For manye are yet verye blinde and ignoraunte in it DYDIMVS Yea ye shal finde many euē among the learned papistes that dare boldely saye that this phrase or maner of speaking Sola fides iustificat Faith only iustifieth is but newly inuented of the heresykes of oure time and that none of all the aunciente wryters of the primitiue church did euer vse it eyther in theyr sermons or wrytinges EVTRAPELVS The popes kingdome is a kingdom of lyes Thys is not the fyrst lye that they haue made But as their kingdome is a kingdome of lyes so with lyes do they laboure and studye for to mayntayne it PHILALETHES And that I trust shall well appeare or euer we haue made an end of this oure talke and communication For I wyll aleadge so manye autorities and places oute of the auneyente wryters of the primytyue churche wher they do plainlye affyrme wyth vs that fayth onlye doth iustify that al mē be they neuer so simple shal easely perceaue how shamefully they haue belied vs oure doctrine that of a malitious mind they haue most traiterously hiddē the truth frō the saith ful congregation of gods people But or euer we go any farther I thinke it best too declare in what signification this woorde to iustyfye oughte to be taken As far as we cā learn this word whence this word iusticare to iustify hath bene borowed and what it signifieth iustificare to iustify hathe bene of the blessed Apostle sainte Paule borowed of the common vse of the lawe For in iudgement to iustifye a man it is too assoyle or quyte him of the crime that is layed to his charge or that he is accused of and to pronounce him righteous iust innocente and giltlesse After the same maner when we saye that God doeth iustifye vs our meaning is that God doth assoile and quite vs of al the crimes offences and trespasses that cā be laid to our charge or that we can be accused of and that he doethe pronounce vs iuste and righteous in his sighte That is to saye That first he doeth pardon and forgeue vs our sinnes he couerethe them and doethe in no wise impute thē vnto vs but imputeth vnto vs righteousnesse not oure owne which is none at all but the righteousnesse of his sōne Iesu Christ and so through or by imputinge vnto vs the righteousnesse of hys onely begotten sonne he doth both saue vs and make vs blessed So doeth the holy Apostle expound this our iustification saying As Dauid doeth set foorth the blessedfulnes of the mā vnto whō God imputethe righteousnesse wtout works where he saith blessed are those Ro. 4. whose iniquities are forgeuen whose sinnes are couered-Blessed is the man vntoo whome the Lord imputeth no sinne Psal 32. EVTRAPELVS By these fewe wordes that ye haue now alleadged anye man maye easelye learne wherin our iustyfication doth consiste that our iustification consisteth in the forgeuenesse of sinnes and imputation of the righteousenesse of Christ Wherby the vayne and founde opinion of those that wil haue vs to be iustified by workes is cleane ouerthrowen ALBION I wold sayn that our brother Philalethes shoulde briefelye declare vnto vs What it is to be iustified by workes what it is to be iustifyed by workes and
ignoraunte pesonnes they haue lyeffer too continue and remaine in their erroure and to be stomblynge blockes styll vnto the people than ones too reuoke theyr erroure and to geue the glorye vnto God DYDIMVS And suppose ye that thys is the cause of their obstinacye PHILALETHES It appeareth that is so elles wold they reuoke or recant their erroure and as oure brother Eutrapelus sayd geue the glorye vnto God But we wyll leaue them vntoo theyr iudge who at length wyll by his righteous iudgemente God send him betymes send a Iehu who shal make hauok of them all and so proceade to the reste of oure matter Hylarius in the .ix. Canon vpon Mathewe Hilarius canone nono in Math. and vpon these words Remittuntur tibi peccata tua Thy synnes are forgeuen the writeth on this maner Mouet scribas remissum ab honine peccatum Hominem enim tantum in Chiristo Iesu contuebantur et remissum ab eo quod lex laxare non poâ—erat Fides enim sola iustificat That is to wytte It moueth the scribes that synne was forgeuen by man For they did only behold man in Christ Iesu and that to be forgeuen of him whiche the lawe could not release For fayth onely doeth iustifye This texte is verye playne For first and foremost he sayeth that the scribes wer moued because that Christ forgaue synne whome they iudged to be a nude and bare man but speciallye that he toke vppon him to forgeue and pardon that which the law could neyther releasse nor forgeue For these were theyr wordes Whye doeth this man speake suche blasphemyes Who can forgeue syns but God onelye And finallye he doeth knyt vppe the matter with these words Fides enim sola iustificat If it be an hereâ—y to 〈◊〉 that faith only â—uâ—â—ify 〈◊〉 the 〈…〉 Mat. 2 For faith only doth iustify If we for saying that fayth only doth iustifye do deserue to be called heretikes how shall I beseche you S. Augustine Ambrose Ierome and Hylarius be excused which do vse the same phrase and maner of speakinge that we do vse and mayntayne the same doctrine that we do maintayn Shall they not with vs be called Solifidians ALBION Nowe of a truthe I doe vnderstande and perceaue that I haue bene shamefullye beguyled by these bragginge marchauntes of the clergye PHILA Ye wyll saye so by that tyme that ye haue hearde all I haue alreadye aleadged .iiii. of the most aunciente of tha latine writers nowe wyll I ioygne vntoo them .iiii. of the greeke doctours I wyll not cumber the reader with so many as I coulde nowe bringe in for I suppose these fewe to be sufficiente for to satisfye anye resonable mannes mynde First we wyll brynge in Origenes in tertium caput epistole ad Romanos olde father Orygene who vppon the epistell to the Romaynes writeth on this manner Apostolus hisce verbis Arbitramur igitur fide iustificati hominem absque operibus legis dicit sufficere solius fidei â—ustificationem ita vt credens quis tantummodo iustificetur etiam si nihil operis ab eo fueâ—it expletum Quod si exemplum requiramus quis siâ—e operibus sola fide iustificatus sit sufficere arbitror illum latronem qui cum Christo crucifixus clamauit ei de cruce Domine Iesu memento mei cum veneris in regnum tuum nec aliud quicquam describitur boni operis eius in euangelijs sed pro hac sola fide ait ei Iesus Amen dico tibi Hodie mecum eris in paradiso Per fidem ergo iustificatus est hic latro absque operibus legis Quia super hoc dominus non requisiuit quid prius operatus esset nec expectauit quid operis cum credidisset expleret sed sola confessione iustificatum comitem sibi paradisum ingressurus assumpsit That is to saye Rom. 3. Paul by these wordes We suppose therefore that manne is iustified by faythe with out the workes of the lawe affyrmethe that the iustifycation of faythe alone or of fayeth onelye is sufficyente so that anye manne beleauinge onelye canne be iustifyed althoughe no manner of worke hath bene fulfylled or done by hym And if we requyre an example who was iustified by faythe onelye without workes Luc. 23 I suppose that the same theefe doeth suffice who when he was crucifyed wyth Christ did crye vnto hym from the crosse Lord Iesu remember me when thou comest in to thy kingedome Neyther anye good other worke of hys is described or sette foorthe vnto vs in the gospelles But for thys fayeth onely Iesus sayed vnto him Verely I saye vnto the this day thou shalt be with me in paradyse This thefe then was iustified by fayth without the workes of the lawe For the Lord did not vpon this requyre what he had wrought before neither did he looke what worke he should do after he did beleue but beynge redye to enter in to paradise he toke him for his waitinge man beinge iustifyed by that confession onely Besides this he doeth aleadge the example of the synnefull woman and of the Publican Luc. 7.18 that be mentioned of in the Gospell of Luke whome he doeth also affirme too haue bene iustified by fayth onely withoute any respecte of workes merites or deseruinges DYDIMVS I am affrayed lest some hearinge this doctryne so Obiecti ∣ on 3 largelye set foorthe doe waxe remisse negligente and slacke in doinge of good workes sythe that fayth alone doth suffyse to iustification yea I feare also leaste they geue them selues to lyue lycentiouslye and to folow the lustes and the concupiscences of the fleshe PHILALETHES Aunswer Origene doeth him selfe make aunswer to the same obiection sayinge If any man doeth liue wickedly after iustification We are not deliuered froÌ„ oure syns to this end that we shuld walowe in them agayne withoute doubte he hath despised the grace of iustificaon Neyther doeth any receaue remission or forgeuenesse of sinnes to this ende that he should thinke that licence to synne agayn is geuen vnto him For a pardone not of the synnes to come but of the synnes passed is geuen or graunted in iustification But of thys we wyll speake more amply hereafter when we shall haue occasyon too talke of those good workes that do springe and proceade of the true iustifyinge faith ALBION Let vs therefore hear what the other greecke doctours do saye PHI. With a good wyll Athanassius vpon the thirde to the Galathians writeth briefli thus Athanasius Nunc pla â—e demoâ—strat fidem ipsam vel solam iustificandi virtutem habere Now sayeth he doth he playnly shewe that the same faiâ—he yea beinge alone hath power to iustifye Wherunto Chrisostome agreeth sayinge Chrisostomus in epistolam ad Rom. Homeli 7. Hic virtuteÌ„ dei ostendit quod non solum saluauit sed et iustificauit nullis ad hoc vsus operibus sed fidem tantum exigens That is to say he sheweth the vertue and power of God
