Abraham beleeued God and it was reckoned to him for righteousnes And therfore he saith a little before We beleeue that a man is iustified by faith without the deeds of the Law And in another place he saith So then in that time shall the remnant be saued according to the election of grace and if they be saued by grace then is it not by workes for then were grace no grace And to the Galatiaus he saith It is a manifest matter that no man becommeth righteous before God by the Law because the righteous liueth by faith And the Law consisteth not in beliefe but he that performeth the things that the Law commandeth shall liue by that performance And further he saith that a man cannot become righteous by the deeds of the Law but onely by beleeuing in Iesus Christ Againe a little after he saith that if a man can become righteous by the Law Iesus Christ dyed in vaine Moreouer to the Romanes making comparison betweene the righteousnesse of the Law and the righteousnesse of the Gospel he saith that the one consisteth in the doing of workes and the other in beleeuing For if thou confesse our Lord Iesus Christ with thy mouth and beleeue in thy heart that God hath raised him vp from death thou shalt be saued For the beliefe of the heart maketh a man righteous and the confession of the mouth maketh him safe Loe how this good teacher Saint Paul sheweth euidently that faith maketh a man righteous without any workes And not only Saint Paul but also the holy Doctors that came after him haue confirmed and allowed this most holy truth of Iustification by faith among whom Saint Augustine is the chiefe who in his booke of faith and workes and in his booke of the Spirit and the Letter and in his booke of fourescore and three questions and in his booke which he did write to Boniface and in his Treatise vpon the xxxj Psalme and in many other places defendeth this article shewing that we become righteous by faith without any helpe of good workes howbeit that good workes are the effects of righteousnesse and not the cause of it And he sheweth that the words of Saint Iames being soundly vnderstood are nothing contrary to this article Which thing Origen doth also affirme in his fourth booke vpon the Epistle to the Romans saying that Saint Pauls meaning is that faith onely is sufficient to make men righteous insomuch that a man becommeth righteous onely by beleeuing although he haue not done any good worke at all For so it is that the thiefe became righteous without the workes of the Law forasmuch as the Lord sought not what good workes he had done in time past nor waited vntill he had done any after he had beleeued but hauing accepted him for righteous vpon his onely confession tooke him for his companion euen when he should enter into Paradise Likewise that so renowmed a woman in the Gospel of S. Luke while she was at the feete of Iesus Christ heard it said vnto her Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And a little after he saith vnto her Thy faith hath saued thee goe thy way in peace Afterward Origen saith In many places of the Gospel a man may see how our Lord Iesus Christ hath spoken in such wise as he sheweth that faith is the cause of the saluation of the beleeuers Then is a man made righteous by faith and the workes of the Law further him nothing at all On the contrary where faith is not which faith maketh the beleeuer righteous although a man doe the workes which the Law commandeth yet notwithstanding forasmuch as they be not builded vpon the foundation of faith albeit that to outward appearance they seeme good yet can they not iustifie him that doth them because he wanteth faith which is the marke of them that are become righteous before God And who is he that can boast himselfe to be righteous when he heareth God say by his Prophet Esay that all our righteousnesse is as a defiled cloth of a menstruous woman Then can we not iustly glory in our selues but in the onely faith of the crosse of Iesus Christ Saint Basil in his Homily of humility saith that the Christian ought to hold himselfe for righteous through beliefe in Iesus Christ and his words are these The Apostle saith that he which glorieth should glory in the Lord in that God hath made Iesus Christ to be our wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and redemption to the end that he which would glory should glory in the Lord because that the perfect and sound glorying is to glory in the Lord. For in so doing a man presumeth not vpon his owne righteousnesse but acknowledgeth his want of the true righteousnes that he is made righteous onely by beleeuing in Iesus Christ And S. Paul gloryeth of the despising of his owne righteousnesse and of his seeking of Christs righteousnesse by faith which commeth of God Saint Hilary in his ninth Canon vpon the exposition of St. Matthew saith these words The Scribes considering Iesus Christ but onely as man were troubled that a man should forgiue sins and pardon that thing which the Law could not doe because that onely faith iustifieth Saint Ambrose in expounding these words of Saint Paul Vnto him that beleeueth in him which iustifieth the vngodly his faith is accounted for righteousnesse according to the purpose of Gods Grace like as David also saith That the man is blessed whom God accounteth righteous without workes writeth thus Saint Paul saith that vnto him which beleeueth in Iesus Christ that is to wit to the Gentile his faith is imputed for righteousnesse as it was vnto Abraham In what wise then thinke the Iewes to become righteous by the workes of the Law and yet to be righteous as Abraham was seeing that Abraham became not righteous by the deeds of the Law but onely by faith Then is not the Law needfull forasmuch as the sinner becommeth righteous before God through only