wherof man him selfe was able to pretend least ignoraunce and that whose nature by force of the effecte and propertie was commonly knowen to all and that whiche in déede wel wayed includeth more then any of the other rehearsed For if he shoulde haue vsed any of the other wordes namely honour worshyp serue obey or such like it might haue béene that some whose callyng and estate offereth vnto them the vewe of no such reuerence might at the least haue pretended some ignoraunce of the meanyng thereof But to méete with all occasions the God of all wisedome vsed that worde whose effecte and propertie trayned euery man to so sensible féeling of the meaning thereof that no man could pretende ignorance of the same forasmuche as the whole nature of man trauelleth in continual vse and practise of loue towardes sinne and wickednes And although mans knowledge concerning the meaning of that woorde was gathered oute of the fruites of hys corruption he being as it were sinne it selfe yet that neyther hindered his vnderstandyng of the meanyng therof neither any whit debased the puritie of the nature thereof So that whosoeuer by those effectes or properties of loue whyche hée felt in him selfe towardes sinne had sought the definition thereof he shoulde forthwith haue séene how entire and absolute a ryghteousnesse the law requireth Wherfore hauyng thus spoken of the nature of loue it séemeth now conuenient to vse some definityon thereof whereby the truth of my assertion may be more apparant wherefore it may be thus defined Loue is a naturall affectyon of the minde inflamyng all the powers of the louer with willing duetie towardes the beloued By this definition it is playne that where he saith thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God it importeth as much as if he had sayd it is required that with willing desire naturall affectyon both of body and mynde and all the powers of the whole man thou performe due obedience to the Lorde thy god Surely if the holy Ghost had sayd no more but thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God the force and efficacye of loue is by the definition euident to bée suche as it requireth a naturall inclination and willing pronenesse of all the partes of man to the obedyence of God wherefore most truely it is sayd of the Apostle Paul that loue is the fulfillyng of the lawe And to take away all ambiguitie the holy Ghost hath added suche other words as dyscharge hys meanyng herein of doubtfull vnderstanding For hée addeth these wordes wyth all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy minde and with all thy strength Nowe forasmuche as the heart or mynde which I here take to be one and yet both termes put in to expresse the vehemencie of the law Forasmuche I say as the heart or minde is the fountaine or seate of all willing desire and naturall inclination of the whole man it is playne that where hée sayeth with all thy heart and with all thy mynde it is all one as if he had sayde thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God with all willing desire naturall affection and inclination of the whole man And here this note is not to bée omitted that hée putteth to this worde all in saying with all thy heart c. So that thereby no affection power nor disposition of the hart may be wanting whereby it is euident that to the fulfilling of the lawe is required such restitution of mans originall nature that as now al his desire and affections naturallye lust after wickednesse so must all the desires and affections of those whom the lawe can iustifie naturally lust after righteousnesse He addeth moreouer with all thy soule to shew that the law is spirituall and requireth also to the fulfilling thereof all the powers and intentyons of the soule whych is euident in that Christ himselfe the best expositor of the lawe affirmeth That who so is angry with his brother vnaduisedly is in danger of iudgement and that who so looketh on a woman and lusteth after her hath already committed adultrye with her in his heart whereby the spirituall force of the lawe appeareth And last of all he addeth with all thy strength which is a proprietie common both to body and minde And by adding thereto this worde all it is plaine that it requireth the ful natural and absolute obedience of all the powers of body and soule And hereby sufficiently appeareth the meaning of the law namely that with all willing desire and naturall affection both of body and soule and all the powers and nature of the whole man thou shalt yelde obedience to the Lorde thy God lesse then the which the lawe could by no meanes require of man seing therein is nothing commaūded but that which the condition of his originall estate was created vnto from the which seing the whole man that is to say body and soule with indeuour and habilitie of them both is willingly fallen as is shewed in the first and second chapters Whereby it appeareth that mans righteousnes required in the law must be in him so naturally that the same must not lurke in him as an accident which may be remoued from his nature But all hys whole nature must be nothing els but the Image of righteousnesse it selfe the whole man body minde thought worde and déede perfectly resolued into the same so that the whole indeuour and disposition of nature through rauishing sway of willing desire and naturall affection vnto righteousnesse must trauell with vnquenchable thirst the execution of the fruite therof such must be the vnquenchable passion and prone desire of very nature therunto that if no law were geuen to traine man to righteousnes yet nature her selfe would be vnto him a continuall inuiolable law concerning the same as hauing no power nor habilitie to desire the contrary wherof no such example can be geuen to make vs féele the truth of this assertion as the contemplation of the pleasant sway and willing pronenes of our nature vnto sinne who néedeth no law to draw her thereunto nay no lawe can kéepe her from it which is nothing els in déede but the very opposite of the other So that looke with what willing and naturall pleasure and delight the whole disposition of man now trauelleth to the execution of vice and sinne the law requireth of all them that seeke righteousnes by the déedes thereof that with the same willing and naturall pleasure and delight the whole disposition of them must trauell the execution of the workes of righteousnes So that to be short as now no lawe is able to holde mans nature from wickednes so the lawe requireth in man such a naturall and absolute righteousnes as no lawe if any such could be made should be able to holde his nature from righteousnes Hauing thus shewed by the lawe of the first table that all workes required in the law to mans restitution must procede from a naturall pronenes and willing
fecimus nos sed secundum suam misericordiam saluos nos fecit Neither was it hidden from the commaunder that the weight of the commaundemente did exceede the habilitie of men but hee iudgeth it for this cause profitable that it shoulde warne them of his sufficiencie and that they mighte also knowe vnto what ende of righteousnes they ought to applie their force VVherfore in commaunding impossible thinges he made not men transgressors but humble that euery mouth might be stopped and that all the world might be in daunger vnto God because by workes no fleshe shall be iustified in his sight For when we receaue the commaundement feele our lacke wee shall crye vnto heauen and God will haue mercy vpon vs and we shall know in that daye that he hath saued vs according to his owne mercy and not for the righteousnes of workes which we haue wrought Againe Augustine Impossibile est legem impleri per caâ—nem It is vnpossible that the lawe shoulde be fulfilled by fleshe Now touching mans impossibilitie towardes the satisfaction of the law let this suffice And as touching the fathers opinions concernyng the offyce of the lawe thus wryteth Augustine Qâ—ui propterea iubet vt nos deficientes ad illum confugiamus VVho doth therefore commaund that we beyng insufficyent myght flye together vnto him And agayne he sayeth Haec est igitur vtilitas legis quia ostendit hominem sibi ipsi vt sciat infirm tatem suam videat quemadmodum per prohibitionem augeatur potiùs carnalis concupiscentia