through faythe Ergo by fayth in Christe we receyue remissioÌ„ of synnes and we can nat lay agaynste the yre of god our loue and our workes Secondly It is certayne yâ— synnes be remitted because of Christ our mercystocke 〈◊〉 whoÌ„ god hath ordeined to be a mercistocke And Paule addeth through faythe wher fore this mercystocke shal ayde vs if by fayth we stycke to the mercy promysed in hym and plede it in arreste of the iudgement and yre of god And to this purpose it is wrytten ad Hebreos .4 hauiÌ„g a byshope cÌ„ let vs approche with truste He byddeth vs approche to god nat by trust of our owne meritê but by trust of our byshop Christe Ergo he requyreth fayth Thyrdly Peter in the actê cap. x. sayeth thus To hym al the prophetes bere wytnes that all whiche beleue in him receyue remission of synnes through hys name Howe myght he speke it more clearly we receyue he sayteh remission of synnes throughe hys name that is to say for his sake Ergo nat for our merites nat for our contricion attricion loue ceremonies workes And he addeth that beleue in hym Ergo he requyreth fayth For we caÌ„ nat cleaue to the name of Christ but by fayth Furthermore he alledgeth the coÌ„sent of al the prophetes This is truly to allege the authoritie of the church But of this place we shal speake here after in the tytle of penaunce Fourthly RemissioÌ„ of synnes is a thyng promised for Christ. Ergo it can nat be receyued but by fayth only For the promyse can nat be receyued but by only fayth RomÌ„ 4. Therfore is it by fayth to the ende it may be a sure promyse hangyng vpon grace as who shuld say If the matter shulde hange vpon our merites the promyse were vncertayne and vnprofitable because we can neuer determyne when we haue merited ynoughe And that the assayed conscience vnderstande ryght wele Therfore Paule sayth Galat. 3. God hath concluded all thyngê vnder synne that the promise through the faythe of Iesu Christe myght be gyuen to the beleuers Here he plucketh away merite froÌ„ vs because he sayeth that all be gylty and concluded vnder synne then he addeth that the promyse meanyng of remission of synnes and iustificacion is gyuen and telleth howe the promysse may be receyued that is to say by faythe And thys reason taken out of the nature of promysse is moste chief with Paule ofte repeted Nor there can nat be any thyng inueÌ„ted or feined to auoyde this argument of Paule wherfore let nat godly myndes suffre them selues to be dryuen from thys opinion that by onely faythe we receyue remission for Christ. For in this they haue a sure and ferme coÌ„solacion agaynst the terrours of synne and agaynst euerlastyng death and agaynst all the gates of helle And syth by only faythe we receyue remission of synnes and reconciliacion for Christe ergo only fayth iustifieth because the reconciled be reputed ryghtwyse and the chyldern of god nat for theyr owne clennes â–ª but through mercy for Christ if so be that we cleaue to thys mercye by fayth and therfore the scripture recordeth that by faythe we be reputed ryghwyse we wyll adde therfore authorities fyrste of scripture theÌ„ of doctours that shal clearely testifye that onely fayth is the very iustice by whiche we be reputed iuste before god that is to say nat because it is a worke worthy of it selfe but because it receyueth the promisse by whiche god hath promised that for Christ he wyll be mercifull to the beleuers in him or be cause it beleueth that Christe is made for vs by god a wysdom iustice sanctificacion and redempcion Paule in the epystle to the Romanes disputeth principally of thê place and propouneth that we be frely iustified by fayth if we beleue that god is pacified with vs for Christe And in the thyrde chapitre he bryngeth in this proposicion whiche conteyneth the sum of his hole disputacion Arbitramur igitur hominem fide iustificari non ex operibus legis .i. we iudge therfore that maÌ„ is iustified by â—ayth and nat by the workes of the lawe Here the aduersaries do iÌ„terprete the workê of the lawe to be the Leuitical ceremonies But Paule nat only speketh of the ceremonies but of the hole lawe For he alledgeth a litle after forth of the Decalogie Non concupisces .i. thou shalte nat couet Moreouer if the morall workê myght deserue remission of synnes and iustificacion then neded nat Christe nor the promise then all were to no purpose that Paule speketh of promyse He shulde wryte also amys to the Ephesians that we be saued frely and that it is a gyfte of god and procedeth nat of workê Also Paule alledgeth Abraham he alledgeth Dauid But these had a coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god of circumcision wherfore if any workes iustifyed it was necessary that tho workes whiche then were commaunded shulde haue iustifyed But Austyne doth ryghtly teache that Paule spake of the hole lawe as he disputeth copiously in his boke de spiritu litera where at last he sayeth thus His igitur coÌ„sideratis pertractatisâ—â— pro viribus quas dominus donare dignatur colligimê° non iustificare â—ominem preceptis bone vite nisi per fidem Iesa Christi .i. These therfore consydered and handled accordyng to the power whiche god vouchsaueth to gyue vs we gather that man is nat iustifyed by the preceptes of good lyfe but by faythe of Iesu Christe And leaste we shulde thynke that this sentence fell from Paule vnwares that fayth iustifieth he mainteyneth and confyrmeth it with a longe disputacyon in the fourthe chapitre to the Rom. And after he repeteth it in all the epystles In the .4 chap. to the Romanes he sayeth thus Operanti merces non imputatur secundum graciâ— sed secundum debitum Ei autem qui non operatur credit autem in eum qui iustificat impium reputatur fides eius ad iusticiam .i. To him that worketh is geueÌ„ a rewarde nat of fauour but of dutie CoÌ„trary wyse to him that worketh nat but trusteth on hym that iustifieth the wycked hys beleue is accompted for ryghtwysnes Here he clerely pronounceth that very faythe is accompted for ryghtwysenes Faythe then is the thynge whiche god pronounceth to be ryghtwysnes and he addeth that it is frely imputed And he denieth that it can be frely imputed if it shuld be due for workes Ergo he also excluded the merite of morall workes For if to these were due the iustifycacion before god faythe shuld nat be accompted ryghwysenes without workes And after he sayeth â–ª For we saye that fayth was iÌ„puted to AbrahaÌ„ for ryghtwysnes In the fyfthe chapitre he sayeth Iustifyed by fayth we haue peace towarde god .i. we haue quyet and glad consciences before god Roma 10. with the harte it is beleued for ryghtwysnes Here he pronounceth faythe to be the iustice of the harte Gal. 2. Nos in Christo hesu credimê° vt
meriteth only the fyrst grace and that we theÌ„ by our owne fulfyllyng of the lawe do please and deserue euerlastyng lyfe The mediatour Christe taryeth styll and we must alwaies thynke that for him we haue god pacifyed although we be vnworthy as Paule sayeth By hym we haue an entre to god thorugh fayth For our fulfyllyng of the lawe as we sayde is vnclene sythe our nature is horriblely corrupted Therfore the Psalme sayeth Blessed be they whose synnes be forgyuen Wherfore we haue nede of remission of synnes yea euen when we haue good workê But that remission is alwayes purchased by faythe so Christe remayneth a byshop and mediatour g o ergo that fulfyllyng of the lawe pleaseth nat of it selfe But because we coÌ„ceiue Christ by fayth and fele that we haue god pacified nat for the lawe but for Christe Fyfthly If we shulde thynke that after baptisme we ought to be accepted nat by fayth in Christ but for our fulfyllyng of the lawe our conscience shulde neuer be quyete but shulde runne into desperation For the lawe alwayes accuseth syth we neuer satisfy the lawe which thyng the hole churche coÌ„fesseth For Paule sayeth Good that I wolde do I do nat but euyl that I wolde nat do I do He also sayeth In mynde I serue the lawe of god but iÌ„ fleshe I serue the lawe of syn For who sufficiently loueth or sufficiently feareth god who paciently ynough susteyneth tribulacions whiche god putteth vpoÌ„ him who doth nat oft doubt whether humane thynges be ruled by goddes prouidence who doth nat oft doubte whether god heareth his prayer who dothe nat oft disdysdayne and grudge that the wycked haue better fortune than the godly people and that the godly be oppressed of the vngodly who is nat angrie with the iudgemeÌ„t of god whan he semeth to caste vs away who doth satisfy his calliÌ„g who loueth his neyghbour as him selfe who is nat ouerthrowen of his concupisceÌ„ce Of these synnes speaketh the psalme sayeng For this euery saynt shal pray to the. Lo here he sayeth that sayntes or holy men desyre remission of synnes They be more then blynde which se nat that the euil affectioÌ„s iÌ„ the fleshe be nat synnes of whiche Paule sayeth The fleshe lusteth agaynst the spirite the spirit agaynst the fleshe The fleshe distrusteth god trusteth in thinges present seketh humane socours in distresse and affliction yea agaynste the wyll of god it fleeth tribulations whiche by the commaundement of god it oweth to suffre it doubteth of the mercy of god The holy spirite in meÌ„nes tencies of the lawe one solution may be gyueÌ„ that the lawe can nat be done without Chryst if any ciuile workes be done without Christ they please not god Wherfore when the workes be preached it is necessarye to be added that fayth is requyred that for faythe they be preached that they be frutes and testimonies of faythe What thynge can be spoken more symply and syncerely thaÌ„ this doctryne For it is necessarie to the knowledge of the benefytes of Christ to discerne the promyses from the lawe Ambiguouse and perilous causes do engender many and sundry solutions But in good and ferme causes one or two solutions taken out of the fountaynes do answere all that maye be obiected Whiche thynge also appereth in thys our cause For that rule whiche I ryght nowe recyted expounneth all the saynges whiche be recited of the lawe and of the workes For we graunte that the scripture otherwhyles doth teache the lawe otherwhyles the free promyse of remyssyon of synnes for Christe But our aduersaries do vtterly destroy the promyse in sainge that fayth dothe not iustifie but teache that for our loue and workes we receyue remission of synnes reconciliation For yf remissyon of synnes shulde hange of the condicion of our workes so were it very vncertayne For we neuer do sufficient workes Then the promyse shall be put out of yre Wherfore we call agayne good myndes to the coÌ„sideration of the promisses and we teache them of the free remyssyon and reconcilement that is made by the faythe in Christe After thys we adde also the doctrine of the lawe nat that by the lawe we shulde deserue forgyuenes of siÌ„nes or that for the lawe we shulde be compted ryghtwyse and nat for Christ but for thys entent because god requireth good workes For we muste wysely distincte the lawe and the promyses It must be sene what scripture gyueth to the lawe and what to the promyses For it prayseth and commaundeth good workes in such sorte that it taketh not awaye the free promyse nor the benefyte that we haue by Christe For good workes are to be done because God requireth them and therfore they be the effectes of regeneration as Paule teacheth We be his worke made by Christe Iesus to good workes whiche God hathe prepared that we shuld walke in them Wherfore good workes ought to ensue faythe as a geuynge of thankes towarde god also that in them faythe maye be bothe excercised and encrease and be shewed to other that by our confessyon other maye be styrred to deuotyon Therfore sayth Paule that Abraham toke circumcisioÌ„ not that for the very worke he shuld be compted ryghtwise but that he might haue a marke printed in his body wherby he myght be brought in rememberaunce and conceyue styll more faythe and more Also to thentente he shulde confesse hys fayth before other and by hys wytnessynge prouoke other to beleue So Abell by reason of hys faythe offered a more acceptable sacrifice for the sacrifice pleased god not for the very sacrifice but bycause Abel by hys faythe was assured that god was pleased with him because of hê mercie And he dyd that worke only to th ende to excercise his faythe and to prouoke other by hys ensample and confessyon to beleue Syth good workes ought after thys sorte ensue faythe men that can nat beleue and determyne in theyr hartes that they be frely pardoned for Christes sake â–ª do vse workes farre an other way These persons when they see the workes of sayntes and holy persons they iudge after a worldly fashoÌ„ that the sayntes by tho workes haue deserued forgiuenes of synnes and that for tho workes they be accompted ryghtwyse before God Therfore they folowe them and thynke that by lyke workes they deserue remyssion of synnes they go aboute to pacifye the ire of God and truste that for suche workes they shall be accompted ryghtwyse These wycked opinions in workes we damne Fyrst because they obscure the glory of Christ when men do propowne to god these workes as a pryce raunsom Thus the honour due to only Christ is gyuen to our workes Secondly because that notwithstandynge all theyr good workes yet the conscyence fyndeth no peace in them but heapynge workes vpon workes in true trobles at laste dispayreth for when it findeth no worke clene ynoughe the lawe alwayes accuseth and engendreth ire Therdly Such neuer atteyne to the knowledge of god when