hys second Epistell to the Corinthians sayeth 2. Cor. 9. youre zeale speakinge of almes hath prouoked very many And in the epistel to the Hebreues Let vs sayeth he Heb. 10. consider one an other to prouoke vnto loue and vnto good workes EV. If this had ben obserued and kepte amonge Christians by this time both the Turks the Iewes with al the paynims in the world would haue ben wonne to Christ But as long as we vse our selues after this same sorte we shall rather become Turks and Painims than they Christians What causeth the Turkes and paynims to abhor Christes religion Suche fylthinesse of life suche vntrue dealinge deceate fraude and periurye such ydolatrye and superstition they do see dayly to raygne amonge vs that it is no maruayle if they do abhorre altogether oure religion We go about to conquere them by force of armes but we see that through our synnes they are growen so mighty that they be able if God doeth not set his healpinge hand to ouer renne all the whole worlde PHILA This that ye saye is most true And vntyll a true reformation be hadde and better amendmente of lyfe be seene in vs thei wil neuer embrace Christ nor his Gospell But to our purpose this is the fift vse of good workes that by them Christ is releaued in his poore and nedy members yea the cōmon societi and felowship of men is mayntained For haue we not al nede one of an other Therfore they be not menne but vayne shadowes of men Vain shadowes of men which through oute all their life time are found to be ydell so that they seme to be borne for nothinge elles but for to consume the frutes of the earth ALBION I woulde gladly learne Whether our good works be acceptable vnto God or not whether these oure good workes do please God or not and why they be acceptable vnto him syth that the profyt of them doeth redounde vnto vs altogether PHILA That our good workes do please God it is euydente and playn by the wordes of the Apostell where he sayeth Colosse That ye might walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all thinges The causes why our good works do please God beinge frutefull in all good workes They therefore that be frutefull in all kynde of good workes doe please God in all thinges The causes are manifest enough It is so in dede that the dyuine maiesty of God hathe no neede neyther of oure good wordes nor yet of oure good workes yet those thynges that are well done of vs do please him Fyrste because they be the frutes of fayth He that aloweth the fayeth of his people shoulde not hee also alowe the fruytes of their fayth As he doeth reproue all workes that be done without fayth so doeth he alowe all maner of works that do procede of a sincere fayeth and true beliefe Secondly our good workes do please hym because they bee done and wrought by hys spirite Phi. 2. For as the holy Apostell doeth testifye he worketh in vs both the will and the dede accordinge to hys good wyl And therfore saint Augustine saieth ryghte well Augu. that God doeth croune in vs hys owne workes We canne not denye but that the works that we do by the spiryt of god are bi reason of our imperfection vnperfectely good yet for as muche as they come of hym it canne not be but that they must please hym as beynge the righte author of them Thyrdely that whiche the Godlye do they do it for Gods sake beynge desirous to gratifye him in all thinges Wyll not he thinke ye accept this their good wyll and desyre or mynde that they haue to please him We do not here speake of those Note that neyther of a pure fayeth nor by the sprytte of God but of mere superstition and of a generall custome do woorke manye thinges thynkinge thereby to please God whereas they do hyghly displease him This saying of Christ is not vnknowen They worshippe me in vayne teachinge the doctrynes and preceptes of men Math. 15. Herein bothe the Iewes and false Christyans doe mooste shamefullye erre Fourthelye God oure heauenlye father doethe accordynge to his ryghteousnesse loue al works that be good righteouse and iuste as on the contrary side he doeth not onely detest and abhorre the vngodlynesse and vnrighteousenesse of a wicked hart but also all the frutes of vngodlynesse and of vnrighteousesse vnder what tytelles so euer they be aduaunced and set foorthe Thou doest hate Psal 5. saieth Dauid all that worke iniquitye thou shalt destroy them all that speake leasinge And in the Actes of the Apostelles thus doeth Peter saye Act. 10. Emonge all nations whosoeuer doeth feare God is acceptable vnto him Fyftely because that God is most true yea rather the truthe it selfe our good dedes do therefore please him be cause that they proceade of true godlynesse and of an vnfaygned sayth which aboue all thinges God is wonte to regarde and accepte For as all hipocrites are detestable bothe before God and before men so contrarywise God loueth truthe not onely in those thinges that are well done of the faithfull but also in them that do truely and without al dissimulation confesse and acknowledge theyr synnes EVTRA. Truely syth that it is so manifest How earnestly the causes aboue rehersed oughte to moue vs to do good workes that the good works of the faythfull do please God we oughte with all oure whole endeuour to geue our selues vnto good workes for as muche as they be not onely many and sondrye wayes profitable vnto the whole misticall bodye of Christ which is his church but are also for the causes aboue rehersed most pleasaunt and acceptable vnto the lyuinge Lord oure heauenlye father For that man hath but small Godlynesse in him selfe whom these two causes can not moue to do wel Agayn he that gapeth onely in doynge of good workes after a recompence or rewarde or reckeneth for a merite whatsoeuer he doeth thinkinge that God is therefore bound vnto him hathe but a mercenaries hart DYDIMVS Whether our good workes shall be rewarded or not And shal our good workes be neuer a whytte rewarded PHILA I wyll not saye so For althoughe the liuing God be debtoure vnto no man yet of his goodnesse he doeth promysse and geue a reward vnto the good workes of the faythfull And therefore we haue these sayings in the scriptures Math. 5.10 Reioyce and be glad for youre rewarde is great in heauen agayne he that geueth to one of these my lytle ones a cup of coulde water in my name Verely I say vnto you he shall not lose his reward Heb. 6. And in the Epistel to the Hebrewes God sayeth he is not vnrighteouse that he should forgette our laboure Nowe we must not thinke that this reward is promised vnto our good workes because of the dignitye and worthinesse of them for are not these
our sauiour Iesus Christ his wordes Luc. 17. When ye haue done what so euer I commaunde you saye ye we are vnprofitable seruaūtes But because that throughe fayth we haue felowship with the onlye begotten sonne of God Rom. 10. whereby it cometh to passe that his perfect obedience is imputed vnto vs for our owne and al that is wanting and lacking in vs in our workes is most perfettly supplied by it As the Apostell doeth testifye sayinge Christ is the fulfyllinge of the lawe for to iustifye all them that do beleue And in an other place Christ is made vnto vs of God holines wisedome righteousnesse and redemption Secondely our good dedes shall be rewarded or crouned because that god of hys mere mercy hath bound him selfe thereto by his promisses as it hath ben declared before by the textes that wee haue aleadged Wherunto doeth saynt Augustin agree Augu. in psa 32.109 and in manye other places where he sayeth Fidelis dominus qui se nobis debitorem fecit non aliquid a nobis accipiendo sed omnia nobis promittendo That is to saye The Lorde is faithfull who hath made him selfe a debtoure vnto vs not by receauinge anye thynge of vs but by promissinge vnto vs all thinges Here we learn how god is become debtour vnto vs 1. Cor. 4. and hath bounde him selfe to croune or reward our good works not by receauing any thinge of vs for what haue we that we haue not receaued Rom. 11. and if we haue receaued whye doe we boeste or glory asthough we had not receaued Agayne who gaue him fyrste and he shall be recompensed but by his faythfull promisses whiche he hath made vnto his electe and chosen people DYDI. What so euer ye saye of the reward I meane why and wherefore it is geuen vnto oure good workes yet it can not sinke in to my headde but that we may by them meryte or deserue some parte of oure saluation PHI. How coulde that be The causes why we can by our good workes merit no part of oure saluation neyghboure Dydimus syth that we are not our owne men but are wholye the Lordes of whome we haue bene created fyrst and afterwardes redemed from synne and eternall death by the price of his bloude Ye are bought sayeth S. Paule wyth a greate price And in an other place We are the Lords whether we lyue or dye None of vs do lyue vnto him selfe What merite then canne we pretende 1. Cor. 6. or what rewarde canne we claime of him whose we are wholye or altogether Therfore eyther let vs take away this absolute power of God which he hath ouer vs all as ouer his owne peculiar good Rom. 14. or let vs acknowledge that it is not meete for seruauntes to boaste and bragge of theyr meryttes agaynste theyr master nor yet to aske for rewardes If the master doeth accepte the faithfulnesse and diligence of his seruaunt and doth impute it vnto him for a meritte iudginge him worthye to be made free that oughte to be attributed vnto his goodnesse and not vnto dutye as thoughe he were bound vnto him therefore We are all debtours vnto God when we haue don all that we can do we haue but paied our debt because that he is faitfull and serueth fayethfully and truly For the seruaunt so doinge doeth but his dutye and onlesse he shoulde do it he were worthy of punishement No man excepte he be of a singular good nature wyll geue thankes to his debtour because that he hath paied him his debte And the debtour were verye impudente or shamelesse if he as thoughe he had wel merited woulde therefore claime a rewarde because that he hadde payed his debte He that beinge a seruaunte or a debtour doeth that thinge which he is bounde to do can boaste of no merite But such are we al yea when we be alredy made righteous and do the things that we are commaunded to doe Let neuer this sayinge of Christe go out of oure myndes When ye haue done what so euer I haue commaunded you saye ye we are vnprofitable seruaunts But how manye of vs canne do the tenthe parte of that whiche we are commaunded with such a perfection as God requireth What can we then meritte or deserue Adde vnto it that we are not onelye seruaunts and debtours to God in al things but also so void of al goodnesse and Godly strength that we can not as muche as thinke a good thinge 2. Cor. 3. muche lesse that of oure selues we shoulde be able too performe it in dede so that we haue nede that al our sufficiency or ablenesse be ministred vnto vs by the diuine grace of god Therfore the Apostle doth plainlye affirme that it is God Phi. 2. that worketh in vs both the wyl the deede accordinge to his good wyll That then we wyll anye thinge that good is and do in dede perfourme it it cometh not of our owne wyll and strength but it is both the wyll and worke of God workynge in vs accordinge to his good pleasure Whence then haue we oure fayth loue hope the fear of God patience in aduersitye Whence haue we oure good wyl and strength to doe good If we haue these thinges of our selues we haue wherein to glorye or reioyce But if we haue al these thinges of the gratuite and fre grace of God what doth it folow but that we ought rather to geue thankes to the goodnesse of God than to Obiecti ∣ on 8 boaste of our merites EVTRAPE I was once in a place where they made this obiection agaynste me Be not these saye they the wordes of the Apostell 2. Timo. 4. I haue foughte a good fight and haue fynished my course I haue kept the fayth from hence foorihe then is layed vp for me the croune of righteousnesse whyche the Lorde the righteouse iudge shall geue me at that daye What coulde be spoken more playnelye than thys For the Apostell doth make mention both of the worke that he hadde done and also of the rewarde that he loked for at Gods handes DYDI. I would fayne heare what answer ye made vnto them For this obiection is made many tymes againste you of them that be of a contrarye iudgemente and opinion Aunswer EVTRA. I aunswered them out of saint Augustine where he writeth on this maner An non ipse dedit vt bonum certamen certares Sinō ipse dedit quid est Aug. in 50. homelis 14. home quod alio leco dicis Plus illis omnibus laboraui Non autem ego sed gratia dei mecum Ecce iterum dicis Cursum consummaui Non et ipse dedit vt cursum consūmares Si non ipse dedit vt cursum consūmares quid est quod alto loco dicis nō volentis ne que currentis sed miserntis est dei Fidem seruaui Seruasti Agnosco et probo fateor seruasti Sed nisedominus custodierit ciuitatem invanum