quám sanetur Appetuntur enim vehementius quae vetantur dum id quod spiritualiter iubetur carnalis obseruare compellitur This is therefore the vtilitie of the lawe that it doth shew man vnto hym selfe and that hee may see how by the restraint carnall concupiscence is rather increased then healed For those thynges that be forbydden are more vehemently desired when a carnall man is compelled to obserue that whyche is spirytuallye commaunded And agayne the same Augustine Per legem cognitio peccati non enim ablatio peccati est quia per solam gratiam aufe tur peccatum By the lawe is the knowledge of synne but not the taking away of synne because by the grace of God onely synne is taken awaye And agayne Iustam sciliceâ— legem iniustis hominibus dando ad demonstranda eorum peccata non auferenda In geeuyng the iust law vnto vniust men to shew theyr synnes not to take them awaye And agayne Omnes itaque homines sub lege constitutos reos facit lex et ad hoc illis super caput est vt ostendat peccata non tollat For the lawe maketh all men gyltye that bee placed vnder the law and therefore it is ouer their heads that it maye shewe synne but not to take awaye synne It appeareth by all these authorities that the lawe as now mans nature is corrupted doth serue hym to thys ende namelye to paynt vnto hym his miserable nature cursse and iuste condemnation and to dryue him thereby to séeke hys reliefe in Chryst the promised séede to come Thus hauyng shewed why the law was geuen to man though hée had no iot of habilitie to performe any part thereof It followeth to be enquired Cap. 6. ¶ How man regarded the lawe and howe in Chryste the promysed seede the couenaunt concernyng mans restitutyon was consummate FOrasmuche as mans miserable corruptyon had so farre caryed hym from the feelyng of the spiryte and lyfe of all diuyne causes that now wholly hée wandered as it were in the barke and in the contemplatyon of the outwarde vewe neglecting vtterly the marye and pythe In consideratyon hereof the incommensurable greatnesse of Gods mercye in the delyueraunce of the lawe the spirytuall ende and purpose whereof was by the iuste terrour of the same to scourge and whyp man from trust in hymselfe to the promised seede God I saye in the delyuerance of the same vsed suche externall cause of terrour to trayne the gresse senses vnto which man wholly obeyed that if their dusked and daseled eyes had not bene more then palpably blynde they coulde not but haue clerely séene that in the law was offered vnto them nothyng but fearfulnes horror cursse and condemination For the cloudes dyd as it were teare and rent in sunder ouer their heades with roaring of the thunders The Element wyth continuall flashyng of lighteninges séemed vtterly resolued into flame The Mountayne by vaporing out fearfull fume and smothering smoke myght séeme rather vnto them the mouth of hell and fornace of consuming reuenge theÌ„ any other spectacle The terrible hideous sharme of the trumpe might well offer vnto theÌ„ the terror of the host of heaueÌ„ as it were ranging towardes their iust deserued coÌ„fusioÌ„ So that all the course and processe of the whole action séemed to present to them nothing but horror and feare Yea and the comfort which Moyses him selfe seemed to geue to the reliefe of their confounded mindes wyth the viewe of this fearfull pagent was such as if they had well considered the same the ende thereof vanished also into terror and feare Be not afrayed sayth he God is come to prooue you that hys feare may be in your eyes that you synne not As though he had sayde vnto them stand not in doubt nor feare that this shoulde be the daye of your destruction for God doth thys to none other ende but as it were to paynt vnto your outward senses the horror of hys fearefull iustice pronounced towards you in the law whiche now is to be receiued to awake your dull hearts by these external horrours to flye from the vengeaunce of the same that the dreadfull regard therof by these outward fearefull spectacles may so syncke into your myndes that the burning terror of the same continually blasing before the eyes of your hartes may chase you from your owne righteousnesse which is nothing but sin vnto the true ryghteousnesse freely offered in the promised séede Thus if they had well considered they myght easely haue séene that all the whole comfort geuen theÌ„ by Moyses vanished also into horror and feare of the lawe that the vengeaunce thereof alwayes present in sight myght ënforce their flight for succour to the promise If the face of Moyses the bringer of the Law was of such brightnes that their fleshlye eyes were vtterly vnable to sustaine the pure and persing beames thereof Oh how muche might their dull hartes haue iudged the blered eyes of their corrupt nature vtterly vnable to sustayne the sharpe and terrible beames of the gloryous and irreuocable sentence of the Law agaynst sinne and wickednes God hauyng thus deliuered vnto them the law as a scholemaister to lead them to the promyse he sent them dyuers tymes Prophetes amongst them by whom hée renued the same more and more opening vnto theÌ„ the meanyng of his purpose concernyng the promised seede namely Christ insomuch that he
discharged of blame God to be accused of crueltie in condemning vs for not doyng that whiche by no meanes is possible vnto vs Unto the folie and wickednes of which obiection it is easelie answered that although vnto our corrupt nature it be nowe vtterly vnpossible to satisfie the law yet neither is the law therfore vniust or violente nor God extreme or cruell in requiryng the performance therof at our handes for therein is nothyng by hym required of vs but that whereunto in our originall nature he had created vs both able sufficient naturally inclined with ful furniture of free choise and power to haue executed the same wherof what soeuer nowe is wantyng in the habilitie of our corrupt nature that coÌ„meth not either by crueltie in God or faulte in the lawe but by our owne wicked and wilful transgression wherby the habilitie therunto is vtterly lost as is shewed before by spoyle of our originall righteousnesse For the law is not geuen as a measure or scantlyng of the habilitie of our purchased corruption but as the absolute rule of our originall perfection The law doth teache vs howe holy and excellent we were by God created at the firste and how fouly by our selues we be now fallen from that we ought to be The law doth painte vnto vs the excellency of the Image of God wherunto we were created if a man by disease or extreme sorenes of his eyes be vtterly vnable to behold the light is the light therfore to be thought or iudged violente Nay is it not for all that the onely obiect wherin that sense was naturally created to haue hys whole vse and delight if now the eyes can not behold it this argueth neither extremitie nor violence in the light but contrariwise great disease and corruption in the eyes So is the law the natural obiect wherunto mans nature was created to haue all her motions and senses directed with naturall felicitie and delight which if now it be vnable to abyde that neither argueth extremitie violence or crueltie either in God or the law but contrariwise great disease and corruption in mans nature And that the obseruation of the law is vnpossible vnto man as now his nature is corrupted the testimony of these Scriptures doe playnely aumuch Thus writeth Paul to the Rom for what the lawe could not do in asmuch as it was weake because of the flesh c Here as there is an impossibilitie ioyned to the law in that he sayth the law could not do it So also he declared the same impossibilite not to consist therein by reason of the nature of the lawe but by reason of the imperfection of the flesh that is for asmuch as the imperfection of the flesh is so great that it can not performe any suche worke as the law is able or hath streÌ„ght to alow And a litle after in the same Chapter for it is not obedient to the law of God neither it can bee And a litle after he affirmeth that wee knowe not what to desire as we ought TheÌ„ much lesse is it possible to do as we ought And againe to the Corinthes The naturall maÌ„ perceiueth not the thinges of the spirite of God for they are but foolishnes vnto hym neither can he perceaue