faith according to Gods gracious purpose as David saith The Apostle confirmeth that which he hath said by the Prophets example saying Blessed is the man whom God accepteth for righteous without workes whereby David meaneth that those men are very happy whom GOD hath determined to accept for righteous before him by onely faith without any paines-taking or obseruation of the Law on their behalfe Thus sheweth he the blessednesse of the time wherein Christ was borne insomuch as the Lord himselfe saith Many righteous men and Prophets haue coueted to see the things that you see and to heare the things that you heare and haue not heard them The selfe-same thing saith St. Ambrose in expounding the first Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians affirming openly that whosoeuer beleeueth in Iesus Christ is become righteous without workes and without any desert and receiueth forgiuenasse of his sinnes by faith alone
his onely begotten and deare-beloued Son to the faithfull soule which hath not any other thing peculiar of her owne saue onely sinne and yet the Sonne of God hath not disdained to take her for his wel-beloued Spouse together with her peculiar dowry which is sinne And now by reason of the vnion which is in this holy marriage looke what the one hath is also the others Iesus Christ therefore saith thus The dowry of mans soule my deare wife that is to wit her sinnes and transgressings of the Law Gods wrath against her the boldnesse of the diuell ouer her the prison of hell and all other her euils are become mine and are in my power to doe what I list with them Wherefore it is at my choice to deale with them at my pleasure and therefore I will put out the hand-writing which is against the soule my wife I will take it out of the way I will fasten it to my crosse in mine owne body and in the same will I spoile principalities and powers and make a shew of them openly and triumph ouer them and consume them vtterly vnto nothing Now when God saw his Sonne who knew no sinne neither had any sinne in him thus willingly taking on him the foulenesse of our iniquity he made him to be sinne for vs euen the very sacrifice for our sinne and did sharply punish our sinne in him putting him to death euen the death of the Crosse Howbeit forasmuch as he was his wel-beloued and obedient Sonne he would not leaue him to death nor suffer his holy One to see corruption but raised him vp from death to life giuing him all power in heauen and earth and set him at his right hand in glory Now then the wife likewise with exceeding great ioy doth say The Realmes and Kingdomes of my most deare husband and Sauiour are mine by him I am an heire of Heauen my husbands riches that is to wit his holinesse his innocency his righteousnesse and his Godhead together with all his vertue and might are mine and for me and therefore in him I am holy innocent righteous and godly and there is not any spot in me I am well-fauoured and faire inasmuch as my lawfull husband hath not any blemish in him but is altogether goodly faire And sith that he is wholly mine and so consequently all that he hath is mine and all that he hath is pure and holy it followeth that I also am pure and holy Therefore to begin at his most innocent birth he hath thereby sanctified the birth of his Spouse conceiued in sinne The godly child-hood and youth of the Bridegroome hath iustified the childish and youthfull life of his dearely beloued Bride For the loue and vnion that is betwixt the soule of a true Christian and the Bridegroome Iesus Christ maketh all the workes of either of them to be common to them both By reason whereof when a man saith Iesus Christ hath fasted Iesus Christ hath prayed Iesus Christ was heard of the Father raised the dead draue diuels out of men healed the sicke dyed rose againe and ascended into Heauen Likewise a man may say that a Christian man hath done all the selfe-same workes forsomuch as the workes of Christ are the workes of the Christian because hath done them for him Verily a man may say that the Christian hath bin nailed to the Crosse buried raised againe is gone vp into heauen become the child of God and made partaker of the Godhead On the other side all the works that a Christian man doth are Christs workes because it is his will to take them for his And forasmuch as they be vnperfect and he throughly perfect and cannot away with any vnperfect thing he hath made them perfect with his vertues to the end that his wife should be alwayes ioyfull and well contented and not be afraid of any thing assuring her selfe that although there be yet still some default in her workes yet notwithstanding they be acceptable to God in respect of his Sonne vpon whom he hath his eyes alwayes fastened O that vnmeasurable goodnesse of God! How greatly is the Christian bound vnto God there is no loue of man be it neuer so great that may be compared with the loue that God beareth to the soule of euery faithfull Christian whereof Christ is the Bridegroome Whereupon S. Paul saith that Iesus Christ hath so loued his wife the Church which is builded of liuing stones that is of the soules of the beleeuing Christians that for to sanctifie her he hath offered himselfe to the death of the Crosse cleansing her with the washing of water by his Word to ioyne her to himselfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle or other like thing but that she should be holy and vnblameable that is to wit like vnto him in holinesse and innocency and also bee the true and lawfull daughter of God who hath loued the world so well that as Iesus Christ himselfe saith hee hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne to the end that euery one which beleeued in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting For God sent