vis gilat qui custoditeam That is to saye did not he geue that thou myghtest fyghte a good fight If he himselfe did not geue What is it that thou sayest in an other place 1. Cor. 15. I laboured more than all they yet not I but the grace of God with me Behold thou saiest I haue ended my course Did not he also geue vnto the that thou shouldest finishe thy course If bē geue not vnto the Rom. 9. that thou shouldest fynishe thy course what is it that thou sayest in an other place It lyeth no in the willer nor in the tynner but in God that shewethe mercye I haue kepte the faith Hast thou kepte the faithe I acknowledge and alowe it I confesse and graunte thou hasse kepte the faieth But accepte the Lorde doethe keepe the citye he watcheth in vayne that doth kepe it Therefore thou haste of hys helpinge hande and of his mere gyft that thou hasse fought a good fighte that thou hast finished thy course and kept thy faith De veniam Apostole propriatua non noui nisi mala De veniam Apostole Dicimus quia tudo cuisti Cum ergo deus coronat merita tua nihil coronat nisi dona sua Pardone vs O Apostell sayeth hee I knowe nothynge of thyne owne but euyll Pardone vs O Apostell we saye so because thou hast taughte vs. Therefore when he crouneth thy merites he crouneth nothinge but this owne gyftes By whiche woordes he doethe so attribute the woorke of the Apostell vnto the gyfte and grace of God that in it there canne not truelye be the meryte of manne but the grace of God onelye crouninge his giftes in the Apostell PHI. I myght here aleadge many other notable autorityes of the aunciente fathers whiche in all poyntes doe agree with this that ye haue brought in euen now but for auoydinge of tediousnesse I wyll contente my selfe with fewe Non dico domino sayth this holy father saint Augustine Opera manuum mearum ne dispicias Exquisiui dominum manibus meis et nōsum deceptus Sed opera manuū mearum non cōmendo Timeo enim ne quum inspexeris plura inuenias peccata quam merita Hocfold diec hoc rogo hoc cupio opera manuū tuarum ne despicias Opus tuū in me vide non meum Nam si meuin videris dānas Si tuum vieris coronas Nam et quecumque mihi sunt opera bona abs te sunt That is I saye not vnto the Lord despise not the works of my hands I haue soughte the Lord with my handes Augu. in psal 107. and I was not deceiued But I do no praise or commende the workes of my handes For I am affrayed least when thou lokest vpon them thou findest more sinnes than merites Thys only I saye this I praye this I couet Despise not the woorkes of thy handes See thyne owne worke in me and not myne For if thou seest myne thou doest condemne If thou seest thine thou crounest For all the good workes that I haue they are of thee Here this holye father doeth plainelye confesse that as God doeth onelye rewarde of croune in vs that whiche is his owne so be doth condemne al that he findeth to be our owne And therefore Bernardus super cantica fermo 61 it is not withoute a cause that Bernarde doeth saye Meritum proin de meum miseratio domini Non sum plane meriti inops quandiu non fuerit ille inops miserationum Quod si misericordie domini multe multus ego pereque sum in meritis Nunquid iustitias meas cantabo A golden sayinge of saynt Bernard domine meminero iustitie tue solius Ipsa enim est mea Nempe factus est mihi iustitia a deo That is to saye My merite therefore is the mercye of the Lorde I am not altogether poore or voide of meryte as longe as hee is not poore or voyde of mercies Workes of supererogation are blasphemously iniurious to the merits of Christ therfore they ought rather to be called works of derogation And if the mercies of God be manifolde truelye I am also verye ryche in merites Shall I set foorth myne owne righteousnesse Lord let me remember thy righteousnesse only For it is myne for as much as he is made vnto me of God righteousnesse And in an other place Hoc totum hominis meritum si totam spem ponat in eum qui totum hominem saluum facit This sayeth he is the whole merit of mā if he doth put his whole hope in him that saueth the whole man EVTRA. If all mounks had spoken and writtē non other wise of the merites of menne than this holye mounke Bernarde did Idem in psal 91. the grace of God had not bene so darkened these many hundreth years by vayne extollinge of merites as it hath bene nor yet the workes of supererogation coulde euer haue bene broughte in to the greate derogation of Christes merites and of the price of his death and bloudsheddinge DYDI. They shall then frome hencefoorth be no more called the workes of supererogation but the workes of derogation sith that by them the benefitte of that mooste omnisufficient sacrifice that Christ offerd once for euer for the redemption of mankinde is so blasphemouslye trodden vnder feete and the vale we thereof in a maner altogether annichilated or tourned to nothinge PHI. That is a fete name for such vayne and arrogant workes which doubtles were brought in of the enemy of saluation Sathā the deuil for to make men to swel and be pufte vp againste the free grace of God whereby onelye withoute any merites or deseruings of ours we are all saued But I woulde that menne puttynge a syde all wylfulnesse woulde ones consyder with thē selues that the maiestye of God hathe neede of non of vs nor of any thing that we haue but rather doth geue vs all things aboundātly to enioye them 1. Timo. 6. What good worke then can we do wher by we maye profitte him in anye thinge Psal 16. or do him any good Bonorum meorum non eges Thou hast no neede of my goods sayeth Dauid What merite I praye you God hath no profit by anye good worke that we can do can be in that worke wherof no profit cometh to God or rather wherof the whole profyt if there be any doeth redounde vpon our selues He that is righteous and doeth good workes he doeth it not for any commodity that God shall haue therby for what commoditye can God haue by anye thinge that we can do But for his owne commoditye as he whiche is wicked and doeth wickedly hurtethe him selfe Similitude and not God He that hathe the health of his bodye and doeth by good diet and moderate excercises studye to keepe and preserue it doethe he therefore deserue anye rewarde at the phisicions hande I thinke not For he doeth it not for the phisicions profyt but for his owne After
and hyrelyngs DYDIMVS And shall the blessed virgyne Mary Question the mother of oure sauiour Iesus Christ with the Apostels and martyres be in no higher glorye than the rest PHILALETHES That I leaue to the vnsercheable iudgementes of God Aunswer who if it had ben necessary for our saluation would haue certified vs of it in his word But in the mean seasoÌ„ this ought to be learned of all men If any do excell other in glory after this lif it is not by â—eoâ—on of theyr merites that 〈◊〉 in the lyfe to come any do excell other in glori it is not by reason of their workes merites or deseruinges but the same doth altogether come of the mere mercye grace and goodnesse of God who doth most lyberallye crowne in them hys owne gyftes as it hath ben sufficientlye proued before ALBION This haue I learned of our talke and communication Fyrst that we are iustified freely The epilogus or conclusioÌ„ that is to saye deliuered from synne frome eternall dampnation and euerlastinge death and pronounced righteouse before the iudgement seate of almighty god throughe fayth onelye in our sauioure Iesus Christe withoute any merites or deseruinges goynge before and that as all the workes that we do afore we be iustified I meane afore we bee graffed in Christe through faieth in him and made liuely members of his body are nothinge elles in the sighte of God but synnes Ioa. 15. so after we be once iustifyed and made through fayth braunches of that true vine we must not remayne bareine and vnfrutefull trees but wee muste bringe foorthe the frutes of oure fayeth Ephe 2. we muste abounde and as it were flowe in all kinde of good workes that God hathe prepared for vs to walke in whereby wyll workes that is works of mannes inuention hauing no sure ground or fundation nor yet any promise in Goddes booke are cleane ouerthrowen Secondly it hath bene declared that not all they that do those works which in them selues are good Three sortes of people which althoughe they do good workes do not deserue the prayse of weldoing doo by and by deserue the prayse and commendation of good worokes or of well doynge for as muche as they do them eyther for to be glorifyed of men or for hope of rewarde or for feare of eternall punyshement and not for the loue only that thei beare to god and to theyr neyghboure or for to shewe theyr obedience towardes Goddes holye comaundementes Where throughe occasion was geuen to shewe the causes that should moue vs to do good works althoughe there were no hope at all of rewarde and also the causes whye the workes of those that be graffed in Christe by fayeth although in them selues they be most vnperfect do please God are acceptable in hys syghte Afterwardes ye spake of merits prouinge moste stronglye that although we were able to do what so euer God hath coÌ„maunded vs yet we ought to coumpte oure selues vnprofitable seruauntes and that we haue done but our duetye and yet notwythstandynge that oure good workes whiche beinge members of Christe we doe accordinge to the prescripte and rule of Goddes worde shall be crowned and rewarded not for their owne dignitye and worthynesse or for anye perfection that is in them but because that the perfecte obedyence of Christe shall be imputed vnto vs for our owne and thereby all thinges that be wantinge and lackinge in vs moste aboundantlye supplied by reason of the felowshippe that wee haue throughe fayeth in the only begotten sonne df God And also because of the promisses wherby God is become debtoure vnto vs. Laste of all ye haue proued by manyfest textes of the scriptures and by answering all obiections that could be made to the contrarye that we shall be al one and receyue al one reward in the resurrection of the righteouse and if there shall be any degrees of glorye whiche thinge can not well be proued by the scriptures that oughte in no wyse too be attributed vnto the merittes and deseruinges of men but to the only mercy goodnesse and grace of God declared vnto vs in his sonne Iesus Christ and taken hold vpon by faith in the merits of his death passion and bloud shedding PHILA This in dede is the summe of our talke that we haue hadde at this presente Ye haue well remembred the pighte of the whole matter Whyche