woorthy of mee Also in Deuteronomy the like thinges are written to the strengthning of our faith and loue toward God Deute 33. in these woordes They which saie vnto their Father or Mother I knowe thee not and haue not knowen their children these haue obserued thy commaundementes and haue kept thy testament For if wee loue God with all our hart wee ought not to preferre either parentes or children before God. Which thing S. Iohn also sheweth in his Epistle saying that Charitie and the looue of God is not in them whome we see to haue no regarde to doo good vnto the poore Hee that hath saith he worldly substance 1. Iohn 3. and hath seene his brother want and hath shut vp his compassion from him how doth the loue of God dwel in him For if God geue vsurie for the almes that is geuen to the poore and that whiche is geuen to the least of them is geuen to Christe there is no cause why a man shoulde preferre earthly thinges before heauenly or esteeme man more then God. So did that widowe 3. Reg. 17 mentioned in the thirde booke of the Kinges when after all her goodes consumed A notable example in the greate drought and famine she had made her of a litell branne and oyle that was yet lefte a lofe baked vnder the ashes to eate with her children and so to dye Helias came sodaynlie vnto her and desired some parte thereof to be first geuen him to eate and then shee and her children to feede on the reste For she neuer sticked to fulfill his requeste neither did shee though she were the naturall mother any iote preferre her children in that great hunger and penury before Helias But that she did in the sight of God which might please God. Readily and willingly was that offered whiche was required Neither of aboundance a porcion but of a litell the whole was geuen And an other man was first fedde before her owne hungrie and steruing children Neither did shee in that penury and famine thinke firste of her meate and then of the woorkes of mercy but contrary To the ende that while in a healthfull woorke the carnall life was contemned the sowle might spiritually be reserued and saued Helias vvas a figure of Christ Helias therefore bearing the figure of Christ and shewing that he rendreth to eche one for mercy bestowed a retorne of the like answered and said This saith our Lorde thy pot of meale shall not faile thee neither shall the oile in the cruse be diminisshed vntill the daie wherein our Lorde wil sende raine vppon the earthe And according to the truthe of Goddes promise the thinges whiche the widowe gaue were encreased and multiplied vnto her And for her merites and good woorkes of mercy receiuing increase and abondance her vessels of meale and oile were filled ful Neither did the mother in this case take from her children that whiche she gaue to Helias but much more profited her children by doing suche woorke of pitie and mercy Yet did not she know Christ neither had she heard his Commaundementes She was not redemed by his Crosse and passion that she might for the shedding of his bloud render him meate and drinke Whereby it maie appeare how much he whiche is of Christes Churche sinneth who preferring him selfe and his children before Christe doth keepe his riches and doth not communicate his plentiful patrimony with the pouertie of the needy A commō and daily Obiectiō soluted But thou wilt saie thou hast a great many children in thy house and the number of thy children perhaps doth hold thee backe from plentifull yelding of good workes Verely I saie that for this selfe same cause thou shouldest woorke the more bountifully Note vvel The moe children thou art the father of the more hast thou to entreat for at Gods hande The sinnes of many are to be redeemed the consciences of many to be praied for the sowles of many to be raunsomed As in this secular life the moe children thou hast to feede and to susteyne the greater is thy coste and charge so in the spirituall and heauenlie life the more stoare of children thou hast the more plentifull ought to be thy expence in good woorkes An Example So dyd Iob offer many Sacrifices for his children and according to the number of the children in his howse was the number of offeringes whiche he sacrificed vnto God. And bicause there coulde not want synne that dayly offendeth the sight of God dayly Sacrifices did not want whereby synnes might be wiped awaye This doth the Diuine Scripture prooue saying Iob a true and a iuste man had seuen sonnes Iob. 1. and three daughters and he cleansed them offering for them Sacrifices vnto God according to the number of them and for their sinnes one caulfe If therefore thou doo truely looue thy children if thou wilt yeelde vnto them abundant and fatherly sweetnesse of looue and charitie thou oughtest the more to woorke to the entent that with thy iuste and good woorke thou mayst commende thy children vnto God. Thinke not hym to be thy chyldrens chiefe Father who is but weake and feeble and to continue but for a tyme. Winne rather vnto them the fauour of that Father who is the firme sure and euerlasting Father of spirituall children Assigne