not his Son into the world to condemne the world but to the end that the World might be saued by him insomuch that hee which beleeueth in him shall not be damned Some man might demand after what manner the vnion of this holy Marriage is made and how the Soule which is the Bride and her Bridegroome Iesus Christ are knit together What assurance can I haue that my soule is vnited vnto Iesus Christ and become his Spouse How can I assuredly glory that I am Queene and Mistresse of his great riches as a wife may I can easily beleeue that other folkes shall receiue this honour and glory but I cannot perswade my selfe that I am one of those same to whom God hath giuen so great grace For I know mine owne wretchednesse imperfection My deare-beloued brother I answer thee that thine assurance consisteth in true and liuely faith wherewith as S. Peter saith God cleanseth mens hearts And this faith is grounded in the beleeuing of the Gospell that is to say in the beleeuing of the glad tidings which haue bin published on Gods behalfe thorow the whole world which tidings containeth in effect that God hath vsed the rigorousnesse of his iustice against Iesus Christ chastising and punishing all our sinnes in him And whosoeuer receiueth this good tidings and beleeues it stedfastly hath the true faith and doth enioy the forgiuenesse of his sinnes and is also reconciled vnto God and of the child of wrath is become the child of Grace and recouering the Image of God entreth into the Kingdome of God and is made the Temple of God who marrieth mans soule to his onely Sonne by the meane of this faith which faith is a worke of God and the gift of God as S. Paul saith oftentimes And God giueth it vnto those whom he calleth to him
man to deserue so great a gift and treasure as Iesus Christ is This treasure is giuen only through the grace fauour and mercifulnesse of God and onely faith is the thing that receiueth such a gift as to make vs inioy the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And therefore when S. Paul and other Doctors say that onely faith maketh men righteous without works they meane that it maketh vs to enioy the generall forgiuenesse of our sinnes and to receiue Iesus Christ who as saith S. Paul dwelleth in our hearts by faith and ouercomming and pacifying the troubles of our consciences satisfieth Gods iustice for our sinnes Furthermore it appeaseth Gods wrath iustly moued against vs quencheth the fire of hell whereinto our naturall corruption did throw vs headlong and cheerefully destroyeth and ouerthroweth the diuell together with all his power and tyranny Which things all the workes that all the men in the world can lay together are not able to deserue nor to bring to passe That glory and that prerogatiue is reserued all onely to the Sonne of God that is to wit to the blessed Iesus Christ who hath power aboue all the powers that are in Heauen in Earth and in Hell and giueth himselfe and his merits to all such as distrusting in themselues doe set their whole hope of being saued in him and in his merits And therefore let no man beguile himselfe when he heareth it said that onely faith iustifieth without workes and thinke as false Christians doe who draw all things to liue fleshly that the true faith consisteth in beleeuing the bare story of Iesus Christ after the same manner as men beleeue the story of Caesar or Alexander Such manner of beleefe is but an historicall beleefe grounded meerely vpon the report of men and vpon their writings and lightly imprinted in our conceit by a certaine custome and is like to the faith of the Turks who for the like reasons beleeue the fables of their Alcoran And such a faith is but an imagination of man which neuer renueth the heart of man nor warmeth it with the loue of God neither do any good workes insue or any change of life which faith should bring forth And therefore they falsly hold opinion against the holy Scripture and against the holy Doctors of the Church that onely faith maketh not men righteous but that they must also haue workes Vnto whom I answer That this historicall and fond beliefe and all the workes that insue thereof are not onely vnable to make a man righteous but also doe cast the parties headlong to the bottome of hell like vnto those that haue no oyle in their lamps that is to say no liuely faith in their hearts The faith that maketh men righteous is a worke of God in vs whereby our old man is crucified and we being transformed in Iesus Christ become new creatures and the deare beloued children of God This heauenly faith is it that graffeth vs into the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ and consequently mortifieth our flesh with the effects and lusts thereof For when we by the operation of faith doe know our selues to be dead with Iesus Christ wee are at a full point with our selues and with the world and are throughly resolued how it is meet that they which are dead with Iesus Christ should mortifie their earthly members that is to wit the sinfull affections of their minde and the lusts of the flesh and forasmuch as wee know wee bee raised againe with Christ we bend our selues to the leading of a spirituall and holy life like vnto that which we shall liue in heauen after the last resurrection This holy faith making vs to inioy the generall pardon that is published by the Gospell bringeth vs into the kingdome of our good God and pacifieth our consciences maintaining vs in continuall ioy and holy and spirituall sweetnesse This selfe-same faith knitteth vs vnto God and maketh him to dwell in our hearts and clotheth our soule with himselfe so as thenceforth the holy Ghost mooueth vs to doe the same things whereunto hee mooued Iesus Christ while he was in the world and was conuersant among men that is