our charge For as we deny mans merit so do wée teache Gods rewarde which we referre to his grace and mercye We adde also the Gods holy spirite dwellyng in the faythful workes effectually in their hartes that they bringe foorth good frutes For God hath geuen vnto his seruants not the spirit of feare but of power loue and sobriety So that the godly being indued with holy moderation and humilyty are afrayde to ascrybe that to their owne merits which of right belongeth to the grace of God the merites of his sonne Iesus Christ herevnto consenteth the holy Father Saint Augustine Let no man saye that grace is geuen vnto him by his merites as heretikes falsely affirme Not because there is no good merite of the godly nor euyll meryt of the vngodly for if it were so how shold God iudge the world But the grace and mercy of God conuerteth man whereof the Psalme speaketh The mercye of my God shall preuent mee Which thing séeing it is most euident let no man leaue the only perfit fouÌ„dation which is Christ through whom we are iustified by fayth and not by works and yet wée being setled vpon this foundation as lyuelye stones ought lykewyse buylders to laye vpon the same in ryght and decent order true and perfytte good workes It appeareth by that which hath bene spoken before what great dyfference there is betwéene the vertues of Chrystians and Infydelles Surely so great as there is betweene a beast and a child betwéene a wyse man and a foole or betwéene a blinde man and one that seeth well For vnto Christians is the secreete wyll of God reuealed and that mysterie which as the Apostle sayeth was hyd many ages Vnto Chrystians God the father of glorye hath by his spirite in his worde reuealed wisedome and the knowledge of him selfe To conclude Christians are translated out of the power of darknesse into the kingdome of his dearely beloued sonne by whome wee haue redemption through his blood and remyssion of sinnes In whome it hath pleased the heauenly father to dwell with all fulnesse and by him to reconcyle all things toward him selfe and all thinges pacifyed through the blood of his crosse whether they be in heauen or in earth Séeing then the excellent dignitie of Christian men is suche let them also thinke that theyr lyfe and conuersation ought to be most excellent and to passe all other Nations or professions For Paynimes and all faythlesse people doo leade a lyfe without any faith or hope they know nothing of eternall lyfe And although amongst many of them some do holde the immortality of the soule yet their arguments depend of naturall reason and haue not force and effecte to perswade weake mynds Neyther touching matters of this lyfe do they procéede any further then the bare letter of the seconde table of Gods commaundementes and so much as apperteyneth to the shaddowe of honestie in externall manners and actions They being ouercome with the lustes of the fleshe and drawne into vices knowe not the occasion of the same muche lesse the meane to amende the same naye they often fréely confesse that they are violently drawen with their fylthy appetytes they sée better thinges and allow of them but they choose and embrace the worst they desire those thinges that are forbidden them they pursue such things as fléete awaye and refuse those things that are offered vnto them Such is the corrupt nature of all men that lyue without the direction of Gods spirit and the light of the gospell But the Christians beléeuing in the sonne of God and walking in the cleare light of his gospell do know that they are redéemed not with any corruptyble thinges as syluer gold but with such a matter whose lyfe hath no end doubtles euen with the blood of Iesus Christ And for as muche as hee beyng both God and man lyueth for euer and therefore became man to redéeme vs and couple vs vnto him selfe wée doo knowe that wâ—e shal liue in him throughout al eternytes and in this faith we looke for eternall lyfe when as God shal be all in all And in this lyfe we resist carnall concupisenses â–ª and suffer not synne to beare rule in our mortall body We resyste not the holye ghoste wée serue not the fleshe but that serueth vs Yea and although somtyme this carnall nature of ours wyll shewe it selfe yet wée accoumpt it a thing vnworthy to followe the bent thereof and being the chyldren of God are ledde with Gods spirite onlye Let vs for example sake vewe these greate courtyers and noble men placed in dignytye and aucthorytye who puffed vp with ambition and hautinesse of mynde throughe a vayne con eyte of theyr offyce and countenaunce contempne the acquayntaunce and famylyarytye of poore symple men or vse them onelye to serue they re tourne and gayne Some other are become so doltyshe and arrogaunte that they wyll not vouchsaufe a becke or nodde to those that with bothe legges moste humblye salute them They