vnto hym thy gooddes whiche thou keepest for thine heyres Let hym be the Tutor of thy chyldren Let hym be theyr Craynsire Let hym by his Diuine Maiestie be theyr Protector against all the iniuries of this woorlde We shold cōmit our patrimonye to God. The patrimonie that is committed to God neyther dothe the common wealth take awaye nor confiscation breake into nor false accusation or quarrell picte in lawe ouerthrowe In saftie is the inheritance layd vp whereof God is made the keeper This it is to prouide for our deere children in time to comme This it is by fatherly pietie to prouide for our heyres that shall be as the holy Scripture truelye testifieth saying Psal 36. I haue benne yonger and nowe anie wexen olde Yet did I neuer see the iust forsaken or his seed wanting bread All day is he mercifull and lendeth and his seed shal be blessed And againe He whose conuersation is without blame Prou. 20. and in righteousnes leaueth his sonnes blessed behinde him Hovv Fathers ought to prouide for their childrne Therefore thou art a deceiuer and a traiterous Father except thou doo faithfully prouide for thy children except with true and religious pietie thou doo in this sorte forsee to the preseruation of them Thou which laborest by earthly inheritance rather to betake thy children to the diuell then by treasure layed vp in heauen to commend then vnto Christe doost twise offende and committest a double fault Both in that thou doost not procure vnto thy children the healpe of God the Father and also bicause thou teachest them more to looue their patrimonie then Christe Be rather
riche in good workes easely to bestowe 1. Tim. 6. to geue parte to laie vp a good foundation against the time to come to the intente they maie gette the trewe life In all whiche places and many like God promiseth to suche as leaue their frendes or landes to suche as keepe his commandementes or geue almose for his sake life euerlasting And to declare more plainely Aug epist 105. De grat lib. arbit cap. 8. that he geueth it in respecte of wel doing and to recompence good workes life euerlasting saith S. Augustine in many places of holie Scripture is called a reward Christe saieth to his Apostles be glad and reioice bicause your reward is plentuouse in heauen And who so euer geueth one of the leaste of these a cup of colde water to drinke onely in the name of a Disciple Matt. 5. verely I saie vnto you he shall not lose his rewarde Matt. 10. Mar. 9. When thou makest a feaste call the poore the feeble the lame and blinde and happy shalte thou be that they be not able to requite thee Luc. 14. For it shal be requited thee in the resurrection of the iuste By the worde of requitall he promiseth rewarde and by the resurrection of the iuste the Kingdome of heauen The sentence that Christe shal geue in the latter day suffreth vs not to doubte but that the kingdome of heauen shall be geuen as a rewarde for good workes for he shall saie to them that stande on his righte hande Matth. 25 Come you blessed of my Father receiue the kingdome that was prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde Quibus meritis Aug. Ser. 49. de ver Dom. Chryso Hom. 41. in Gen. saithe S. Augustine For what desertes And Chrysostome Cuius gratia propter quid Why and wherefore For I was hungry and you gaue me meate to eate c. If Christe make good workes a cause of our saluation and geeueth the kingdome of heauen in respecte of them who shal be heard speaking to the contrary Hebre. 11. He that commeth to God must beleue that he is and that to suche as seeke him he is a rewarder The waie to seeke him Chryso hom 22. ad Hebr. Moral Aug. in Psal 76. Note vvel saie Chrysostome and S. Augustine is by deuont praier and good workes If we muste then as well beleue that God is a rewarder as that he is God sith he rewardeth nothing but vertue and well doing he that denieth him to be a rewarder of good workes beleueth not in effecte that he is God. For if he be God he is trewe of his promes and then wil he rewarde good workes as he hath promised Why good vvorkes be revvarded Lucae 12. And this being so no man needeth to aske how the workes of a Christian man shoulde come to that estimation with God to be rewarded with life euerlasting For as Christe saied to his Apostles Complacuit patri vestro dare vobis regnum It hath pleased your Father to geue you a kingdome Marke vvel God promiseth to revvarde good vvorckes euen so hath it pleased him to promes rewarde of that kingdome for good workes And he hath promised it that can not lie Vppon this ground standeth al that is saied and taught in the Catholike Church in commendation and rewarde of good workes Not that we of our selues can claime of him or chalenge him for our debter bicause we haue first giuen him but bicause he hath promised vs Debitor factus est c. God is become our debter Aug. Ser. 16. de ver Apost in Psal 32. conci 1 saith S. Augustine not by taking any thing of vs but by promising that whiche it pleased him for it is one thing when we saie to a man thou oweste me suche thinges as I haue geuen thee and an other thing when we saie thou oweste me bicause thou haste promised me Non possumus ergo ei dicere c. Ser. 31. de ver Dom. Rom. 11. We can not then saie vnto God rendre that thou haste receiued for who gaue him firste to be requited againe We can not saie Render that thou haste receiued but plainely we saie Render that thou haste promised Vppon this promise S. Paule saied I haue wrasteled well for the game 2. Tim. 4. I haue finished my race I haue kepte my faith For the reste the crowne of iustice is laide vp for me whiche our Lorde shall render vnto me in that day as a iuste iudge Although it came of mercie that God called S. Paule Galat. 