clearly There be an infinite sort of commentours vpon the master of the seÌ„tence let our aduersaryes brynge forthe but one coÌ„mentarye of them al whiche speke any thynge of the maner of regeneratynge When they speake of the habyte of loue they fayne that men deserue the holy gooste by theyr workes they teache not that it is receyued by the worde euen as the Anabaptystes do at thys day But we can nat haue to do with god god wyl nat be caught but by hê worde Therfore iustyfycacyon is hade by the worde as Paule sayth The Euaungell is the power of god to the helth of euery beleuer Also Fayth is of hearynge A man myght also out of thys place gather an argumeÌ„t that fayth iustifieth for yf iustyfycacyon is only by the worde and the worde is only receyued by faythe it foloweth that faythe iustyfyeth But there be greter reasons Thys haue we spoken to th ende to shewe the fourme and maner of regeneracyon and that it maye be vnderstonde what maner of thynge fayth is wherof we speke Nowe we wyl shewe that faythe iustyfyeth whÌ„ere fyrste of all the reders muste be admonyshed that as it is necessarye to maynteyne thys opinyon that Christe is our medyatour so is it necessarye to defende that fayth iustyfyeth For howe shall Chryste be a medyator yf in iustyfycacyon we vse not hym as a medyator yf we thynke not that for hym we be reputed ryghtwyse And that it is to beleue and truste to the merytes of Chryste that for hiÌ„ god wyl surely be pacified with vs. Also as we must defende that besyde the lawe the promyse of Chryste is necessarye so we muste defende that faythe iustyfyeth for the lawe teacheth not free remyssyon of siÌ„nes Moreouer the lawe can not be fulfylled onles we fyrste receyue the holy goste wherfore it is nedeful to defende that the promyse of Chryste is necessarye But thys promyse can nat be taken but by faythe Ergo they whiche denye that faythe iustyfyeth do nothynge but teache the lawe disanullynge the gospell and dysanullynge Chryste But some perchauns when it is sayde that faythe iustyfyeth vnderstondeth it of the begynnynge that fayth shulde be the begynnynge of iustificatyon or a preperatyue to iustyfycacyon so that it is not the verye faythe whiche maketh vs acceptable to god but the workes whiche folowe And they dreame that fayth is so hyghly commeÌ„ded because it is the begynnynge For the begynnynge of â— thynge is greatlye estemed and therfore it is commenly sayde Principium dimidium totius The begynnynge is halfe of the hole As yf a man wolde saye that gramer maketh the doctours of euery scyence because it is a preperatyue to other scyencies But we meane not thus of faythe but we defende that properly and truely by fayth we be for Chryste reputed ryghtwyse or accepted to God And because thys worde iustify cari to be iustyfyed sygnyfyeth to be made of iniuste iuste it sygnyfyeth also to be pronunced or reputed ryghtwyse For scrypture speketh in bothe wyses Therfore fyrste we wyl shewe that onlye faythe maketh of vnryghtwyse ryghtwyse that is to wytte receyueth remyssyon of siÌ„nes Sum men be offended with thys pertycle sola onely where as neuertheles Paule saythe we iudge that man is iustyfyed by faythe and nat of workes Also to the Ephesyans the seconde It is the gyfte of god not of vs neyther of our workes leste any man shulde glorye Also Roma 3. Freelye iustyfyed If the exclusyue sola dothe dysplease them let that them take from Paule also these exclusyues freely not of workes It is a gyfte And suche lyke for these be also exclusyues Doutles we exclude the opinyon of meryte but we exclude not the worde of God or the sacramentes as our aduersaryes do mysreporte vs. For we sayde before that fayth is conceiued by the herynge of the worde And we extolle most cheflye the mynysterye of the worde Loue also and workê ought to folowe fayth wherfore they be not so excluded that they shulde not folowe but the trustyng of meryte of loue and workes is excluded in iustyfycacyon And that we shall euedently shewe ⧠That remyssion of synnes is by the only fayth in Christe obteyned ⧠WE thynke that the aduersaries wyll also graunt that in iustificacyon is fyrst necessarie remission of synnes For we be al vnder synne Then this shal be my argument ⧠To obtayne remission of sinnes is to be iustified accordyng to this Beati quorum remisse sunt iniquitates Blessed be they whose synnes be remitted But so it is yâ— by the only fayth in Christ nat by loue or for loue or workê we obtayne remission of siÌ„nes although the loue foloweth fayth Ergo by only fayth we be iustified vnderstandyng iustificacioÌ„ to be of the vnryghtwyse to be made ryghtwyse or to be regenerate The minor may easely be declared if we know howe remission of synnes is obtayned The aduersaries do full coldly dispute whether remission of synnes and the infusion of grace be all one mutation yea or no. The ydle persoÌ„s had nothynge els to speake In remission of synnes is required that the feare of synne and of euerlastyng death be vaynquyshed in mens hertê as Paule witnesseth 1. CorÌ„ 15. The dart of death is syn And the power of syn is the lawe But thankes be to god who gyueth to vs victory through our lorde Iesus Christ that is to say synne frayeth the conscience and this is done by the lawe whiche sheweth they re of god agaynst synne but we ouercum by Christ. Howe through fayth wheÌ„ we lyfte vp our selues through truste of hys promysed mercye for Christe wherfore our Minor we proue thus ⧠⧠The yre of god can nat be pacified if we laye agaynst it our workes because Christe is propowned our mercy stocke so that for hym the father shulde be pacified with vs. But Christ can nat be receyued a mediatour but by fayth Ergo by only fayth we purchase remission of synnes when we lyfte vp our hertes with the truste of the promysed mercie for Christ. Also Paule to the Rom. the .5 chapi saythe By hym we haue a passage to the father addeth through faythe we be thus then reconcyled to the father and receiue remission of synnes wheÌ„ we lyfte vp our selues with the hope of the promysed mercy for Christ. The aduersaries do so vnderstande Christ to be a mediatour and propiciatour because we deserue the habite of loue they byd vs nat vse hym as a mediatour nowe but they vtterly bury Christe feynyng that we haue thê passage by our owne workes and that by them we deserue thys habite of loue as they call it and that after by loue we haue peace of conscience Is nat this vtterly to bury Christe and to plucke downe the hole doctryne of fayth Paule contraryly teacheth vs to haue passage that is to say peace by Christe And to shewe vs howe thys is he addeth that we haue passage
whiche walke nat after theyr fleshe but after the spirite Also we be dettours nat to the fleshe that we shulde lyue after the fleshe For if ye lyue after the fleshe ye shall dye But if in spirite ye mortifye the actes of the bodye ye shall lyue Wherfore this fayth whiche receyueth remission of synnes in the troubled and affrayed herte and fleyng synne dwelleth nat in them whiche folowe theyr lustes nor staÌ„deth nat with deadly synne Out of these effectes or operacions of fayth the aduersaries pycke out one and that is loue â–ª and teache that it iustifyeth Thus it manifestly appereth that they only teache the lawe They reache nat fyrste that we receyue remissioÌ„ of synnes by fayth They teache nat of the mediatour Christe that for Christe we haue God our good lorde but for our owne loue And yet what maner of loue that is they tell nat nor can nat tell They bragge glory that they fulfyll the lawe where as this glory is properly due to Christ and they lay the affiaâ—Ì„ce of theyr owne workes to the iudgemeÌ„t of god for tâ—ey say that they deserue grace eternall lyfe de condigno .i. of theyr owne worthynes This is vtterly a wycked and a vayne affiaunce For in this lyfe we can nat satisfye the lawe because the carnall nature ceaseth nat to bryng forth euyll affections al though the spirite in vs resysteth theÌ„ But a man may demaunde of vs a question sythe that we also confesse that loue is the worke of the holy ghost and syth it is ryghtwysnes for it is the fulfyllyng of the law why do nat we teache that it iustifieth â–ª To this we answere Fyrst it is certayne that we receiue nat remission of synnes neyther by loue nor for or loue but for Christ by only fayth Only faythe whiche loketh to the promyse and is assured that god forgiueth because Christ dyed nat in vaine ouercometh the feares of synne of death If a man doubteth whether hys synnes be forgyuen hym he disworshyppeth Christe sythe he iudgeth hys synne greater or stronger then the death and promyse of Christe where Paule sayeth that grace surmounteth synne that is to say that mercye is aboue synne who thynketh that he attayneth remission of synnes because he loueth dishonoreth Christ and he shal fynde in the daye of gods iudgement this affyaunce of his owne propre iustice to be wycked voyde Ergo fayth must recoÌ„cile make of the iniust iust And as we receiue nat remissioÌ„ of synnes by the other vertues or for the other vertues of the lawe as for pacience chastitie obedieÌ„ce towarde the superiours cÌ„ and yet these vertues must ensue so we neyther receyue remissyon of synnes because of the dilectioÌ„ of god Howbeit it is a commune fourme of speakyng otherwhyles to comprise in one worde bothe the cause and the effect by a figure called Synecdoche as in the seuenth of Luke Christ sayeth Many synnes be forgyueÌ„ her because she loued muche For Christ expouneth him selfe wheÌ„ he addeth Thy fayth hathe saued the. Christ then meant nat that the woman by that worke of loue shulde deserue remissioÌ„ of synnes and therfore he clearly sayeth Thy faythe hathe saued the. But fayth is the thyng which conceiueth mercy for the worde of god freely If ye deny that thê is fayth ye vtterly knowe nat what faythe meaneth The very historye of it selfe sheweth sufficiently what he calleth loue in this place The woman cam brynging with her this opinion of Christe that in hym â–ª she shulde fynde remission of synnes This worshyp is the most hyghe worshyp of Christ she coulde gyue no greater worshyp vnto hym This is the trewe fashyon of acknowledgyng Messias to seke at hym remission of synnes And to conceiue this opinion of Christ thus to worship him is rightly and truly to beleue But this worde loue Christe vsed nat to the womaÌ„ but to the Pharisee for he coÌ„pared the hole worshyppyng of the Pharisee with the hole worshyppyng of the woman He chydeth the Pharisee because he acknoweledged hym nat to be Messias although he dyd vnto hym these externe officies as vnto a straunger and an holy greate man he poynteth to the woman and commendeth her worshyppyng her oyntment â—eares cÌ„ whiche all were sygnes of fayth a certayne coÌ„fession that at Christ she sought remission of synnes Undoutedly this was a greate example which nat without cause moued Christe to chyde the Pharisee whiche was a wyse and an honest man but one that beleued nat This impietie he vpbraideth him and instructeth him by the example of the woman signifieng that it was a shame yâ— where as an vnlerned woman beleued god he a doctour of the lawe beleued nat and acknowleged nat Messias nor sought nat at hym remission of synnes saluacion So theÌ„ he prayseth the hole worshyppyng as it is ofte done in scripture that in one worde we shuld coÌ„prise many as here after we shall shewe more at large in lyke places as in this saying Gyue almes and all shal be clene he requyreth nat only almesdedê but also the iustice of faythe so also here wheÌ„ he sayeth Many synnes be remytted vnto her because she loued muche that is to saye because she hath worshypped me truly by fayth and excercises and signes of fayth he coÌ„pryseth the hole worshyppyng but in the meane seasoÌ„ yet he teacheth thys that properly remission of synnes is receyued by fayth althoughe loue confession and other good workes do necessaryly ensue wherfore he meaneth nat this that those frutê be a recoÌ„pense or raunsum for whiche remission of synnes is gyuen whiche may reconcile vs to god we dispute of a greate thing euen of the honour of Christe and from whens the godly myndes may fetche a sure ferme consolacion whether our truste is to be put in Christe or in our workes If so be that we owe to set our trust in our workes then we must plucke from Christe the honour and title of a mediatour and redemer And yet we shall fynde in the iudgement of god that this confidence is vayne and that the conscience from thens shall ruÌ„ne into despayre That if remission of synnes and reconciliacyon chaunseth nat frely for Christ but for our loue and merites no man shal haue remission of synnes but where he fulfylleth the hole lawe for the lawe iustifieth vs nat so longe as it can accuse vs. It is euident then syth iustificacion is reconciliacion for Christ that by fayth we be iustified for it is most certayne that by only fayth is receyued remission of synnes Nowe therfore let vs answere to the question afore proposed why loue iustifyeth nat The aduersaries thynke ryghtly that loue is the fulfilling of the lawe And doubtles the obedience towarde the lawe were ryghwisnes if we coulde do the lawe But we haue here tofore shewed that the promisses were therfore gyuen because we coulde nat do the lawe And for this selfe cause denyeth Paule
sayenge Thy synnes be released the. For thus iudgeth thapostle that man is freely iustified by fayth These wordes of Barnarde do wonderfullye illustrate and set forthe our cause for he not onely requireth in a generalitie that we shulde beleue our synnes to be pardoned throughe mercye but byddethe vs also put to a speciall faythe by whiche we may beleue that euen vnto our owne selues sinnes be pardoned And he teacheth howe we may be assured of remission of synnes that is to saye whan by faythe hertes be lifted vp and be made quiete and set at rest by the holy ghoste What do our aduersaries require more Dare they yet deny that we obteyne remission of synnes through fayth Or that faythe is a parte of penaunce Thyrdly Our aduersaries say that synne is in this wyse forgyuen because he that is attrite or contrite doth brynge forthe an acte of the loue of god that by this acte he meriteth to receyue remission of synnes This is nothyng els but to teache the lawe and to destroy and abrogate the gospell and to disanull the promyse coÌ„cernyng Christ. For they do onely require the lawe and our workes for the lawe requireth loue Besydes this they do teache vs to truste that we obteyne remission of synnes bicause of contrition and loue What other thynge is this than to sette oure trust and confidence vpon our owne workes and not vpon the worde and promyse made by god of Christe Nowe if the lawe be sufficieÌ„t to the obteynyng of remission of synnes to what purpose nede we the Gospell what nede haue we of Christe if for our workes we obteyne forgyuenes of synnes But we contrarywyse do calle agayne consciences from the lawe vnto the gospell and from the truste in theyr owne workê to truste and to haue sure confidence in the promyse and in Christe because the gospell setteth forthe Christe vnto vs and promyseth remission of synnes freely for Christê sake By this promyse the gospel byddeth vs trust that for Christes sake we be recoÌ„ciled to the father and brought in to his fauour agayne and not for our owne contrition or for our owne loue For there is none other mediator or pacifier than Christe Neyther can we worke the lawe oneles we be fyrste reconciled by Christe And though we coulde do any thyng yet we ought to thinke that not for these workê we obteyne remission of synnes but for Christes sake whiche is the mediator and mercye stocke Yea it is iniurie and dishonour to Christe and a defeatyng of the gospell to thynke that we do obteyne remission of synnes for the law or by any other wayes than through faythe in Christe And this reason we haue handeled before in the title of iustification whan we tolde wherfore we do holde opinion that men be iustified by fayth and not by loue Therfore the doctrine of our aduersaries where as they teache that men for contrition and loue obteyne forgyuenes of synnes and bydde them truste in this contrition and loue is only a doctrine of the lawe and that not vnderstaÌ„ded Lykewyse as the Iewes dyd loke vpon the couered face of Moyses For admitte that we had loue let vs imagyne that we had workes yet can neither loue neither workes be a price raunsome or propitiation for synne Neyther can they be set and pleded as it were in barre agaynste the wrathe and iudgement of god accordyng to that sayenge of Dauid in the psalme Thou shalte nat entre in to iudgement with thy seruaunt for no creature lyuyng shall be iustified in thy syghte Neyther ought the honoure of Christ to be plucte from hym gyuen to our workê For these causes Paule dothe styffly affirme that we be not iustified by the lawe and he setteth agaynst the lawe the ê“myse of remission of synnes whiche is gyuen for Christes sake and reacheth vs that we freelye for Christis sake thrugh fayth receiue remission of sinnes To this promyse Paule dothe calle vs backe from the lawe Upon this promyse be byddeth vs stedfastly to beholde which doutles shal be voyde and of no strength if we be iustified before by the lawe or euer we be iustified by the promyse or if we obteyne remission of synnes for our owne iustice But the case is cleare that therfore the promyse was made vnto vs and therfore Christ was gyuen to vs because we can not worke and fulfyll the lawe wherfore it is necessary that we be fyrst reconciled by the promyse or euer we do worke the lawe But the promyse is onely receyued by fayth Ergo it is necessarye that contrite persones do by fayth receyue the promise of remission of synnes whiche is gyuen for Christis sake and that they do decree with them selfes that they haue the father recoÌ„ciled vnto them selfes freely for Christis sake This is the senteÌ„ce and mynde of Paule in the epistle to the Romanes â–ª where he saythe Therfore by fayth that accordyng to grace or fauour the promise myght be ferme and stable And to the Galathianes he sayth The scripture hath coÌ„cluded al thinges vnder synne that the promyse by the fayth of Iesu Christe myght be gyuen to them that beleue that is to say All men be vnder synne can not otherwyse be delyuered onles by fayth they do take and receyue the promyse of remission of synnes Fyrste therfore we must by faythe receyue remission of synnes before or we do worke the lawe al be it as it was aboue saide loue foloweth faythe because they that be regenerate do receyue the holy ghoste and therfore they begynne to worke the lawe We wolde recite mo testimonies and authorities if it were not so that they be open and at hande to euery deuoute and godlye reader in the scriptures For we couet not to be ouerloÌ„ge and tedious to thentente that this cause or mater may the more easelye be perceyued Neyther is it any doubte but that this is the senteÌ„ce of Paule whiche we do defeÌ„de that by fayth we receyue remission of sinnes for Christis sake and that by fayth we ought to set Christe the mediator agaynst the wrathe of god not our workes And let not the myndes of good men be troubled although our aduersaries do calumniate and corrupte the sentences of Paule There is nothynge spoken so purely and truelye but it may be depraued by captious cauillations We assuredly knowe that this which we haue recited is the very ryghte and true sentence and meanynge of Paule we knowe this oure sentence doth brynge ferme and stable coÌ„forte to godly coÌ„sciences without whiche no man is able to stande in the iudgement of god Wherfore let these pharisaical opinioÌ„s of our aduersaries be reiected and thrust out of mens â—ertes that we do not by fayth receyue remission of synnes but that we must merite remission with our loue and with our workes and that we ought to set our loue and our workes agaiÌ„st the wrath of god· This is the doctrine of