is a token of a pregnaunte wytte and good memorye God of his goodnesse vouchafe to encrease in you these his excelente giftes and too heape you wyth all heauenly blessinges that ye maye by embracinge the true religion by aduauncinge and fartheringe of it be an exaÌ„ple vnto al the whole world DYDI. God of hys mercye vouchesafe to graunt it EVTRAPELVS AMEN amen ¶ HERE BEGINneth a Table whereby ye maye fynde spedelye all the principall matters conteyned in this booke ATheistes what they are folio 2. A principall note to whome the Apostell did write fo 8. Althoughe we haue not in the scriptures this word sola only or alone yet haue we many wordes that be of lyke force fo 13. An euasion of the enemies fo 24 A golden sayinge of saynte Bernarde fo 55 Abraham was iustified 30. yeares afore the offeringe of his sonne Isaac foli 7. Aunswer to the 5. of Math. fo 68. Aunswer to the parable of the sede folio eodem Christ onely hathe satisfied to the iustice of God fo 6. Christe is a sufficiente expositour of his owne wordes fo 27 E Euyl works do declare the maliciousnes of oure hartes fo 45. F. From whence this worde iustificare to iustifye hath bene borowed and what it signifyeth fo 4. Faith is not taken of the Apostels in one signification fo 9. Gardiners obiection agaynst doctor Barnes fo 28. Good intentes fo 37. God hathe no profit by anye good worke that we can do fo â–ª 506. H. Howe the scriptures are aleaged by the enemies of the truth fo 27 Howe oure good intentes whiche haue no waraunt in Gods woorde are rewarded fo 39 How earnestlye the causes aboue rehersed oughte to moue vs to doe good woorkes fo 49. I Iustification is taken awaye altogether frome the lawe of Moses and attributed vnto fayth fo 11. If it be an heresy to say that fayth only iustifieth all the auncient fathers be heritikes fo 21. If any do excell other in glorye after this lyfe it is not be reason of theyr merites fo 72. Iustification wherby we are deliuered from sinne is necessarye vnto vs as longe as we liue fo 25. In doynge of good woorkes we muste folow the example of Christ folio 44. M. Mercenaries hierlinges fo 43. O. One text must geue place to many folio 10. P. Peace of conscience doeth exclude wauering or doubtfulnes of mind folio 32. S. Saule standethe in defence of hys disobedience folio 39. Similitude fo 56. T. The maliciousnes of the enemies of the truthe fol. 1. The Popes kingdome is
agayne what it is too be iustifyed by fayth For these thinges being well and substantially vnderstanded I do not doubt but that the teste wyll bee a greate deale the playner PHILALETHES To be iustified by workes is by our owne deedes to deserue remission and forgeuenesse of synnes and too pourchase vnto oure selues saluation Or elles thus They are iustifyed by workes in whose life there is founde suche cleanelinesse and holynesse as maye deserue the testimonye of righteousnesse before the iudgement seat of God or that wyth the vprightenesse of theyr woorkes be able to aunswer and satysfye Goddes iustyce and iudgemente DYDIMVS I beleue that they are very thynne sowen that with the vprightnesse of theyr workes be able to aunswer and satisfy the iustice and iudgemente of God PHILALETHES They are very thyn sowen in dede For non Christ onely excepted could euer do it And therefore Christ only hath satisfied the iustyce of God all the chyldren of Adam beinge at defiaunce with their owne righteousnesse oughte to crye oute wyth Dauid and sai Enter not in to iudgemeÌ„t with thy seruauÌ„t o lord Psal 143. for in thy sight shal no maÌ„ liuiÌ„g be iustified ALBI. And what is it to be iustified by fayth PHI. They are iustifyed by faith What it is to be iustyfied by fayth that being excluded froÌ„ the righteousenesse of workes do by faythe take holde one the righteousenesse of Christe wherwyth when they are clothed and appareylled they appeare in the syghte of God not as synners but as ryghteouse personnes ALBION Obiecti ∣ on i. This me thinke is a verye coumfortable doctrine But yet it wyll not be alowed of all men for the most parte wyll stil maintaine that we are iustified by workes and not by faith onlye aleadginge for the probation of this their sayinge the second chapiter of Iames Iam. 2. wher he saieth on this maner was not our father Abraham iustified throughe workes when he offered Isaac his son vpon the altar And a little after ye se then how that of woorkes a man is iustified and not of faithe onlye Either ye muste saye they make the holy Apostels to disagree or ye muste graunte with Iames that of works man is iustified and not of faith onlye Aunswer PHILALETHES God wotte this is a poore helpe that they doe bringe for them selues For firste and formoste let vs marke the history that Iames doeth make meÌ„tion of and we shal soone perceiue how ignorauntly they behaue theÌ„ selues in expoundinge the wordes of the Apostell We reade in the xv chapiter of Genesis Gen. 15. that Abraham beleued the Lord and it was coumpted vnto him for righteousnesse Which texte is of Paule aleaged after this sort If Abraham were iustified by workes Rom. 4. he hath wherein to reioyce or glorye but not with God For what saith the scripture Abraham beleued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse Wherby the holye Apostle Abraham was iustyfied .xxx. yeares afore he offered his sonne Isaac doeth proue most stronglye that Abraham our father was iustified by faithe But this that Iames doeth speake of whiche is the offerynge of Isaac was done xxx yeares after that the scriptures did pronounce Abraham to be iustified or that his faith was coumpted vnto him for righteousnesse Verely fyth that .xv. yeares afore that Isaac was borne Gene. 22. Abrahams faythe was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse it was impossible that he shoulde be iustifyed by the offering of hys sonne Isaac which was as I sayd before .xxx. years after What if we saye then that the apostle doeth only go about to shewe What faith Abraham was iustified by that the fayth whiche Abraham was iustifyed by was no idel or dead fayth but such a faith as made hym obedient vnto God as it is more playnelye set foorthe in the .ii. to the Hebrewes EV. This that ye haue brought in now is of greate strength And truly I do not see which way thei can wind theÌ„ selues out of the briers if the history the circumstaunces of the same be weyghed a ryghte PHI. We wil yet go to worke with them another way and shew how that ther is no repugnaunce at al in the doctrine of the Apostels For what contrariety or repugnaunce could ther be in their doctrine sith that they wer both lead by one spirit Therfore we shal marke that the holy Apostle S. Paul in his epistels to the Romains to the Galathians did dispute and reason against theÌ„ that did atribute iustificatioÌ„ to workes but. Note this diligeÌ„tly S Iames did wryte against them which did vtterly contempne and despise good workes And therfore Paule sheweth the causes of our iustificatioÌ„ Iames the effectes frutes of the same Paul declareth how we are iustifyed Iames how we are knoweÌ„ to be iustified Paul excludeth workes as not the cause of our iustificatioÌ„ Iames approueth workes as effects proceding of the same Paul denieth that any good workes caÌ„ be in theÌ„ that be not iustyfied Iames affirmeth that they which be iustified caÌ„ in no wise be wtout good woorkes But ye shall heare what S Augustine hath left vnto vs by writing touching the matter Augu. 83. questionum questi 76. Glossa ordinaria Quod Abraham per fidem sine operibus iustificatus est de operibus quâ—e precedebant intelligitur quia per opera quae fecit iustus non suit sed sola fide Hic de operibus agitur quae fidem sequntur Heb. 11. per quae amplius iustificabatur cum tam per fidem fuisset iustus Vnde Paulus dicit Fide obtulit Abraham Isaac quum tentaretur Haec oblatio est opus et testimonium fidei et iustitiae That is too saye That Abraham was iustifyed by faith without works it is to be vnderstaÌ„ded of the workes that dyd goo before For he was not righteouse throughe the workes which he had done but by faythe only Here it is spokeÌ„ of the works that folowe the faith whereby he was more iustifyed whereas he was alreadye before made righteouse by faithe Therfore Paule sayeth The offeringe of Isaac is a testimony of the fayth righteousnesse of Abraham Abraham did offer Isaac with faith when he was tempted This offeringe is a worke and testimonye of his faythe and of hys righteousnesse These things did he write vpon Iames epistell If the offering of Isaac is a testimonie of the faith and righteousnesse of Abraham He coulde not be iustyfied by it but rather it was therby declared that he was iustifyed alreadye So that this obedience of his Rom. 4. which he shewed vnto the word of the Lord did only manifest and shew that he was when he beleued Gods promises made ryghteous before God throughe the same fayth and beleue wherwyth he was so strengthened that geuynge the glorye vnto God he perswaded him selfe fullye that he which had promised was also able to do the thynge that he
hadde promysed thoughe it semed neuer so straunge nor so muche against the common course of nature And therefore the Apostle concludethe ryghte well that it was imputed vnto him for ryghteousnesse EVTRAPELVS As far as I do remember I haue hearde you tell that otherwhyles to be iustifyed is to be declared righteous and iuste As when the prophette Dauid sayeth Psal 51. That thou mayest be iustified in thy wordes ouercome when thou art-iudged that is to saye that thou mayest be declared iuste and thy goodnesse and trueth appeare in performing thy promises when man eyther of curiosite or of arrogaÌ„cie wold iudge thy workes PHILA This is wel remeÌ„bred And therefore this shall we note by the waye This worde to iustifye is other wise takeÌ„ of Paule then of Iames. that this worde to iustifie is not taken of Paul in that signification that saincte Iames doeth take it in For of Paul it is taken for to deliuer from syn and for to impute righteousnesse but Iames doeth take it for to declare one iuste and righteous Agayne Paul speaketh of a liuely faythe whiche can no more be wtout good workes Fayth is not taken of the Apostels in one signyfication than the Sunne can be without light or fyer with out heate But Iames speaketh of an idell and deadde faythe whiche maye be in the reprobate yea in the diuell hym self as the Apostell writteth in thesame place Moreouer whether ought one texte too geue place to many or manye too geue place to one One text must geue place to manye DYDI. It standeth with reason that one texte shoulde rather geue place too manye than that manye should geue place to one PHILALE For this one text of Iames that semeth to attribute iustifycation vntoo workes how manye notable textes and sentences shal ye fynde in the other Canonicall scriptures that teach the contrarye ALBION And we do all pray you brother Philalethes that ye will aleadge the chiefest and most principall of theÌ„ For as touching that place which thei do aleadge bring