and cheerefull minde in the same O happie is that man that so staieth him selfe in an assured trust of Gods mercie in Chricte that humblie and hartilie agniseth his faultes and offences that carefullie endeuoureth to walke in newnesse and holinesse of lâ—fe But O most vnhappy are those that wander in diffydence and distrust that thinke too well of them selues boasting vvith the Pharisees their actes and deedes that neglecte an honest and godlie life Vnto whome the Lorde wyll saie at the last daie I neuer knew you depart from me you workers of iniquity into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Deuill and his angels VVheras on the other side the true Christians shall heare that ioyfull speach VVell done thou good and faithfull seruant thou hast bene faithfull ouer few things I wyll make thee rular ouer many thinges enter thou into the ioye of thy Lorde Come ye blessed children of my father enherite the kingdome which is prepared for you from the beginning of the world Of the which two sortes of men to witte of false Christians in name and tittle onelie and of true Christians in worde and worke I haue writteÌ„ more largelie in this Treatise folowing VVhich I thought good to present vnto your vvorship moued thervnto for diuerse and sundrie causes First with the coÌ„mon and vniuersall reporte of that great wisedome and iustice wherewith God hath indewed you by the one discerning betweene right and wrong by the other putting the same in execution in your office and calling which is saide by Cicero to be the Ladie and Queene of all vertues and of Aristotle to bee more bewtifull and bright then the Day starre it selfe Secondlie in respect of that great care which you haue nowe a long tyme vsed for the good estate of Collegies and houses of learning in the Vniuersitie VVhich thing Plato saide especiallie to belong vnto a good Magistrate to prouide that childreÌ„ borne to common societie should be well brought vp for the common commoditie Thirdlie for that it hath pleased God to appoint mee the Paster and shepheard of mennes soules in one of thosâ— Manners where the tytle and interest of temporall Lordes and lyuinges together with the regiment of mennes manners in a Cyuile lyfe is vnder the Prince coÌ„mitted vnto your worshippe VVhere the states of many of your poore Tenauntes being tyckle and doubtfull yet you ioyne pittie and clemencie with iustice and equitie VVhich as that reuerend father Saint Augustine writeth Is the inheritaunce of children the ioye of the Commons and the comfort of the poore And as no time in this worlde shal be able to consume this true honour and vertue of yours so wyll not the same be vnrewarded in that great daie at the kandes of the almightie and eternall God whome increase you in all honour and dignitie At VVhymple the xx of Nouember Anno. Dom. 1576. Your worshippes humble John VVoolton ¶ A Christian Manuell THe very name of a Christian is most bewtifull and honorable and the bare worde caryeth a certaine maiestie but as our Lorde and sauior Iesus Christ rebuked the Iewes vainly vaunting of theyr father Abraham If yee were Abrahams children yee woulde doâ— the workes of Abraham so wyll he aunswere wycked men with sharpe speache at the great daye If yee had bene Christians yee would haue followed my example I neuer knewe you depart from mee ye workers of iniquity And albeit wée reade that the Apostles gaue many excellent tytles vnto those that beléeued in Christ embraced his gospell ioyned them selues to his church and congregation as the name of Brethren Saintes and Disciples yet at Antioche they obtained first that noble and royall name of Christians as a tytle which in honour and dignitie not onely comprehendeth but also farre passeth al other styles and inscriptions Eusebius Pamphilius commending Christian fayth and relygion vnto the worlde ertolleth the same not onely for the reuerend Maiestie which the name importeth but also for the antiquitie auncientnesse as hauing bene alwayes since the creation of the world whereby only all holy men haue pleased God and atteyned to euerlasting felycitye Whose sentence and iudgement maye happely seeme straunge to some simple and vnlearned personnes caryed with that vaine opynion that Christian relygion dyd first beginne in the dayes of Tiberius Caesar mooued as it is lykely with Saint Luke his gospell where it is written that Iohn the Baptist began to preach in the fifteenth yéere of Tiberius and also because Historyes generally almost consent that Iesus Christ the sauiour of the worlde was crucifyed the eyghtâ—enth yeere of the same Emperor It can not verily bee denyed but that all Prophecies were complete and true saluation perfected in that tyme And it must needes bée graunted that Christes most precious treasures were then opened and communicated vnto the worlde more plainly and plentifullye then euer before Yet the same saluation was shaddowed long before by the Prophetes and promised vnto the Fathers in Christe Iesus where it came to passe that they dyd foresee in theyr spirite Christ to come and as we nowe doo put their whoale trust and confidence in him onely These thinges are proposed offered and exhibited in deede most absolutely and clearly vnto vs vnder the new Testament and in the tyme of grace which they vnder the Lawe had in hope and that certaine albeit somewhat more obscurely then we now haue and looked for the same with most constant and ardent myndes The wordes of Eusebius touching this matter are as followeth Nowe least any man shoulde thinke that Christes doctrine is straunge or latelye deuised of some newe fangled fellowe wee meane to wryte of this matter somewhat more largely VVheras nowe a good space the comming and presence of our Lorde Iesus Christ began to shyne as it were to the worlde a new nation and profession sprong vp not few in number nor weake in streÌ„gth not shut vp in a corner of the world but gathered of all countreyes who in seruing and honouring of God were most zealous religious obtaining the name of Christians VVhich thing was spokeÌ„ of before by one of the Prophetes who euer heard or sawe sayeth he any such thinges doth the ground beare in one day or are the people borne all at once as Syon trauelleth in childbirth and beareth her sonnes and in another place Then shall the Gentils see thy rightwisnesse breake forth as the shyning lyght and their saluation as a burning lampe thou shalt be named with a new name which the mouth of the Lord shal shew Therfore making a supputatioÌ„ vpward euen from Abraham vnto the first man Adam albeit they had not in very letters the bare name yet in effecte truth they were Christians For in fowre yeres after Christes ascention the disciples obtained the name of Christians Nowe if the name of a Christian importeth one that beleeueth in Christ and that pursueth faith pitie
¶ THE CHRISTIAN Manuell or of the life and maners of true Christians A Treatise wherein is plentifully declared how needefull it is for the seruaunts of God to manifest and declare to the world their faith by their deedes their words by their works and their profession by their conuersation VVritten by Ihon VVoolton Minister of the Gospel in the Cathedral church of EXCETOR Imprinted at London by I. C. for Thomas Sturruppe dwelling in Paules Church yarde at the singe of the George 1576. To the râ—â—â—te worshipfull Sir VVilliam Cordell Knight Maister of the Rolles Iohn VVoolton wissheth prosperus suecesse in al worldly affaires and in the life to come ioy and immortall felicitie AMongest those seauen wise Men of Greece there was one that commeÌ„ded to his hearers this Posie Follow God Which sentence he willed them to haue continually before their eyes to the end that they might be stirred vp with an earnest desire to know loue and serue God who is the last and perfect ende of true wisdome For whereas there be two principall partes of trew wisdome after the opinion of Philosophers the firste that a man shoulde know himselfe the second that he should know God wherein true felicitie is as it were a marke or goale proposed and offered vnto vs the wise man had good cause and great reason in that pithie clause to commende the last and perfect ende of true wisdome vnto his Schollers and disciples The precept therefore is most commendable profitable but when he came to the actioÌ„ and execution of this immitatâ—â—â— the wise man swarued very much from that scope mark which hiÌ„self