in Gen. God hath deliuered his Sonne for our sinnes he hath graunted the gyftes of Baptisme he hath geuen remission of our former sinnes he hath opened vnto vs the waie of Penance By this remedie such as fall into sinne after Baptisme may be restored againe to the state of iustice For to such as do penance God hath promised grace and reconciliation Ezech. 18. saying by the Prophete Si impius egerit c. If the wicked man doo penance for all his sinnes that he hath committed he shall assuredly liue and not die The like promise he hath made in the newe Testament by S. Peter Acto 3. Poenitemini conuertimini vt deleantur peccata vestra Doo penance and turne that your sinnes maie be blotted owt But vnto suche as falle and will not doo penance God threateneth damnation Ezech. 33. Si impius nō fuerit conuersus à via sua c. Ipse in iniquitate sua morietur If the wicked be not turned from his waie in his wickednes shall he die And in the newe Testamente Christe him selfe saith Luca. 13. Nisi poenitentiam egeritis omnes similiter peribitis Vnlesse ye doo penance ye shall perish all after like sorte By which wordes putte together we vnderstande that as penance is the sure and vndoubted waie to restore a sinner againe so without the same there is no hope of his reconciliation As this order is commanded by the Scriptures so hath it in all ages ben practised by the Churche of Christ that sinners should be reconciled and iustified by penance Clem. lib. 2. ca. 45. Constitu Apost Tit. 3. Clement S. Peters scholer and successor compareth penance with the Sacrament of Baptisme saying to the Bishoppe Quemadmodum gentilem per lauacrum c. As thou receiuest the heathen by Baptisme after that he is instructed so shalt thou restore this man that is the penitent to his olde estate when he is cleansed by laying handes on him as by penance all men praying for him and the laying of handes shal be in steade of Baptisme He saith that penance standeth in steade of Baptisme bicause as by Baptisme the sinner is saued euen so by penance his sinnes be forgeuen for Christe hath saide Quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur illis Ioan. 20. Whose sinnes you forgeue they be forgeuen them S. Augustine making the same comparison saith Quae autem Baptismatis eadem reconciliationis est causa De adulter cōiug li. 1. ca. 28 The like respecte is to be had of reconciliation and absolution as of Baptisme if it happen the penitent to fall in daunger of death for the Churche our mother ought not by her will to suffer them passe cut of this life without the pleadge of their peace He calleth absolution the pleadge of our peace as whereby our sinnes be forgeuen and conscience quieted He maketh penance as necessary to a sinner after Baptisme as Baptisme it selfe to him that is heathen S. Leo saith Peccata Baptismi aquis et poenitentiae lachrymus abluūtur Ser. 11. de quadrag ser 9. de Pasch Sinnes are wasshed away by the water of Baptisme and by the teares of penance And as men entre into the Church and be made members of Christe by Baptisme so if they fal away againe by sinne they may returne saith S. Cyprian by penance Cypria li. 4. epist 2. Nam cùm scriptum sit c. For sith it is written God made not death neither is delited to haue the liuing cast away vndoubtedly he that willeth none to perish desyreth that sinners should doo penance and by penance returne to life againe Pacianus faith that God hath prouided this remedie for men And in the same sentence Idem stantibus praemia qui iacentibus remedia largitus est Pacia epi. 1. ad Sym pronia Euen he hath giuen rewardes to them that stand who hath graunted remedies to such as lie and are fallen And thus we see it proued by authoritie of Scriptures and auncient Fathers that the right and assured remedy to heale a sinner after Baptisme is penance And that the Sacrament of penance by the promise of Christe hath vertue to reconcile and iustifie a sinner For which cause it is compared with the Sacrament of Baptisme and called by S. Cyprian a returning to life by S. Clement a restoring and cleansing By S. Augustine a pleadge of our peace and quiete of conscience by S. Leo a wasshing away of sinne by Pacianus the remedy of such as are fallen And to make vppe the matter S. Chrysostome calleth it the cure of our woundes and by the plaine terme Iustification Contritionem vult cordis Chrysost ho. 20. in Genes God will haue saith he contrition of harte remorse of minde confession of the fall a continuall care and diligence and geueth not onely the curinge of woundes and cleanseth from sinne but euen him that was before laden with innumerable burdens of sinnes he maketh a iust man. And hereby also may the Reader perceiue how good cause the auncient Bishop Pacianus Pacia epi. 1. ad Symproniae Hiero. ad Pamma Ocea and S. Ierome had to cal penance a borde to saue him that had suffred wreack or a seconde borde after wreack that is to say a second refuge when the firste helpe is loste And also he may see how litle ground they haue who against authoritie trewth and reason mislyke that manner of speache seeinge that by penance a sinner may be reconciled and saued which without the same should perish as hath ben proued How a sinner commeth to trewe penance and by what meanes he receiueth his Iustification I haue declared before Cap. 8. and shall for the Readers remembrance onely repete the same here It is grace first that moueth him to amendement and to say Surgam ibo ad patrem meum Luc. 15. I will rise and go to my father through which grace faith being stirred to beleeue the Scriptures and the threatninges of God vttered therein against sinners striketh into him a feare of Goddes iust iudgement and further bicause he should not dispaire moueth him to conceiue hope of mercie for that God is full of compassion and mercie Psal 102. 1. Tim. 1. Aug. in Psal 114. and came to saue sinners and that hope being once entred engendreth a loue of God as S. Augustine saith Quia credidisti sperasti quia sperasti iam dilexisti Bicause thou hast beleued thou haste hoped bicause thou haste hoped nowe hast thou loued Charitie taking roote in the harte bringeth forth a louing feare and care loth to offende God and such as maketh all penance be it neuer so sharpe to seeme easy and light And these be the fiue pointes apperteining to trewe penance faith a dreadfull feare of God hope Charitie and a louinge feare or carefull loue which thing may not onely be noted in the Niniuites in Marie Magdalene Zacheus and suche as the