fecerit eaÌ„ viuet in illa vt cum quisque infirmitatem suam cognouerit non per suas vires neque per literam ipsius legis quod fieri non potest sed per fidem concilians iustificatorem perueniat et faciat et viuat in eam Opus rectum quod qui fecerit viuit in eo non fit nisi in iustificato Iustificatio autem ex fide impetratur i. For therfore is the iustyce of the lawe propowned that who dothe it shall lyue in it so that when euery man shal knowe hys owne infyrmity he may attayne it and do it and lyue in it not by hys owne powers neyther by the letter of the lawe which can nat be done but reconcylyng the iustyfier by fayth A ryght worke whiche who dothe shal lyue in it is not done but in a iustifyed person And iustificacyon is purchased by faythe Here he saythe clerely that the iustifyer is reconcyled by faythe and iustifycacyon is purchased by faythe And a lytle furder he sayth Ex lege timemus deum ex fide speramus in deum sed timentibus penam absconditur gratia sub quo timore anima Laborans c. per fidem confugiat ad misericordiam dei vt det quod iubet That is to saye By the lawe we feare god by fayth we truste in god but from theÌ„ that feare payne grace is hyd With whiche feare the soule oppressed must fle by fayth to the mercy of god that he maye gyue the thynge that he commaundeth Here Saynt Austine teacheth that by the lawe the hartes be made aferde but by fayth they receyue coÌ„solatyon And he teacheth that fyrste by faythe we muste purchase mercy or we go about to do the lawe we wyll recyte a lytle after other thinges also Truely it is a wonderfull thynge that the aduersaryes be nothinge moued with so many places of scrypture whiche openly gyue iustyficacyon to faythe and take it from workes Thynke they that the same thynge is so ofte repeted in vayne Or suppose they that the thynge so ofte repeted eschaped out of theyr mouthe inspired with the holy goste vnaduysedly But these idle workers haue inuented a proper cauillation to defete this matter They saye that Paule muste be vnderstonded be side formata so that they wyll not attrybute iustificacyon vnto faythe but by reason of loue nay vtterly they wyll not attrybute iustyfycacyon to faythe but only to loue For they dreame that faythe maye stande with mortall synne To what purpose belonge thys but that they wyll agayne dysanul the promyse and returne to the lawe If faythe receyueth remyssyon of synnes for loue remissyon of synnes shal be alwayes vncertayne for we neuer loue so moch as we owe yea we loue not onles our hartes be assured that our synnes be perdoned so the aduersaryes whyles in remyssyon of synnes and in iustyfycacyon they requyre a trustynge of theyr owe loue they vtterly disanull the Euangell of free remyssyon of synnes where as yet they nether performe that loue nor vnderstande it onles they beleue that remyssyon of synnes is frely receyued We also say that loue ought to folowe fayth as Paule also teacheth saynge In Chryste Iesu neyther cyrcumcysyon is any thyng worth nor vncircumcision but faythe workynge by loue And yet we maye not for al thys thynke that we shal be pardoned our synnes or be reconciled because of thys loue as we receyue not remyssyon of synnes for other workes folowynge but only by faythe in the proper sygnifycatyon we receyue remyssyon of synnes For the promyse can nat be taken but by faythe But fayth in the proper sence is thassentynge to goddes promyse For of thys faythe speketh scrypture And because it receyueth remyssyon of synnes and reconcyleth vs to god we be fyrst accompted ryghtwyse by faythe oâ— we loue do the lawe notwithstandynge loue ensueth And yet thys is nat an idle knowledge nor it can nat stande with synne but it is the worke of the holy goste wherby we be delyuered froÌ„ deathe and the myndes whiche tofore were affrayed erecte and viuifyed And because thê faythe receyueth onely remyssyon of synnes and maketh vs acceptable to god and quiet of conscyence it myght better be called gracia gratum faciens â— a grace makynge a maÌ„ acceptable then loue may whiche is theffecte ensuynge Hethervnto we haue very copiously shewed aswele by authorities of scrypture as by reasons deryued out of scrypture that by onely faythe is graunted remyssyon of synnes and that only faythe iustyfyeth that is maketh of iniust iust and regenerate It is easely iudged howe necessary the knowledge of thys faythe is For in this onely is espyed thoffyce of Chryst by this only we receyue the benefites of Chryst this only bryngeth vnto godly myndes a sure and ferme consolacyon And it is a necessarye thynge that some doctryne be publyshed in the churche by which men may conceiue a sure hope of helth For thaduersaries gyue vnhappy couÌ„sel vnto men which byd them doute whether they haue obtayned remyssyon or no. Howe shall these felowes bere vp them selues in deathe whiche haue harde nothiÌ„g of this faith which thinke that they owe to doute whether they haue obteyned remyssyon of synnes or no furthermore the Euaungell of Chryste must nedes be reteyned in the churche that is to say the promyse that synnes be frely remitted for Christ thys Euaungell they vtterly dysanull whiche teach nothynge of this fayth But the schole men of thys faythe speake nat one worde And our aduersaryes all to gether folowe them and do dysalowe thys faythe Nor they see nat that they defete the hole promyse of the fre remyssyon of synnes and of the iustyce of Chryst where as they dysproue thys faythe ¶ Of loue and fulfyllynge of the lawe HEre thaduersaryes obiecte Si vis ad vitam ingredi serua mandata That is to saye If thou wylte entre into lyfe kepe the commaundemeÌ„tes Also The doers of the law be iustified and many other lyke senteÌ„cies of the law to whiche before we make answere we wyll shewe our opinion of loue and of the fulfyllynge of the lawe It is wrytten in the prohete I wyll gyue my lawe in theyr hartes And Paule sayth that the lawe is establyshed and nat abrogate by fayth And Christ sayth If thou wylt enter into lyfe kepe the coÌ„maundementes Also If I haue not loue I am nothyng These and suche lyke sentencyes testifye that the lawe must begynne in vs although nat absolutely in an hyghe perfectyon and oweth to to encrease as moche as may be more more We speake not of the ceremonyes but of that law which is made of the motions of the hart I meane the Decalogye And bycause faythe bringeth with it the holy gost and engeÌ„dereth a newe lyfe in the hartes it muste of necessitie also engeÌ„der spiritual motions in the hartes And which be tho mocyons the prophete sheweth when he saythe I wyll gyue my loue into
their hartes wherfore after that by faith we be iustified and renewed we begyn to feare god to loue god to craue loke after socoure of god to gyue thankes vnto hym to preache hym and to obeye him in afflictions we begyn also to loue our neybours because our hartes haue spiritual and holy mocions These thinges can not be done onles after that we be iustified by fayth and regenerate we receyue the holye goste fyrste because the lawe can not be done without christe also the lawe can nat be done without the holye goste But the holye goste is receyued by faythe accordinge to the saynge of Paule That we may receyue the promyse of the spirite by faythe Also howe can mans harte loue god so longe as he feleth hym greuously dyspleased with vs and to oppresse vs with temporall and perpetuall calamities but the lawe alwayes accuseth vs alwayes sheweth that god is angry God therfore is not loued vntyl we haue receyued mercy by fayth So at laste is made an amiable obiect Althoughe therfore cyuyle workes that is to saye thexterne workes of the lawe without Chryste and with out the holy gost may be in some parte done â–ª yet it appereth by that which we haue sayde that the thinges which be properlye apperteynynge to the diuyne lawe I meane thaffectyons of the harte towarde god whiche be commaunded in the fyrste table can nat be done without the holye goste But our aduersaryes be plesaunt diuynes They beholde the seconde table and the polityke workes but the fyrst table they nothinge regarde as though it pertayned nothynge to the purpose or at lest waye they requyre only externe workes That eternall lawe and farre put aboue the sence and vnderstandynge of al creatures whiche is Thou shalte loue thy lorde God with all thy harte they vtterly not consyder But Chryste was for thys ende gyuen vnto vs that for him remission of synnes the holy gost shulde be graunted vs which myght create in vs a newe and euerlastynge lyfe and an euerlastynge ryghtwysnes which myght fyrste of al shewe vnto vs Chryst as it is wrytten He shall notirize me for of myne he shal take and shewe it vnto you And after brynge also other giftes as loue inuocation thankes gyuynge chastitye pacyence cÌ„ wherfore the lawe can not be truely perfourmed onles we fyrste receyue the holy goste by faythe Therfore Paule saythe that by faythe the lawe is establyshed and not abrogate or auoyded For then or els neuer is the lawe fulfylled when the holy gost is in that man And Paule teacheth that the vayle with whiche the face of Moyses was muffled can nat be take awaye but by fayth in Chryste by which is receyued the holy gost For thus he sayth But vntyll thys daye when Moyses is red the vayle is put ouer theyr hartes But when they shal be conuerted to God the vayle shall be take awaye The lorde is a spirite and where the spirite of the lorde is there is lybertye By the vayle vnderstaÌ„deth Paule an humane opinion of the hole lawe of the Decalogie and ceremonyes that is to saye that hypocrites do thynke that externe and ciuile workes do satysfye the lawe of god and that sacryficies and ceremonies euen of them selfe do iustyfye before god But then thys vayle is plucked from vs that is to say this errour is taken away when god sheweth to our hartes our vncleÌ„nes and greatnes of synne There fyrst we se our selues to be farre from the fulfyllynge of the lawe There we acknoweledge howe that the fleshe beinge idle and careles feareth not god not thynketh verely that god regardeth vs but that we be casually borne and vanyshe away lyke brute bestes There we fynde thexperyence that we beleue not that god forgyueth vs and heareth vs but when we hearynge thevangell and forgyuenes of synnes begynne to lyfte vp our selues by faythe we conceyue the holy goste so that nowe we may thinke ryghtly of god and dreade god and beleue hym cÌ„ By this appereth that without Chryste and without the holy gooste the lawe can not be done wherfore we professe that we muste neades inchoate or begynne to fulfyll vnto our powers the lawe and euer more attempte to do it more and more And we compryse here bothe two aswell the spirituall mocyons as the outwarde good workes wherfore the aduersaryes do falsly calumnyate vs in reportynge that we teache not good workes sythe we nat only requyre them but also shewe howe they maye be done The very proufe of the thyng doth condeÌ„pne and bewraye the ypocrites whiche attempt by theyr owne powers to do the lawe that they can nat perfourme the thyng that they attempt For the nature of man is farre to weke of the owne powers to resyst the deuyll who hath al in his holde as captiues prisoners which be nat delyuered by fayth The powers of Christ is requisite agaynst the deuyll and therfore because we knowe that for Christe we be herde receyue a promyse it is requisyt that we pray that the holy ghoste may gouerne vs and protect vs lest we fortune to erre deceyuyng our selues and leaste by wycked impulsion we take vpon vs any thyng agaynste the wyll of god As the Psalme teacheth He led captiuitie a captiue he gaue gyftes to men For Christ hath veynquyshed the deuyl and hathe gyuen vnto vs a promyse and the holy ghoste to the ende that we may also vaynquyshe by yâ— socoure of god And IohaÌ„ sayeth To this intent appered the son of god that he myght losen the workes of the deuyll Furthermore we teache nat only how the law may be done but also howe the thynge that is done may please god which is nat because we satisfy the lawe but because we be iÌ„ Christe as it shal be sayde a lytle here after So it is euideÌ„t that we requyre good workes yea we adde also that it is impossible to seuere the loue of god though it be lytle from faythe For by Christe we approche to the father and after the receite of remissioÌ„ of synnes we be assured that we haue god that is to say that we be regarded of god we make inuocacion we gyue thankes we feare we loue as Iohan teacheth in the fyrst epystle we loue hym quod he because he fyrst loued vs meanyng because he gaue for vs his son and remitted our synnes Thus he signifyeth that fayth goeth before and loue foloweth Also the fayth of whiche we speake â—s declared in penaunce .i. it is conceyued in â—eares of the coÌ„scieÌ„ce which feleth the wrath of god kyndled against our synnes and seketh remission of synnes and a gayle deliuery from synne And in suche feares and other afflictions this fayth oweth to encreace and be confirmed wherfore it can nat be in them whiche lyue after theyr fleshe whiche delyte in theyr lustes and obey them Therfore Paule sayeth There is no condempnacion nowe to these whiche be in Christe Iesu
the conscyence fleynge the ire of god can not obtayne peace nor be assured that God heareth them But when fayth commeth whiche beleueth that we be freely iustifyed she dare call vpon God and feleth that she is harde and she atteyneth to the true knowledge of God For in the worlde stycketh alwayes a wycked opinion of workes The Gentyls had sacrifices which they toke of the fathers whose workes they folowe but theyr faythe they holde not but imagyned that tho workes were a satisfaccion and pryce to reconcile God vnto them The people of the lawe folowed sacrifiicies with thys opinion that for tho workes they shulde pacifye God euen for the selfe worke In whiche thynge we se howe vehemently the prophetes chyde the people as Non in sacrificiiâ— arguam te I shal nat reproue the for thy sacrifyces And Hieremie I gaue no commaundemente of sacrifycies Suche places do damne not the workes for God commaunded them as ciuile excercyses in thys politike gouernaunce but they damne the wycked persuasion in that they thought to pacifye God by tho workes and dyd caste awaye faythe And because no workê that they dyd quieted theyr conscyence therfore they styll deuysed newe workes besyde the coÌ„maundementes of God And the examples of sayntes moste of all moued meÌ„ for by the imitation of theÌ„ they hoped to be reconciled as they were The people of Israel sawe that the prophetes sacrifysed in hyghe mounteynes They began with a wonderful deuotion to folowe thys worke that by it they myght please God But the prophetes sacrifyced in hyghe mountaynes not that by tho workes they myght deserue forgyuenes of synnes but because they taught in tho places Therfore they ther propowned an example of theyr fayth The people harde that Abraham offered vp hys sonne Wherfore they also that by alyke worke they myght pacifye the ire of God dyd sacrifyce theyr owne children But Abraham not with suche opinion offered hys son that the selfe worke shulde be a pryce and redemptyon of hys synnes and so to be iustifyed So in the church was instituted the supper of the lorde or sacramente of the Aulter for a rememberance of the promyses of Christ of which in this sacrament we be admonished and that fayth shulde be confyrmed in vs and that we shulde coÌ„fesse emonge other our fayth and extolle the benefytes of Christ as Paule sayth As ofâ—e as ye shall receyue it ye shall preache or shewe the deathe of the lorde c. But our aduersaries coÌ„tende that the masse is a worke which of the selfe iustifyeth and taketh awaye the gyltynes of the synne and of the payne in them for whom it is done Saynte Anthony Bernarde Dominik Francise and other holy fathers dyd chose a certayne kinde of lyfe for other profytable excercises but yet they wyst that they were reputed iust for fayth in Christ and nat for tho excercises But the multitude after them folowed nat the faythe of the fathers but the examples without fayth that by tho workes they shulde obtayne forgyuenes and consequently iustifycation Thus erreth mans mynde touchynge workes because they vnderstande nat the iustice of fayth And this errour the Gospell rebuketh whiche teacheth that men be ryghtwyse nat for the lawe but for Christ but Christ by only fayth is wonne g o ergo by only faythe for Christe we be recompted iust But the aduersaryes obiecte a place out of the Corinthes If I hade all the faythe and haue no charitye I am nothynge And here they royally triumphe Paule say they in thê place certifyeth the hole Churche that only faythe iustifyeth not But it is an easy thynge to answere syth we haue afore shewed what we thiÌ„ke of loue and workes Thys place of Paule requyreth loue and that we also requyre For we sayde afore that there muste be in vs a renewynge and an imperfect fulfyllinge of the lawe Wherfore if a man casteth away loue although he