thinketh he is able to atteyne vnto it of him selfe albeit he neuer reacheth thereunto August in praesation Psal 31. and loseth the hope of al his trauayle bicause he presumeth of him selfe and God condemneth euen that presumption yet hath he a desire to lyue wel and a care to doe good workes But who so is persuaded that faith onely suffiseth to obteyne both Iustification and saluation let him be well ware leste he falle into the goulfe and saye Aug. ibid. Faciam ergo quicquid volo I will doo then what I liste for though I haue no good woorkes and doe no more but beleeue in God my faith shall be reputed to me for iustice If he haue so saied and determined with him selfe he is fallen in and drowned If he be yet but thinking thereof and wauering he is in daunger Further if it be true that the Philosopher saieth Aristote Ethic. lib. 2. cap. 8. that of twoo vices contrarie to one vertue the more daungerouse and greater vice is that whereunto menne are more geuen We doubte not but the greater number of men is rather prone and contente of them selues to beleue only and put the reste in Gods mercie then desirous to leade a seuere and strayte life and payne them selues with good workes Which thing the diuel wel knowing hath in sundry ages gone about to put this opinion in the heades of such as he could abuse Ca. 12. as I shal shewe hereafter Wherefore to auoide this goulfe whiche is most perillouse I wil declare that faith alone suffiseth not in any sorte of true vnderstanding to our Iustification or saluation That is to say that faith alone is neither able to iustifie and bring to the state of iustice him that is a sinner nor alone able to keepe and increase our Iustification when it is gotten nor able alone to bring him that is iustified to the perfection of iustice in life euerlasting In which three degrees consisteth the absolute and perfecte Iustification of man In the first Chap. as I haue shewed before VVhence the opinion came that onely faith iustifieth and of diuers kindes of mainteyning the same THE II. CHAPTER August de gratia liber arbit c. 7. Rom. 3. Gal. 3. THE opinion that moued some menne to thinke onely faith sufficiente to saluation tooke his firste grounde of misconstruing the wordes of S. Paule Homines enim non intelligentes c. For men saieth S. Augustine not vnderstanding these wordes of the Apostle we thinke a man is iustified by faith without workes of the law thought he said that it is sufficient for a man to haue faith although he liue yll and doe no good workes But God forbid the chosen vessel should be of that opinion And vppon this and other places of Scripture Aug. in praefat Psa 31. de fid oper c. 14. whiche also they misconstrued they perswaded them selues that a Christian man needed not to doe any good woorkes for that he might be saued by faith though he liued vngodlie Others when they sawe the Scriptures so euidently commending good workes Caluin in instit ca. de iustific ca. 10. Brent in confess VVirtēber de bonis operibus and setting foorth the necessitie of doing them being ashamed to mainteine that they were nedelesse to be done haue saied that men must liue godly to testifie and declare their faith but yet that their good woorkes deserue no rewarde of lyfe euerlasting neither can stand in the iudgement of God. And to minse this matter more finely some haue yet gone further And whereas the Catholike Churche folowing the manifest Srciptures hath euer taught that a sinner is iustified through the merite of Christ and his Sacramentes by faith hope charitie and penance they haue taught that he is iustified by faith only and although they graunt that he must haue both hope and charitie that shal be iustified yet is it faith onely saie they that striketh the stroke in the acte of Iustification hope and charitie standing by as lookers on but working nothing Into these three kindes of dangerous errours men haue fallen by teaching and beleeuing the Iustification of faith alone not onely barring the necessitie of doinge good woorkes and penance but also abasing the worthines of hope and charity and th'estimation and dignitie of Christ his Sacramentes Against the first opinion S. Augustine both preached and disputed in sundrie places of his learned woorkes and namely wrote his booke of faith and woorkes against the same which thou hast here gentle Reader together with this Treatie translated vnto thee Concerning the seconde which the Authors would faine haue appeare different from the firste and yet in effecte seemeth all one In the 2. Chapt of the firste booke I haue saied somewhat before and plainely proued that good woorkes doe not onely keepe and increase our iustice here but shal be rewarded also in the ende with life euerlasting whereof I shall saie more hereafter In the. 13. Chapter To the thirde opinion I shall nowe answere and euidently shew that it is not faith alone that worketh th'acte of our Iustification but that hope charitie and the Sacramentes haue their partes in working it also And by this shall the Reader perceiue that after their meaning it can in no wise be truely said that faith alone iustifieth And here must I aduertise the Reader that this thirde opinion is newe and lately come out of the forge neuer heard of to my knowledge before these our daies For as there hath ben in sundrie ages carnal men which thought them selues August de fid oper c. 27 and went about to perswade others that faith and the Sacramentes of Christ might saue a man without good workes so haue I not read of any that plainely said faith without hope charitie and the Sacraments of Christ can iustifie a man. And therfore as diuers or rather al the auncient Fathers haue in some places of their woorkes gone about to pul the one opinion out of mennes heades so do I not finde that they make any mention of th' other and much lesse that any one of them before this our age hath affirmed it to be true That Faith excludeth not Charitie in our Iustification that is to saie Faith alone iustifieth no man without the helpe and woorking of Charitie THE III. CHAPTER AND nowe to beginne with the moste excellente vertue that is in a Christian man Of Charitie Faith alone iustifieth no man without the helpe and working of charitie It hath ben declared before In the. 4. Chapter that our Iustification in Christe is but the restoring of that whiche was lost by Adam And as Adam sinned not onely by lacke of faith but rather and much more by lacke of good wil and right loue so is not a man once fallen restored againe by recouering onely righte faith vnlesse he recouer also righte loue The sinne of Adam was chiefely a peruerse desire
est By the which onely he is trewly iuste who so euer is iust But to declare that his minde was not to make any such separation Ib. cap. 70. he saith it is the charitie that commeth from a pure harte a good conscience and vnsained faith He might allege for him th' authoritie of S. Ihon th'Euangelist who being required by his scholers a litle before his death to teach them some perfecte lesson Hier. li. 3. com in epist ad Galat. cap. 6. whereby they might liue well and haue cause to remembre him said my children loue one an other And when they looked for more he repeted the same againe and said It is our Lords commaundement and if there be no more done but that it is inough He should haue Prosper to say for him De vit contēpla li. 3. ca. 13 Charitie is a summarie and abbridgement of all good doings of the which euery good worke taketh his life without the which neuer man pleased God. S. Bede would say Homi. aestiua in lita maio Ser. 7. de Epipha Chrysost tom 1. fol. 176. Charitie is the principall vertue in so muche that without that vertue other principall vertues can not be Leo would call her the mother of all vertues and Chrysostome the mother of all goodnes And thus haue I proued not only that faith without charitie iustifieth no man but also that charitie hath a souereine working in the acte of our Iustification without the which faith auaileth nothing and so doth not faith alone iustifie nor exclude charitie An answere to obiections that be made to proue that faith alone iustifieth without charitie THE IIII. CHAPTER BVT leste the mainteiners of Iustification by onely faith should seeme to be without all ground and to exclude charitie without colour of reason they frame one especiall argument which for the readers better satisfaction I will put forth and answere here The argument is this We be iustified by faith without all workes of the Lawe Charitie is a worke of the Lawe Ergo we be iustified by faith without charitie To the which I answere with S. Augustine that their second proposition deceiueth them for that charitie is not onely a worke of the lawe but also the gifte of the holy Ghost in the newe testament Rom 5. S. Paule saith the charitie of God is powred abrode in our hartes through the holy Ghost that is geuen vs. 1. Ioha 4. And S. Iohn saith Moste dearely beloued let vs loue one an other for loue commeth of God. Vppon which wordes S. Augustines answere is De grat li. arb cap. 18. Cùm dicitur diligamus inuicem lex est Cùm dicitur quia dilectio ex Deo est gratia est When it is said Lette vs loue one an other it is the lawe when it is said for loue commeth of God it is grace He maketh this the greatest differēce betwene th' old and new testament that where as in the old God lead his people by terror and feare in the newe he geueth them plenty of his charitie and loue Contr. Adiman cap. 17. De spirit lit cap. 17. Item cap. 21. ca. 16. Haec est breuissima c. This is the shortest and plainest difference of both testaments feare and loue Ibi in tabulis lapideis There the holy Ghost wrought in tables of stone here in mens hartes And what be the lawes of God writen by God him self in mennes hartes but the presence of the holy Ghost who is the singer of God by whose presence charitie is powred abrode in our hartes which is the fulfilling of the law Thus doo we see that charitie is not onely a worke of the law but also the fruite of the holy Ghost the speciall token of the new testament wrought in our hartes by the holy Ghost And so hath S. Augustine answered this argument xi hundred yeares before they were borne that lately haue made it And whereas it is saied that faith onely iustifieth What it is truely to apprehēd Christe bicause faith onely apprehendeth Christe I aske what is meant by the terme of Apprehension If it be to beleue onely that Christ died for sinners that alone iustifieth no man for the Diuelles beleue it and tremble Iacob 2. bicause they hope not to be partakers of that benefite nor loue him that purchased it If to apprehend Christe be vnderstanded to dwell in Christe and to haue him dwell in vs it is not true that Christe is apprehended in that sorte by onely faith without charitie For it is saied 1 Ioan 4. God is charitie and he that dwelleth in charitie dwelleth in God and God in him And Christ him selfe saith Si quis diligit me Ioan. 14. sermonem meum seruabit Pater meus diliget eum ad eum veniemus mansionem apud eum faciemus If a man loue me he will kepe my saying and my Father wil loue him and to him will we come and make our abode with him By these woordes let the Reader learne what it is truely and profitably to apprehend Christe He apprehendeth Christ truly Aug. ser 61. de ver Dom. tract in Ioan. 29. that is vnited and made a member of Christe whiche as I haue proued in the last Chapter can not be done without hope and charitie He apprehendeth Christ truely that cleaueth vnto Christ and the glue whereby the sowle is fastned vnto Christe saith S. Augustine is charitie Ipsum gluten est charitas In Psal 62 If it be said that faith apprehendeth the promise Christ hath promised lyfe euerlasting to suche as become his friendes Ioan. 15. Heb. 5. And they be his friendes that keepe his commaundements He is made a cause of life euerlasting but to such as obey him The promise is made to the children of Abraham that is to suche as haue the faith and obedience of Abraham whereof I shall speake at large hereafter Chapt. 23. And so is it true that faith alone neither apprehendeth Christe nor his promise profitablie vnlesse hope and Charitie be ioyned vnto it That Faith excludeth not Hope in the acte of our Iustification THE V. CHAPTER Of Hope AS God requireth of such as come to his seruice that they stedfastly beleeue in him and with all their heartes loue him So doth he also require of them to repose al hope and affiance in him onely saying by his Prophete Iere. 17. Maledictus homo qui confidit in homine Cursed is the man that putteth his trust in man. And by the same Prophete Iere. 9. 1. Cor. 1. Psal 107. Psal 33. Let not the wise bragge in his wisedome neither lette the strong boast in his strength Nor lette the riche glorie in his riches But lette him that boasteth boast in our Lorde Wherefore as mans power to saue is vaine and he vnhappie that trusteth in it so happie is the man that trusteth in God. Of so great force is a
are saued through faith Finally to conclude this is the faith that woorketh through charitie In whiche woordes beside other thinges it is to be noted that the faith whereby we are saued and the faith whereby the iuste man liueth is none other but the faith that worketh through charitie Which vertue saith Leo by her mixture and tempering geueth life euen to very faith whereby the iuste man liueth For the iuste man liueth by faith saith S. Bede not by that faith that is vttered onely by confession of the lippes but by that faith that woorketh through charitie And thus may we truely vnderstande what the Scripture meaneth as often as it is said by faith we are saued or through faith we are iustified That S. Paule teacheth not Iustification by onely Faith excluding charitie c. And in what sense the Fathers sometime saie Faith alone iustifieth THE VIII CHAPTER BVT yet this satisfieth not all men An Obiection Rom. 3. Galat. 3. For some thinke still we are iustified by faith alone for that S. Paule saying we are iustified by faith and putting to it without woorkes of the Lawe semeth to them to saie as much as we are iustified by faith alone And that opinion they inforce the more bicause diuerse of the auncient Fathers haue vsed these woordes Faith alone iustifieth The Ansvvere To the whiche I answere that neither S. Paule nor any of the Auncient Fathers euer meant it in that sense which they haue taken it that is to exclude from Iustification Charitie hope penance or any vertue and gifte of God. S. Paule his wordes by them alleadged be in the Epistles to the Romaines and Galathians Aug. ad Simplicia li. 1. qu. 2. Et in exposit epist ad Rom. inchoat Primas in Praefa epist ad Rom. Aug. in Exposi 4. ca. ad Gal. The Argument and intent of his whole Epistle to the Romains as S. Augustine saith is this Vt de ipsorum meritis nemo glorietur c. That no man boast nor vaunt him selfe of the merite of his workes of which the Israelites were bolde to make their boaste that they serued the Lawe which was geauen them and thereby had receiued the grace of the Ghospell as a debt due vnto their desertes bicause they serued the lawe for which cause they would not haue the same grace geuen to the Gentils as vnworthy of it vnlesse they would receiue the Iewish Sacramentes The Galathians to whome the Gospell had ben preached were moued and solicited by Iewes whose desire was to bring them to carnal obseruances of the Lawe Aug. in Exposi 4. ca. ad Gal. Prima in argu ep ad Galat. Rom. 4. Galat. 3. as though saluation laie in the same To answere vnto bothe these boasting of them selues and of the woorkes of the law and exacting them of other as necessary to saluation In bothe these Epistles S. Paule saith no man is iustified by the lawe proouing the same by Abraham who was iustified before circumcision was commaunded and long before the law was geuen and therby doth barre and put of al workes of the Lawe from our Iustification as nothing auailing towarde the same But what the woorkes of the lawe be it is not a matter so plaine to all men Beside the rites and ceremonies commaunded by Moyses S. Augustine calleth all suche the woorkes of the Lawe as a man presumeth to doe of him selfe of his owne power and strength without faith and the helpe of God August de spirit et li. c. 29 Adhuc dubitamus quae sunt opera legis quibus homo non iustificatur si ea tanquam sua crediderit sine adiutorio dono Dei quod est ex fide Iesu Christi Doe we yet doubt what the woorkes of the Lawe are by whiche no man is iustified if he take them as his owne without 〈◊〉 helpe and gift of God which cometh by the faith of Iesus Christe These be the workes of the lawe Serm. 15. de verb. Apostol which in another place he calleth also the iustice of the law Lege Dei proposita c. When the lawe of God is laid before vs whosoeuer is proud and thinketh he is able to fulfil it by his owne power and strength if he do that the lawe commaundeth not for the loue of iustice but for feare of punishment this man concerning the iustice of the lawe is a man without blame In both places he calleth al suche the workes of the lawe and the iustice of the lawe that a man doth of him self presuming of his owne strength without grace and helpe of God. Ex lege quia in mandatis Aug. ibid. sua tanque de viribus suis It is the iustice of the law bicause it is commanded It is a mans own bicause it cometh as of his own strength Now as S. Paul doth truly barre and shut out from the procuring of our Iustification al rites and ceremonies of the lawe and also all morall workes that we doe of our selues without faith and helpe of God So if a man would reason that he barreth likewise charity hope penance and the Sacraments of the Church bicause a man is iustified by faith without workes of the law he should shew him selfe ignorant of the Scriptures and of S. Paules meaning These be no workes of the law For not onely charitie Galat. 5. ioy peace patience mildenes and faith but briefly al workes of charitie when they be done by faith by helpe of grace and the gifte of God are fruites of the holie Ghoste not workes of the lawe Lex spiritus vitae Rom. 8. They be the law of the holie Ghoste and of life perteining not to the letter that killeth but to the spirit that geueth life August de spirit et lit c. 17 Ad prudentiam carnis terrendam c. When the workes of charity are written in tables to make the wisedome of the flesh afraied it is the lawe of workes and the letter that killeth the transgressour but when charitie is powred into the beleuers heart it is the lawe of faith and the spirit that geueth lyfe to the beleuer S. Augustine saith woorkes that be done for feare onely by commaundement of the law are called the lawe of woorkes and the killing letter but when they be done by charitie which through the holy Ghost is powred into our heartes they be called the Lawe of faith and geue life to the doers They be called the lawe of faith and workes of faith bicause they are geauen by faith and with faith Aug. ibid. cap. 30. Per fidem impetratio gratiae contra peccatum c. By faith grace is obteined against sinne by grace the sowle is healed from sinne Wherefore when S. Paule saieth a man is iustified by faith without workes of the Lawe Rom. 3. he saith nothing els but that a man is iustified by grace and not by him selfe For as he saith here Ephes 2. Rom. 3.