Faith to witte the faith of God towarde man in keeping his promise and the faith of man towarde God in beleeuing his worde and seing also that of Gods faith there is no question nor doubt it foloweth that when so euer mention is made in the Scripture of mans faith alone and in his owne kinde that faith is vnderstanded whereby man is faithful vnto God Chrysost hom 31. in Gen. that is as S. Chrysostome saith Wherby man geueth credite vnto his saiyngs and wordes For expounding these wordes Credidit Abraham Deo Abraham beleued God he saith Credidit dictis Dei He gaue credite to Gods wordes and sayinges In this sense S. Augustine saith August de verb. Apostol sâ—m 16. De spiri lite cap. 31. Ad fidem quid pertinet Credere What appertaineth to faith To beleue And bicause a man might aske also what it is to beleeue to put that out of doubt he saith in an other place Quid est enim credere nisi consentire verum esse quod dicitur What is it els to beleeue but to consent that the thing which is saide is true By this rule as many in al ages as haue beleued the Gospel after the right and true vnderstanding of the Catholique Churche keeping themselues within the same Churche Vincent Lyrinen aduers haeres haue ben called faithful and Catholiques Ille est verus Germanus Catholicus qui veritatem Dei qui Ecclesiam qui Christi corpus diligit c. He is a true and right Catholike saith Vincentius Lyrinensis that loueth the truth of God that loueth the Church that loueth the body of Christ Who is a true Catholique that estemeth nothing more then Gods religion and the Catholike faith no not the authoritie and loue of any man father husband or whatsoeuer not wit eloquence nor philosophie not welthe riches or honour but despising al these things and remayning fast and stable in faith what soeuer he shall knowe that the Catholique Church hath holden from auncient time vniuersally doth determine to holde and beleeue only that Such then are faithful and Catholikes that beleeue the Catholike and auncient faith vniuersally receyued as Vincentius saieth that beleue God and geue credite to his words as S. Augustine and S. Chrysostome say And if they be also of life good and vertuouse then be they called boni Catholici August in Praefatio Psal 31. Ser. 31. de verb. Apost good Catholikes if they be of yl conuersation they be called fideles iniqui vniuste faithful mali Catholici yll Catholiques faithful and Catholikes bicause they haue faith yll bicause their life is vngodly if they forsake the faith as Iulianus did they be called Apostates But as long as they keepe the Catholike faith of Christes Churche Note thoughe their lyfe be wicked and they damnable yet be they not called infideles but faithful and beleeuers And sith no man can be called faithfull but he that hath faith and it is faith to beleeue and to beleeue is but to assente vnto trewth by this it is proued that the propertie of faith in his owne kinde is to beleue the Gospel and to assente vnto the trewth of God. S. Augustine saith Euchiri cap. 6. 7. 9.117 Faith in his ovvne nature August in Praefatio Psal 32. A man doth learne by the Crede what is to be beleeued by the Pater noster what is to be hoped and by the commaundementes what is to be loued And albeit faith and charitie must be both in a good man yet as he saieth Quod credit fidei est quod operatur charitatis est it is the property of faith that a man beleueth and of charitie that he worketh Faith in his owne kinde may be alone and parted from charitie and hope Iacob 2. Enchirid. cap. 8. Ser. 4. de Collect. For not onely euil men but euen Diuels doo beleue and tremble but as S. Augustine saith They neither hope nor loue And Leo saith Multis quibus auferre non potuit fidem sustulit charitatem From many hath the Diuell taken awaye Charitie from whome he could not take awaye Faith. In this sorte doth the Scripture many tymes speake of faith as it is in it selfe and in his owne nature Heb. 11. saying Fides est substantiarerum sperandarum Prima in cap. 11. ad Heb. Faith is the substance of thinges that are to be hoped for It is called the substance of them saieth Primasius bicause vnto such thinges as be taught by the worde of God though they be not sene yet faith geueth a being in our soule assenting vnto them and beleeuing them as well to be true as though they were seene with our bodily eyes In the same place it is saied By faith we vnderstande that the worlde was sette in order by the woorde of God. And this is faith in his owne kinde that is to say a beleeuing and assenting vnto truth Somtime the Scripture speaketh of faith as it is accompanied and ioyned with other vertues and geeueth vnto faith the properties of such vertues as are ioyned with it So is it said Heb. 11. that by faith Abel offered Sacrifice Noe feared God Abraham obeyed Moyses suffred affliction not that these are the properties of faith in his owne nature Faith ioyned vvith other but bicause the Fathers beside faith had these vertues also Abell the vertue of religion Noe the feare of God Abraham obedience Moyses patience So it is likewise said of charitie Omnia suffert oiÌ„a credit oiÌ„a sperat She suffreth al things beleueth al things hopeth al things And yet saith S. Austine truly In Prafa Psal 31. Quod credit fidei est It cometh of faith that a man beleueth And likewise of patience that he suffereth and of charitie that he loueth and worketh wel Trewe it is that none of these vertues alone and by it selfe maketh a good man. For it is a rule in Philosophie that vertues be linked together And yet as trewe it is that euery vertue hath her owne natural property wherby she worketh somwhat in a good man So faith beleueth hope trusteth charitie loueth prudence chooseth fortitude beareth temperance refraineth whose properties ioined together with other like make vppe an absolute and perfecte goodnes But bicause both faith and also the Scriptures were giuen to men Ioan. 5. to thintente they should haue life euerlasting by them knowing and doing the wil of God S. Paule commendeth specially the faith that doth not only reste in opinion and beleuing of truthe but that is actiue and working through charitie toward that ende saiyng In Christe Iesu neither circumcision Gala. 5. nor to be without circumcision auaileth ought but faith that worketh through charitie declaring thereby Leo ser 7. de Epipha A notable Rule De fide oper c. 14 De spiri lit ca. 32. Epistola 105. Enchir. cap. 8. De Gra. et lib. arbi cap. 7. that faith of it selfe
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
A TREATIE of Iustification Founde emong the writinges of Cardinal Pole of blessed memorie remaining in the custodie of M. Henrie Pyning Chamberlaine and General Receiuer to the said Cardinal late deceased in Louaine Item certaine Translations touching the said matter of Iustification the Titles whereof see in the page folowing Prouerb 4. Ne declines neque ad dexteram neque ad sinistram Turne not aside to the right hande nor to the lefte RESPICITE VOLATILIA COELI ET PVLLOS CORVORVM LOVANII Apud Ioannem Foulerum Anno. 1569. CVM PRIVILEGIO Beside the Treatie of Iustification in this Volume are comprised these Translations First the Sixte Session of the Generall Councell of Trent whiche is of Iustification with the Canons of the same Session Item a Treatie of S. Augustine that famouse Doctour by him entituled 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 Argument Last of al a notable Sermon of S. Cyprian that blessed Martyr Of Almes deedes All newly translated into English by Thomas Lorde Coppley The Preface to the Reader AS all Scripture inspired by God is profitable to teache and instructe in rightuousenes 2. Tim. 3. to the ende that a godly man maie be perfecte instructed to al good woorkes so is there no pointe or article thereof more expediente for a Christian man to seeke more necessary to find and know more comfortable rightly to vnderstand and more profitable to remember and practise then is the trewe and right knowledge of his Iustification and the maner how the same is atteined We are sure by the Scripture that a wicked man and his wickednes bothe like are hateful vnto God Neither can there be looked for any other thing Sap. 14. then heauy punishement and iust damnation where the anger and displeasure of God is vnpacified once iustely deserued and not taken awaie by some meanes to his contentation We doubt not also but that all men are borne naturally the children of anger that is to saie Ephes 2. in Gods displeasure and indignation as branches of a condemned stocke a thral kinde and bonde race of one man Rom. 5. by whom sinne entred into the world and by sinne death and so wente through all in whome all haue sinned And what can be so pleasaunt to a captiue as to vnderstande truely the way and meanes of his deliuerance or so comfortable to a person bonde and thrall as to know not onely how he maie be made free but also how he maie be brought in speciall fauor with his Lorde by whom onely he must liue or els perish Finally how he maie be made a childe a sonne Ephes 2. and heire to him vnto whom he was a stranger before And bicause no man 1. Ioan. 1. be he neuer so rightuouse and iuste Aug. de ciuitate Dei. li. 21. cap. 16. Galat. 