hath a great fayth yet he retayneth it nat For he retayneth nat the holy gost Nor it ensueth nat therfore that loue iustifyeth that is to wytte that for loue we receyue remission of siÌ„nes that loue vanqwysheth the feare of deth and of syn that loue ought to be put agaynste the wrathe and iudgemente of God that loue satysfyeth the lawe and that they whiche be renouate be acceptable to God for the fulfyllynge of the lawe and nat freely for Christe Paule sayth nat so which yet the aduersaries fayne that he saythe Nowe yf by our loue we ouercome the wrath of God if by our loue we deserue before God remission of synnes yf by our fulfyllynge of the lawe we be accepted let the aduersaryes take awaye the promyse of Christe lette them defete the Gospell whiche teacheth that we haue an entre to the father by Christ our mediatour which teacheth that we nat by our fulfyllynge of the lawe but for Christe be accepted The aduersaries do corrupte many places because they bryng theyr opinions vnto them and take nat theyr opinions out of them For what incommoditie hath this place if we plucke from it the interpretation whiche the aduersaries do sowe vnto it of theyr owne nat vnderstandynge what is iustificatioÌ„ or howe it is made The Corinthes whiche before were iustified had receiued many excellent gyftes And they were ferueÌ„t in the begiÌ„nyng as comonly it cometh to pas but after there began to be disseÌ„sioÌ„s amongest them as Paule signifieth they beganne to be wery of good teachers Therfore Paule chydeth them callynge them home agayne to the officies of loue Nor he desputeth nat here of remission of synnes of the maner of iustification but he speaketh of the frutes And he vnderstaÌ„deth it of loue towarde the neyghbour But it is a greate foly to dreame that loue towarde maÌ„â— iustifieth before god syth iÌ„ iustificacion we haue to do with god hys yre muste be pacified and the conscience muste be quieâ—ed towarde god And none of all these thyngê be done by the loue but only by mercie these thynges be brought about And mercie is by only fayth atteyned Yet I must nedes graunt that if loue be lost the holy ghost is loste and if the holy ghoste be loste fayth muste nedes be also loste Therfore he sayeth If I haue nat loue but he addeth nat the affirmatiue that loue iustifyeth But they dispute that loue is preferred before fayth and hope For Paule sayth that the greatest of these is loue Nowe it is moste lykely that the greatest chefest vertue dothe iustifye To this I answere thus Althoughe Paule in thys place speaketh properly of the loue of the neyghbour and signifieth that loue is greatest because it hathe most frutes where as fayth and hope only haue to do with god but loue outwardly towarde men hath iÌ„finite officies yet let vs grauÌ„t vnto our aduersaries that the loue of god and our neyghbour is the greatest vertue syth thê precepte is the greatest Thou shall loue
shuld ouercome synne and dethe that our loue shulde be a purgation for which god shulde be reconciled the medyator Christ omitted that our loue shulde be ryghtwysnes without the mediator Christ For this loue yf any there were shulde be a iustyce of the lawe and not of the gospell which promyseth to vs reconcilement and ryghtwisnes yf we beleue that for Christe our redemer the father be pacifyed and that Christes merites be our satisfaction Therfore Peter a lytle before byddeth vs cum to Christe that we may be buylt vpon Christ and he addeth who beleueth in hym shall nat be confunded our loue delyuereth vs nat from confusion syth god iudgeth and reproueth vs but fayth in Christ delyuereth vs iÌ„ these affrayes because we knowe that we be pardoned for Christes sake Howe be it this sentence of charitie is taken forthe of the prouerbes where the circumstaÌ„ce of the place whiche renneth in contrarieties dothe clearly shewe howe it ought to be vnderstaÌ„de For there thus is it wrytteÌ„ Odium suscitat rixas et vniuersa delicta operit charitas i. Hatred styrreth coÌ„tentions but charitie couereth al faultes Thys sentence teacheth euen the same selfe thyng that the sayeng of Paule takeÌ„ out of the Collossenses dothe whiche is if any dissensions falle they shulde be mitigate and pacified by our owne indifferencie and gentle â—ebauour â–ª Dissentions he sayeth do encreace by â–ª â—aâ—redes as we ofte tymes see that of very lyte offensies most busynes dothe ryse There fell certayne lyte displeasures betwixt Gaius Cesar and Pompeius in which if the one had gyuen place a lytle to the other the ciuile batell shulde neuer haue rysen But whyles eche of theÌ„ pursued hê owne puate hatred of a thiÌ„g of nought rose moste greuous troubles And many heresâ—es haue rysen in the churche only of priuate hatredes of teachers betwixt them selues Wherfore when he sayeth charitie couereth offensies he speketh nat of a mans owne offensies but of other mens as who shulde say although any offensies or displeasures do fall yet loue dissembleth wynketh at them pardoneth them gyueth place doth nat all thynges with extremitie Peter therfore meaneth nat this that loue before god deserueth remission of synnes that it is a redemption of synnes Christe the mediatour excluded that for loue we be accepted and nat for Christ our mediatour but that towardes men it is nat disdaynfull nat roughe nat intractable that it dissembleth the smalle offensies of fryndes and the manners of other yea thoughe they be somewhat ouer boystuous dothe take theÌ„ in worth accordyng to the byddyng of a certayne vulgare sayeng whiche is this Mores amici noueris non oderis .i. Knowe the manners of thy frende hate them nat Nor the Apostles do nat with out cause so ofte admonishe vs of thys office of charitie whiche the philosophers call an Epikee that is to say a moderation or mitigation For thys vertue is hyghly necessarie to the reteynyng of publyk concorde which can nat endure onles they wynke at muche forgyue muche eche to other aswell the pastours as the congregations ⧠⧠Out of saynt Iames they cite Videtis igiturque ex operibus iustificatur homo et non ex fide sola .i. Ye se then that man is iustified by workes and nat by fayth alonly Nor ther is none other place whiche semeth to make more agaynst our opinion then this dothe Howbeit the answere is easy and playne If the aduersaries wolde nat shewe vnto it theyr owne opinions of the merites of workes saynt Iames wordes had no incommoditie But where so euer mencion is made of workê the aduersaries do adde theyr owne wycked gloses that by good workes we deserue remission of synnes that good workê be a raunsum and price for whiche god is recoÌ„ciled vnto vs that good workes before god for theyr owne goodnes be accepted nor nede nat mercie or Christe to be our mediatour But none of al these thynges cam in to saynt Iames mynde whiche all together the aduersaries do nowe defende vnder the pretence of the sayeng of S. Iames. Fyrste therfore this is to be weyed pondered that thys place rather maketh agaynst the aduersaries than agaynst vs. For the aduersaries teache man to be iustified by loue workes but of fayth wherby we receyue our mercystocke Christe they speake nothyng at all yea rather they disproue thys fayth and disproue it nat onely with wordes and sentencies but also they go about to put it away with the swerde and greuous punyshementes Howe muche better teacheth Iames whiche omitteth nat faythe nor putteth nat loue in the place of fayth but reteyneth it lest the mercystocke Christe shulde be excluded in iustification Lyke as Paule when he teacheth the SuÌ„me of the christian lyfe compriseth fayth and loue as when he sayeth The ende of the commaundement is charitie issuyng out of a pure harte and good conscience and fayth vnfayned Secondly The matter it selfe speaketh that here it is spoken of workes which ensue fayth and whiche shewe that fayth is nat deade but lyuyshe and workynge in the harte Wherfore Iames meant nat that we by good workes deserue remission of synnes and grace for he speketh of the workes of them that be iustifyed whiche be alredy reconciled accepted and whiche haue obteyned remission of synnes Wherfore the aduersaries erre when they out of this place gather that Iames teacheth vs that by good workê we haue a cuÌ„myng to god without Christe the mediatour Thyrdly Iames a litle before spake of regeneration that it is made by the gospell For thus he sayeth wyllyngly he generated vs by the worde of trouth to the ende we shulde be the fyrste frutes or the begynnynges of al his creatures WheÌ„ he sayeth that we be regenerate by the gospel he teacheth that by fayth we be regenerate and iustified Thus it appereth thaâ— Iames is nat agaynste vs who in blamyng the ydle and careles myndes whiche dreame that they haue fayth and haue it nat made a distinction betwixt the deade fayth and the lyuyshe faythe He calleth it deade which bryngeth forthe no good workê But he calleth that a quycke faythe whiche bryngeth forth good workes Doubtles we haue oftentymes nowe shewed what we calle faythe For we speake nat of the ydle knoweledge whiche is also iÌ„ deuyls but of the fayth whiche resisteth the fearfull troubles of the conscience whiche erecteth and conforteth the feared hartes Suche fayth is neyther an easy thyng as our aduersaries do dreame nor yet in mans power but a diuine power by whiche we vaynquyshe the deuyll and deathe as Paule to the Colossenses sayeth that fayth is myghty by the power of god and ouercuÌ„meth deathe In whiche ye be sayeth Paule resuscitate by fayth whiche is the myght and efficacitie of god Thys faythe sythe it is a newe lyfe necessaryly engendreth newe motions and workes Therfore Iames doth ryghtly deny that we be iustified by suche fayth whiche
wordê and sacrameÌ„tes be of efficacitie and strength although euyll menne haue the handlynge of them And in the meane season he teachethe that those wicked meÌ„ although they haue the societie of outwarde sygnes yet they be not the very kyngdome of Christe and the membres of Christe for they be membres of the kiÌ„gdome of the deuyll Neyther do we dreme of a Platonical citie as certain men do wyckedly belye vs but we do saye that this hath a beinge and is in dede euen the true beleuers and ryghtous men sparcled scatered abrode throughout the hole worlde And we put vnto tokens and markes the pure doctrine of the gospell and due administration of the sacramentes And this churche is proprely the pyller of trouthe for it holdeth faste the true and pure gospell and as Paule saythe the fouÌ„dation whiche is the true knowledge and faythe of Christ albeit there be euen amonge these also manye weyke persones whiche vpon the fundation do buylde stubble or strawe that shall perysshe that is to say certayne vnprofitable opinions whiche yet bicause they do not ouerturne and destroye the fundation be partly forgyuen them and partly also be amended But the wrytynges of the holy fathers do witnesse that otherwhiles they haue also buylded stubble vpon the fundation but yet suche haue not ouerthrowen theyr fayth But the most parte of these thynges whiche our aduersaries do defende do quite cleane ouerthrowe the faythe as for example that they do condempne the article of remission of synnes In whiche we do say that by fayth is receyued remission of synnes It is a a manifeste and a perylous errour also that our aduersaries do teache men to merite remission of sinnes by loue towardes god before grace For this also is to take awaye the fundation that is to witte Christe Also what shall we nede faythe if the sacramentes iustifie by the vertue of the warke that is wrought without the good motion of mynde And lykewyse as the churche hath a ê“myse that it shall alway haue the holy ghoste so hath it coÌ„minations and thretnyngê that there shal be wycked teachers and wolues But that is proprely the churche whiche hath the holy ghooste where as wolues and euyll teachers although they worke maistries in the church yet they be not proprely the kyngedome of Christe as Lyra witnesseth whan he saythe The churche staÌ„deth not in men by the reason of the power or dignitie ecclesiasticall or seculare For many princes and also byshops of Rome with other infeâ—iors haue ben fouÌ„de to haue runne out of the faythe Wherfore the churche standeth in those persones in whom is the true knowledge and confession of fayth trouthe What other thynge sayde we in our confession than that whiche Lyre sayth here But paradueÌ„ture our aduersaries do require that the Churche shuld be thys wyse defined that it is the hyghest outwarde monarchie of al the worlde in whiche the byshop of Rome ought to haue absolute power to do what soeuer hym lusteth with out rendryng accoÌ„ptes to any man Of whiche power no man ought to dispute or iudge â–ª whiche hath also power to make articles of the fayth to abrogate what soeuer scriptures he lyste to institute obseruauÌ„ces sacrifices Also to make what soeuer lawes hym lysteth to dispense and loose from what soeuer lawes he lyste whether they be goddes lawes or canonical lawes or ciuile lawes of whom themperour and all kynges shulde receyue power and ryght to holde theyr kyngdomes by the coÌ„maundement of Christe to whom sythe the father hath made all thynges subiecte we ought to vnderstaÌ„de that the same power and auctoritie is deryued and translated in to the pope â–ª Wherfore it is necessarye that the pope be lorde of the hole worlde of all the kyngedomes of the worlde of all thynges bothe publyke and priuate and that he haue fulnes of power in temporall spirituall thynges and that he haue bothe the swerdes the spirituall and the temporal And this diffinition not of the churche of Christ but of the kyngdome of the pope hath auctores for it not only canonistê but also Daniell in the .xj. chaptre That if we wolde define the churche after this facion ê‘aduenture we shulde haue more egall and indifferent iudges For many thynges there be vnmeasurably and wyckedly wryten coÌ„cernyng the power of the byshop of Rome for whiche no man was euer yet accused we only be rebuked punyshed bicause we preache the benefite of Christ yâ— by faythe in Christ we get remissyon of sinnes and not by ceremonies seruicê deuised by the bysshop of Rome But Christ the prophetes and all the apostels do farre otherwyse define the churche of Christ than the kyngedome of the byshop of Rome Neither is that to be translated to byshops of Rome whiche apê‘teineth to the true church that is to wit that they be pyllers of truth that they do not erre For what one of them dothe sette his mynde on the gospell or doth iudge it to be worthy the redynge Many men also do openly scorne all good lyuers and the true syncere religion of Christ or yf they do prayse any thynge they prayse those thynges whiche are agreinge to the reason of men They thinke all other thynges to be but lies and tales and like to the tragedies of poetes Wherfore we according to the scriptures do thinke that the churche taken in his proper sygnifycation is the congregation of holy men which do truly beleue the gospel of Christe and haue the holy ghost And yet neuertheles we graunte that there be many hypocrites and euell men mengled amonge them in this lyfe which haue a societie feloshype of outwarde sygnes and sacramentes which be members of the churche as touchynge the societie of outwarde signes and therfore they beare offices in the Churche Neyther dothe thys thyng take away the effycacitie vertue from the sacramentes because they be mynistred by vnworthye persons sythe they do represente the persone of Christe by the reason that the churche hathe called them and nat there owne persons as Christ witnesseth Who that heareth you heareth me For when they mynyster the worde of Christ when they minister the sacrameÌ„tes of Christ they minister theÌ„ in the stede place of Christ. And this teacheth vs that sayenge of Christe leste we shulde be offended with the vnworthynes of the mynisters But as concernynge thê matter we haue spoken plainly ynough in our coÌ„fession where we do disalowe the Donatistes and the wiclevistes which thought that those men dyd syn which receyued the sacramentes of vnworthy persons in the churche These thynges at thê tyme semed to be sufficiente to the defense of the description of the church which we taught Nether do we se syth the churche in hys proper signification is called the body of Christ howe it shulde haue ben otherwyse discrybed then we haue destribed it for thê is vndouted that wycked men do belonge to the kingdome