by faith a man is iustified so saieth he els where by grace yee are saued As he saith in this place non ex operibus legis Ephes 2. not by woorkes of the lawe So he saieth there Non ex vobis Dei donum est Not by your selues it is the gift of God. Rom. 4. So doth he saie Abraham was not iustified by his workes he deserued not Gods grace and his Iustification by his owne doinges he was not able to crake against God nor to presume of him selfe He had it not secundùm carnem by flesh and of him selfe but by promise and by faith from God. And thus it appeareth plainly that S. Paule by Iustification of faith without woorkes of the Lawe dothe not exclude charitie hope penance nor any vertue or gifte of God geuen by faith but onely barreth mannes owne presumption and pride mannes owne doinges without God with rites and ceremonies taught by Moyses Otherwise if it had ben his intent to exclude the giftes of God vertues and workes of faith we might saie with S. Augustine August in praefatio Psalm 31. Quomodo dicit Apostolus iustificari hominem c. How doth the Apostle saie that a man is iustified by faith without woorkes seeing that he saith in an other place that is the faith which woorketh through charitie we nede not then set the Apostle Iames against Paule but Paule himselfe against Paule And this much may suffice concerning the right vnderstanding of S. Paules wordes who as S. Augustine saith If he should meane that faith alone iustifieth he should not onely speake against S. Iames but against him selfe also For euen as God when he saith Deut. 32. A very apte similitude Videte quòd ego sim solus c. See that I am alone and there is none other God beside me spake not the same in the person of the Father onely meaning therby to exclude the Sonne and the holy Ghost as the Arrians vnderstoode it but did exclude onely creatures and all that is not God in like manner when it is saied by faith we are iustified there is no vertue or gifte of God barred nothing is excluded that is ioined and geuen with faith but that onely is shut owt whiche is repugnante contrary or strange vnto Faith. That whiche I haue saied of S. Paule serueth also for the trewe vnderstanding of the auncient Fathers who when they saie Faith alone iustifieth exclude some one thing whiche is repugnante or in the sense that they meant not necessarie to Iustification Basil concio de humilita S. Basill writing in the commendation of humilitie saithe Haec est perfecta integra gloriatio in Deo. c. This is the perfecte and sound boasting in God when a man doth not vante him selfe of his owne iustice but knoweth him selfe to be needy of trewe iustice and iustified by onely Faith in Christ He barreth as S. Paule doth the presumption of our owne iustice boasting and vanting of our selues not hope nor charitie which be Gods giftes which plainely to declare a litle after he saith these wordes Quid extollis te dic mihi c. Tell me why doste thou extoll thy selfe as it were for thine owne good doinges whereas thou shouldest render thankes to the geuer for his giftes Faith then iustifieth vs without our owne workes as of our selues Ephes 2. In cap. 9. Epistola ad Rom. but not without charity and the workes which God hath prepared for vs to walke in S. Ambrose saith Sublatis omnibus neomenijs c. Al the festiual daies of the new mone the sabboth day and Circumcision the lawe of meates and offering of beastes taken away faith alone is placed for our saluation He excludeth the rites and ceremonies of Moises as S. Paule dothe saying that faith alone without them saueth The same answere serueth to the wordes of Chrysostom who expounding the place of S. Paule where he forbiddeth men to auoid Iewish fables Hom. 3. in Epist ad Tit. The Word Sola Alone is not in the Greeke saith Si fidei credis c. If thou credite faith why bringest thou in other thinges beside as though faith alone were not inough to iustifie why doest thou subiect thy selfe to voluntary bondage and put thy necke vnder the yoke of the lawe He saieth not why doest thou match with faith hope or charitie but why doest thou put thy necke vnder the yoke of the lawe And in an other place he saith Hom. 27. in cap. 8. Matth. vt iam neminem fugere possit c. So that no man can now be ignorant but that it is declared by these wordes that saluation euerlasting is geuen to men through faith not by the workes of the lawe he saith by faith and yet not alone excluding onely the workes of the lawe Arnobius writing vppon the Psalmes and reprouing the Nouatians heresy who saied that such as were once christened In Psal 106. Baptisme is called redemption bicause ther by vve be partakers of Christ his redemption if they did fall afterwarde coulde not be holpen nor restored againe by penance hath these wordes Thou saiste that such as be not yet redemed and Christened they through penance may attaine to pardon we saie they obteine pardon by Faith alone But suche as be redemed and christened come to enioye the mercy of their redemer not by Faith alone bicause they haue already beleued but by penance Of such as came to the Faith and desired baptisme the Church required not seuere nor straite penance such as was vsually inioined to sinners that after Baptisme fell againe and therfore he saith such were pardoned by faith alone that is to say without that kind of sharpe penance But how there was in them Faith alone the Reader may knowe by that I haue saied in the eighth Chapter where it is declared by Iustinus Martyr Tertullian and S. Augustine that the custome of the Churche as well before as after Arnobius his time was to receiue none to Baptisme but such as asked pardon of their former sinnes Ibidem Iusti Mar. Tertullia August Epito Diuino Decreto de poeniten promised a newe life and for certaine daies before theire Baptisme vsed fasting and praier The like wordes and in the like argumente vseth Theodoritus saying woundes that are made after Baptisme are curable Mary curable not by forgeuenes through Faithe onely as once it was but by many teares weping and wayling by fasting praier and labour measured according to the quantitie of the sinne committed To these I will ioine S. Ambrose bicause he agreeth with them in wordes and matter Gratia Dei in Baptismate In ca. 11. ad Rom. c. The grace of God in Baptisme requireth not sighing or morning or any worke but onely a profession with harte And in that sense he saith Iustificati sunt gratis In cap. 3. ad Rom. They are freely iustified bicause working nothing nor making no recompence
they are iustified by Faithe alone thorough the gifte of God. Quemadmodum autem c. In cap. 4. ad Rom. But howe can it stretch or apperteine to the person of suche as doo penance when he saith Blessed they are whose sinnes be couered sithe it is a matter well knowen that penitente persones gette remission of their sinnes by labor and sighing Arnobius Theodoritus and S. Ambrose saie that some men are iustified by onely Faithe that is to saie without penance they saie it not of all men but of suche as come newely to the Faith and be baptized Furder their mening is not that they are iustified without al penance for then should they gainesaie Christes preaching which was Mar. 1. In the 6. Chap. of this booke Ambros supra De fide oper c. 26. Poenitemini credite Euangelio Repente and beleue the Gospell and I haue shewed before that trewe Faith can not be without penance but they saie in Baptisme such are iustified without sighing or morning that is to say without sharpe and laboriouse penance as in the Churche they did who properly were called penitentes as S. Augustine saith Therefore as for our selues to whom all this question muste be referred being baptized in our infancie when they saie Note Faith alone that suche as falle after Baptisme can not be iustified by Faith alone but by penance They plainely saie towching vs already baptised that no man is nor can be iustified by Faith alone and so by them is this question ended concerning vs. But some man will say howe may it be plainely vnderstanded that by Iustification of faith onely which the auncient Fathers seeme in wordes to affirme their meaning was not to exclude and barre hope charitie and workes of faith Sum. Moral 80. cap. 22. To that they shal answere for them selues seuerally eche by their owne wordes S. Basil asketh Quid est proprium Christiani What is the peculiar propertie of a Christian man fides per dilectionem operans faith that worketh through charitie And toward the ende of the same chapter Matth. 5. What is the propertie of a Christian man that his iustice abunde in all pointes aboue the Scribes and Pharisees according to the doctrine in our Lordes Gospel what is the property of a Christian man to loue one another as Christ hath loued vs. By S. Basil then faith alone is not inough to make either a iuste or a good Christian man. S. Ambrose declareth his meaning in sundrie places but of many to take one he expresseth it in these wordes Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo c. In ca. 4. epist ad Hebre. Without faith it is impossible to please God but faith alone sufficeth not it is necessary for faith to worke through charitie and to vse conuersation worthy to be allowed of God. Chrysostom saith Ne fideles sola fide c. Hom. 70. in Matt. cap. 22. Bicause the faithful should not truste they might be saued by faith alone Christe speaketh of the ill mennes paines so doth he moue the infideles to faith and the faithful to good life And in an other place he saith Ad agenda opera festinemus Hom. in Gen. 47. neque enim aliter saluari nos possibile c. Let vs make haste to doo good workes for otherwise it is not possible for vs to be saued Theodoritus in like manner saith Epito Diuino Decre de seruato incarna In Ioan. li. 10. ca. 17. Et post Seruatoris aduentum Euen after the comming of our Sauiour all atteine not to saluation but such as beleue and frame theire life according to his diuine Lawes Christ plainely teacheth saith Cyrillus that such as go away from him whether it be that they fall in faith or in keeping of his commandements shal not onely bring forth no fruit but shall also suffer euerlasting fier And further he saith if onely faith were inough Cyril in Ioan. lib. 10. cap. 18. the multitude of Diuelles should not perish Assure thy selfe good Reader a whole booke much bigger then this treatie is could not suffice to holde the sayinges of the auncient Fathers like vnto these But seing that in the mouth of two Matt. 18. or three witnesses standeth euery worde I may say either these witnesses suffise or I know not what may suffise The opinion is such as ought to be remoued out of all Christian hartes De grati lib. arbit ca. 7. which as S. Augustine saith hath none other grounde but the misconstruing of S. Paules wordes of which he him selfe saith there God forbid that the Apostle should be of that minde It is such as no man can hold for true vnlesse he wil make many and euident Scriptures false For graunting it to be true that onely faith suffiseth falsa erunt illa quae obscuritatem ambiguitatemque non habent Aug. de fid et ope cap. 15. 1. Cor. 13. c. Those sayinges of Scripture shal be false which are neither darke nor doubtefull If I haue all faith in so much as I be able to remoue mountaines out of theire place and haue no charitie I am nothing what shall it auaile my bretherne Iaco. 2. if a man say he hath faith and haue no good workes can faith saue him And alitle after if thou wilt come to life Matt. 19. keepe the commandementes These saith S. Augustine with other there alleged shal be false Whiche inconuenience bicause no man can beare I will applie vnto faith touching our Iustification the wordes that Chrysostome vttered of praier Chrysost To. 5. li. 1. de orand Deum Neque sola temperantia c. It is neither temperance alone that can saue a man if other vertues lacke neither carefull prouision for the poore nor any other thing that is vertuousely done but all muste concurre and come together into our soules Marie praier is laied vnder all the reste as the roote and foundation to beare them vppe Euen so it may be truely said faith is the roote of all good workes and the foundation that is laid vnder godly life And yet can neither faith nor hope nor charitie alone iustifie All must concurre and comme together into our sowles and then is that excellent and diuine worke of our Iustification accomplished and not otherwise Howe Abraham was iustified VVhat his faith was and who be the true children of Abraham THE IX CHAPTER THE readiest and plainest waie to open matters doubtefull and to cleare that whiche is darke is to teach by examples Seing therefore the Scripture commendeth often vnto vs Abraham for an example and paterne of Iustification and saith Esai 51. Attendite ad Abraham patrem vestrum Looke to Abraham your father there is no better way for vs rightly to vnderstand that matter then to consider how Abraham was iustified and howe he atteined to that singuler prerogatiue to be commended by the holy Ghost Rom.