to wit vnto lowlinesse meekenesse obedientnesse vnto God louingnesse and other perfections where-through wee recouer the image of God For these selfe-same causes Iesus Christ did rightly attribute blessednesse vnto this inspired faith which blessednesse cannot bee without good workes and holinesse of life And how can it be that a Christian should not become holy seeing that Iesus Christ is become his holinesse through faith Therefore by faith we be iustified and saued and therefore S. Paul doth in a manner alwaies call those Saints whom we call now Christians who if they haue not Christs Spirit are none of Christs and consequently no Christians at all But if they haue the Spirit of Iesus Christ to rule and gouerne them we must not doubt but that although they know well that they bee made righteous through faith onely yet for all that they will become neuer the more slothfull to do good works For Christs Spirit is the Spirit of loue and loue cannot be idle nor cease from the doing of good works But if wee will say the truth a man can doe no good works except he first know himselfe to be become righteous by faith for before he knoweth that his doing of good works is rather to make himselfe righteous then for the loue and glory of God and so he defileth all his works with selfe-loue for the loue of himselfe and for his owne profit But hee that knoweth himselfe to be become righteous by the merits and righteousnesse of Christ which hee maketh his owne by faith laboureth happily and doth good works all only for the loue and glory of Christ and not for loue of himselfe nor to make himselfe righteous And thereupon it commeth that the true Christian that is to wit he that accounteth himselfe righteous by reason of Christs righteousnesse asketh not whether good works be commanded or not but being wholly moued and prouoked with a certaine violence of godly loue he offereth himselfe willingly to doe all the works that are holy and Christian-like and neuer ceaseth to doe well Hee therefore which feeleth not the marueilous effects by his faith which we haue heretofore declared that the inspired faith works in the heart of the Christian Let him assure himselfe that he hath not the Christian faith and let him pray earnestly vnto God to giue it him saying Lord helpe mine vnbeliefe And when he heareth it said that only faith maketh men righteous let him not deceiue himselfe and say What need I to weary my selfe in doing good works faith is inough to send mee to Paradise To such an one I answer that only faith sendeth vs to Paradise but yet let him take good heed for the diuels doe also beleeue and tremble as saith Saint Iames O miserable man wilt thou goe with them
me To answer to these doubts of thine I say my right deare brother that thou must assure thy selfe that all these are but temptations of the diuell who by all meanes seeketh to rob vs of that faith and confidence that springeth of faith and assureth vs of Gods good will towards vs. He laboureth to strip our soules out of this precious garment for he knoweth that none is a true Christian except he beleeue Gods Word which promiseth forgiuenesse of all sinnes and peace to all them which accept the grace of the Gospel Verily I say that he which vpon these promises of God perswadeth not himselfe assuredly that God is a mercifull and louing Father vnto him nor with stedfast confidence looketh to receiue the inheritance of the heauenly Kingdome at his hand is not faithfull in deed and maketh himselfe vtterly vnworthy of Gods Grace In respect whereof S. Paul saith that we be the Temple of God so far forth as we firmely maintaine the confidence and glory of our hope vnto the end And in another place he exhorteth that we should not giue ouer our trust which hath great reward of recompence And therefore my brethren let vs giue our whole endeauour to do the Will of God as it becommeth good children and beware that we sin not as neere as we can And although we fall oftentimes into sin through our owne frailty yet let vs not by and by surmize that we bee vessels of wrath or that we be vtterly forsaken of the holy Ghost for we haue our Aduocate Iesus Christ before Gud the Father and he is the atonement-maker for our sinnes Let vs bethinke vs of the opinion of S. Austin who saith that none of the Saints is righteous and without sinne and yet notwithstanding that he ceaseth not to be righteous and holy so farreforth as he retaines his holinesse with affection And therefore if we haue afflictions and tribulations let vs not thinke that God sends them because he is our enemy but because he is our most louing Father The Lord saith Salomon chastiseth him whom he loueth and scourgeth euery child of his whom he receiueth Wherefore if we haue receiued the Grace of the Gospell whereby man is receiued of God for his Child we must not doubt of Gods grace and good will towards vs. And when wee perceiue our selues to delight in Gods Word and to haue a desire to follow the life of Iesus Christ we must stedfastly beleeue that we be the children of God and the Temple of the holy Ghost for those things cannot be done by the power of mans wisedome but are the gifts of the holy Ghost who dwelleth in vs by faith and is as it were a seale of authority which sealeth vp Gods promises in our hearts the certainety whereof is printed aforehand in our minds and is giuen vs as a pledge to stablish and confirme the same As soone as you beleeue saith the Apostle S. Paul ye be sealed by the holy Spirit of promise who is the earnest peny of our inheritance Behold how he sheweth vs hereby that the hearts of the faithfull are marked with the holy Ghost as it were with a seale in respect whereof he calleth the holy Ghost The Spirit of promise forsomuch as he confirmeth the