them because they are spiritually examined And Christe hym selfe saith how can you speake good thinges seeing your selues be euill And againe an euill tree can bring forth no good fruite Hereby sufficieÌ„tly appeareth that the fulfiling of the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts is impossible vnto maÌ„ as hys nature is now corrupt which by the last Chapter was also euident that the fathers agréementes with vs herein may appeare thus writeth Augustine concerning the loue towardes God and our neighbour Cum ab hac peregrinatione in qua per fidem nunc ambulatur peruentum erit ad speciem quam nondum visam speramus per patientiam expectamus proculdubio ipsa dilectio non solùm supra quam hic habemus sed longè supra quam pâ—timus supra quam intelligimus erit neque enim restat in nobis aliquid quod addi possit ad totum quia si restabit al quid illud non erit totum proinde de hoc erit primum praeceptum iustitiae quo iubemur diligere Deum extoto corde ex tota anima ex tota mente cui est de proximo diligendo alterum consequens quod in illa vita complebimus â—um videbimus Deum facie ad faciem sed ideo nobis hoc etiam nunc praeceptum est vt admoneremur quid fide exposcere quò spem praemittere obliuiscendo quae retroÌ„ sunt in quae anteriora nos extendere debeamus VVhen from this pilgrimage wherin we presently walke through fayth we shall come to that thyng which yet vnsene we hope for and awayte through patience without all doubt our loue shall not onely excede that whyche wee possesse here but also bee farre aboue that whiche wee desire or vnderstand for there remayneth nothyng in vs that can be added vnto All for if any thyng shoulde bee lefte oute then can it not bee All therefore concernyng this shall the firste precepte of righteousnesse bee wherein we are commaunded to loue G G D withall the hearte withal the soule and withall the mynde wherunto foloweth another concernyng loue towardes our neighbour which wee shall fulfill in that lyfe when wee shall see God face to face But for this cause is it now also commaunded vs that we should bee admonished what to aske in faith whether to adresse our hope and in forgettyng the thynges which are behind vs vnto what thyngs that be before vs wee ought to direct our selues Againe Ambrose Sacrificabo hostiam laudis Non sacrifico inquit sed sacrificabo significans illud perfectum esse sacrificium quando vnusquisque Domino corporis huius vinculis absolutus assisteret offeret se hostiam laudis quia ante mortem nulla est perfecta laudatio I shall offer the sacrifice of prayse hee sayth not I do offer but I shal offer signifiyng that that is the perfect sacrifice when euery one losed from the bondes of this body shal be present with the Lord and offer him selfe a sacrifice of prayse for before death there is no perfect praysing Agayne Sainte Bernard Nec latuit praeceptorem praecepti pondus hominum excedere vires sed iudicauit vtile ex hoc ipso suae illos sufficientiae admoneri vt sciâ—ent sane ad quem iustitiae finem niti pro viribus oporteret Ergo mandando impossibilia non praeuaricatores homines fecit sed humiles vt omne os obstruatur subditus fiat totus mundus deo quia ex operibus non iust ficabitur omnis caro coram illo accipientes quippe mandatum sentientes defectum clamabimus in coelum miserenitur nostri deus sciemus in illa die quia non ex operibus iustitiae quae
dedes saying Blessed are they whose vnrighteousnes are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne And a litle after We say that fayth was imputed to Abraham for righteousnes And a litle after for the promise that hee should be the heyre of the world was not geuen to Abraham or to his sede through the lawe but throughe the righteousnesse of fayth For if they whiche be of the law be heyres thē is faith but vaine and the promise of no effect And agayne Therfore by fayth is the inheritaunce geuen that it might come of grace and the promise might bee sure to all the sede not to them onely whiche are of the lawe but also to them which are of the fayth of Abraham which is the father of vs all And agayn then beyng iustified by faith we haue peace with GOD throughe our Lord Iesus Christe by whom we haue accesse through fayth vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce in the hope of the glory of God. And agayne what shall wee saye then the Gentiles whiche folowed not righteousnesse haue ouertaken righteousnes I meane the righteousnes whiche commeth by faythe but Israell whiche folowed the lawe of righteousnes could not atteyne the law of righteousnes wherefore because they sought it not by fayth but as it were by the workes of the lawe And agayne for they beyng ignorant of the righteousnes of God and goyng aboute to establishe their owne righteousnes haue not bene obediēt vnto the righteousnes of God for Christ is the end of the law to iustifie all that beleue For Moyses describeth the righteousnes whiche commeth of the law in these wordes that the man whiche doth these thynges shall lyue therby But the righteousnes whiche commeth of fayth speaketh on this wise say not in thy hart who shall ascend into heauen that is euen to fetche Christ downe from aboue or who shall discend into the depe that is euen to bryng Chryst from death but what sayeth the Scripture the word is nye thee euen in thy mouth and in thy heart This is that woorde of fayth whyche wee preache for if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shall beleeue in thy heart that God raised hym vp from the dead thou shalt besaued For the belefe of thy heart iustifieth to confesse with the mouth saueth a man. For the Scripture sayeth who soeuer beleueth on him shall not be ashamed And agayne euen so at thys tyme is there a remnant left thorough the election of grace if it bee of grace then is it not of works or els were grace no more grace but if it bee of woorkes then is it no more grace or els were workes no lenger woorkes And in another place wee whyche are Iewes by nature and not synners of the Gentiles knowe that a man is not iustyfied by the deedes of the lawe but by the fayth of Iesus Chryst euen wee I saye haue beleued in Iesus Christ that we might bee iustified by the fayth of Iesus Chryst and not by the deedes of the law because that by the deedes of the lawe no flesh shal be iustified Agayne for the Scripture saw afore hande that GOD woulde iustifie the Gentyles through fayth and therefore preached before hande the Gospell vnto Abraham saying in thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed So then they which bee of fayth are blessed wyth faythfull Abraham for as many as are vnder the deedes of the law ar vnder the cursse sor it is writtē cursed is euery mā that cōtinueth not in all thinges which are written in the booke of the law to fulfill thē And that no man is iustified by the law in the sight of God it is euident for the iust shall lyue by fayth and the lawe is not of fayth but the man that shall fulfill these thynges shall lyue in them Now Chryst hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe when he was made accurssed for vs for it is written cursed is euerye one that hangeth on tree that the blessing of Abraham myghte come on the Gentiles through Chryst Iesus and that we might receiue the promyse of the spirite thorough fayth And a litle after but the Scrypture hath concluded all thynges vnder sinne that the promyse by the fayth of Iesus Chryst shoulde be geeuen to them that beleue But before fayth came we were shut vp vnder the lawe vnto the fayth whyche shoulde afterward be reueled wherefore the lawe was our Scholemaster to bring vs to Chryst that wee myght bee made ryghteous by fayth but after that fayth is come nowe are wee no lenger vnder the Scholemaster for wee are all the sonnes of God by fayth in Chryst Iesus And agayne yee are all gone quite from Chryst as many as are iustyfied by the lawe and are fallen from grace wee wayte for by the spirite thoroughe fayth the hope of ryghteousnesse Agayne For by grace are yee saued thorough fayth and not of your selues it is the gift of GOD and not of woorkes least anye man shoulde boast hym Agayne VVho saued vs and called vs wyth a holy callyng not accordyng to our deedes but accordyng to hys owne purpose and grace whiche grace was geuen to vs