had purposed He could not by his wisdome attaine to the knowledge of God neither finde out the right way neither yet had he any guide to lede him out of that deep darknes in the which he was more then drowned wherby it came to passe that he wandered miserably somtime on the left hand and somtime on the right hande from God whom he willed his disciples to follow For the wisdome of this world is so weake and infirme that it cannot bring man vnto the souÌ„taine of goodnes felicitie euen whose fruicion is his righte and perfect blessednes VVhich thing is found true both by experience in all worldly wise men also by the testemonie of Saint Paule who speketh out of Gods mouth I will destroye the wisdome of the wise will cast away the vnderstanding of the prudeÌ„t Although theÌ„ the wise man gaue a good precept yet no man came to blessednes therby which thing should haue commen to passe if hee had bene hable to point out the way vnto his followers This true wisdome the Churche of God onely hath and knoweth VVhereof the same apostle speaketh after this manner For after that in the wisdome of God the world through their wisdome knewe not God it pleased God through folishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue That is to saye because that men in the frame and woorkemanship of the world wherin the singuler wisdome of God is ingraued and open to the eies of men dyd not know God It pleased God of his free and infinit goodnesse to deliuer vnto the worlde his wisdome before time vnknowne euen the gospell of his sonne Jesus Christe whereby he purposed to saue al beleeuers that thei might ther by through Grace atteine to the perfect end of their condicion whiche by reason of their corrupt nature through original sinne they could of them selues neuer come vnto Of this light spake the prophet Dauid saying In thy light shal we see light and Christe himselfe more plainly I am the light of the world he that followeth me shal not in any wise vvalke in darknesse but shall haue the light of life In which sentence our sauior Christ calleth his seruants froÌ„ the immitation of all others and vvilleth them to set him before their eies as a perfect patterne and absolute example for them to follovv The ancient writers and best expositors haue vvell obserued that in the holy scripture Christ is proposed and set out as an example rule to follow two maner of waies First they teach vs that he is the author giuer of remission of sins iustice life and eternall saluation to all beleeuers VVhich thing is so proper and peculier vnto him that no part or porcion therof may be in any respect imparted vnto others vvithout manifest sacralege and blasphemie Secondly they discribe him as an exquisyte tipe and rule of a godly and christian life framed after Gods moste holy lavv vvhich as he taught vvith mouth and voice so did he fulfil the same in his owne life and proposed him selfe as an example to al those that would be accoumpted and be in deede Christians whereof we haue a plaine testimonie in the gospell of Saint Iohn I haue geuen you an example saith Christ that you shoulde doe as I haue done vnto you This our heauenly Maister was much vnlike those whom Saint Paule describeth to haue a fourme of godlinesse but denie the power therof and againe Thou knowest Gods will and allowest thinges that be excellent and hast the fourme of knowledge and of the trueth of the law thou therfore which teachest another teachest not thy selfe and makinge thy boast of the lawe through breaking of the law dishonorest God. But Christe saide and did taught and followed to th end that all his schollers might learne to performe in worke that vvhich they professe in vvord The Apostles of Chrste also the best expositors of their masters will as they alwaies teache men to beleeue and trust in him being the fountaine and welspringe of iustice and life so doe they euery vvhere vrge them with earnest exhortations to follow his life and conuersation Saint Paule sayeth That he hath not caled vs to vnclenenes filthynes of life but to holines Neither was he made to beleeuers wisdom and iustice only but also saÌ„ctification and redemtion For as by his wisdom and iustice he hath expelled darknes naturaly bred in mans brest and hath kindled the true light of the knowledge of himselfe and his father and forgeuing our sinnes doth adorne vs with his ovvne iustice wherwith we being couered and clothed please God his Father euen so doth hee giue vnto vs the holy gost vvho doth regenerat and renew our mindes whereby they doe conceiue holy desires and affections vvhich at the laste are plentifull and fruitfull in bringing foorth good woorks A godly life is alvvaies conioyned with a liuely faith in sutch sorte that these two cannot be seperate one from another no more then light can be deuided froÌ„ the sun or heat from the burning fire For Christ as the apostle saith gaue himself for vs to purg vs a peculier people to himselfe reasons of good woorks and to redeeme vs from all iniquititie And if Philosophers giue rules precepts of maners not
death I quoth he begot the not to serue Catilinae but thy countrey Euen so God hath regenerated vs from sinne not that we should henceforth come in to the same agayne but that we should dye to synne and lyue to righteousnesse Let vs then in euery of our vocations reioyce in that fayth whiche worketh through loue let our faith as S. Iames saythe Be made perfect with works For as the bodie without the spyrite is dead euē so faith without works is dead In that he would haue vs to make perfyt our fayth by workes he meaneth as Saynt Augustine and Aquias expound it that we should declare our selues to the world to be Iustified by our works and by the fruits to testifye abrode that we haue a liuely fayth For although we are iustified before God fréely without works eyther going before or comming after through and for the meryts of Iesus Christ only our mediatour which we apprehend by fayth yet the immutable wyll of our God is that all iustifyed men should walke in a newe obedyence doing those workes that are acceptable to God beutifying their profession wyth a vertuous conuersation But because in these latter dayes charity waxeth colde and iniquity euery where aboundeth those preachers and wryters cannot choose but lightlye please God and good men that presse the world to weare their badges and to shewe forth as it were their pasport in this theyr peregrination in eschewing vyce and following vertue albeit neyther merit nor Iustification nor saluation came thereby For as Saint Paule writeth these are the dayes which are perelous and men loue them selues Hauing a shewe of godlynes but haue denyed the power thereof wherefore to the ende that the effectuall causes may be knowen which may styrre men to pittye vertue and innocencye of lyfe I haue thought good to comprehend in this Treaty the duetyes of euery vocation and callyng and as vertues which as ornaments precious stones do bewtefye and garnyshe the same But before I come pertyculerly to euerye estate and condition I iudge it most conuenyent to put downe in fewe words the causes and commodyties of good workes so mouch the rather For that I sayd before that works do not deserue neyther meryt Iustifycation nor saluation whereby my readers may happely be discorraged from that wherevnto I bende all my studdy to moue and inflame them or at the least to leaue occasion to the Papistes to crye out with open mouthes that our doctryne is a doctryne of lycencyousnes and liberty What wée teache and thinke of good works those Homelies written in our Englishe tounge of Saluation Faith and workes by that lyght and Martyr of Christes churche Cranmer Archebyshoppe of Canturburie doo playne testifye and declare which are buylt vpon so sure a foundation that no Sycophant can deface them nor Sophyster confute them whyle the worlde shall endure vnto whome I remytte the Reader desyrous of an absolute dyscourse in this matter As for the reprochfull spéeches of the Papistes who crye out and saye that the Position Onelie faith iustifyeth is impious blasphemous and new neuer vsed of any Euangelist Apostle or Doctour of Christes churche and verye pernicious because it excludeth good workes and mynistreth occasion to lycense and lybertye all this I saye I myght aunswere in one worde as Cicero sayde Pro Cluentio magunm et impudens mendacum They are impudent sclaunders and vntruthes For my purpose at this tyme