is without workê And where he saieth that we be iustified by fayth and workes suerly he meaneth nat that we be renewed or regenerate by workes nor he meaneth nat that partly Christ is our redemer and partly that our workê be our redemption Nor he describeth nat here the maner of iustifycation but he describeth what manner of persones the iuste be after they be ones iustified and renewed And thys worde iustificari i. to be iustifyed signifyeth here nat to be made of the iniust iuste but after an outwarde fashion to be pronounced rightwyse â–ª as it is taken in thys sayeng Factores legis iustificabuntur .i. The doers of the lawe shal be iustifyed Lyke therfore as these wordes haue no incoÌ„uenience the doers of the lawe shal be iustified so thynke we of the wordes of Iames man is iustified nat only by fayth but also by workes for vndoubtedly men be pronounced iuste hauynge fayth and good workes For good workes in holy men and women as we sayde before be iusticies of the lawe whiche be accepted bycause of the faythe and nat bycause they satisfye the lawe Men then be iustified by faythe and workes nat bycause of the workes but by cause of the faythe whiche yet good workes muste nedes folowe For Iames speaketh of tho workes whiche folowe faythe as he wytnesseth when he sayeth fayth helpeth his workes so we muste take The doers of the lawe shall be iustified that is to saye they whiche beleue and haue good frutes be pronounced ryghtwyse For the lawe is satisfied if we beleue and it pleaseth bycause of the faythe and nat bycause the workes do satisfye the lawe Thus we se that in these sentencies is no inconuenience but the aduersaries depraue and corrupt them addyng theyr owne gloses For it is nat sayde that workes deserue remission or that men for theyr workes be accepted and reputed ryghtwyse before god nat for Christ and that the workes do pacify the hartes and ouercum they re of god and that workes nede nat mercie None of all these thynges sayeth saynt Iames whiche yet the aduersaryes asscribe to his wordes ☞ ⧠There be cyted also agaynst vs other sentencies of workes as Daniel 4. Redeme thy synnes with almes dedes And Esay 58. Breke thy bread to the hungrye then pray and god wyll heare the. Luke 6. Forgyue and ye shal be forgyuen Matth. 6. Blessyd be the mercifull for they shall obtayne mercye To these sentencies and semblable of workes fyrste we make thys answere whiche hathe be made before that the lawe is nat trulye wrought without fayth Neyther dothe it please but for faythes sake in Christe accordyng to that sayeng of Christe without me ye can do nothyng Also without faythe it is impossible to please god Also by Christe we haue coÌ„mynge or way to god through faythe Therfore as often tymes as workes be required and praysed the gospell of Christe is to be put vnto Secondarily these textes which I haue a lytle here tofore recited be well nere sermons or preachynges of penaunce for they be made of two partes They haue in the begynnynge preaching of the lawe whiche rebuketh synne and commaundeth good workes Afterwade there is added a promyse But this is moste certein and vndoubted that in preachynge of repentaunce it is nat sufficient to préache the lawe whiche dothe comonly trouble and condeÌ„pne the coscience But it is requysite that preaching of the gospell be added that synnes be frely forgyuen for Christe and that by faythe we obtayne remission of synnes These thynges be so certayne and so clere that if our aduersaries wolde vary from them and exclude Christe and faythe from the preachyng of repentaunce they were worthy to be reiected as persones blasphemous agaynst Christ. Wherfore the sermon of Daniel ought nat onely to be applyed to almose deades but faythe also is to be requyred in it The sermon of Daniel is farre vnlyke the speache of Aristotle who wryttyng vnto his kynge Alexander doth also exhorte hym to liberalite and counseilleth him to vse his power to the comen vtilite and to the welth of al the people and nat to pride For thus he wrytteth to Alexander wherfore assay and endeuour your selfe to vse apply your Empiere and dominion nat to any contumely or pryde but to munificence and liberalite For sothe thys was a very honest sayeng and there coulde nothiÌ„g be sayde better touchiÌ„g the duetie of a greate prynce But Daniell instructeth and teacheth his kyng nat only of his office or calling but also of repentaunce of loue and deuotion towardes god of remission of synnes and of those greate thynges whiche be clene aboue philosophy Nat only therfore almouse deadê be to be requyred here but also faythe And that the texte dothe declare where it sayeth that the kyng was conuerted nat only to gyuing of almouse but muche rather to faythe For there remayneth yet the excellent confession of that kynge and prayse of the god of Israel There is none other god whiche can saue in this wyse So then there be two partes of the sermon of Daniel The one parte is the preachyng of repentauÌ„ce whiche rebuketh synnes and gyueth monition of a newe lyfe sayeng Redeame thy synnes with ritghtuousnes thy wyckednes with benefites towardes yâ— pore For so speaketh Daniell in his owne tongue where it appereth sufficieÌ„tly that he gyueth nat only instruction of almes dedes but of all iustice .i. of the knowlege of god fayth For he sayth Redeme thy sines by rightuousnes Nowe iustice toward god is fayth by whiche we beleue yâ— god forgyueth vs. Afterward Daniel giueth iÌ„struction of benifites towardê pore men whiche is that he shuld nat gouerne proudly nor cruelly but prouide diligeÌ„ly se for the profetê of his subiectê the other parte of his sermoÌ„ promyseth remission of siÌ„nes Lo thy sines shal be healed Hierome here besydes yâ— purpose puttith to a dubitatiue particle forsitaÌ„ muche more vnwysely he disputeth in hys coÌ„mentaries that remission of synnes is vncertayne But let vs remembre that the gospell vndoubtedly promyseth remissioÌ„ of siÌ„nes And he is to be iudged to disannull abrogate the gospell whosoeuer thynketh that remissioÌ„ of siÌ„nes is vncertayn Let vs therfore nat regard Hierome in thys place Nowe for asmuche as here is a promyse euidently put doubtles faythe is required for a ê“myse can nat be receyued but by fayth Howbeit eueÌ„ there also he sheweth yâ— remissioÌ„ might chauÌ„ce wheÌ„ he sayth Redeme thy siÌ„nes And thys promyse of remissioÌ„ of synnes is a verie prophetical and an euangelical sentence which doutles Daniel wold to be receyued by fayth For Daniel knewe that remissioÌ„ of siÌ„nes was promised for the sede that was to come that is to wyt Christ and that nat only to the Israelites but also to al nations For els he coulde nat haue promysed to the kynge remissyon of synnes For it belongeth nat to man namely in the affrayes of
promyse that free and the merytes of Chryst as a raunsom and redeÌ„ption Promyse is receiued by fayth this worde fre excludeth our merites signyfyeth that only by mercye is offered the benefyte of Chryst the merytes be the rauÌ„som for there must be some certaine redeÌ„pcion for our siÌ„nes The scripture oft times cryeth for mercy And the holy fathers many tymes say that we be saued by mercy So oft then as mencioÌ„ is made of mercy it is to be knoweÌ„ that fayth is ther requyred which receiueth the ê“mise of mercy And agayn so oft as we speke of faith we wyll that the obiecte be vnderstaÌ„de that is to say the promised mercy For faith doth not therfore iustify or saue because it is of it selfe a worthy worke but only because it receyueth the mercy promysed And thê seruice thêlatria is most highly coÌ„mended in prophetes psalmes wher as the law teacheth not fre remissioÌ„ of sinnes But the fathers knowe the promyse made of Christ that God for Christ wolde remyt synnes wherfore when they vnderstode that Chryst shuld be a pryce and raunsome for our synnes they knewe that our workes were not a raunsome of so great a thyng Therfore they receiued by fayth fre mercy and remissyoÌ„ of siÌ„nes lyke as the holy fathers of the newe testament do Here vnto belong tho oft repetycyons of mercye and faythe in the psalmes and prophetes as here Si iniquitates obseruaueris domine c. Yf thou markest iniquities o lorde lorde who shall susteyne Here he coÌ„fesseth hys synnes and yet he alledgeth not hê merytes He addeth For with the is mercyfulnes Here he lyfteth vp him selfe with the truste of the mercye of God And cytethe the promyse Sustinuit anima mea in verbo eius sperauit anima mea in domino My soule is susteyned in hys worde my soule hathe trusted in the lorde that is to saye because thou haste promysed remyssyon of synnes by thys thy promyse I am susteyned And Paule cyteth the hystorye of Abraham Abraham beleued God and it was recompted vnto hym for ryghtwysnes That is to wytte Abraham perceyued that God was vnto hym mercyful only for hys promyse sake He assented to the promyse of God nor suffered not hym selfe to be plucked away frome it all thoughe he sawe hym selfe vnclene and vnworthye He perceyued that God performeth hys promyse for hê owne truthe and not for our workes or merytes Trulye the affrayed hartes can haue no rest if they shulde thynke that for theyr owne workes or owne loue or fulfylliÌ„ge of the lawe they shulde please God for in the fleshe stycketh synne whiche alwaye accuseth vs. But then the hartes haue rest wheÌ„ in such affrayes they assure them selues that we therfore please God be cause he hathe promysed and that God perfourmeth hys promyse for hys owne truthe and not for our worthynes Thus Abraham herde thys saynge Feare thou not for â–ª I am thy protector Here he raysed vp him selfe and felte God mercyful vnto him not for hys owne deseruynge but because the promyse of god must nedes be iuged true this faythe therfore is imputed to hym for ryghtwysnes that is because he assenteth to the promyse and taketh the offered reconsilement he is nowe truelye iuste and accepted vnto God not for hys owne workes but bycause he taketh the free promyse of god Thys auctoryte of Genyses pleased Paule not without cause we se howe he layth on howe ernestlye he taryeth vpon that poynte because he sawe that the nature of fayth myght in that poynt be easaly espyed He sawe that the recorde of the imputacyon of iustice was added not with out a greate skyll He sawe that the lawde of desernynge iustyfycacyon and of pacyfyenge the conscyence was taken away from workes â–ª when Abraham is therfore pronounced ryght wyse because he assenteth to the promyse and taketh the offered reconcilement he pleadeth not in barre of goddes ire hys owne merytes or workes wherfore thys place dylygently consydered may plenteouslye instructe godlye myndes in thys matter whiche shall so be vnderstonde yf the affrayed myndes haue it before them and assure theÌ„ selue that they ought to assente to the free promyse For otherwyse they can not be quyete onles they presuppose that they haue god theyr good lorde because he hath so promysed and not bycause our nature lyfe and workes be worthye Therfore also the fathers were iustifyed not by the law but by the promyse and fayth And it is a wonderfull thynge that the aduersaryes do make so lytle of faythe syth they se it throughe out al scrypture praysed for the moste hyghe seruyce as in the .49 Psal. Call on me in tyme of trybulacyon and I shal delyuer the. Thus wyll god be knowen thus he wyll be worshyped by receyuynge benefytes of hym and receyuynge them for hys mercyes sake and not for our owne demerytes Thys is the moste ample consolacyon in all afflyctyons And such consolacyons our aduersaryes go about to destroye and putte out of vre in that they make faythe so lytle a seruyce and onlye â—eache men to contende with god by our owne workes and merytes ¶ That the only faythe in Chryst iustyfyeth FYrste leste a man wolde thynke that we speake of the ydle knowledge of the Hystorye we wyll shewe howe faythe cummeth After we wyl shewe that it iustyfyeth and howe thys must be vnderstande then we wyll assoyle thobiections of the aduersaryes Chryste in the last of Luke coÌ„maundeth his dyscyples to preache repentaunce in hys name and remyssyon of synnes For the gospell argueth euery man to be vnder synne and to be gyltye of eternal ire and deth and offereth for Chryst remissyon of sinnes iustificacion which is receyued by fayth Preaching of penauÌ„ce which reproueth vs dothe fray the conscyence with true ernest afrayes In these the hartê ought agayne to conceyue consolacyon which shal be yf they trust to the promyse of Chryst that for hym we haue remyssyon of synnes Thys faythe erectyng and comfortynge vs in those affrayes takethe remyssyon of synnes iustyfyeth and viuifyeth For that consolacion is a newe and a spiritual lyfe These be plaine and open and the godlye maye vnderstande them also the churche haue recorded the same The aduersaryes neuer shewe truly howe the holye gost is gyuen They fayne that the sacramentes gyue the holye gooste ex opere operato sine bono motu accipientis euen of the verye worke it selfe without any good motyon of the receyuer as thoughe the geuynge of the holy goste were an idle thynge But where as we speake of suche faythe whiche is not an idle thought but which deliuereth from dethe and createth a newe lyfe in our hartes and nedeth the holy gost it standeth not with mortall synne but so longe as it is present it bryngeth forthe good frures as we shall say here after what can be spoken of the conuertynge of the vngodly or of the maner of regeneratynge more sympely and more