promise of the Gospell the which as I haue oftentimes told you is a happy tydings that promiseth forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting life to all such as beleeue that all their misdoings are blotted out in Iesus Christ All we that beleeue in Iesus Christ saith Saint Paul are become the children of God and because we be his children he hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our heart which cryeth Father Father And to the Romanes Those saith hee that are guided by the Spirit of God are the children of God for yee haue not receiued againe the spirit of bondage in feare but the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Father Father For certainely the same Spirit beareth our spirit record that we be the children of God Now then if we be children we be also heires And we must marke well that in these two places the Apostle S. Paul speaketh plainely not of any speciall reuelation but of a certaine record which the holy Ghost doth commonly yeeld to all such as receiue the grace of the Gospell Then if the holy Ghost assure vs that we be Gods children and heires why should we doubt of our predestination The same man saith in the same Epistle Whom he hath predestinated them hath he also called and whom he hath called them hath he also made righteous and whom he hath made righteous them also hath he glorified What shall we then say to all these things If God be on our side who can be against vs And therefore if I plainely perceiue that God hath called me by giuing me faith and the fruits of faith that is to wit Peace of conscience mortification of the flesh and quickning of the spirit whether it be in whole or in part why should I doubt that I am not predestinated And moreouer we say with S. Paul that all true Christians that is to wit all such as beleeue the Gospell receiue not the spirit of this world but the Spirit that commeth from God by the inspiration whereof they discerne the things that God hath giuen them What maruell then is it if wee know that God hath certainly giuen vs euerlasting life But there are some which say that no man ought to presume so farre as to boast himselfe to haue the Spirit of God They speake in such wise as if the Christian should glory of the hauing of it for his owne deserts and not by the onely and meere mercy of God and as though it were a presumptuousnesse to professe himselfe a Christian or as though a man could bee a Christian without the hauing of Christs Spirit or as though we could without flat hypocrisie say that Iesus Christ is our Lord or call God our Father if the holy Ghost mooued not our hearts and tongues to vtter so sweet words And yet notwithstanding euen they that count vs presumptuous for saying that God hath giuen vs his holy Spirit with faith forbid vs not to say euery day Our Father but rather command vs. But I would haue them to tell mee how it is possible to separate faith and the holy Ghost asunder seeing that faith is the peculiar worke of the holy Ghost If it be presumption to beleeue that the holy Ghost is in vs why doth Saint Paul bid the Corinthians try themselues whether they haue faith or no affirming them to bee reprobates if they know not that Iesus Christ is in them But in very deed it is a great blindnesse to accuse the Christians of presumptuousnesse for taking vpon them to glory of the presence of the holy Ghost without which glorying there cannot bee any Christianity at all But Iesus Christ
Abraham in whose seede hee promised to blesse all Nations and accepted his off-spring for his peculiar people vnto whom after their departure out of Egypt and deliuerance from the bondage of Pharao he by the meanes of Moyses gaue the Law which forbiddeth all lusting and commandeth vs to loue GOD with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength in such wise as our whole trust be reposed in him and we ready to leaue our life for his sake to suffer all torments in our members and to be bereft of all our goods dignities and honours for the loue of our God choosing to dye rather then to doe any thing that may dislike him be it neuer so little and doing all things in that behalfe with a merry heart and with all forwardnesse and cheerefulnesse Moreouer the Law commandeth vs to loue our neighbour as our selfe meaning by the Neighbour all manner of men as well friends as foes and it willeth vs to doe to euery man as we would be done vnto and to loue other mens cases as our owne And so by looking in this holy Law as in a cleere looking glasse man doth out of hand espy his owne great imperfection and vnablenesse to obey Gods Commandements and to render him the honour and loue which he ought to yeeld to his Maker The first office of the Law then is to make sinne knowne as Saint Paul affirmeth And in another place he saith I had not knowne what sinne is but by the Law The second office of the Law is to make sinne increase forasmuch as we being quite gone from the obeying of God and become bond-slaues to the diuell being full of wicked workes and inordinate affections cannot abide that God should forbid vs to lust which increaseth so much the more as it is the more prohibited by reason whereof Saint Paul saith that sinne was dead but the Law came and raised it vp againe and so it became out of measure great The third office of the Law is to shew the wrath and iudgement of God who threatneth death and euerlasting punishment to such as keepe not the Law throughout in all points For the holy Scripture saith Cursed is hee that performeth not throughly all the things that are written in the booke of the Law And therefore Saint Paul saith That the Law is a ministery and that it bringeth forth wrath The Law then hauing discouered sinne and increased it and shewed forth the wrath and