Aug. ad Simpli li. 1. quaest 2. August ad Simpli ib. de fide oper c. 14 August ser 61. de ver Dom. Ephes 4. which must be ioyned with good workes as Abrahams faith was or els iustifieth no man Grace goeth before saith S. Augustine but good woorkes folowe Euerie man that wil be saued must be made a member of Christ whiche is done through faith hope and charitie and of this incorporation speaketh S. Paule but it is not inough for vs to be made members of Christ vnles being knitte in the bodie we increase in all thinges in Christ who is our heade Of this increase and growing speaketh S. Iames It is not inough for vs to be called and iustified we must also be glorified Rom. 8. and that shall not be vnlesse we be conformed and made like vnto the Image of Christ by godly lyfe which S. Iames speaketh of Al this is comprised in our perfit Iustification As it is necessarie for our saluation that we be made members of Christ which S. Paule calleth our Iustification so is it necessarie for the same end that we do good workes which S. Iames calleth our Iustification In praefat Psalm 31. If Abraham had offred his sonne without faith saith S. Augustine the worke had nothing auailed him what so euer it were If he had kepte his faith and not offred his sonne when God bad him his faith without woorkes had ben dead and shoulde haue remained like a roote barren and drie without fruite When S. Paule had taught that we are iustified by faith meaning thereby as hath ben declared Suche as vnderstode him not thought he had said faith had ben sufficient for a man though he liued yl and did no good workes And bicause this opinion was then sprong vppe Aug. de fid et oper cap. 14. the other Apostles as S. Iames S. Peter S. Iohn and Iude in their Epistles directed their intent specially againste the same earnestly affirminge that faith without woorkes auaileth nothing So did S. Peter exhorte menne to pietie 2. Pet. 3. and good conuersation against the comming of Christe warninge them that there were many thinges in S. Paules Epistles darke and harde to vnderstande which the vnskilfull and vnstable did peruerte to their owne damnation sayinge further that who so lacketh good conuersation 2. Pet. 1. is blinde and gropinge with his hande Therevppon did S. Iames call him a vaine manne that thoughte faith without woorkes mighte saue him Iacob 2. and called faith without woorkes a deade faith and the Diuelles faith Therevppon didde S. Iohn speake as muche in the commendation of Charitie as S. Paule had donne of Faith saying He that loueth not remaineth in deathe 1. Ioan. 3. not that these Apostles did teache contrary to S. Paule but bicause that S. Paule was misconstrued Their preaching was one For as S. Paule dothe saie Rom 3. Ephes 2. Iacob 1. by faith a manne is iustified and by grace are ye saued not of your selues So saieth S. Iames Euery good thinge that is geauen and euery perfite gifte commeth from aboue And seeing that Faith Hope Charitie and good woorkes be the giftes of God and the fruites of grace Ephes 2. S. Iames saying that we are iustified by woorkes disagreeth not with S. Paule that saith we are saued by grace Ephes 2. 1. Ioan. 3. And when S. Iohn saieth charitie commeth of God and we knowe we are translated from death to life bicause we loue our brothers he saieth no more then S. Paul doth Galat. 5. that in Christ Iesu neither circumcision nor to be without circumcision auaileth aught but faith which worketh through charitie So did S. Paule S. Peter S. Iames and S. Iohn being mooued to speake by one spirit agree in one minde concerning our Iustification S. Paule commendeth the foundation roote and beginning of it S. Iames th' increase the fruite and perfection of the same without the which the foundation should be voide and the roote barren and drie Iacob 2. Galat. 3. God graunte vs to beginne with Abrahams faith and to increase with Abrahams woorkes that faith may ioyne with our woorkes and by woorkes our faith may be perfited that we may be blessed with the faithfull Abraham That Faith alone without good woorkes saueth not And what it is to be iustified freely by grace THE XI CHAPTER BY this it is euidently declared that as faith in the beginning of our Iustification and comming to Christe excludeth not hope charitie penance nor baptisme so in our continuance and growing in Christe and saluation it excludeth not good woorkes but must haue them ioyned with it as time and oportunitie may serue the beleuer to do them or els the hope of his saluation is presumptuouse and vaine For if Abrahams faith excepte he had offered his sonne when he was byd August in praefation Psal 31. should haue ben deade lyke vnto a baren and withered roote as S. Augustine saith he being the example and paterne of our Iustification what can we looke for if we haue faith and care not to doo good woorkes which God commaundeth He that heareth my wordes Math. 7. and doth them not saith our Sauiour shal be lykened to a foole that hath buylded his house vpon the sande They are the dooers not the knowers whom he calleth happye If you knowe these thinges you shal be happie Ioan 13. when ye doo them They are not the hearers of the lawe Rom. 2. that are iuste before God but the dooers shal be iustified If faith woulde serue without good workes they should not be reiected who shal say at the daye of iudgement Math. 7. Lorde in thy name we haue preached in thy name we haue caste out diuelles and in thy name we haue done many greate wounders whiche can not be done without faith Math. 25. Neither shoulde the fiue foolishe virgins be shutte out at the mariage and therefore saieth Cyril Cyril Cateche 15. Trust not vppon that thou haste a lampe onely but keepe it burning truste not vpon this alone that thou haste faith but keepe thy faith burning that thy lighte may shyne before men through good workes leste for thy sake Christe be blasphemed And a litle before Howe shall we gette saieth he into the kingdome of heauen I was hungry saieth Christe and thou gaueste me meate to eate Learne the way for here needeth no allegory If thou doo these thinges thou shalt reigne if thou do not thou shalt be condemned beginne therefore nowe to doe these woorkes and continue in faith Leo. Ser. 3. de Epiphan Cypria ad Quiri lib. 3. cap. 96. Aug. Ser. 31. de ver Apost by right faith and good workes we attaine to the kingdom of God saith Leo. Factis non verbis operandum c. We must worke by deedes not by woordes saith S. Cyprian for the kingdome of God standeth not in talke but in vertue
saith he comme vnto life keepe the commaundementes When he had asked what commaundementes our Lord rehearsed to him the preceptes of the Lawe Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not cōmitte aduoultrie and so foorth Whereunto when he had aunswered that all these thinges he had done from his youth then did our Lord adde farther the precept also of perfection that selling all that he had and bestowing in almes on the poore he should haue treasure in heauen and follow the same Lord. Let them behold therfore and marke that it was not said vnto him he should beleeue and be baptised by which only helpe these men thinke a man may come to life but the preceptes of manners and workes were geuen vnto him which yet can not be kept or obserued without faith Neither bicause our Lord seemeth here to haue omitted the insinuacion of faith do we therfore prescribe and content our selues that only preceptes of manners should be opened to them that desire to come to life For both be mutually knit together as I said before bicause neither the loue of God can be in a man that loueth not his neighbour neither the loue of his neighbour in him which loueth not God. Therfore do we find that the Scripture doth somtime mention the one without the other now faith now workes eche for a ful and perfite doctrine to the end we may thereby vnderstand that one of them can not be without the other For why He that beleeueth God ought to doo that which God commaundeth and he that therefore doth bicause God commaundeth must of necessitie beleue God. That onely faith doth not suffice to saluation without good workes THE XIIII CHAPTER LET vs now therfore looke vnto that point The principall point of this Treatie and vvel to be marked which is to be beaten forth of all religious hartes least by a lewde securite they lose their saluatiō if they thinke onely faith to suffise to the obteining hereof and be negligent to liue wel and to kepe on in the way of God by good workes For euen in th'Apostles time some not vnderstanding certaine darke sentences of the Apostle Paul thought him to saie Let vs doo euil that good may come because he had saied the lawe entred Rom. 5. that offence might abound but where offence abounded there was grace the more abundant Which saying of S. Paule is true in this sense that menne receauing the lawe and most proudly presuming of theire owne strengthe and abilitie to kepe it not by right faith calling vpon the grace of God to ouercome their euil concupiscenses and lustes against the lawe were iustely burdened beside the transgressing of the lawe with moe yea and more greuous offences And so extreme gilt compelling them they fled to faith Psal 120. Rom. 5. Whereby they might deserue the mercie of pardone and helpe of our Lorde which made heauen and earth that charitie being thorough the holy Ghost powred in their hartes they might doo with loue those thinges which were commanded against the concupiscenses and lustes of this worlde Psal 15. Rom. 7. Hovv s Paule is to be vnderstanded according to that which was foresaid in the psalme their infirmities were multiplied and then they made hast Therefore where the Apostle saith He thinketh man to be iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe he meaneth not that after faith receiued and professed the workes of iustice should be contemned but that euery man may knowe that he may be iustified by faith This is meant of the first Iustification See the Treatie before though the workes of the Lawe haue not gonne before For they doo followe him that is iustified they go not before him that is to be iustified Of which matter I neede not farther to dispute in this present woorke Namely since I haue vppon this question alreadie sette forth a large booke which is intituled Of the letter and the spirit Note hovv olde the heresy is of only Faithe Bicause therefore this opinion was then euen in the Apostles time spronge vp the other Apostolical Epistles of Peter Iohn Iames and Iuda doo chiefly direct their intention and purpose against the same opinion so farre that they plainely * Therfore Luther thought good vtterly to reiect the Epistle of S Iames in his vvritinges against kinge henry the viij Galat. 5. 1. Cor. 13. Rom. 13. affirme faith without workes to profite nothing as Paule him selfe also defineth not euerie faith whereby a man may beleeue in God but that to be the healthfull and Euangelicall faith whose workes procede of Charitie that faith saith he which worketh thorough loue or Charitie For which cause also he sheweth the same faith which some men thinke to suffise vnto saluation to be so farre from profiting any whit that he saith If I haue all faith so as I may remoue mountaines and yet haue not Charitie I am nothing But where this faithfull Charitie woorketh there without doubt is good life For the fulnes of the Lawe is Charitie Wheruppon to make the matter plaine Peter in his second epistle where he exorteth vnto holinesse of life and woorkes and foreshewed that this world should passe away but new heauens and new earth was to be loked for which shall be geuen to be inhabited of the iust that they might hereby take good hede how they liued to become mete and worthy of that habitation knowing that out of certaine darke sentences of S. Paull some lewde personnes had taken occasiō to be carelesse of wel liuing Note as being sure of their saluation which is in faith said that certeine thinges there were in S. Paules Epistle most hard to be vnderstanded which men did peruert euē as they did other scriptures to their owne destruction whereas yet the same Apostle Paul thought no doubt of the euerlasting saluatiō which is not geauen but to good liuers euen in suche sorte as the other Apostles did Peter I say knowing this 2. Pet. 3. saieth as foloweth All these thinges then perishing of what sorte ought ye to be in holy conuersations and woorkes of pietie expecting and hastening to the presence of the day of our Lorde by the which the heauens burning shal be losed and the elementes by the heate of fier dissolued But we looke for according to his promisses newe heauens and a newe earth wherein iustice inhabiteth VVherefore most deerly beloued sins you looke for these thinges labour that ye may be found before him sounde and without spot in peace and thinke the patient expecting of our Lorde to be healthful vnto you euen as our deerest beloued brother Paul wrote vnto you according to that wisedome which was geuen vnto him speaking of these thinges in manner in all his Epistles wherein are some thinges harde to be vnderstanded which vnlearned and wauering persons doo peruert euen as the rest of the Scriptures to their owne destruction You therefore deerly beloued now foreknowing these thinges be
vnto thy death bicause Gods rewarde abideth for euer By which wordes it is not meant that a wicked man in whome no goodnesse is should be made rightuouse and godlie but that a good and a iuste man should be made iuster and better For as we saie truely that water is warmed not onely when it is of colde made luke warme but also when it is of warme made hotter so saith the Scripture that a man is iustified when he increaseth in iustice and of good and rightuouse is made iuster and better Rom. 2. Of a thirde degree of Iustification it is said Non auditores legis iusti sunt apud Deum sed factores legis iustificabuntur The hearers of the lawe be not iust before God but the doers of the lawe shall be iustified Where the worde of iustifiyng dothe neither signifie the comming to iustice which maketh a wicked man rightuouse and iuste neither the increase of iustice whereby a good man is made better but an ende and perfection of iustice wherevnto by Gods iust iudgement of the which S. Paul there speaketh such shal atteine as keping them selues in the state of iustice once receiued or recouering the same by penance continue and perseuer in doing iustice vnto the ende This is the ful and perfect Iustification of man who being borne in sinne is called to the state of iustice and increasing therein by continuance is at th ende perfited in iustice in life euerlasting For neither doth it auayle him to beginne wel if he doo not continue and increase neither is it ynough to continue for a tyme if afterwarde he fall away For then doth he lose the ende and perfection of his iustice without the which the beginning and middle auayleth not In this sorte doth S. Augustine speake of mannes Iustification For concerning the twoo first degrees thereof he sayth thus Aug. contra â—ulia lib. 2. 