the lawe not of the gospell whiche doth fayne and imagine that man is fyrste iustified by the lawe before that he be reconciled by Christ to god notwithstandyng that Christe hym selfe saythe Without me â—e can do nothynge Also I am the true vine and ye be the braunches But oure aduersaries do imagine that we be the braunches not of Christ but of Moyses For they wyll fyrst be iustified by the law and offre theyr loue workê vnto god before that they be reconciled to god by Christe before that they be braunces of Christe Paule contrarywyse sayth playnly that the law can not be wroughte nor fulfylled without Christe Therfore the promyse is fyrst to be receyued that by faythe we maye be reconciled to god for Christis sake or that we worke the lawe These thynges we do iudge to be clere euident ynough to godly coÌ„sciences And herof they shall playnely ê‘ceyue the cause why we dyd heretofore holde opinion professe that men be iustified by fayth and not by loue For we muste plede agaynst the wrathe of god not our loue or our workes nor truste in our loue and workes but Christe the mediator and we muste fyrste receyue the promyse of remission of synnes or euer we worke the lawe Finally Whan shall the conscience be set at reste if we do receyue remission of synnes because we loue or worke the lawe For the law wyll always accuse vs bicause we neuer satisfie the lawe of god accordyng to the sayenge of saynte Paule Lex iram operatur The lawe worketh wrathe Chrisostome asketh the question concernyng penaunce wherby we be assured that our synnes be forgyuen vs our aduersaries also in the senteÌ„ces do aske the question concernyng the same thynge This can not be declared neyther consciences can not be made quiete onles they know that it is the coÌ„maundement of god and the very gospell that they shulde be assured that for Christes sake synnes be freely forgyuen and that they shulde not doubte but that they be freely forgyuen vnto them selfes If any manne dothe doubt he as IohnÌ„ sayth accuseth the diuine promyse of a lye This certeyntie and assuraunce of faythe we teache is required in the gospell But oure aduersaries leaue mennes conscieÌ„ces vncertayne and in a doubtfulnes Nowe coÌ„sciences do worke nothyng by fayth whan they do coÌ„tinually doubt whether they haue remission Howe can they in this doubtfulnes call vpon god Howe can they ê‘suade them selues be assured that they be herde Thus all theyr lyfe is without god and without the very true honoure and worshyppynge of god This is it that Paule saythe that what soeuer is not done of faythe is synne And bicause they continue alwayes in this doubtfulnes they neuer haue experieÌ„ce what faythe is So it coÌ„meth to passe at the laste that they fall in to desperation Suche is the doctrine of our aduersaries euen a verye doctrine of the lawe a dissanullyng and an aâ—rogation of the gospell and a doctrine of desperation Nowe we do gladly permitte vnto all good men to gyue iugement of this place concernyng penaunce for it is playne ynoughe without any maner of obscuritie and to pronounce whiche of vs haue taughte the more godly and more holsome doctrine for consciences whether we or our aduersaries Certes these dissensioÌ„s in the churche do nothyng delyte vs wherfore if we had not great and necessarie causes to dissent from our aduersaries we wolde with ryghte good wyll holde our peace Nowe sith it is so that they condempne the manifest and open veritie it standeth not with our profession neither is it laufull for vs to leaue this cause vndefended whiche is not ours but Christê cause and the cause of the churche We haue shewed for what causes we haue put these two partes of penauÌ„ce contrition and faythe And we haue done it so moche the rather bicause there be borne aboute many sayenges concernyng penaunce whiche be alledged of the fathers but maymed and vnperfecte whiche our aduersaries haue detorted wrested to the defacynge of faythe As for example Penaunce is to sorowe bewayle the offeÌ„ces coÌ„mitted and not to coÌ„mitte agayne whiche thou oughteste to bewayle and sorowe Also penaunce is a certeyne punyshement or vengeaunce of the sorower aueÌ„gyng in hym selfe the offence whiche he is sorye that he hath coÌ„mitted In these sayenges is no mention of fayth no not so moche as in the scholes whan they do interprete and declare them is any thyng at all added of faythe Wherfore we to th entent that the doctrine of faythe myght be the better espied haue nombred faythe amonge the partes of penauÌ„ce For those sayenges whiche do require coÌ„trition or good workes and whiche make no mention of faythe that iustifiethe the very thynge it selfe shewethe that they be very perylous And doubtles it may be thoughte and that not without cause that those men lacked a poynt of prudence wysedome whiche haue heaped together these peced and patched rablemeÌ„tes of sentences and decrees For where as the fathers in diuerse other places do speake of the other parte of Penaunce it shulde haue bene profitable to haue pyked out the sentences of both partes â–ª and to haue ioyned them together not only out of one parte For Tertulliane speakethe ercellently of faythe amplifienge the othe of the lorde whiche is in the prophete â–ª Viuo ego dicit dominus nolo mortem peccatoris sed ut conuertatur et uiuat .i. I lyue saythe the lorde I wyll not the deathe of a synner but that he be conuerted lyue For in as moche as the lorde dothe sweare ther he wyll not the deathe of a synner he shewethe and declareth that credence fayth is required by whiche we shuld beleue his othe surely reken with our selues that he dothe forgyue vs. The promyses of god ought to be of greate auctoritie with vs although they be made without any othe put vnto them at all But this ê“myse is also coÌ„fermed and bounde with an othe Wherfore if any man doth not surely reken with hym selfe that he is forgyueÌ„ he denyeth that god hath sworne a true othe whiche is so great a blasphemie that there can none be imagined more haynous For thus saythe Tertulliane He calleth vs to saluation with a reward swearyng also in that he saythe I lyue and couetethe that we gyue credece vnto hym O blessed be they for whose cause god sâ—â—eareth O moste wretched be we if we beleue not the lorde whan he also sweareth And here it is to be knowen that this faythe oughte to thiÌ„ke that god freely forgyueth vs for Christis sake bicause of his owne ê“myse and not because of our workes or contrition confession satisfaction or loue For if faythe shulde leane vnto these workes be grounded vpon them anone it is made vncerteine and doubtfull For the fearefull coÌ„science doth se that these workes be vnworthy Therfore saythe Ambrose very
fauour and that theyr synnes be forgyuen for Christes sake who with his dethe hath satisfyed for our synnes Thys faythe god reputeâ—h and taketh in stede of ryghtwysnes before hym As Paule teacheth in the thyrde fourth chapiters to the Romans To the obteynynge of this fayth was ordeyned the ministerie of teachynge the gospell and gyuinge the sacramentes For by the worde by the sacramentes as by instrumentes is gyuen the holy gost who worketh fayth wher and whan it pleaseth god in them whiche heare the gospel that is to wyt that god nat for our own merites but for Christe iustifyeth those whiche beleue that they be receiued into fauour grace for Christes sake They dampne the Anabaptistes other which thynke that the holy gost cuÌ„meth to men without any eâ—terne or outwarde worke by there owne preparations and workes Also they teach that this faythe ought to briÌ„ge forth good frutes that men ought to do good warkes coÌ„maunded by god because of goddes wyll and pleasure but nat that we shulde truste that by tho workes we deserue to be iustifyed in the syght of god For the forgyuenes of synnes and iustification is purchased by fayth as testifyeth also Christ which sayth WheÌ„ ye haue done al these thinges yet say we be vnprofytaâ—le seruauntes The same thynge the olde wryters of the churche do teache For. S Ambrose sayth Hoc constitutum est a deo vt qui credit in Christum saluus sit sine opere â–ª so la fide gratis accipiens remissionem peccatorum That is to saye That is ordeyned and instituted of god that who beleueth in christ is saued without worke only by fayth freely receyuynge forgyuenes of synnes Also they teache that one holy Church shall continually remayne The churche is a congregation of holy persons in whiche congregation or company the Gospell is ryghtly taught and the sacramentes ryghtly ministred Aâ—d to the true vnitye of the churche it is ynoughe to consent of the doctryne of the gospell and ministration of the sacramentes Neyther is it requisite that in euery place be lyke humane traditions rytes or ceremonies ordeyned and instituted by men As Paule sayth one faythe one baptyme one God and father of all cÌ„ All thoughe the church properly be a congregation of holy parsons and of true beleuers yet neuertheles sythe in this lyfe many hypocrites and euyll parsones be myxt amonge the good it is lawefull to vse the sacramentes whiche be ministred by euel men accordynge to the sainge of Christe The scribes and phariseis syt in the chayre of Moyses cÌ„ And the Sacramentes and word because of thordinaunce and coÌ„maundement of Christ be effectual not withstandynge they be ministred by euyll parsons They dampne the Donatistes and suche lyke whiche denyed it to be lawfull for vs to vse the ministerie of euyl men in the church and which thought that the minysterie of euyll men was vnprofytable and of none effecte Of baptyme they teache that it is necessarye to saluation and that by baptyme is offered the grace of god that chyldren are to be baptized whiche by baptyme beynge offered to god be receyued into the fauour and grace of god They daÌ„pne the Anabaptystes which disalowe the baptyme of Chyldren and saye that chyldren be saued without baptysme Of the souper of the lorde they teach that the bodie and blode of Christe be verely present and he distributed to the eaters iÌ„ the souper or mauÌ„dy of the lorde and dysproue them that teache other wyse Of confession they teache that priuate absolution in churches ought to be retayned kepte althoughe in confessyon the rehersall of all the sines be not necessarie For it is vnpossyble according to the psalmist Delicta quis intelligit who vnderstandeth his synnes Of penaunce they teache that they which after baptysme be fallen agayne into synne maye be forgyuen of theyr synnes what tyme so euer they turne and repente And that the churche to suche which returne to repentaunce ought to gyue the benefyte of absolution And penaunce standeth properly in these two partes that is to say in contrition whiche is a feare dryuen in to the conscience after that synne is espied And in faythe whiche is conceyued by the gospell or absolution and whiche beleueth that for Christes sake the sinnes be forgeuen and comforteth the conscience and delyueteth it from terrours feares After that muste folowe good workes whiche be the frutes of penaunce They dampne the Anabaptistes whiche denye that they which be ones iustifyed may lose the holy ghost Also those whiche contende that to some men so greate perfection do chaunce iÌ„ this lyfe that they can nat synne They daÌ„pne also the Nouarâ—ans whiche wolde nat assoyle those that were fallen after baptyme came agayne to repentaunce They reiecte and disalowe also those which teache nat that remission of sinnes is gyuen by faythe but that it cummeth by our owne loue and workes They be also disallowed and reiected whiche teache that the Canonical satisfactions be necessarie to redeme euerlastynge paynes or paynes of purgatorie Of the vse of the sacramentes they teache that the sacramentes be ordeyned and instituted nat only that they shulde be cognysauncies badges or markes by whiche Christyan men are discerned and knowen frome other people But rather that they shulde be sygnes and testymonyes of the wyll of god towarde vs to styrre vppe and to conferme faythe in vs which vse them so propowned Wherfore we muste so vse the sacramentes that faythe be added and putte vnto them to th entent we maye beleue the promyses whiche be exhibyted and shewed by the sacramentes They dampne therfore those whiche teache that sacramentes euen by theyr owne proper vertue do iustifye which teache not that fayth is requyred in the vsynge of the sacramentes which fayth may beleue that sinnes be forgiuen Of the Ecclesiasticall order they teache that no man ought openly to teache in the churche or congregatyon or mynistre the sacramentes onles he be duely and lawefully there vnto called and appoynted Of the rytes of the churche they teache that such rytes ought to be kept which may be kept without syn and whiche be ê“fytable to a tranquillitie and good order in the churche as certayne holy dayes feastfull dayes and lyke yet neuertheles of such rytes and ceremonies men be admonyshed leste theyr consciencies be combred as thoughe such ceremonies be necessarie to saluation They be also admonyshed that mans traditions ordeyned to pacifye god to deserue grace and to satisfye for synnes be contrarie to the gospel and doctrine of fayth Wherfore vowes and traditions of meates so forthe ordeyned to purchase grace and to satisfye for synnes be vnprofytable and agaynst the gospell Of politik or ciuile thynges they teache that lawful ordinauncies for a publyke weale be the good workes of god and that it is lawfull for
god which the scole men for the most parte in theyr disputacyons do nat touche These were the causes why in the descripcion of originall synne we made mencyon of concupiscence and also detracted from the naturall powers of man the feare and trust toward god For our intent was to declare that original synne conteyned also these diseases ignoraunce of god contempte of god voydaunce of feare and truste towarde god the impotencie of louyng god These be the pryncypal vices of mans nature disagreyng properly with the fyrste table of the Decalogie ⧠Nor it is no newe matter that we haue spoken The olde definicion ryghtly vnderstande sounde to the same effecte when it sayeth that originall synne is a lackynge of originall iustice But what is iustice Scolemen do here brable of logicall questions but they expound nat what is originall iustyce Undoubtedly iustice in scriptures conteyneth nat onely the seconde table of the Decalogie but the fyrste also whiche coÌ„maundeth the feare of god the faythe in god the loue of god So that iustice originall shulde haue had nat onely an egall temperameÌ„t of the qualities of the bodie but also these gyftê a notice of god more certain the feare of god the affiauÌ„ce in god or at leste a direction and power to do these thynges And the wytnesseth the scripture whaÌ„ it sayeth that man was create to the image similitude of god which is nothyng else but that to man this wysdome and iustice was naturally gyueÌ„ with whiche he myght compasse and conceiue god and in whiche god myght be apparantly noted and sene this is to say that to maÌ„ were gyueÌ„ these gyftê the notice of god the dreade of god the truste in god and suche lyke For thus dothe Ireneus interprete the similitude of god and also Ambrose whiche besyde other thyngê which he spake for this purpose dothe expresly gather in this wyse Non est ergo anima ad imaginem dei in qua deus non semper est It is nat then the soule that was made to the ymage of god for in it god is nat alwayes And Paule to the Ephesians and Colossenses shewe the ymage of god to be the notice of god iustice and veritie And Longobardus is nat aferde to say that iustice originall is the very similitude of god which god gaue to man â–ª we recite the sentencies of the olde fathers whiche do nothynge lette saynt Austins interpretacyon of the ymage ⧠wherfore the olde definicion that calleth originall synne the lacke of iustice detracteth nat only the obedieÌ„ce of the inferiour powers of man but also detracteth the notice of god the truste in god the feare and loue of god or at lest it detracteth the power of doyng these For the deuynes theÌ„ selues in the scoles teache that these be nat done without a peculiar gyfte and ayde of grace we do name the gyftê expressly that the thynge may be vnderstaÌ„de the notice of god the feare and truste towarde god By this it appereth that the olde definicion dothe speake the same thyng that we do detractyng or plucking away the feare of god and hope that is to say nat only actual dedes but also the gyftes and myght to do this The same sentence hathe the definicyon of Austyne who vsethe to define originall synne to be concupiscence For he meaneth that wheÌ„ iustice was loste concupiscence succeded For the decayed nature because it can nat feare loue and truste god it seketh and loueth carnall thynges The iudgement of god thys sycke corrupte nature eyther voyde of feare despyseth or beynge replenyshed with feare hateth Thus Austyne compriseth aswele the defaulte or faylyng as the viciouse qualitie whiche therof ensueth Nor this coÌ„cupisceÌ„ce is nat only a corruptioÌ„ of the qualities of the bodie but also an vnryght turnyng to thyngê carnal in the superiour powers Nor they se nat what they saye whiche do bothe attribute to man concupiscence nat mortified of the holy ghoste also the loue of god aboue althyngê we therfore haue ryghtly expressed bothe two in the description of original synne that is to saye those defautes as nat to be of power to beleue god nat to be of power to dreade and loue god And also to haue a concupiscence whiche agaynste the worde of god seketh carnalitie that is to say seketh nat only corporal pleasures but also carnal wysdome and iustice and hathe confidence in worldly goodes contemnyng god And nat onely the olde but the late doctours namely that be of any iudgemeÌ„t do teache that original synne is aswel the lackes or defaultes which I haue remembred as concupiscence or luste For thus saythe saynt Thomas Peccatum originis habet priuationeÌ„ originalis iusticie cum hoc inordinatam dispositionem partium anime vnde non est priuatio pura sed quidam â—abitus corruptus Originall synne saythe Thomas hathe a priuacyon of originall iustice and with it an inordinate disposicion of the partê of the soule so that it is nat a pure priuacion but rather a corrupte habite And Bonauenture wryteth thus when it is demauÌ„ded what is original synne it may be wel answered that it is an immoderate concupiscence It is well answered also that it is a lackynge of the due iustice And in the one of these answeres is included the other Hugo is of the same opinioÌ„ whiche sayeth original synne is an ignorance in the mynde and a coÌ„cupiscence in the fleshe For he meaneth that whaÌ„ we be borne we briÌ„g with vs an vnknowynge of god a mystruste a diffidence a contempte a hatyng of god For these thynges he compriseth when he nameth ignorance And these sentencyes be agreynge to scriptures For Paule otherwhyles expresly nameth the lacke or defaulte as in the fyrst to the Corinthes yâ— .2 chapitre Animalis homo non percipit ea quae spiritus dei sunt A naturall maÌ„ perceyueth nat the thynges that be of the spirite of god In another place he nameth concupisceÌ„ce to be of power and efficacitie in the meÌ„bres to bryng forth euyl frutes â—e could recite more places for bothe partes but a manifest thyng nedeth no testimonies Undoubtedly a prudent reader maye easyly iudge that to be without feare and to be without faythe is euen very actual synne For they be perdurable defaultes in a nature vnrenewed ⧠wherfore our opinion of original synne dothe nat varie froÌ„ scripture nor froÌ„ the catholicke churche we do nothyng but repurge clarifie brynge agayne into lyght the moste graue sentencies of scripture and of the fathers here to fore obscured and hydde by the sophisticall questions of these late diuines For the thyng it selfe speaketh that these newe diuines perceyued nat what the father 's meante whaÌ„ they spake of default Truly the knowledge of originall synne is ryght necessarie For the greatnes of the grace of Christe can nat be otherwyse vnderstande onles we fyrste knowe our owne infirmities The hole iustice of man is mere hypocrisie before god onles we