thorough Chryst Iesus before the worlde was And in an other place That wee beyng iustified by grace should be made heires accordyng to the hope of eternall lyfe These authorityes I thought good to rehearse out of the Scriptures out of the whiche it is euidently gathered whyche hath béene sayde before touchyng the iustification of fayth And to the ende it may be apparant that the auneyent fathers gathered the same meanyng I will now reherse of their authorities cōcerning the same First Augustine sayth thus Credidit Abraham deo reputatum estilli ad iustitiam ecce sine opere iustificatur exfide quicquid illi legali posset obseruatione conferri totum credulitas sola donauit Abraham beleued God and that was imputed vnto hym for righteousnesse Marke this that wythout workes he is iustified by fayth that whatsoeuer he mought haue gained by obseruyng the lawe all that hath fayth alone geuen hym Agayne Origen sayeth Dicit sufficere solius fidei iustificationem it a vt credens quis tantummodo iustificetur etiam si nihil ab eo operis fuerit expletum Hee afirmeth the onely iustification of fayth to suffice to iustifie a man that onely beleueth although he haue done no good worke And by and by after he asketh thys question Quis sine operibus iustificatus est VVho is iustified without workes Whereunto he aunswereth Quantum igitur ad exemplum pertinet sufficere arbitror illum latronē qui cū Christo crucifixus clamabat ei de cruce Domine Iesu memento mei cum veneris in regnum tuum Nec aliud quicquā describitur boni operis eius in euangelijs sed pro hac
sola fide ait Iesus Amen dico tibi bodie eris mecumin Paradiso As touching the example I think the theefmay suffice which being crucified with Christ cryed frō the crosse Lord Iesu remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome There is no other good worke of his expressed in the Gospel but for this fayth only Christ saith vnto him verely I say vnto thée thou shalt be with me this day in Paradise And a litle after Sola confessione iustificatum comitemque sibi paradisum ingressus assumpsit By this onely confession he going into paradise toke him with him both iustified and his companion And a litle after concerning the womans washing Christes feete with her teares he sayth Et ex nullo legis opere sed pro sola fide ait ad eam remittuntur tibi peccata tua iterum fides tua te saluam fecit And by no deedes of the law but for fayth only he sayth vnto her thy sinnes are forgeuē thee and againe thy fayth hath made thee whole And Chrysostome vppon the third chapter to the Romanes writeth thus In hoc demonstratur virtus potentia dei quòd seruauerit iustificauerit et gloriationem induxerit sola fide absque operibus Herein is the vertue power of God declared in that he hath saued iustified and glorified by fayth onely without workes And the same vpon the fourth chapter Quòd aliquis destitutus operibus iustificetur per fidem fortasse videri potest benè habere Quòd autem aliquis ornatus virtutibus et bonis operibus non tamen illis iustificetur fed sola fide hoc certè est admirabile That a man destitute of workes should be iustified by fayth that peraduenture maye seeme to be well but that a man beutified with vertue and good workes should neuerthelesse by them not be iustified but by fayth onely Truely this is wonderfull Agayne the same Chrysostome in hys fourth homily vpon the first chapter of the first epistle to Timothy Cui difficilis habebatur fides quod inimici quod peccatores quod hi qui in lege non iustificabantur neque per opera hi continuo ex fide sola primas partes meritorum consecuti sunt VVho could hardly beleue that enemies that sinners that such as were not iustified in the law nor by workes that they by and by haue by fayth onely obteined the cheefe merite And a litle after Incredibile eum esse videbatur siquidem bomo qui omnem priorem vitam frustrà atque inaniter consumpsisset duxissetque per mala opera postmodùm ex fide sola saluandus diceretur It seemed to the Iewes an incredible thing that a man which had spent al his former life vainely disorderly hauing passed the same in wicked workes that afterward he should be said to be saued by faith only The same agayne concerning fayth and the law writeth thus Ante opera fides primū inducēdaest eū qui operatur opera iustitiae sine fide nō possum probareviuū fuisse fidelem autē absque operibus possum monstrare vixisse regnum caelorum assecutum Nullus sine fide vitā habuit latro autē credidit duntaxat iustificatus est a misericordissimo deo Atque hîc ne mihi dixeris defuisse ei tempus quo iustè viueret honesta faceret opera neque enim de hoc contenderim ego sed illud vnum asseuerauerim quòd sola fides per se saluum fecerit Fayth is to be alledged before workes I can not proue him to haue bēe aliue which worketh the works of righteousnes without fayth but I can shew the faythfull without workes to haue both bene aliue and attained the kingdome of heauen No man hath had life without fayth but the theefe did onely beleue he by the most mercifull God is iustified And say not vnto me here that he wanted time wherin to liue righteously and doe good workes I will not contend thereabout but this one thing I affirme that fayth onely alone did saue him And agayne Nam ea denium perfecta omnimoda gloriatio est in deo quando neque propter suam ipsius quis iustiam extollitur sed agnoscit se quidem vera destitui iustitia verùm sola in Christo fide iustificatum esse For that in deede is the perfect full reioycing in God when no man glorieth in his own righteousnes but acknowledgeth him selfe in deede to be destitute of true righteousnes and that he is iustified through fayth in Christonely Ambrose vpon this place of Paule Iustificantur gratîs per gratiam illius writeth thus Iust ficati sunt gratîs quia nihil operantes neque vicem reddentes sola fide iustificati sunt Both Iewe Greke are iustified freely because that without worke or recompence by fayth only they are iustified And agayne Quomodo ergo Iudaei per opera legis iustificari se putant iustificatione Abrahae cum videant Abraham non ex operibus legis sed yola fide iustificatum non ergo opus est lege quādo impius per solam fidem iustificatur apud deum How thē do the Iewes thinke them selues to be iustified by the deedes of the lawe with the iustification of Abraham when they see that Abraham was not iustified by deedes of the lawe but by fayth onely there is then no neede of the lawe seing the wicked is iustified with God by fayth onely And a litle after Sic decretum dicit a deo vt cessante lege solam fidem gratiae dei posceret ad salutem He sayth that it is thus by God decreed that the law ceassing he requireth vnto saluation only faith in the fauour of God. And agayne Manifestè beati sunt quibus sine labore vel opere aliquo remittuntur iniquitatds et peccata teguntur nulla ah his requisit a panitentiae opera nisi tantum vt credant They be manifestly blessed whose iniquities are couered without either labour or worke no worke of repentaunce being to that purpose of them required but onely that they beleue And agayne the same Conuenit vt in solo nomine domini conditoris consequatur salutem creatura hoc est per fidem quia sublatis omnibus neomenijs et sabbato et circumcisione et lege escarum et oblationibus pecorum sala fides posita est ad salutem It is mecte that man attaine saluation onely in the name of the Lord the creator namely by fayth because that fayth onely is the meane to saluation all new Moones Sabboth Circumcision difference of meates offering of beastes set a part Agayne the same Quoniam versutia aduersarij cumulare peceata caeperunt vt per interdictum magis homo reus constitueretur deus clementia bonitatis suae semper homini procurans vt et quod sine lege peccatum erat