〈◊〉 de ciuita Dei li. 21. cap. 16. Iustificatio in hac vita c. Iustification is geueÌ„ vnto vs in this life by these three things first by the wasshing of regeneration whereby al sinnes are forgeuen after that by fighting with vices from the gylte wherof we were discharged and assoyled Thirdely while our prayer is heard wherein we say forgeue vs our offences In which wordes is comprised not onely the entry and beginning of our Iustification which he calleth Baptisme but also the increase of vertuouse and godly lyfe whiche he termeth a conflicte and fighting with vice wherevnto he ioyneth prayer for the forgeuenesse of sinne when we fal And this calleth he our IustificatioÌ„ in this life saying further in an other place Lib. 21. de ciuit Dei cap. 16. Quisquis cupit c. Whoso euer desireth to escape the paynes euerlasting lette him not onely be baptised but also be iustified in Christe We doubt not but that suche as are baptised be also iustified For where S. Paule saith Abluti estis ye are wasshed cleane 1. Cor. 6. he saieth also iustificati estis ye are iustified And yet saieth S. Augustine that beside Baptisme a man muste be iustified meaning by Iustification the continual conflicte with vice wherein consisteth a godly and a vertuouse lyfe and increase of iustice Of the third degree whiche is the ende and perfiting of our iustice Aug epist 106 〈◊〉 sermo 61. le ver Doâ— he saith Complebitur spes nostra c. Our hope shal be fully accomplisshed in the resurrection of the deade and when our hope shal be fulfilled then shal our Iustification be fulfilled and accomplished Thus doth our Iustification rightly vnderstanded as it is coÌ„plete and perfect comprise in it selfe a beginning of iustice an encrease and an ende In this sort do the Scriptures in sundry places speake of it Note the Authours Intente For this cause I haue in al this Treatie to make the matter playner to vnderstande deduced three degrees of Iustification comparing the same with S. Augustine to a perfecte buylding which beside a foundation hath lodging to dwel in And to a fruiteful tree which hath not onely a roote but fruit also comming of the same And albeit al these three degrees make but one absolute and perfecte Iustification in euery man that is saued yet doth the Scripture in sundry places speake seuerally and in diuers maner of wordes sometyme of the beginning and entree sometyme of the increase sometyme of th' ende and perfection of our iustice whereof may grow obscuritie and occasion of errour to suche as vnderstand not nor marke not this diuersitie in degrees of iustice Marke this diuersitie For it is not one thing that God requireth of him that first commeth to his seruice and of him that continueth his seruant and in th' ende trusteth to be rewarded by his seruice By meane of which difference it is truly sayd in the Scripture Rom. 3. Iacob 2. a man is iustified by faith without woorkes and also it is truly said a man is iustified by workes For as a synner is called and set in the state of iustice by grace without any deserte of woorkes done before So no man can continue in Christ increase in iustice and comme to the perfection thereof in life euerlasting without good workes as in processe of this Worke more plainely shal appeare VVhat is meant by the name of faith and how many kindes of faith there be THE II. CHAP. BIcause in al this discourse of Iustification I shal be occasioned often tymes to speake of faith I thinke it necessary as I haue already shewed what is meant by the worde of Iustification so likewise to declare briefly what is meant by the name of faith to th' intent that when the Reader shal see any thing alleged concerning faith he may the better iudge of it S. Augustine saieth there be twoo kindes of faith one whereby we beleue that whiche is said to vs An other whereby we keepe promisse in that we say to other August de spirit lit ca. 31. De hac fide nunc loquimur quam adhibemus cùm aliquid credimus non quam damus quum aliquid pollicemur Nam ipsa dicitur fides Tvvo kindes of faith We speake nowe of the faith which we vse when we beleeue any thing not of the faith whiche we geue when we promyse any thinge For that also is called faith But it is one thing when we say he gaue no fayth nor credite vnto me and an other when we saye he kepte not faith with me For the one is as muche to saie He beleeued not that which I said the other he did not that which he said By this faith whereby we beleue we be faithfull vnto God by the other whereby that is perfourmed which is promised God also is faithful vnto vs. For so saith the Apostle God is faithful who doth not suffer you to be tempted further then you are able 1. Cor. 10. Seing therefore there be but two kindes of
sinnes committed by them Tertullian expressing the same custome saith further that they made also a confession of their former sinnes Ingressuros baptismum c. Tertullia De Bapti Suche as wil come to Baptisme must by often petitions fastinges kneelinges and watching and with confession of all their former sinnes vse praier S. Augustine declaring the order of his time saith De fide oper ca. 6. that such as intended to take baptisme certeine daies before gaue their names in writing and were purged and cleansed by abstinence fasting exorcismes forbearing the companie of their laweful wiues And by these doo we vnderstande that suche as were christened being of perfect age were not only instructed in faith but also taught to doo penance to faste to praie to promise that they would liue according to Christ his teaching to feare God to loue him and to hope in him al which thinges were conteined in their instruction and doctrine of Baptisme whereof S. Paule maketh mention Hebr. 6. And being in this wise prepared they receiued that Sacrament and therewith their Iustificacion If any would not professe amendemente of life but continewe in damnable vice or in any vngodlie kinde of liuing beleued they neuer so wel they were not admitted to be christened as S. Augustine saieth Meretrices c. Common harlottes and stage plaiers De fide oper ca. 18 and other what so euer occupiers of common lewde doinges vnlesse they vndoe and breake suche bandes be not suffered to come to the Sacramentes of Christ But this the Reader maie see at large in the booke it selfe of S. Augustine intituled of faith and workes which is translated into englishe and sette furthe herewith The cheefe argumente whereof is to declare that it suffiseth not him that wil be baptised and iustified to beleue vnlesse he haue faith that worketh by charitie and vnlesse his life be agreable to that holy Sacrament Cap. 2◠Cap. 15. Cap 16. For where any of bothe faileth saith he there neither ought nor can any promise be made of life euerlasting And thus haue we seene how they receiued their Iustificacion who came to be christened and iustified when they were of perfecte age That our Iustification and the vertues whereby we receiue it be the giftes of God and come of grace THE IX CHAP. Of Grace BVT as a sinner is brought to the state of iustice by faith through feare of God hope loue penance and the Sacrament of Baptisme so is it trewely to be said and faithfully to be acknowleged that it is the free grace of God that worketh al these vertues in him without the whiche he is not able of him selfe to atteine not only to the state of iustice but not so muche as to right faith and loue of God or any other gifte perteining to his saluation Cùm sine gratia Dei. Concil Arausica Cap. 19. c. For seeing that mannes nature was not able to keepe saluation whiche it receiued without the grace of God how can it be able to repaire that it hath loste without the grace of God As many then as are made members of Christe by the Sacrament of Baptisme or falling afterward be restored by penance are moued and stirred therevnto not by their owne desertes but by the free mercie and grace of God whose gifte both trew penance and also Iustification is And therefore although it be said to sinners Acto 2. Zacha. 1. Exposi Episto ad Ro. incho Agite poenitentiam doo penance And Conuertimini ad me Turne yee to me Yet as S. Augustine saith Poenitentiae meritum gratia praecedit quòd neminem peccati sui paeniteret nisi admonitione aliqua vocationis Dei. Grace goeth before the merite of penance For no man would repent him of his sinne were it not by some admonition of Gods calling The wastefull sonne said Surgam ibo ad patrem meum I will rise and go to my Father Aug. Epistola 106. Quam cogitationem bonam quando haberet nisi ipsam illi in occulto pater misericordissimus inspirasset Whiche good thought when should he haue had vnlesse his most merciful Father had inspired it into him As many as sinne seuer them selues and straie from God and sure we are it can not be false that trewth said Nemo venit ad me nisi fuerit ei datum à patre meo Ioan. 6. no man cōmeth to me vnlesse it be geuē him of my Father What thing so euer man thinketh heareth or seeth whereby he is moued to good that motion commeth of God. Visorum suasionibus agit Deus God worketh in vs De spiri Lit. Cap 34. 2. Cor. 3. saith S. Austine by persuasion of suche thinges as we see not only to will but also to beleue he worketh it either outwardely by exhortacions of the gospel or inwardly For that no man can chuse what shal come into his mind The Churches sound doctrine of Gods grace De spirit Lit. Cap. 7. but it is in his owne wil to consent or disagree Without this helpe of grace no man is able so much as to thinke any thing that maie please God. As this commendacion of grace is plainely sette forth in the Scriptures so hath it ben in all ages faithfully tought by the Church Bicause as S. Augustine saith Hac cogitatio sancta c. This holy thinking keepeth the children of men vnder the defence of Goddes winges this thought bringeth no pride The Church commendeth good workes but it setteth grace before them Concil Arausi cap. 8. saying Debetur merces c. Rewarde is due to good workes if they be done but grace that is not due goeth before that they maie be done It teacheth that mannes Iustificacion is the effecte of grace Per ipsam gratiam iustificatur De spiri et lit c. 10. c. By grace man is iustified freely that is to saie no merites of his workes going before Otherwise grace is not grace It teacheth that no man dothe good workes before he haue receiued grace thereby to deserue Gods grace but that God geueth his grace first whereby man doth good workes afterwarde whiche thing S. Augustine declareth by two apte similitudes Non vt ferueat Li. 1. ad Simplicia Quaest. 2. calefacit ignis The fier doth not heate to be made hote it selfe but bicause it is hote Neither doth the whele runne well thereby to be made rounde but bicause it is rounde Euen so no man worketh well that he maie thereby receiue grace but bicause he hath receiued it For how can he liue iustely that is not iustified but grace doth iustifie that a iustified man maie liue iustely And further to shewe how necessary Gods helpe and grace is to euerie man and at all times the Church teacheth that God doth not giue his grace onely once and then leaue man to him selfe Aug. Epistola 106. de Cōcil Palest but assisteth
God make it easie and light especially bicause we are fure to escape the heauie and punishing hand of God. For so S. Paul saith Si nos ipsos diiudicaremus non vtique iudicaremur 1. Cor. 11. If we would iudge that is to say punish our selues we shoulde not be iudged Thus haue I shewed that suche as fall after Baptisme into greate and deadly sinne are restored againe and iustified by penance whiche hath that vertue by the woorde and promise of Christe Ioani 20. I haue also declared howe a sinner is brought vnto true penance And further I haue shewed the difference betweene penance that is required of suche as being of age come to be christened and of such as fal after Baptisme wherin it hath ben proued that sinners after Baptisme are restored again to the estate of iustice Theodor. sup Paul. 2. Cor. 7. by doing the worthie fruits of penance and not by Faith onely And seing that al Christian men now liuing were baptised in their infancie This is the Iustification that we ought specially to loke vnto by knowledge to learne and to practise by dede As for the Iustification of faith alone how so euer it serue for suche as are to be christened In the viij Chap. of the secōd booke whereof I shall speake hereafter it serueth not for vs that are christened alreadie Of the increase and perfiting of our Iustification wherein it is truely said that we be iustified by good workes and not by faith onely THE XII CHAP. IT is not inough for the obteining of lyfe euerlastinge that sinners be iustified and made of wicked righteouse Psal 83. Tit. 2. vnlesse they continue also and increase in iustice goe from vertue to vertue and liue soberly iustly and godly For as S. Cyprian saith Parum est adipisci aliquid potuisse Cyprian li. 1. ep 5. It is a small matter to be able to get a thing It is more to be able to kepe that is once gotten as in faith it selfe and the healthfull byrth it is not the receiuing but the keping of it that geaueth lyfe neither is it by and by the attaining but the perfiting that preserueth a man to God. This our Lorde taught by his owne instruction Ioan. 5. when he saied Lo thou art made a whole man nowe sinne not least some worse happe fall vnto thee Christe gaue him selfe for vs saieth S. Paule to the intent he might redeeme vs from all iniquity Tit. 2. 2. Cor 6. and cleanse vnto him selfe a singular and special people a folower of good workes If this effect folowe not in vaine hath Christe geauen him selfe to death for vs in vaine doe we receiue his grace and Iustification And not onely in vaine but to our great daunger and peril 2. Pet. 2. Luc. 11. Augustin epist 106. Better were it for them saith S. Peter neuer to haue knowē the way of iustice then after the knowlege of it to turne backe againe from the holy cōmandement that was deliuered vnto them He that is iustified is ryd of the vncleane spirite and his harte lyke to the swepte house But if the same stande emptie not inhabited by the holy Ghost nor filled with the fruites of iustice the vncleane spirite doth not onely returne agayne but also bringeth with him seuen other worse then him selfe who entre and dwel there and the later doinges of that man becomme worse then the firste were For as to him that hath Math. 25. there shal be geuen and he shall haue aboundance so from him that hath not euen that he seemeth to haue shal be taken awaye To haue the gyftes of God is to vse them as Theophilacte writeth vpon that place Theophil in ca. 25. Math. Math. 28 And he vseth Goddes grace that doth good workes to the which ende grace is geuen Christe sente his Apostles to christen all Nations and to teache them to keepe all that he had commaunded them He woulde not onely haue a people to knowe him Luc. 1. Ioan. 15. but such a people as shoulde serue him in holynes and iustice He saith to his Apostles Ego elegi vos posui vos vt eatis fructum plurimum afferatis fructus vester maneat I haue chosen you and placed you to thintent you should go and bring forth fruite and to thintent your fruit should remaine And in the same chaptre he saith in hoc glorificatus est pater Ioan. 15. vt fructū plurimū afferatis efficiamini mei Discipuli Hereby is my Father glorified that you may bring forth much fruit and be made my scholers geuing vs to vnderstande that they be Christes scholers that shew the fruite of his teaching and that God is glorified not onely in our calling but also in the fruite that commeth of our calling For this cause the Scripture saieth to such as are already called to the state of iustice Apoca. 22 Eccle. 18. Math. 5. Qui iustus est iustificetur adhuc Let him that is iuste be iustified yet And also Let nothing let thee from continuall prayer and let nothing forbid thee to be iustified vnto thy death for Goddes rewarde abydeth for euer Blessed are they that hunger and thyrst after iustice saieth our Sauiour Apertissimè nos instituens c. Most euidently teaching vs Beda in solen om Sancto that we should neuer thinke our selues iuste inough but euer more loue and desire a daylie increase of iustice For true it is that Leo saieth Quantumlibet quisque iustificatus sit Leo ser 8. de Passio Aug. ser 15. de verb. Apo. Why increase of Iustice is called Iustificatiō c. Be a man neuer so much iustified yet while he is in this life he may be better and more tryed but he that increaseth not decayeth and goeth backewarde and he that getteth nothing loseth somewhat And bicause as in al artes vse maketh the artificer more skilful then he was so the continuance and practise of iustice maketh a good man readyer and more able to do well and thereby iuster then he was the Scripture calleth it Iustificatiō that is to say an increase of iustice and declareth in sundry places howe the same is obteyned S. Iames saieth Iacob 2. videtis quòd ex operibus c. You see that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith onely And he that saieth Eccles 18. lette nothing staye thee from continuall prayer nor forbid thee to be iustified to thy death teacheth that prayer is a meane to iustifie whiche Chrysostome expresseth in more playne woordes Chrysost Tom 5. de orand saying vtiampiam ac cultu Dei dignam miris modis oratio conciliat conciliatam auget Prayer doth meruelously winne and gette a good life and increaseth it when it is a gotten Christ him selfe calleth prayer fasting and asmosedeede our iustice and sure we are that he is iuste who doth iustice Math. 6. 1. Ioan.