is rather to instructe then to conuince yet I wyll shortly put downe what all godlye men thinke in this matter And fyrst where as many take offence with this proposition which wée preache and teache That men are iustified by faith onelie in Christe It is because they doo not vnderstande our doctrine in that behalfe For we meane nothing lesse then to reiecte or take awaye good workes and honest actions but wée onelye exclude confidence and trust in mennes workes which haue no place at all in iustyfication And that dignitie is ascrybed to fayth because it is as it were an instrument to apprehende Christe and is much lyke a Coundyte pype whereby as by a meane the water of lyfe that is iustice in Christe is conueyghed and communycated vnto vs by whose merytes we haue remyssion and forgeuenesse of synnes and are adopted and made the chyldren of god Fayth by her owne dignytie and worthynesse doeth not demeryte Iustice and righteousnesse but receyueth and embraceth the same offered vnto vs in the gospell So that in the free mercie of GOD and merytes of Christ who in sheedding of his precious blood hath made satysfaction for the sinnes of the whole worlde wée ought to repose all our trust and confidence But our aduersaryes obiecte saying if you doo not exclude the promyses why doo you saye that fayth onelie iustifyeth and they adde Let fayth iustifye in Gods name so that you saye not fayth onelie iustifyeth Wherevnto wée aunswere That wée speake after the vsuall manner without deuyse of newe tearmes and Phrases following the aucthorytye of the brightest lyght that haue since Christes tyme shyned in the Church For the words of Christ our Master and of his Apostles carye the same with great efficacye and force in sence albeit in forme of wordes and stampe of letter they haue it not Christ him selfe speaking to the sinfull woman sayth Thy faith hath saued thee go in peace And to Iayrius the rular of the Synagogue Feare not beleeue onely and she shal be made whole And to the blinde man Receyue thy sight thy faith hath saued thee And Saint Paule Where is the reioysing it is excluded by what lawe of workes Naye but by the lawe of Fayth Therefore we conclude that a man is iustified by Fayth without the vvorkes of the Lawe And againe wée know that a man is not iustifyed by the vvorkes of the Lawe but by the Faith of Iesus Christ And againe by Grace are ye saued through Faith and that not of your selues it is the gyft of God not of vvorkes least any man should boast Besides this that phrase is vsuall and common in the works of auncient wryters For we finde in Origene He saith vnto the vvoman by no vvorkes of the lawe but by faith onely thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And Saint Hierome God iustifyeth vs by faith onely And Saint Ambrose All ceremonies are taken awaie and we are iustified by faith onely And againe Grace is so geuen in Christ Iesus that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde be saued without workes receiuing remission of sinnes by faith onelie And Theodoretus Neither haue we gotten these heauenly blessinges by our owne merites but by faith onely And Giselbertus VVhat should we coniecture of their saluation that dyed before the eyghteenth daye we must beleeue that they were saued by faith only And Saint Barnarde I confesse my selfe eyther to vnderstand a right or
sober and watche because your aduersarie the Deuil walketh vp down like a roaring Lyon seeking whome he maie deuowre The fornycatour and adulterour or he that is spotted with any lyke cryme heareth That neither fornicatours nor adulterers neither softlings shall haue the inheritaunce of the kingdome of God. And againe For you knowe this no whoremonger nor vncleane person nor couetous man nor he that is a worshipper of Images shall haue any inherytaunce in the kingdome of God and Christ And Marriage is honourable amongst all men and the bed vndefiled but as for fornycatours and adulterers God wyll iudge them Those that neglect the workes of charitie heare Depart from mee you cursed into eternall fyre which is prepared for the Deuil and for his Angels For I was hungerie and you fedde mee not I was thyrstie and you refreshed mee not I was a straunger and you lodged mee not I was naked and you cloathed mee not I was sicke and you visited mee not To be short we repeate and vrge earnestlye that of the holy Apostle VVee shall all appeare before the Tribunall seate of Christ that euerie one maie receiue as he hath done in his bodie either good or euill Moreouer we admonishe and call vppon euery vocation for the fruites and vertues appertayning to theyr estate The Prince and Magistrate heareth You carie nor the sworde in vaine for the Magistrate is Gods mynister to punishe the euyll and to cheerishe the good And Princes are not a terrour to those that doo well but to those that doo euyll The subiecte heareth There is no power but it is of God whosoeuer therefore resisteth power resisteth Gods ordynaunce and wee ought not to obeye for feare onelye but also for conscience And againe Paie trybute to whome trybute belongeth The Husbande heareth You Husbandes loue your wyues and bee not bytter vnto them and so men ought to loue their wyues as theyr owne boddies The Wyfe heareth You VVyues be subiecte to your husbandes as vnto the Lorde because the Man is the vvomans headde and as the Churche is subiecte to Christ so ought vviues to bee subiect to their husbandes in all thinges The Parentes heareth Prouoke not your Chyldren to wrath but bringe them vppe in the dyscipline of the Lord. Chyldren heare Obeye your Parents in the Lorde The Seruauntes heare Obeye those that are your Maisters according to the fleshe vvith feare and tremblinge vvith symplycitie of your hartes as it vvere to Christe And Maisters heare You Maisters vse your seruaunts with curtesie and gentlenesse knowing that you haue a Maister in heauen The Preacher readeth Feede the flocke of Christe as muche as in you lyeth not takynge care thereof by coaction but vvyllynglye not desyrous of fylthie lucre but vvith a readye minde The Publycane heareth Requyre no more then that vvhiche is appoynted for you The Souldyour heareth Stryke no manne neyther speake euyll of any man but bee content vvith your stypendes These and many sutche textes of the same sorte wée repeate and inculcate moste earnestlye and with all our dilligence exhort the people to vertue and godlynesse whiche doo playnelye proue and argue that wée are free from those crymes which our aduersaryes moste vntruelye chardge vs with all There are some kynde of workes in déede that wée wryghte and speake againste because they can not bée accoumpted amongst the number of good workes and to the ende our dealinges herein may be more euident It shal not be from my purpose to dystinguyshe betwéene the diuerse orders of men bringing foorth good works and betwéene workes them selues whereby the processe of my matter wyll be more facill and easy and touching the persons workinge they maye bee reduced to thrée sortes Of the firste kynde are Myscreantes and vnbeléeuers not receyued in to Christs Church with any sacraments In whome the dignitye of naturall reason is not so dymly obscured but that most commonlye with great indeuour they conuert thinges externall honest and detest things dyshonest preferring with graue iudgement vertue to vyce as is most conuenyent Whereof the Apostle speaketh saying that the Gentils by nature doo those things whiche apperteyne vnto the lawe Wherefore albeit the workes of Heathen men are not to be compared wyth the good workes of faythfull men ingraffed in the Church of Christ yet for many causes and pryncipally for that without all controuersie all good gyfts and indewments euen in the Paynymes are Gods good gyfts they haue the tyttle and name of good workes in some respectes geuen vnto them Of the seconde sorte those are whoo haue receyued the Sacraments and are written as it wéere in the Regester booke of the Churche of God amongst whome there is also some dyfference for some are verye Atheysts and with theyr abhominable lyfe denye him in their déedes whome they confesse with theyr mouth and are in name onelye Christyans others are Hyppocrites making a shewe of good workes and couerynge the wyckednesse of theyr hartes wyth outwarde glosses not respecting Gods honor and glorye but that them selues maye bée séene and gloryfyed of men And fynally others doo good woorkes wyth a