5. Ioan. 5. Cypria de Elcemos liueth here without sinne and fewe there are of that happy estate that fal not into damnable and mortal sinne the doers whereof shall not possesse the kingdome of God sith also a law is appointed vs by our Physition that once made vs hole who saied Thou arte made hole nowe sinne no more we were as S. Cyprian saieth driuen to â—â—arowe straite hauing a precise lawe of innocency prescribed vnto vs neither coulde the weakenesse of mannes frailtie tell what to do if God of his mercy had not appointed a waie and meane how man that by sinne falleth from iustice after his Baptisme may be restored to rightuousnes and iustice againe Further it suffiseth not a Christian man to be made rightuouse and to be set in the state of iustice vnlesse he continewe and perseuere in the same Matth. 24 for he shal be saued that continueth vnto the ende Also he muste increase in rightuousenes Apoca. 22 Leo Sermon 8. de passio Do. for so the Scripture teacheth vs Let him that is iuste be yet iustified for trewely is it saied Quantumlibet quisque iustificatus sit habet tamen dum in hac vita est quo probatior esse possit melior Qui autem non proficit deficit qui nihil acquirit non nihil perdit Euery man be he neuer so much iustified yet maie he while he is in this life be more tried and better and who so encreaseth not faileth and goeth backeward and he that getteth nothing loseth somewhat For whiche causes it behoueth vs not onely to knowe how we are made iuste and rightuouse but also how we be restored to Iustice when we fal and how we maie continewe and increase in rightuousenes when we be restored and finally attaine to saluation and glory which is the ende of Iustification and without the which all Iustification in this life auaileth nothing but rather turneth to a heape and increase of our damnation bicause as Oecumenius saith Oeco in 2. cap. Iaco. Like vnprofitable seruantes we receiue our maisters mony and make no gaine thereof that is to saie we receiue his grace in vaine This being vnderstanded 2. Cor. 16. how necessary and profitable the knowledge of this Article is and seing also that a man runne he neuer so fast yet if he runne out of the way he neuer commeth to the right end of his iourney to the intente thou be not induced to iudge amisse in so greate a matter and to thee so necessary I haue Christian Reader with the hope of Gods helpe indeuoured my selfe to laie before thine eies particularly as briefely and plainely as I coulde the maner of our Iustification in Christ with the circumstances belonging to the same Grounding my selfe chiefely in al pointes through the Treatie vpon the Scripture and holy Worde of God. 2. Petr. 1. Aug. lib. Confess 12 cap. 25. And bicause the same neither is nor ought to be of any mannes priuate interpretation for he that goeth abowt to drawe it to his owne priuat sense shall be depriued of it I haue taken suche construction thereof as the holy Ghost hath deliuered and taught his Church and suche as the auncient Fathers of sundry ages and places agreeing togethers haue lerned in the Church and vttered in their writinges to teach other Emong whom I haue especially and moste of all other folowed the auctoritie of S. Augustine as wel for that he hath writen most largely of this matter as also bicause suche as be of the contrary parte in moste credite Luthe Philip. Melan. Calui Institut cap. 18. 1. Tim. 3. and haue written in this time confesse that in the Doctrine of the Churche he is a moste faithefull declarer of antiquitie Intending therby to discharge my selfe as teaching nothing but that I haue learned in Goddes Church the state and piller of truthe and geeuing thee thereby good occasion I trust readily to beleue that thou shalt heere reade But as I haue declared vnto thee that the right knowledge of this pointe concerning
taken out of the power of darknes and brought to the kingdome of Christ Colo. ca. 1. is not onely not appointed paines euerlasting but shall not so much as suffer any purgatory tormentes and paines after death Purgatorie paines For the only spirituall regeneration suffiseth that so much as the carnall generation intermedled with death be not preiudiciall nor doo it any harme By which sayings we see first that infantes haue sinnes to be forgeuen them Nexte that they enioie remission thereof by their baptisme Thirdely that they enioie that benefite in most free manner Nothing being required for that purpose but onely that other Christian men bring them to the Church to be baptized and answere for them And the cause why For that they are gilty only of originall sinne and none other trespasse committed by them selues This is the graciouse and most free Iustification of infantes which they atteyne vnto not onely without any good doing of their owne but also without any consent Yea though they striue against it through the free mercie of him that came to seeke and saue that was loste Luc. 19. And hereby doo we not only see the happie estate of al such as be borne in Christian regions who by and by after their byrth be baptized and thereby iustified but also we perceiue how nedelesse it is to dispute of the beginning and entree of our Iustification which is wrought in vs freely by grace without our selues before we be able to vnderstand how great the benefite is And therefore concerning the Iustification of al men that liue this daie in Christian contries there is nothing so needeful as to vnderstande how such as fall after Baptisme may be reconciled to God and restored to the estate of iustice againe whereof I shall speake hereafter Of the Iustification of suche as were christened being of perfite age and what was required of them THE VIII CHAPTER BVT of such as borne and brought vp in infidelitie and being of perfect age came to be iustified and of wicked made rightuouse bicause they be not onely giltie of originall sinne but also of many actuall sinnes committed by their owne thought worde and deed more is required and an other order appointed vnto them whereby they prepare the way to receiue the iustice of God. It is required of them first to beleue For he that commeth to God Hebr. 11. Marc. 1. must beleue So Christ beganne to preach vnto such Poenitemini credite Euangelio Repent and beleue the Gospel And forasmuch as beleuing the Gospel there is reueled and opened vnto them the anger of God from heauen vppon all wickednes and iniustice Rom. 1. They are stricken with a good and profitable feare of Gods iudgement Act. 