of the faythful are such workes as proceede from a heart purified through fayth Now into the other Schole or ballaunce let vs lay the workes required in the law whose definition is thus gathered out of the iiij Chapter The workes required in the law are such as proceede from the full obedience willyng desire and naturall pronesse of the whole man vnto righteousnes Thus wayed in the ballaunce it is euident that euen the very good workes of the faythfull compared with the workes of righteousnes required in the law are founde farre to lyght to satisfie the same For asmuch as the law can alow none but such as procede from a full obedience willyng desire and naturall pronesse of the whole man That is to say the lawe can alowe no workes but such as should be wrought by naturall strength desire vnto righteousnes But the good workes of the faythfull bee not so but contrarywise they are wrought through the frée grace of GOD purifiyng the heart by fayth whereupon it foloweth that the good workes of the faythfull examined by the iustice of God are insufficient to satisfie the law and haue no strength but vnder the shilde of mercy So imperfect are the best and most purest workes of the iustified that being examined by the seueritie of the law they are vnable to abide the presence thereof Thus hauyng shewed the certayne tokens of that fayth whereunto righteousnes is imputed and the difference betwene the workes of the faithful and the workes required in the law it foloweth Cap. 10. ¶ To knowe what iustificatiō or righteousnes it is whiche the scripture attributeth to workes and also what fayth it is against whiche S. Iames speaketh and why Iustification is imputed to fayth and not to workes HOw diuerslie the worde righteousnes or iustification is taken in the Scriptures is by the viij chapter declared where it is euidently proued that iustification being taken for the frée imputation of righteousnes vnto mā wherby in the sight of God he is discharged of giltiship cōmeth onely through fayth in Christ without respect of mans worthines or workes by the frée beneuolence of the will of God to the prayse and glory of his grace And that the iustification or righteousnes of woorkes is nothing els but the declaration of the same righteousnes of fayth by the outwarde fruites thereof which aunswereth that which is first in this chapiter required Yet notwithstanding the ambitious pride of the aduersaries is neither ashamed nor afeard to hold plée as it were with God for a part of the glory of mans iustificatiō arrogantly challenging the same as a deserued duetie purchased by theyr workes The contrary wherof as in the viij chapter it is manifestly proued so is the feareful error thereof by the iiij chapter euidently disproued For it is there plaine that al the workes of corrupte nature are as direct contrary to the law as death vnto life darkenes vnto light or colde vnto heat And yet out of that hatefull hourd must they of force take their counterfeit store Séeing they wil néedes haue workes to iustifie for that enferreth that those workes must goe before iustification and so be wrought before the man be righteous which can be nothing but the fruites of a wicked man for vntill he be righteous he is wicked and by their doctrine he can not be righteous vntill the worke haue made him righteous therefore whilest he is wicked it must néedes be that he do the worke which shall make him righteous which is impossible as by the Scriptures doth euidently appeare Thus writeth Paul to the Phillippians That ye may be pure without offence vntill the day of Christ filled with the fruites of righteousnes which fruites are in you by Iesu Christ vnto the glory praise of God. Here in these wordes of Paul we may learne the efficient cause the formall cause the materiall cause and the final cause of good woorks by which causes it doth euidently appeare that before iustification no good workes can be wrought and that the ende of good woorkes is not to iustifie the doers of them but onely to the glory and prayse of god Wherefore let vs consider his woordes first in that he sayth that ye may be pure and without offence he sheweth what is the office of a christen man namely to labour for such pure and vnspotted conuersation as no offence may iustly be gathered by the same He sayth moreouer Vntill the day of Christ to shewe that the endeuour towardes goodnes must haue continuance through the whole course of the life Hauing thus shewed both the office of a christen man and the terme of his continuance in th execution thereof he goeth forward to shew what furniture is necessary in him to the performance of that office in saying Filled with the fruits of righteousnes Here he sheweth wherwith he must be filled that must be pure and without offence namely with the fruit of righteousnes that is with good workes And as he teacheth in these wordes that good workes are the furniture of a christen mā so doth hée also teache in the same woords both the formal cause the material cause of good woorkes for in that he sayeth wyth the fruites of righteousnes he sheweth that righteousnes or iustificatiō is the formal cause of them which as a good trée bryngeth forth her good fruite He also sheweth that the materyall cause of any good worke is that it is a fruite of ryghteousnes whereby it is clearer then the Sunne that there can be no fruite of ryghteousnesse vntill the brynger forth thereof be transformed into a trée of righteousnes neither can the material cause haue her being vntil first the formal cause bée generate for the trée must bée before the fruite And in thys place doth Paule open the wordes of Esay in the. 61. chapter where he sayeth they shall be called trees of ryghteousnesse whyche cause Paule doth insinuate by expressyng the effect in that hée sayeth filled wyth the fruites of ryghteousnesse which imployeth that the bryngers forth of those fruites must néedes bee tréees of ryghteousnesse whereby it is euydent that no woork is good but that which is brought forth by a righteous man seeyng that it is the fruite of righteousnesse but none is a righteous man vntill he be iustified therefore can none bring forth good workes but suche as bee alreadye iustyfied Wherupon it followeth that before iustificatiō no good woork can be wrought Paule goeth forwarde and sayth whiche fruites are in you by Iesus Chryst Here doth he euidentlye declare what is the efficient cause of good woorkes namely Iesus Chryst so that where before hee had taught iustification or righteousnes to bee the formall cause of good woorkes and the fruites thereof to be the materiall cause for that hée woulde leaue no doubt concernyng the effycyent cause therefore he addeth whiche fruites are in you by Iesu Chryst Where thys is also to be noted fully
agréeing with that which is sayd already namelye that no good woorke can bée wrought but by him in whom Iesus Christ doth raigne that is by that iustified for hereby it is playne that no good worke can be in man onles it be by Iesus Chryste but Iesus Chryst worketh onely in the iustified for his spirit doth certifie their spirites in whom hee dwelleth that they are the children of God there is no condemnation to them that are in Chryst Iesu And in this place doth Paule also go forward in prosecutyng the woorde of Esay for where Esaye calleth them trées of ryghteousnesse that is to say the bringers forth of the fruites of ryghteousnes he addeth a plantyng of the Lordes to shew that their ryghteousnesse is the Lordes worke and that doth Paule open here where hée sayeth that good workes or fruites of righteousnesse are in vs by Iesus Chryst as though he had sayd Iesus Chryste hath made you to bée trees of ryghteousnesse that you myght bring forth the fruites thereof namelye good workes and so declare your selues to be a plantyng of the Lordes Thys beyng taught Paule goeth forward in declaryng the finall cause of good workes in saying Vnto the glorye and prayse of God whereby it is playne out of these words of Paules that Chryst is the efficiēt cause of good workes and that none can bée wrought but by hym in whom the spirite of Chryste dwelleth that is none can be wrought but by the ryghteous or iustified in that he saith whyche fruites are in you by IESVS Chryst Whereby it is playne that wythout Iesus Chryste they can not bée in them Where also is declared the materiall cause of good woorkes Namely a fruite of ryghteousnesse so that vnlesse it bée brought forth by a ryghteous tree it can bée no good worke hee also declareth that the iustification or ryghteousnesse of the doer of them is the formall cause of them in that hée calleth them the fruite of ryghteousnesse for that declareth the doers of them to bée trées of ryghteousnesse as Esay termeth them wherby also appeareth that no good