iustificemâ—â— ex fide Christi et non ex operibus legis .i. we beleue in Christ Iesu that we may be iustified by the fayth of Christ nat by the workes of yâ— lawe Ephe. 2. Gratia enim saluati estis per fidem et hoc noÌ„ ex vobis dei enim donum est non ex operibus ne quis glorietur .i. For by grace ye be saued by faythe and that nat of your selues for it is the gyft of god nor of your workes leaste any man shulde glorie IohaÌ„ 1. Dedit eis potestatem filios dei fieri his qui credunt in nomine eius qui non ex sanguimbus neque ex voluntate carnis neque ex voluntate viri sed ex deo nati sunt He gaue them power to becum the chyldren of god they I meane whiche beleue in his name whiche be borne nat of blodes neyther of the wyl of the fleshe neyther of the wyl of man but of god Ioh. 3. Sient Moses exaltauit serpeÌ„tem in deserto ita exaltari oportet filium hominis vt omnis qui credit in ipsum non pereat i. Lykewese as Moses exalted the serpent in desert so must the soÌ„ne of man be exalted that all whiche beleue in hym peryshe nat Also Non misit deus filium sunin in mundum vt iudicet muÌ„dum sed vt saluetur mundus per ipsum Qui credit iÌ„ eum non indicatur .i. God seÌ„t nat his son into the worlde that he shulde iudge the world but that the worlde shulde be saued by hym who beleueth in hym is nat iudged Actes 13. Notum igitur sit vobis viri fratres ê™ per hunc vobis remissio peccatorum annunciatur c. i. Be it knowen therfore vnto you o brethern that by him remission of synnes is preached vnto you and of al tho thinges by which ye coulde nat be iustified in the lawe in hym all that beleueth is iustifyed Howe myght it be more clearely spoken of the office of Christe and of iustifycacyon The lawe quod he iustifyed nat therfore Christe was gyuen that we shuld beleue that we be iustified for him He openly plucketh froÌ„ the lawe iustifycacyon Ergo for Christe we be accompted iuste whan we beleue that god is pacified with vs for hym Act. 4. This is the stone which is disallowed of you buylders whiche is made the corner-stone and there is nat helth in any other For there is none other name vnder heuen gyuen vnto men in which we ought to be saued But the name of Christ is only sticked to by fayth Ergo by the truste of his name and nat by the trust of our workê we be saued For name signifyeth here a cause whiche is alledged wherby helth is obteined And to alledge the name of Christ is to truste in the name of Christ as in the cause or pryce for whiche we be saued Act. 15. Fide purificans corda nostra i. By faythe purifyeng our hertes wherfore the faythe of whiche thapostles speake is nat an ydle knowledge but a thyng receyuyng the holy ghoste and iustifyeng vs. Abacuc 1. Iustus ex fide viuet The ryghtwyse man shall lyue of faythe Here fyrst he sayeth that men be iust by fayth because they beleue that god is mercifull and he addeth that the same fayth viuifyeth because this fayth genderethin the harte peace and ioy and euerlastynge lyfe ⧠⧠⧠Esa. 53. Noticia eius iudicabit multos .i. The knowledge of hiÌ„ shall iudge many But what is the knowledge of Christ but to knowe the benefitê of Christe the promyses whiche by the EuaÌ„gell he hathe sparsed into the worlde And to knowe the benefytes is properly and truly to beleue in Chryste and to beleue that the thinges whiche God hathe promysed for Chryste he wyll surelye fulfyll But the scrypture is ful of suche aucthorytes and testymonyes for otherwhiles it sheweth the lawe otherwhyles the promyses of Chryst remyssyon of synnes and free acceptaunce for Chryste ✚ There be also amonge holye fathers spred many lyke testymonyes For Saynt Ambrose sayth in hys Epystle to Ireneus thus Subditus autem mundus eo per legem factus est quia ex prescripto legis omnes conueniuntur et ex operibus legis nemo iustificatur id est quia per legem peccatum cognoscitur sed culpa non relaxatur Videbatur lex nocuisse que omnes fecerat peccatores sed veniens dominus Iesus peccatuz omnibê° quod nemo poterat euitare donauit et chirographum nostruÌ„ sui sanguinis effusione deleuit Hoc est quod ait Abundauit peccatuÌ„ per legem superabundauit autem gratia per Iesum Quia postquaÌ„ totus mundus subditus factus est totius muÌ„di peccatum abstulit sicut testificatus est Iohannes diceÌ„s Ecce agnus dei ecce qui tollit peccatuÌ„ mundi Et ideo nemo glorietur in operibus quia nemo factis suis instificatur Sed qui instus est donatum habet quia post lauacrum iustificatus est Fides ergo est que liberat per sanguinem Christi quia beatus ille cui peccatum remittitur et venia donatur That is to saye The world is made subiect therfore by the lawe because by the prescript of the lawe al be conuented before the hyghe iudge of the workes of the lawe no maÌ„ is iustifyed that is because by the lawe synne is knowen but the offence is not remytted the lawe semed to haue hurted whiche made all men synners but the lorde Iesus by his comyng pardoned unto al men synne whiche no man coulde eschewe and dyd clene stryke out our chirografe with the shedyng of his blode Thys is it that he sayeth Syn was aboundaunt by the lawe But grace by Iesus was more aboundant For after that the hole worlde was become subiecte he toke away the sinne of the hole worlde as testifieth Iohan saing Lo the lambe of god Lo he that taketh awaye the syn of the worlde And therfore lette no man glorye in hys workes for no man is iustyfyed hy hys factes But he that is iustifyed hath it gyuen him Wherfore fayth is the thynge which delyuereth by the bloude of Chryste for blyssed is he to whom synne is remytted and pardone gyuen These be the wordes of Saynt Ambrose which apertly do defende our opinion For he plucketh awaye from workes iustificacyon and gyueth it to faythe because it delyuereth by the bloude of Chryste Let all the Sentenciaryes be layde together on a heape be they furnyshed with neuer so gloryous tytles For some be called angelycal some seraphical some subtyle some irrefragable All they red and red agayne shal not make so moche to the vnderstandynge of Paule as thys one sentence of Saynte Ambrose dothe ☞ ⧠☞ In lyke sentence wryteth also Saynte Austyne moche agaynste the Pelagyans and in hys boke de spiritu et litera he saythe thus Ideo quippe proponitur iusticia legis ê™ qui
that we be iustifyed by the lawe Thaduersaries be deceiued because in this hole coÌ„trouersarie they haue respecte only to the lawe For humane reason can none otherwise iudge but that iustificacion is to be sought for in the lawe because the obedience towarde the lawe is iustice But the Euangel calleth vs away from the lawe to the promises and teacheth that we be reputed iuste nat for the obedience of the lawe for we satisfye nat the lawe but because that reconciliacion is gyuen vnto vs for Christ whiche we only receyue by fayth wherfore before we do the law we must by fayth receyue remission of synnes and reconciliacion O Lorde god with what face dare these men name Christe with what countenaunce dare they beholde the EuaÌ„gell which deny that we obtayne remissioÌ„ of siÌ„nes for Christe by only fayth SecoÌ„dly this selfe fulfyllyng of the lawe whiche foloweth renouacion is both smal and vnclene For though renouacion be attempted sumwhat begunne yet the dregges of synne stycke styl in nature alway accusyng vs onles by fayth in Christe we obtayne remission of synnes knowe that we haue a cummynge to god nat for our owne fulfyllyng of the lawe but for Christe Therfore that fulfyllyng of the lawe is nat accepted for it selfe but for faythe Wherfore when Paule sayeth that the lawe is stablyshed by fayth nat only this must be vnderstaÌ„de that they which be regenerate by fayth do conceyue the holy ghoste and haue mocions consentyng to the lawe of god but moste of all it is requysite to adde this that we owe to thynke that we be farre from the perfectioÌ„ of the lawe Wherfore we may nat affyrme that before god we be reputed iust for our owne fulfyllyng of the lawe but we muste thynke that we be recouÌ„pted iust or acceptable for Christe and nat for the lawe or for our workes and that this imperfecte or inchoate fulfyllyng of the lawe pleaseth god because we be in Christe and also that for the fayth in Christ the lackyng of fulfyllyng the lawe is nat imputed vnto vs. Thys teacheth Paule saying Christe redemed vs frome the malediction of the lawe beyng made for vs a curse that is to saye the lawe condempneth all men But Christe because he voyde of synne susteined the penaltie of synne and was made an hoste for vs he toke away the rigorous power of the lawe so that it shall nat accuse nor coÌ„deÌ„pne the beleuers in him for he is our propiciacion for whiche we be nowe accoÌ„pted ryghtwise In lyke seÌ„tence he wryteth to the Colossenses In Christe ye be consummate or perfyte as who shuld say although ye be yet farre from the perfeccion of the lawe yet the dregges or leauynges of synnes do nat condempne you because ye haue for Christ a certayne and ferme reconciliacion so that ye beleue natwithstandyng that synne stycketh styl in the fleshe For the death and the satisfaccioÌ„ of Christe gyuen for vs ought to be set farre aboue the very lawe to th ende that we may be assured that through the satysfaccyon we haue god mercifull vnto vs and nat for our fulfyllyng of the lawe wycked is that truste whiche is put in our fulfyllyng of the lawe But that trust is necessarie which is put in the satisfaccyon for Christe ☞ ⧠⧠☜ Thyrdly Only that thyng iustifieth before god whiche pacifieth the conscience For so longe as the conscience fleeth the iudgement of god and is angry with god we be nat ryght wyse nor viuifyed But only faythe pacifyeth the conscience accordynge to this of Paule Iustifyed by fayth we haue peace Also The ryghtwyse man shal lyue by fayth that is to say by fayth he veynquysheth the feares of death by faythe he is susteined and conceyueth ioye and lyfe And this bringeth fayth nat because it is a worthy worke of it selfe but onely because it reuiueth the offered promyse nothiÌ„g regardyng the owne propre worthynes Only therfore fayth iustifyeth and good workes do please by reason of fayth what can the aduersaries brynge agaynste thys reason what can they inuent agaynst the manifest trouth For the Minor is moste certayne that our workes can nat pacifye the conscience sythe god iudgeth and reproueth vs and sheweth vnto vs our vnclennes And that the scripture dothe oftentymes inculcate dryue into our hedes As the Psalme Non intres in iudicium cuâ— seruo tuo quia non iustificavitur in conspectu tuo 〈…〉 that is to say Enter nat into iudgement with thy seruaunt for no lyuyng creature shal be iustified in thy syght Here he quyte taketh away from all yea and from the saynctes and seruauntes of god the glorie of iustice if god dyd nat pardon but wolde iudge and detecte theyr hertê For where as in other places the Psalmist doth glorie of hys owne ryghtwysenes he speketh of his quarel or cause agaynst the persecutours of the worde of god and nat of hys personal clennes and he desyreth that the quarell and glorie of god may be defeÌ„ded As in the seuenth Psalme Iudica me domine secundum iusticiam meam c. i. Iudge me lorde accordyng to my ryghtwysnes And in another place Iudge O lorde my cause But on the other parte he teacheth that no man can susteyne the iudgemeÌ„t of god if he obserueth our synnes For thus he sayeth Si iniquitates obseruaueris domine domine quis sustinebiâ— If thou woldest marke o lorde the iniquities of men who can o lorde endure And Iob sayeth Vâ—rebar omnia opera mea .i. I feared all my workes Also if I were washed euen as it were with waters of snowe and my handes dyd shyne as moste pure cleane yet thou wylt embrewe me with fylthynes And Prouerb 20. Who can say my hert is cleane And .1 Ioan. 1. If we say that we haue nat synne we seduce our selues and trouth is nat in vs. Also in the Pater noster the holy men desyre remissioÌ„ of synnes â— holy men also haue synnes In the boke of Numer And the innocent shal be no innocent And Zacharie sayeth Silâ—at a facie domini omnis caro .i. Let euery man holde his tongue in the lordê preseÌ„ce And Esaye Euery fleshe is haye and all hys glorie is lyke a flower of the felde The haye wythereth vp and the floure fadeth because the spirite of the lorde hath bloweÌ„ in it that is to say the fleshe and the iustice of the fleshe caÌ„ nat abyde the iudgement of god And Ionas sayeth in the seconde chapiter In vayne they obserue vanities which leaue mercy .i. Al trust is voyde saue the truste of mercye Mercy saueth vs our owne merites our owne propre endeuours saue vs nat These and semblable sentencies in scriptures testifie that our workes be vncleane haue nede of mercie Wherfore workes do nat pacifie the conscience but mercie conceyued by faythe Fourthly Christe ceaseth nat to be a mediatour styll after that we be renewed For they erre which say that he