1. 1. Tim. 1. and gaue him grace to doo good workes and to keepe his Faithe yet when S. Paule hath so done he saied that God of his iustice woulde render him the crowne Vppon this promes Ezechias and Nehemias praied God 4. Reg. 20 2. Esdr 5. to haue respecte to their life and to remember their well doing not as prowde men presuming of them selues but meekely acknowleging Psal 144. Psal 83. that God is faithefull and trewe in all his wordes and where he geueth grace he will also geue glorie and rewarde Matth. 2â— As he saieth vnto the laboroures Go into my vineyarde So he saieth also that whiche is iuste I will geue you No man goeth vnlesse he be called and yet who so euer laboureth faithfully and trewly when he is sente is assured of wages bicause it was promised Leo serm 4. de Collect vppon this promise Leo saied Cibus egeni regni coelestis est pretium largitor temporalium hares efficitur aeternorum The meate giuen to the needy is the price of the kingdome of heauen and the geuer of thinges temporal Matth. 13. Cypria de Elemo is made heire of the eternal S. Cyprian saith that Christe by the parable of the merchante who solde all his goodes to bie a preciouse pearle teacheth vs that with the quantitie of our patrimony we should purchase and bye euerlasting life August in Psal 147. And S. Augustine saith Viduae suffecerunt duo minuti nummi c. Two litle peeces of coine were inough for the wydowe to doo mercie two peeces of coine were inough to purchase the kingdome of God. A smalle price a man mighte saie for so greate a Iewell were not the bountie and liberalitie of God the owner who being Lorde of all hath sette suche a price vppon it and by his gratiouse and free promise hath bounde him selfe to performe it This is the trewe commendation which the Scripture and auncient Fathers geeue vnto good workes and these be the causes why Christian men should doo them They that say good workes serue to geue testimony and make declaration of our Faith and be commendable but haue no rewarde of grace here nor value of euerlasting life albeit they exhorte men to liue godly they maie commende and set forth good workes in wordes but they hinder the doing of them in
thinges also whereof we reioyce in other mennes doinges Let vs therefore most deerly belooued imbrace the blessed soundnes of moste sacred vnitie and let vs enter this solemne fast with an agreyng purpose and consent of wel disposed mindes Nothing is sowght of any man which is hard or sharpe neither is ought commaunded vnto vs which excedeth our forces either in chastesing our selues by abstinence or in large bestowing of almes Euery man knoweth what he is able and what he is not able to doo Let them selues waie their owne abilitie let them selues taxe themselues as they thinke reasonable to the ende that the Sacrifice of mercy be not offered with heauinesse or accompted among our losses or hinderaunce Let that be imployed in this charitable woorke whiche may iustifie the harte clense the conscience and which finally may both profit the taker and geeuer Happy truly is that minde and with admiration to be reuerenced which for the looue of wel doing doth not feare the decaye of his gooddes and mistrusteth not for his sake to geue of whome he receyued that which he geueth But for so muche as this magnanimitie is proper to fewe and it is also godly and full of piety that no man forsake the care of suche as he is charged with we not preiudicating or meaning to hinder the more perfit doo by this rule exhort you in generall that you accomplishe the commaundement of God euery man according to his portion and habilitie For it becommeth beneuolence to be chereful and so to temper it selfe in largesse that both the refection of the poore may reioyce therin and the houshold not be greeued for want of sufficiency But he that geueth seed to the sower 1. Cor. 9. will also geue bread to eate and will multiplie and increase the grayne of your righteousnes Let vs fast therfore the fourth and sixth daye of this weeke But on the Satterdaye let vs celebrate the Vigill together at the Monument of the most blessed Apostle S. Peter by whose merites and prayers we confidently trust the mercy of our God shall be bestowed vppon vs through Iesus Christe our Lorde who liueth and raigneth world without ende Amen Thus ende the Sermons of S. Leo Pope of Rome A SERMON OF ALMES DEEDES MADE BY THAT BLESSED MARTYR S. CYPRIAN Bisshop of Carthage in Afrike