are growne into all madnesse and follye blynded with theyr hyghe offyce and callynge whiche is a thynge méere vaine for it is not theyr owne but anothers not in them but without them as all other the goodes of Fortune are Which thing if such men doo in their fléeting and miserable estimation of this fyckle worlde Why doo not Christians a great deale more call to minde theyr dignitie and estymation who are alreadie redeemed with the pure and precious blood of Christ the soÌ„ne of God Surely it is our partes once to begin to haue consideration of our worthy offyce and calling We are the sonnes of God why doo we therfore geue the raynes to sinne and wickednesse for as a certayne wryter finely sayth I maie not accoumpt my selfe vyle in whome God was so greatlie delyghted that he chose death rather then he would loose mee We are nowe the sonnes of God endewed with the Iustice of God and washed from our sinnes by the blood of his sonne Let vs then resist wicked and impure affections and let vs thinke them to bee too vyle for vs to obeye to the which ende those wordes of the Apostle doo serue Haue no care for your fleshe to satissye the lustes of it Be you sayth he Maisters and let the flesh be your seruants for the seruaunt of the fleshe wandreth in darknesse But the nyght is passed and the daye shyneth vppon vs Christians let vs cast awaye the workes of darknesse and put vppon vs the armour of lyght let vs walke honestly as in the day tyme let vs geue continual thanks to our mercyful and louing Father who hath promoted and called vs into the most noble and diuine fellowship of his sonne Christ Let vs haue a careful care that we neuer commytte any thing vnworthy so excellent a calling and with a kinde of holy and heauenly contempt despyse this wicked worlde with the Prince thereof Let vs
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
that hath done vvrong Housekeepers Masters of familyes are taught That possession gotten vvith iniquitie fleeteth awaye Of Charitie it is wrytten That loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Of Magistrates it is written Geue vnto Caesar those thinges vvhich belong to Caesar and to God those things that are Gods. Of othes and remembring of iniuries Haue I commaunded your fathers comming out of the lande of Aegipt that they shoulde offer sacrifice and burntofferinges but I commaunded this rather That euerie one thould forget iniuries and offences and to loue no vntrue oath Lyers prowde men heare this threatning VVoo vnto those that call sweete bytter and bytter sweete and againe VVoo be vnto them that are vvyse in their owne conceytes And he that humbleth himself shal be exalted and he that exalteth him selfe shal be brought lowe Those that shewe pittie and mercy are pronounced blessed Because they shal obtaine mercie Enuie and displeasure is accoumpted a hurtfull thing Because it destroyeth those that be wyse And as for enemyes we are commaunded To loue them to blesse those that curse vs And vnto him that smyteth thee vpon the one cheeke offer vnto him the other Our seruauntes are to be vsed gently for they are men as we be and there is no respect of personnes before god Vainglory is also beaten downe VVoo be vnto you Pharisees because you loue the highest seates in the Synagoges and salutations in the market places Of almes deedes it is wrytten Come ye blessed children of my father receyue the kingdome prepared for you from the begynning of the vvorlde for I vvas hungrie aad you gaue mee meate I vvas thirstie and you gaue me drinke Fayth trouth in word déed are highly commended VVherfore laying asyde lyes let euery one speake truth vnto his neighbour for vve are members one of another let not the Sūne set vpon our vvrath neyther let vs geue place to the Deuyll He that stole let him steale no more but rather let him labour vvith his handes that he may be able to geue vnto the needy Let all bytternes and vvrath and fiercenes and cursed speaking be remoued from amongst you vvith all that vvhich is euyll Be gentle and mercyful one toward another doing good one to another as Christ hath done good vnto you Be you vvyse and follovvers of God as deare children and vvalke in loue as Christ hath loued you You vvyues be subiect to your ovvne husbandes as vnto the lord And you husbandes loue your vviues as Christ loued his church You sonnes obey your Parents Fathers prouooke not your children to vvrath but bring them vp in the nurtour and admonicion of the lord You seruaunts obey your Maisters after the flesh vvith trembling and feare in symplicity of your harts as it vvere seruing Christ from your hartes vvith good vvyll And you Masters do vvell vnto your seruaunts remitting threates knovving that both their Maister and yours is in heauen and is no accepter of persons If vve lyue in the spirite let vs vvalke in the spirite