out of the second chapiter of Iames ye haue well satisfied my mind I thanke god therfore PHI. That wil I gladli do yea I wil be sides this ioigne vnto the autorities of the scriptures word of God the sayinges of the aunciaunt fathers of the primitiue churche that so the enemies of the trueth whiche doe moste lyengly blowe abrode that we haue no suche stuffe maye at length seing our greate rychesse vtterly be shamed and confouÌ„ded DIDIMVS Forsothe in so doinge ye shal do vs all a greate pleasure PHILALETHES I might here bring many notable sentences out of the olde and new Testament wherein the excellencye of faith is highly setfoorth but I wil at this present omitte or leaue theÌ„ and aledge only those places that do most chiefly perteyne to iustification Act. 13. Firste in the Actes of the Apostles we haue these wordes written in the sermoÌ„ that Paul made vnto the Iewes that were at Antiochia a cytte of Pisidia Be it knoweÌ„ vnto you therfore brethern that through this maÌ„ is preached vnto you the forgeuenesse of synnes And that from all thinges froÌ„ whiche ye coulde not be iustified by the law of Moses by hym eueri one that beleueth is iustified These wordes are so playne that they nede no exposition at al. For all men onelesse they will be wilfully blynde styll maye easely see that he taketh awaye altogether iustification from the lawe of Moses Iustification is taken awaye all together from the lawe of Moses atributed vnto faith and doeth attribute it vntoo fayth in our sauiour Iesu Christe But in the Epistel to the RomaiÌ„s the holy apostell maketh the matter more playne where he sayeth They haue all synned and are destituted or voyde of the glorie of God But they are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus Rom. 3. whoÌ„ God hath setfoorthe too be a pourchasser of mercy through fayth in his bloude Let these wordes be diligentely considered and weyghed and then I do not doubt but that they that be of an indifferente iudgemente wyl sone agree vnto our doctrine First the Apostle sayeth that they haue all synned and that they are depriued of the glorye of God By whiche wordes he doth most liuelye put before oure eyes the myserable estate that whole mankind was in Secondly he doth effectuouslye shewe how and by what meanes we are deliuered from it I meane What be the meanes wherby we are iustified or deliuered from the 〈◊〉 of dampnation frome that dampnable estate that we are in by our owne nature and fyrst byrthe when he sayeth But they are iustifyed frelye by his grace Nowe if we be iustified frely by the grace of God wher are our works merits or deseruings become For if any workes deseruinges or merits do go before oure iustification how can it be sayed that we are iustifyed freelye by the grace of God oure heauenlye father EVTRAPELVS In deede it might rather be saied that we are iustified in respecte of oure owne workes and merites And so the sayinge of the Apostell coulde not stande where he sayth in an other place By grace ye are saued thorowe fayth Epho 2. and that not of youre selues it is the gyft of God not of workes leaste anye man shoulde boaste him selfe Whereunto the sayinge of a moste aunciente wryter semeth wel to agree His wordes are these Ambrosius de vocatione gentium li. 1. capi 5. Sicut nulla sunt tam detestanda facinora quae possunt gratiae arcere donum ita nulla possunt tam proeclara opera existere quibus hoc quod gratis tribuitur perretributionis iudicium debeatur Vilesceret enim redemptio sanguinis Christi ac miserecordia del humanorum operum praerogatiuae succumberet si iustificatio quae fâ—t pergratiam praecedentibus meritis deberetur vt non munus largientis sed merces esset operantis That is to saye As there be no synnes so detestable that can kepe of the gyft of grace so there can be no workes so excellente that vnto them by the iudgement of retribution or recompence the same shuld be due which is freely geuen and graunted For the redemption of the bloud of Christe shoulde waxe vyle and the mercye of God be fayne to geue place to the prerogatiue of mens works if iustificatioÌ„ which is don or wrought by grace were due vnto the merits that go before so that it shoulde not be the free gyfte of the gyuer but the rewarde or hyre of the worker What other thinge I besech you doeth this holy father meane but that we are without any merites goynge before iustified frely by the mere goodnesse and grace of God To attribute iustification vnto any merites going before is a derogation of the grace of God through faith in the bloud of his sonne Iesu Christ Yea he doeth playnely affirme that it is a derogation of
same sense did the holy Apostell take it as it doeth manifestlye appeare by the cyrcumstaunces of the place But the enemies of the truth care not what they saye How the scriptures are aleaged of the enemies of the truth so that they seme to saye some thinge They aleadge the scryptures as the blinde man casteth his staffe DYDI. Ye teach that afore a mā be iustified through faith in Christ he can do no good works yea that all that he doeth is sinne though it semeth neuer so good Nowe put the case that a Turke or heathen were desirous to heare Obiecti ∣ on 5 the worde of God and to knowe the gospell of oure sauioure Iesu Christe Woulde ye not coumpte thys a good woorke Gardiners obiection against doctoure Barnes And yet ye wyll not saye that he is alreadye iustifyed for as muche as he doethe not yet beleaue in Christe Besydes thys we haue the example of Cornelius of whome afore hee dyd beleeue in Christe Luke wryteth after this manner And the Aungell sayed vnto him Act. 10. Thy prayers and thyne almes are come vp in too remembraunce before God These wordes did the Aungell speake vnto Cornelius afore that he hearde Peter and consequently afore that he beleued in Christ What canne we gather of thys but that a man may do good workes afore he hathe fayth and hether throughe iustified EVTRAPELVS By oure brother Philalethes leaue Aunswer and vnder his correction I wyll take vpon me to aunswer thys obiection that our neyghbour Dydimus hath broughte in nowe I woulde fayne neyghbour Dydimus that ye should aunswer me to this question Can a tree bringe foorthe good frute Math. 7. afore it be made good DYDI. As no good tree canne bringe foorthe euyll frute so can no yll tree brynge foorthe good fruyte EVTRAPE Ephe. 2. Io. 15. And what are we afore we be graffed in Christ DYDI. As the holye Apostell doeth wryte we are by oure owne nature the chyldren of wrath EVTRAPELVS And howe are we graffed in Christ Or how are wee made braunches of the true vyne DYDIMVS I graunte that we are graffed in Christe and made braūches of the true vine by faith EVTRAPE Excepte then we haue fayeth we can not be graffed in Christe nor made braunches of the true vyne But onelesse we be graffed in Christe we can not be good trees and if we be not good trees we can bringe foorthe no good fruite Againe are not these the Apostels wordes Quicquid ex fide non est peccatum est Ro. 14. What soeuer is not of faythe is synne And withoute fayth Heb. 11. it is impossible to please God DYDI. What wyll ye say then of this turke or heathen that hath a desire to heare the word of God and to knowe the gospell of oure sauioure Iesu Christ and paraduenture doeth therefore take vpon him a long and parilous iourney EV. I saye that the same Turke or heathen maye of a vaine curiositye haue a desyre to heare Gods worde and the gospell of Christe Act. 17. as the Athenians why the Athenians woulde heare Paulles doctrine and the straungers that were in theyr citye beinge moued with vayne curiosity wer desirous to heare the doctrine of Paule and for the same cause brought him to the strete of Mars Or as we oure selues are desirous to know straūge histories that we neuer redde before We reade in the histories that mani of the aunciente Philophers did take vpon them long and perilous iourneies that they mighte learne the wisedome of the Egiptians and of the Caldees But let vs by waye of reasonninge graunte that he doth it not of a vayne curiositye yet afore he be graffed in Christe he remaineth styll a dampnable tree and therefore his fruite can not be good howe dare ye then call it a good worke These bee the wordes of Saynte Augustyne Li. ad boni fa. 3. cap. 5. Religio nostra iustos ab iniustis non ope rum sed ipsa fidei lege disceruit sine qua etiam que videntur bona opera in peccata conuertuntur Oute religion sayeth he doeth not discerne the ryghteous from the vnrighteouse by the lawe of woorkes but by the verye lawe of faythe wythoute the whyche yea those workes that seme good workes are turned into synnes And in an other place he compareth the studye and endeuoure of those menne that be not in the waye but who is the waye saue he only that sayeth I am the way the truthe and the life Ioa 14. vntoo agoynge a straye For the more earnestlye sayth he a man doeth renne beynge oute of the waye prefa in Psal 31. the farther doeth hee goo frome the scope or marke and so is made more miserable Therefore better it is to halte in the waye than to renne out of the waye DYDIMVS Ye can not saye so of Cornelius For The history of Conelius the Aungell sayeth playnly that his praiers and almes are come vp in too remembraunce before God And this was afore he heard the preachinge of the gospell EVTRAPELVS And I wyll haue no better scriptures for too proue that Cornelius had fayeth For sith that his praiers almes wer acceptable in the sight of God and that withoute faythe it is impossible to please God it is moste sure that Cornelius was not with oute faythe But we wyll heare Saynte Augustine touchinge that matter August de predestinatione sancto rum capi 7 Nec tamen sayeth hee sine fide aliqua donabat et orabat quicquid et antequam in Christum crederet et cum crederet et quum credidisset operatus est Cornelius totum deo dandum est ne quis extollatur That is to saye yet notwithstandynge he neyther gaue nor prayed wythoute some fayethe What soeuer Cornelius did worke afore he beleeued in Christe and when he did beleue and after that he beleued all the whole must be geuen or attributed vnto God lest any man swel or be puft vp what shoulde we requyre any more By the wordes of the Aungell we do learne that Cornelius both praied to God and that his prayers were hearde But how coulde he haue prayed vnto God onelesse he had beleued on him alreadye For thus doeth the Apostle write Rom. 10. Quomodo inuocabunt in quem non crediderunt How sayth he shall they call vpon him in whō they do not beleue ALBION I holde my selfe well satysfyed in this poynte I prayse the liuinge God therefore But I woulde fayne heare of you brother Philalethes which he the frutes of this our iustification whiche we obtayne through faith onely in Christ without any merites or deseruinge going before and before whiche all that we do semethe it neuer so gorgeouse in oure sighte is but mere synne in the sighte of God PHILA The frutes of this oure iustification The frutes of our iustyfication are exceadinge greate Yea they are inestimable For god doeth not