reason as ciuile workes and they fayne that reasoÌ„ without the holy ghost may loue god aboue al. For so long as mans mynde is ydle nor feleth nat the yre or iudgement of god it may feyne that it wyll loue god that it wyll do wele for god After this wyse they teache that men deserue remission of synnes by doyng that in them is that is to say if reason sorowyng for his syn fetcheth out an elicite acte as they cal it of the dilection of god or worketh wele for god And thê opinioÌ„ because naturally it flattereth men hath engeÌ„dered encreased many ceremonies in the churche vowes of monasticall lyuyng abuses of the Masse and euery daye more and more sum or other haue through this opinioÌ„ inuented newe cerimonies and rytes And to nouryshe and encreace the truste in such workes they haue affyrmed that god necessaryly geueth grace to suche workers by necessitie nat of coaction but of immutabilitie In thys opinion many greate and pernicious errours do stycke whiche to recount it were to longe Let the prudent reader only ponder thys if this be the cristian ryghtwysenes what diuersitie is betwyxt philosophie and the doctryne of Christe If we deserue remission of synnes by these elicite actes what neded Christe or regeneracyon And throughe these opinions the thyng is nowe ronne so farre that many do scorne vs bycause we teache that another iustice is to be sought besyde the philosophicall iustyce we haue herde some in the pulpyt settyng apart the gospell preache Aristotles Morals Nor they dyd nat amys if it be trewe that the aduersaries defende For Aristotle of the ciuile manners hath wryten so excelleÌ„tly that he can nat be amended we se bokes putte forth in whiche be conferred certayne sayngê of Christ with the sayengê of Socrates Zeno and of other as though Christe cam for thys purpose to teache vs certayne lawes by whiche we myght deserue remyssioÌ„ of synnes and nat receyue it frely through his merites wherfore if we allowe here the doctrine of the aduersaries that we deserue by the workê of reason remyssyon of synnes and iustificacyon there shal be then no difference betwixt the iustice of the philosophers or at leaste of the pharisees and the Christian iustice And albeit the aduersaries because they wyll nat clene put Christ out of theyr bokes requyre the knowledge of the historie of Christe and attrybute vnto it yâ— it doth merite vnto vs acertayne habite or as they them selues call it the fyrste grace whiche they vnderstande to be an habite inclynynge vs to loue god the easylyar yet very lytle it is that they attribute vnto this habite for they fayne that the actes of â—ylle is bothe before that habite and after of al one sorte They fayne that the wyl may loue god but yet that habite styrreth it to do the same more freely And they byd vs purchase thys habite fyrste by precedent merites and after they byd vs purchase by the workê of the law an increase of that habite lyfe euerlastinge Thus they bury Christe that men shulde nat vse hym for a medyatour nor thynke that for him they receyue frely remissioÌ„ of synnes and recoÌ„ciliacyon but dreame that by theyr owne fulfyllyng of the lawe they be reputed iust before god where as in dede the lawe is neuer satisfied sythe reason dothe nothyng but certayne ciuile workes and the whyles neyther feareth god nor beleueth truly that god careth for him And although they speake of that habite yet without the iustice of faythe the loue of god can neyther be in men nor it can nat be vnderstande what it is And where as they fayne a differeÌ„ce betwixte Meritum congrui and Meritum coÌ„digni they do but daly because they wolde nat seme openly to play the PelagiaÌ„s For if god necessarily gyueth grace pro merito congrui so is there nat Meritum condigni Howbeit they wote nat what they saye After the habite of loue obteyned they fayne that man dothe merite de condigno And yet they byd vs doubte whether we haue that habite or no. Howe do they then knowe whether they merite de congruo or de coÌ„digno But all this thiÌ„g is fayned of ydle felowes whiche knowe nat howe remission of synnes is atteyned howe in the iudgemeÌ„t of god and in the affrayes of conscience the truste of workes is plucked from vs. Careles hypocrites alwayes iudge that they merite de condigno whether they haue that habite or nat For naturally men truste to theyr owne propre ryghtwysenes but the affrayed and troubled conscience wauereth and doubteth and euermore seketh and hepeth vp other workes to the entente it maye be quyeâ— Thys troubeled conscyence neuer feleth that it meriteth De condigno but runneth in to despayre onles it heareth besyde the doctryne of the lawe the Euangell of free remission and of the iustice of faythe Thus the aduersaries teache nothiÌ„g but the iustice of reason or at leaste of the lawe vpon whiche they loke euen as the Iewes dyd vpoÌ„ the couered face of Moses and in these careles hypocrites whiche thynke them selues to satisfye the lawe they kyndle a presumpcyon and vayne truste of workes and a coÌ„tempte of the grace of Christe On the contrary parte they dryue the feareful coÌ„sciencies in to desperacion whiche sythe they worke with doubtyng can haue no experience of faythe nor of the vertue therof thus at laste they vtterlye despayre But thys is our opinion of the iustyce of reason that god requyreth it and that for the commauÌ„dement of god honest workes are necessarely to be done whiche the Decalogie commaundeth accordynge to Paules saynge the law is a tutour Also the lawe is geuen to the vngodly For god wyl that the carnal persons be kept within the boundes by thys discipline and to the mayntenaunce of thys he hathe geuen lawes letters doctryne rulers punyshmentes And thys iustyce maye reason after a maner perfourme of the owne proper powers although ofteÌ„tymes it is ouer ceptes of the seconde table whiche conteyne cyuile iustyce whiche reason vnderstandeth And coÌ„tented herewith they thinke that they satysfye the lawe of god In the meane whyle they se nat the fyrste table whiche commaundeth vs to loue god to beleue verely that god is dyspleased with synne and truly to dreade god and to thynke surely that god hereth vs. But mans mynd without the holy gost eyther retchlesly despyseth the iudgement of god or in payne fleethe hateth god his iudge wherfore it obeyeth not the fyrste table when then in mans nature stycketh the contempt of god and the doubtynge of goddes worde and of hys threatnynges and promyses men in dede do syn ye wheÌ„ they do honest workes without the holye gooste bycause they do them with a wycked harte accordynge to thys sayeng of Paule ☞ what so euer is not of faythe is synne ☜ For such do worke with contempt of god lyke as Epicure thiÌ„keth not that god careth for him regardeth him or heareth
him Thys coÌ„tempt doth marre al theyr good workes for god iudgeth the harte Finally this is very vnaduysedly wrytten of our aduersaryes that men gyltye of eternall punyshement deserue remyssyon of synnes by the acte of loue sythe it is not possyble to loue god onles we fyrste purchase forgiuenes of sinnes by fayth for it is ympossyble for an harte whiche in dede felethe the ire of god to loue god before he perceyue hym pacyfyed I saye so longe as god feareth vs and semeth to cast vs froÌ„ hym into eternall dethe mans nature can not lyfte vp it selfe to loue the angrye iuge punysher It is easye for euyll persons to fayne these dreames of loue that a mortall synner maye loue god aboue all thynges for they fele not what is the ire or iudgemente of god But in the trouble of conscyence and in the very conflycte there the conscyence proue howe false theyr phylosophycal conclusyons be Paule saythe ☞ The lawe workethe anger ☜ he saythe not that by the lawe men deserue remyssyon of synnes for the lawe alwaye accuseth the conscyence and put it in feare Ergo it iustifyeth not for the coÌ„science terrified by the lawe fleeth the iudgement of god wherefore they erre that truste to wynne remyssyon of synnes be the workes of the lawe Thys suffyseth of the iustyce of reasoÌ„ or lawe which the aduersaries teache for here after when we shall shewe our mynde of the iustyce of fayth â–ª the matter it selfe shal constrayne vs to bryng out more recordes whiche maye also helpe to destroye the erroures of our aduersaryes here to fore aledged Bycause therfore that men can not by theyr owne powers do the lawe of god and bycause all be vnder synne and condemned to euerlastynge dethe for thys cause we can not be delyuered from syn by the lawe nor be iustyfyed but the promyse of remissyon of synnes and of iustyfycatyon is geuen for Chryst who is geuen for vs to satysfy for the synnes of the worlde and is set vp as a medyator and a pourger of sinnes This promyse hathe no condycyon annexed of our merites but freely offereth forgyuenes of synnes and iustyfycatyon as Paule sayth ☞ Yf by workes Ergo it is no grace ☜ And in an other plase ☞ The iustyce of god is nowe declared without the lawe ☜ that is remyssyon of synnes shulde hange on our merytes and the reconciliation shuld be by the lawe so it were vnprofytable for we can not do the lawe it shulde also ensue that the promyse of reconcilement shuld neuer chaunce vnto vs. Thus reasoneth Paule Rom. 4. ☞ Yf our enherytaunce shuld cum by the lawe voyde were our fayth and the promyse were of none effecte For yf the promyse shulde requyre a condycyon annexed of our merytes and of the lawe syth we neuer fulfyll the lawe it shulde folowe that the promyse were vnprofytable But syth it is so â–ª that iustyfycatyon chaungeth by free promyse it foloweth that we can not iustyfye our selues For otherwyse what neded god to promise And where as the promyse caÌ„ not be taken without fayth the gospell which is properly the promyse of remyssyon of synnes and of iustyfycatyon for Chryst teacheth the iustyce of fayth which the lawe doth not Nor it is not the iustyce of the lawe For the lawe requyreth of vs our workes and our perfection but the promyse offereth vnto vs whiche be oppressed with synne and deathe frelye reconciliacyon for Chryste which reconciliatyon is receyued not by workes but by onely fayth This fayth bryngeth not with it a trust of the owne workes but onely the trust of promyse or of the promysed mercye in Chryste wherfore thys specyall fayth by which we beleue that our synnes be forgyuen for Chryste and that god is pacyfyed and mercyfull for Chryste obteyneth remyssyon of synnes and iustifyeth vs and by cause in repentaunce that is in the trouble of conscyence it comforteth and plucketh vp our hartes and regenerateth vs and bryngeth vnto vs the holye spirite so that from thenseforth â—e maye do the lawe of god that is loue God feare God thynke that god heareth vs obey god in all afflyctyons it mortyfyeth the coÌ„cupiscence c. Thus fayth whiche freely receyueth remyssyon of sinnes bycause it pleadeth Chryst in estopell agaynst the ire of god as a mediator and mercy stocke pleadeth not in barr our owne merytes or our owne loue which fayth is the true knowledge of Chryste and vseth the benyfytes of Chryst and regenerateth our hartes and goeth before the fulfyllynge of the lawe Of thys fayth ye shall not fynde one syllable in the doctrine of our aduersaryes wherfore we reproue the aduersaryes bycause they only teach the iustyce of the lawe and teach not the iustyce of the Euaungell which preacheth vnto vs the iustyce of faythe in Chryste ⧠What is the iustyfyenge faythe THe aduersaries only fayne that fayth is a knowledge of the hystorye and therfore they teache that it may stonde with mortall syn They speake therfore nothiÌ„ge of fayth by which Paule so oft tymes saythe that men be iustyfyed for they whiche be reputed iust before god walke nat in mortal synne But that fayth whiche iustyfyeth is nat only a knoweledge of the hystorye but it is to assent to the promyse of God in whiche frelye for Chryste is offered remyssyon of synnes iustificacyon And lest a man shulde suspecte that it is only a knowledge we wyl adde more ouer that it is to wyll and to receyue the offered promyse of remyssyon of synnes and of iustification And a man maye easely se the diuersytye betwyxte this fayth and betwyxt the iustyce of the lawe Fayth is a seruice which receiueth of god the offered benifites The iustyce of the lawe is a seruyce which offereth vnto god our merites with fayth on thê fashyon wyll god be serued that we maye receyue of hym the thynges whiche he promyseth and offereth Nowe that fayth sygnifieth not only the knowledge of the hystorye but rather a trust which assenteth to the promise Paule clerely wytnesseth when he sayth Iustyce therfore is by fayth to thentente the promyse shulde be ferme and stable For he meaneth that the promyse caÌ„ not be receyued but by fayth wherfore he compareth and knytteth together as correlatiues promyse and fayth Howe be it it is sone iudged what faythe is yf we consyder the Crede where this artycle is put Remission of synnes wherefore it is not ynoughe to beleue that Chryste was borne dyd suffer and ryse agayne oneles we adde also thys artycle Remyssyon of synnes whiche is the fynal cause of the hystorye To thys artycle we muste refere the reste as that for Chryste and nat for our owne merites we be pardoned of our synnes For what neded Chryste to begyuen for our synnes if our owne merytes maye satysfye for our synnes ⧠wherfore so ofte as we speake of the iustyfyenge faythe it is to be knowen that these .3 obiectes muste mete together
through faythe Ergo by fayth in Christe we receyue remissioÌ„ of synnes and we can nat lay agaynste the yre of god our loue and our workes Secondly It is certayne yâ— synnes be remitted because of Christ our mercystocke 〈◊〉 whoÌ„ god hath ordeined to be a mercistocke And Paule addeth through faythe wher fore this mercystocke shal ayde vs if by fayth we stycke to the mercy promysed in hym and plede it in arreste of the iudgement and yre of god And to this purpose it is wrytten ad Hebreos .4 hauiÌ„g a byshope cÌ„ let vs approche with truste He byddeth vs approche to god nat by trust of our owne meritê but by trust of our byshop Christe Ergo he requyreth fayth Thyrdly Peter in the actê cap. x. sayeth thus To hym al the prophetes bere wytnes that all whiche beleue in him receyue remission of synnes through hys name Howe myght he speke it more clearly we receyue he sayteh remission of synnes throughe hys name that is to say for his sake Ergo nat for our merites nat for our contricion attricion loue ceremonies workes And he addeth that beleue in hym Ergo he requyreth fayth For we caÌ„ nat cleaue to the name of Christ but by fayth Furthermore he alledgeth the coÌ„sent of al the prophetes This is truly to allege the authoritie of the church But of this place we shal speake here after in the tytle of penaunce Fourthly RemissioÌ„ of synnes is a thyng promised for Christ. Ergo it can nat be receyued but by fayth only For the promyse can nat be receyued but by only fayth RomÌ„ 4. Therfore is it by fayth to the ende it may be a sure promyse hangyng vpon grace as who shuld say If the matter shulde hange vpon our merites the promyse were vncertayne and vnprofitable because we can neuer determyne when we haue merited ynoughe And that the assayed conscience vnderstande ryght wele Therfore Paule sayth Galat. 3. God hath concluded all thyngê vnder synne that the promise through the faythe of Iesu Christe myght be gyuen to the beleuers Here he plucketh away merite froÌ„ vs because he sayeth that all be gylty and concluded vnder synne then he addeth that the promyse meanyng of remission of synnes and iustificacion is gyuen and telleth howe the promysse may be receyued that is to say by faythe And thys reason taken out of the nature of promysse is moste chief with Paule ofte repeted Nor there can nat be any thyng inueÌ„ted or feined to auoyde this argument of Paule wherfore let nat godly myndes suffre them selues to be dryuen from thys opinion that by onely faythe we receyue remission for Christ. For in this they haue a sure and ferme coÌ„solacion agaynst the terrours of synne and agaynst euerlastyng death and agaynst all the gates of helle And syth by only faythe we receyue remission of synnes and reconciliacion for Christe ergo only fayth iustifieth because the reconciled be reputed ryghtwyse and the chyldern of god nat for theyr owne clennes â–ª but through mercy for Christ if so be that we cleaue to thys mercye by fayth and therfore the scripture recordeth that by faythe we be reputed ryghwyse we wyll adde therfore authorities fyrste of scripture theÌ„ of doctours that shal clearely testifye that onely fayth is the very iustice by whiche we be reputed iuste before god that is to say nat because it is a worke worthy of it selfe but because it receyueth the promisse by whiche god hath promised that for Christ he wyll be mercifull to the beleuers in him or be cause it beleueth that Christe is made for vs by god a wysdom iustice sanctificacion and redempcion Paule in the epystle to the Romanes disputeth principally of thê place and propouneth that we be frely iustified by fayth if we beleue that god is pacified with vs for Christe And in the thyrde chapitre he bryngeth in this proposicion whiche conteyneth the sum of his hole disputacion Arbitramur igitur hominem fide iustificari non ex operibus legis .i. we iudge therfore that maÌ„ is iustified by â—ayth and nat by the workes of the lawe Here the aduersaries do iÌ„terprete the workê of the lawe to be the Leuitical ceremonies But Paule nat only speketh of the ceremonies but of the hole lawe For he alledgeth a litle after forth of the Decalogie Non concupisces .i. thou shalte nat couet Moreouer if the morall workê myght deserue remission of synnes and iustificacion then neded nat Christe nor the promise then all were to no purpose that Paule speketh of promyse He shulde wryte also amys to the Ephesians that we be saued frely and that it is a gyfte of god and procedeth nat of workê Also Paule alledgeth Abraham he alledgeth Dauid But these had a coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god of circumcision wherfore if any workes iustifyed it was necessary that tho workes whiche then were commaunded shulde haue iustifyed But Austyne doth ryghtly teache that Paule spake of the hole lawe as he disputeth copiously in his boke de spiritu litera where at last he sayeth thus His igitur coÌ„sideratis pertractatisâ—â— pro viribus quas dominus donare dignatur colligimê° non iustificare â—ominem preceptis bone vite nisi per fidem Iesa Christi .i. These therfore consydered and handled accordyng to the power whiche god vouchsaueth to gyue vs we gather that man is nat iustifyed by the preceptes of good lyfe but by faythe of Iesu Christe And leaste we shulde thynke that this sentence fell from Paule vnwares that fayth iustifieth he mainteyneth and confyrmeth it with a longe disputacyon in the fourthe chapitre to the Rom. And after he repeteth it in all the epystles In the .4 chap. to the Romanes he sayeth thus Operanti merces non imputatur secundum graciâ— sed secundum debitum Ei autem qui non operatur credit autem in eum qui iustificat impium reputatur fides eius ad iusticiam .i. To him that worketh is geueÌ„ a rewarde nat of fauour but of dutie CoÌ„trary wyse to him that worketh nat but trusteth on hym that iustifieth the wycked hys beleue is accompted for ryghtwysnes Here he clerely pronounceth that very faythe is accompted for ryghtwysenes Faythe then is the thynge whiche god pronounceth to be ryghtwysnes and he addeth that it is frely imputed And he denieth that it can be frely imputed if it shuld be due for workes Ergo he also excluded the merite of morall workes For if to these were due the iustifycacion before god faythe shuld nat be accompted ryghwysenes without workes And after he sayeth â–ª For we saye that fayth was iÌ„puted to AbrahaÌ„ for ryghtwysnes In the fyfthe chapitre he sayeth Iustifyed by fayth we haue peace towarde god .i. we haue quyet and glad consciences before god Roma 10. with the harte it is beleued for ryghtwysnes Here he pronounceth faythe to be the iustice of the harte Gal. 2. Nos in Christo hesu credimê° vt