3. And so muche the iuster the more iustice he doth By the same rule Leo speaking of almose saieth Leo. ser 3. de ieiun mensis 7. Leo ser 8. de ieiu men 10. Iacob 2. Gen. 22. Hoc pio impendatur operi c. Let that be bestowed vpon godlie woorke that can iustifie the harte and wasshe the conscience And in an other place Goddes will is saieth he to iustifie the poore by patiente suffring of labour and trauaile and the riche by the woorke of charitie Abraham was iustified by woorkes offering vp his sonne by woorkes I say of obedience bicause he obeyed the voice and commaundement of God. The Scripture saith of Moyses In fide lenitate ipsius sanctum fecit illum God made him holy by faith and mildenes S. Bernarde saith as much of humilitie Bernard ser 1. in die natal Sectamini illam quae sola potest saluare animas vestras folow her which alone is able to saue your soules Finally Leo ser 6 de Quadrages al good workes done in faith bring with them a Iustification Quia hac quaeper se sunt vilia fides efficit pretiosa quae ab infidelibus ministrantur etsi fuerint sumptu magna omni tamen iustificatione sunt vacua faith maketh those thinges pretiouse which of them selues be litle worth And such as are done by infideles though in coste they be great yet be they voide of al Iustification If the workes of infideles be voide of Iustification bicause they be done without faith then Christian mennes woorkes done in faith may iustifie By these places of the Scripture and auncieÌ„t Fathers it is proued that good works done in faith iustifie the doers And bicause no man can doo such workes vnlesse he be him selfe a good man Sequuntur enim iustificatum Aug de fide ope ca. 14. noÌ„ pracedunt iustificandum for they follow him that is made iust they go not before him that is to be iustified we must coÌ„fesse that beside the Iustification of the wicked whereby a synner of vngodly is made righteouse â—om 4. there is an other degree of iustice which both the Scripture and Fathers as I haue shewed call Iustification that is an increase of iustice whereby a iuste man is made iuster Whiche to make the thing more playne The secoÌ„d Iustification I cal the seconde kynde or degree of Iustification bicause it commeth after the Iustification of a sinner whiche is the firste degree of iustice And this kinde of Iustification whiche is an increase of iustice Lib. 2. coÌ„tra â—ulta supra ca. Oecom in c. 2. Iaco. is obteyned and gotten by godly life by fighting with vice saieth S. Augustine by workes of faith without the whiche after baptisme faith auayleth not but maketh vs also gyltie of greater sinne receyuing the talente and bringing no gayne of it By this meane it is truely said that a wicked man is iustified that is reconciled to God by grace through faith hope charitie penaunce and the Sacramente of Baptisme without anye woorkes of merite goyng before And truely is it saied also that suche as be already iuste may be yet iustified that is increased in iustice by good workes So is it true that faith without workes iustifieth and true also that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith onely the one being meant of man not yet baptised the other of suche as are baptised or christened And further woorkes of faith doo not onely increase a good mannes iustice in this life but also procure vnto the dooers life euerlasting Rom. 6. Whiche S. Paule calleth our ende And S. Augustine the perfiting of iustice Ser. 61. de ver De. et ep 106. saying Complebitur spes nostra our hope shal be fully accomplished in the laste resurrection of the deade and when our hope shal be fulfilled then shal our Iustification be fully accomplisshed And bicause our iustice be it neuer so well begonne and continued here yet before that time is neuer perfect and without that ende auaileth not I call that with S. Augustine the perfiting of our Iustification or the thirde degree and ende of our iustice To the which the Scriptures plainely declare that we must comme by workes of faith Rom. 2. Psal 61. Reddet vnicuique secundùm opera eius God shall render vnto euery man according to his workes What thinges a man soweth Gala. 6. the same shall he reape for he that soweth in flesh of flesh shall reape corruption But he that soweth in spirite of spirite shall reape euerlasting life Our sowing is our workes of which if they be ill we shall reape damnation if they be good we shall receiue life eternall And bicause it is said in sundrie places of the Scripture 2. Tim. 4. Epist 105. lib de gra libe arbi ca. 8. 9. that God will render life euerlasting to good workes and that as a iuste iudge we gather with S. Augustine that life euerlasting is the rewarde of good workes whereof I shall haue occasion to say more when I come to speake of that matter Lib. 2 cap. 13. In the meane time we see that as a man is called to the state of iustice by faith without workes which is Iustification so can he neither be increaced nor perfited in iustice but by faith and good workes which is also called Where is then faith alone Iustification So can he neither comme to the beginning but by faith hope and charitie as hath ben shewed neither to the middle nor th' ende but by faith and good workes ioined together And this difference marked and rightely applied doth not only geue light to sundrie Scriptures seeming otherwise darcke but also taketh away the difference imagined In the 10. chap. of the 2. booke to be betwene S. Paule and S. Iames S. Peter and S. Iohn concerning the doctrine of Iustification whereof I shall speake more largely in an other place VVhat good workes be and howe they be called ours THE XIII CHAPTER Three kindes of vvorkes in Scripture THE greate commendation and price which the Scripture geueth to good workes moueth me briefly to declare what workes they are that we call good where with God is so highly pleased We finde in the Scriptures three kindes of workes named Gala. 5. whereof some are called workes of the flesh other the workes of the lawe Ioan. 6. Gala. 5. The third kinde the workes of God and the fruites of the holy Ghost The workes of the flesh are fornication vncleanes vnchast life and other like the doers whereof shall not enioie the kingdome of God. Gala. 5. The workes of the lawe be such as a man doth by him selfe presuming of his owne power and strength without the helpe of God Aug. ser 15. de ver Apost Philip. 3. by commandement of the lawe for feare of punishement and not for loue of iustice Of which S. Paule
men are workers together and helpers with God. To these we geeue commendation and that none otherwise then the holy Scriptures and auncient Fathers doo The Catholike doctrine slaūdered And hereby the Reader maie see how vntrewly it is saide that the Catholike Doctrine teacheth men to presume of their owne workes or to thinke they be able to doo well without the grace of God yea howe farre they are that so saie from knowing what good and godly workes are A briefe rehersall of so much as hath ben hitherto saide in this Treatie of Iustification THE XIIII CHAPTER IN the Preface of this treatie after that I had shewed howe profitable and necessary the trewe knowledge and doctrine of Iustification was I did by the wordes of S. Augustine put the Reader in minde of two great daungers In Psal 31. which that most learned and godly Father calleth hedlong falles sayinge that who so speaketh of this matter vnlesse he keepe the streight high waie going neither to farre on the righte hande nor on the lefte may easily fall him selfe or bringe his hearer into one of them The one perill is the presumption of mans owne iustice to thinke that he maie be iustified and liue godly without the helpe of grace which danger he saith is as it were on the right hande The other perill is the presumption vppon Gods mercy to thinke that a man though he liue ill dooing no good workes yet shal be saued by faith that peril he saith is as it were on the lefte hande To shewe the good Christian Reader who desireth to go the streight way howe he may auoide bothe daungers the falling into either whereof is the losse of life euerlasting I haue taken this trauaile in hande wherein I trust I haue nowe saide inough to keepe him from the daungerouse fall on the righte hande hauing declared at large howe litle cause man hath to presume of his owne iustice who descending of the corrupte race of Adam borne in sinne and in daunger of the diuell hath no hope to aspire to the state of iustice whiche Adam loste to him selfe 1. Timo. 2. and for all vs but onely by mercie of the mediatour of God and menne the man Iesus Christe who gaue him selfe a raunsome for all by whose grace we are freely iustified Rom. 3. Ephes 2. without respecte of any good woorkes going before or deseruing that mercy at his handes I haue shewed that the chiefe and original cause of our Iustification was the exceding loue of God Ephes 2. who when we were deade in sinne gaue vs life againe in Christe The cause that procured vnto vs the benefite of our Iustificatiō to be the merit of Christs death Rom. 6. who died for vs when we were sinners Colos 1. pacifiyng by the bloud of his Crosse all that is in heauen or in earth I haue declared that our Iustification is wrought in vs by grace and atteined by faith through the feare of God hope charitie penance and the Sacrament of Baptisme And this much haue I said of the first degree of our Iustification Ro. 5. whereby we haue accesse to comme to this grace making with the Scripture and aunciente Fathers for plainer vnderstanding three degrees of our Iustification and saluation The seconde and thirde degrees of our Iustification whiche are increase of iustice in this life and perfiting thereof in the life to comme I haue proued to be gotten and obteined by faith and good workes I haue also declared that not only faith the feare of God hope charity and penance but also our good workes and all thinges any waie helping to our Iustification be the giftes of God and made ours by the assent and working of our free will which is first healed and made strong by grace and the speciall helpe of God. And bicause no man liueth without sinne and fewe without greate and mortall crimes whereby the grace of Iustification is loste I haue shewed that the waie to recouer it againe is by the Sacrament of penance which is also the gifte of God for that he moueth a sinner to change and amende his life Math. 3. and to doo the worthy fruites of penance without the whiche motion no man euer did profitable penance And thus haue I proued that all Iustification in euery māner commeth from God and is receiued and wrought in man through grace 1. Cor. 3. by his owne will and consent whom it hath pleased God to haue a worker together with him not empeyring thereby but muche auancing his owne glorie for that he is meruelouse Psal 67. not onely in him selfe but also in his holie Rom. 3. And so haue I truely and faithfully excluded al boasting of man in him selfe geuing glory to God. For I haue so set forth the free wil of man and commended good workes that the indifferent Reader may truly say Omnia ex Deo. 2. Cor. 5. All is of God to th ende that who so vanteth and boasteth 1. Cor. 1. may vante and boaste in God. THE SECOND BOOKE DECLARING THE SECOND DANGER Howe daungerouse it is for a man to presume only vpon Gods mercy and to doo no good workes THE I. CHAPTER August in prafatio Psalm 31. HAVING thus shewed the waye to auoyde the one daunger whiche is on the righte hande and playnely declared that no man is iustified by him selfe nor hath to presume of him selfe bicause it auayleth a man nothing to eschewe one peril and to perishe by an other contrarie to it that is as the Poete saieth to escape Charibdys and be drowned in Sylla Augu. de fid et operib c. 14. Iam illud videamus c. Let vs nowe consider that other pointe whiche muste be shaken owt of good and religiouse hartes leaste putting cocke in the hoope by an yll securitie and carelesnes they lose their saluation if they thinke faithe onely fufficiente to obteyne it and take no care to holde them selues in Gods waye by doing good woorkes By whiche woordes S. Augustine moneth vs to auoide the other daunger on the lefte hande of presuming in Gods mercy alone Willing no man to thinke he may be saued by faith and beleeuing onely if hauing tyme thereunto he neyther lyue godly nor doo good woorkes And this perill is so muche the more to be wayed and carefully to be eschewed bicause as he saieth in the same woorke that is the moste daungerouse opinion of all August de fid opeca 27. whereby menne are made beleeue that lyue they neuer so lewdely and shamefully yea and continue in that kinde of lyfe yet if they doo no more but beleeue in Christe and receyue his Sacramentes they shall come to euerlasting life I cal this with S. Augustine the moste daungerouse opinion of al bicause it is the greateste enemy of godly life and good woorkes without the whiche no man shal be saued For he that putteth affiance in good life and
can not worke our Iustification without charitie and other vertues howe is it then saied that the iustice of God commeth through faith of Iesus Christ into al and vppon al that beleue in him And in an other place By Faith God iustifieth the gentile What is meant by these wordes of Christ He that beleueth in me hath life euerlasting Thy Faith hath saued thee with many other like Wherevnto I answere There be two causes why it is saied through faith Tvvo Causes vvhy faith is saied to iustifie and by faith we are iustified To beginne with the first Faith is the beginning of iustice the roote of good workes the foundation wherevppon godly life is builded Aug. de praedesti Sanct. c. 7. Ex fide aūt ideo dicit iustificari hominem For this cause S. Paule saith a man is iustified by Faith not by workes for that Faith is first geuen whereby other which properly are called good workes by the whiche men liue iustely maie be obteined Without the direction of Faith no man can liue well nor doo good workes Aug. de fide operib cap. 7. Nisi praecedat fides vita bona sequi non poterit c. vnlesse Faith goo before good life can not folowe for what so euer a man shall doo with shewe of well doing excepte it be done for pietie and duties sake towarde God Cyril in Ioan. li. 4. cap. 9. 1. Cor. 3. Augu. de fide operib c. 16 it can not be called righteouse nor good Ianua via in vitam fides est Faithe is the gate and waie to entre into life Faith is the foundation whereuppon the whole building of a Christian and godlie life is laide Si autem Christus proculdubio fides Christi c. If Christe be the foundation vndoubtedly the Faith in Christ is the foundation for by Faith Christ dwelleth in our hartes For that cause the Bishoppes assembled at Magunce to reforme the state of the Churche and to directe the people to a Christian and godly life Concil Magun cap. 1. Rom. 5. Ephes 3. saide Initium actionis nostrae de fide esse decreuimus c. We haue determined that the beginning of our doing is of Faith whiche is the foundation of all good for without Faith we can not please God. By Faith it is that we haue accesse to Christ Faith is a meane to obteine and gette our Iustification Aug. de Spiri et Lit. ca. 29 Iustificatio autem ex fide impetratur c. Iustification is obteined by Faith. And by what meane S. Augustine doth there expresse Per fidem impetratio gratiae contra peccatum Aug. de Spiri Lit. ca. 30. Per gratiam sanatio animae à vitio peccati By Faith grace is obteined against sinne and by grace the sowle is healed of that is amisse by sinne Bicause therfore Faith is the gate and entrie to life the roote of good workes whereof all iustice taketh his beginning the foundation whereupon godly life is builded the meane to obteine Iustificatiō and good workes without the which nothing pleaseth God the Scripture saith that by Faithe a man is iustified for of Faithe it maie be saide Haec porta Domini iusti intrabunt in eam Psal 117. This is our Lordes gate the iuste shal entre into it And here the Reader must be aduertised The Catholike Faith. Vincentius Lyrinēsis that by faith is vnderstanded the trewe Catholique faith whiche holdeth and beleueth onely that that the Catholique Churche hath holden from Auncient time vniuersally And what so euer it shall vnderstande to be brought in afterwarde of any one beside or against all the holy it accompteth that not to perteine to religion but to temptation To this Faith is all promise made and preeminence geuen in the Scripture This faith is the foundation of iustice If any other be brought in contrarie or diuerse from this Nō est fides Cyril suprà sed perfidia It is not faith but falsehod not the foundation of iustice and gate of life but the waie to destruction Symbol Athan. Aug. Euchi cap. 1. De fide ope ca. 14. Epist 105. De spiri et Lit. cap. 32. Aug. de fide et oper c. 16. For we sing in the Creede Vnlesse a man holde the Catholique Faith sounde and inuiolable he shal without doubt be loste for euer An other cause why the Scripture so speaketh is that wheresoeuer it is said a man is iustified by faith there is not meant a bare naked or solitarie faith but that faith that worketh through Charitie And therefore S. Augustine where he saith that faith is the foundation wherby Christe dwelleth in our hartes immediatly after addeth these wordes Porrò fides Christi illa vtique c. But that is verely meant the faith of Christ which the Apostle determined that hath her working through Charitie Iaco. 2. Mar 1. Lucae 4. Matth. 8. For it is not the Faith of diuels though they also beleue and tremble and confesse Iesus to be the Sonne of God that may be taken for the foundation and why so but bicause it is not the Faith that worketh through Charitie but suche as is wroong owt through feare The Faith then of Christe the Faith of Christian grace that is to witte the Faith that hath her working through charitie if it be laied in the foundation suffreth none to perish by which wordes it appeareth that Faith maie be without charitie but suche a Faith can not make Christ to dwell in vs. Againe that Faith voide of charitie is not the Christians but the diuels Faith. Thirdely that the Faith of Christ the Christians Faith and the Faith of grace is that which worketh through Charitie and that is it that muste be laide for the foundation in al that shal not perish And seing that no man will saie that Faith can iustifie other then suche as is the faith of Christ the faith of grace the Christian and not the diuels faith it remaineth that when it is saied in the Scripture a man is iustified or saued by faith we must vnderstand that faith onely that worketh through Charitie Charitie maketh the difference betwene good men and wicked diuels Charitie is the cause why a Christian man may be iustified by faith Aug. Epistola 105. Iacob 2. Mar. 1. Lucae 4. Matth. 8. and the diuell maie not Illa quippe fides est Christianorum non daemoniorum That whiche worketh through Charitie is the Christian and not the diuels faithe for diuels also beleue and tremble but doo they likewise loue If they had no belefe they woulde not haue saied thou arte the Holie of God thou arte the Sonne of God had they loue they woulde not haue saied what haue we to doo with thee Other saith then this S. Augustine commendeth not as able to iustifie Illa est laudabilis fides August serm 13. de verb. Apostol ipsa est vera gratiae