shuld ouercome synne and dethe that our loue shulde be a purgation for which god shulde be reconciled the medyator Christ omitted that our loue shulde be ryghtwysnes without the mediator Christ For this loue yf any there were shulde be a iustyce of the lawe and not of the gospell which promyseth to vs reconcilement and ryghtwisnes yf we beleue that for Christe our redemer the father be pacifyed and that Christes merites be our satisfaction Therfore Peter a lytle before byddeth vs cum to Christe that we may be buylt vpon Christ and he addeth who beleueth in hym shall nat be confunded our loue delyuereth vs nat from confusion syth god iudgeth and reproueth vs but fayth in Christ delyuereth vs iÌ„ these affrayes because we knowe that we be pardoned for Christes sake Howe be it this sentence of charitie is taken forthe of the prouerbes where the circumstaÌ„ce of the place whiche renneth in contrarieties dothe clearly shewe howe it ought to be vnderstaÌ„de For there thus is it wrytteÌ„ Odium suscitat rixas et vniuersa delicta operit charitas i. Hatred styrreth coÌ„tentions but charitie couereth al faultes Thys sentence teacheth euen the same selfe thyng that the sayeng of Paule takeÌ„ out of the Collossenses dothe whiche is if any dissensions falle they shulde be mitigate and pacified by our owne indifferencie and gentle â—ebauour â–ª Dissentions he sayeth do encreace by â–ª â—aâ—redes as we ofte tymes see that of very lyte offensies most busynes dothe ryse There fell certayne lyte displeasures betwixt Gaius Cesar and Pompeius in which if the one had gyuen place a lytle to the other the ciuile batell shulde neuer haue rysen But whyles eche of theÌ„ pursued hê owne puate hatred of a thiÌ„g of nought rose moste greuous troubles And many heresâ—es haue rysen in the churche only of priuate hatredes of teachers betwixt them selues Wherfore when he sayeth charitie couereth offensies he speketh nat of a mans owne offensies but of other mens as who shulde say although any offensies or displeasures do fall yet loue dissembleth wynketh at them pardoneth them gyueth place doth nat all thynges with extremitie Peter therfore meaneth nat this that loue before god deserueth remission of synnes that it is a redemption of synnes Christe the mediatour excluded that for loue we be accepted and nat for Christ our mediatour but that towardes men it is nat disdaynfull nat roughe nat intractable that it dissembleth the smalle offensies of fryndes and the manners of other yea thoughe they be somewhat ouer boystuous dothe take theÌ„ in worth accordyng to the byddyng of a certayne vulgare sayeng whiche is this Mores amici noueris non oderis .i. Knowe the manners of thy frende hate them nat Nor the Apostles do nat with out cause so ofte admonishe vs of thys office of charitie whiche the philosophers call an Epikee that is to say a moderation or mitigation For thys vertue is hyghly necessarie to the reteynyng of publyk concorde which can nat endure onles they wynke at muche forgyue muche eche to other aswell the pastours as the congregations ⧠⧠Out of saynt Iames they cite Videtis igiturque ex operibus iustificatur homo et non ex fide sola .i. Ye se then that man is iustified by workes and nat by fayth alonly Nor ther is none other place whiche semeth to make more agaynst our opinion then this dothe Howbeit the answere is easy and playne If the aduersaries wolde nat shewe vnto it theyr owne opinions of the merites of workes saynt Iames wordes had no incommoditie But where so euer mencion is made of workê the aduersaries do adde theyr owne wycked gloses that by good workes we deserue remission of synnes that good workê be a raunsum and price for whiche god is recoÌ„ciled vnto vs that good workes before god for theyr owne goodnes be accepted nor nede nat mercie or Christe to be our mediatour But none of al these thynges cam in to saynt Iames mynde whiche all together the aduersaries do nowe defende vnder the pretence of the sayeng of S. Iames. Fyrste therfore this is to be weyed pondered that thys place rather maketh agaynst the aduersaries than agaynst vs. For the aduersaries teache man to be iustified by loue workes but of fayth wherby we receyue our mercystocke Christe they speake nothyng at all yea rather they disproue thys fayth and disproue it nat onely with wordes and sentencies but also they go about to put it away with the swerde and greuous punyshementes Howe muche better teacheth Iames whiche omitteth nat faythe nor putteth nat loue in the place of fayth but reteyneth it lest the mercystocke Christe shulde be excluded in iustification Lyke as Paule when he teacheth the SuÌ„me of the christian lyfe compriseth fayth and loue as when he sayeth The ende of the commaundement is charitie issuyng out of a pure harte and good conscience and fayth vnfayned Secondly The matter it selfe speaketh that here it is spoken of workes which ensue fayth and whiche shewe that fayth is nat deade but lyuyshe and workynge in the harte Wherfore Iames meant nat that we by good workes deserue remission of synnes and grace for he speketh of the workes of them that be iustifyed whiche be alredy reconciled accepted and whiche haue obteyned remission of synnes Wherfore the aduersaries erre when they out of this place gather that Iames teacheth vs that by good workê we haue a cuÌ„myng to god without Christe the mediatour Thyrdly Iames a litle before spake of regeneration that it is made by the gospell For thus he sayeth wyllyngly he generated vs by the worde of trouth to the ende we shulde be the fyrste frutes or the begynnynges of al his creatures WheÌ„ he sayeth that we be regenerate by the gospel he teacheth that by fayth we be regenerate and iustified Thus it appereth thaâ— Iames is nat agaynste vs who in blamyng the ydle and careles myndes whiche dreame that they haue fayth and haue it nat made a distinction betwixt the deade fayth and the lyuyshe faythe He calleth it deade which bryngeth forthe no good workê But he calleth that a quycke faythe whiche bryngeth forth good workes Doubtles we haue oftentymes nowe shewed what we calle faythe For we speake nat of the ydle knoweledge whiche is also iÌ„ deuyls but of the fayth whiche resisteth the fearfull troubles of the conscience whiche erecteth and conforteth the feared hartes Suche fayth is neyther an easy thyng as our aduersaries do dreame nor yet in mans power but a diuine power by whiche we vaynquyshe the deuyll and deathe as Paule to the Colossenses sayeth that fayth is myghty by the power of god and ouercuÌ„meth deathe In whiche ye be sayeth Paule resuscitate by fayth whiche is the myght and efficacitie of god Thys faythe sythe it is a newe lyfe necessaryly engendreth newe motions and workes Therfore Iames doth ryghtly deny that we be iustified by suche fayth whiche
worke at all onles it also be frely gyueÌ„ vnto yâ— And a lytle after he sayth Let no maÌ„ therfore begile hym selfe for yf he wyl consyder wel he shall fynde with out doute that he is not able to go forthe with tenne thousande agaynste hym whiche commeth to hym with twenty thousande c. We therfore to th entent that consciences shulde retayne a sure and vndouted consolation and hope do cal men backe agayne to the promise of Christe and do teache that it is necessarye to beleue that god for Christes sake and nat for the lawe dothe forgeue synnes doth iustifye and dothe gyue eternall lyfe accordynge to that saynge Who so euer hath the son hath lyfe But it is a worlde to heare howe our aduersaryes do dally and elude thê sayinge of Christ. When ye haue done all thynges yet say ye we be vnprofytable seruauntes In the confutatyon thus they corupt it fyrst they go about to coÌ„found vs with our owne reason by a fourme of argument which is called antistrephon in this maner If when we haue done al thinges we must saye we be unprofytable saruauntes g o ergo moche rather when we haue beleued all thynges we maye say that we be vnprofitable seruauntes Marke I praye you howe greatly our aduersaryes be delyted in vanities and in chyldishe sophistrie But albeit these folyshe trifles be nat worthy to be refuted and dysproued yet neuertheles we shall make answere to them in fewe wordes Theyr argumente called antystrephon is vicious and nothynge worth For our aduersaryes be deceyued in thys worde faythe which yf it betokened the knowledge of the historye or yf we had sayde that faythe of her owne worthines had saued then shulde the symylytude be of moche more strengthe that we be vnprofytable seruauntes thoughe we had beleued But we do speke of the fayth and truste of the promyse and of the mercy of god And thys faythe dothe graunte that we be vnprofytable seruauntes yea thys is the verye voyce and saynge of fayth that our workes be vnworthy and that we be vnprofytable seruauntes And for thys only cause we speke of faythe and seke mercie because we knowledge our selues to be vnprofytable seruauntes For faythe dothe therfore saue because it receyueth mercie or the promyse of grace all thoughe our workes be vnworthy And after this vnderstandynge the antystrephon dothe nothynge hurte vs when ye shal haue beleued all thynges yet say ye we be vnprofytable seruauntes it is well sayde yf it be onely vnderstonded that worthynes is taken from workê But agayn on the contrary syde yf it be thus vnderstonded that faythe also is vnprofytable then the symilitude is nothynge worthy to say when ye shall haue done al thynges do nat truste to your workes So whan ye shall haue beleued do not trust the promyse of god These thynges do not agre together for they be verie fare vnlyke Unlyke causes vnlyke obiectes of confydence and truste be in the fyrst proposytion and in the latter Truste in the fyrst proposytion is the trust of our owne workes Truste in the latter proposytion is the trust of goddes promyse Nome Christe condempneth confydence and truste in our owne workes but he dothe nat disalowe the trust in his owne promyse he wyllith nat that we despayre of the grace and mercie of god he rebuketh our warkes as vnworthy but he rebuketh not the promyse whiche frely offereth mercy And Ambrose speketh excedyngly wele in thê poynte thus Grace is to be knowen but nature is not to be knowen we muste truste to the promyse of grace and not to our nature But our aduersaries folowe there accustomed maner They do vngraciously wrest the sentence that maketh for fayth agaynst the doctrine of fayth For this cauillation dothe abrogate the gospel to say â–ª when ye shall haue beleued all thynges saye that fayth is vnprofytable Doth nat the gospell promyse remission of synnes and saluatioÌ„ euen vnto them whiche haue no good workes at all so that they wyll be conuerted and nat despayre but by fayth in Christe obtayne remission of synnes Do our aduersaryes bydde them despayre whose consciences fynde no good warkes whiche they may plede agaynst the iudgement of god Wyl they say vnto theÌ„ that faythe is vnprofytable God gyue these sophisters a myschefe with such cauillations whiche do subuerte the hole gospell whiche do abrogate the free remyssyon of synnes whiche do take awaye from godlye conscyences ferme and sure consolatyons But that cauillatyon amonge other is vtterlye childishe wher as they interprete the seruauntes to be vnprofytable because the workes be vnprofitable to god but profitable to vs. But Christ speketh of yâ— vtilitie and profet whiche maketh god dettour to vs of grace Howbeit it is besyde the purpose here in this place to dispute of vtilitie or inutilitie For vnprofitable seruauntes betoken vnsufficient or vnable seruauntes for no man feareth god so muche no man loueth so muche no man beleueth or trusteth god so muche as he ought to do no man fulfilleth the lawe But let vs nowe passe ouer these vayne cauillations of our aduersaries of whiche howe men wyll iudge if at any tyme they shal be brought forthe in to lyght Wyse men may easely gesse In wordes moste playne and euident they haue fouÌ„de a starriÌ„g hole But who seeth nat that in this place is reâ—uked the confidence and truste of our owne workes But our aduersaries do crye agaynst vs that eternall lyfe is due of worthynes for our owne god workes bycause eternal lyfe is called a rewarde We wyll make a shorte and a playne answere Paule calleth eternall lyfe a gyfte because when we be reputed ryghtuous for Christes sake we be also made the sonnes of god and coinheritours with Christ. But in another place it is wrytten Plentuous shal your rewarde be in heuen If our aduersaries do thiÌ„ke that theâ—e thinges be repugnaunte the one to the other let them selues dissolue the doubte But they be none indiffereÌ„t iudges For they leaue out this worde gyfte they leaue out also the fountaynes of the hole busynes that is to saye in what wyse men be iustified and that Christe is contynually a Mediatour In the meane season they pycke out thys worde rewarde And that they do most bytterly interprete nat only agaynst the scripture but also agaynste the custome and vsuall maner of speakyng Hereof they reason because it is called rewarde that therfore our workes are suche whiche ought to be the pryce for which eternall lyfe is dewe Uerely thys is a newe kynde of logyke We hear thê worde rewarde ergo our workê do satisfy and fulfyl the lawe Ergo we be accepted to god for our owne workes and nede nat the mercy of Christ the propitiatour or faythe receiuiÌ„g mercy And they cumulate a greate heape of argumentes one vpon another after the maner of Chrysippus Good workes be the pryce for whiche eternal lyfe is due Good workes do