2. as they were that heard S. Peter his preaching and of that feare they conceiue and as it were trauaile and bring forth the spirite of health Esai 26. Yet doo they not rest in that feare but learning that Christ came to saue sinners and died for such as were his ennemies 1. Tim. 1. Hearing him also say Confide fili be of good comforte sonne Rom. 6. Matt. 9. thy sinnes be forgeuen They conceiue hope of mercie and thereby beginne to loue him by whose mercie they truste to enioy so greate a benefite And for the loue of him deteste and abhorre their former sinfull life And bicause it is said vnto them Act. 2. Poenitentiā agite baptizetur vnusquisque vestrûm Doo penance and be baptized eche of you they willingly and hartely repente their former sinnes which is al the penance that the Church of God requireth before Baptisme And so disposing them selues they receiue the Sacrament of Baptisme and therewith according to the promise of God made by S. Peter Matt. 28. Act. 2. remission of their sinnes and the gifte of the holy Ghost to keepe Gods commaundements which is their Iustification And this is the order whereby a sinner being of perfect age is iustified that is to say called to the estate of iustice and of wicked made rightuouse The first and principall cause thereof is the loue and mercie of God thorough the merite of Christes death Iustice is wrought in vs by grace and atteined by faith with the feare of Goddes iudgement hope of his mercie loue of his goodnes and by penance thorough the Sacrament of Baptisme All which are so necessarie to the accomplishing of our iustice that where any of them faileth trewe iustice also doth faile Hebr. 11. For as without faith it is vnpossible to please God and he that beleueth not is already iudged So he that is without feare can not be iustified Eccles 1. He that hopeth not despeireth Neither can any man loue that he hopeth not And who so lacketh hope and loue Aug. Enchi ca. 8. can not be iustified by faith Nam Daemones credunt For euen the Diuelles beleue and tremble and yet doo they neither hope nor loue but rather by beleuing are afraied that that shall come which we hope and loue Such as wil be iustified must not only beleue the Gospel but do penance Mar. 1. Luc. 13. Gal. 3. and such as will not do penance are assured al to perish Finally who is not baptized putteth not on Christe and therefore is neither renewed nor iustified This manner of Iustification is not onely testified by the Scriptures but also expressed in th' ancient vsage of the Church by such order as was exercised vppon them that receiued baptisme when they were of perfect age euen from the Apostles time whiche thinge we maie perceiue by the wordes of S. Paule where he saith Intermittentes inchoationis Christi sermonem Hebr. 6. c. Leauing asyde the wordes of our yong beginning in Christ Lette vs drawe to a perfectenes not layinge againe the foundation of penance from deade workes and of faith towarde God of the teaching of Baptisme and also of laying on hands of the resurrection of the dead and iudgement euerlasting al which thinges saith S. Augustine apperteyne to thadministration of Baptisme Aug. in expo ad Ro. incho de fid oper cap. 11. whereby we vnderstande that of such as were baptized in perfect age there was not only required faith in professing tharticles of the Crede but also they were required to doo penance from deade workes of sinne And to shewe some outwarde token thereof there was appointed vnto them before theire baptisme a time to faste and praie As is testified by such as liued nigh vnto the Apostles time Iustinus Martyr saith Apolo 2. pro Christian After what sorte we haue offred and dedicated our selues vnto God being newe made throughe Christe we will declare As many as be persuaded and beleue that the thinges are trewe whiche be taught and saied by vs and promise that they be able so to liue they be taught to praie and by fasting to aske at Goddes handes forgiuenes of former
him in euery good acte that he doth fateantur gratiam Dei adiutorium etiam ad singulos actus dari Lette them confesse that Gods grace and helpe is geuen euen to euerie good acte and deede I doo more willingly recite the wordes of S. Austine in this pointe bicause the moste learned in all ages since haue folowed the same iudgement and manner of teaching not onely Presper Aquitanus in Italie Fulgentius in Africa and S. Bede in this our country of Englande The teaching of the Churche cōcerning the grace of God in al ages but also the moste learned schole menne As Hugo de sancto Victore S. Thomas Bonauentura and other Whereby the Reader maye vnderstande what hath benne the teaching of the Church in all ages concerning the grace of God. As this grace of God is it whereby man is moued to al thinges that he doth wel so it is also the cause that worketh in him true penance and thereby Iustification For shyning vppon the soule of a sinner and geuing lighte to that darcknes it moueth the same to prepare him selfe and to receyue the working of God in such manner as I haue shewed before By grace God inspireth faith into our hartes whiche no man can haue without his speciall gifte Ioan. 6. No man can comme vnto me saieth Christe Augustin Tract 27. in Ioan. vnlesse it be geuen him from my Father Of whiche woordes S. Augustine gathereth Ergo credere datur nobis Then euen faith is geuen vnto vs. When S. Paule preached in Macedonia God opened the harte of a woman called Lydia to geue heede vnto suche thinges as were said by him Act. 16. Many other heard S. Paule as wel as shee but God gaue her the grace to beleue his woordes To you it is geuen saieth S. Paule Philip. 1. for Christes sake not onely to beleue in him but also to suffer for him And as these and other sayinges prooue that faith is Gods gyfte so of the feare of God it is sayd by the Prophete Timorem meum dabo in corde eorum Ierem. cap. 32. vt non recedant à me I will geue my feare in their harte to th ende they shall not goe from me Dauid knowing that it is the gyfte of God prayeth for it saying Psal 118. Confige timore tuo carnes meas Pearce my flesh through with thy feare If hope were not the gifte of God it should not be saide Tu Domine singulariter inspe constituisti me Psal 4. Thou Lorde haste placed me in hope singulerly Neither woulde S. Paule haue said 2. Thes 21 God our father hath loued vs and geuen vs comforte euerlasting and good hope in grace 1. Ioan. 4 Rom. 5. Charitie commeth of God. powred abrode in our hartes through the holy Ghoste which is geuen vs. What shal I say of penance whiche God geueth vnto sinners to knowe the treuth 2. Tim. 2. and to amende and gette out of the snares of the Diuel of whom they be holden captiue at his pleasure It is God that geueth a newe harte and putteth a newe spirite in the middest of vs that taketh away the harde stonie harte and geueth a softe harte and tender as fleshe Ezec. 36. And what is that greate change of harte and minde from euil to good but repentance And to commende his grace and make it appeare as it is very grace in deede he saieth non propter vos ego faciam This wil I doo not for your sakes but for my holy names sake Here it may be said If our Iustification and what so euer apperteineth vnto it A doubte be the gyfte of God and procede of grace what parte hath man therein and what is there lefte for him to do To this question I shal answere in the next chaptre And hereby maye