in the yeare of our Lorde 230. GREAT and manifolde most deerly belooued bretherne are the diuine benefits whereby the large and abundant clemency of God the father and Christ his Sonne hath wrought yet daily doth worke for our saluation As that the Father for the sauing and quickening of vs sent his sonne to restore vs and that the sonne would be sent and vouchesafe to become the sonne of man to make vs thereby the sonnes of God. He humbled him selfe to reise vp the people The benefits vvhich Christ hath bestovved vpon vs. that before laye ouerthrowen He was wounded to heale our woundes He became bond to drawe forth into liberty vs that were bond He indured to dye that dyeng he might geeue to mortall men immortalitie Great and manifolde are these giftes of Gods diuine mercy But yet what a prouidence is that howe great a clemency of Christe that by healthfull meane it is foreseene to our hand and prouided howe man once redeemed may the more fully be preserued For when our Lorde comming Christe a redemer and a lavv maker had healed the woundes which Adam had borne and cured the olde poisons of the serpent he gaue a law to man being healed and charged him to sinne no more lest by sinning of newe worse might fal to him thereof Then were we narrowly beset and brought into a great straight by hauing Innocency prescribed vnto vs. Then knewe not the infirmitie and weakenes of humane frailtie what to doo except the goodnes of God yet once againe helping had by teaching vs the woorkes of righteousnes and mercy opened a certaine way to keepe and preserue our health and saluation now gotten by wasshing awaie with almose deedes all suche what so euer filthe wee happen afterward to gather or to brede The holly Ghost speaketh in the Scriptures and saieth By almose deedes and faithe sinnes are purged Tobie 4. Not those sinnes which were before committed and growen vpon vs. For those are purged with the blood of Christe and * he meaneth Baptisme Eccles 3. sanctification Againe he saieth As water quencheth fier so dooth almose quenche sinne Heere is it also shewed and proued that as by the washing in the healthfull water the fier of hell is quenched so by almes and iust woorkes the flame of our offences is alayde and suppressed And for that remission of sinnes is once geeuen in Baptisme diligent and daily well working following after the manner of Baptisme doth againe enlarge vnto vs Gods pardon This also dooth our Lorde teache in the Gospell for when his disciples were noted that they eate and did not first washe their handes he aunswered and saied Lucae 11. He which made that is within made also that is without but geue you almose and beholde all thinges are cleane vnto you Teaching and shewing therby not so much the handes to be washed as the hart and the inward filth rather then the outward to be clensed For asmuch as he which hath clensed that is within hath also made cleane that is without and the mind being purged beginneth also to be cleane both in skinne and bodie But teaching and instructing farther by what meane we maie be made pure and cleane he added that almose must be don Him selfe being merciful teacheth and admonisheth that mercy be donne Hovv vvoundes after Baptisme maie be cured And bicause he seeketh to keepe whom he hath deerely bought he teacheth how such as are defiled after the grace of Baptisme may againe be purged Let vs therfore derely belooued bretherne acknowledge the healthfull gifte of Gods sauour and to the clensing and purging of our sinnes let vs who cannot be without some wound of cōscience cure our woundes with spirituall medicines Neither let any man so flatter him selfe of his pure and vnspotted hart that presuming on his innocency he thinke him selfe not to neede the applying of any medicine to his woundes considering that it is written Who shall glorie that he hath a chast hart or who shall glorie him selfe to be cleane from sinnes 1. Iohn 1. And againe when S. Iohn in his Epistle allegeth and saieth 1. Ihon. 1. If wee saie wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no truthe in vs. But if wee confesse our sinnes our Lord is faithfull and iust who will forgeue vs our sinnes Now if no man can be without sinne and who so euer wil say him self to be blameles is either prowd or foolish how necessary how gentle and bountiful is the mercy of God whiche knowing that euen the healed should not yet afterward want their wounds gaue helthful remedies to the new