Let vs not be desirous of vainglory enuying one another and prouoking one another Let vs beare one anothers hurthen Let vs not deceaue our selues for God is not deceyued And againe VVe beseeche you brethren vvarne them that are vnruly comfort the feble minded lyft vp the vveake be patient toward all men See that none recompence euyll for euyl vnto any man but euer follovve that vvhich is good both among your selues and vnto all men Reioyce euer pray continually In all things geue thanks for it is the vvyll of GOD in Christ Iesus tovvard you Quenche not the spiritte despise not Prophesyings Examine all thinges hold fast that vvhich is good abstaine from all appearaunce of euyll Let your speache be alvvayes in grace powdred vvith salt to knovve hovve you ought to answere euerie man And againe Godlynes is profitable to all thinges hauing promises of the lyfe that is nowe and of that vvhich is to come And of serrauntes it is wrytten And they vvhich haue beleeuing Maisters let them not despise them because they are brethren but rather let them doo seruice for asmuch as they are beleeuing and beloued and partakers of the benefyte And that generall exhortation is worthy remembraunce Seeing that vve haue diuerse giftes according to the grace that is geuen vnto vs eyther prophesie after the measure of faith eyther offyce in administration or he that teacheth in teaching or hee that exhorteth in exhorting he that geueth in singlenesse he that ruleth in dilligence he that is mercifull in cheerefulnesse Loue vvithout dissimulation hating euyll cleaning to good Affectioned one to another vvith brotherly loue in geuing honor goe one before another Not lyther in busines feruent in spirite seruing the Lorde Reioycing in hope patient in trouble instant in prayer distributing to the necessitie of Sainctes geuen to hospitalitie Blesse them vvhich persecute you blesse and curse not Reioyce with them that reioyce weepe vvith them that vveepe Being of lyke affectioned one towardes another be not high mynded but making your selues equall to them of the lower sort not vvise in your owne opinions Recompence to no man euyll for euyll prouiding aforehande thinges honest not onely before God but also in the sight of all men If it be possible asmuch as lyeth in you haue peace vvith all men These fewe things I haue chosen from amongst many out of the holye scripture which I thought good to offer vnto my schollers that they might learne to plucke vp sinne and iniquitie by the rootes The body of the holy scripture conteyneth a plentyfull stoore of many other preceptes meete for an kyndes and callinges of men for the Cleargie and for the layetie for Princes for Priestes for gouernours and for subiectes of the which occasion may peraduenture be geuen to speake more aptly in another place Our heauenly father hath lefte his wyll vnto vs in his holye worde And whereas the horse is broken with the bytte and brydle the Ore with the yoake the wylde beast is caught with the nette the fishe with the hooke he hath ordeyned his word to alter and transformer resonable men Let vs most humblye beseeche him to gyue vs his grace that we may obey his word and followe his preceptes and commaundementes that we maye wade through the floodes of sinne and come into the quyet hauen of eternall peace there to be thankfull and alwayes to extoll the heauenly Father with his onely sonne together with the holy ghost world without ende Amen A Philosophecall posy Two principall partes of wisedom The Philosophers ignorante in the practise of their precepte Esai 29. 33. 1. Cor. 1. True wisdome is only in Gods. church 1. Cor. 1. Psa 36. Iohn 8. Christe is a perfecte example for vs to folowe in faythe and lyffe Christe an example in our liffe Iohn 13. 2 Tim. 3. Rom. 2. 1. The. 4
the Fathers and prophets were inspired which is to be had onely out of the holye scripture and to bee vnderstoode by the ayde of Gods spiryt wherein the saluation of mankinde is conteyned They knewe nothing of God as he reueled him selfe in his word euen from the beginning then the which benefyte none can come or bee more wyshed of mankinde These cheefe and princypall vertues then the true knowledg of God loue feare and reuerence of God togeather with perfyt trust and confydence in God calling vppon him in distresse and necessity was wanting vnto them Besydes this they knewe nothing of originall synne and naturall corruption they knewe nothing of the cause of synne nothing of mannes mysserie nothing of true and effectuall consolations eyther against calamityes or against death it selfe They knewe nothing of the redemption of mankynd by Christe nothing of the tyranny of the Deuyll nothing of the reparration of Gods Image name nothing of the olde man in Adam and newe man in Christe They knewe nothing of the resurrection of the dead nothing of the