satisfy the laâ—e of god And besydes ther may be done â—orkes of superogation Therfore men maye nat only satisfy and fulfyll the lawe of god but also do more theÌ„ fulfyl it And because Monkes and Freers do more than fulfyl the lawe therfore they haue merites more then they nede them selues And because it is liberalalite to gyue vnto other of that whiche thou haste aboue thyne owne necessitie therfore they may gyue those merites to other men They deuise also a sacrament that is to say a wytnes and a marke of this gyuyng for wheÌ„ men be deade they put about them the habites of theyr relegious men to witnesse that other mens merites be applyed vnto them With suche coaceruatioÌ„s our aduersaries do deface the benefite of Christe and the iustice of faythe ⧠We do nat here rayse vp vayne pratyng about the worde But we stryue about a greate thiÌ„g that is to weâ—e wherof godly myndes ought to conceyue sure and vndoubted hope of saluation whether good workes maye set consciences at peace and quyetnes Whether they ought to thynke that eternall lyfe is so gotteÌ„ if they do set theyr good workes agaynste the iudgement of god orels they ought to thynke that through mercy for Christes sake they be reputed ryghtous do obtayne eternall lyfe These thyngê do come into controuersie whiche onleâ— the coÌ„science do discusse and iudge it can nat haue any stronge and sure consolation But we haue declared euideÌ„tly ynough that good workes do nat satisfie the lawe of god but that they haue nede of mercye that by faythe we be accepted with god for Christê sake also that good workes do nat set the coÌ„science at reste and peace Of all these thyngê it foloweth that we ought to thynke that for Christes sake through mercy and nat for the lawe they that be iustified do obtayne eternal lyfe What shall we say then as touchyng the name of rewarde Fyrste if we shulde say that eternall lyfe is called a rewarde because it is due to them that be iustified by reason of the promyse we shulde nat speake any thynge amysse For these gyftes be ordered among theÌ„ selues as AugustiÌ„ne sayeth Dona sua coronat deus in nobis .i. God crowneth rewardeth hys owne gyftes in vs. But the scripture calleth eternal lyfe a rewarde nat because it is due for our workes but because it dothe recompense the affections and workes albeit yet it is gyuen for another cause Lykewyse as the inheritaunce commeth to the good mans sonne of the howse nat for his owne workes or seruice and yet neuertheles it is a rewarde and recoÌ„pense of the warkes and seruice of the son It is sufficieÌ„t therfore that the name of rewarde dothe for thys cause agre to eternall lyfe be cause eternall lyfe dothe recompence good workes and afflictions Eternall lyfe therfore is nat a rewarde because our workes be sufficient or because it is due for workes but consecutiuely because although it be due for another cause yet neuertheles it dothe recompense good workes and afflictions ⧠Besydes thys we do graunte that workes be in very dede meritorious nat of remission of synnes or of iustificatioÌ„ for workes do nat please but in theÌ„ that be iustified and that because of faythe Neyther be they worthy of eternall lyfe For as iustification commeth by faythe for Christes sake so dothe viuificatioÌ„ but they be meritorious of other rewardê corporall and spiritual whiche are gyuen partly in this lyfe and partly after thê lyfe For god differreth the most parte of hys rewardes vntyll he dothe glorifie sayntes after thys lyfe because he wyl that they be excercised in this lyfe to mortifye the olde man The gospell dothe frely set forth and exhibete the promise of iustification and viuification for Christes sake But in the lawe rewarde is offered and is due nat frely but for workes For asmuche therfore as workê be a certayne fulfyllyng of the lawe they be well called meritorious and it is well sayde that rewarde is due vnto them And this rewarde engendereth degrees of rewardes accordyng to that sayeng of Paule Euery man shall receyue rewarde accordynge to hys owne labour These degrees be rewarde of warkes and of afflictions But our aduersaries do contende and styffly affyrme that eternall lyfe is only due for workes because Paule sayeth He shall rendre to euery man accordynge to hys work In the fyfthe of Iohan. who so euer haue wrought well shall ryse agayne to the resurrection of lâ—fe In the .xxv. of Mathewe I was hungry and ye gaue me meate In all these places in whiche workes be commeÌ„ded and praysed it is necessary to haue recourse to the rule a boâ—â—remembred that is to saye that workes please nat without Christe nor that Christe the mediatour is nat to be excluded Wherfore when the texte sayeth that eternal lyfe is gyuen to warkes It meaneth that it is gyuen to them that be iustified For good workê do nat please god but in them that be iustified that is to say in them whiche thynke them selues accepted to god for Christes sake And they that be iustified do necessarily bryng forthe good workes or good frutes as I was hungry and ye gaue me meate Here when it is sayde that eternall lyfe is giuen to these workes the meanyng is that it is gyuen to ryghtuousnes Therfore he coÌ„prehendeth fayth when he nameth the frutes And the scripture nameth the frutes to shewe that god requyreth nat hypochrisy but iustice whiche is full of efficacitie and workyng and a certayne newe lyfe bryngynge forthe good frutê Neyther do we couet here any vayne or vnfrutful subtilite For they be very wayghty causes for whiche we do dispute these thyngê For if we do graunt to our aduersaries that workes do deserue eternall â–ª lyfe anone they adde these false and inconueniente thynges that workes satisfie the lawe of god that they haue no nede of mercy that we be ryghtuous that is to saye acceptable in the syght of god for our owne workes and nat for Christê sake â–ª that men maye do more then fulfyll the lawe So all the doctrine of the iustice of faythe is quyte ouerthrowne And vndoubtedly it is necessary that the pure doctrine of the iustice of fayth be reserued in the churche Wherfore we be compelled to rebuke the phariseicall opinions of our aduersaries bothe to the entent that we may set forth the glory of Christ and also that we maye set forthe vnto consciences ferme and sure comfortes For howe shall the conscience conceyue certayne hope of saluation whan it shal perceyue that in the iudgement of good workes be vnworthy Onles it knoweth that men be reputed ryghtuous and saued throughe mercy for Christê sake nat for our owne fulfyllyng of the lawe Dyd S. Laurence lyeng on the grydyron thinke that through the worke he satisfyed the laweof god and that he was voyde of syn and neded nat Christ the Mediatour nor the mercy of god No verely he
wordê and sacrameÌ„tes be of efficacitie and strength although euyll menne haue the handlynge of them And in the meane season he teachethe that those wicked meÌ„ although they haue the societie of outwarde sygnes yet they be not the very kyngdome of Christe and the membres of Christe for they be membres of the kiÌ„gdome of the deuyll Neyther do we dreme of a Platonical citie as certain men do wyckedly belye vs but we do saye that this hath a beinge and is in dede euen the true beleuers and ryghtous men sparcled scatered abrode throughout the hole worlde And we put vnto tokens and markes the pure doctrine of the gospell and due administration of the sacramentes And this churche is proprely the pyller of trouthe for it holdeth faste the true and pure gospell and as Paule saythe the fouÌ„dation whiche is the true knowledge and faythe of Christ albeit there be euen amonge these also manye weyke persones whiche vpon the fundation do buylde stubble or strawe that shall perysshe that is to say certayne vnprofitable opinions whiche yet bicause they do not ouerturne and destroye the fundation be partly forgyuen them and partly also be amended But the wrytynges of the holy fathers do witnesse that otherwhiles they haue also buylded stubble vpon the fundation but yet suche haue not ouerthrowen theyr fayth But the most parte of these thynges whiche our aduersaries do defende do quite cleane ouerthrowe the faythe as for example that they do condempne the article of remission of synnes In whiche we do say that by fayth is receyued remission of synnes It is a a manifeste and a perylous errour also that our aduersaries do teache men to merite remission of sinnes by loue towardes god before grace For this also is to take awaye the fundation that is to witte Christe Also what shall we nede faythe if the sacramentes iustifie by the vertue of the warke that is wrought without the good motion of mynde And lykewyse as the churche hath a ê“myse that it shall alway haue the holy ghoste so hath it coÌ„minations and thretnyngê that there shal be wycked teachers and wolues But that is proprely the churche whiche hath the holy ghooste where as wolues and euyll teachers although they worke maistries in the church yet they be not proprely the kyngedome of Christe as Lyra witnesseth whan he saythe The churche staÌ„deth not in men by the reason of the power or dignitie ecclesiasticall or seculare For many princes and also byshops of Rome with other infeâ—iors haue ben fouÌ„de to haue runne out of the faythe Wherfore the churche standeth in those persones in whom is the true knowledge and confession of fayth trouthe What other thynge sayde we in our confession than that whiche Lyre sayth here But paradueÌ„ture our aduersaries do require that the Churche shuld be thys wyse defined that it is the hyghest outwarde monarchie of al the worlde in whiche the byshop of Rome ought to haue absolute power to do what soeuer hym lusteth with out rendryng accoÌ„ptes to any man Of whiche power no man ought to dispute or iudge â–ª whiche hath also power to make articles of the fayth to abrogate what soeuer scriptures he lyste to institute obseruauÌ„ces sacrifices Also to make what soeuer lawes hym lysteth to dispense and loose from what soeuer lawes he lyste whether they be goddes lawes or canonical lawes or ciuile lawes of whom themperour and all kynges shulde receyue power and ryght to holde theyr kyngdomes by the coÌ„maundement of Christe to whom sythe the father hath made all thynges subiecte we ought to vnderstaÌ„de that the same power and auctoritie is deryued and translated in to the pope â–ª Wherfore it is necessarye that the pope be lorde of the hole worlde of all the kyngedomes of the worlde of all thynges bothe publyke and priuate and that he haue fulnes of power in temporall spirituall thynges and that he haue bothe the swerdes the spirituall and the temporal And this diffinition not of the churche of Christ but of the kyngdome of the pope hath auctores for it not only canonistê but also Daniell in the .xj. chaptre That if we wolde define the churche after this facion ê‘aduenture we shulde haue more egall and indifferent iudges For many thynges there be vnmeasurably and wyckedly wryten coÌ„cernyng the power of the byshop of Rome for whiche no man was euer yet accused we only be rebuked punyshed bicause we preache the benefite of Christ yâ— by faythe in Christ we get remissyon of sinnes and not by ceremonies seruicê deuised by the bysshop of Rome But Christ the prophetes and all the apostels do farre otherwyse define the churche of Christ than the kyngedome of the byshop of Rome Neither is that to be translated to byshops of Rome whiche apê‘teineth to the true church that is to wit that they be pyllers of truth that they do not erre For what one of them dothe sette his mynde on the gospell or doth iudge it to be worthy the redynge Many men also do openly scorne all good lyuers and the true syncere religion of Christ or yf they do prayse any thynge they prayse those thynges whiche are agreinge to the reason of men They thinke all other thynges to be but lies and tales and like to the tragedies of poetes Wherfore we according to the scriptures do thinke that the churche taken in his proper sygnifycation is the congregation of holy men which do truly beleue the gospel of Christe and haue the holy ghost And yet neuertheles we graunte that there be many hypocrites and euell men mengled amonge them in this lyfe which haue a societie feloshype of outwarde sygnes and sacramentes which be members of the churche as touchynge the societie of outwarde signes and therfore they beare offices in the Churche Neyther dothe thys thyng take away the effycacitie vertue from the sacramentes because they be mynistred by vnworthye persons sythe they do represente the persone of Christe by the reason that the churche hathe called them and nat there owne persons as Christ witnesseth Who that heareth you heareth me For when they mynyster the worde of Christ when they minister the sacrameÌ„tes of Christ they minister theÌ„ in the stede place of Christ. And this teacheth vs that sayenge of Christe leste we shulde be offended with the vnworthynes of the mynisters But as concernynge thê matter we haue spoken plainly ynough in our coÌ„fession where we do disalowe the Donatistes and the wiclevistes which thought that those men dyd syn which receyued the sacramentes of vnworthy persons in the churche These thynges at thê tyme semed to be sufficiente to the defense of the description of the church which we taught Nether do we se syth the churche in hys proper signification is called the body of Christ howe it shulde haue ben otherwyse discrybed then we haue destribed it for thê is vndouted that wycked men do belonge to the kingdome