Abraham Cypriae de Elemos S. Cyprian telleth Nam si Abraham credidit Deo. For if Abraham credited God and it was accompted to him for iustice doubtlesse he that according to Gods cōmandement geueth almes doth credit God and he that hath the trewe faith keepeth the feare of God. Thus haue I shewed that the Faith which was reputed vnto Abraham for iustice was that faith whereby he did credite vndoubtedly and obediently follow the wordes of God were they promises or were they commandementes as faithefull in the one as faithefull in the other By this Faith Abraham was made the Father of the beleuing by this faith Zacheus was made the childe of Abraham Gala. 3. by the same rule Qui ex fide sunt benedicentur cum fideli Abraham As many as be faithefull by this Faithe shal be blessed with the faithfull Abraham If all other Scriptures towching this matter were doubtefull and darke yet might the example of these two men so plainely set forth in both Testamentes suffice the meeke and godly Christian man trewely to vnderstande what apperteineth to Iustification That there is no contrarietie betwene S. Paule and S. Iames concerning the doctrine of Iustification and howe they are to be vnderstanded THE X. CHAP. BIcause S. Paule saieth Rom. 4. Iacob 2. Abraham was iustified by faith and not by workes And S. Iames writeth that Abraham was iustified by woorkes and not by Faithe onely some haue thought ther was a contradiction imploied in the wordes of the two Apostles but the holy Ghost who ruled bothe their pennes and is neuer contrary to him selfe meante one thing in them both and by them both vttered one trewth well agreing with it selfe For the plaine declaration whereof it is to be vnderstanded 1 Cor. 4. Aug. in Praefa Psal 31. that our Iustification is compared vnto a perfecte building or vnto a fruitefull tree For as in building there muste be a foundation to beare vp the house and the tree muste haue a roote owte of the whiche the leaues and fruite maie spring and yet it is to no purpose to laie a foundation if a man builde nothing vppon it neither is it inough in a fruitefull tree to haue the roote withowt branches leaues and fruite See the first Chap. of this treatie euen so is there in our Iustification as it were a foundation and roote and a perfecte building and fruit The foundation and roote is Faith whereby we haue accesse to God and be made of wicked rightuouse Rom. 5. Ephes 2. Gala. 5. when I say Faith I meane not Faithe alone but accumpanied with charitie as S. Paule doth The building vppe or fruite of our Iustification is the continuance increase and perfection of iustice whereby such as are once iustified be made more iuste and in the ende perfited in iustice that is to say saued Of al which I haue saied sufficientely before Of the roote and foundation which is the entrie and first degree of Christian iustice S. Paule speaketh Of thincrease and perfection S. Iames. Rom 4. Iaco. 2. Rom. 5. Ephes 2. S. Paule saith we are iustified by Faith declaring what he meaneth by Iustification Habemus accessum per fidem in gratiam istam We haue accesse and comming to this grace throughe Faith. And when he saithe through faithe he meaneth especially through grace and throughe mercie Ephes 2. whereby Faith is geuen Tit. 3. It was not for the workes of iustice that we did but through his mercy he saued vs. All men are borne sinners called when they be sinners by grace called by grace iustified and made of sinners rightuouse Before our Iustification In Praesa Psal 31. S. Augustine his wordes maie be saied to euery one of vs Attenduntur opera tua inuentuntur omnia mala Thy workes are loked on and they be founde all euill Rom 6. If God shoulde rendre vnto these workes that is due he should condemne thee For the wages of sinne is death So was neither Abraham nor any man iustified by workes Workes done vvithout Faithe Neither Abraham nor any other could deserue Iustification by his workes For workes done without Faith and before God geue his grace in some degree deserue not at Gods hand either grace or reward of life euerlasting And thus do wee see in what sense S. Paule saied Abrahā was iustified by faith and not by workes He was first called by mercie and by grace without anie deserte of his woorkes going before The like he saith generally of al men that by grace they are called Rom. 5. Ephes 2. and by faith haue accesse to God and be planted in Christe and so iustified by faith and not by woorkes But here let the Reader take hede that he deceiue not him selfe For as before the grace of God Of vvorks don vvith faith and after God hath geuē his grace 2. Timo. 3. Luc. 1. no man is able to doe any woorke good and profitable towarde the life euerlasting so as many as are called receiued to Gods fauour and iustified be made able and meete to doe all good woorkes And as God calleth al men without iustice and holines So doth he call them to serue him in iustice and holinesse And as he found al men of them selues without good workes so did he suffer Tit. 2. Galat. 5. Ioan. 3. 1. Cor. 3. to cleanse vnto him selfe a people that should folowe good woorkes And suche good woorkes being the fruites of the holie Ghoste woorkes of faith done in God God working in man and man working togeather with God through the bountiful and liberal promise of God are rewarded with increase of grace and iustice here and in the life to come with perfection of iustice that is life euerlasting Apoca. 22 Eccles 18. See the 12 Chapt. of the firste booke Iacob 2. And bicause the Scripture calleth increase of iustice Iustification S. Iames saith Abraham was iustified by workes that is to saie made more iust then he was strengthened and increased in iustice by woorkes In this sense he saith you see that a man is iustified by woorkes and not by faith onely And thus saith S. Paule truely a manne is called to iustice hath accesse to God and is made of wicked righteouse by faith deseruing it not by woorkes And S. Iames as truely saieth A man is iustified by woorkes that is a manne alreadie iuste is by woorkes made more iuste strengthened and increased in iustice Oecom in ca. Iaco. 2 There is faith saith Oecumenius that requireth no workes that goeth before Baptisme And there is faith that must be coupled with good woorkes and that is faith after Baptisme after whiche sense certaine of the Greeke Fathers saieth he vnderstoode S. Paule to speake of faith before Baptisme which bringeth a sinner to Chsist and iustifieth him without respect of any woorkes going before and S. Iames to speake of faith which is in a Christian man after Baptisme
Omnes mali Catholici c. Al euil Catholikes confesse Christ in wordes and deny him in deedes therfore be not ye as men carelesse bicause ye haue faith ioyne good life to right faith And to vnderstand the more plainly what iustice it is to haue faith without good workes let vs take the aduertisement of S. Augustine August de fid et ope cap. 26. Christ said Nisi abundauerit iustitia vestra c. Vnlesse your iustice be more abundant then is the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall not entre into the kingdom of God Iustitia eorum est dicere non facere c. Their iustice is to say and not to do and hereby he would haue our iustice surmount and be more abundant then theirs is both to say and to do If that be not there shal be no entrye into the kingdom of heauen The Phariseis iustice S. Augustine maketh this difference betwene the Pharisee and the good Christian man The Pharisee saith wel and doth it not he beleueth and worketh not the good Christian man doth both If it be true that the Scripture saith faith without workes is deade Iacob 2. August de fid et ope cap. 14. Rom 3. Rom. 11. In the 10. Chaptre Ambro. in cap. 3. ad Rom. Quousque fallūtur qui fide mortua sibi vitam perpetuam pollicentur How longe wil they be deceyued that promise them selues euerlasting life by a faith that is deade But here it may be said we are iustified freely and by grace And if it be by grace then is it not by workes otherwise grace is not grace I answere We are called to faith reconciled planted in Christe and so iustified by grace without respecte of anye woorkes going before as hath bene saied So saith S. Ambrose Iustificati sunt gratis c. Men are iustified freely bicause woorking nothing nor making no recompence they are iustified by faith alone through the gifte of God. He calleth the gifte of God our calling ad comming to faith and our Baptisme which as he saith in an other place Ambro. in cap. 11. ad Rom. August de spirit lit ca. 10. requireth not sighing or moorning or any woorke but onely a profession with the harte In the same sense saieth S. Augustine Per ipsam gratiam iustificatur gratis id est nullis suorum operum precedentibus meritis By grace is a synner iustified freely that is to saye no merites of his owne woorkes going before And note that he termeth his owne workes and workes going before What is to be iustified freely By his owne woorkes he vnderstandeth suche as a man dothe hym selfe without Goddes helpe He calleth suche woorkes going before as a heathen or synnefull man dothe before he hath receyued the grace of God withoute these woorkes Note S. Paule saieth a man is iustified freely and by grace that is to saye called to faith planted in Christe and made of wicked rightuouse But how is the iust man made more iuste and iustified yet for so must he be or els he loseth his iustice How is he saued Verely by grace and yet not without good workes for of them that haue receyued the faith and be iustified it is saied Reddet vnicuique secundùm opera sua Rom. 2. God shal render vnto euery man according to his workes Howe then doth S. Paule saye Gratia Dei vita aeterna Rom. 6. Obiection Ansvvere August de gratia lib. arbit cap. ◠Euerlasting life is the grace of God. Howe may these twoo stande together a man to be saued by grace and yet by good woorkes I answere with S. Augustine They stand well together Lyfe euerlasting is the grace of God and lyfe euerlasting is geuen as a rewarde to good woorkes bicause our good woorkes perteyne to the grace of God that is to say be the grace of God and so being saued by good woorkes we are saued by the grace of God the woordes of S. Augustine be these Aug. epist 105. Ipsa vita aeterna quae vtique in fine sine fine habebitur ideo meritis praecedentibus redditur tamen quia eadem merita quibus redditur non à nobis parata sunt per nostram sufficientiam sed in nobis facta per gratiam etiam ipsa gratia nuncupatur non ob aliud nisi quia gratis datur nec ideo meritis non datur sed quia data sunt ipsa merita quibus datur The very life euerlasting whiche in the ende shal be had without ende and therefore is rendered vnto merites Merites that go before yet bicause the same merites whereunto it is requited were not prepared of vs by our owne habilitie but made in vs by grace euen it selfe is called grace for none other respecte but bicause it is freely geuen And yet it is geuen to merites bicause the very merites them selues Ca. 1. 9 whereunto it is geuen were also geuen The like resolution he hath at large in his booke intituled of grace and free wil. So is it true concerning the entrye and beginning of our Iustification Rom. 3. that we are iustified freely by grace without any woorkes going before for our workes before grace coulde not be good Note Wel And in the continuance and perfyting of iustice whiche is life euerlasting we are also iustified and saued freely by grace and yet not without woorkes bicause our workes be not onely made good by grace but be also them selues the very grace of God. And here let the Reader learne of S. Ambrose and S. Augustine what it is truly to be iustified freely and by grace to the commendation of mercye whiche God geueth not to the derogation of good workes which God also geueth Wherefore if faithe withoute good woorkes can saue no man that hath tyme to doo them The iustification of faith alone as hath benne proued it is no where true as they meane it that faithe alone iustifieth It is not true in the entry of our Iustification and firste comming to Christe that faith alone without hope and charitie iustifieth If it were Iacob 2. Aug. Enchi cap. 8. 1. Cor. 13. then might the Diuel be iustified who beleeueth but neyther hopeth nor loueth then shoulde this Scripture be false If I haue all faithe and haue no charitie I am nothing It is not true in the continuance and increase of our iustice that faith may serue without good workes Math. 7. Ioan. 13. Rom. 2. Math. 25. Rom. 2. for if it mighte then were all the Scriptures false whiche a lytle before I alleaged It shall not be in the perfyting of our iustice and saluation that faith alone may saue for then shoulde it be false that God shall render vnto euerie man according to his woorkes then were the sentence that God shall geeue false wherein he shall saye Matt. 25. Come vnto me you blessed of my Father receyue the kingdome prepared for
dialo cont Pelagia But as no man is iuste in comparison of that excellent iustice of God of the Angelles and Sainctes so yet saith S. Augustine De spiri lit cap. 36. Dici potest quaedam iustitia minor huic vitae competens qua iustus ex fide viuit quamuis peregrinus à Domino It may be said that there is a lesser iustice meete for this life whereby the iust man liueth through faith though he be yet a Pilgrime from God. S. Basil expounding these wordes of the Psalme Iudica me Domine secundùm iustitiam meam Psal 7. Iudge me Lord according to my iustice saith Est quaedam Angelorum iustitia humanam trangressa c. Basil in Psal 7. Ibidem There is a iustice of Angels that passeth mannes iustice And if there be any power aboue Angelles it hath an excellencie of iustice answerable to his greatenes and there is the iustice of God him selfe that excedeth all vnderstanding of minde being vnspeakeable and incomprehensible to all mortall nature Iudge me therfore Lorde according to my iustice that is to say according to that iustice which men may atteine vnto Note and which is possible to suche as liue in flesh No thing can be more plainely spoken to proue both that there is a iustice in God and his Angelles which surmounteth mannes nature and also that there is a iustice that man may atteine vnto And so be all good mennes workes and theire iustice vnperfect if they be compared with God and his Angelles and yet perfite according to the estate and nature of man. It is said Diliges Dominum Deum tuum Matt. 22. ex toto corde c. Thou shalt loue thy Lorde God with all thy harte with all thy soule with all thy minde And yet saith S. Augustine De spirit lit cap. 36. Neque si esse non dum potest tanta dilectio c. If the loue of God can not yet be so greate as vnto that full and perfite knowlege of heauen is due it is not now to be taken for a faulte Note Reader he saith although mannes loue towarde God wante of that perfection that shal be in heauen yet it is not accompted a sinne nor faulte S. Paule speaking in his owne person Philip. 