deede Note Nouatus his heresy was that suche as fell into deadely sinne after their Baptisme coulde not be absolued by the prieste Cyprianus lib. 4. Epistola 2. neither restored to the Church againe but muste be lefte vnto Gods iudgemente and yet did he exhorte men to doo penance and satisfaction to waile and weepe night and day for theire sinnes S. Cyprian saith of him that he was Misericordiae hostis Cypria li. 1. epist 1. interfector poenitentiae The enimie of mercie the killer of penaunce bicause though he exhorted men to satisfaction and penance yet saith he Cypria li. 4. epist 2. He tooke away the medicine and remedie that came of satisfaction Operari tu putas rusticum posse c. Thinkest thou the husbandman can worke if thou say to him Trimme thy ground with all skill of husbandry plie thy tillage diligently but thou shalte reape no corne at haruest thou shalt haue no vintage thou shalt take no profite nor fruite of thy oileyearde thou shalt gather no apples of the trees As suche an exhortation to husbandrie were inough to discourage the good husband from his trauaile And as they killed penance saith S. Cyprian that tooke away the fruit of it Note euen so doo they hinder nowe a daies the dooing of good workes that commend them in wordes and take away the rewarde of them in deed Nemo enim sine fructu imperat laborem Pacia epistol 1. ad Sympronia for no man saith Pacianus enioineth labor without profite Neither is there any profite or rewarde that a true Christian man passeth vppon if it perteine not to life euerlasting for this life and all that belongeth vnto it he is taught to sette litle by Therefore the Church exhorteth al men to doo good workes but it keepeth not backe the liberall promise of life eternal which Christ hath annexed to them S. Paule saith be ye stedfaste and vnmoueable euer plentifull in euery worke of our Lord. And why 1. Cor. 15. Scientes quòd labor vester non est inanis in Domino Knowing that your labour is not idle in our Lorde And when he saith in our Lord he meaneth no temporall nor worldely rewarde It is not onely a comfortable saying Chrysost ho. 8. in Gen. but a trueth taught by the Scripture that a Christian man should directe all his doinges to serue God in hope of life euerlasting Lette vs not fainte and be wearie of well doing Gala. 6. saith S. Paule for we shall reape it in his time without fainting Heb. 11. This cogitation maketh men quietly and contentedly to beare aduersitie Moyses did chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to haue a pleasure of sinne for the time But what made him content so to doo Aspiciebat enim in remunerationem He loked to the rewarde Prima ib. in cap. 11. ad Hebr. Ita quando quisque aduersi aliquid patitur Euen so euery man when he suffereth any aduersitie should call to remembrance what rewarde he shall receiue thereby at Goddes hande The lacke of this cogitation maketh vs many times to fainte in well doing Chrysost hom 22. ad Hebr. Omnia nobis difficilia videntur All thinges seeme heard to vs saith Chrysostome bicause we haue not the remembrance of God. This cogitation maketh men contente to take vppon them a painefull kinde of life whiche otherwise they would flee De adulter cōiug lib. 2. cap. 20. Note S. Augustine saith that diuers being sodeinly taken and required to be Preestes whereby they muste liue chaste all theire liues were contente to doo it Sperantes se illustrius in Christi haereditate fulgere Trusting to shine the brighter in Christes inheritance This cogitation caused Martyrs willingly to susteine all paine and tormente Confessours to leade a vertuouse and straite life Virginnes to dispise worldelie pleasures of all whiche it may truelie be saied Aspiciebant in remunerationem They looked to the rewarde This hope maketh seruauntes doo good and true seruice to theire maisters in which sense S. Paule saith Quodcunque facitis ex animo operamini c. Coloss 3. What so euer ye doo doo it hartelly as it were vnto our Lord and not to men knowing that of our Lorde you shall receiue the rewarde of inheritance And when I speake this muche of good workes and of the rewarde due vnto them what workes I commende thou knowest good Reader by that which I haue saied in the 13. Chapter of the first Booke An answere to certeine obiections made against the rewarde of good workes THE XIIII CHAPTER BVT all this notwithstanding yet some lette not to say that the workes of faith which Christian men doo can not deserue rewarde of life euerlasting neither stande in Goddes iudgemente as well bicause they be vnperfite as also bicause no man liueth here withoute sinne and fewe without greate sinne and breache of some of the commaundementes Iaco. 2. and then is it written Who so offendeth in one is made giltie of all and thereby say they all our workes be infected and consequentely excluded from that greate rewarde To the firste pointe I answere Note vvel these tvvo kindes of perfection in iustice There be two kindes of perfection in iustice the one such as is in God the Angelles and that happie company of men who being presente with God enioy the sighte of the Deitie An other such as may be founde in men being yet Pilgrimes from God and liuing in this worlde In comparison of the first kinde of perfection no man is iuste neither any iustice of man be it neuer so exquisite and perfite can stande in the iudgement of God. In that respecte it is true Iob. 15. Ecce inter Sanctos eius nemo immutabilis coeli nō sunt mundi in conspectu eius Lo emong his Saints and holy none is immutable and the heauens in his sight be not cleane Mar. 10. So is it vnderstanded saith S. Augustine Nemo bonus nisi vnus Deus quia omnia quae creata sunt c. No man is good August de perfect iustitiae but onely God bicause all thinges that be created though God haue made them very good yet if they be compared with the Creator and maker they be not good with whom if they be compared they be not In the same sense is it said Non intres in iudicium c. Entre not into iudgement with thy seruaunt bicause no man liuing shal be iustified in thy sight This is meant by it saith S. Augustine Aug. vt suprà entre not into iudgement with thy seruant Noli me iudicare secundùm te qui es sine peccato Iudge me not after thy selfe who arte without sinne And where he saith no man shal be iustified he referred it to that perfection of iustice which is not in this life In the same manner doth S. Hierome expounde the place Li. 1.