synnes For to beleue the gospell is not that generall fayth whiche deuyls also haue but it is proprely to beleue that remission of sinnes is frelye gyuen for Christes sake For this is disclosed and shewed in the gospell Ye see here also two ê‘tes to be ioyned together I meane coÌ„trition whan sinnes be reâ—uked And fayth whan it is sayde Beleue ye the gospell If any any man wyll say that Christe doth comprise here also the frutes of repentance or the hole chaunge of lyfe we wyll not disagree to hym For this is sufficient to vs that these principall partes be named contrition and faythe Paule coÌ„monly euery where whan he describethe the conuersion or renouation makethe these two partes mortification and viuification as in the seconde chapitre to the Collossianes In whom ye be circuncised with circuncision not done with hande that is to witte by layeng of or puttynge away the body of the synnes of the flesshe And afterwardes In whom ye be also resuscitate by faythe of the efficacie and myght of god Here be two partes The one is caâ—â—iÌ„g of or puttyng away the body of synnes The other is resuscitation by fayth And these wordes mortification viuification castyng of or puttynge away the body of sinnes resuscitation ought not to be vnderstande Platonically of a fayned mutation but mortification signifiethe true terrours suche as be of men which be dyenge whiche terrours nature coulde not susteyne if it were not holden vp and conforted by faythe So lyke wyse castyngof the body of synnes he calleth that whiche we coÌ„menly call coÌ„trition For in those sorowes naturall concupiscence is purged and rydde out And viuification oughte to be vnderstanded not a Platonicall imagination but the consolation whiche truely mayntaineth lyfe fleynge away in coÌ„trition There be therfore here two ê‘tes contrition and faythe For sythe it is so that the conscience can not be set at peace and rest but by fayth therfore fayth only doth quicken accordynge to that sayenge A ryghtuous man shall lyue by faythe And afterwardes to the Collossianes he sayth that Christe doth blot out the chirograte or obligation whiche by the lawe is agaynst vs. Here also be two ê‘tes the obligation and the cancellynge and blottynge out the obligation The obligation is the conscience rebukyng condempnyng vs. The lawe is the worde whiche rebuketh and condempneth synnes This voyce therfore whiche saythe I haue synned to the lorde so as Dauid sayd is an obligation And this voyce or sayeng vngodly and careles men do neuer brynge forth ernestly For they do not se nor rede the sentence of the lawe wryten in theyr herte In the true dolours and terrours this sentence is seene The obligation therfore is coÌ„trition it selfe condempnyng vs. To cancell and blotte out the obligation is to take awaye the sentence of condempnation out of the mynde to graue in it the sure sentence by whiche we do thynke that we be delyuered from that condeÌ„pnation But faythe is that newe sentence whiche abrogateth and dissanulleth the former senteÌ„ce and gyueth peace and lyfe to the herte Howe be it what nede we to cite many testimonies and auctorities syth the scripture rennethe so full of them An the 11â— psalme Dauid saythe The lorde hath soore chastysed me and hath not delyuered me to deathe And in the .118 psalme he saythe My soule hath faynted for anguyshe StreÌ„gthen me with thy worde where in the fyrst membre is conteyned contrition And in the seconde the maner is playnly described howe we be refreshed and conforted in contrition that is to witte with the worde of god whiche offereth grace This worde holdeth vp quickeneth hertes Also in the fyrst boke of the kynges Dominus mortificat uiuificat deducit ad iÌ„feros reducit That is to say the lorde mortifieth quickeneth he bryngeth downe to helle bryngethe vppe agayne By the one of these is signified coÌ„trition and by the other is signified fayth And Esaye also sayth Dominus irascetur ut faeiâ—t opus suum Alienum est opus eius ut operatur opus suum The lorde shal be angrye to th entent he may do his owne worke The worke of hym is the worke of an other man that he may worke his owne worke He calleth it an other mans worke or a straunge worke and not his whan he doth make afrayde For the propre worke of god is to quicken and to conforte But he doth therfore make afrayde that there myght be place for consolation and viuification For careles hertes and whiche feele not the wrathe of god regarde not coÌ„solation After this sorte the scripture is woÌ„te to ioyne these two thynges together I meane feare and coÌ„fort that it myght teache vs that these be the principall membres in repentaunce coÌ„trition I say and fayth whiche conforteth and iustifiethe Neyther see we howe the nature of repentaunce can be more purelye taughte For these be the two principall workes of god in men to make afrayde to iustifie quicken the afrayde coÌ„sciences In to these two workes the hole scripture is distributed deuided The one parte is the lawe whiche sheweth reproueth and coÌ„dempneth synnes The other parte is the gospell that is to say the ê“myse of grace freely gyuen in Christe And this ê“myse is often tymes repeted in the hole scripture whiche was fyrste gyuen to Adam afterwarde to the patriarkes and after set forth by the prophetes and last of all it was preached and fulfylled by Christe amonge the Iewes and by the apostles spredde and diuulgate in to the hole worlde For by the faythe of this promyse all holy men haue bene iustified not for theyr owne attritions or contritions And examples do shewe lykewyse these two partes Adam is chydden after his synne and made throughly afrayde This was contrition Afterwardes god promysethe grace he saythe that there shall seede come by whiche shulde be destroyed the kyngdome of the deuyll deathe and synne There he offerethe remissioÌ„ of synne These be the chiefe poyntes For al be it afterwardes there is added punyshement yet this punyshement doth not merite remission of synnes And of these kyndê of punyshementes we shall speake not longe hereafter So Dauid is chydden of Nathan the prophete and beinge throughly troubled and made afrayde he saythe I haue synned agaynst the lorde This is the coÌ„trition Afterwardê he heareth absolution whaÌ„ the ê“phete saythe vnto hym The lorde hath taken away thy synne â–ª thou shalte not dye This voyce conforteth Dauid beareth hym vp by fayth it iustifieth and quickeneth hym Here is also added a punyshement But this punyshement doth not deserue remission of synnes Neyther be there always added peculiar peines but these two coÌ„trition feythe must nedes be alwayes in repentauÌ„ce as in the .7 chapitre of Luke A certeyn woman that was a synner came vnto Christ wepyng By these teares is knowen contrition Afterwardes she heareth absolution Thy synnes
the lawe not of the gospell whiche doth fayne and imagine that man is fyrste iustified by the lawe before that he be reconciled by Christ to god notwithstandyng that Christe hym selfe saythe Without me â—e can do nothynge Also I am the true vine and ye be the braunches But oure aduersaries do imagine that we be the braunches not of Christ but of Moyses For they wyll fyrst be iustified by the law and offre theyr loue workê vnto god before that they be reconciled to god by Christe before that they be braunces of Christe Paule contrarywyse sayth playnly that the law can not be wroughte nor fulfylled without Christe Therfore the promyse is fyrst to be receyued that by faythe we maye be reconciled to god for Christis sake or that we worke the lawe These thynges we do iudge to be clere euident ynough to godly coÌ„sciences And herof they shall playnely ê‘ceyue the cause why we dyd heretofore holde opinion professe that men be iustified by fayth and not by loue For we muste plede agaynst the wrathe of god not our loue or our workes nor truste in our loue and workes but Christe the mediator and we muste fyrste receyue the promyse of remission of synnes or euer we worke the lawe Finally Whan shall the conscience be set at reste if we do receyue remission of synnes because we loue or worke the lawe For the law wyll always accuse vs bicause we neuer satisfie the lawe of god accordyng to the sayenge of saynte Paule Lex iram operatur The lawe worketh wrathe Chrisostome asketh the question concernyng penaunce wherby we be assured that our synnes be forgyuen vs our aduersaries also in the senteÌ„ces do aske the question concernyng the same thynge This can not be declared neyther consciences can not be made quiete onles they know that it is the coÌ„maundement of god and the very gospell that they shulde be assured that for Christes sake synnes be freely forgyuen and that they shulde not doubte but that they be freely forgyuen vnto them selfes If any manne dothe doubt he as IohnÌ„ sayth accuseth the diuine promyse of a lye This certeyntie and assuraunce of faythe we teache is required in the gospell But oure aduersaries leaue mennes conscieÌ„ces vncertayne and in a doubtfulnes Nowe coÌ„sciences do worke nothyng by fayth whan they do coÌ„tinually doubt whether they haue remission Howe can they in this doubtfulnes call vpon god Howe can they ê‘suade them selues be assured that they be herde Thus all theyr lyfe is without god and without the very true honoure and worshyppynge of god This is it that Paule saythe that what soeuer is not done of faythe is synne And bicause they continue alwayes in this doubtfulnes they neuer haue experieÌ„ce what faythe is So it coÌ„meth to passe at the laste that they fall in to desperation Suche is the doctrine of our aduersaries euen a verye doctrine of the lawe a dissanullyng and an aâ—rogation of the gospell and a doctrine of desperation Nowe we do gladly permitte vnto all good men to gyue iugement of this place concernyng penaunce for it is playne ynoughe without any maner of obscuritie and to pronounce whiche of vs haue taughte the more godly and more holsome doctrine for consciences whether we or our aduersaries Certes these dissensioÌ„s in the churche do nothyng delyte vs wherfore if we had not great and necessarie causes to dissent from our aduersaries we wolde with ryghte good wyll holde our peace Nowe sith it is so that they condempne the manifest and open veritie it standeth not with our profession neither is it laufull for vs to leaue this cause vndefended whiche is not ours but Christê cause and the cause of the churche We haue shewed for what causes we haue put these two partes of penauÌ„ce contrition and faythe And we haue done it so moche the rather bicause there be borne aboute many sayenges concernyng penaunce whiche be alledged of the fathers but maymed and vnperfecte whiche our aduersaries haue detorted wrested to the defacynge of faythe As for example Penaunce is to sorowe bewayle the offeÌ„ces coÌ„mitted and not to coÌ„mitte agayne whiche thou oughteste to bewayle and sorowe Also penaunce is a certeyne punyshement or vengeaunce of the sorower aueÌ„gyng in hym selfe the offence whiche he is sorye that he hath coÌ„mitted In these sayenges is no mention of fayth no not so moche as in the scholes whan they do interprete and declare them is any thyng at all added of faythe Wherfore we to th entent that the doctrine of faythe myght be the better espied haue nombred faythe amonge the partes of penauÌ„ce For those sayenges whiche do require coÌ„trition or good workes and whiche make no mention of faythe that iustifiethe the very thynge it selfe shewethe that they be very perylous And doubtles it may be thoughte and that not without cause that those men lacked a poynt of prudence wysedome whiche haue heaped together these peced and patched rablemeÌ„tes of sentences and decrees For where as the fathers in diuerse other places do speake of the other parte of Penaunce it shulde haue bene profitable to haue pyked out the sentences of both partes â–ª and to haue ioyned them together not only out of one parte For Tertulliane speakethe ercellently of faythe amplifienge the othe of the lorde whiche is in the prophete â–ª Viuo ego dicit dominus nolo mortem peccatoris sed ut conuertatur et uiuat .i. I lyue saythe the lorde I wyll not the deathe of a synner but that he be conuerted lyue For in as moche as the lorde dothe sweare ther he wyll not the deathe of a synner he shewethe and declareth that credence fayth is required by whiche we shuld beleue his othe surely reken with our selues that he dothe forgyue vs. The promyses of god ought to be of greate auctoritie with vs although they be made without any othe put vnto them at all But this ê“myse is also coÌ„fermed and bounde with an othe Wherfore if any man doth not surely reken with hym selfe that he is forgyueÌ„ he denyeth that god hath sworne a true othe whiche is so great a blasphemie that there can none be imagined more haynous For thus saythe Tertulliane He calleth vs to saluation with a reward swearyng also in that he saythe I lyue and couetethe that we gyue credece vnto hym O blessed be they for whose cause god sâ—â—eareth O moste wretched be we if we beleue not the lorde whan he also sweareth And here it is to be knowen that this faythe oughte to thiÌ„ke that god freely forgyueth vs for Christis sake bicause of his owne ê“myse and not because of our workes or contrition confession satisfaction or loue For if faythe shulde leane vnto these workes be grounded vpon them anone it is made vncerteine and doubtfull For the fearefull coÌ„science doth se that these workes be vnworthy Therfore saythe Ambrose very