daye of domme nothing of the eternall blysse and immortallytie with the faythfull shall enioye in boddye and soule in the heauenly kingdome Albeit then the actes and déedes of the Ethnikes geue outwardly a godlye shewe as Aristides and Phocion in iustice and equitie Socrates in pittie Xenocrates in contynencie Lucretia in loue of Chastytie which they pursued let vs graunt so much to some good ende admyt not for any desyre of glorye and renowne but fyrst because the verye face and countenaunce of vertue séemed honourable vnto them secondly to leaue vnto theyr countrey men domysticall examples whiche they might followe lastlye to styrre vp in others an emulation and desyre of vertue if I saye all these good thinges were in them yet we sée howe farre they were from perfection The crowne and garland as it were wanteth in theyr workes to wytte the knowledge of God and an harte puryfied by fayth Wherefore Saint Augustine spake of them after this manner There is no good thing without the chiefe goodnesse and where the true knowledge of the eternall trueth vvanteth there is no true vertue no not in the best manners And another VVithout the relygion of the true God that which seemeth to be vertue is vyce neyther can any man please God without God c. For those that are ignoraunt of the true God can not haue true and perfyte vertue but onely a shewe or shaddowe therof vanishing awaye And whereas Reason and VVyll doo concurre in all honest and good actions the one admonishing what men ought to doo or not to doo the other pursueth and practyseth the same It is most certayne that humaine reason after his fall is oppressed with great ignoraunce and errour and therefore most commonly iudgeth corruptlye and VVyl also to be caryed to the worst in the execucion of all thinges The knowledge of God then puryfying the hart is doubtlesse the orygion and fountayne of all vertues which is pleasaunt and acceptable vnto god It is that which illuminateth and informeth Reason rightly and correcting corrupt vvyll reneweth a man after God in iustyce and true holynesse Moreouer the Ethnikes in their deedes respect not the right ende which make a true and perfyt difference betwéene all actions ▪ for example sake To releeue and geue almes to the poore is acoumpted and in deede is a vertue if it procéede from the loue of God and man but if it proceede of a desire to purchase prayse and commendation of the world it is synne and hipochrysie Wée do not reiect in the meane time theyr Polyticall vertues in humayne society but commende and imbrace them so farre forth as they swarue not from right reason and Iudgment of the mynd and especiallye from the tenne commaundements But we admonysh therewithall that Chrystians ought to haue a farre other respect then the Ethnikes had For they auoyded vice and folowed vertue through desire of praise honour and glory or through desyre of dygnity and aucthoryty or for comon concord and quyetnesse or else through reuerence of men and feare of the lawes or some suche lyke matter Whereas the Christians dyrect all theyr doing to the glory of God and profit of their neighbours They weigh more the feare of God then worldlye glory the loue of Iustyce then deceytful prayse and eternall blysse more then temporall pleasure The Ethnikes if there were any notable thing in them vaunted as of their owne gyfts but the Chrystians acknowledge God to be the geuer and aucthour of all good gyftes The vertue of humilitye then which Christ so earnestly requireth of vs was wanting in the Infydelles The same that hath bene sayd generallye of the Ethnikes may be perticulerly extended to the Iewes and Turks who woulde séeme to acknowledge one God onely to detest all Idols and to excell in holynesse of lyfe yet because they worship not God as he hath reueled and appointed in his word neyther beléeue that Christ is the sonne of the lyuing God al their works must nedes be fowle in Gods sight For without that ther is no true vertue no knowledge of God nor syncéere worshipping of God no pure loue toward God nor towarde our neyghbour They fayne vnto them selues a God or rather an Idoll who is not the Father of our medyatour and redéemer Iesus Christe Therefore they worshyppe not God a ryght for Hee that knoweth not the Sonne honoreth not the Father nor yet calleth vpon his name And because the holy ghost is geuen for the Sonnes sake vnto beléeuers to styrre vp newe motions in theyr hartes it is euident howe farre from all goodnesse Iewes Turkes are whyles they despyse the sonne of God who onelye sendeth the holy ghoste vnto men to bréede in them all perfyte goodnesse Moreouer for that the true loue of God from whence all loue towarde our neyghbour is deryued ryseth in vs vppon that aboundaunt mercie which he hath shewed in geuing his onlye sonne Christ to be crucyfied for our sinnes whome