pure and syncéere harte procéedinge of fayth and feare of God hauing theyr eyes fyxed vppon Gods glorye and the profyte of theyr neighbour and in these the spyrite of God whiche they haue already receyued in Iustifycation and regeneration is fruitefull and effectuall Now let vs viewe these mennes workes that are in the fellowshippe and Communion of Christes church for of the workes of Infidels and Gentyles I wyl speake somewhat afterwarde Fyrst the Atheistes who thinke in theyr harte that there is no God doo loose the raygnes of lybertye to all fylthye luste and beastlye pleasure contempne all honest and godlye actions and with the Sicophants plainly grant VVee knowe no other God but our bellyes vnto vvhome vvee vvvll offer sacryfices Oxen Sheepe and all other delycious thinges Of the whiche Epecurysme the holye Prophete Dauid complayneth The foolyshe boddie hath sayde in his harte there is no God And afterwarde accuseth and bewayleth the pyttyfull corruption of humayne nature carying about daylye eyther ygnoraunce not knowing GOD or securytie neglectyng GOD or dystruste runnynge awaye from God of these mennes workes I shall not néede to speake any thing in this my exhortations to good workes séeing they bende them selues only to worke wickednesse Hyppochrites albeit nowe and then they shewe somme workes of mercye and pytie and obserue the commaundementes accordinge to the outwarde letter yet most commonly their whole studdye is occupyed about supersticious ceremonyes rytes and externall exercyses wherein they thinke that a Christyan mannes lyfe doeth chieflye consyst Of the which sorte are to goe in Pylgrimage barefooted hanging Iewelles vppon stockes and stones offering of incense and waxe Candles inuocation of Saintes and many other lyke toyes conioyned eyther with great impietye and Idolatrye or with great lyghtnesse
and follye whiche were neuer ordayned by GOD that wée shoulde walke in them against which kynde of workes we preache and teache most earnestly as we are commaunded in the holy scripture Hyppocrytes haue also an especiall delyght and pleasure in other workes good doubtles in some sorte but such as belong to discypline and exercise of the bodye rather then to true godlynesse as an abystnence from deynty meates in often fastinges watchinges lying vppon the grounde and to lyue after some one mannes prescripte and order whereby the loftynesse and courrage of the fleshe is somewhat abated and subdued Which exercises we lyke very well of also although wée ascrybe not so muche vnto them as the vulgare sort were woonte but wée preferre verye much those workes which come more nighlye to sincere Godlynesse of the whiche I wyll speake hereafter And the common and ignoraunt people vndoubtedlye if they sée any menne leane with abstynencie broken with labours spent with watching they wonderfully estéeme such and conceyue an especiall conceyte of theyr sanctymonie and holynesse And yet it commech to passe oftentymes both that men swell in theyr owne opynyon of that créedyte which they haue with the vulgare for those externall shewes and in continuaunce of tyme doo obserue the same with superstycious yea Iudaical mynd as though true godlynesse dyd consyste therein whereas in verye déede they are of no moment onelesse those perfyt workes which Christe and his Apostles doo so often requyre bee annexed vnto the same And it may be naye vsually we haue and do sée it so to bée that those who chastyce theyr bodyes with abstinence labour and watching that of their owne accorde haue renounced in dyet fleshe and strong drinke doo not abstayne from womans fleshe ambicion enuye and malyce emulation and suche lyke and yet in the meane tyme haue stollen the hartes of the simple into theyr great admyration and tickled with the vayne applausion of the ignoraunt are taken in amaze and forgat them selues Hippochrites somtyme doo the works outwardlye of the commaundementes they praye and holde vp theyr handes to God but from a fylthy and corrrupte harte against whome the Prophete Esay cryeth very sharplye VVhen you shall stretche out your handes I vvyll turne myne eyes awaye from you and when you shal multiplie your prayers I wyll not heare you for your handes are full of blood vvashe you make your selues cleane and take away the wickednesse of your cogitations These men dyd all thinges to be seene of the worlde against whome our Maister Christe is most earnest and sheweth that they are detested of god They are no better then the Gentyles but rather muche woorse fyrst because they haue obtayned more ample knowledge then they yet are no whyt better Secondly because they doo not gâ—d in good order manner and yet ambiciouslye seeke the tytle of sanctitie and holynesse wherein they are twyse guyltie for it is well sayde of Gregorie Counterfaite holynesse is a double iniquitie Against suche kynde of workes wee preache and teache and that as you see not without many aucthoryties graue examples Let vs now come to the works of Infydels and vnbeléeuing persons consyder how we ought to estéem of them also Concernyng the Infydelles whether wee viewe theyr excellent and noble knowledge and skyll in Artes both lyberall and manuary or theyr honest actions and vertues in cyuile lyfe wée maye not gaynesaye but that they are the good blessinges and gyftes of God which he collateth vpon whome it lyketh him for the publyque profyte of all mankinde And if it were néedeful that Beseleel Oliab should haue vnderstanding wisedome powred into them by Gods spirit that they might be able to frame perfyte the Tabernacle much more we ought to thinke y those things which are most excellent in humane societie spring and shewe from the spirite of god Neyther ought that place of Scripture to make any man stagger which affyrmeth that the spirite of God dwelleth in the faythfull for that is to bée vnderstande of the spyrite of sanctyfication whereby wée are consecrated the Temple of the lyuing god For he doth moue replenishe and quicken all creatures with the same spirite according to euery of their properties which he gaue vnto them in the lawe of creation And in lyke maner we ought to thinke of theyr worthy actions vertues For we ought not to be so dull and senseles to thinke that there is no dyfference betwéene Cata and Catalyne betwéene the iustice equytie and moderation of Titus and Traiane and the sauadge and cruell lousenesse of Caligula and Nero or betweene the beastlie luste of Tiberius and Vespasians contynencie betwéene the conseruation and contempt of Lawes What thing can there remayne in good order if we shoulde holde suche a confusion God therefore hath ingraued in mans harte a distinction betwéene honest and vnhonest actions and as it were ratyfie the same with the dispensation of his prouidence For we sée him bestowe temporall blessinges vpon those that followe vertue not that the externall Image and shewe of vertue doth deserue any thinge at all but it pleaseth him to make manyfest vnto the worlde that waye in what pryce hée hath the true and internall iustice of the harte whyles he suffereth not the externall to goe vnrewarded whereof it followeth that those vertues or rather images and shaddowes of vertues in the Infydels are Gods gyftes because there is nothing lawdable and prayse worthy in any respecte but that onely which commeth from him And yet let vs take Saint Augustines lesson with vs which he geueth touching theyr workes after this manner All that are straungers from the relygion of the one and euerlyuing God howsoeuer they seeme wonderfull through the opinion of vertues not onelie deserue no rewarde but rather punishment because the pure giftes of God are spotted in their filthinesse For albeit the vertues of the Painymes in outwarde shewe be great and maye cause many Christians to blush when they sée them selues so farre excelled of them in a cyuile lyfe yet there are many defectes and fylthye spottes in their déedes and actions That principall poynt which is all in all I meane the knowledge of God and right religion was so wanting vnto them that all other thinges were they neuer so excellent could proffite them nothing to saluation for as is the body wythout the head so weere the vertues of the Ethnikes without the knowledge of the lyuing god Some of them happely wéere halfe perswaded that there is a God who both created and yet conserueth the worlde whereof those dyuyne sentences of theirs dispersed here and there in their workes are found concerning God Religion faith and such lyke so with some knowledge of diuinity séemed to be bred in them naturally yet they were not certaynly perswaded of one God and they wanted that dyuyne wisdome wherewith