indignation of God who threatneth death executeth his fourth office which is to put a man in feare who thereupon falleth into sorrowfulnesse and would faine satisfie the Law but forasmuch as hee seeth cleerely that he is not able he waxeth angry against God and would with all his heart that there were no God because he feareth to be sore chastised and punished by him according as Saint Paul saith That the wisedome of the flesh is the enemy of God Because it neither is nor can be subiect to the Law of God The fifth office of the Law which is the principall end and the most excellent and necessary office of it is to constraine a man to goe vnto Iesus Christ in like wise as the Hebrewes being dismayed were constrained to appeale vnto Moses saying Let not the Lord speake vnto vs lest we dye but speake thou vnto vs and we will obey thee in all things And the Lord answered Verily they haue spoken exceeding well Yea they were not praised for any other thing then for their desiring of a Mediator betwixt God and them which was Moses who represented Iesus Christ that should be the Aduocate and Mediator betweene God and man In respect whereof God said vnto Moses I will raise vp a Prophet among their brethren like vnto thee and I will put my Word in his mouth and he shall speake vnto them all the things that I shall command him and I will punish all those that will not obey my Word which he shall speake in my name CHAP. III. How the forgiuenesse of our sinnaes our iustification and our saluation depend vpon Iesus Christ VVHen as our God then had sent the said great Prophet which he had promised vs who is his only Sonne to the end that he should set vs free from the curse of the Law and reconcile vs vnto our God that he should make our will fit for good workes healing our free-will and repairing in vs the foresaid Image of God which we had lost through the fault of our first parents forasmuch as we know that vnder heauen there is none other name giuen vnto men whereby we may be saued but the name of Iesus Christ Let vs runne vnto him with the feet of liuely faith and cast our selues betweene his armes sith he allureth vs so graciously crying Come vnto me all you that labour and are heauy laden and I will refresh you What comfort or what ioy in this life can be comparable to this his saying there when as a man feeling himselfe oppressed with the intolerable waight of his sinnes vnderstandeth so sweet and amiable words of the Sonne of God who promiseth so graciously to refresh and rid him of his great paines But all the matter lyeth in acknowledging our owne weakenesse and misery in good earnest For he shall neuer know what is sweet who hath not tasted of the sowre And therefore Iesus Christ saith If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke as if he had meant to say If a man know not himselfe to be a sinner nor thirst after righteousnesse he cannot taste of the sweetnesse of Iesus Christ how sweet it is to talke of him to thinke of him and to follow his most holy life But when we once throughly know our owne infirmitie by meanes of the Law let vs hearken to Saint Iohn Baptist who pointeth vs to the Soueraigne Physician with his finger saying Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world For hee it is that deliuereth vs from the heauy yoke of the Law abrogating and disanulling the curses sharpe threatnings of the same healing all our infirmities reforming our free-will returning vs to our ancient innocency and repayring in vs the Image of our God insomuch that according to Saint Pauls saying like as by Adam wee bee all dead so by Iesus Christ wee are all quickened And it is not to be beleeued that the sin of Adam which wee haue by inheritance from him should be of more force then the righteousnesse of Christ that which also we inherit by faith It seemeth that man hath great cause to complaine that without any reason why he is conceiued and borne in sinne and in the wickednesse of his parents by meanes of whom death reigneth ouer all men But now is all our sorrow taken away inasmuch as by a like meane without any occasion giuen on our behalfe
And therefore after that S. Paul hath said that as touching the righteousnesse of the law he had liued vnblameable he addeth And yet whatsoeuer I haue gained by it I haue accounted it in all respects to bee but losse for the loue of Christ And specially I esteeme all things to be losse for the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ my Lord for whom I haue counted all things to be losse and deeme them but as dung so I may win Christ and be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the law but the righteousnes which is by the faith of Iesus Christ which righteousnesse is giuen of God I meane the righteousnesse of faith that I may come to the knowledge of Iesus Christ O most notable words which all Christians ought to haue ingrauen in their hearts praying God to make them to taste it perfectly Loe how S. Paul sheweth plainely that whosoeuer knoweth Christ aright esteemeth all the works of the law to be hurtfull forsomuch as they make vs to swarue from our trust in Iesus Christ to whom euery man ought to impute his saluation and to trust only vnto him alone And to inforce this sentence the more he addeth further that he esteemeth all things but as dung so hee may gaine Christ and be found incorporated in him declaring thereby that whosoeuer trusteth in his owne works and pretendeth to iustifie himselfe by them getteth not Iesus Christ neither is ingrafted into him And forasmuch as the whole mystery of our faith consisteth in the truth hereof to the end we might the better vnderstand what he meant to say he addeth and repeateth oftentimes that he had nothing to doe with all the outward iustification and all