saith he comme vnto life keepe the commaundementes When he had asked what commaundementes our Lord rehearsed to him the preceptes of the Lawe Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not cōmitte aduoultrie and so foorth Whereunto when he had aunswered that all these thinges he had done from his youth then did our Lord adde farther the precept also of perfection that selling all that he had and bestowing in almes on the poore he should haue treasure in heauen and follow the same Lord. Let them behold therfore and marke that it was not said vnto him he should beleeue and be baptised by which only helpe these men thinke a man may come to life but the preceptes of manners and workes were geuen vnto him which yet can not be kept or obserued without faith Neither bicause our Lord seemeth here to haue omitted the insinuacion of faith do we therfore prescribe and content our selues that only preceptes of manners should be opened to them that desire to come to life For both be mutually knit together as I said before bicause neither the loue of God can be in a man that loueth not his neighbour neither the loue of his neighbour in him which loueth not God. Therfore do we find that the Scripture doth somtime mention the one without the other now faith now workes eche for a ful and perfite doctrine to the end we may thereby vnderstand that one of them can not be without the other For why He that beleeueth God ought to doo that which God commaundeth and he that therefore doth bicause God commaundeth must of necessitie beleue God. That onely faith doth not suffice to saluation without good workes THE XIIII CHAPTER LET vs now therfore looke vnto that point The principall point of this Treatie and vvel to be marked which is to be beaten forth of all religious hartes least by a lewde securite they lose their saluatiō if they thinke onely faith to suffise to the obteining hereof and be negligent to liue wel and to kepe on in the way of God by good workes For euen in th'Apostles time some not vnderstanding certaine darke sentences of the Apostle Paul thought him to saie Let vs doo euil that good may come because he had saied the lawe entred Rom. 5. that offence might abound but where offence abounded there was grace the more abundant Which saying of S. Paule is true in this sense that menne receauing the lawe and most proudly presuming of theire owne strengthe and abilitie to kepe it not by right faith calling vpon the grace of God to ouercome their euil concupiscenses and lustes against the lawe were iustely burdened beside the transgressing of the lawe with moe yea and more greuous offences And so extreme gilt compelling them they fled to faith Psal 120. Rom. 5. Whereby they might deserue the mercie of pardone and helpe of our Lorde which made heauen and earth that charitie being thorough the holy Ghost powred in their hartes they might doo with loue those thinges which were commanded against the concupiscenses and lustes of this worlde Psal 15. Rom. 7. Hovv s Paule is to be vnderstanded according to that which was foresaid in the psalme their infirmities were multiplied and then they made hast Therefore where the Apostle saith He thinketh man to be iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe he meaneth not that after faith receiued and professed the workes of iustice should be contemned but that euery man may knowe that he may be iustified by faith This is meant of the first Iustification See the Treatie before though the workes of the Lawe haue not gonne before For they doo followe him that is iustified they go not before him that is to be iustified Of which matter I neede not farther to dispute in this present woorke Namely since I haue vppon this question alreadie sette forth a large booke which is intituled Of the letter and the spirit Note hovv olde the heresy is of only Faithe Bicause therefore this opinion was then euen in the Apostles time spronge vp the other Apostolical Epistles of Peter Iohn Iames and Iuda doo chiefly direct their intention and purpose against the same opinion so farre that they plainely * Therfore Luther thought good vtterly to reiect the Epistle of S Iames in his vvritinges against kinge henry the viij Galat. 5. 