3. as he confesseth he wanted one of these perfections so doth he signifie that he was not without the other Non quòd iam acceperim aut iam perfectus sim Not that I haue already receiued it or am alreadie perfite c. And in the same place Quicunque ergo perfecti sumus hoc sentiamus As many of vs then as be perfite let vs be of this minde he saieth he was not perfite and yet that both him selfe and others were perfite which wordes S. Augustine expounding Aug. contra 2. epi. Pelagia li. 3. ca. 7. saith Si secundùm hominus mortalis capacitatem pro huius vitae modulo perfecti sumus ad ipsam perfectionem hoc qucque pertinere intelligamus vt Angelica illa quae in Christi manifestatione nobis erit iustitia nondum nos perfectos esse sapiamus If we be perfite after a mortall mannes capacitie according to the measure of this life let vs vnderstande this also to be one pointe of perfection not to thinke our selues perfite after that Angelicall iustice whiche we shall haue when Christe shall shewe him selfe And in an other place declaring the same wordes he saieth Perfecti Ser. 15. de verb. Apost non perfecti perfecti viatores nondum perfecti possessores vt noueritis quòd perfectos viatores dicat qui iam in via ambulant perfecti viatores sunt We be perfite and not perfite perfite waifarers not yet perfite possessours and to th'intente ye may knowe he calleth waifarers perfite they that nowe trauell by the way be perfite waifarers And here I may admonishe the Reader to consider with him selfe howe well such as nowe a daies do condemne all mannes good workes for imperfection doo agree first with S. Paule and then with S. Basill S. Augustine S. Hierome with others that I might here allege They say All our iustice and good workes can not helpe towarde the kingdome of heauen bicause they be vnperfite S. Paule saith As we lacke one perfection so haue we an other S. Basill saith we lacke suche iustice as is in God and Angelles but haue a iustice which mannes nature may atteine vnto and may be iudged thereby S. Augustine saith we may be perfite after the capacitie of mortall men and after the measure of this life though after that Angelicall iustice whiche we shall haue in heauen we be not nowe perfite he saith we be perfite as waifarers but not perfite as possessours bicause we be not yet in heauen They say bicause our loue is vnperfite it is sinne S. Augustine saith although it wante of the heauenly perfection yet it is neither accompted sinne nor faulte They say no good workes may stande and abide Goddes iudgement for that no man liuing shal be iustified in the sighte of God. S. Basill saith Lorde iudge me according to my iustice not like an Angell but like a man. S. Augustine and S. Hierome say It is not meant thereby that there is no iustice in man but that man may not be iudged after the rule of God who is without all sinne and that no man liuinge here shal be iustified in Goddes sighte that is to say founde iuste after suche perfecte iustice as is in heauen And thus may the Reader also perceiue that such as condemne all mannes good workes as vnperfite vnder coloure of an heauenly perfection go about to take away all perfection suche as may be in earth Note And bicause men in this worlde can not be Angelles they would not haue them so much as iuste men Matt. 5. And where Christe hath saied Estote vos perfecti Be you perfite they say no man is perfite Matt. 6. And where as he calleth fasting praier and almoes our iustice and promiseth rewarde to the same they say there is no iustice in vs that can deserue any such rewarde Rom. 2. If no good workes may stande in the iudgement of God how shall he in his laste and iuste iudgement render vnto euery man according to his workes Or howe is it true Opera illorum sequuntur illos Theire workes folowe them To what ende doo the good mennes workes folowe them if there be no rewarde for them And this much concerning the first parte of the obiection Iacob 3. To the second I say although it be true In multis offendimus omnes In many thinges doo we all offende bicause as S. Augustine saith Aug. contra Iulia. lib. 2. fight we neuer so manfullie against vice we are men yet God of his goodnes hath prouided a remedie the remedy I say of penance wherby suche as falle may rise againe and be restored to the estate of
hath chosen vnto him selfe Of the gifte of perseuerance THE XIII CHAPTER THE like maie be saied of the gifte of perserance wherof it is writen Matth. â—0 24. who so perseuereth vntil the ende he shall be saued the whiche thing can not be had from anie other then from him which is able to stay him that standeth that he maie continually stand and to set him vp againe that falleth No man maie promise him selfe any thing of certaintie with an absolute certaintie although all men ought to settle and repose a most sure hope in the helpe of God. For God excepte they do not their parte according to his grace as he hath begon a good woorke Philip. 1. so will he ende it woorking in them to will 1. Cor. 8. 1. Cor. 10. Philip. 2. and to make perfecte How be it let them that thinke them selues to stande take heede that they fall not And let them with feare and trembling woorke their saluation in labours in watchinges in almesdeedes in praiers and offeringes in fastinges and chastitie For knowing that they are regenerated in hope of glorie and not as yet in glorie they haue cause to misdoubt of the battaile whiche remaineth with the flesh with the worlde and with the diuel in the whiche battaile they can not be conquerers vnlesse with the grace of God they obey the Apostle Rom. 8. saying We be debters not to the flesh to liue according to the flesh for if you liue according to the flesh you shall die but if you shall mortifie the deedes of the fleshe by the spirite you shall liue Of them that are fallen and of their recouer THE XIIII CHAPTER NOW such as are through sinne fallen from the grace of Iustification whiche they had receiued maie be iustified againe if when God stirreth them to rise they will procure through the merite of Christe to recouer the grace loste by the Sacrament of Penance For this manner of Iustification is the recouering of him that is fallen whiche the holie Fathers aptly termed the second boord after shipwracke of grace lost For in deede for them that fal into sinnes after Baptisme Ioan. 20. Christ Iesus hath instituted the Sacrament of Penance when he saied Take ye the holie Ghoste whose sinnes ye forgeaue they are forgeauen them and whose ye reteine they are reteined Wherfore it is to be declared that the penance of a Christian man after his fall differreth verie much from that whiche is done before Baptisme and that in this penance is conteined not only a ceasing from sinnes and a detestation of them or a contrite and humbled hart but also a Sacramentall confession of the saied sinnes at the leste in purpose and to be made at time conuenient and the absolution of a Priest There is also conteined in this penance a satisfaction by fastinges almesdeedes praiers and other godlie exercises of spiritual life not for the paine euerlasting which is forgeauen either by the Sacrament or els by purposing of the Sacrament together with the offence but for the temporall paine the whiche as the holie Scriptures teache vs is not alwaies forgeauen wholly as it is in Baptisme to suche as being vnthankefull for the grace of God Ephes 4. whiche they haue receiued haue sorrowed the holie Ghost and haue not ben afraied to violate the temple of God. Of this penance it is writen be mindefull from whence thou art fallen Apocal. 2. 2. Cor. 7. Matth 3. Luca 3. do penance and do the former woorkes And againe That sorrowe whiche is according to God woorketh penance towardes a stable saluation And againe Do ye penance and do ye the woorthie frutes of penance That by euerie mortal sinne grace is lost but not Faithe THE XV. CHAP. AGainst the craftie wittes of certaine men whiche through swete talke and faire wordes do seduce the hartes of innocentes Rom. 16. it is to be holden that the grace of Iustification once receiued is lost not only by infidelitie by the whiche Faith it selfe is lost but also by any other mortal sinne although faith be not lost Herein do we defend the doctrine of Gods lawe which excludeth from the kingdome of God not onely Infidels but also the faithfull 1. Cor. 6. being fornicatours adulterrers wantonnes buggerers theeues couetouse drunkerdes euillspeakers extorcioners and al others which do commit mortal sinnes from the which they maie with the assistance of Gods grace absteine and for which they are seperated from the grace of Christ Of the fruicte of Iustification that is to saie of the merite of good woorkes and of the consideration of merite THE XVI CHAP. WHEN men therfore are by these meanes iustified whether they do continually keepe the grace once receiued or whether they do leese it and recouer it againe the wordes of the Apostle are to be set before them Abound ye in euerie good woorke Hebr. 10. knowing that your labour is not void in our Lord. For God is not vniust that he will forget your woorke and loue whiche ye haue shewed in his name And 1. Cor. 15. Leese not your affiance which hath a great reward And therefore to such as woorke well to the ende and hope in God we ought to set foorth life euerlasting both as a grace mercifully promised vnto the Sonnes of God through Christ Iesus and as a wages faithfully to be paied according to the promise of God him selfe to their good woorkes and merites For this is that crowne of Iustice whiche the Apostle saied 2. Tim. 4. was laied vp for him after his conflicte and running whiche he saied should be rendered vnto him by the iuste iudge And not onely to him but also to all them that loue the comming of Christe For seing that the selfe same Christe Iesus doth continually sende downe by influence into them that are iustified as the head into the members and as a vine into his branches a vertue the whiche vertue goeth before accompanieth and foloweth their good woorkes without the whiche their woorkes could not possibly be acceptable to God and meritorious we ought to beleeue that there lacketh nothing els in such as are iustified wherfore they maie not be thought by their good woorkes whiche are done in God to haue satisfied the lawe of God so muche as the state of this life requireth and truly to haue deserued life euerlasting which they shal enioy when the time cometh if so be that they depart out of this life in grace for so much as Christe our Sauiour saieth Ioan. 4. If any man shall drinke of this water which I shall geaue him he shall not thirst for euer but it shall be made in him a fountaine of water springing to life euerlasting And thus neither is our owne proper iustice so taken to be our owne as though it proceded from our owne selues neither is the Iustice of God either vnknowen or resused For that Iustice which is called ours bicause
euil Accursed be he THE EIGHTENTH CANON IF anie man saie that the commaundementes of God are impossible to be kept euen of a man that is iustified and in the state of grace Accursed be he THE NINETENTH CANON IF anie man saie that there is nothing commaunded in the Ghospel besides faith that al other thinges are indifferent neither commaunded nor yet forbidden but free or that the ten commaundementes do nothing apperteine to Christian men Accursed be he THE TWENTETH CANON IF any man saie that a man being iustified and neuer so perfecte is not bound to the keeping of the commaundementes of God and of the Churche but onely to beleeue as though the Gospell were a bare and absolute promise of life euerlasting without anie condicion of keeping the commaundementes Accursed be he THE XXI CANON IF anie man saie that Christe Iesus was geauen by God vnto men onely as a redeemer whome they should trust and not also as a lawe maker whome they should obeie Accursed be he THE XXII CANON IF anie man saie that a man being iustified either maie without the speciall helpe of God perseuere in the Iustice receiued or that with the saied helpe he can not perseuere Accursed be he THE XXIII CANON IF any man saie that a man being once iustified can sinne no more nor leese grace and therfore saie that he which falleth and sinneth was neuer truely iustified or contrariwise that he maie in all this life auoide al sinnes euen venial sinnes vnlesse it be by special priuilege of God as the Churche holdeth of the blessed Virgin Marie Accursed be he THE XXIIII CANON IF any man saie that iustice receiued is not conserued and also that it is not augmented before God by good woorkes but that the Woorkes them selues are the frutes onely and signes of Iustification already gotten and not a cause of the same to be augmented Accursed be he THE XXV CANON IF any man saie that the iust sinneth in euerie good woorke at the least venially or which is more intolerable mortally and therefore deserueth euerlasting damnation and that he is not damned for that onely bicause God doth not impute those woorkes to damnation Accursed be he THE XXVI CANON IF any man saie that the iust ought not for the good woorkes whiche haue ben done in God to looke and hope for the euerlasting reward from God through his mercie and the merite of Iesus Christ if they shal continue euen vntill the ende in well doing and in keeping the commaundementes of God Accursed be he THE XXVII CANON IF any man saie that there is no sinne mortall vnlesse it be the sinne of infidelitie or that grace once receiued is lost for none other sinne be it neuer so grieuous and enormeouse excepte it be by the sinne of infidelitie Accursed be he THE XXVIII CANON IF anie man saie that when grace is lost by sinne faith is alwaies lost withal or that faith which remaineth is not true faith although it be not liuelie faith or els that he which hath faith without charitie is not a Christian Accursed be he THE XXIX CANON IF anie man saie that he whiche hath fallen after Baptisme can not rise againe by the grace of God or that he maie rise againe but so that he recouer the iustice loste by onely faith without the Sacrament of penauncee as the holie Romaine and vniuersall Churche taught by Christ our Lord and his Apostles hath til this daie professed kept and taught Accursed be he THE XXX CANON IF anie man saie that after the grace of Iustification receiued the fault is so forgeauen to euerie penitent sinner and the gilt of the euerlasting paine taken away in such sorte that there remaineth no gilt of temporall paine to be paied either in this worlde or els in the worlde to come in purgatorie before the way may be set open to the kingdome of heauen Accursed be he THE XXXI CANON IF anie man saie that a man being iustified sinneth whiles he woorketh well in respecte of euerlasting rewarde Accursed be he THE XXXII CANON IF anie man saie that the good woorkes of a man instified are so the giftes of God that they are not also the good merites of him that is iustified or that he which is iustified doth not by good woorkes whiche are done by him by the grace of God and by the merite of Iesus Christe of whome he is a liuely member verely deserue increase of grace life euerlasting and the atteining of the same life euerlasting so that he departe out of this life in grace yea and the increase of glorie also Accursed be he THE XXXIII CANON IF anie man saie that this Catholike doctrine touching Iustification expressed by the holy Councel in this present Decree doth in any wise derogate from the glorie of God or from the merites of Iesus Christe our Lord and doth not rather sett foorth the truth of our faith and finally the glorie of God and of Christe Iesus Accursed be he AMEN A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS OF THE TREATIE OF IVSTIFICAtion Wherein the Argumentes and the principal matters of the whole Treatie are conteined In the First Booke Chap. 1 VVhat is meant by the worde of Iustification And what degrees perfect Iustification and saluation hath in it Fol. 1. a. Chap. 2 VVhat is meant by the name of Faith and howe many kindes of Faith there be Fol. 3. a. Chap. 3 VVherin the controuersy of Iustification resteth and what is the readiest waie to know how the same is wrought in vs. Fol. 6. a. Chap. 4 VVhat was lost in Adam by sinne and what is restored by Christe in our Iustification And in what thinges our Iustification standeth Fol. 6. b. Chap. 5 Of the Causes of our Iustification Fol. 10. b. Chap. 6 That the Sacramente of Baptisme is the instrumente and meane whereby God iustifieth vs. Fol. 11. b. Chap. 7 Of Iustification of Infantes by the Sacrament of Baptisme Fol. 12. a. Chap. 8 Of the Iustification of suche as were christened being of perfect age and what was required of them Fol. 13. b. Chap. 9 That our Iustification and the vertues wherby we receiue it be the giftes of God and come of Grace Fol. 15. b. Cha. 10 That man hath free will whiche being holpen by grace Chap. 10 worketh in our Iustification and what it worketh Fol. 18. a. Cha. 11 That such as fal into sinne after Baptisme be iustified by penance Chap. 11 againe and what penance is required of them fol. 22. a. Cha. 12 Of the increase and perfiting of our Iustification wherein Chap. 12 it is truely said that we be iustified by good workes and not by faith onely Fol. 26. b. Cha. 13 VVhat good workes be and how they be called ours 29. b Chap. 13 Cha. 14 A brief rehearsal of so muche as hath ben hitherto saied in Chap. 14 the Treatie of Iustification Fol. 31. b. In the Second Booke Chap. 1 How dangerouse it is for a man to presume onely vppon