the righteousnesse that is grounded vpon the keeping of the law but that he would clothe himselfe with the righteousnesse which God giueth by faith to all them that beleeue that all our sins are fully chastised and punished in Iesus Christ and that Iesus Christ as S. Paul saith is made our wisedome righteousnesse holinesse and redemption to the end as it is written that he which will glory should glory in the Lord and not in his own works Very true it is that in the holy Scriptures there are some texts to be found which being misunderstood seeme to gainesay this holy doctrine of S. Pauls and to attribute iustification and remission of sinnes vnto workes and to charity But those authorities haue already beene well expounded by some who haue shewed plainely that such as haue vnderstood them in the sense aforesaid vnderstood them not aright Wherefore my deare-beloued brethren let vs not follow the fond opinion of the bewitched Galatians but rather let vs follow the truth which St. Paul teacheth vs and let vs giue the whole glory of our iustification vnto Gods mercy and to the merits of his Sonne who by his owne bloodshed hath set vs free from the Soueraignty of the Law and from the tyranny of sinne and death and hath brought vs into the Kingdom of God to giue vs life and endlesse felicity I say yet further that he hath deliuered vs from the dominion of the law insomuch as he hath giuen vs his holy Spirit who teacheth vs all truth and that he hath satisfied the Law to the full and giuen the same satisfaction vnto all his members that is to wit to all true Christians so as they may safely appeare at Gods Throne because they be cloathed with the righteousnesse of his Christ and by him deliuered from the curse of the Law Then can not the law any more accuse vs or condemne vs nor mooue our affections or appetites nor increase sinne in vs. And therefore S. Paul saith that the obligation which was against vs is cancelled by Iesus Christ and discharged vpon the tree of the Crosse insomuch as he hath set vs free from the subiection of the Law and consequently from the tyranny of sinne and death which can no more hold vs oppressed because it is ouercome by Iesus Christ in his resurrection and so consequently by vs which are his members in such manner that wee may say with Saint Paul and with the Prophet Osee Death is quite vanquished and destroyed O death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victory The sting of Death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the Law But God be praised who hath granted vs victory by our Lord Iesus Christ Hee is the blessed Seede that hath crushed the head of the venemous Serpent that is to wit of the diuell insomuch that all those which beleeue in Iesus Christ reposing their whole trust in his grace doe ouercome sinne death the Diuell and hell as Christ hath done He is that blessed Seede of Abraham in the which God hath promised blessednesse to all Nations It behooued euery particular person to fight with the said horrible Serpent and to deliuer himselfe from that curse But that enterprize was so great that all the force of the whole World knit together was not able to goe thorow with it Wherefore our God the Father of mercy being mooued with compassion of our miseries hath giuen vs his onely begotten Sonne who hath deliuered vs from the venime of the Serpent and is himselfe become our Blessednesse and Righteousnesse conditionally that we accept the same renouncing all our owne outward iustifications Then my deare brethren let vs imbrace the righteousnesse of our Lord Iesus Christ and let vs make it ours by meanes of faith let vs assure our selues that we bee righteous not for our owne workes but through the merits of Iesus Christ and let vs liue merrily and assured that the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ hath vtterly done away all our vnrighteousnesse and made vs good righteous and holy before God who beholding vs ingrafted into his Sonne by faith esteemeth vs not now any more as the children of Adam but as his owne children and hath made vs heires of all his riches with his owne begotten Sonne CHAP. IIII. Of the effects of liuely faith and of the vnion of mans Soule with Iesus Christ THis holy faith worketh after such a sort in vs that he which beleeueth that Iesus Christ hath taken all his sinnes vpon him becommeth like vnto Christ and ouercommeth sinne the diuell death and hell And the reason thereof is this namely that the Church that is to wit euery faithfull soule is Christs wife and Christ is her husband For we know how the law of marriage is that of two they become one selfe-same thing being two in one flesh and that the goods substance of either of them become common to them both by means wherof the husband saith that the dowry of the wife is his and likewise the wife saith that her husbands house and all his riches are hers and of a truth so they are for otherwise they should not be one flesh as the Scripture saith After the same manner hath God married