iustifie vs nor yet deliuer vs from oure sins to this ende that we beinge iustified shoulde by oure yll lyfe dishonoure his name or blemishe his grace asthoughe he did not detest and abhorre synne but that we shoulde serue to the glory of him that hath wroughte oure saluation The first frute of oure iustyfication The firste fruite then of oure iustification is that the glorye of the righteousnesse of God maye be declared and sette foorthe Thys doeth the Apostell meane when he sayeth They are iustyfied frelye by his grace throughe the redemption whyche is in Christe Iesu whome God hath set foorth to be apourchasser of mercye thorowe fayth in his bloude too declare his righteousnesse Rom. 3. by the forgeuenesse of synnes Agayne Abraham dyd not doubte of the promes of God through vnbeleue but was strengthened in the faith and gaue glorye to God beinge fullye assured Rom. 4. that he which had promissed was able to do it He therefore that doethe beleeue the promsies of god doth gloryfy him geuing him the glory of truth and of power or might And to this end is he iustified The second frute of our iustificatioÌ„ Rom. 5. that the glorye of his goodnesse may be set foorth The second is the peace of our coÌ„sciences wherof the Apostel speaketh on this maner We being iustified throughe faithe haue peace toward God throughe oure Lorde Iesus Christe EV. Where this peace is The peace of coÌ„science doeth exclude wauering or doubtfulnesse of minde there can be no place for wauering or doubtfulnes which the scole men of our time are wont to teach For doubtfulnes and thys peace of conscience are altogether repugnaunt one to an other PHI. We haue not onely by iustification peace of conscience but also a reioycinge whiche can in no wise stand with doubtfulnes And therby do we reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God Rom. 5. also in tribulations It is so farre of theÌ„ that we ought to doubt of the grace of god in Christ Iesu that rather he wyll haue vs to be at peace with him in our coÌ„sciences to reioyce froÌ„ our very heartes vnder the hope of his glorye and therefore doeth he iustifye vs freelye throughe fayth in Christ The thyrde frute of our iustification Thirdely this iustification doeth tende also and pertayne to the glory of them that be iustified as the Apostel him selfe doth testifye sayinge Whom he hath ordayned before them hath he called and whome he hathe called them hath he iustified Rom. 8. and whom he hath iustified them hathe he glorified DIDI Obiecti ∣ on 6 These thinges are spoken of the Apostell asthoughe the iustified were alreadye in the full possession of their glory For these are his wordes whome he hathe iustifyed them hath he also glorified But I am of opinion that they that bee iustyfied throughe faythe in Christe shall not haue their full glorye vntill the second comminge of the sonne of manne who wyll then transfourme and chaunge theyr vyle bodyes and make them lyke vnto his glorious bodye EVTRA. Ye muste vnderstande Aunswer that the holye ghoste vseth this maner of speakinge for too declare the certayntye and infalliblenesse of Gods promises For when God doethe promysse anye thinge The certaynetye of Gods promisse we maye be as sure and certayne of it as if it were alreadye perfourmed and fulfilled Sith then that God hathe promyssed to glorifie them whome he doth iustifie throughe faythe in his sonne Iesu Christe we must holde them for glorifyed alreadye althoughe we do yet throughe hope looke for the glorye of the children of God PHILA Ye haue sayed verye well The .4 frute of our iustification Nowe the fourthe fruite of our iustification is this God doth freelye by his grace iustifye vs in Christe to the ende that we maye be both saued and made pertakers of eternall lyfe For thus writeth the Apostell in hys epistell to Titus But when the bountefulnes loue of God our sauiour towarde man appeared Not by the workes of righteousnesse whiche we had done but according to his merci he saued vs by the wasshinge of the new byrthe the renewing of the holy ghost which he shed on vs aboundaÌ„tli through Iesu Christ our sauiour That we beinge iustified by his grace should be made heyres according to the hope of eternall lyfe Paull doeth call the word of this doctrin vndoubted because of the infallible truthe and certaintye of it Therfore I do greatly meruayl at the stupiditie or dullenesse of the enemies whiche will not see the comfortable light of thys doctrine nor feele this inestimable grace whiche they doe so sore impugne or fight against in the elect and chosen of God The fifte frute of our iustyfication As for the fifth frute of our iustification it doeth most chiefly pertayne to the holines of lyfe to the studie exercise of righteousnesse Whereof the Apostle doth warne vs in the .vi. to the Romains saying Now beinge made free from sinne and made seruaÌ„ts vnto God ye haue youre fruyte in holines And in the first to the Corinthians these be his wordes be not deceyued 1. Cor. 6. Neither whoremongers nor Idolaters nor aduoutrers c. shall inherite the kyngedome of God Why the spirit of Christ is geuen vnto them that be iustified And suche were some of you but ye are wasshed but ye are sanctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lorde Iesus and by the spirite of our God By which wordes he doeth admonish them that sith they were iustified they ought froÌ„ thensfoorth to geue them selues to godlinesse to holinesse of lyfe and to righteousnes And for this cause is the spirit of Christe geuen vnto theÌ„ that be iustyfied that through hym they may be chaunged in too a newenesse of lyfe Which newnesse beynge receyued by the spirite of God is not the iustificatioÌ„ it selfe but a fruyte of the iustification DYDIMVS Thys doctrine lykethe me nowe better and better And truelye when I heare you to soundly speake of iustification and of the frutes thereof I can not but maruayle at the shamelesse reportes of the ennemyes whyche do styll blowe abroade that ye are vtter enemies of good workes of holynesse of life and of all Godly exercises of righteousnesse EVTRA. What is it that they wyll be ashamed of saue onlye of well doynge and of well sayinge Whereof the enemies of the truth be ashamed They haue put on whores faces and therefore althoughe they be taken in a manifestlie thei be no more a shamed of it than a common strompet is a shamed of hyr filthye acte PHI. That all the woorlde maye know how shamefully they do misrepâ—rte vs I wyll here declare and setfoorthe what we doo teache commonly of good works The common doctrine of the preachers touching good workes and of the true vses of them First we teache that as all things haue ben created
of God not to this end that they shoulde be ydell and vnprofitable but too the ende that they shuld be profitable and good so did he make and create man not for to be ydell here Why mā was created or for to be an vnprofitable burden of the earth but to this ende that euery one of vs shoulde accordinge to his vocation and callinge worke those thynges that be good and profitable The deuyll in dede by bringing in synne The deuill did peruert the end of our creation which Christ restored agayne did peruert this end of oure creation but Christ did restore it agayne beinge sente in too the worlde for to destroye the workes of Sathan By him we are regenerated or borne of newe that beynge made newe creatures we shoulde be profitable and full of good workes And therefore the Apostel in the epistel to the Ephesians writeth on this maner Ephe. 2. we are the workemanshippe of God created in Christ Iesus vnto those good workes that God hath prepared for vs for to walke in And in the epistell to Titus Who sayeth he gaue him selfe for vs that he mighte redeme vs from all iniquitye Titus 2. and make vs a peculyar people vnto him selfe being earnestlye geuen vntoo good workes Math. 5. Hereunto belonge the exhortations of Christ and of the Apostels Such as these are let your light so shyne before men Gala. 6. that they maye see your good woorks and glorify your father whiche is in heauen And in the epistel to the Galathians these are the Apostels wordes 1 Timo. 3. Let vs not ceasse to do good vnto al mē but most specialli to them that are of the housholde of faith Are not the scriptures geuen vntoo vs for the same purpose and vse The whole scripture saith Paull is geuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instructe in righteousnesse that the man of God maye be absolute or sound beinge made perfect vnto all good woorkes It is euydent then that we be not so iustified by fayeth that after iustyfication we should remayn vnprofitable bareyne and vnfrutefull but rather the geuing our selues without ceassing intermission to good works we shoulde aduaunce and farther the glorye of the grace of God and set before all mennes eyes as it were a cetayn light of a new creature Similitude Who doeth plant or set a tree or doeth dygge aboute the roote of it to the ende that it shoulde only be a tre and not rather to this end that it should be a good tree and bring foorthe good frutes So are we regenerated in Christ Why we be regenerated in Christ iustified not to this end that we shuld be only Christians in name but that of euyll trees we shoulde be made good and expresse that same goodnesse that wee haue receaued of Christe by good workes When we teache these thinges we doo neyther geue occasion to the ennemyes to condempne iustelye the doctrine of iustification as enemy of good workes nor yet ought we to be blamed although false gospelers doe rather liue like Epicures than true Christian men DYDI. Who hauinge a crome or droppe of godlinesse can be offended at this doctrine EVTRA. Who thei be that are offended at the doctrine of the iustification of faith They onelye are offended at this mooste true and wholsome doctrine which partely do rather seeke theyr own gaynes and lucre than the saluation of the people And partlye beinge erecated or blynded wyth vayne superstition do embrace and set foorthe vnto other mens dyuelish inuentions for good workes For vnto them The good works of the papistes to heare euerye daye masse deuoutely to lye prostrate before dead images and to mummell oute a number of prayers vnto certayne Soyntes to go on pilgrimages to buyld vp chanteries and to cause Trentalles of Masses with diriges and other tromperye to be sayed for the deade Item to geue largelye of theyr substaunce and gooddes vntoo ydell priestes mounkes friers and nonnes too saye oure ladyes psalter to praye on beades too vse obserue and kepe pharisaicall fastinges wyth theyr popishe holye dayes and solempne feastes are the best works that can eyther be deuised or done and whosoeuer do speake againste those workes They that are enemies of the papystes good workes are enemies of sin and of most detestable abhomination Rom. 14. they are by and by taken for vtter ennemies of good workes wheras if the thinge wer indifferentlye weyghed in the eauen