the Iewes Turkes contempne and blaspheme it can not bée that they contempning him shoulde syncerely loue God or theyr neyghbour for Gods sake So then both Iewes and Turkes want the chéefe and principall vertues of Christians the true knowledge and feare of God fayth Charyty hope inuocation of Gods name gyuing of thanks obedience in sorrowes and myseries with others of that sorte And if happely there be any shewes or pyctours of Politicke vertues in them those are so defiled and spotted wyth impure affections that they loose all their bewty We sée in beasts them selues some thing resembling vertue as in the Lyons clemency toward suppliants in the Dogge faythfull toward his Master in Shéepe softnesse and meekenesse and yet these are not true vertues it is euen so almost in the Infidelles whose reason being voyde and destitute of the lyght of Gods spirite
aunswering sent him vnto the law wherof this is the summe Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and with al thy minde This is the first and great commandement The seconde is lyke vnto this thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe for in these two commaundements consist the whole lawe and the Prophetes I repeated once or twyse before that the tenne commaundementes are the most certaine most absolute platforme of good workes Which thing that it maye more euydently appeare I wyll by a briefe enumeration as it were in a table noate and poynt out the same Vnto the fyrst commaundement wée maye referre the feare of God fayth loue and assured hope in aduersitye togeather with patience and constancie The second commauÌ„dement containeth all true worshypping of God and the auoyding of al superstition and Idolatry The third commauÌ„dement comprehendeth the reuerence of Gods name together with inuocation confession of the same And the fowrth commaundement calleth for the preaching of Gods word publique prayers and for external worshypping and seruing of God allowing also séemely and moderate ceremonies and especially such as maye tende to edifying in the church of god Vnto the fyfth we may referre pittie towarde our Parents countrey kynsfolkes lawful obedience vnto the Magistrate and all superiours and the offices in cyuile life The sirte commaundeth iustyce and iudgement the defending of the fatherlesse widdowes and the delyueraunce of those that be oppressed benefycencie innocencie The seuenth comprehendeth faith and trouth betwéene maryed persons and dueties of matrymonie honest and godly education of chyldren the loue of chastitie and sobrietie Wée maye referre vnto the eyghth iustice in contracts and bargaynes munifycencie lyberalytie and hospytalyty Vnto the nynth we may referre the loue studye of trouth throughout all our lyfe fayth in worde and déede learned honesty and profitable communication And vnder the tenth are conteyned good and godlye affections togeather with all holy and honest cogitations And this is a verye briefe and compendious fourme rule of good workes Which if you woulde haue more contract and short you maye consider the spéeche of Christ deuyding the same into two generall parts Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soule and with all thy strength and thy neighbour as thy selfe And whatsoeuer you would that men should do vnto you euen so do you vnto them Wherein this is principally to be obserued that the dyuine lawe the sum or effect whereof is the loue of God and our neighbour doth not requyre of those that be iustified onely externall workes and dyscipline but also the interiour and spyrituall motions of the hart consonant to the holy wyll of almighty God as our sauiour Christe him selfe beareth wytnesse saying You shall be perfect euen as your heauenlie father is perfect For praue and corrupt affections and cogytations of the inner man are rebuked and infourmed by the lawe of god And therewithall externall dyscipline is plaÌ„ted in so muche that by the rule of the tenne commaundementes all men and all orders and vocations of men are informed and instructed in theyr duety in all tymes and places All estates sexes and ages as Princes Prelates Husbandes Wyues Maisters seruauntes fathers chyldren men women bonde and free are dyrected and guyded by the lawe of the tenne commaundementes The last parte of the discription of good workes remayneth touching theyr ende For I sayd that all the good works of the regenerate ought to respecte the glory of God the ornament of our liues the commodity of our euen Christian The faithfull doo not good workes to be iustifyed thereby or to obtaine remyssion of theyr sinnes or to procure vnto them selues and others eternall lyfe they doo them not to be séene of menne But rather that God might be gloryfied amongst men that they might shewe theyr obedience in walking worthy of theyr vocation to the comfort and profit