the Reader vnderstande that the grace of God is neither hydden nor obscurely preached by the Churche in the Doctrine of Iustification seing that both our Iustification it selfe and the meanes wherby we comme vnto it be truely ascribed specially vnto grace That man hath free wil which being holpen by grace worketh in our Iustification and what it worketh THE X. CHAPTER GOd worketh mannes saluation by his grace Of free will. but he worketh it in him by hī selfe that is to say with his own cōsent and by his free wil He worketh in al his creatures causing the earth to bring forth grasse the trees theyr leaues and fruite the beastes to doo according to their kinde But these effectes he worketh in them by his owne power without them that is without any consente of them And this is the difference betwene beastes that wante reason betwene the insensible creatures and man Man as S. Augustine saith Serm. 11. de verb. Aposto Iren. li. 4. cap. 72. In the 4. Chapter Nec vt pecora factus est was neither made as beastes were nor made lyke a tree nor made lyke a stone but was made after the Image of his Creator That is as I shewed before indued with reason and wil And therefore although there may be in man corrupte wil and deceyued reason yet whatsoeuer he doth he woorketh it thorough will and reason Iren. li. 4. cap. 71. Liberum eum fecit Deus ab initio saieth the aunciente Father Ireneus God made man free euen from the beginning hauing aswell his owne power as his owne soule to doo Goddes will and minde voluntarilie and willingly not compelled by God. For there is no force vsed of Goddes parte The wooman when she had offended framing an aunswere to excuse her selfe sayde not Serpens coegit me Chrysosto Hom. 17. in Genes the serpente forced me and I eatte but what sayde shee The serpente deceyued me there is no necessitie nor violence but will and arbitremēt August de grat lib. arbit cap. 2. And bicause no man should doubte hereof Reuelauit nobis per Scripturas suas sanctas God him selfe saith S. Augustine hath reueled vnto vs by his holy Scriptures that there is free will in man. And howe he hath reueled it I put you in remembrance not by mannes saying but by Goddes woorde Firste bycause the very commaundementes of God coulde doe man no good vnlesse he had free will by the whiche he might doo them and atteyne to the rewardes that be promysed And in the same place Further there be so many commaundementes whiche doo in a manner by name speake vnto our will Rom. 12. Psalm 31. Prouer. 1. Prouer. 3. as that Noli vinci à malo Will thou not be ouercomme of yll Be not made lyke a horse and a mule in whome there is no vnderstandinge Forsake not the counselles of thy mother Be not wise in thyne owne conceyte and after manye other Scriptures there alleged he concludeth thus Surely where it is saied will not this and will not that and where in the admonitions that God geueth the worke of
Scripture declareth to haue ben turned from sinne to iustice but also are expressed in the wordes of S. Paule 2. Cor. 7. who speaking of the Corinthians repentance saieth Lo euen this godly sorowe how great a care it worketh in you yea a defence yea an indignation and displeasure yea a feare yea a desier yea an emulation yea a reuengement The grace of God working in them made them to beleeue S. Paules wordes and so to see their sinne wherein they shewed faith they conceiued thereof not onely a feare but also a desier to be acquited whiche was not without hope They were carefull to auoide like occasions they had an indignation against them selues and were ready to reuenge in them selues their owne sinne wherein they shewed theire loue towarde God and the reuerent feare they had to offende him To applie the same by mo examples The Niniuites through grace beleued the preaching of Ionas and vpon feare which they conceiued Ion. 3. they proclaimed a generall faste they were not without hope of Gods mercie saying who can tell whether God wil be turned and forgeue Luc. 15. The wastefull sonne had such a reuerente loue toward his father that he was ready to suffer more penance for his misbehauor then his father would lay vpon him saying Iam non sum dignus vocari filius tuus fac me sicut vnum de mercenarijs tuis I am no longer worthy to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruantes Luc. 7. I doubte not but that the Reader can apply the rule in like manner to the example of Marie Magdalene in which woman there shineth as it were a glasse and mirrour of trewe penance But as it is trewe that no man is iustified without penance so is it not one manner of penance that is required of him that cōmeth to be christened and of him that after his christendome committeth mortall and deadly sinne Of him that is of perfect age and to be christened Ambro. in cap. 11. ad Rom. no straight or painefull penance is required for as S. Ambrose saith Gratia Dei in Baptismate non quaerit gemitum aut planctum aut opus aliquod nisi solam ex corde professionem The grace of God in Baptisme requireth not sighing or mourning or any woorke but onely a profession from the harte Bicause the partie not hauing enioied any benefite of Christ his grace whervnto he was not yet called his sinne and vnkindenes is the lesse Heb. 6. But suche as haue benne once broughte to the lighte and haue tasted the heauenlie gifte and benne made partakers of the holie Ghoste Tit. 2. beeing called to adorne and sette foorth the doctrine of our Sauiour in all thinges if they be vngodly 2. Cor. 6. firste they be vnkinde to God whose grace they receiue in vaine Ephes 4. Secondlye they doe wronge to the holy Ghoste whome they greue Thirdly as the Prophet said vnto Dauid 2. Reg. 12. Esai 52. Rom. 2. Blasphemare fecisti inimicos nomen domini Thou hast made the enimies blaspheme the name of the Lorde So may it be said vnto them Nomen Dei per vos blasphematur inter gentes By your meanes the name of God is blasphemed emong the Heathen For these and other causes a greater penaunce is and euer hath ben required of such offenders in the Churche And that according to the iuste rule of Christe who saith Omnicui multum datum est multum quaeretur ab eo Luc. 12. cui commendauerunt multum pius petent ab eo To whom so euer much is geauen muche shal be required of him and to whom they haue committed much they wil aske the more of him After this rule saith Theodoretus Theodor. Epito Diuino Decreto c. de poeniten Sunt ergo medicabilia etiam quae post baptismum fiunt vulnera Euen such woundes as are made after Baptisme be curable Marie curable not by forgeuenes geuen by faith onely as once it was but by many teares weaping and wailing fasting praying and labour measured after the quantitie of the sinne committed for such as be not so disposed we haue not learned to admitte nor receiue In which wordes we see the difference of penance appointed by the Church to both sortes of men Suche as came to be christened were cured saith he by onely beleuing In cap. 11. ad Rom. which S. Ambrose calleth a profession only from the heart without either good workes going before or painful penance for sinne past of them that were christened before and then fel into great sinne there was required weeping wailing fasting praier and other labour according to the quantitie of the sinne which vnlesse they would doe they were not receiued into the Churche Serm. 31. de verb. Dom. Of such penitentes S. Augustine saith