wandereth in Ignoraunce and darknesse and can do no true and sinceere vertue but happelye nowe and then some vayne maske and shewe of vertue and thus much of the works of Paynyms and Infydels Thirdly and lastly those good works are to be consydered which are done of those who from the bottome of theyr harts embrace true holynesse and righteousnesse And it were requisite if a man woulde prosecute euery thing exactly dyligently to consider the signifycation of the word VVorkes but because that matter in Englysh would rather séeme to be vaine ostentation then serue to edification I wyl omit the same for this tyme and wyth some description open the meaning or signification of good workes Good workes are actions which are don of men regenerat by the ayde of Gods spirit through fayth according to the rule of Gods worde hauing their respectes as chéefe vses and endes to wyt The honor and glory of God the ornament and honestie of our lyues and the profite and commodity of our neighboures I wil open euery part of this discription largelye after I haue shewed howe earnestly almighty God in his word requireth of his seruants good works which are established and not reiectted by fayth Fyrst therefore al sincéere and faythfull professors of the gospell ought most certainly to perswade them selues that they are adopted fréely by God and alreadie iustifyed through Christ by faith and regenerate and sanctifyed by Gods spyrite that they might in worde and deede expresse and somewhat resemble the nature and disposition of their heauenly Father and therewithall declared vnto the worlde by theyr workes that they are the sonnes of god For that cause I haue againe againe repeted before that a Christian faith ought to be garnished with al kind of good works And therfore as the Apostle S. Paul after that propositiō VVe gather therfore that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe In the waye of questioning sayth VVe make the Lawe therefore in vaine through faith He answereth by by God forbid Naie we establishe the Lawe Euen so I presently affirme that we do not now a daies dissolue good workes by the doctrine of faith Iustifiynge but we rather establishe the same For without faith there can be no good works and faith cannot be vnfruitfull or ydle in those that are iustified Moreouer almighty God him selfe requyreth of his seruants the good works of a true fayth and greeuously accuseth cōdemneth by the Prophets Apostles those that are neglygent and slouthfull Moyses sayth in the Lawe And nowe Israell what doth the Lorde thy God require of thee but that thou should feare thy God and walke in his waies and loue him and serue the Lord thy God with al thy hart and with al thy soule and keepe the commaundementes of the Lord and his ceremonies which I commaund thee that it maie bee well with thee What should I speake of that that the Law of God is geuen from heauen that it may shew vnto them theyr infirmitie and offences their natural corruption and iust condemnation and so leadeth vs as it were by the hande from trust and confidence in our selues to depende vppon Christ And yet that is but one scope or vse of the Law which was geuen to the ende that it might be a rule of mans life exhybiting a perfyte dyscipline to those that are iustifyed by fayth So sayth the Prophete in the booke of Psalmes Blessed is that man whome thou O Lorde instructest in thy lawe And againe Hee hath geuen a testimony vnto Iacob and a lawe vnto Israell that the posteritye maie knowe and put their trust in God and not forget the workes of God but keepe his commaundements The Prophetes euery where teache a true fayth in God his sonne Christe and also call for good workes of the true worshyppers of god Blessed is he sayth Ieremie that trusteth in the Lorde hee shall be like a tree planted by the waters whiche sendeth his moysture vnto the rootes and he shall not feare when sommer commeth And his leafe shall bee greene and he shall not be in daunger in the tyme of drought neyther shall he ceasse to bring forth fruicte Which worde he translated no doubte out of the first Psalme And in Esai the Prophet mencion is made of a Vineyarde that was planted to bring forth fruicte And Iohn Baptist the foreronner of the Lord appoynted dyscipline and order of lyfe to those that asked of him what they shoulde doo and amongst other thinges he spake thus to the Pharisees and Saduces Yee generacion of vipers who hath taught you to flye from the vengeaunce to come bring forth the fruites of repentaunce And Zacharie his father songe and sayde before That vve being vvithout feare and delyuered out of the handes of our enemies might serue him in holynes and righteousnes all the daies of our lyfe Our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ in that his Sermon made vnto his Disciples in the Moūtaine exhorteth them in them all the faithfull to good works but especiallye in the ende concluding with these wordes Not euerie one that sayth vnto mee Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdom of heauen but he that doth the vvyll of my Father vvho is in heauen And immediatly after he subioyneth two Parables of one that buylt his house vpon a fyrme Rock and of him that layd his foundation vpon the sande The hearers and doers of the worde of God are lyke vnto them the hearers only resembled vnto the others And when a woman cryed out saying Blessed is the vvombe that bare thee and the paps that gaue thee sucke Our sauiour answered But blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it And euen the lyke answere he gaue vnto the Iewes bosting that they were Abrahams sonnes If ye vvere Abrahams children ye vvould doo the vvorkes of Abraham you are of your father the Deuyll and fulfyll the desires of your father And againe I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman hee cutteth off euerie braunche that doth not bring foorth fruite in mee and euerie one that bringeth forth fruite he purgeth that he maye bring forth fruite more plentifully In lyke manner the holy Apostles commending the doctrine of theyr Maister to all Nations doo most earnestlye call for good workes As obedient chyldren not fashioning your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignoraunce But as he vvhich called you is holy euen so be yee holie also in all manner of conuersation And if so bee that yee call on the Father vvhich vvithout respecte of personne iudgeth according to euerie mannes vvorke see that yee passe the tyme of your dwelling heere in his feare For asmuch as you knowe howe that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as syluer and golde from your vaine conuersation which ye receiued by the tradition of your Fathers But
with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot And in his latter Epistle after the rehearsall of certayne vertues he addeth For if these thinges be among you and be plenteous they wyl make you that ye neither shall be idle nor vnfruictefull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ But hee that lacketh these thinges is blinde and can not see farre of and hath forgotten that hee was purged from his olde sinnes VVherefore brethren geue the more dilligence for to make your calling and election sure for if ye do such thinges ye shall neuer fall Saint Paule in lyke manner wryting to the Thessalonians sayeth VVee beseeche you brethren and exhorte you by the Lord Iesus that ye increase more and more as ye haue receiued of vs how you ought to walke and please god For you knowe what commaundements wee gaue you by the Lord Iesus For this is the wyll of God your holinesse that yee shoulde abstaine from fornication That euerie one of you shoulde knowe howe to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour c. And in his Epistle to Timothie This sure foundation of God endureth hauing this signe the Lorde knoweth who are his and let euerie man that calleth vpon the name of the Lorde depart from iniquitie If a man therefore purge him selfe from these thinges hee shal be a vessel sanctified to honor applied to the vse of the Lorde and prepared to all good workes But speaking of the hyppocrits he sayth thus They professe that they know God but in their deedes they