meriteth only the fyrst grace and that we theÌ„ by our owne fulfyllyng of the lawe do please and deserue euerlastyng lyfe The mediatour Christe taryeth styll and we must alwaies thynke that for him we haue god pacifyed although we be vnworthy as Paule sayeth By hym we haue an entre to god thorugh fayth For our fulfyllyng of the lawe as we sayde is vnclene sythe our nature is horriblely corrupted Therfore the Psalme sayeth Blessed be they whose synnes be forgyuen Wherfore we haue nede of remission of synnes yea euen when we haue good workê But that remission is alwayes purchased by faythe so Christe remayneth a byshop and mediatour g o ergo that fulfyllyng of the lawe pleaseth nat of it selfe But because we coÌ„ceiue Christ by fayth and fele that we haue god pacified nat for the lawe but for Christe Fyfthly If we shulde thynke that after baptisme we ought to be accepted nat by fayth in Christ but for our fulfyllyng of the lawe our conscience shulde neuer be quyete but shulde runne into desperation For the lawe alwayes accuseth syth we neuer satisfy the lawe which thyng the hole churche coÌ„fesseth For Paule sayeth Good that I wolde do I do nat but euyl that I wolde nat do I do He also sayeth In mynde I serue the lawe of god but iÌ„ fleshe I serue the lawe of syn For who sufficiently loueth or sufficiently feareth god who paciently ynough susteyneth tribulacions whiche god putteth vpoÌ„ him who doth nat oft doubt whether humane thynges be ruled by goddes prouidence who doth nat oft doubte whether god heareth his prayer who dothe nat oft disdysdayne and grudge that the wycked haue better fortune than the godly people and that the godly be oppressed of the vngodly who is nat angrie with the iudgemeÌ„t of god whan he semeth to caste vs away who doth satisfy his calliÌ„g who loueth his neyghbour as him selfe who is nat ouerthrowen of his concupisceÌ„ce Of these synnes speaketh the psalme sayeng For this euery saynt shal pray to the. Lo here he sayeth that sayntes or holy men desyre remission of synnes They be more then blynde which se nat that the euil affectioÌ„s iÌ„ the fleshe be nat synnes of whiche Paule sayeth The fleshe lusteth agaynst the spirite the spirit agaynst the fleshe The fleshe distrusteth god trusteth in thinges present seketh humane socours in distresse and affliction yea agaynste the wyll of god it fleeth tribulations whiche by the commaundement of god it oweth to suffre it doubteth of the mercy of god The holy spirite in meÌ„nes tencies of the lawe one solution may be gyueÌ„ that the lawe can nat be done without Chryst if any ciuile workes be done without Christ they please not god Wherfore when the workes be preached it is necessarye to be added that fayth is requyred that for faythe they be preached that they be frutes and testimonies of faythe What thynge can be spoken more symply and syncerely thaÌ„ this doctryne For it is necessarie to the knowledge of the benefytes of Christ to discerne the promyses from the lawe Ambiguouse and perilous causes do engender many and sundry solutions But in good and ferme causes one or two solutions taken out of the fountaynes do answere all that maye be obiected Whiche thynge also appereth in thys our cause For that rule whiche I ryght nowe recyted expounneth all the saynges whiche be recited of the lawe and of the workes For we graunte that the scripture otherwhyles doth teache the lawe otherwhyles the free promyse of remyssyon of synnes for Christe But our aduersaries do vtterly destroy the promyse in sainge that fayth dothe not iustifie but teache that for our loue and workes we receyue remission of synnes reconciliation For yf remissyon of synnes shulde hange of the condicion of our workes so were it very vncertayne For we neuer do sufficient workes Then the promyse shall be put out of yre Wherfore we call agayne good myndes to the coÌ„sideration of the promisses and we teache them of the free remyssyon and reconcilement that is made by the faythe in Christe After thys we adde also the doctrine of the lawe nat that by the lawe we shulde deserue forgyuenes of siÌ„nes or that for the lawe we shulde be compted ryghtwyse and nat for Christ but for thys entent because god requireth good workes For we muste wysely distincte the lawe and the promyses It must be sene what scripture gyueth to the lawe and what to the promyses For it prayseth and commaundeth good workes in such sorte that it taketh not awaye the free promyse nor the benefyte that we haue by Christe For good workes are to be done because God requireth them and therfore they be the effectes of regeneration as Paule teacheth We be his worke made by Christe Iesus to good workes whiche God hathe prepared that we shuld walke in them Wherfore good workes ought to ensue faythe as a geuynge of thankes towarde god also that in them faythe maye be bothe excercised and encrease and be shewed to other that by our confessyon other maye be styrred to deuotyon Therfore sayth Paule that Abraham toke circumcisioÌ„ not that for the very worke he shuld be compted ryghtwise but that he might haue a marke printed in his body wherby he myght be brought in rememberaunce and conceyue styll more faythe and more Also to thentente he shulde confesse hys fayth before other and by hys wytnessynge prouoke other to beleue So Abell by reason of hys faythe offered a more acceptable sacrifice for the sacrifice pleased god not for the very sacrifice but bycause Abel by hys faythe was assured that god was pleased with him because of hê mercie And he dyd that worke only to th ende to excercise his faythe and to prouoke other by hys ensample and confessyon to beleue Syth good workes ought after thys sorte ensue faythe men that can nat beleue and determyne in theyr hartes that they be frely pardoned for Christes sake â–ª do vse workes farre an other way These persons when they see the workes of sayntes and holy persons they iudge after a worldly fashoÌ„ that the sayntes by tho workes haue deserued forgiuenes of synnes and that for tho workes they be accompted ryghtwyse before God Therfore they folowe them and thynke that by lyke workes they deserue remyssion of synnes they go aboute to pacifye the ire of God and truste that for suche workes they shall be accompted ryghtwyse These wycked opinions in workes we damne Fyrst because they obscure the glory of Christ when men do propowne to god these workes as a pryce raunsom Thus the honour due to only Christ is gyuen to our workes Secondly because that notwithstandynge all theyr good workes yet the conscyence fyndeth no peace in them but heapynge workes vpon workes in true trobles at laste dispayreth for when it findeth no worke clene ynoughe the lawe alwayes accuseth and engendreth ire Therdly Such neuer atteyne to the knowledge of god when
thy lorde god c. But howe shall they gather hereby that loue iustifieth Mary saye they bycause the greatest vertue iustifieth Nat so for lyke as the greatest or fyrste lawe dothe nat iustify so dothe neyther the greatest vertue of the lawe For there is no lawe whiche more accuseth vs which maketh more that our conscience is angrye with the iudgement of god thaÌ„ this greatest lawe doth Loue thy lorde god with al thy harte For what one of all the sayntes saue only Christe dare boste that he hath satisfyed this lawe Ergo the vertue of the lawe iustifyeth nat But that vertue iustifieth which taketh reconcilement that is gyuen for Christes sake This vertue is fayth nor it iustifyeth nat for the owne worthynes but only because it receyueth mercy by which for Christes sake we be recoumpted iuste For we be iuste that is to saye accepted to god nat for our owne ê‘fectioÌ„ but by mercy for Christ. if it so be that we take it and lay it agaynst the wrathe of god But the aduersaries do gyue iustification to loue for none other cause but for as muche as they teache the lawe dreame that ryghtwisenes is the obedieÌ„ce of the lawe For mans reason only loketh to the lawe and vnderstandeth none other iustice than thobedience of the lawe And the scholemen lyke wytty felowes goyng aboute to seke out a science in diuine matters haue propouned vnto theÌ„ selues the lawe euen as the philosophers in Morall matters do propoune vnto theÌ„ selues preceptes of manners But Paule cryeth out agaynst it and teacheth that iustice is an other thynge that is to were an obedience towarde the promyse of reconcilement gyuen for Christ and that is to receyue mercy gyueÌ„ for Christ. For so be we accepted vnto god so be the conscience pacifyed when we fele that god is merciful vnto vs for Christê sake Wherfore mens myndes must be plucked away from the lawe to the promyse as we haue oft tymes nowe sayde and shal expoune the thyng more largely a lytle here after wheÌ„ we shal examine the scholasticall argumentes of the worde of ryghtwysenes The aduersaries in theyr confutation cyted also thê place of Paule to the Coloss. agaynst vs. Charitie is the bonde of perfection vpon this they reason that loue iustifieth because it maketh men perfyte Althoughe it may here be answered in sundry wyses of perfection yet we wyl simpely recite the meaning of Paule Certayne it is that Paule speaketh of the loue of the neyghbour Nor it is nat to be thought that Paule attributeth eyther iustificatioÌ„ or perfectioÌ„ before god to the workê of the seconde table rather than to the workê of the fyrste Furthermore if loue be the perfyte fulfyllyng of the lawe and satisfyeth the lawe theÌ„ we nede nat Christe to be our mediatour and redemer But Paule teacheth that we be therfore accepted for Christ and nat for the fulfyllyng of the lawe because the fulfyllyng of the lawe is nat perfyte Wherfore syth in other place as he manifestly plucketh from vs perfection it is nat to be thought that he speaketh here of the personall perfection of euery particular persone but speaketh of the comune integritie and vnitie of the churche For to this entent he sayeth yâ— loue is a bonde or knyttyng together â–ª because he wolde signifie vnto vs that he speketh of the couplyng or knyttyng together of all the membres of the churche For as in all families in all publyke weales concorde is to be nouryshed with mutuall officies of loue nor tranquillitie can nat be reteined onles some lytle offensies be wynked at and forgyuen so commaundeth Paule that in the churche be kept loue and charitie to the reteynyng of coÌ„corde and whiche shall beare otherwhyles when nede requyreth the boystous manners of theyr bretherne dissemblyng certayne lyte offensies lest the churche runne into sundry Schismes and dissensions and of Schismes do ryse hatredes secres heresies For it can no otherwyse be but that concorde shal be broken when the byshoppes do laye on the peoples backes harder burdens than is expedyent and haue no manner regarde of the peoples imbecilitye Also discordes do ryse whan the people iudgeth ouer sharpely of the maners of theyr teachers or dispiseth theÌ„ for certayne lyte causes sekinge then an other kinde of doctryne and other teachers On the contrary syde the perfectyon that is to saye the entiernes and vnitie of the churche is kepte whan the stronge do suffer and beare the weake whan the people taketh in worthe certayne incommodities whiche be in the maners of theyr teachers when the byshoppes do permyt somewhat to the imbecillitie of the people Of these preceptes of equitie al the bokes of the wyse meÌ„ be ful to th end we shulde remytte and forgyue many thinges betwixte our selues in thys state of lyfe for a coÌ„mune tranquillitie And of it Paule aswele in thê place as in many other speketh and gyueth commaundement Wherfore thaduersaryes do imprudently fetche forth a reason out of this worde perfection that loue iustifieth syth Paule speketh here of the coÌ„mune vnitie and tranquillitie And so Ambrose expouneth thys place whose wordes be these Siaut ' edificium dicitum perfâ—ctum seu integrum cum omnes partes apte inter seco agmentatae sunt Euen quod Ambrose lyke as a buyldynge is called perfyte or hole wheÌ„ al the partes be aptly framed and coÌ„ioyned togyther cÌ„ It is a shame for the aduersaryes so hyghly to auaunce loue and so litle at any tyme to perfourme it For what do they nowe They disseuer churches or congregations they wryte lawes with mens bloude and propowne theÌ„ to the Emperours maiestie a prynce moste mercyful to be promulgate and inacted They kylle prestes and other good men yf any do but a lytle touche that he doth nat altogyther allowe some manifest abuses But thys agreeth nat with suche auauncemeÌ„tes and hyghe prayses of charitie whiche yf our aduersaryes wolde folowe the churches shulde be in tranquillitie and the publyke weales in vnitie and peace For these tumultes ruffelinges shuld cease if thaduersaryes wold nat thus rigorously exact certayne traditions vnprofytable to godlynes of whiche the most parte not they them selues do kepe whiche do most stoutly defende them They easely pardone them selues but other they wyll not so euen as Meuius dothe in Horace Egomet mi ignosco Meuius inquit I saythe Meuius do forgyue myne owne selfe Undoutedly thys nothynge agreeth with these noble prayses of charytye whiche they here cyte out of Paule and vnderstande hym no more then the walles vnderstonde the voyce that commeth vnto them Out of Peter they cyte also this senteÌ„ce Charite hideth a multitude of sinneâ— But it is also certayne that Peter speaketh of the loue towarde the neyghboure who applyeth this place to the precepte in whiche he commaundeth men to loue eche another Nor truly it coulde nat come to the mynde of any of the Apostles that our loue
For Christ rebuketh the pharises whiche thought theÌ„ selues to be made cleane in the syght of god that is to saye to be iustifyed by theyr oft washinges euen as a certayne byshope of Rome sheweth of holy water that it sanctifyeth and clenseth the people And the glose sayth that it cleneth from venial synnes Suche were also the opinions of the Pharisies whiche Christ reprehendeth and he setteth against this fayned purgatyon two maner of clennes the one inwarde the other outwarde he byddeth that they shulde be made cleane inwardly and addeth concernynge outwarde clennes Gyue in almose of your superfluitie and aboundance and so all thynges shal be cleane vnto you Our aduersaryes do not ryghtly applye thys partycle or sygne vnyuersall omnia for Christe addeth thys conclusyon to bothe members Then all thynge shal be cleane to you that is to witte yf ye shall be clane inwardly and shall gyue almose outwardly For he sygnifyeth that outwarde clennes is to be sette in the warkes commaunded by god and not iÌ„ the traditions of men as then were tho ofte wasshinges and nowe a dayes is the dayly sprinclyng of holy water the habites of religious persons as they be called the deuersite choyse of metes and lyke pompes But our aduersaryes do corrupte the sentence with sophistrie translatynge the vniuersall perticle to the one parte alone All thynges shal be cleane to you yf ye gyue almose as yf a man shulde make thê reason S Andrewe is present g o ergo al the Aposteles be present Wherfore in the antecedente both members ought to be ioyned together in thys wyse Beleue and gyue almose so all thynges shall be cleane to you For the scripture sayth in another place that the hartes be purifyed by faythe That if the hartes be clensed and afterwarde almose dedes be put to outwardly that is to saye almanner workes of charite so shall they be cleane al together that is for to saye not onely within but also without And that hole sermone of Christe ought to be ioyned together of which there be many partes wherof certayne do teache of faythe and certayne of warkê And it is no ê“perty of a good reader to pycke out the preceptes of warkes leuynge out the places of faythe There be some also which do interprete it to be an Ironicall locution Gyue ye almose and all thynges be cleaue vnto you For Christe semeth dryly to checke the vayne persuasion of the phariseis whiche whan they had theyr myndes laden with moste lewde affections yet in the meane season because they gaue almose thought theÌ„ selues to be halfe goddes Thys interpretatyon is nat vnmete neyther hath it any thing in it selfe dissonante or contrary to the other scriptures We wolde put to also other places but that we thinke that by these places which we haue rehersed and declared all other lyke may easely be iudged But we shall yet adde this scolastical argumeÌ„t Ryghtuousnes must nedes be in the wyll g o ergo faythe whiche is in the vnderstandyng doth nat iustifye This argument we do therfore reherse that the hole matter myght be made more playne howe fayth doth iustifye and what Paule dothe call iustifycatyon And fyrst because of certayne wayward persons we shall answere artificiously Thê is playne in morall philosophie that iustyce is called obedyence towarde the superiour such as he accepteth and alloweth But faythe is an obedyence towardes the gospell Wherfore faythe is ryghtly called iustyce for obedience towardes the gospell is imputed and rekened for ryghtuousnes in somuche that obedyence