Quia agunt poenitentiam in sordibus agunt si tamen intelligunt veraciter agunt They that doe penance do it vgly and mournfully if they haue vnderstanding and doe it truly Whereby we learne that such as for great sinne doe light penance or none neither haue vnderstanding of their owne estate nor doe penance truely For as S. Cyprian saith Dominus longa cōtinua satisfactione placandus est Lib. 1. epistola 8. Our Lorde must be pacified by long and continual satisfaction And in another place he saith Orare oportet impensius rogare c. iustis operibus incumbere Cyprian de lapsis quibus peccata purgantur elecmosinus frequenter insistere quibus à morte animae liberantur Such must praie earnestly and aske they must applie iuste workes wherby sinnes are purged they must often times geue almes whereby sowles are deliuered from death And a litle after Poenitēti operanti roganti potest clementer ignoscere Tob. 4. God can mercifully pardon him that doth penāce him that worketh him that prayeth This streight and paineful penaunce the Church learned to enioyne for great sinne cōmitted after Baptisme by the example of S. Paule who deliuered the Corinthian that had abused his fathers wife to the Diuel 1. Cor. 5. the body to be punisshed and pinched that the sowle might be saued And bicause that he saith that he did it in the name of Christe and by the holy Ghost that spake in him we knowe 1. Cor. 7. that streight penance practised in the Church is not the inuention of men but the teaching of the holy Ghost And where he saith he woulde haue his body pinched and punished we knowe what penance God iudgeth due vnto great sinne Wherevpon Pacianus alleaging these wordes of S. Paul said vnto such as were in penāce Quid dicitis poenitentes Vbi est vestrae carnis interitus What saie you that be penitents Pacia de Poeniten confess Where is the pinching of your bodie And albeit this penance seme to the flesh heauie and streight yet doth faith with the feare and loue of
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
touching the questiō of our Iustification Which he decideth thus farr to wit whether faith without good woorkes may saue a Christian man or no. The occasion of S. Augustines Treatie of saith and vvorkes Where vnto he was moued by a corrupte opinion of some menne in his time For whereas whole countries then were not yet fully conuerted to Christe and therefore diuers of al ages as they were brought to the faith came yearly to be christened some were of opinion that as manie as would beleeue the right faith though they liued vngodly yet might be receiued to Baptisme and be saued through faith and the Sacramentes without good workes Against whome he wrote this godly and learned Booke entituled De Fide operibus of faith and woorkes prouing therein at large that faith without good life can saue no manne And bicause the value and estimation of good workes hath been and yet is called in question to wit what accompte God maketh of them and whether any reward be geuen vnto them especially of life euerlasting and whether they be necessarie and able to healpe vs to attaine the same I haue also chosen certaine Arbitrators touching the especial and chiefe workes commended by Christe as Praier Fasting and Almes dedes And those suche men that in their handes thou mayste without daunger put thine opinion and iudgement For Praier I haue chosen S. Chrysostome for Fasting S. Basil and S. Leo for almose deedes S. Cyprian and S. Leo againe The first and second Confessors but so liuing for certaine yeares that they daily looked to be Martyrs The third also a Confessor but such as in his life by a Generall Councell of 630. Bishops was called S. Leo and since his death hath ben so taken of the Churche Concil Chalcedo Sess 3. and hath also for his most excellent learning bene surnamed Leo the Greate The fowrth a flower of the worlde in his life for vertue and learning and in his death a moste constante and vndoubted Martyr S. Cyprian and S. Augustine liued in Africa S. Basil in Asia S. Leo in Europa S. Chrysostome parte of his life in Asia parte in Europa And so by these doo we heare as it were speaking in them the voice of the whole Catholike Church 1. Tim. 3. which is the piller and staie of truthe against the whiche no man well aduised will frame him selfe a singular opinion For vnto the Churche is the holy Ghost the teacher of al trueth promised Ioan. 15. 16. which promise no priuate man hath Their Antiquitie is suche that the latest and lowest of them al liued within 400. yeres after Christe Peruse and way without affection gentle Reader the Treaties of these holy Fathers I might require thee also to stand to their decision bicause there is no exception to be taken against them But that I leaue to Gods gracious working and thine owne good will bicause I take not vppon me to be Iudge of the cause but a motioner toward peace Only this muche I saie of them that whereas Iudges should be voide of hatred freendshippe enmitie and pittie Salust de bel Catil these men are suche For as S. Augustine saieth of them and of others like Nullas nobiscum Aug. contra Iulia. Lib. 2. vel vobiscum amicitias attenderunt vel inimicitias exercuerunt Neque nobis neque vobis irati sunt neque nos neque vos miserati sunt Quod in Ecclesia inuenerunt tenuerunt Quod didicerunt docuerunt quod à patribus acceperunt hoc filijs tradiderunt They neither regarded friendshippe nor were at enmitie with vs or you they were neither angry with vs nor you nor tooke compassion of vs or of you Looke what they founde in the Church that they held suche as they learned they taught what they receiued of their Fathers that deliuered they to their children Take therefore Christen Reader if thou be a childe of the Churche these thy Fathers lessons Aske thy Fathers saieth the holy Scripture and they will shew thee Deut. 32. enquire of thy Elders and they will tell thee These be thy Fathers these be thy Elders These are suche of whom Christe saied he that heareth you heareth me Lucae 10. he that dispiseth you dispiseth me These are the high Pastours of Christes Church of whom Christ saied Matth. 18. he that heareth not the Churche let him be to thee as an Heathen and Publicane These are the lightes of the Church of whom Christe saied You are the light of the worlde Matth. 5. Acto 13. whose predecessours saied also of them selues that they were placed to be a light to Nations to woorke saluation euen to the vttermost of the earth Of whome also an other saied He that knoweth God harkeneth vnto vs. 1. Ioan. 4. He that is not of God harkeneth not vnto vs. In this we trie the Spirite of Truthe and the Sprite of Errour If thou wilt then be lead by Truthe and not seduced by Errour harken to these holy and learned Fathers all Bishoppes and chiefe Pastours in the Churche of Christe in that time and age whiche the Aduersaries them selues accompte for the purest Let these hardely be thy Arbitrers in decision of these present controuersies They lacked no learning to know the Truthe They wanted no vprightnesse to write as they knewe They can not be partiall They knewe neither parties They liued taught and flourished in the time of Truth by the Aduersaries owne Confession To speake farder in the commendation of these most holy and learned Fathers it were but a vanitie There nedeth no candle when the day light shineth Where good wine is there nedeth no garland to hange out These