deny him being abominable disobedieÌ„t and reprobate to al good works The blessed Apostle and Euangelyste sayth thus If we saie we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknesse wee lye and doo not the trueth And if wee walke in the light as he is in the light wee haue mutuall fellowship with him And S. Iames Be you doers of the word and not hearers onely deceyuing your selues For if a man heare the worde and expresse not the same in his deedes he is lyke a man that beholdeth his face in a glasse For beholding him selfe he goeth his waye and forgetteth his similitude Iudas also the brother of Iames Apostle of Christ is very angry with those that abuse the grace of our God to waÌ„tonnes and sayth That such haue already manifestlie denyed God and his sonne Christ This doctrine of good workes I haue specifyed and collected out of the holy Prophetes and Apostles Least some myght report of vs that we are very copious in the doctrine of Iustification by faith But bare and barren in the other part of ChristiaÌ„ doctrine coÌ„cerning good workes principally least Sicophantes myght cauell that we are despysers and enemyes to good workes The Apostles of Christ the Lord and namely S. Paule the doctour of the Gentyles and vessell of election haue notablye set out Gods grace And very often inculcate that men are iustified before God by faith not by the law by grace not by works and yet notwithstaÌ„ding they vrge most ernestly the works of faith Ye were somtime darknesse but now are you light in the Lord vvalke as children of light For the fruite of the spirite is in all goodnes righteousnes and truth approuing that vvhich is acceptable vnto the lord And haue no fellowship vvith the vnfruitfull vvorks of darknes but rather rebuke theÌ„ And as the preaching of Gods grace is nowe a dayes obiected vnto vs as a reproch euen so was it in the tyme of Paul the Apostle when many obiected sayd that the Apostles taught men to do euyl the good might come thereof There were moreouer Hippocrits false gospellers who abused the preaching of grace faith Christian lyberty to satisfy their carnall lustes yet the Apostles continued most constaÌ„tly and earnestly in teaching that doctrine neyther dyd they inhybite the doctrine of iustifycation because the some men had no regarde of good workes But they sharply rebuked such and admonished the faythfull to beware of such peruerse lybertie In consideration whereof S. Peter is thought to haue vttered these words And suppose that the long suffering of the Lord is saluation euen as our dearelie beloued brother Paule also according vnto the wisedome geuen vnto him hath written vnto you speaking of suche thinges amongst which are many things harde to vnderstande which they that are vnlearned and vnstable peruert as they doo also the other scriptures vnto their owne destruction Ye therefore beloued seeing ye be warned aforehand beware least ye also being ledde awaie with the error of the wicked fall from your owne stedfastnesse And the same Apostle in another place For so it is the wyll of God that with well doing ye maie stoppe the ignoraunce of foolishe men As free and not as hauing the libertie for a cloake of naughtinesse but euen as the seruauntes of God. Herevnto agréeth the saying of Saint Paule Brethren ye haue bene called into libertie onelie let not libertie bee an occasion vnto the flesh but by loue serue one another And almost the lyke was vttered before of our Sauiour Christe Verelie verelie I saie vnto you that whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne And the seruaunt abideth not in the house for euer but the sonne abydeth for euer If the sonne therefore shall make you free then shall you bee free in deede Wherefore Chrystians who are made free in true Christian liberty are delyuered from the Deuyll synne condemnation that synne may not rule in their mortall bodies albeit the dregges and remnaunts of naturall corruption remayne in them neyther are they subiect to the sentence of eternall death albeit they deny corporally and to be short that they may not serue synne and Dyuell but Grace and Christ And hauing spoken thus much of the necessity of good workes It consequently followeth that I returning to the definition of good workes shoulde shewe what workes are allowed or disalowed in Christes Church And fyrst we do not deryue the same out of the decrâ—es of men but acknowledge God to be the fountayne and aucthour of the same For all men by nature are lyers corrupt and synfull and howe can that which is euill bring forth good therefore from God onely who alone is good all good workes do spring The blessed Apostle Saint Iames sayth Euerye good gift and any persyt gyft is from aboue descending from the Father of lights Saint Peter also writeth to the same ende The God of all grace who hath called you to his eternall glory through Iesus Christ strengh then and confirme you And Saint Paule It is God that worketh in you both the wyll and the deede Our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ sayth He that abydeth in mee and I in him the same shall bring foorth much frute And in another place Hee that doth truth commeth vnto the light
that his workes maye be manyfest that they are done by God. The Prophete Esaye also inspyred wyth Chrystes spyrite sayeth Lorde thou shalt geue vs peace for thou hast wrought all our workes Nowe although we hould that good workes procede from God as the fountayne and origyn yet he dooth not these thinges without vs but rather worketh by vs and in vs so that the works of God done by vs are also our owne workes For GOD doeth regenerate his elect and choosen seruauntes with his spirit and gyueth them fayth Then they being so regenerate lyke Gods obedyent chyldren doo yeelde and apply them selues to please him with a holye lyfe and conuersation And the holy spirit which is in them is effectuall styrring vp theyr power and wyll to all good workes in all partes and course of their lyfe Fayth also wherby mens harts are purified is not idle and sluggyshe but doth her part and is a vigelent and diligent kéepers of integrity of mynde and vertuous conuersation throughout all their life And doth as it were put them in mynd that they being once purifyed in the bloud of Christ through the holy ghost shoulde kéepe them selues vnspotted in the fylthye world from all pollution of the fleshe neuer to abuse the gyfts of the body but to preserue the same as a vessel of honor â–ª The regenerate therfore watch work righteousnesse neyther do they make a small accoumpte of synne as wycked wordlyngs doo for they right well and déepely consider that God who sent hys sonne into this world to be a propiciation for synne and gaue him to death euen the death of the Crosse dooth both hate synne as a thing abhominable and also loue Iustyce and purity of lyfe And for that cause they also hate synne and loue righteousnesse detest impiety and imbrace pyty and so studie to practyse the same all the dayes of theyr lyfe But in this labour and endeuour of the chyldren of God there are manye lets and hinderances and holy men are afflicted as it were with a gréeuous and dayly battell which is neuer ended before the daye of death for that deadly and crafty enuy of ours Satan the Deuyll rusheth vppon vs with greate vehemency and vndermyneth vs with a thousand temptations And he is assysted with many mightye confederats For our owne flesh is slowe and dull to all goodnesse and prone to all viciousnesse The flattering and disceytfull worlde also vrgeth vs mightely with company pleasures honours which are most vayne There are also many wordlings who with their pernicious examples do cary the simple sort into distruction What should I saye of feare and hope which do excéeding exercyse and afflyct the mynds of the regenerate in such sort that onlesse Gods spirit dyd euery hower assyst them and confirme theyr fayth they coulde doo no good worke at all Against these and all other temptations that disciple so dearly beloued of Christ doo comfort vs saying This is the loue of God that we should keepe his precepts and his commaundements are not heauy For euery one that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde And this is the victory that ouercommeth the worlde euen your faith VVho is he that ouercommeth the world but he that beleeueth that Iesus is the sonne of God And S. Paul If his spirit that raysed vp Iesus Chirste from the dead dwell in you He