towardes the lawe only doth therfore please because we beleue that god is frely gracious and louinge to vs for Christes sake for we do neuer satisfye the lawe Nowe althoughe this faythe be in the wyl for it is to wyl and to receyue the promyse yet neuer theles this obedyence towarde the gospel is not for our clennes imputed for ryghtuousnes but because it receyueth the mercy that is offered and thynketh that we be reputed ryghtuous for Christes sake by mercy and nat for our owne fulfylling of the lawe nor for our owne clennes So the mynde is to be called awaye from gasynge on the lawe vnto the gospell and vnto Christe and we must assure our selues that we be reputed ryghtuous when we do thynke our owne selues to be accepted for Christes sake and nat for our owne loue or for our owne fulfyllynge of the lawe And faythe differeth froÌ„ hope for faythe receyueth at thê present tyme remissyon of synnes recoÌ„ciliation or acceptatyon of our owne selues for Christes sake But hope is busye aboute the good thynges that be to come and aboute delyueraunce to come Secondarely Iustifycation here in thê place signifieth to be reputed rightuous Now god dothe nat repute a man ryghtuous after the maner that a man is reputed ryghtuous in the corte of causes or in philosophi for the iustyce of hys owne warkes whiche maye wele be put in the wyl But he reputeth a maÌ„ ryghtuous by mercy for Christes sake so that a maÌ„ do receyue hym by fayth Wherfore fayth may be called Iustyce for it is that thynge which is imputed to rightuousnes as paule is wont to speake in what so euer parte of man it be put For that dothe nothynge at all let goddes imputatyon howe be it we do put thys faythe in the wyll of man for it is to wyll and to receyue the promyse of Chryste And thys scolasticall argument thus debated because it dryueth the matter to an art the hole cause semeth moche the better to be perceyued By 〈◊〉 these thynges it maye be also perceyued what is to be iudged de merito condigni that is to wyt of the meryte of worthynes of whiche our aduersaryes do fayne that men be ryghtuous in the syght of god for theyr owne loue and fulfyllynge of the lawe Here is no mencion at al made of the iustyce of fayth and in the stede of Christe the mediator is put that we be accepted for our fulfyllynge of the lawe These thynges are in no wyse sufferable but as we sayd before though loue foloweth renouatioÌ„ yet maye nat the glorie of Christ be taken froÌ„ hym and geuen to our fulfyllynge of the lawe but it is to be thought that euen after the renouation also we be accompted iust for Christes sake and that Christ remayneth styl a mediator and mercy stocke and that by the meanes of Christ and for him we haue commynge and entre to the father and that we do nat satysfie the lawe but that we haue alwayes nede of mercy and that we be alwayes compted iust for mercye And thys thynge dothe the hole churche confesse that we be made ryghtwyse and saued throughe mercie as we haue heretofore recyted forthe of Saynt Ierome Our ryghtuousnes is not for our owne meryte but commeth of the mercie of god But so it is that thys mercy is receiued by faith g o ergo cÌ„ But se
lyfte vp and coÌ„forte hym selfe with the gospell and the promise of Christe For faythe sheweth the diuer site betwene the contrititioÌ„ of Iudas and the contrition of Peter But our aduersaryes make theyr answere by the lawe that Iudas loued nat god but feared punyshementes but when shall a troubled and frayed conscience namely in these earnest true and greate terrours whiche be described iÌ„ the Psalmes and the prophetes and whiche those men do vndoubtedly taste whiche be truely conuerted when shall I say suche a troubled conscieÌ„ce be able to iudge whether he feareth and dreadeth god truly and for him selfe or whether he dothe but flee euerlastiÌ„g paynes These great motions and trobelouse may be haply discerned or disseuered by letres and vocabules but they can nat be depted so in suÌ„dre iÌ„ very dede as these swete sophisters do dreame Here we call vpon the iudgementes of all good wyse men They vndoubtedly wyl coÌ„fesse graunt that these disputations amonge our aduersaries be very darke doubtfull perplexe and intricate And yet here they be in hande with a moste wayghty matter and with the chief and principall place of all the gospell I meane coÌ„cernyng forgyuenes of synnes All thys hole doctrine concernynge these questions whiche I haue rehersed amonge our aduersaries is full of errours and hypocrisie and defaceth obscureth and endymmeth the benefyte of Christ the power of the keyes and the iustice of faythe These thynges be done in the fyrst acte or parte of the playe But what wheÌ„ they be come vnto confession What infinite and greate busines is there in that endles rehersall numbryng and reckenyng vp of synnes Whiche neuertheles for a greate parte is speÌ„t and consumed in mans traditions and lawes And because that the good and deuoute myndes myght be the more vexed they fayne and ymagen that this rehersall and iuste reckeniÌ„g of the synnes is commaunded by goddê lawe And though they do exacte and require thys rehersall of all the synnes vnder the pretence of the lawe of god yet in the meane season of absolution whiche is in dede of the lawe of god they speake full slenderly and full coldly They fayne that the selfe sacrament Ex opere operato that is to say euen of the very worke that is wrought gyueth and conferreth grace without any good mocion of the vser But of faythe who receyueth the absolution and coÌ„forteth the conscience is made no mencio nat all This is euen accordyng to the prouerbe Ante mysteria discedere that is to say to depart before the mysteries are begonne Nowe resteth and remayneth the thyrde acte or parte of the play whiche is of satisfactioÌ„s And thê acte hathe very confuse disputacions They fayne that euerlastynge paynes be chaunged into the paynes of purgatorie and that parte of these be relesed by the power of the keyes and parte they teache to be redemed with satisfactions They adde moreouer that satisfactions must be workes of suê‘erogation and them they set and put in moste folyshe obseruaunces whiche haue not the coÌ„maundement of god to beare them as in pylgrymages rosaries and lyke obseruatioÌ„s whiche be maynteyned by no coÌ„mauÌ„dement of god Furthermore lykewyse as· they redeme Purgatorye with satisfactions so hath there ben a crafte deuised of redemynge satisfactions whiche hath ben a very gayngfull profytable crafte and hath broughte in moche lucre For they sell pardones whiche they do interprete to be releasemeÌ„tê of satisfactioÌ„s And this gaynes coÌ„meth in not onely by them that be alyue but moche more largely by them whiche be deade And not onely by pardons but also by the sacrifice of the masse they redeme the satisfactions of deade men Finally the matier of satisfactions is endeles Amonge these sclaunders and offendicles of conscience for we be not able to reherse all and doctrines of deuyls the doctrine of the iustice of faythe in Christe â–ª and of the benefite of Christ lyeth oppressed ouerwhelmed Wherfore all good men do perceiue that the doctrine of Sophistes and Canonistes touchynge repentaunce or penaunce is by vs profitably and godly rebuked For these articles and poyntes folowynge be openly false and not onely disagreyng mere repugnant to the holy scriptures but also dissonauÌ„t variable from the holy fathers of the churche These be their articles ¶ That to the takynge awaye of synne onely the detestation hatred of sinne is sufficient ¶ That for our contrition not by faythe in Christe we do obteyne remission of synnes ¶ That we deserue remissioÌ„ of synnes by goddes couenaunt by good workes done without grace and obteyne it not by faythe that is to wite freely by the truste of mercy ¶ That the power and auctority of the keyes auaileth to the remission of siÌ„nes in the syght of the churche but nat in the syght of god ¶ That by the power of the keyes synnes be nat forgiuen before god but that the power of the keyes was instituted to chaunge eternall paynes into temporall and to lay vpon conscieÌ„ces certayne satisfactioÌ„s to institute newe sacrifices and ceremonies and to bynde consciences to suche maner satisfactions and ceremonies ⧠⧠¶ That the nombering or rekening vp of sinnes in confession of the whiche our aduersaries do teache is necessary by the lawe of god ¶ That canonicall satisfactions be necessary to redeme the payne of Purgatory or els be availlable as a recompensation to take awaye synne For so vnlerned men do vnderstande and take it ¶ That the receiuynge of the sacramente of penaunce by the vertue of the worke that is wrought without the faythe in Christe gyueth grace ¶ That by the power of the keyes soules be deliuered out of Purgatory by pardons ¶ That in reseruation of cases nat onely the canonicall payne but also the synne ought to be reserued in him whiche is truly conuerted ⧠We therfore to the enteÌ„t to deliuer godly and wel disposed coÌ„sciences froÌ„ these comberous and endles mases of sophesters do make two partes of penaunce that is to wytte contrition and faythe Yf any man lusteth to adde the thyrde I meane worthy frutes of penauÌ„ce that is to say good workê folowyng coÌ„uersion we wyl nat saye agaynste hym And we knowe well ynoughe that thys worde penitentia in latine that is to saye repentaunce amonge GraÌ„marious doth betokeÌ„ to mislyke and disalowe that thynge whiche before we dyd lyke and alowe This propertye is more agreinge to contricion rather then to faythe But we in this place to th entent to expresse and sette forthe the thynge before mens eyes do vnderstande by penauÌ„ce the hole coÌ„uersion in which there be two termes mortification and viuification whiche we call by the vsuall and accustomed names contrition and faythe As concernynge contrition we do cutte awaye those ydle vnfrutful and endles disputations as to dispute when we be sory throughe loue of god and when through feare of payne But we say that coÌ„trition is the true feares and terrours of conscience whiche perceiueth feleth
that god is angrie with syn and soroweth that it hathe synned and done amysse And this contrition is done when by the worde of god synnes be rebuked For this is the suÌ„me effecte of preachyng the gospel to rebuke sinnes and to offre remission of siÌ„nes iustice for Christê sake and also to offre the holy ghost and eternall lyfe and that we beyng regenerate and boâ—ne a newe shulde worke wele and do good dedes Thus Christe comprehendeth the suÌ„me of the gospel wheÌ„ he sayeth To be preached in my name repentaunce and remission of synnes amonge all nacions And of these terrours and dreades speaketh the scripture as in the psalme Because my synnes wyckednes haue gone ouer my heed lyke a greate heuy burden they haue lyen heuy vpon me c. I haue ben afflicted and humbled very soore I dyd rose for sorowe syghyng of my herte And in an other psalme he sayth Lorde haue mercy on me for I am weyke Heale me lord for my bones be troubled my soule is troubled very sore And thou o lord how longe And Esaye saythe In the halfe of my dayes I sayd I shall go to the gates of helle I hoped vntyl mornyng Euen lyke a lyon so hath he broused and broken al my bones In these terrours the conscience felethe the wrathe of god agaynste synne whiche is vnknowen to careles and recheles persones whiche walke after a fleshely fashyon This conscience seethe the fylthynes of synne and is earnestlye sory that it hath done amysse It also fleethe in the meane season the horrible wrath of god because mannes nature is not able to susteine it onles it be streÌ„gthed and borne vp with the worde of god So sayth Paule By the lawe I am deade to the lawe For the lawe onely accuseth and maketh afrayde coÌ„scieÌ„ces In these terrours our aduersaries do speake nothyng at all of faythe Thus onely they propowne and sex forth the worde whiche rebuketh synnes The whiche worde whan it is taughte onely is the doctrine of the lawe and not of the gospell with these sorowes and terrours they say that men do merite grace if it be so that they loue god But howe shall men loue god in the true feares terrours whan they feele the horrible wrathe of god whiche can not be expressed with the wordê of man What other thynge do they but teache desperation whiche in these troublous terrours do onelye shewe the lawe ¶ We therfore do adde that other parte of penaunce whiche is faythe in Christ to th ende that in these terrours the gospell of Christe myght be sette forthe to consciences in whiche is freelye promysed remission of synnes for Christes sake They oughte therfore to beleue that for Christes sake theyr synnes be freelye for gyuen them This faythe lyfâ—ethe vppe conforteth strengtheth and quickeneth contrite persones accordynge to that texte Iustificati igitur ex fide pacem habemus erga deum That is to saye we beinge iustified by faythe haue peace This fayth obteyneth remission of synnes it iustifieth in the syghte of god as the same place testifieth whan it sayth we beinge iustified by fayth c. This faythe sheweth the diuersitie betwyxte the contrition of Iudas â–ª and the contrition of Peter betwyxt the contrition of Saul and the contrition of Dauid The contrition of Iudas or Saule dothe not therfore auayle because faythe is not added vnto it whiche receyueth forgyuenes of synnes freely gyuen for Christes sake Contrarily the coÌ„trition of Dauid or of Peter doth therfore auayle because fayth is added whiche receyueth remission freely gyuen for Christ is sake Neyther is theyr any loue before that we be made at one by faythe For the lawe is not fulfylled without Christe accordyng to this By Christe we haue passage to god And this fayth groweth and encreaseth by lytle and lytle wrastleth throughout the hole lyfe with synne to th ende it maye ouercome synne and deathe But loue folowethe fayth as we haue sayd before And thus may filiall or sonly feare be playnly defined to be suche maner feare which is ioyned with faythe that is to say whan faythe coÌ„forteth and holdeth vp the troubled and fearefull herte Seruile or bondly feare is whan faythe doth not beare vp the fearefull herte How the power of the keyes doth administer and shewe forthe the Gospell by absolution whiche is the trewe voyce of the gospell So we also do comprehende absolution whan we do speake of fayth For fayth coÌ„meth by hearynge as Paule sayth For whan the gospell is herde whan the absolution is herd the coÌ„science is lyfted vp and gathereth conforte And because god dothe truely quicken by the worde the keyes do verely remitte synnes in the syghte of god accordynge to that texte who soeuer heareth you heareth me Wherfore credence is to be gyuen to the wordê of hym that assoileth none otherwyse thaÌ„ to a voyce souÌ„dynge from heuen And absolution may proprely be called the sacrament of penaunce as the beste lerned also of the schole diuines do speake In the meane season this faythe in temptatioÌ„s is many maner wayes nouryshed by the sentences of the gospell and by the vse of the sacrameÌ„tes For these be signes of the newe testament that is to say signes and tokeÌ„s of the remission of synnes They do offre therfore remission of synnes as the wordes of the souper of the lorde do euidentely witnesse whiche be these This is my bodye whiche is gyuen for you This is the cuppe of the newe testament c. So faythe is conceyued and establyshed by absolution by hearyng of the gospel by vse of the sacramentes to th eÌ„tent that it do not take a falle whyles it wresteleth with the terrours of synne deathe This instruction and doctrine of penaunce is plaine and clere augmenteth the dignitie of the power of the keyes and of the sacramentes setteth forthe the benefite of Christ and teacheth vs to vse Christe a mediator and a propitiator But bicause the confutation dothe coÌ„depne vs for that we haue putte these two partes of penauÌ„ce it is to be shewed that the scripture dothe put these principall parties in repentaunce or in the conuersion of a synner For Christ saith Come vnto me all ye whiche laboure and be loden and I shall refresshe you Here be two membres Labour and burden whiche is the fyrst membre or parte do signifie contrition and the dredes and terrours of synne To come to Christe whiche is the seconde membre is to beleue that for Christes sake synnes be forgyuen for whan we beleue oure hertes be quickened with the holy ghooste by the worde of Christe Therfore here be two principall partes that is to say contrition and fayth And in the fyrst chaptre of Marke Christe saythe Do ye repentaunce and beleue the gospell where in the fyrste parte he rebukethe synnes and in the latter parte he dothe conforte vs and sheweth remission of