Fathers commends them selues All the Christian worlde reuerenceth them and crediteth them as holy Fathers as most learned Doctours as singular lightes of the Churche of Christe bothe Greke and Latin. To whom this publike testimony of all Christendome suffiseth not to him nothing will suffise Reade therefore Christian Reader Vse and peruse And reading these remember that thou readest not any writer of late yeares any priuate learned man any particular Iudgement or doctrine But that thou readest in these the doctrine of the primitiue Churche Auncient and generally approued Fathers briefely the publike Testimony and common voice of all Christendom And that not certaine of their sayinges culled out from the whole but their whole and full Treaties word for word as they wrote them laied before thee Last of all not any suche writinges as they wrote by waie of controuersy as against an Aduersary but partly a settled and deliberated doctrine such as S. Augustines Treatie is partly Homelies and sermons made and pronounced to the whole people suche as all the rest are in whiche kinde of exercise the Pastour of Goddes people will be most aduised what he speaketh and muche more what he writeth To make an ende Thou hast hitherto hearde learned men prouing and debating matters now in controuersy
are sowen emong the wheate they are heaped vppe in the flower They are numbred emong the sheepe they are entred within the compasse of the nettes and mingled emonge the Gheastes But whether they be hidden and vnknowen or whether they appeare and be seene so they be within then shal there be a reason to beare with them when there is no meane or abilitie to amende them and when wee may not presume to seperate them But God forbidde wee shoulde so vnderstande Mat. 13. that whiche is written They whome they founde were browghte in to the marriage feaste bothe good and euill that it shoulde be thoughte they brought in suche as professed they woulde stil continew euill For then the very seruauntes of the Maister of the howse didde sowe cockle And so shoulde it be false whiche is written but the enemie whiche soweth the same is the Diuell But bycause this can not be false therefore that the seruauntes broughte in bothe good and badde is to be ment that thei brought in such as were either secrete and vnknowen naught or elles after they were brought and lette in appeared to be naught These woordes good and badde may also be meant to haue ben spoken in respecte of common conuersation of mannes life in which respecte suche as haue not yet beleeued are sometime eyther praised or dispraised And in this consideration our Lorde admonished his Disciples whome hee firste sent foorthe to preache his Ghospel Mat. 10. that into what Cittie so euer they came they shoulde enquire who was there woorthy that they mighte dwell with him till they departed thence For who shall be that woorthy but he that by the estimation of his owne neighbours shall be counted good And who vnwoorthy but he that is knowen emong them for euill Of bothe these kindes there come vnto the faith of Christe And so there are broughte in bothe good and badde when those that be euill doe not refuse penance from their deade woorkes But if they refuse then are they not repelled being desirouse to come in but they them selues doe by open denyall departe from entring in Neyther shall that seruaunte be blamed or condemned emong the slowthfull that woulde not bestowe his Maisters talente vppon suche as these are Mat. 25. For vppon these he woulde haue employed it but they woulde not receiue it Of them that hide Gods talent For this parable was propownded for them whiche will not take on them the office to be Gods Minister or Stewarde in his Churche pretending a slowthfull excuse that they will not make an accompte for other mennes sinnes whiche heare and dooe not that is to saie whiche receiue and render not But when a faithfull and diligente stewarde readie in laying foorthe and moste desirouse of his maisters gaine saieth to the Adulterer bee no more an Adulterer if thou wilte be baptised beleeue Christe whiche saieth that this whiche thou doest is adulterie if thow wilte be baptised be not the member of an harlotte if thou wilte be the member of Christe and if he aunswere I will not obey I will not so doe this manne will not take our Lordes true money but rather will bring in to our Lordes treasure his owne forged and counterfaite coyne But if he would professe and promise to doe it and did it not nor woulde be afterwarde by any meane corrected there woulde be founde what to be done with him least he be vnprofitable to others which coulde not be profitable to him selfe to the intent that if there were an yll fissh within the good nettes of our Lord yet should it not entangle our Lordes fisshes in his naughtie nettes that is to saie though he leade in the Churche an euill life yet shoulde he not there institute an euill doctrine For when suche personnes doe defende suche their euill deedes or openly professing that they will continewe therein are admitted to Baptisme they seeme to teache plainely that fornicatours and adulterers yea though they continew in their wickednesse to their liues ende shall possesse the kingdome of God and that they shall come to lyfe and eternal saluation Iac. 2. by merite of faith which without woorkes is deade These are the naughtie nettes which the fisshers ought chiefely to beware of if at the leaste by that parable of the Gospell Bisshops and other inferior rulers of the Churche are meant by the woorde fisshers Mat. 4. bicause it was said Come yee and I will make yee fisshers of menne See the fruite of euil doctrine For in good nettes may bothe good and yll fisshes be taken but in euill nettes good fisshes can not be taken For in good doctrine bothe he may be good that heareth and followeth and he euil which heareth and followeth not But in euill doctrine bothe he that taketh it for true although he doe not obey and folowe it is euill and he that obeyeth and foloweth it is woorse It is no newe Doctrine that suche shoulde be kept from Baptisme who openly saie that they wil continew in their lewde liuing THE XVIII CHAPTER THIS truely is to be maruailed at that our brethren whiche are otherwise minded then we nowe defende whereas they ought to departe from this so perillouse an opinion be it new or olde doe yet say that this is a new doctrine whereby wicked men openly professing without shame that they will perseuere in their wicked deedes are not admitted vnto Baptisme As though they were wandering in some straunge countrie I knowe not where and sawe not that harlottes plaiers and other suche like professours of publike filthinesse are not suffered to come to the Sacramentes of Christe till those their bondes be first losed and broken The auncient custome of the church Yet should suche kinde of people by these mennes opinion be all admitted But it is wel that the holy Churche hath kept and continewed this auncient and firme custome descending of that most cleare truth whereby it is assured that those which doe such thinges shall not possesse the kingdome of heauen Hence it is that they which refuse to doe penance from those dead workes are not suffered to come vnto Baptisme And if any haue crept in vnlesse they afterwarde being amended doe penaunce they can not be saued But if drunkerds couetouse personnes and sclaunderers or committers of the like damnable vices can not by their open deedes be conuinced or reprooued yet are they sharpely corrected with preceptes instructions and Catechismes And then all such changing their willes into a better purpose are seene to come vnto Baptisme But if they haue perhaps seene and noted some negligently in some places to haue vsually admitted adulterers Exod. 20. whome not mans lawe but Gods lawe condemneth that is to saie which kepe other mens wiues as their owne or women whiche companie likewise with the husbandes of other women they oughte by those good vsages of the Churche indeuour to refourme suche euill doinges that is to