shal excuseys to al them that shal come after vs so that it can nat be layde to our charge ne any faute can be put in vs that the auctoritie of bysshoppes is minished and enfebled when men shall reade and heare that we albeit we desyre the bysshoppes nat to vse this vniuste crueltie towardes vs yet can we iÌ„ no wyse obtayne any maner equitie or ryght of them Of mans traditions in the churche IN the .xv. article they receyue the fyrste parte in which we say that those rites and ceremonies in the churche are to be obserued which may be obserued with out any syn and whiche helpe to the keping of tranquilite and good ordre in the churche The seconde parte they vtterly condempne in which we say that mans traditions instituted to appeace god to merite grace and to satisfy for synnes be contrary to the gospell Albeit in our confession coÌ„cernyng the choyse of meares we haue spoken many thynges ynough of traditions yet this natwithstaÌ„ding certayne thingê shal here brefly be repeted For although we thought that our aduersaries wolde for other causes defende the traditions of men yet we dyd nat thynke that euer they wolde haue coÌ„dempned this our article whiche is That we deserue nat forgiuenes of siÌ„nes or grace through the obseruyng of mennes traditions Syth therfore thys article is condempned we haue an easy and a playne cause Now our aduersaries do openly play the Iewes and do openly oppresse the gospell with deuillyshe doctrines For than dothe the scripture call tradicions the doctrines of deuyls wheÌ„ it is taught that they be seruices profitable to deserue remissioÌ„ of synnes and grace For then they endymme the gospel they minishe the benefite of Christ they annulle the iustice of faythe The gospel teacheth vs that we through faythe for Christes sake frely receiue remission of sinnes and be recoÌ„ciled to god Our aduersaries coÌ„trary wyse make another mediatour that is to wete these traditioÌ„s For the traditions sake they wyll obteine remission of sinnes by these they wyll appease the wrathe of god But Christe sayth openly They honour me in vayne with the coÌ„maundementes of men We haue herebefore largely disputed that men be iustified throughe faythe whan they beleue that they haue god pacified not for our workes but frelye for Christe This is vndoubtedly the doctrine of the gospell for Paule sayth playnly to the Ephesians Ye be freely saued through faythe and that not of your selues it is the gyfte of god and coÌ„methe not of men Nowe our aduersaries say that men deserue remission of synnes by these humane obseruaunces What other thyng is this than besides Christ to set vp a nother iustifier a nother mediator Paule saythe to the Galathians Ye be fallen from Christ ye whiche be iustified by the law â–ª that is to saye if ye thynke that by the obseruynge of the lawe ye deserue to be accompted ryghtuous in the syght of god Christe shall nothing auayle you For wherunto nede they Christ which thynke them selues to be ryghtuous by theyr owne obseruynge of the lawe God hath set forthe Christe vnto vs that for this mediatours sake and not for our iustices sake he wyll be mercyfull to vs. But these men thynke that god is pacified and made mercyfull for our traditions sake and not for Christê sake They take therfâ—â—e â—om Christ the honour and prerogatiue of a mediator Neyther is there any difference betwyxte our traditions the ceremonies of Moyses law as concernynge this matter Paule therfore condempneth the ceremonies of the lawe of Moyses lykewyse as he condempneth traditions bicause they were iudged to be workes whiche dyd merite iustice in the syght of god by reason wherof the benefite of Christe and the iustice of faythe were obscured wherfore he putteth awaye the lawe he puttethe awaye traditions and proueth playnlye that not for these workes sake but for Christis sake remission of synnes is freelye promysed so that by faythe we receyue it For asmoche therfore as by faythe ne receyue remission of synnes and syth through faythe we haue god mercyfull and fauourable to vs for Christis sake it is playne errour and heresy to decree that by these obseruauÌ„ces we deserue remission of sinnes If any man do here say that we deserue not by these traditions remission of synnes but that we being alredy iustified do by these traditions deserue grace here agayne Paule cryeth agaynst hym sayeng that Christ shuld be the minister of synne if after iustification it were to be thoughte that afterwardes we be not reputed ryghtuous for Christis sake but that fyrst we ought by other obseruations to deserue to be reputed ryghtuous Also to a testament made by man nothynge ought to be added Ergo to the testament of god whiche promysethe that for Christis sake he wyll be mercyfull vnto vs it oughte not to be added that fyrste by these obseruations we ought to merite to be reputed acceptable ryghtuous Howbeit wherto nedethe any longe disputation No tradition hath ben instituted by the holy fathers for this entent that it shulde merite forgyuenes of synnes but they haue ben instituted for cause of good ordre to be had in the churche and for cause of traÌ„quilitie And though any man wolde institute certeyn workes to deserue remission of synnes or ryghtuousnes howe shall he know that those warkê please god whan he hath no testimonie or witnes of the worde of god Howe shall he make men assured of the wyll of god withoute the coÌ„maundement and worde of god Dothe not god euerywhere in the prophetes forbydde to institute any peculiar maner of honour or seruice without his coÌ„mauÌ„dement In Ezechiel it is wryten thus In the preceptes of your fathers do ye not walke neyther do ye kepe theyr iudgementes ne be ye polluted with the ydoles of them I am your lorde god â–ª walke in my preceptes and kepe my iudgementes and worke ye them If it be laufull for men to institute worshyppyngê or seruice and by the sayde seruices they merite grace â–ª than shall the honourynge seruice of all nations be to be allowed than the honours instituted by Ierohoam other without the lawe shal be to be approued For what difference is there if it hath ben laufull for vs to institute seruices profitable to merite grace or iustice whye was not the same thynge laufull to the gentyles and to the chyldren of Israel But therfore were the honours of the Gentyles and of the Israelites disalowed because they thought them selues by the sayde honours to merite remission of sinnes and iustice and dyd not knowe the iustice of fayth Finally wherby be we made sure that honours or seruices instituted by men without the coÌ„maundement of god do iustifie For of the wyll pleasure of god nothynge can be affermed without the worde of god What if god dothe not accepte ne allowe these seruices Howe than do oure aduersaries afferme that they iustifie sythe this thynge can
the vtilitie of the church For I pray you who wolde not be gladde to die in the coÌ„fession of these articles that we do freely obteyne remission of synnes by faythe for Christis sake and that by our workê we do not merite remission of synnes The consciences of godly men shal haue no sure and stronge consolation agaynste the terrours of synne and deathe and agaynst the deuyll temptyng and prouokynge to desperation if they do not knowe that they oughte to be assured and to decree with them selues that they haue remission of sinnes freelye for Christis sake This faythe holdeth vp coÌ„forteth and quickeneth hartes in that moste sharpe batayle of desperation This is therfore a cause worthy wherfore we shulde refuse no maner ieoperdy Thou therfore whosoeuer thou be that doste agre and assent to our confession shrynke nat for any persecutions or punyshementes step forthe the more boldly when the aduersaries go aboute with feares with tormentes with punyshmentes to take from the this so greate consolation whiche is offered and propouned to all the hole churche in this our article If thou sekest thou canste nat lacke testimonies and authorities of scripture whiche shal establishe thy mynde For Paule with full voyce as they say in the thyrd fourth to the Romaynes cryeth out that sinnes be frely forgiuen for Christes sake Therfore sayeth he we be iustified by faythe frely that the promyse shulde be ferme and stable that is for to saye if the promyse dyd hange vpon our workê it shulde nat be firme and stable if remission of synnes were giuen for our workes when shulde we knowe that we had goten remission when shulde the troubled conscience fynde a worke whiche he were assured to be sufficiente to appease the wrathe of god But we haue spoken before of the hole matter and from thens let the reader take testimonies For the vnworthynes and shamefulnes of the thyng hathe enforced and compelled vs to make thys complaynt and be waylyng rather then a disputation because in thys place they haue spoken expressly that they do disalowe our article where we saye that we obtayne remission of synnes nat for our owne workes but by faythe and frely for Christes sake Our aduersaries also do adde testimonies and authorities to theyr condeÌ„pnatioÌ„ And it were good to reherse one or two of them They alledge of Peter Studete firmam facere uocationem uestram .i. Study ye to make your callyng stable sure cÌ„ Thou seest here reader that o r aduersaries haue nat lost theyr labours in learnyng of logyke but that they haue crafte to reason and coÌ„clude of the scriptures euen what soeuer they lyste Make your callyng ferme and sure by good workes ergo workes deserue remission of siÌ„nes Uerely this same shal be a verie feate argument if a man shulde reason thus of one whiche had deserued deathe and were ê‘doned of it The kynge coÌ„maundeth that from hensforthe thou doste holde thy haÌ„des from other mennes goodes g o ergo thou hast deserued pardoÌ„ of thy punishemeÌ„t by thê that thou doste nowe steale none other mennes goodes To reason after this fashyoÌ„ â–ª is to make the cause of that whiche is nat the cause For Peter speaketh of workê folowyng remission of synnes and he teacheth wherfore they ought to be done that is to wete that the calling myght be sure and stable that is for to say that they do nat fal from theyr callyng if they do syn agayne Do good workes that ye may coÌ„tinue in your callyng leaste ye lose the gyftes of callyng which ye had before nat for the workes folowyng but they be nowe retayned and kepte by faythe and faythe dothe nat abyde in them which lose the holy ghoste and whiche do caste away repentauÌ„ce as we sayde before that faythe standeth in repentaunce They adde other authorities hangynge nat muche better together And in coÌ„clusion they say that this opinion was condempned more then a thousande yeres paste in the tyme of Augustine Thys also is a false lye For the church of Christ hathe alwayes thought that remission of synnes coÌ„meth frely But on the contrary syde the Pelagians were condempned whiche dyd stifly affirme that grace is gyuen for our workes But we haue shewed sufficiently here before that we thinke that good workes ought of necessitie to folowe faythe For we do nat sayeth Paule take awaye the lawe but we do establyshe it because syth with faythe we haue receyued the holy ghost there foloweth necessarily the fulfyllynge of the lawe whiche dothe continually encreace more and more as loue patience chastitie and other frutes of the spirite ⧠Of the inuocation of sayntes or prayeng vnto them THe .xxj. article they do vtterly condempne that we do nat require the inuocatioÌ„ of sayntes and in no place do they play the Rhetoricians more largely thaÌ„ here And yet they conclude no thynge els but that sayntes be to be honoured and worshypped Also that sayntê whiche be alyue do pray for other men as who shulde say that therfore it is necessary to pray vnto the sayntes that be deade They alledge Cypriane that he dyd desyre Cornelius being a lyue that when he shulde departe he wolde pray for his bretherne By thys example they proue the inuocatioÌ„ of deade saiÌ„tê They alledge also Hierome agaynst Uigilantius In this matter say they Hierome ouercame Uigilantius more then eleuen hundred yeres ago Thus our aduersaries do triumphe as though they had wonne yâ— felde the warrâ— were all at an ende Neyther do these asses se that in Hieroms writing agaynst Uigilantius there is nat one sillable of inuocatioÌ„ He speaketh of the honours of sayntes nat of inuocation Neyther dyd any of the olde writers before Gregorie make mention of inuocation Doubtles this inuocation with these opinioÌ„s whiche our aduersaries do nowe teache of the application of merites hathe no testimonies ne authorities of olde wryters Our confession dothe allowe the honours of sayntes For these thre maners of honour are to be allowed and coÌ„mended The fyrste is giuing of thankes for we ought to gyue thankê to god that he hath shewed exaÌ„ples of mercy that he hathe gyuen vs knowledge that he is wyllyng to saue men that he hathe gyuen doctours or other gyftê to the church And these gyftes as they be are verie greate so they be to be amplified and extolled and the sayntes them selues be to be praysed whiche dyd vse these gyftes faythfully euen as Christ dothe coÌ„mende the faythful marchauÌ„tes and occupiers of the talentes deliuered to them The secounde maner of worshyp is the coÌ„firmation of our faythe as when we se that to Peter is forgyuen the denieng of hys mayster we also be comforted and lyfte vp to beleue the rather that grace is farre aboue synne The thyrde honour is the Imitation and folowyng fyrste of theyr faythe and then of theyr other vertues whiche euery one ought to folowe accordyng to his callyng These