of their brethren The Lorde and sauiour Christ sayth thus in the gospell Let your light so shine before men that they seeing your good workes maie glorifie your Father who is in heauen He speaketh signifycantly That they may see your good works and glorifie your heauenlie father not that they maye worshippe and gloryfie you For touching those that do theyr workes that they maye be séene of men our sauiour speaketh in the same gospell Take heede that you do not your almes before men that you maye be seene of them For if you doo so you haue no rewarde with your heauenlie father In the which he teacheth vs excellently that to doo good workes in secréete is to doo them with a minde voyde of vaineglory séeking only to please god And as God is gloryfied in good workes so is he dishonored with euyll workes as Saint Paul alleageth out of the Prophete The name of God is euyll spoken of through you amongst the Gentyles Moreouer the godlye are alwayes thankful to God for his benefyts which thing is plainly declared in that worthy example of the Samaritaneâ— who as soone as he sawe that he had recouered health returned immedyatly and falling down at the Lordes féete with a lowde voyce gloryfyed god Which thing all those also doo that are purged with Christes blood and shewe them selues gratefull in worde and deede to so bountyfull a Lorde and sauiour And Christe him selfe declareth howe odyous ingratefull menne are vnto him in that spéeche of his vnto the Samaritane VVere there not tenne cleansed and where bee those nyne There are none founde that returned to glorifye GOD but onelie this straunger And Saint Paul Doo you not knowe that to vvhome you geue your selues seruauntes to obeye his seruauntes you are vvhome you obeye eyther of sinne to death or of obedience to Iustyce The faythfull therefore being nowe made the seruauntes of Iesus Christe applye them selues to obedyence doo ryghteousnesse departe from iniquitye and Sathan from whose tyranny they are delyuered by the obedience of Christ Besydes these thinges the godlye doo good workes to confyrme theyr fayth and to assure and certyfye theyr consciences of theyr Election â—ndeuour my brethren sayeth Sayncte Peter to make your vocation and election certayne And Saincte Paule counsayleth his scholler Tymothie to styre vp and as it were to kyndle the gyfte of GOD in him for as fyre increaseth and burneth whotter by the adding of woodde euen so is pyttye and fayth augmented and confyrmed by the exercyse of good woorkes GOD hath not called vs vnto vncleannes but to holynes neyther into darknesse but out of darknesse into the holye lyght wherevnto those wordes of the Apostle séeme to serue VVe ceasse not to praie for you that you woulde walke worthie of the Lorde that you maie please him in all thinges fructifying in all good workes increasing in the knowledge of GOD confirmed with
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
and ioyfullye looke for death which can neuer bée farre absent by the example of Saint Paule who desyred to bée loosed and to be with Christ Whiche thing can not come to passe in vs vnlesse wee leade our lyfe according to Gods wyl and repose all trust of saluation in the mercie of God through the merytes of Christ And if at any tyme wée slyppe and slyde into synne and iniquitie as by nature wée are prone to doo euyll yet let vs not suffer that to rule in our mortall bodye but endeuour to salue suche sores with good déedes and with repentaunce and newnes of lyfe But most part of mortall men nowe a dayes haue no regarde at all of temperance and sobrietie but geue themselues to ryotting and surfetting and runne headlong into all kinde of mischiefe hauing no feare of God before theyr eyes they followe theyr fylthie lustes they snatche they steale they sweare and forsweare they lye they deceaue and to bée short doo all thinges sauing that which is lawfull And yet in the meane tyme they wyll néedes be accoumpted Chrystians gospellers earnest fauourers of true relygion But Chrystians ought not to bée moued with these worldlye and wicked examples but bende all theyr power to lyue godly and holyly to followe the wyll of theyr heauenly Father and with a certaine lyberal and commendable feare of God to be deteined from doing of euyl least they eyther should geue an occasion to the aduersarie to sclaunder their profession or lest the name of God should for them that be euyll spoken of amongst the Gentyles And if at any tyme vnwares or through humane imbecyllitie they fall and goe astray they wyl immediatly acknowledge their error and pacify their mercyfull father through true repentaunce and with theyr hartie prayers procure his mercie towarde them For he is gentle and ready to forgeue if he sée vs sorye and penitent and as if we haue offended gréeuouslie so if we lament our faultes bytterly according