1. Cor. 13. Rom. 13. affirme faith without workes to profite nothing as Paule him selfe also defineth not euerie faith whereby a man may beleeue in God but that to be the healthfull and Euangelicall faith whose workes procede of Charitie that faith saith he which worketh thorough loue or Charitie For which cause also he sheweth the same faith which some men thinke to suffise vnto saluation to be so farre from profiting any whit that he saith If I haue all faith so as I may remoue mountaines and yet haue not Charitie I am nothing But where this faithfull Charitie woorketh there without doubt is good life For the fulnes of the Lawe is Charitie Wheruppon to make the matter plaine Peter in his second epistle where he exorteth vnto holinesse of life and woorkes and foreshewed that this world should passe away but new heauens and new earth was to be loked for which shall be geuen to be inhabited of the iust that they might hereby take good hede how they liued to become mete and worthy of that habitation knowing that out of certaine darke sentences of S. Paull some lewde personnes had taken occasiō to be carelesse of wel liuing Note as being sure of their saluation which is in faith said that certeine thinges there were in S. Paules Epistle most hard to be vnderstanded which men did peruert euē as they did other scriptures to their owne destruction whereas yet the same Apostle Paul thought no doubt of the euerlasting saluatiō which is not geauen but to good liuers euen in suche sorte as the other Apostles did Peter I say knowing this 2. Pet. 3. saieth as foloweth All these thinges then perishing of what sorte ought ye to be in holy conuersations and woorkes of pietie expecting and hastening to the presence of the day of our Lorde by the which the heauens burning shal be losed and the elementes by the heate of fier dissolued But we looke for according to his promisses newe heauens and a newe earth wherein iustice inhabiteth VVherefore most deerly beloued sins you looke for these thinges labour that ye may be found before him sounde and without spot in peace and thinke the patient expecting of our Lorde to be healthful vnto you euen as our deerest beloued brother Paul wrote vnto you according to that wisedome which was geuen vnto him speaking of these thinges in manner in all his Epistles wherein are some thinges harde to be vnderstanded which vnlearned and wauering persons doo peruert euen as the rest of the Scriptures to their owne destruction You therefore deerly beloued now foreknowing these thinges be
vnto them It is more daungerous for a man that hath receaued the faith to liue vngodly therein then though he had neuer come to the knowledge of it THE XXV CHAPTER FOR the holy Commaundement in this place is not to be vnderstanded that cōmaundement whereby wee are commaunded to beleeue in God though in that all be conteined if wee meane that faith of beleuers which woorketh through looue Gal. 5. But he openly expresseth there what he called the holy Commaundement For sith that whereby we are commaunded that departing from the vncleannes of this world wee should liue in chaste conuersation For thus he saith 2. Pet. 2. If hauing gone from the filthines of this world into the knowledge of our Lord Iesu Christe the Sauiour of vs all they being againe wrapped and entangled therein be ouercomed the latter are become to them worse then the firste He saieth not departing from the ignorance of God or departing from the infidelitie of the worlde or suche lyke but from the filthines of the worlde wherein verely is comprised all vncleannes of filthy vices For of these speaking afore he sayeth Banqueting togeather with you and hauing theyr eyes full of adultery and of continuall sinne Therefore also doth hee calle them Drie springes that is to saye springes bycause they had receaued knoweledge of oure Lorde Christe but Drie bicause they liued not accordingely Iudas the Apostle speaking also of suche saith Iudae These be they whiche doo without feare banquet together with you feeding them selues beeing spotted in your Charitable almoese Feastes clowdes without water c. For those whome Peter nameth Banqueters together with you hauing their eies full of adultery those doth Iudas call spotted persons without feare banqueting with you and feeding them selues in your Charitable almoese Feastes For they are mingled with the good in the banquetes of the Sacramentes and in the almoese geeuen to the poore And that whiche Peter calleth a drie spring 2. Pet. 2. Iudae Iac. 2. that doth Iudas name clowdes without water and that dothe Iames terme a deadde faieth The transitorie paine of fyer therefore is not promised to suche as leeue filthilie and wickedly bycause they haue knowen the way of Iustice For the infallible scripture witnesseth Matt. 12. Luk. 11. It had bene better for them not to haue knowen it For oure Lorde also speaking of such saith And the last of that man shall be woorse then the first bycause that not receauing the holy Ghost which should haue dwelt in the house of his cleansed soule he made the vncleane spirit returne thereinto with more company Except perhaps these of whom we now treat be to be accompted better bycause they