balaunce of Gods word they ought rather to be coumpted enemyes of synne and of moste detestable abhomination For what soeuer is not of faythe is synne But how cā these their gai painted workes be of faythe sith that they haue no grounde at all in Goddes worde What gaye titles so euer then they geue vnto them it can not be denyed but that they are most detestable synnes in the sight of God who wyll alowe none other kinde of religion worshippinge and seruyce than he him selfe hath prescribed and appointed in his holye scriptures DYDI. Obiect 7 What wil ye saye then of our good intentes Wyl ye condempne them all For manye do those works that ye spake of euen now of a good intente thinkinge that they do high seruice vnto god Shall thys theyr good intente be imputed vnto them for synne EV. As concerning good intents we haue this lesson geuen vnto vs in the boke of God Aunswer ye shall not do euery mā that which semeth vnto youe best Good intentes I am the Lord thy God that thinge onlye that I cōmaund the see that thou doest it Ad nothing vnto it take nothinge away from it We must not do then what soeuer semeth vnto vs best but what soeuer the lord our God doth commaund and wylleth vs to doo so that by this one place of Deuteronomye Deu. 12. all good intentes that be not ruled by Gods word are quite ouerthrowen PHI. It doeth well appeare by manye histories of the Bible how well God doeth lyke oure good intentes Terrible and dreadfull historyes In the .ix. and .x. chapters of Leuiticus ye shall fynde thys wrytten And there came a fyre oute frome the Lorde and consumed vppon the altare the burnte offering and the fat Which when all the people sawe they gaue thankes and felle on theyr faces But Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron tooke eyther of them his censor and put fire therin and put incens thereuppon and offered straunge fyre before the Lorde whiche he had not commaunded them How our good intents whiche haue no waraunt in Goddes word are rewarded Therefore a fyre wente from the Lorde and deuoured them so they dyed before the Lord. Without all peraduenture they dyd this of a good intent For onlesse they had thoughte that God woulde haue bene pleased with it they woulde in no wyse haue done it yet ye see howe they were rewarded
for it Who I praye you readinge this historye will not be affrayed too serue God otherwise than he doth appoynte in his worde In the second boke of Samuell 2. Samu. 6. it is written that when Dauid wold bring the Arke to Ierusalem hee caused it to be put vpon a new cart whiche doubtlesse was most gorgeouslye trymmed and drawen with the goodlyest and fayrest cattell that coulde be gotten Dauid and and the house of Israell playinge before the Lord on all instrumentes made of fyre and on harpes and on psalteries and on tymberelles ▪ and on cornetts and on cimballes But nowe marke the ende when they came to Nachons threshinge floore Vzzah smitten of the Lord. Vzzah did put his hande too the Arke of God and helde it For the oxen dyd shake it And the Lorde was very wroth with vzzah and God smote him in the same place for his faut and there he dyed by the Arke of God Let Dauid expounde this matter him selfe In the first boke of the chronicles 1. Para. 13. these be his wordes which he spake vnto the Leuites because ye were not there at the fyrst the Lord our God made a breache or rent among vs. For we soughte him not after due order This was the due order The order that God had apoynted touching the Arke that shuld haue bene obserued and kept The Lorde God hath appoynted that the Arke should haue bene caryed vpon the shoulders of the Leuites But what did Dauid For a realtye and to declare his greate zeale that he bare to Gods religyon wold haue it to be caried vpon a goodlye chariot or waggon nothinge beinge omitted or lefte of that belonged to such glorious solēnity as ye haue learned before Yet ye see how God did accepte it As for Vzzah no man can denye but that he dyd of a good intente put foorth his hand to haue stayed the Arke Saul standeth in defence of his disobedience least it shoulde through the stronglinge of the cattell haue fallen doune in to the myre Who woulde not iudge that thys was wel done And yet was he smitten of the Lorde that hee dyed before the Arke Wherby we learn what daunger it is too folowe good intentes or to doo anye thinge in good seruyce without hys expresse worde ALBION These are very terrible and dreadfull examples God graunte that wee maye haue the grace alwaies to remember them PHI. The historye of Saull who was the first kinge of the Israelites is yet more terrible God had geuen him a cōmaundement that he should smite Amaleke and destroye all that pertayned vntoo them and haue no compassion on them but slaye both man and woman both infante and suckeling bothe oxe and shepe bothe camell and asse The historye of◠Saul But Saul and the people spared the best of the shepe and of the oxen for to sacrifice them vnto the Lorde and destroyed all the rest This did they of a good intente in so muche that Saul stode in defense of the deede sayinge I haue obeid the voyce of the Lord haue destroyed the Amalechites but the people toke of the spoyle shepe and oxen and the chiefest of the things which should haue ben destroyed for to offer thē vnto the Lord. Vnto whō the prophet Samuel answered Hath the Lord as great pleasyr in burnt offerings sacrifice as whē the voice of the lord is obeid Behold to obey is better than sacrifice and too harkene is better than the fatte of rammes But rebellion is as the synne of witchcrafte and disobedience is as the wickednes of ydolatry Therfore because thou hast cast awaye the worde of the Lorde the Lorde hath also cast thee awaye from beinge king Because then that Saul dyd rather folowe his good intent than the commaundemente and worde of the Lorde therefore his kingedome was not onelye rente from him and geuen to his neighboure that was better than he but also the spirit of the Lorde departed frome him 1. Samu. 16 and an euyll spiritte sente of the Lorde vexed hym ALBION Are these the frutes of our good intents From hencefoorth God wylling I wyll endeuoure my selfe to harken vntoo the voyce of the Lorde to obey hys commaundementes and too serue him as he wil be serued For besydes those terrible and dreadeful historyes I remember the sayynge of Christ where he sayeth They worship me in vayne teachinge the doctrines Mat. 15. and precepts of men Wherby it is made moste manifest and playne that the religion worshippinge and seruice of God whiche is errected and set vp after the phancies and dreams of mennes headdes is both vayne and abhominable before the maiesty of God DYDIMVS Syth that the good woorkes of the popecacholikes do rather deserue the name of synne and of detestable abhomynation before God than of good works as it hath ben by you sufficientlye proued alreadye I woulde fayne hear which be the true good workes Which be the true good workes that God doth requyre of vs. that are required of the faithfull PHI. The true good workes are voyde of all superstition they are alligated or bounde neyther to place nor to the personnes nor to tyme. For they are as certayne frutes of our whole life testifying of the goodnesse of oure hart and expressinge the nature of our heauenly father whiche not onely of the faythfull but of the very infidelles are reckenned and taken for good workes and minister occasion vnto them to glorifye our father whyche is in heauen The works of fayth working through charity and loue are good works For God doeth worke them in vs and by vs. Them doth our sauiour Iesus Christ set oute in the .xxv. chapiter of Mathewe Why the good workes of mercy are most chieflye set foorth vnto vs. sayinge I was a hungerd and ye gaue me meate I was a thyrst and ye gaue me drincke I was naked and ye clothed me I was harborlesse and ye harboured me I was sicke and in prison and ye visited me The holye apostell likewyse in the .v. and .vi. chapter of the Epistel to the Galatians doth sufficiently teache vs what be the good workes that God doth require of vs But what should I aleadge one text or two syth that the whole scriptures doe euery where exhorte vs styll vnto good workes Which be the good workes that God hath prepared for vs too walke in What those good workes be Paule doeth declare in the seconde to the Ephesyans when he sayth We are the worke manshyp of God created in Christ Iesu vnto those good works that God hathe prepared for vs for to walke in Yf onye nowe should aske what be those good woorkes that he hathe prepared for vs for to walke in I woulde aunswer that all those woorkes that God doethe bydde and commaunde vs in hys holye and sacred worde are those good woorkes that he hathe prepared for vs for to walke in And those I saye ought onelye
to be called good workes and non other DYDI. And is there nothing els to be marked in this doctrine of good workes PHILA Besides that which hath ben saied already this ought to be considered that is in what respecte those workes whiche in them selues are good be done of men Why all they that do those good workes that God hath coÌ„maunded in his worde do not deserue the prayse of well doinge For they doo not by and by deserue the prayse and coÌ„mendation of good works that do them and that becouse that they do shote at a wrong marke in doyng of them For manye be wonte to feade the hungrye too geue drincke to the thyrsty to cloth the naked and so foorthe but do they it for any loue that they beare to god and to their neyghbour and for to shew theyr obedience towardes his coÌ„maundements Nay they do it for to be glorifyed of men Some agayn do these woorkes of charitye that by them thrustinge Christ out of his roume they maye merite and deserue heauen as though eternall and euerlastinge life were not alreadye fullye and most perfectlye pourchassed vnto vs by the merites of the death passion and bloud sheddynge of the onelye begotten son of God Heb. 7. or as though Christ for al his euerlasting priesthode could not fully and to the vttermost saue them that by him do come vntoo God These last Mercenaries and hirelings maye be called mercenaryes or hyrlinges For as muche as they do all that they do in respecte of reward the hope of the whych reward beyng taken awaye they would not geue a cup of colde water There be some agayne that doo good workes but wherfore For feare lest thei shuld if they did nothing at al come in to purgatory after their death The vntrue report of the papistes EVTRAPELVS And verely there be many which doo openly affyrme that the preachynge agaynst Purgatorye hathe bene a playn ouerthrowing of good workes For the fear say they of those bytter paynes that the poore sely soules be fayne to suffer there hath caused manye to do that that they woulde not haue done if thei had bene wythout that feare PHILALETHES Why do they not rather feare the vnquencheable fyer of hell that oure sauioure Iesus Christe doeth speake of Math. 25. sayinge Departe ye frome me ye cursed in to the