worke can bé done but by a man already iustyfied hee also telleth the finall cause of them in that hée sayeth Vnto the glory and prayse of God concludyng euen as Esay in the fore named place doth For after hée had sayde that they myght bée called trées of righteousnesse a planting of the Lordes hée addeth for hym to haue glorye in so that the ende of good woorkes is not to iustifie the doers but to glorifie God for vnles the doers had bene iustified before the woorkes were wrought they coulde haue bene no frute of righteousnesse So that thys place of Paule is an openyng of the forenamed place of Esay for where Esaye sayeth that they myght bee called trees of ryghteousnesse Paule expoundeth that to bée that they shoulde bryng foorth the fruites of righteousnesse and where Esaye calleth them a plantyng of the Lordes that doth Paule open when he telleth that the fruite of ryghteousnesse must be in them by Iesu Chryst And where Esay sayeth for hym to glorye in Paule sayeth to the glory and praise of God. Thus by comparyng together these woordes of Paule and Esay it is more then euident that good workes bée so farre from iustyfiyng the doers that before iustificatyon no good worke can bée wrought And Chryst himselfe affirmeth no lesse when he sayeth that the tree must bee good before it bryng foorthe good fruite Euerye good tree sayeth he bryngeth forth good fruite So that first hée acknowledgeth the trée to bée good before it bryngeth forth good fruite And if the tree be euill he affirmeth in the same place It bryngeth foorth euill fruite concludyng playnely that no euyll tree can bryng forth good fruite Whereby it is euident that the man muste by fayth bée made good that is to saye righteous and iustyfied before he can bring forth any good woorkes So then the woorke is acknowledged for good through mercy which couereth the blemishes thereof in respect that it is the worke of a man by fayth already iustified and clothed in the righteousnesse of Chryste and not in respecte of it selfe which compared with the iustice of God is wickednesse as in the 9. Chapter was proued for wee bee all by nature the chyldren of wrath as Paule beareth witnesse And thus writeth Augustine Sequuntur bona opera iust fi atum non praecedunt iustificandum Good woorkes folowe hym that is iustified they goe not before hym that is to bee iustyfied Agayne the same Augustine Quid enim est boni operis ante fidem cum dicat Apostolus quicquidsine fide fit peccatum est for what good woorke is there before sayth seyng the Apostle sayeth that whatsoeuer is not of fayth is synne And Christ hymselfe sayeth wythout mee you can do nothyng whereby it is euydent that vntyll they haue the spiryte of Chryst they can woorke no good worke but none haue the spirite of Chryst but suche as bée the children of God for the Scrypture sayth these bee the children of GOD that bee led by the spyrite of GOD and none are the children of GOD tyll they bée iustyfied for to bée the chyldren of God and to bée iustyfied is all one thyng therefore none can woorke good woorkes but suche as be already iustyfied Agayne to the workyng of euery good woorke there be two thynges specially required namely vnderstandyng and affection So that the worke that must please God muste both bée ioyned wyth the knowledge of the wyll of God and also bée done wyth affection pleasure and delight in the same Touchyng that it shoulde bee done wyth knowledge thus sayth God by the prophet God desireth in man more the knowledge of God then burnt offrynges And before in hys fourth chapter where he geueth a reason of the destructyon of hys people he alleageth onely lacke of knowledge my people sayeth he are destroyed for lacke of knowledge And Chryst himself sayth do yee not therefore erre because you vnderstand not the scryptures And Iob affirmeth that to depart from euill is vnderstandyng Whereby it is playne that wythout vnderstanding or knowledge of the wyll of God no man can depart from euill and do that which is good And therefore doth Dauid crye Geeue mee vnderstanding and I shall keepe thy lawe O geeue mee vnderstandyng that I maye learne thy commaundementes And that good woorkes are wrought through knowledge or vnderstanding it is by the scriptures euident Paul to the Phillippians writeth thus And thys I praye that your loue maye abound yet more and more in knowledge and vnderstanding that ye maye discerne things that differ one from an other that ye may be pure and without offence vntill the day of Christ Here doth Saint Paule not only pray that theyr loue might abound in knowledge but he also telleth the cause of hys prayer namely that they might be able to
discerne thynges that differ to iudge betwene good works and counterfeite workes betwene true religion hipocrisie that so through that knowledge they might haue iudgement how to lead a pure and Christian life which without the knowledge of the wyll of God is vnpossible And agayne the same Paule to Philemon See that the fellowship sayth he that thou hast in the fayth be fruitfull through knowledge of all good things which are in you by Iesus Christ Hereby it appeareth that without vnderstanding of the will of God no good workes can be wrought But Paul playnely affirmeth that all thei that be not already iustified in Christ haue no vnderstanding The naturall man sayth he perceaueth not the thinges that belong to the spirit of God for they are but folishnes vnto hym Then if he perceaue not nor vnderstand the thynges that please god It appeareth by that is sayd before that he can by no meanes do the worke that shall please god Hereby it both playnely appeareth that the knowledge of the wyll of God is required to good workes and also that none that is not iustified hath that knowledge Now touching that vnto good works there is also required in the doer affection delight towardes the same that is euident by the definition of good workes expressed in the 8. chapter where it appeareth that they be nothyng but an execution of the commaundementes whereunto the whole affection of man both body and soule is required as in the. 4. chapter appeareth which also is confirmed by the example of those of whose good workes the scripture beareth witnes Thus sayth Dauid If my delight were not in thy law I should haue perished in my trouble And agayne my delight was in thy commaundementes And agayne thy testimonies haue I claymed as mine heritage for euer and why they are the very ioy of my hart And agayne Lord what loue haue I vnto thy law al the day long is my studie therein And agayne my delight shal be euer in thy statutes And agayne for I loue thy commaundementes aboue golde precious stone Thys affection of the hart is required to the performaunce of good workes whereof how greatly they be short that be onely possessed of the naturall man and not iustified in Christ it is more then euident by the playne wordes of God hymselfe In Genesis he sayth thus my spirite shall not alwayes striue in man because he is fleshe And a litle after The Lord sawe that the wickednes of man was great in the earth and all the imaginations of the thoughtes of his harte were onely euill continually And agayne in the 8. chapter the imaginations of mans hart is euill euen from hys youth Here appeareth that the affection of the naturall man is onely this affection to rebellion desire so contempt and lust to disobedience Thus it is euident that in all those which be not already iustified in Christ their is neither vnderstanding how to please God nor affection thereunto And so consequently no good worke seing it is proued that no worke cā be good but where both they be ioyned together which also is euident by that which is sayde in the fifth chapter Surely if these men had bene as carefull searchers of truth herein out of Gods holy worde as they haue bene of mistes and clowdes out of Aristotles schole to darcken shadow the brightnes thereof they woulde neuer haue sought with so many subtil distinctions and false definitions without al ground of Gods worde to haue builded themselues the labirinth of errour maze of their owne confusion But woulde contrariwise haue humbled themselues vnto the spirite of God and haue considered the ende of hys purpose in mans saluation But they not considering that to be the