batayles of faythe they may be accompted in the nuÌ„bre of them whome Daniel describeth to worshyp theyr god with golde and syluer They alledge also forthe of the epistle to the Hebrues this texte Omnis pontifex ex hominibus assumptus pro hominibus coÌ„stituïtur in his quae sunt ad deuÌ„ ut offerat dona sacrificia pro peccatis That is to say Euery byshop taken frome amonge men is ordeyned for mennes cause in those thynges whiche apperteyne to god to offre gyftes and sacrifices for synnes Hereof they reason that forasmuche as there be bysshopes and prestes in the newe testament it foloweth that there is also some sacrifice for synnes This place moste of al other doth moue them whiche be vnlearned namely when the pompe of the presthod and sacrifices of the olde testament is caste before theyr eyes This similitude dothe deceiue vnlerned men and causeth them to iudge that there ought after the same maner some ceremoniall sacrifices be amonge vs whiche shulde be applied for the synnes of other men as it was in the olde testamente Neyther is that sacrifice of Masses and the other policie and ordenaunce of the pope any other thyng then a counterfaytyng of the leuiticall ordenaunce or policie natryghtly nor well vnderstanded And albeit that our sentence hathe chiefe testimonies in the epistle to the Hebrues Yet our aduersaries wrest places forthe of the same epistle but yet mangled and mayhemed agaynste vs as in this same place where it is sayde that the byshop is ordeyned to offre sacrifices for synnes the scripture immediatly addeth mentioÌ„ of Christe the byshop The wordê going before speake of the leuiticall presthode they meane that the leuitical byshopryk or presthode was the ymage of the bysshopryche or presthode of Christe For the leuiticall sacrifices made for synnes dyd nat merite remission of sinnes before god only they were an ymage or figure of the sacrifice of Christe whiche only shulde be the propitiatorie sacrifice as we sayde before Therfore a great parte of the epistle is speÌ„te about this place that the olde bysshopryche or presthode and the olde sacrifices were nat instituted for this entente that they shulde merite remission of synnes before god or reconciliation but only to signify the sacrifice that was to come of Christ only For the saintes in the olde testament muste nedes be iustified by the beleue of the promise that remission of synnes shulde be giuen for Christes sake lykewyse as good men in the newe testament be iustified by faythe All sayntes and holy men that haue ben syns the begynnyng of the worlde muste nedes thynke that Christ whiche was promised shulde be the sacrifice and satisfaction for synne As Esaie teacheth in the .liii. chapitre sayeng When he shall put hys lyfe to be an hoste or sacrifice for synnes c. For asmuche therfore as in the olde testament the sacrifices merite nat recoÌ„ciliation but by a certayne similitude for they dyd merite politicall reconciliation but dyd signifye a sacrifice to come it foloweth that the only sacrifice of Christe was applied for other mennes synnes There is therfore no sacrifice lefte in the newe testament to be applyed for the synnes of other besydes the only sacrifice of Christe vpoÌ„ the crosse They be quyte and clene out of the way whiche ymagine that leuiticall sacrifices dyd merite remission of siÌ„nes before god and so accordyng to the ensample therof require and seke other sacrifices to be applyed for other in the newe testament besydes the deathe of Christ. This ymagination vtterly quencheth the merite of Christes passion and the iustice of faythe and corrupteth the doctrine of the olde and newe testament and in the stede of Christe maketh vnto vs other mediatours and reconcilers that is to wete bysshops and prestes whiche dayly selle theyr labour in churches Wherfore if any man wyl make this reasoÌ„ that ther ought in the newe testamente a bysshop to be whiche may offre for siÌ„nes this is to be grauÌ„ted only of Christe And this solution dothe the hole epystle to the Hebrues coÌ„fyrme And it shulde be vtterly to make other mediatours besydes Christ if we shulde requyre any other satisfaction to be applyed for the synnes of other and to reconcile god besydes the death of Christe Moreouer because the presthode of the newe testament is a ministration of the spirite as Paule teacheth iÌ„ the secoÌ„de epistle to the Corinthes therfore it hathe the onely sacrifice of Christe satisfactorie and applyed for the synnes of other But it hathe no sacrifices lyke to the leuiticall sacrifices whiche maye by the owne propre vertue be applyed for other but it offerith and ministereth to other the gospell and sacramentes to the enâ—e that by these they may conceyue faythe and the holy ghost may be mortified quickened For the ministery of the spirite is contrary cleane repugnauÌ„te to the applyeng of the worke wrought For that is the ministery of the spirite by whiche the holy ghoste worketh strongly in the hartes Wherfore it hathe suche maner ministration whiche dothe so profet other men when it worketh and is stronge in them and when it renueth and quyckeneth them This is nat by applieng of another maÌ„nes worke for others eueÌ„ by the vertue of the very worke that is wrought as they call it We haue shewed the cause why the masse doth nat iustify by vertue of it selfe nor being applied for others dothe merite remission of sinnes to them For both these thynges be contrary to the iustice of faythe For it is impossible that remission of synnes shulde be gotten or that the terrours of synne and deathe shulde be ouercome by any workes or by any thynge but by faythe in Christe accordynge to that sayeng of Paule Iustificati ex fide pacem habemus We iustified by faythe haue peace Besydes this we haue shewed that the scriptures alledged agaynste vs defende nat the wycked opinion of our aduersaries coÌ„cernyng the worke wrought and that may all good men iudge of euery nation and coÌ„trey Wherfore the errour of Thomas is to be reiected who wrote that the body of the lorde ones offered vpon the crosse for original sinne â–ª is dayly offered vpon the alter for dayly sinnes so that the churche in this myght haue a gyfte to pacify reconcyle god The other comen errours also ar to be forsaken as that the masse gyueth grace to the doer by the vertue of the worke wrought Also that the masse applied for other yea synners also and vniuste ê‘sones so that they put no impedient of theyr parte dothe merite vnto them selues remission of synnes bothe as they saye a culpa et pena All these thynges be false and wycked and haue ben newly imagined by vnlerned freers and they drown the glorie of Christes passion and the iustice of faythe Of these errours other errours innumerable haue sprongen as of howe greate strengthe the masses be whan they be applied for
of the applicacion whiche they fayne to merite vnto others remission of synnes In dede it may be called an oblation because there be offered prayers thankes gyuyng and all that hole ceremonie lykewyse as it is called Eucharistia But neyther the ceremonies neyther the prayers be ê“fitable by the owne vertue without fayth How be it here we dispute not of the prayers but properly of the souper of the lorde The Greke canon also speaketh many thingê of oblation but it declareth openlye that it speaketh not properly of the body bloud of our lorde but of the hole masse of yâ— prayers and thankes gyuynge For the Greke worde maye be thus translated in to oure englysshe tongue And make vs worthye to offre vnto the o lorde prayers supplications and sacrifices vnbloudy for all the hole people If this be ryght vnderstaÌ„de there is no hurte in it For it desyrethe that we maye be made worthy to offre prayers and supplicatioÌ„s and vnbloudy sacrificê for the people It calleth the very prayers vnbloudy hostê or sacrificê Likewise as a lytle after it sayth Yet we offre vnto the this reasonable vnbloudy honour For they expounde it folyshelye who soeuer had rather expounde this place for a reasonable hoste applye it to the body of Christ whan the canon speakethe of the hole seruice of the Masse And Paule vsethe this worde reasonable honour agaiÌ„st yâ— worke wrought meanynge by it the seruice of the mynde that is to say feare inuocation thankes gyuynge But where our aduersaries defende the application of the ceremonie for the delyuerynge of soules oute of Purgatorye by the reason wherof they gette infinite lucre and money they haue no testimonies nor coÌ„mauÌ„dmentes out of the scripturê And it is no small synne to ordeyne suche ceremonies or seruicê in the churche without the coÌ„maundemente of god or any example of the scripture and to applye vnto deade men the souper of the lorde whiche was ordeyned for a remembraunce and to be preached amonge quicke men This is to abuse the name of god agaynste the seconde coÌ„maundemente for fyrst it is iniurie and dishonour to the gospell a man to thynke that the ceremonie by vertue of the worke that is wrought without faythe is a sacrifice reconcilyng god and satisfienge for synnes It is I say an horrible abominable sayenge that the worke of the preest is of as moche streÌ„gth as is the deathe of Christe Secondarily syn and deathe can nat be ouercomeÌ„ but by faythe in Christe as Paule teacheth we iustified by faythe haue peace ergo the payne of Purgatory can nat be ouercomen by the applyenge of another mannes worke We wyll passe ouer here what maner testimonies our aduersaries haue of Purgatorye what maner paynes they iudge the paynes of Purgatorie be what maner causes the doctryne of satisfactions hathe whiche doctrine we haue here before shewed to be moste vayne This thyng only we shall laye agaynst them it is moste certayne and vndoubted that the souper of the lorde was ordeyned for the remission of the gylte for it offereth remission of synnes in whiche case we muste nedis by it vnderstonde the gylte and yet neuertheles it satisfieth nat for the gylte for than the masse shulde be egall to the deathe of Christe Neyther remission of the gylte can â—e otherwyse receiued then by faythe wherfore we may coÌ„clude that the masse is no satisfaction but a promyse and sacrifice requiringe faythe And forsothe all good and godly men can nat but be sore greued in theyr hartes if they shulde thynke that the Masse for the moste parte is translated and applyed to deade men and to satisfactioÌ„s for paynes This is to take away contynual sacrifice out of the churche This is the kyngdome of Antiochus whiche hathe translated the moste holsome promyses of remission of synne and of faythe vnto the moste vayne opinions of satisfactions This is to defyle the gospell to corrupre the vse of the sacramentê These be they whom Paule sayde be gyltie of the body and bloud of the lorde whiche haue oppressed the doctrine of faythe and remission of synne and vnder the preteÌ„ce of satisfactioÌ„s haue abused the body bloude of the lorde to moste cursed lucre But they shall one day suffre for this abominable sacrilege Wherfore we and all good consciences muste take hede that we approue nat the abuses of our aduersaries But let vs retourne to our matier Forasmoche as the masse is nat a satisfaction neyther for punyshement nor for syn by the vertue of the worke wrought without faythe it foloweth that the applieng of it for deade men is vnprofitable Neyther do we nede here any lenger disputation For it is vndoubted that these applicatioÌ„s for deade meÌ„ be nat grounded vpon the scriptures And it is ieoperdous to institute any honour or seruice to god without auctoritie of scripture That if we shall se nede at any tyme we shall speake more largely of this matire For wherunto shulde we braule nowe with our aduersaries whiche neither vnderstande what sacrifice is nor what a sacramente is nor what remission of synnes is nor what faythe is Neyther dothe the Greke canon applye the oblation as a satisfaction for deade men for it applyeth it indifferently to all the blessed patriarches prophetes apostles It appereth therfore that the Grekes offre it as a thaÌ„kes gyuing and applye it nat as a satisfaction for punyshementes Howbeit they speake nat of the onely oblation of the body and bloude of the lorde but of the other partes of the masse that is to wete of prayers thankes gyuing For after the consecration they praye that it may profite them that receyue it they speake nat of other men Afterwardê they adde these wordes in theyr tongue We offre also vnto the this reasonable seruice for them that reste in the faythe our fyrste fathers patriarches prophetes and apostles c. But reasonable seruice dothe nat here betoken the verie hoste but signifieth the prayers and al thinges that be done there Nowe where our aduersaries alledge the fathers as concerning oblation for deade men we knowe that the olde fathers speake of prayer made for deade men whiche we wyll nat forbydde but the applyeng of the souper of the lorde for deade men because of the worke wrought this we disalowe Neither the olde fathers defeÌ„â—e or aduersaries iÌ„ theyr opinion of the worke wrought And thoughe they haue neuer somuche the testimonies of Gregorie and of other writers oâ— late time for them we sette agaynste them moste open and moste vndoubted scriptures Nowe there is greate vnlyknes and diuersitie betwixt scripture and fathers They were men and myghte erre Howebeit if they were nowe alyue saw theyr owne sayenges made a buckler and defense to those open lyes whiche our aduersaries teache of the worke wrought they wolde expoune theyr owne sayengê farre otherwyse Our aduersaries also falsely alledge agaynste vs the condempnation of one