Gods mercy and to doe no good workes Fol. 33. b. Chap. 2 VVhence the opinion came that onely Faith iustifieth And of diuers kindes of mainteining the same Fol. 34. b. Chap. 3 That Faith excludeth not Charity in our Iustification 36. a Chap. 4 An Aunswere to Obiections that be made to proue that Faith alone iustifieth without Charitie Fol. 40. a. Chap. 5 That Faith excludeth not Hope in the acte of our Iustification Fol. 41. b. Chap. 6 That Faith excludeth not the working of Sacramentes in our Iustification Fol. 43. b. Chap. 7 VVhat is the true meaning of these woordes in the Scripture VVe are iustified by Faith or saued by Faith. Fol. 47. a. Chap. 8 That S. Paule teacheth not Iustification by onely Faith excluding Charitie And in what sense the Fathers sometime saie Faith alone iustifieth Fol. 51. a. Chap. 9 How Abraham was iustified VVhat his Faith was and who be the true children of Abraham Fol. 56. a. Cha. 10 That there is no contrarietie betwene S. Paul and S. Iames concerning the Doctrine of Iustification Fol. 60. a. Cha. 11 That Faith alone without good workes saueth not And what it is to be iustified freely by Grace Fol. 62. b. Cha. 12 VVhat they were who in sundrie ages haue taught that men should be saued without good vvorkes Fol. 65. b. Cha. 13 The cause why good works are don and that they are rewarded in this life with increase of grace and in the world to come with life euerlasting and why thei be so rewarded 67. a Cha. 14 An Answere to certaine Obiections made against the reward of good workes Fol. 72. a. Cha. 15 VVhat assurance of his Iustification and saluation a Christian man may haue in this life Fol. 75. b. Cha. 16 Of the fruites and ende of our Iustification and what strength in wel doing God geueth thereby where it is truely receiued and effectually put in vre and the waie to come to it Fol. 80. a. FINIS CERTAINE TREATIES OF THE AVNCIENT HOLY FATHERS TOVCHING THE DOCTRINE OF good woorkes Namely A Treatie of S. Augustine whiche he Intituled Of Faith and VVorkes Item a Sermon of S. Chrysostome of Praying vnto God. Item a Sermon of S. Basil of Fasting Item certaine Sermons of S. Leo the Great of the same matter Last of al a notable Sermon of S. Cyprian of Almes dedes Al newly translated into English by Thomas Coppley esquier Tobia 12. Bona est Oratio cum Ieiunio Eleemosyna magis quà m Thesauros auri recondere Quoniam Eleemosyna à morte liberat ipsa est quae purgat peccata facit inuenire vitam aeternam Prayer is good with Fasting and Almes better then to hide vppe treasures of golde For Almes deliuereth from death and shee it is which purgeth sinnes and maketh to finde life euerlasting LOVANII Apud Ioannem Foulerum Anno. 1569. CVM PRIVILEGIO The Translatour to the Reader THE loue that naturally men beare to peace and quiet is so great that there can fall no controuersie emong such as be of the better sorte but they seeke meanes euer to compounde and pacifie it Either they referre the decision of it to the Iudge ordinarie of the lawe or if they mistruste th' execution thereof either bicause the iudge doth not fullie vnderstande the matter or els for that they thinke him partiall of either side they seeke the arbitrement and sentence of some good man whome they thinke bothe to vnderstande perfitely right and iustice and take him to be affectionate of neither parte In which doing they flee not from the lawe but seeke the true and right vnderstanding thereof without affection at his handes I considering this order Christian Reader and moued with the Charitie that should binde vs all 2. Cor. 5. waying with my selfe the great controuersie that hath benne in this age about sundrie pointes of Religion namely in the article of our Iustification seing also that the matter tendeth not to the losse of patrimonie or landes but to the plaine disherison of life euerlasting and that emong vs who all professe to be the children of peace I haue bene desirouse to propounde some meane of Pacification And bicause I see the trauaile that sundrie men haue taken as it were pleading in this cause hath not ended the controuersie either bicause the doers were thoughte to be parties of the one side and thereby affectionat either bicause being borne in this age and liuing in the time of the controuersie they had not the autoritie and credite of Iudges I haue thought good to moue all such as finde in them selues either controuersie or doubt concerning that matter to putte their owne opinion in arbitrement and compromisse Not calling them hereby from the holy Scriptures which as a Soueraine lawe the diuine wisedome hath lefte vnto vs but leading them to the true vnderstanding of the holy Scriptures vttered by such as God hath placed in his Churche Ephe. 4. Danie 12. to be Pastor us and teachers to instructe manie to rightuousnes I offer for Arbitrators not men of this age such as may be thought any waie partiall or suspected but such as in all mens iudgementes and for all respectes be or should be without exception For the principall pointe of Iustification I offer S. Augustine a reuerend and most lerned Bishop in the Catholike Churche not onely in high estimation in all Christian Regions emong all estates and degrees during his life but also for his excellent vertue worthely after his death taken for a Saincte and for his singuler learning and knowledge in holy Scriptures taken for one of the foure Doctours and that the principallest of the Latin Churche as one meete whome all learned menne should followe as a lanterne and light in decision of matters of greatest weight Who also in expounding of the holy Scriptures may be the more safely trusted for that he had in all his writinges a speciall care not to seeke his priuate and singular opinion in the vnderstanding of them Lib. Confess 12. cap. 25. as appereth by his owne woordes saying that God hath terribly geuen vs warning that wee should not drawe his truthe to our owne priuate construction leste wee were depriued of it Luther in Sermone Germa ad mulieres partus Infelicita afflictas Phi. Melanc in decla de S. Augustino Caluinus Institut cap. 18. And therefore hauing his opinion thou arte sure to haue the opinion of that moste learned age that he liued in Againe bicause that time framed vnto it selfe no newe doctrine thou knowest also by him what was the opinion of the Church before his time euen from the Apostles vnto his age And bicause he hath not ben contraried in that matter of any godly and learned before this oure age yea and in this our age is highly commended of suche as haue bene of greatest credite euen of the contrary side thou knowest by him what hath bene the opinion of the Churche in all times
mannes will is required to doe somewhat or not to doe it mannes free will is sufficiently prooued If I saied no more this place of S. Augustine mighte suffice For what man woulde not rather confesse free will then say either that God hath geuen his commaundementes in vayne or that so many Scriptures be voide and vntrue Mannes wil then is euer free from compulsion and necessitie Bernar. de gratia lib. arbit though it be not euer good Manet libertas voluntatis c. The wil remaineth free euen where the mind is captiue as full in the euil as in the good but more orderly in the good A woorse man and a greater enemie of Gods people is not found in the Scripture then Pharao And yet was not he without free wil saith S. Augustine Necideo auferatis c. De gratia li. arbi cap. 23. Take not away free wil so muche as from Pharao bicause in many places God saith I haue hardened Pharao or I haue or wil harden Pharao his heart for it foloweth not therefore that Pharao himselfe did not harden his owne heart For of him this is read also When the dogged flie was taken awaie from the Aegyptians the Scripture saith Pharao made his owne heart heauy If Pharao thē had free wil and that proued by the Scripture what man is without it Si nō est liberū arbitriū quo modo iudicat c. August epist 46. If there be no free wil how doth God iudge the worlde For if men doe nothing but by compulsion and force neither is it Iustice to punish their vices nor to reward their well doinges and vertues If there were no free will in sinners what came Christe to saue He came to saue sinners and no man sinneth but by his wil and therefore S. Bernard saieth De grat liber arbit Tolle liberum arbitrium non erit quod saluetur Take awaie free will and there shal be nothing to be saued And this much I haue said to lette the Reader vnderstand what inconueniences come by deniyng free wil which who so denyeth doth as we see denie in effecte Gods iustice and iudgement denie the fruicte of Christe his coming to saue vs denie a number of plaine Scriptures affirming it And sith mans free wil is as well his owne as his soule he would haue man without a soule Finally he maketh man that was created after the Image of God no better then an vnreasonable beast or vnsensible stocke The cause of their errour is that they can not or will not discerne and make a difference betweene a free wil and a wil strong and able of it selfe to doe good Al men be thei good or il haue free wil but he that hath wil without grace Aug. cont epist Pel. lib. 2. c. 5. is weake and vnable to doe well We doe not saie that free will was lost and perished out of mans nature by the sinne of Adam But we saie that in men subiect to the Diuel it is of force inough to sinne Marie to liue well and godly it is not strong inough vnles the wil of man be deliuered and made free by grace and holpen to all good in dede worde and thought If free wil then was not loste by the sinne of Adam as S. Augustine saieth it was neuer lost But as it was made weake and feeble by his sinne so is it by grace in our Baptisme Concil Arausic cap. 13. made whole and stronge againe The freedome of wil whiche in the first man was made weak can not be repaired but by the grace of baptisme That whiche was loste can not be restored but by him that could geue it Aug. De Ciuit. Dei li. 14. c. 11 Ioan. 8. Wherevppon trueth it selfe saith If the Sonne make you free then shal you be free in dede By this we see that as free wil by sinne was made weake and feble so was it neuer lost by sinne and was also made strong againe by our baptisme For strength in goodnes it was and not freedome of wil that Adam loste Thus doth the Churche teache vs to speake of free wil not to denie it but to acknowledge that without grace it is not able to do good That as by sin it was made weake so by grace in the Sacrament of Baptisme it is repaired That as many as by the Sonne of God are made free that is to saie strong and able to doe good as al good Christian men be are no longer bounde but truely and in dede free And hereby may the Reader iudge what ground they haue who contrary to the manifest Scriptures and authoritie of al auncient writers haue turned the terme of free wil vnto bond and thrall wil. Let al men concerning this point kepe the high waie Let no man goe to farre on the left hande and saie that there is no free wil Let no man turne to farre on the right hande and thinke that freewill without grace may suffise him to liue well Manicheus toke on the left hand Pelagius on the right But a Councel of Bishops assembled in Palestina against Pelagius kept the high waie geuing out this rule for him to folow August epist 106 Fateatur esse liberū arbitrium etiam si diuino indiget adiutorio Let him confesse that there is free will although it haue nede of Gods helpe And here note that albeit Pelagius did attribute to muche to free will and the Bishops contrarying him said that free wil without grace suffised not yet did they neuer saie man had no free will. Whereby we perceiue that it was euer a trueth receiued in the Churche that man had free wil and they would not pull downe one ttueth to set vp an other This Decree of theirs made in Asia was allowed by S. Augustine and the Bishops of Africa confirmed by Innocentius Zozimus and Bonifacius Popes with the Bishops of Europa and so is one of the thinges as S. Augustine saith there Quae semper tenet Catholica Ecclesia August epist 106. Whiche the Catholique Churche hath euer holden It remaineth now to shew what free wil whiche no man can with reason and trueth denie woorketh in our Iustification Which to resolue it is truely said First Bernard De grat liber arbit that free will is saued Nexte that free will once healed by Christe and holpen by his grace is stronge and able to doe all good and to worke togeather with Christe in our Iustification Rom. 8. As it is God that by his grace iustifieth so doth he iustifie no man but by his owne wil and consent S. Augustine saith Esse potest iustitia Dei sine volūtate tua The iustice of God may be without thy wil Serm. 15. de verb. Aposto in Psa 44 But in thee it can not be but by thy will he that hath made thee without thy selfe doth not iustifie thee without thy selfe He made
thee without thy knowledge he iustifieth thee by thy wil. And in an other place he saith further That Christes worke in our Iustification is our woorke That Christe woorketh it not without vs that we woorke togeather with Christ our owne Iustification and saluation Credenti in eum qui iustificat impium Tract 72. in Ioan. To the beleuer in him that iustifieth the wicked faith is accompted for iustice In this woorke we doe the woorke of Christe For the very beleefe in Christe is Christ his worke This he worketh in vs Philip. 2. but assuredly not without vs. And alleaging the place of S. Paule that willeth vs with feare and tremblinge to worke our owne saluation he saith Operante in se Christo By Christes working in man togeather with Christe man worketh his owne saluation euerlasting and Iustification Eusebius Emisse ho. 9. de Pasc And this God worketh in vs not onely to commend his mercie but also to shewe his iustice Iusto ordine qui per calliditatem Iust order requireth saith Eusebius that man who by the subtil crafte of the malitiouse serpent was not forced but seduced to his destruction should be againe by the wisedome of a louing redemer not compelled but lead to saluation and he that semed to haue fallen by his owne wil should be repaired againe by his owne will that there might be place for vertue and rewarde Therefore he pulleth him not awaie by force but rather by iust good will inuiteth and instructeth him to lyfe for the louing gentlenes of the prouoker longeth for the merite of the agreer and the fauour of the most curteouse Physition requireth the consent of his sicke patient What can be more plainely saied then this Man is iustified by his owne free will. He geueth his assente and agreement vnto it He getteth merite and rewarde by his assente This is the righte teaching of Christes Churche neither to derogate from Goddes grace nor to pull away mans seruice in our saluation The holy Ghost saith Philip. 2. it is God that worketh in you both to will and to doo The holie Ghost faith also in the same place with feare and trembling worke your owne saluation Non est volentis Rom. 9. neque currentis c. It is not in the willer nor in the runner but in God that taketh mercy And yet saith S. Augustine Enchiri cap. 32. Proculdubio si homo c. Without doubt if a man be of suche age that he is once able to vse reason he can not beleue hope nor loue vnlesse he will neither can he come to winne the price of the high callinge of God vnlesse he runne with his will. How is it then neither in the willer neither in the runner but in God that taketh mercy but after this sorte bicause the very wil it selfe as the Scripture saith is prepared by God By this order is our saluation wrought Neither God worketh it alone without man neither man without God can atteine to any degree thereof God firste prepareth the will and maketh it meete to serue him and the will directed and holpen by grace is able to doo all good And by this rule faith and workes saith S. Augustine are both the giftes of God and faith and workes are both the doinges of men Retract Li. 1. ca. 23 Vtrumque nostrum est propter arbitrium voluntatis vtrumque tamen datum per spiritum fidei charitatis vtrumque ipsius est quia ipse praeparat voluntatem vtrumque nostrum quia non fit nisi volentibus nobis Either of bothe is ours for free willes sake and yet either of bothe is geuen by the spirite of faith and charitie Either of bothe is his bicause he prepareth the wil and either of both is ours bicause it is not done but by our will. Psal 134. Though God by him selfe doo all that liketh him in heauen and in earth yet hath it pleased him to aduance man to that dignitie as to make him a worker together with him in his owne saluation 1. Cor. 3. Aug. in Psal 77. Non solùm operatur remissionem peccatorum The grace of God doth not onely worke remission of sinnes but also maketh the spirite of man a worker with him selfe in the doing of good workes Quando enim cum spiritu Dei operante c. For when with the working of Gods spirite the spirite of man worketh together then is that fufillled which God hath commaunded And by this doo we see what free will worketh in Iustification First it is saued deliuered and prepared by grace Then doth it ioine and worke together with God. It worketh the same thing that God worketh It beleueth It hopeth It loueth It runneth and getteth the price of the heauenly calling It fulfilleth the lawe God standeth at the dore knocking and it openeth God openeth the eare Aug. de spiri Lit. ca. 30. Apoca. 3. Esai 50. Ephes 2. 2. Cor. 5. and it doth not gainesaie him nor goeth backewarde God inspired good thoughtes and willingly it executeth them God prepareth good workes and it walketh in them It liueth not nowe vnto it selfe but Christe liueth in it and it liueth vnto him that died to saue it And thus farre haue I spoken of Iustification which is the reconciliation of a sinner whereby as S. Paule saith we haue accesse to God and of wicked are made rightuouse especially by grace through the Sacrament of Baptisme and other giftes of God before rehearsed without any workes of iustice going before to deserue the same That suche as fall into sinne after Baptisme be iustified by penance againe and what penance is required of them THE XI CHAP. IF such as haue receiued the Sacrament of Baptisme Of Penance and thereby remission of all sinne coulde keepe them selues in that happie estate of innocency and vprightnes there were no neede to say any more in this argument For al men that liue this day in Christian Regions were christened in their infancie and by their Baptisme made heires in hope of euerlasting life Tit. 3. But if there had ben none other prouision made for man but once to saie vnto him Ecce sanus factus es Lo thou arte made whole Ioan. 5. Cypria de elcemo Gen. 8. nowe sinne not leste some worse happe fall vnto the. We had ben driuen to a narowe straite neither coulde mannes frailety tel what to doo who being prone to ill euen from his youth was in daunger by sinne to lose Gods grace and then to stande without hope of remedie For this cause God hath prouided penance Chrysost Ho. 27. in Gen. Quam humano generi nostro ob ineffabilem misericordiam suam concessit Whiche throughe his vnspeakeable mercy saith Chrysostome he hath graunted vnto mankinde which benefite he accompteth so greate that in an other place he reckeneth it emong the most excellent giftes that euer God bestowed vppon man saying Chrysost Ho. 34.