prayse and glory of hys owne grace and enforcing the rigor of the outward sounde of some wordes in the scripture haue gathered workes to be the cause of mās iustification where if they more narrowly cōsidered they should see that faith is the onely meane by which workes are indued wyth the title of goodnes forasmuch as no good worke can be wrought but by a man alredy by faith iustified and appareled wyth the righteousnes of Christ by meanes whereof the blemishes and imperfections thereof are through mercy couered which otherwise if the same workes were wrought by an vnbeleuyng man they woulde appeare in the sight of God most filthy for of mercy it commeth in respecte of Christ that the most perfecte workes are not layde to mans charge for sinne Out of this ground gathered from God truth this rule of Christian religion is concluded that where soeuer righteousnes or iustification is in the Scripture imputed to workes it is not imputed to them as though they were the cause of righteousnes that is to sayas though they going before iustification did procure or purchase the same but farre otherwyse it is imputed vnto them as vnto the fruit of the righteousnes of fayth which after iustification doth witnes and declare that the doer is iustified by fayth by apprehending of Christ in respecte of whom mercy couereth the spottes of that worke from the sight of Gods iustice so that sinne is not imputed to man for the same Hic murus ahaeneus esto Let this to a Christian conscience be a wall of brasse Now this foundation layde let vs séeke by thys rule to vnderstand those Scriptures which the aduersaryes for theyr filpursse doctrine of iustification of workes haue forced into open combat both agaynst theyr owne naturall sense and agaynst the ende and scope of Gods purpose declared in the Scriptures touching mans iustification wherein to séeke to answere to all theyr subtill and shameles wranglings were more tedious then profitable And touching the multitude of wordes more paynefull then possible Though touching matter Gods truth being iudge inough hath bene sayd already where-fore to auoyde all extremities and kéepe my selfe within my power touching wordes and yet not to passe the reste with silence I will ouerlooke a fewe of their principall ragges which they call reasons wherein theyr errour being opened the smaller of them selues will drop a sunder vntouched Wherefore firste of all that playnnes might be ioyned with the breuitie for which I labor let the Scriptures which they make challengers in thys fraye be gathered together into these sortes In the first sort placyng those which promising reward to workes procure men to labour for the same In the second sort such as by the sound of wordes séeme to take iustification from fayth or geueth the same to workes And in the last sorte those Scriptures wherin the righteous thallenge at Gods handes reward of theyr innocency righteousnes Wherfore by examples of euery of these sorts let vs séeke truely to vnderstand them by theyr agréement with thē selues and the rest of the Scriptures that as of God there is but one spirite and one truth so the same truth by the consent
of Mathew VVhere a certayne ruler came to Christ and asked of him what good thyng hee shoulde doe that hee might haue eternall lyfe Christ aunswered if thou wilt enter into lyfe keepe my commaundementes here say they it appeareth that kéeping of the commaundementes whiche is but woorkes do iustifie That the kéeping of the commaundementes is able to iustify him that were able to obserue thē it was neuer doubted of For Moyses witnesseth that he that doth them shall liue thereby but that no man hath power to kéepe thē it is euidently proued already neyther by nature as now it is corrupt nor by grace in the .iiij. and .ix. chapters Wherefore gentle reader marke the circumstaunce first who asketh the question A ruler or Lawier who dreamed of nothyng but the outward obseruaunce of the lawe Secondly what is the question namely What good thing hée might doe to haue euerlasting lyfe Marke that this hys whole question was not otherwise to learne the waye to euerlastyng life then by déedes or workes in asking what thing he should do Wherefore what directer aunswer could be geuē then that which Christ vsed séeing the question was onely of woorkes namely kéepe the commaundementes séeing no other works could serue that turne But peraduenture some of them will say If Christ had not knowne him able to kéepe the commaundementes hée surely woulde haue taught him the way possyble to him Surely these be tender hartes that will teach the holy ghost to bée pitifull but Christ him selfe sayde he came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentaunce that is hée came not to call suche fellowes as woulde iustifie themselues but such as would humble themselues to hys iustyfication Wherefore Christ seing the filthy pride of his heart euen in the due aunswer of hys questyon offered hym the glasse of the Lawe whereof he bragged in hys heart to see his owne filthinesse therein that by the fight thereof he might haue trained him to haue framed a more humble question concerning the waye to heauen But what aunswer maketh he goeth he not on in the iustification of himselfe in saying Al this haue I kept from my youth vpward what lack I yet Then Chryste to open to his eyes the packe of hys corruption applieth to his verie heart a corsiue to teache him that the law is spirytual and challengeth the entire obediēce of the heart If thou wilt be perfect sayeth he sell that thou hast and geue it to the poore thou shalt haue treasure in heauen and come and follow me which when hee hearde hee went hys waye mourning because hee had great possessions So that it appereth by the whole course of the action that Christ enabled him not to the satisfying of the lawe but contrariwise by example of hys owne wickednes compared with the lawe he sought to teache him beyng a teacher of others how farre he him selfe was short from the vnderstandyng of the Lawe in supposing it to consist onely in outwarde action And to conclude Christ offered the law to this proude ruler to no other ende then before generally it was géeuen to all the Iewes namely to sée hys owne filthinesse thereby to be driuen to seeke reliefe in Christe and it was also the very direct aunswer to hys questyon Other of the aduersaryes cauyll thus In déed say they there bee two iustifications the one in regeneration or baptisme and that is fréelye bestowed vpon vs neyther is it needefull that any good woorkes shoulde goe before this iustification But nowe fallinge after thys regeneratiō it is needefull say they that to the iustification of vs agayne satysfaction by good woorkes must bee made The error and impietie of this doctryne is not onely manifest by that whiche is sayd before where it is proued that no workes but onely the woorkes of the iustified by fayth can appeare in the presence of God but also for that it fayneth Christ in respect of diuers tymes to bée a mediator of diuers power or abilitie For they confesse him sufficyent to restore man vnto Gods fauour and to iustifie him that is not yet conuerted but to restore him that after regeneration by filthinesse is fallen from God they make his power to weake and that porcion of power whiche in this case they take from Christ they attribute the same vnto that man which of all other may séeme most hatefull vnto God namely vnto him that by cruell ingratitude and wycked contempte is fallen from the grace bestowed vpon hym preferring his condicion before the condycion of them that neuer were conuerted in geuing him power to woorke his owne iustification which they playnly confesse the other to want and yet is the condicion of the other in reason to bée preferred before theirs who by theyr cruell ingratitude deserue iustly the most abhorfull estate as the holy ghost beareth witnesse For it is not possible saith he that they which were once lightened haue tasted of the heauenly gift and were become partakers of the holy ghoste and haue tasted of the good worde of God of the power of the worlde to come if they fall away shold be againe renued vnto repentance forasmuch as they haue as concerning thē selues crucified the Son of God a fresh making a mocke of him And