that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodyes by the power of his spirite dwelling in you By the whiche word all faythfull men maye easely gather the carke and care with Gods spirit dwellyng in the harts of the faythfull taketh that Iustice may ouercome and Iniustice be vanquyshed And Christ our sauiour promyseth that he wyll power his spirit most plentyfully vpon vs and dooth also commaund vs to aske the same of him with ardent and continuall prayers The faythfull therefore and suche as are regenerate by Gods spirit contynue in prayers without intermyssion They kéepe theyr bodyes in subiection with moderate fasting and abstinency that theyr prayer maye be more zealouse For prayer and fasting are as it weare preparatyues to good workes Nowe as these impedimentes aboue specefyed doo hinder men from doing of good workes euen so there are manye things which further and helpe vs toward the practyse of the same amongst the which is especially Gods spirit then a true and perfyt fayth and afterwarde continuall and earnest prayers Whervnto we may adde the sincéere doctryne of all fymes and ages aswell vnder the ould as new testament And moreouer the innumerable examples of the seruaunts of God and of Christ the Lord and sauiour of the whole worlde who amongst other things sayth I haue geuen an exaÌ„ple vnto you that as I haue done so should you do Besydes these thinges the very filthinesse of vices terrefying vs from synne and the prayse fayre beautye of vertue inuiting vs to the studdy of pyty The wrath of God also and the seuerity of his Iudgments the fearefull threates of payne and torments aswell temporall as eternal wyl plucke vs from vices On the other side the fauour of God the mercyfull countenaunce of that eternall Iudge his bountifull promyses and hope of blessings aswell temporall as eternall wyl encorrage vs to pursue and practyse vertue For the faythfull wyll not bee ingrat for Gods innumerable benefits neither wyl they offend their brethren with their filthy liues for whom the lord Iesus suffred such greâ—ous pains torments These and such other like consideratious doo both staye men from vice and further them to vertue But the godly vse a choyse and discretion in doing workes as I haue once or twyse alreadie spoken accoumpting of those onely that are appoynted by God Wherin that elect vessel S. Paul geueth vs a good lesson writing to the Ephesians VVee are created in Iesus Christ to doo those workes vvhich he hath prepared for vs to vvalke in Fyrst he affyrmeth notably with great weyght of words that we were created in Christe Iesus to doo good workes We answere not then our ende if we rotte and putryfie euyll and fylthie sinne and returne not to God by true fayth and hartie repentaunce And confesse wee drawe our lyuelye moysture from him wâ—e can neuer bring forth any good fruite for so Christ him selfe beareth wytnesse The Apostle therefore speaketh with great weyght and effycacie in that he sayth that we were created in Christ Iesus to doo good works Then lest we should be ignoraunt what good works the Apostle would haue he addeth VVhich he hath prepared vs to walke in What be those which he hath prepared for vs to walke in but those which he hath reuealed vnto vs in the holy lawe of his commaundementes And therefore our sauiour Christe demaunded in the gospell by a certaine man VVhat shall I do to possesse eternall life and what is the greatest commaundement in the Lawe He
all strength according to the power of his glorie to all suffering and patience with hope And in another place Ye were once darknesse but nowe are you lyghte in the Lorde walke as chyldren of the light for the fruite of the spirite consisteth in al goodnesse iustice and trueth allowing that which is acceptable to God and haue you no fellowshippe with the vnfruitful workes of darknesse but rather rebuke them Therefore as the Apostle commaundeth the faithfull to walke worthy of theyr vocation and sheweth them also howe they maye doo the same euen so the godly alway doo those things which they are commaunded and dyrect theyr workes to this ende that they maye declare them selues to bée the chyldren of the lyght The chyldren of God also in their workes labour to profitte all men and to hurt none Let no man sayeth the Apostle seeke those thinges that bee his owne but that which is anothers as I in all thinges please all men not seeking my owne gaine but the profitte of many that they maie be saued And these workes of Godly men do excéedinglye please the Lorde our God but not of their owne dygnitie and worthynesse if ye weygh them in respect of men or in them selues but because they are done of those that are reconcyled to God in Christ by faith and new obedyence And if nowe and then through the corruption of our nature wée fall into sinne and wickednesse whereby we steyne and pollute the good workes yet God such is his goodnesse wynketh as it were at suche escapes couering our fylthinesse and spots with the garment of his Christ hee washeth and cleanseth the same with his most precious blood wherof the Apostle speaketh thus There is no condemnation to those that are in Christ Iesus who walke not after fleshe but after the spirite and who shall laye any thing against the electes charge It is God that iustifyeth who is he that wyll condempne c. And that these good workes of Christians are acceptable to God and please him it appeareth by that that God rewardeth and crowneth the same with great honors and rewardes both in this life and in the lyfe to come Obserue and heare sayeth the Lord all those thinges which I commaund thee that it maie be wel with thee and thy children after thee when thou shalt doo that thing which is good and acceptable in the sight of the Lord thy God. The Prophet also speaking beforehand of the Christians I wil bring them saith he into my holie moūtaine and I wyl cheare them in the house of praier their offeringes and oblations shall please mee vpon my aulter Whervnto the Apostle no doubte had respect saying I beseeche you brethren by the mercifulnes of God that you woulde offer your bodies a quick holie and acceptable sacrifice to God which is your reasonable seruing of God. And the promise made by God vnto Abraham in all the faithful in him is most comfortable in that he sayth He wyl be their defence plentiful reward And the Apostle sayth That godlynes hath promise both in this life and in the lyfe to come And againe The iuste iudgement of God shall be declared which wyll rewarde euerie man according to his deedes To them which by continewing in well doing seeke for glorie and honour and immortalytie But vnto them that are contritious and doo not obeye the trueth but obeye vnrighteousnesse shall come indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish vppon euerie soule of man that doth euyll Wherefore wée see it moste euydent that GOD hath prepared most plentyfull and lyberall rewardes aswell in this lyfe as in the lyfe to come to all those that hate synne and worke ryghteousnesse and the Apostle approoueth Gods Iustyce by the same whyles that hée sayeth God is not vniuste that hee vvyll forgette your vvorke These and many other such places of scripture do sufficiētly declare that God rewardeth the good works of godly men And yet it is not to bee inferred or collected that they maye truste to be iustified and saued thereby For the godly do freely and willingly confesse that theyr workes are rewarded of grace and not of theyr owne meryt especially for that they euer doo féele and perceyue that throughe humayne infyrmitye theyr workes are neuer so perfyt but that they haue néede of Gods mercy to mytigate the rigor of his Iustice and examining theyr good workes Therefore in consyderation of theyr hyre or reward the godly ertoll Gods grace and mercy who geueth to the vndeseruinges as though they had deserued and perceyuing imbecillytye and wickednesse in them selues are humbled in myndes and crye with the Prophet If thou O Lord marke our iniquities whoo is able to abide it Almightye Gods dooing in this and many other matters maye bée resembled to carnall parentes who hauing sonnes to be theyr heires by lawe of nature and byrthright yet they inflame and kyndle dertue setting before their eyes gyfts and rewards Whose gracious vertuous children acknowledge themselues to owe al euen of duty to their Parents without rewards and therefore they referre all such benefyts and rewardes