of purpose to iustifie them and to glorifie them and to giue them euerlasting life according as our Lord Iesus Christ witnesseth saying This is the will of him that sent mee euen that euery one which seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp againe at the latter day And like as Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the Wildernesse so must the Sonne of man bee lifted vp to the end that euery one which beleeueth in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting Also he saith to Martha He that beleeueth in me shall liue although he were dead and euery one that liueth and beleeueth in mee shall not dye for euer And to a company of the Iewes he saith I am come a light into the world to the end that euery man which beleeueth in me should not abide in darkenesse And S. Iohn in his Epistle saith Herein appeared the loue of God towards vs for that God is loue and sent his onely begotten Son into this world that we might liue through him And herein is loue knowne not in that we loued God but in that he loued vs and sent his Son to make atonement for our sinnes And moreouer he sent him to destroy our enemies For the bringing whereof to passe he made him partaker of our flesh and of our blood as saith Saint Paul to the end that by his death hee might destroy him that had the dominion of death that is to wit the diuell and set all such at liberty as were subiect to bondage all their life long for feare of death Seeing then that we haue records of the holy Scripture concerning the promises whereof we haue spoken heretofore and concerning many other promises that are dispersed in diuers places of the same wee cannot doubt of it And forsomuch as the holy Scripture speaketh to all in generall none of vs ought to distrust in himselfe that the selfe-same thing which the Scripture saith should not belong particularly to himselfe And to the end that this point wherein lyeth and consisteth the whole mistery of our holy faith may be vnderstood the better let vs put the case that some good and holy King cause the Proclamation to be made thorow his whole Realme by the sound of a Trumpet that all Rebels and banished men shall safely returne home to their houses because that at the suite and desert of some deare friend of theirs it hath pleased him to pardon them certainly none of those Rebels ought to doubt of the obtaining of true pardon of his rebellion but rather ought assuredly to returne home to his house to liue vnder the shadow of that holy King And if he will not returne he shall beare the penaltie of it because that through his owne vnbeleefe hee dyeth in exile and in the displeasure of his Prince But this good King is the Lord of Heauen and Earth who for the obedience and desert of our good brother Iesus Christ hath pardoned vs all our sins and as we haue said afore hath made open Proclamation thorow the whold world that all of vs may safely returne into his kingdome Wherefore he that beleeueth this proclamation doth straight-wayes returne into Gods kingdome whereout we were driuen by the offence of our first parents and blessedly gouerned by Gods holy Spirit And he that giueth no credit to the said proclamation shall neuer inioy the said generall pardon but for his vnbeliefes fake shall abide in banishment vnder the tyranny of the diuell and liue and dye in extreme misery liuing and dying in the displeasure of the King of heauen and earth and that iustly For we cannot commit a greater offence against this good God then to account him as a lyer and deceiuer which verily wee doe in not giuing credit to his promises O how passing heauy is this deadly sinne of vnbeliefe which so farre forth as is possible bereaueth God of his glory and perfection besides the great harme that it doth to a mans selfe which is his owne damnation and the endlesse torment of his soule which the miserable conscience feeleth euen in this life But on the contrary hee that commeth vnto GOD with assurednesse of this faith beleeuing him without any mistrust or doubt of his promises and warranting himselfe for a certaintie that God will performe all that euer hee hath promised him giueth all the glory vnto God and liueth continually in rest and endlesse ioy euermore praising and thanking the Lord God for choosing him to the glory of the eternall life And hereof they haue an assured earnest penny and gage that is to wit the Sonne of God whom they take for their most louing Bridegroome the blood of whom hath made their hearts so drunken that through this passing holy beliefe there is in the Christian heart ingendred so liuely a hope and so certaine a trust of Gods mercy towards vs and such an operation is wrought in vs as we rest our selues wholly vpon God leauing the whole care of vs vnto him in such wise that being throughly assured of Gods good will wee are not afraid neither of the diuell nor of his ministers nor of death Which holy and stedfast trust of Gods mercy inlargeth our heart cheereth it vp and with certaine marueilous sweet affections directeth it vnto GOD filling it and setting it on fire with an exceeding feruent loue And therefore Paul incourageth vs to go with all boldnesse to the Throne of grace and hee counselleth vs that wee should not shake it off nor make light of our trust which hath great recompence reward But this so holy and diuine affiance is gendred in our hearts by the working of the H. Ghost who is cōmunicated vnto vs by faith which neuer goeth without the loue of God And hereof it cōmeth that we be prouoked to do good works with a certaine liuelinesse effectuall cheerefulnesse whereby we gather such a strength inclination to do them as we be throughly ready forward to do suffer all intolerable things for the loue glory of our most gracious mercifull Father who hath inriched vs with so abundant grace through Iesus Christ and of his enemies made vs his most deare children This true faith is no sooner giuen a man but hee is by and by indued and imprinted with a certaine violent loue of good works to yeeld right sweet and amiable fruits both vnto God likewise to his neighbour as a very good and fruitfull tree And it is no more possible that he should be otherwise then it is possible that a fagot should be set on fire not cast light immediatly This is the holy faith without the which it is vnpossible that any man should please God whereby all the holy men as well of the old Testament as of the New haue bin saued according as S. Paul witnesseth of Abraham concerning whom the Scripture saith That