se what confession auayleth without absolutioÌ„ But if they do nat seperate the receyuing of absolution from confession they muste nedes thynke that faythe is a parte of penauÌ„ce For absolution is nat receiued but by fayth And that absolution is nat receiued but by faythe it may be proued by Paule whiche teacheth that the promyse can nat be receiued but by faythe Howe absolution is the promyse of the remission of synnes Therfore it dothe necessarily require faythe And we do nat se howe he can be sayde to receiue absolution whiche dothe nat assente and agre to it And what other thyng is it nat to agre to the absolution then to accuse god of a lye If the barte dothe doubte it thynketh that those thynges be vncerteyne vayne whiche god dothe promise Therfore it is wrytten in the epistle of Iohan whosoeuer beleueth nat god maketh hym a lyer because he dothe nat beleue in the testimonye whiche god hathe witnessed of his sonne Secondaryly we suppose that our aduersaries do graunt that remission of synnes is eyther parte or the ende or terminus ad queÌ„ as they vse to speake of penauÌ„ce or repentauÌ„ce ergo that thyng wherby remissioÌ„ of synnes is receyued is of ryght added to the partes of penaunce But most certayne it is most vndoubted although al the gates of helle wolde crye agaynste it that remission of synnes can nat be receiued but only by fayth whiche beleueth that sinnes be forgyuen for Christê sake according to that sayeng of Paule to the Romaines whom god hathe set forthe a propitiator by faythe in the bloude of hym Also in the fyfthe to the Romaynes By whom we haue waye throughe faythe into grace c. For the troubled arraryed coâ—icence can nat plede nor laye agaynste the wrathe of god theyr owne workes or loue but so is only the conscience made quiete when it receiueth the mediatour Christe and beleueth the promises gyuen for hys sake for they do nat perceyue what remission of synnes is or howe it cometh to vs which dreame that hartes be set at peace without faythe in Christe Peter alledgeth out of Esaye thys sayeng whosoeuer shall beleue in hym shall nat be confounded or ashamed â–ª Wherfore hypocrites muste neues be confounded which truste that they receiue remission of synnes for theyr owne workê and nat for Christes sake And Peter sayth in the actes To him all the prophetes beare witnes that al whiche beleue in him do receiue remission of synnes throughe his name It coulde nat be spoken more manifestly than yâ— he sayth throughe his name And he addeth all that beleue in hym We do only therfore thus receiue remission of synnes through the name of Christe that is to wete for Christes sake â–ª and nat for any meritê or workes of our owne And this is so done when we beleue that synnes be forgyuen vs for Christes sake Our aduersaries crye out that they be the churche that they do folowe the coÌ„sent of the church But Peter here in thys our cause alledgeth also the coÌ„sent of the churche To him sayth he al the prophetes beare wytnes that by his name they receiue remission cÌ„ Undoubtedly the consente of the prophetes is to be iudged the consente of the vniuersall churche We do neyther grauÌ„t to the byshop of Rome neither yet vnto the church power or authoritie to decre agaynst this coÌ„sent of the ê“phetes But the Bulle of Leo byshop of Rome do openly condempne this article of remission of sinnes our aduersaries do also coÌ„dempne it in theyr confutation By whiche thynge it appereth what maner churche theyr churche is to be iudged whiche not onely with decrees disalowe this sentence that remission of synnes is purchased by faith not for our workes but for Christ but also coÌ„maunde to destroy that sentence and opinion with violence and with the swerde They coÌ„mauÌ„de also with all kynd of crueltie to destroye the good men whiche be of the same opinion and mynde But they wyll saye that they haue greate and famous authours for them as maister Duns Gabriel â–ª and other lyke the sayenges also of fathers â–ª whiche be recited in the decrees but maymed and vnperfecte Certes if we shulde falle to numbring of testimonies they haue the better bande For there is a great rablement of tryfelyng wryters vpon the mayster of the Sentencies whiche do euen as it were conspire to gether in defendyng these figmentes lyes of the merite of attricion and of workes and the thynges whiche we haue here to fore recyted But let no man be moued with the multitude of them For thauctoritie is not greate of the late wryters whiche were not the fathers of theyr owne wrytynges but onely embesylyng and robbyng the olde fathers dyd shyfre and turmoyle opinions forth of one boke in to an other They vsed no maner iugemeÌ„t but only after the fashyon of the Senatours whiche were called Pedarij without any wordes allowed the errours of them that had writen before whom they perceyued not We therfore wyll not be afraide to set this sayenge of Peter who allegeth the consente of the prophetê agaynst the legions of sententiaries be they neuer so manye And to this preachynge of Peter is added the testimonie of the holy gost For thus sayth the texte Adhuc loquente Petro uerba haec cecidit spiritus sanctus sup omnes qui audiebant uerbum .1 And as Peter was yet speakynge these wordes the holy ghoste lyghted vpon al them which dyd heare the worde Let all good godly consciences therfore knowe that this is the coÌ„maundement of god that they shulde beleue theyr synnes to be freelye forgyuen them for Christes sake and not for our owne workes And with this coÌ„maundement of god let them strengthen and susteyne them selues agaynst desperation and agaynst the terrours of synne and of deathe And let them knowe that this senteÌ„ce opinion hath always remayned in the churche amoÌ„ge holy and good men sythe the begynnynge of the worlde For Peter dothe clearely alledge the consent of the prophetes And the writynges of thapostles testifie that they were of the same mynde we haue also testimonies of the fathers For Barnarde sayth the sawe in playn and open wordes Necesse est enim primo omnium credere quod remissionem peccatoruÌ„ habere noÌ„ possis nisi per indulgeÌ„tiam dei sed adde adhuc ut credas hoc quod per ipsum peccata tibi donantur Hoc est testimonium quod ê‘hibet spiritus sanctus in corde tuo dicens dimissa sunt tibi peccata tua Sic enim arbitratur apostolus gratis iustificari hominem per fidem .i. For it is necessarye fyrste of all to beleue that thou canste not haue forgyuenes of synnes but by the indulgence of god but adde yet hereunto so that thou doste beleue this also that by hym thy synnes be forgyuen the. This is the testimonie which the holy ghost heareth in thy herte
well in his worke of PenauÌ„ce these wordes folowynge Therfore it is conuenient that we beleue both that penauÌ„ce is to be done and that forgyuenes shal be gyuen but yet so that we do hope forgyuenes as through faythe For faythe obteyneth as it were by an especialtie or obligation Also faythe it is whiche dothe couer our synnes So than there be senteÌ„ces in the workes of the fathers not onely of contrition and workes but also of faythe But our aduersaries because they neyther perceyue the nature of penaunce neyther the sayenges of the fathers do pyke out the sayenges concernyng the one parte of penauÌ„ce that is to wit workes But those thyngê whiche be spoken in other places of faythe because they do not vnderstande them they passe them ouer ⧠Of confession and satisfaction ⧠GOod men may easely iudge that it is verie profitable and necessary that the true doctrine be kepte concernynge the partes aâ—ouenamed that is to wete concernyng contrition and faythe Therfore in settynge forthe of these places we haue alwayes most busied our selues and as for confession and satisfaction we haue nat greatly coÌ„tended nor striuen For we also do retayne kepe styll confession and specially because of absolution whiche is the worde of god because the power of the keyes by the auctoritie of god dothe pronouÌ„ce and gyue seÌ„tence of euery thiÌ„g Wherfore it shulde be a wycked dede to take away priuate absolucion out of the churche Neyther do they perceyue and vnderstande what is remission of siÌ„nes or what is the power of the keyes who soeuer they be that do despyse and take away priuate absolution But coÌ„cernyng the rehersall and reckenyng vp of synnes particularly by name in confession we haue sayde before that we do nat thynke it necessary by the lawe of god For where as certeyne meÌ„ do obiecte that a Iudge ought fyrste to knowe the mater before that he do gyue sentence this obiectioÌ„ is nothyng to this purpose For absolutioÌ„ is but the execution of the benefite gyuen by an other and nat a iudgement For Christe gaue charge and coÌ„mauÌ„dement to forgyue synnes Thys commaundement the ministers do eâ—ecute They haue no coÌ„mauÌ„dement of knowiÌ„g the synnes that be secrete Thys thynge may well be perceyued herof because they forgyue innumerable synnes whiche they them selues do neuer remembre to whome they be forgyuen And if remission shulde hange vpon the knowledge of sinnes then al the mater shulde be vncertayne and doutful But in those synnes whiche be openly knowne what maner iurisdiction the churche hathe that belongeth nat to thê preseÌ„t disputatioÌ„ For these because they be open and knowen they be accused by name and afterwardes be forgyuen by name if the doer of them wyl be receiued agayne of the churche And it is a folyshnes to apply vnto this mater the sayeng of Salomon whiche is thys Diligenter cognosce vultum pecoris tui .i. Knowe diligeÌ„tly the face of thy catayle For SalomoÌ„ speaketh no whit of coÌ„fession but he gyueth a morall lesson and instruction to an housholder that he shulde vse that whiche is his owne and forbeare from that whiche is an other mans and he biddeth hym to loke diligently vnto his owne thyngê but yet in suche wyse that hys mynde beyng occupied and set all vpon the desyre of gatheryng goodes he do nat caste away the feare of god or faythe or the loue of the word of god But our aduersaries do merueilously transforme and chauÌ„g the wordes of scripture into what soeuer sentences or meanynges it lyketh them selues here vnto theÌ„ this worde knowe betokeneth to here confessions The face betokeneth nat the outewarde conuersation but the secretes and priuities of conscience And catayle signifieth men Forsothe a goodly and a propre interpretation and semely for suche despysers of the studies of eloquence But if any man lyste by a similitude to translate thys instruccion from the householde keper and to apply it vnto a pastor or curate of the churche then doubtles he ought by the face to vnderstande the outwarde coÌ„uersatioÌ„ Thys shal be a more apte a more agreable similitude But let vs passe ouer these thynges some tymes there is mention made of confessioÌ„ in the psalmes as Dixi coÌ„fiteâ— or aduersum me iniustitiam meam domino et tu remisisti iniquitatem peccati mei .i. I sayde I wyll confesse and knowledge agaynst my selfe my wickednes vnto the lorde and thou haste forgiuen the wickednes of my syn Suche maner coÌ„fession of syn whiche is made vnto god is the very ryght contrition For when coÌ„fession is made vnto god it muste nedes be done with the harte and nat only with the mouthe so as is done of the players in enterludê Suche maner confession therfore is contrition in whiche we felyng perceiuyng the wrathe of god do coÌ„fesse that god is wrothe nat with out iuste cause and that he can nat be pacified with our workes And yet neuertheles we seke mercie of god for hys promyse sake Suche maner coÌ„fession is this confession of the prophete Tibi soli peccaui c. To the alone haue I synned that thou mayste be iustified mayst ouercom when thou shalt iudge that is to say I knoweledge my selfe to be a synner and to haue deserued euerlastyng wrathe neither can I set my ryghtuousnes nor my merites agaiÌ„st thy wrathe Therfore I pronounce the to be rightuous when thou doste condempne punyshe vs I pronouÌ„ce that thou haste the victorie wheÌ„ hypochrites do iudge the that thou arte vnrightuous because thou doste punyshe or condempne theÌ„ wel deseruyng it yea more ouer our merites can nat be sette agaynste thy iuâ—gement but in suche wyse we shal be iustified if thou doste iustify vs if thou dost repute vs iustified through thy mercye Perauenture suÌ„me man wyll alledge Iamys who sayeth coÌ„fesse your synnes one of you to another But he speaketh nat here of confession to be made to the preestê but in a generalitie of the reconciling of bretherne among them selues for he biddeth coÌ„fession to be made of eche to other Furthermore our aduersaries shall condeÌ„pne many of the moste approued auctours if they wyll contende that the rehersall of synnes in confession is necessary by goddê lawe For although we do approue coÌ„fession and do iudge that a certayne examination is profitable to the entent that men may be the better instructed and taught yet neuertheles the thyng is in suche wyse to be moderated and measured that consciences be nat tangled and snarled whiche vndoubtedly shall neuer be quiete if they shulde thynke that they can nat obteyne remission of sinnes onles they make that scripulous and iuste rehersal of synnes That sayeng doubtles is verie false whiche our aduersaries haue put in the coÌ„futation that an hole and perfecte confession is necessary to saluation For suche confession is vnpossible And I pray you what snares caste they here vpon the conscieÌ„ce whan they require a hole
Of the humanitie and diuinitie of Christe 4. Of iustifycation 5. Of the obteiniÌ„ge of fayth Heresyes 6. Of good workes Saynt Ambrose 7. Of the holy churche 8. Of the ministers of the Churche Heresyes 9. Of baptyme Heresyes 10. Of the sacrameÌ„t of the Aulter 11. Of confession 12. Of penaunce â—â— repeÌ„tauÌ„ce Heresyes 13. Of the vse of the sacramentes Errours 14. Of order ecclesiastike 15. Of rytes or vsages of the churche 16. Of politike or ciuile maters Heresies 17. Of the resurrectyon Heresyes 18. Of free wyll The wordes of S Austine Heresyes 20. Of good workes Austyne â–ª Ambrose The sygnification of faythe Austyne Faythe after S. Ambrose 21. Of honorynge of sayntes Cyprian Hierome Gelasius The sayenge of Pius byshope of Rome 1. Cor. 7 Mat. 19 Gene. 1. In the begynninge of the churche Prestes were maryed 1. Ti. 4. The wordes of Ciprian Saynte Ambro. Chrisostome * * The Glose Gerson Austine Mat. 15 Mat. 1â—· Ro. 13. Col. 2. Col. 2. Act. 15. 1. Ti. 4. The obiections of the aduersaries Luc. 21. Mat. 17 1. Cor. 9 Ireneê° Grego Historia Tripartita Of the vowe of single lyfe 1. Cor. 7 Gene. 2 * * What thyngê be required in euery laufull vowe The auctorite of saint Austine * * Note this reason Mat. 15 Gal. 5. * * The true perfection of a christian man A newe opinion in Gersons tyme * * The power of the â—eys what Io. 20. Marke xvi Rom. 1. Io. 1â— Luc. 12. Philip. 111. 2. Cor. x Luc. 10. Mat. 7 Gal. 1. 2. Cor. 13. Austine A question Io. 16. Act. 15. The solution A disceitful similitude Col. 2. Tit. 1. Mat 15. Gal. 5. what or denaunces bysshoppes may make 1. Cor. 11. The sabbat day The traditions of Thapostels be nat kepte The intractablenes of bysshops Act. 3. 1. Pe. 5. This is traÌ„slated out of the Duche A distinctyon of Duns The diffinition of fayth Of the commensement orygynal of fayth How the holy gost is gyuen by the schole meÌ„ * * The knowledge that fayth iustifieth is necessary The takynge of this proposytyon onelye fayth iustyfyeth * * The fyrst reason The probation of yâ— minor Howe the aduersaries vnderstande Christ to be our mediatour The seconde reason The .iii. reason The .iiii. reason Authorities of scripture that only fayth iustifyeth Authorities out of saynte Paule * * The trewe interpretacion of Paule Austynes interpretacioÌ„ vpoÌ„ Paule Authorities out of the gospels of Iohan. Authorities out of the Actes of the Apostles * * The prophete Abacuc * * The prophetâ— Esaye Authorites of doctours Saynte Ambrose Saynte Austyns A cauillatyon refuted * * Fayth may better than chariti be called gratia gratuÌ„ facies * * The knoweledge of this faith is necessarye * * The vnhappy councell of the aduersaries Roma 3. Gasa 3. Ioh. 16. 2. Cor. 3 * * The veyle 1. Ioh. 3. A questiâ—Ì„ The solucioÌ„ of the question why loue iustifyeth nat Gal. 3. * * The thyrde reason Psalmâ— 129. Iob. 9. The .4 reason The .5 reason Ephe. â— Abel The first reason The seâ—oÌ„de resoÌ„ The .3 reason * * The Gentels Psal. 49 The sacrameÌ„t of yâ— Aulâ—eâ— An obiectyon An obiection The solutyon An other obiection * * The answere Saynt Ambrose The vncharitable fashons of the aduersaryes * * The poete Horace An argument out of saynte Peter .4 The answere Pro. 10. Cesar Pompey An olde ê“uerbe ☞ ☞ An Epykee An argument out of Iames the secoÌ„de Chapitre The answere The first reason or solution 1. Tim. 1 The .2 reason The .3 reason Other obiectyons Daniell Esaye The answere Aristotle to kynge Alexandre * * The wordes of Dani. after the hebraical trouthe Hieroms tâ—anslatyon reiected Hiere 15 Zacharie An argument out of Tobi. An other obiection * * The solution A scholastical argument The answere A difference betwixte faythe and hope An other of yâ— scholastical argument Saynte Hierome The inconuenience â— hiche ensueth of thaduersaries opinion Saule A questioÌ„ The solution Saynte Barnard An argumeÌ„t whiche they call antistrephon The answere solutioÌ„ of thir argument Sainte-Ambrose The vngracious wrestyng of the aduersaries A childishe cauillation An other obiectiv The solution MoÌ„kes Frears The wordes of merite and rewarde Barnard Apopheg matascho lastica The .vii. article of the coÌ„fession â—â—hat is yâ— church Paules definitioÌ„ Ephe. 5. Why the church is called catholik * * The Glose Hierome Ephe. 2. A parable of Christe Mat. 15. The diffinitioÌ„ ol the churche after Lyre 〈◊〉 diffinitioÌ„ of the churche after the aduersaries Of the vnitie of the churche A vayne distinctioÌ„ A ê“pre similitude Collos. 2 Collos. 2 Rom. 14 The sect of the Audians Howe the aduersaries them selues do breake vniuersal obseruauÌ„ces The .8 article of the ministers of the churche * * The Anabaptistê wold haue al in comune The .9 article of the baptizyng of infauÌ„teâ— * * The Anabaptistes The ij reason The .10 article of the sacrament of the Aulter Cyrilluâ— The .xj. article of absolutioÌ„ ExcoÌ„munication * * The wordes of the Canon The rehersall of synnes in coÌ„fession * * The question De proprio sacerdote Panormitanus The errours of scholemeÌ„ The â—â—ffereÌ„ce betwixt the coÌ„trition of Iudas and the coÌ„trition of Peter Luke the taste Psal. 37 Psal. 6. Esa. 38. The .ij. parte of penaunce or repentaunce Roma 5. The vertue of faythe Filial feare â–ª Seruile feare Mat 26 1 Cor. 11. Mat. xi A general fayth and a special fayth Col. 2. Abac. 2. Collos. 2 In the .2 â—oke of the kingê Authorities forth of scripture 1. Reg. 2. Esa. 2â— Examples Adam Gene. 3. 2. Reg. S. Barnarde The .i. reason Rom. 4. 1. Io. 5. The â—j reason Act. 10. A digression Pedarij be those which iÌ„ a pliament assemble or couÌ„cel do speake nothyng them selues but runne froÌ„ theyr owne place to here other wheÌ„ they speake allowe theyr wordes whiche they lytle vnderstande The .iij. reason Note wel wherfore Christe serueth Ro. iiij Gal. iij. The .iiij. reasâ—n 1. Io. 4. Ro. 14. Saiengê of fathers coÌ„cerning penaunce Tertulliane I lyue is the othe wherby god swereth The wordê of Tertulliane Ambrose An obiection The solution Salomon Iacob 5. The olde custome of the churche That canonicall satisfactions be not necessarie by goddes lawe The doctrine of scholemeÌ„ The reasons of the aduersaries CaÌ„pege Cardinal A digresision Mat. 3. ArgumeÌ„teâ— prouing that the scriptures before alledged apperteyne not to the satisfactions of scholemeÌ„ The first â—eason The .ij. reason The iij. reason Quiâ—quid ligaueris Fastes Pylgrymages Workes of suâ—eâ—erogaâ—ion Note this argumeÌ„t An obiection The solution An other obiection The solution How god punisheth synnes An other obiection of thaduersaries The answere Esa. 28. Iohan. 9 S. Gregorye Esaie What purgatory is by faders Austyne Satisfaction for mortificatioÌ„ Gregory Chrisostome Good frutes * * What were ê‘dons in old time· The very sacramentes The saienge of