to the meere bounty and lyberalytye of their Parents They looke not for hyre and rewardes as seruaunts and hirelings but onely for the fauor and loue of their heauenly father And as the sonnes of the frée woman and not the sonnes of the bondwoman are heyres euen so the kingdom of God is not the stipend of seruauntes but the rewarde and heritage of children To conclude this matter of meryt and reward the mercifull and gratious Lord rewardeth his louing chyldren for their good workes not for the perfection and dignity of the sayd workes but because the doers of those good workes are sōnes and chyldren They are made sonnes heyres by adoption in Christ therefore their workes are acceptable to God not in respecte of them selues but for Christes sake in whom they are ingraffed and of whose moysture as it were of heauenly dew they are partakers so that all their rewards are of necessity referred to the grace and mercy of god And although we graunt renumeration and rewarde of good workes yet meryts or Desertes cannot be inferred thereof that by our workes wee are able to procure eternall lyfe For the scripture seemeth of purpose in all places to auoyde the word merit The stypend of sinne is death but eternall lyfe is the gift of God through Iesus Christ and therefore Sainte Augustine wryt very excellently VVilt thou fall from grace then boast thy owne merites And agayne VVhen a man seeth that all his goodnesse commeth not of him selfe but of God he easely acknowledgeth all that which is prayseworthy in him not to be of his owne merites but of the mercy of God. Neyther yet is the earnest and ardent desire of working righteousnesse extinguyshed and quenched by this doctrine as our aduersaries slanderously lay vnto
of the spirite in all goodnes and righteousnes and trueth approuing what is acceptable vnto the Lorde And haue no fellowship with the vnfruictfull works of darknes but rather rebuke them for it is a shame euen to name those things which are done in secreet Herein may we easely perceaue what difference there is between diuine Philosophical precepts touching manners For wheresoeuer the scripture exhorteth men to good workes it adioyneth by and by some thing out of the fyrst Table of the tenne commaundementes as for example of the feare of God offayth of charitie of obedience towarde God of his promyses and threats of Christes benefittes towarde his seruaunts and of his punishmentes toward the obstinate and rebellyous Whiche thing prophane wryters doo not touche when they intreate of cyuile dueties They speake not a worde in theyr preceptes of the wyll of God of the worshipping of God neyther of fayth which is the mother of all Christian vertues Neyther too they teache men to doo well for Gods honour and glorie which thing is chieflye inculcate in the Scriptures neyther doo they referre all thinges to one God neyther make him the ende of theyr actions neyther yet doo they looke for rewardes at his hande So that briefly and by these fewe wordes wée maye sée an apparent dyfference betweene the Phylosophicall and Apostolycall preceptes concerninge vertue The same Apostle wryteth also to the Collossians saying Mortifie therefore your members which are vppon earth fornication vncleannesse inordynate affection euyll concupiscence and couetousnesse vvhiche is vvorshypping of Images For vvhich thinges sake the vvrath of God commeth on the children of disobedience In vvhiche you also vvalked sometyme vvhen yee lyued in them But nowe put ye of also all vvrath fiercenesse malyciousnesse blasphemie fylthie communication out of your mouth Lye not one to another seeing that ye haue put of the olde man vvith his vvorke And haue put on the new man vvhich is renewed into knowledge after the image of him that made him VVhere is neyther Greeke nor Iewe Circumcision nor vncircumcision Barbarian Sythian bonde free but Christe is all and in all Put on therefore as the electe of GOD holie and beloued bowelles of mercye kindnesse humblenesse of minde meekenes long sufferinge Forbearinge one another and forgeuing one another if any man haue a quarrell against any euen as Christ forgaue you euen so doo yee And aboue all thinges put on charitie which is the bonde of perfectnes And let the peace of God haue the victorie in your harts to the which also we are called in one bodie and see that ye be thankfull That which the Apostle nameth vnto the Romaines The mortifying of the body through the spirite he doth explaine saying that it is no other thing then to maister the lustes of the fleshe whereof he rehearseth dyuerse sortes and else where he calleth them the workes of the flesh with whom we ought to contend wrestle in such sort that syn maye not rule in our mortall bodies that we should not geue ouer our members as weapons of vnrighteousnesse to sinne but that we should yéelde our selues to God our members armor of righteousnesse The same Apostle contynuing his exhortation addeth Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your owne selues in psalmes in hymnes and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hartes vnto the Lorde And whatsoeuer you doo in word or deede doo all in the name of the Lord Iesus geuing thankes to God and the father by him And to the Thessalonians VVe beseeche you brethren and exhort you by the Lorde Iesus that ye increase more and more as ye haue receaued of vs for ye know what commaundements wee gaue you in the Lord Iesus For this is the wyll of God euen your holines that you should abstaine from fornication that euerie one of you should knowe howe to keepe his vessel in holines and honor Not in the lustes of concupiscence euen as the Gentyles which know not god That no man oppresse and defraude his brother in any matter because that the Lorde is the auenger of all such as we also haue forwarned you and testified For God hath not called vs vnto vncleannes but vnto holynes And to Titus he writeth thus For there hath appeared the grace of God which is healthfull to all men Teaching vs that denying vngodlynes and worldly lustes we should liue soberly and righteouslie and godly in this present worlde Looking for that blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the great God our sauiour Iesus Christ VVhich gaue him selfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all vnrighteousnesse and purge vs a peculyar people to him selfe zelous of good workes These thinges speake and exhort and rebuke with all aucthoritie c. In these few words the Apostle declareth very plainly what maner of life a Christian man ought to lead expressing the chéefe principal vertues both toward God and man first he would haue vs lyue soberly that is to say honestly shamfastly chastly temperatly frugally not vncomly not wātonly not immodestly not incontinētlye wherein he exhorteth vs to subdue vanquysh all kind of concupiscences and lusts to withdraw as it were our mynd from the society contagion of the body Secondaryly he willeth vs to lyue Iustly with our neighbor y is innocently gently meekely not to couet any mans goods not to be iniurious to any man but to render vnto euery man his own to profit whom we can to conclude as we would wyshe that other mē should deale with vs let vs euen so deale with them that which we would not haue others to offer vnto vs let vs not offer to doo vnto any Thirdly he calleth on vs to lyue godly and religiously toward God that is in the true knowledge of God in worshipping seruing of God accordinge to hys wyll in geuing him thanks for his benefyts in following vertues and in fléeing of vyces in dyeting all our words and works to his honor glorye For this is true pittye godlynesse Two things there are which are needfull for vs to regard in the execution of these things the one hindering the other helping vs in doing of honest actions and vertues One which especiallye hindereth is wycked and vngodly companye from the whiche we ought to sequester our selfe and to kéepe company with those that be good And as one doth admonishe vs to be conuersaunt eyther with those whome we may amend or who may amend vs Neither ought any mā to think that good custome and companye are in smal moment to practise vertue For as with the felowship of euil mē we are infected as it were with some contagiō euen so with the daylye conuersation of those that feare God we are reformed amēded If our desyre then be to lyue well let vs haunt frequent honest and godly mens company wherevnto we are