as S. Cyprian wryteth Wherevnto wée maye adde this as a special consolation and comfort that wee haue a medyatour in heauen euen the Lorde Iesus Christe who is our aduocate and patrone to purchase peace for vs and to make an attonement betwéene his father and vs. In which consolation and comfort notwithstanding all faythfull Chrystians ought to haue this caution not so to trust in Gods mercie that they eyther fall into presumption or to lyue neglygently and carnally or not gospell lyke For there are many nowe a dayes that flatter and deceyue them selues whyles they gréedily embrace all such sentences in the Byble which set out Gods great mercy but in the meane season neglect and passe ouer lyghtly such places as exhort them to newnesse and holynesse of lyfe The Lorde is mercyfull in déede but to those that repent The Lorde woulde not the death of a sinner but he woulde also that he should conuert and lyue Hée that witnesseth Christ to be the Lambe that taketh away the sins of the world doth also wyll vs to repent our former lyues and to bring foorth fruites worthy Repentaunce He that affyrmeth vs to be saued through the grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ exhorteth vs also to repent conuert that our synnes may bée done away He that sayth that Christ came into this worlde to saue sinners doeth also say that fornicators and adulterers and other haynous offenders cannot inheryt the kingdome of Chryst He that writeth that Christ did beare our sinnes in his body vpon the crosse doth adde also that we shoulde dye to synne and lyue to righteousnesse Hee that wytnesseth that Christ gaue him selfe for vs annexeth that he might redéeme vs from all iniquytye and purifye a people peculier to him selfe following good workes Hée that sayeth that Christe dyed for vs addeth also that those that lyue shoulde not lyue vnto them selues but to him that dyed and roose agayne for them Herevnto serueth that of Ezechiell the Prophet If the wicked man repent him of all his sinnes and keepe all my preceptes and do Iustice and iudgement he shall lyue and not dye By the which words we may easely gather that he cannot trust in Gods mercye that doeth not repent him of his wyckednesse neyther can hee bée rightlye called a penytente personne or a Chrystian that perseuereth in vngodlynesse neyther can sound and perfecte fayth bée in him who wyttinglye and wyllinglye worketh agaynst the testimonye of his owne Conscience Let vs not bee Christians therefore in name and tyttle onely neyther bragge and boaste of fayth with bare wordes But let vs repent truelye and from the bottome of our harte let vs turne to GOD in dâ—ede and correcte vyces wyth vertues and wyth holye lyfe and conuersation abolyshe the remembraunce of our synnes iniquitye Let those wordes of Christ be alwayes in our myndes Not euerie one that sayeth Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdom of heauen but he that doeth the wyll of my father who is in heauen And if we beleeue that which Saint Paule sayeth to be true That Iesus Christ came into this worlde to saue sinners Let vs also beléeue that other spéeche of his That witches adulterers fornicators murderers theeues extorcioners couetous persons proude men dronkardes backbiters contentious men shall not inherytte the kingdome of God and Christ And surely if we perswade our selfe that Saint Paule sayth true aswell in the one place as in the other wée shall easily perceyue that wicked lyuers cannot conceyue any hope of Gods mercye and of eternall lyfe For as fayth beléeueth that God is merciful to the penitent so doth it tell vs that he is a punysher of the impenitent There is no cause then for sinfull men to presume on Gods mercye they must repent and amende theyr lyues before they take comfort of that matter Ambrose hath included them both in one sentence whyles that hee sayeth Noman can rightlye repent vnlesse hee trust in Gods mercy so no man can trust in Gods mercye vnlesse he repent That saying of the Hebrewe is memorable and neuer to be forgotten Say not Tush the mercy of the Lord is great he shal forgiue me my synnes be they neuer so manye for lyke as he is mercyfull so goeth wrath from him also and his indignation commeth downe vppon synners Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from day to day for sodenly shall his wrath come and in the tyme of vengance he shall dystroye thee Let euery man therefore haue good regard for him selfe that his Christian professioÌ„ be confirmed with Chrystian conuersation that his work aunswere to his word his deede to his tytle Let euery man beware of presumption in Gods mercy Let them take héede that through carnall securitye and contempte of the gospell they fall not away from the spirit to the flesh â–ª from heauen to the world and from God to Bellyall Let them take heede that they