againe If we sinne willingly after that we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearefull loking for iudgemēt violent fire which shall deuour the aduersaries And againe Christ himselfe saieth The seruaunt that knoweth his masters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes This is the horrible estate of them that are fallen frō Christ And yet are the aduersaries nothing ashamed to robbe Christ of a péece of his power or honor or his office to painte vp thys their Isops crowe withall making the power of hys offyce or mediation in respecte of diuers times and subiectes greater or lesser But wel hath the holy ghost in the first Epistle of S. Ihon mette wyth thys wranglyng shift thus My lytle chyldren sayth hee these thinges I write vnto you that yee sinne not but if we do sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father euen Iesus Christe the ryghteous And hee it is that obtayneth grace for our sinnes By which words it playnely appeareth that when we fal after regeneration or baptisme Christ is our iustification euen as he was at the first and not our owne workes so that our fyrst iustification in regeneratyon and our latter with repentaunce come both by one meanes namely by the free gyft of God through faythe in Christe Howbeit in déede thys dystinction of theirs is more then wicked for whosoeuer is by regeneration once iustifyed hée can neuer agayne be vniustifyed for whomsoeuer God once loueth hee loueth hym to the ende for God is not mutable as man neyther can he deny himselfe Another of
agayne in the. 18. Psalme God hath rewarded mee accordyng to my innocency and according to the cleanenesse of my handes hath he recompenced mee for I obserued the commaundements of the Lord and was not wicked against my God but I had al his lawes before me neither cast I his commaundements from me I was pure before him abstained mine owne wickednes therefore God hath rewarded me according to my innoceÌ„cy and according to the cleanenes of my handes in hys sight Who so considereth in the Scriptures the cause and the manner of the exclamatyon of the righteous in theire lameÌ„table calamitie vnder the cruell vniuste and mercilesse persecutions and afflictions of the wicked tyrannous oppressors shall foorthwith see the solution of these arguments namely that the righteous therein iustifie not themselues neyther auouche their innocencie in respecte of the iustyce of God but in respecte of the false vniuste and tyrannous wickednesse of the oppressor in respecte of theire most horryble iniurye and crueltye they maye wel auouch their righteousnesse and innocencye and therefore they flye for succour vnto the iustice of God who knoweth howe giltlesse they are touchyng the false accusation of theire bloud thirstye enemyes requirynge of God in that cause to be defended froÌ„ their enemies euen as he who knoweth theire conscyence could testify that they had not committed those euils for the whiche theire enemyes most cruelly pursued them as here in the. 7. Psal Dauid being falsely accused by Chus one of Saules kynsmen challengeth the iustice of God for the defence of hys innocencye in that case toward Saul desiring of God hys deliuerance according as he knew hym giltlesse toward Saul seing hys conscience could accuse him of no conspiracie or treason towardes hym In thys sort do the righteous somtymes in the scriptures offer the innoceÌ„cy of their causes before the iudgement seate of God not alledging innocency in respect of Gods iustice but in respecte of the false and wicked vntruthes wherwith theyr enemyes charged them Wherefore in the 18. Psalme Dauid being by the mercy of God setled in the seate of hys Kyngdome geueth thankes vnto God for that euen according to the innocency of his hart cleanenes of hys hands towards Saul he had rewarded hym in deliueryng hym from the daÌ„ger of so mighty and cruell an enemye reioysing in that â—he hauyng the lawe of God before hys eyes had withholden his hart handes from committing wickednes agaynst hys annointed Lord and king For such was hys innocency and righteousnes â—n respect of Saules wickednes that he â—ould nothing accuse hym self towardes Saule For in makyng hys mone to Ionathas Saules sonne thus he auoucheth hys innocencye What haue I done sayth he wherein am I faultie what is the sinne that I haue committed agaynst thy father that he seketh my life And anone after he sayth vnto hym If there be in me any trespasse theÌ„ slay me thy selfe Hereby ye may see the innocency and righteousnes which Dauid aueucheth in hymselfe was in respecte of Saules wicked and vniust crueltie and not in respecte of the iustice of god For where soeuer he handleth the cause betwene the iustice of God and hym selfe there he singeth another songe Then cryeth he Be mercifull vnto me O Lord be mercifull vnto me accordyng to thy great mercyes and according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away mine offences Then cryeth he Lorde reâ— proue me not in thine anger neitheâ— chastise me in thy heauie displeasure If thou Lord wilt watch what is donâ— amisse Lorde who shall be able to 〈◊〉 bide it Lord clense me from my 〈◊〉 crete sinnes and such lyke Then neither talketh he of hys owne innocencye or righteousnes he beasteth then of no righteousnes but of mercy Blessed are they sayth he whose wickednes are forgeuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne Here is all the righteousneshe knoweth of hym 〈…〉 when he hath to deale with the iustice of god Thus hauing briefly shewed by a fewe examples the true aunsweres of the principall obiections of the enemye of iustification of fayth and the sweete agreement thereby of the Scriptures in geuing to God the whole honour of mans saluation and vnto man a sure possession of Gods fauour in Christ I will now shewe why iustification is imputed to fayth and not to workes and so make an end Touching thys question there appeare two iuste causes thereof first for that fayth is the onely meane betwene maÌ„ and the promise and that which apprehendeth righteousnes and worl 〈…〉 are nothyng els but as it were an effect or fruit of the righteousnes of the same fayth Therfore iustification is to be imputed to that which apprehended the righteousnes and not to the fruit thereof Secondly and principally that forasmuch as the end of all Gods works is to purchase to hym selfe as of right is due all prayse honour and glory in the performance of his promise as hath often bene sayd as the greatest prerogatiue he challengeth froÌ„ his creatures Therfore it is of necessitie that no part of mans iustification should be imputed to workes as vnto any part of the cause thereof For that ambitious maÌ„ should haue no colour of title to any proportional part of the glory of the worke that no fleshe might boast in hys presence And thys is the cause which Paule him selfe sheweth to the Ephesians concerning the same For by grace sayth he ye are saued through fayth and not of your selues it is the gift of God and not of workes lest any man shoulde boast him that all the glory might redounde to God alone who as he saueth vs for hys owne sake so by him selfe onely hath he begonne continued and ended the whole worke concerning our saluation To whom through Iesus Christ our only and omnisufficient Sauiour be therfore all glory honour and maiestie kingdome power and dominion through all eternitie Amen ¶ A Correlary It is hereby manifest that forasmuch as the onely ende of Good workes is to shew mans obedience to God that God thereby may be glorified and to witnes and declare the possession of that true fayth whereby onely righteousnes is proper to the elect of God that by them maÌ„ may yelde a full testimony of his calling and election through Christ into the fauour or loue of god Forasmuch I say as thys is the onely ende of good workes therefore he that eyther teacheth or doth any worke hauing apparance of holines to any other end theÌ„ this namely in hope of any reward for the worthines thereof that worke what shew soeuer it hath of godlines is wicked and detestable in the sight of God in that it offereth a filthy price for that by the free gift whereof God séeketh honour That the price offered is filthy it is hereby apparant in that all workes not being of fayth are sinne