penaunce for their vncleannes and fornication whiche they haue committed Crimes mortal but not infamous Againe if there were not certaine sinnes whiche need not to be healed by suche humilitie of penaunce as is geeuen in the Church to them which are properly called Penitentes but by some other medicines of rebuking by woordes our Lorde woulde not saie Tell him his fault betwene him and thee alone if he harken to the Matt. 18. Venial sinnes then thou hast wonne thy broother Finally if there were not some faultes without the whiche this life is not lead he woulde not haue geuen vs a daily remedy in the praier which him selfe taught wherin he willed vs to saie forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespase against vs. Matt. 6. The Conclusion with a learned recitall of all that hath beene saied before THE XXVII CHAPTER NOW haue I sufficiently laide foorthe I suppose what I thinke of that whole opiniō wherein three questions haue risen One of the mingling in the church of good and euil as of wheat and cockle Wherein wee must take heede that wee thinke not these parables and similitudes propounded to that ende whether it be that of the vncleane beastes within the Arke or what so euer suche lyke which signifie the same that Ecclesiasticall discipline should therefore sleepe whereof it was saied in the figure of that wooman Prouer. 2. Seuere are the conuersations of her house but that vnaduised and rash temeritie rather then diligent seueritie should not so farre proceed that it presume as it were to seperate the good from the euil by wicked schismes For neither by these similitudes parables and foreshewinges is there geeuen to the good any counsel of slouth or slacknes wherby they should neglect that which they ought to forbid but of pacience wherby preseruing alwaie the doctrine of truth they may suffer and beare that whiche they can not amende Nor yet bicause it is written that there entred also vncleane beastes into the Arke to Noe Genes 7. therfore the Prelates shoulde not forbid and stay if any most lewde and vncleane persons will presume to enter to Baptisme as light dawncers which were verely lesse yll then filthy adulterers But by this figure of a thing done it was foreshewed that vncleane persons should be in the church by meane of toleration not by corruption of doctrine or dissolute breaking of discipline and good order For the vncleane beastes came not in where and of whiche side them listed the fast frame of the Arke being in any part broken or sundered but the same being whole and sound they entred all at one onely doore which the woorkman had made An other question is vppon that it seemed good vnto them that only faith shoulde be preached to them that were to be Baptised and that after Baptisme they should be taught of woorkes and manners But if I be not deceiued it hath beene sufficiently shewed that it dooth then chiefly appertaine to the care and dewty of the ouerseer when all they whiche desire together the Sacrament of the faithfull doo most intentiuely and carefully harken to all that is saied then expressely and plainely to open the paine which our Lord threateneth to them that liue yll least they become gilty of most greuous crimes euen in the Baptisme it selfe whervnto they come to haue the gilt of all their former sinnes remitted The third question is the most daungerous of al. Of the whiche being slenderly considered and not handled according to the woorde of God is rysen as to me seemeth all that other foule opinion wherin there is promised to suche as lyue most lewdely and shamefully yea though they continue in suche liuing if they onely beleeue in Christe and receaue his Sacramentes that they shall come to eternall life and saluation Whiche doctrine is against the most manifest saying of our Lorde who to him that desired eternall life Matt. 19. aunswered If thou wilt come vnto life keepe the cōmaundementes and shewed farder what commaundementes such truly wherin those sinnes are forbidden wherevnto eternall life is nowe I know not howe promised thorough faith Iacob 2. which without woorkes is dead Of these three questions I haue as I thinke sufficiently disputed and haue shewed that the euill are so to be tolerated in the Churche that Ecclesiasticall Discipline be not neglected That they whiche desire Baptisme are so to be instructed that they may not onely heare and take vppon them what they should beleeue but also howe they shoulde lyue That eternall lyfe is so promised to the faithfull that no man may thinke he may come thereunto through a deade faith whiche without woorkes can not saue But by that faith of grace whiche woorketh thorough looue Note the Conclusion Gal. 5. Let not therefore faithfull Stuardes be blamed Let not theyr negligence or slougthe be reprooued but rather the froward stubernesse of some whiche refuse to take our Lordes mony and whiche compell the seruantes of our Lorde to bestowe and distribute their owne counterfait coyne while thei wil not at the least be of that sort of euil men as S. Cyprian speaketh of In Ser. de lapsis renouncing the world onely in wordes and not in workes For these men wil not so muche as in wordes renounce the woorkes of the diuel but with open mouth wil professe that thei wil continue in ther adultery If there be any thing els that they do affirme which I perhaps haue not here touched in this my disputation I suppose it to be such as whereunto my answere was not necessary either bicause it apperteined not to the matter now in hande or els for that it was suche a trifel as might of euery man easely be confuted and reproued Thus endeth the learned Treatie of that auncient and Blessed Father S. Augustine Of faith and Woorkes A SERMON MADE BY S. CHRYSOSTOME PATRIARKE OF CONSTANTINOPLE IN THE yere of our Lorde 400. Of praying vnto God Extant in the fifth Tome of his Woorkes THE seruantes of God are for two causes woorthy not onely to be extolled with high prayses but also to be regarded and looked vppon with admiration Firste for that they did set the hope of theyr saluation in deuoute and holie prayers and next for that they suffered not to grow out of memorye those laudes and other seruice whiche with ioy and trembling they vsed to offer vnto God but haue ben content that being committed to writing they should remaine Whereby thei might powre foorth their treasure vppon vs as it were by succession of inheritaunce and by that meane prouoke and stirre the whole posteritie to a desyre of following and of labouring to be lyke vnto them For it is well sytting and conuenient that bothe the manners of the teachers doo flowe and descende to suche as vse theyr companye and that the scholers of suche Maisters be seene also to followe and expresse in lyfe the vertue of theyr