fyer euerlastinge whyche is prepared for the Deuyll and hys Aungelles Luc. 16. For I was a hungerd and ye gaue me no meate I was a thyrst and ye gaue me no drincke Psal 14.53 c. Hereunto myghte be added the hystory of the ryche glutton who for his vnmercyfulnesse was throwen headlonge in too the bottomlesse pytte of hell These be they that wyll be affrayed where no feare is but where there is a iust cause of feare there they be neuer a whytte affrayed How be it we maye well lykene them that worke for feare of punithemente They the worke for feare are like vnto lewde seruauntes vnto slaues or lewde seruauntes whyche onelesse it were for feare of stripes woulde do nothynge at all But we must be chyldren and not seruauntes We muste folowe the example of oure sauyoure Iesus Christe who althoughe he was mooste sure of heauen and dyd in no wyse feare helle yet dyd he neuer ceasse too doe good vnto all menne In doyng of good workes we must folow the example of Christ whyles he was here conuersaunte in the earthe amongest them DYDIMVS If we oughte to doe good woorkes neyther for hope of rewarde nor for feare of the endelesse tormentes of helle fyer wherefore shoulde we doe them PHILALE There be fyue pryncypall causes whye the chyldren of God oughte too be earnestlye geuen vnto good woorkes The fyrste is that the glory of our heauenly father may be set foorth as Christ him selfe doth teache vs â–ª Math. 5. sayinge Lâ—s your lyght so shyne before menne that they maye see your good workes and glorifye your father which is in heauen EVTRA. If there wer non other vse or profyt of good works than the same that Christ did teache vs the teachers of good workes oughte in no wise to laye to our charge the puttynge doune of good workes because wee denye that they iustifye For as this is the chyefest desire of the fayethfull that they maye glorifye the name of the Lorde theyr God so do they coumpte it to be the greatest vantage vnto them if thei can glorify hym by their good works althoughe they gette none other profyt by theyr Godly study and exercise PHILA This is the marke that our sauiour Iesus Christ did shoote at whose example as I said before we ought to folowe in this thinge Nowe the seconde cause that oughte to moue vs to do good workes or the second vse of them is that by them we maye in our consciences be certifyed of our election and callinge not that our election and callinge do depend or hange of good workes for how coulde that be syth that the Apostell writeth on this maner 2. Timo. 1. Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy callyng not accordinge to our workes but accordinge to his owne purpose and grace whiche was geuen to vs throughe Christ Iesus before the world was but because that by them we do daily more and more proue or feele the grace and vertue of Christ Euil workes do declare the malitiousnesse of our harts as on the contrary syde euyll workes do daily more and more expresse and declare the malitiousenesse of our hartes And to this pertaineth the sayinge of the holye Apostell Saynte Peter Wherefore saith hee geue rather dyligence too make youre callynge and ellection sure ALBION All be it then our election is sure ynoughe in it self for as muche as God canne not chaunge Note yet we must confyrme it in oure selues by the frutes of the spirit PHILA Ye do well vnderstande the meanynge of the Apostell I can you thanke brother Albion I iudge nowe my labour well bestowed The thyrde vse of good workes is that by them our fayeth is excercised nouryshed encreased and strengthenned And therefore thus doeth the Apostell write vnto his disciple Timothee Styrre vp the gyft of God 2. Timo. 1. which is in thee Here fayth is called the gifte of God Whye faith is lykened vnto a spark whiche is as a certaine sparkle or flame kyndeled in our harts Which Sathan and the fleshe laboure to quenche and therefore we muste nourishe and styr it vp by continuall exercises of the deedes of charitye For as fyer by castinge in of woodde is augmented and made bygger so in the Christians Similitude bothe Godlines and faythe is by doynge of good workes nourished and made liuely Fourthly by our good works our neighbours are prouoked vnto the like studye and loue of godlynes when they do see in vs certain lyuely examples of it which they maye folowe So Paule in
that which they do teach And also in ecclesiastycall elections they oughte to be preferred before the other and they to be reiected and put backe that do both breake the commaundementes and teache other also to doo so Onlesse ye wyl say that they that lyue wyckedlye and teache other both by theyr woordes and example too transgresse the commaundementes of God shall enioye eternall felicitye whiche were agaynste all reason And as for the parable of the sede whereof parte did fall in to good grounde Aunswer to the parable of the sede Mat. 13. anye manne can easelye perceaue that it pertayneth vnto the state of this prsente life and that therby it is signified that the worde of God doethe not brynge foorth frute in lyke in al the Godlye To the parable of the talentes Mat. 25. Likewyse the parable of the talentes doeth certifye vs that they that vse well the gyftes of God in them the grace of god shal daylye encrease yea they shall be made worthye too be rulers ouer muche that is to saye euery daye they shal be made more able to receaue spirituall gyftes Neyther canne the place To the place of the seconde to the Corinthiās 2. Cor. 9. that ye haue alleadged oute of the seconde too the Corinthians be otherwyse vnderstanded For we do commonlye see that they that be Godly liberal in geuinge of almes do not onely abounde in spirituall gyftes but haue also by the blessynge of God theyr temporall rychesse wonderfullye encreased and augmented that they maye the better exercise theyr Godlye liberalitye towardes the poore members of our sauiour Iesus Christ Which is according to the sayinge of the wyse manne Proue 3. where he saieth Honour the Lord with thy rychesse but how canne we honoure the Lorde wyth oure rychesse but by refreshinge his son Iesus Christe in hys lymmes so shall thy barnes be fylled with aboundaunce and thy wynne presses shall burste with newe wyne And where Christ sayeth to his Apostelles To the place of the .22 of Luc. he that wyll be greatest amonge you let him be leaste the same can not be applied but to the churche of God where they ought too be coumpted greatest that beinge endued with moste excellente gyftes and bestowinge the same to the edifying of the faythfull congregation to behaue them selues most humblye Obiecti ∣ on 19 ALBION I fynd this written in the Apocalipse or reuelation of Iohn Apoca. 14. I hearde a voyce from heauen as the sound of many waters and as the sounde of a great thunder I harde the voyce of harpers harpinge vpon theyr harps And they songe as it were a new songe before the throne and before the .iiii. beastes and the ealders and no man can learne that song but the hundreth fortye and foure thousande which were boughte frome the earthe These are they whych are not defyled wyth women For they are virgines these folowe the lambe whether soeuer he goeth Here we see that onely those hundreth fortye and foure thousande whiche afterwardes he calleth virgines coulde synge the newe sounge and folowe the lambe whether so euer he goeth whereby it doeth appeare that they haue a preeminence aboue all the rest and that they doo also excelle other in glory PHILALE By this finit number of an hundreth forty and foure thousande is vnderstanded Aunswer the infynitte number of the electe and chosen of God Who thei be that can singe the new songe which alone canne synge the new sounge For the elect only canne praise and laude God neyther canne any say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy ghost whereof all the reprobate are voyd 1. Cor. 12. And it is sayed that they are vyrgines Why the true elect are called virgines Heb. 13. and haue not defyled them selues wyth women not because that they haue lyued oute of holye wedlocke whiche as the Apostell sayethe is honourable amonge all menne but because that the churche 1. Cor. 11. and fayethfull congregation hathe bene by the Apostelles and nowe is by theyr doctryn prepared for one husband and presented as a pure virgine to Christ Thei are therfore called virgines because the after they were brought to Christe and sanctifyed through faythe in his bloude and also washed and iustified they neuer defiled them selues with that straunge woman Prou. 4. which the wise man doth speake of that is to say with any straunge doctrine of stinkinge ydolatrye and of other superstitious worshippings and seruices of god but haue kepte their myndes pure and chaste virgynes vnto Christe theyr husbande vnto whome they were maryed wyth a sincere and pure fayth What it is to folow the lambe whether so euer he goeth Theese be they that folowe the lambe whether so euer he goeth For as whiles they abyde here in the worlde Christ only is their treasure theyr ioye and coumforte in him onely they put theyr confidence and truste and whether soeuer he calleth them by his doctrine and example they be be alwayes readye to folowe him though it be to a most cruell death to glorye him with all so in the other worlde they be neuer separated from him For where soeuer Christe is Ioa. 12. there shall his minister or seruaunte be also But all the elect and chosen of god are Christs ministers and seruaunts therfore where so euer he is there shal thei be also Nowe maye ye perceaue how little this place of the reuelation can helpe them that maintayn this diuersitye of rewardes in heauen AL. Are not all the fathers I Obiecti ∣ on 20 praye you of this opinion Again wyll not men be made more slacke to doe good woorkes if they once vnderstande that there shall be no diuersitye or difference of rewardes in the lyfe to come PHI. As for the fathers we do confesse and graunt Aunswer that they haue appoynted suche diuersity or difference of rewards But herein lieth the whole controuersye whether this can be proued by the infallible testimonyes and autorytyes of the scriptures or not Agayn they do not speake of it all after one sorte For Hierome when in his Epistels he did commend wedowhode Ierome and was come to that poynte that he must needes make a comparyson betwixte the wedowe and the virgyne he doeth playnelye saye that he wyll not gladlye appoynte any diuersity or difference betwyxt the Sayntes and yet in other places be wyll seme to be an earnest mainetainer of these differences And whereas ye saye that men by this doctrine are made more remysse neglygente and slacke to do good workes I haue aunswered you alreadye that the electe and chosen of God be wont at all tymes to doo good workes for the loue that they beare to God and to theyr neyghboure and for to shewe theyr obedyence towardes the sacredde word and holy commaundements of theyr heauenly father without anye respecte of recompence or rewarde and that they that doe otherwyse are but mercenaries