did not returne to the vnclennes of adultereis from the which they neuer departed neither being purged did againe defile them selues but refused to be purged at all For neither doo they vouchsafe that they may enter into Baptisme with a lightned conscience so much as to cast out by vomit their old vnclennes which after the manner of dogges they may take vppe againe but stubbornly contend to keepe their vndisgested wickednes in their rawe stommake euen amidde the holines of the funte of Baptisme Neither doo they with so much as a feined promise hide the same but belk it forth by impudent profession and auowing thereof Neither doo they goinge foorth of Sodome Gene. 19. looke backe againe like Lothes wife but vtterly disdaine once to go forth of Sodome nay they labour with the iniquities of Sodome to enter into Christ Paule the Apostle saith I which was before a blasphemer 1. Tim. 1. a persecutor and an iniurious personne but I haue gotten mercie bicause in incredulitie and vnbeleefe I did it ignorantly But to these it is Euen so is it likevvise tought in these our daies bie Luther Caluin and the rest of the nevve Religion now saied then chiefly shall ye get mercy if being euen in the faith yee doo wittingly liue ill It is to longe and almost an infinite matter to gather al the testimonies of scriptures wherby it appereth that their case which leade wittingly a lewde and wicked life is not onely not more easy or likely to finde pardon then they which doo it ignorantly but also euen for that cause much more perilous and greeuous Therefore let these suffice The life of a Christian man ought to be aunswerable vnto his Baptisme and standeth not onely in saying but also in doing THE XXVI CHAPTER LET vs therfore diligently take hede with the helpe of our Lorde God that wee make not men lewdly carelesse or secure saying vnto them that if they be baptised in Christ how so euer they liue in the faith they shall come vnto eternal saluation Neither let vs so make Christians as the Iewes made Proselites to whom our Lord saieth woe be vnto you scribes and Pharaseis Matth. 23 See vvhether men become not novve Protestāts as by the Pharisees they became proselites Iohn 3. for ye goe about sea and land to make one proselite and when ye haue made one ye make him double more the child of hel then your selues are But let vs rather holde in both the sounde Doctrine of God our Master and let a Christian mans life be consonant to the holy Baptisme neither let eternal life be promised to any man if either of both want For he that saied Except a man be borne againe of water and the holy Ghost he shall not enter into the kingdom of heauen he saied also Matt. 5. Except your righteousnesse doo abound abooue that of the scribes and Pharisees ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heauen For of them he saieth Matt. 23. Scribes and Pharisees sit in the chaire of Moises doo as they saie but not as they doo For they saie and doo not Their righteousnesse therefore is to saie and not to doo and by thys saying he woulde haue our righteousnesse to be abooue theirs The difference betvvene a Pharisee and a good Christian man in his life that is both to saie and to doo Which if it be not there is no entry for vs into the kingdom of heauen Not that any man ought so to extoll him selfe I will not saie in boasting him selfe to others but not so muche as with him selfe to presume to thinke that he is in this life without sinne Verely if there were not euen among Christians some vices so greeuous that they were to be pounished euen with Excommunication the Apostle would not haue saied Notorious and infamous Crimes 1. Cor. 5. 2. Cor. 12. Assembling your selues together and my Spirite with you geeue suche a man vppe to the Diuel into the destruction of his flesh that his soule maie be safe in the daie of our Lorde Iesu Whervppon he also saieth I feare least I shal be driuen to lament when I come and to mourne for many of those whiche haue sinned before and not done
curing and healing againe of those woundes Finally deerely belooued brethern the worde of God hath neuer ceased hath neuer bene silent but in the holy Scriptures bothe olde and newe alwaies and in al places hath stirred Gods people to woorkes of mercy the holie Ghost still crying out and exhorting vs that who so euer is instructed to the hope of the Kingdome of heauen should doo almose deedes God willeth and commaunded Esaie saying Crie out strongly and spare not Esaie 58. Lifte vp thy voice as a trumpet and shewe foorthe vnto my people their sinnes and to the house of Iacob their iniquitees And when he had commaunded theyr sinnes to be vpbrayded vnto them and when he had vttered their wickednes with full force of indignation and had saied that they could not with praiers or fastinges satisfy for their sinnes no nor appease the wrathe of God though they should be wrapped in asshes and shertes of heare yet in the last part shewing that God might be appeased only by almose dedes he added this saying Ibidem Breake thy bread vnto the hungry and the nedy wanting harborough leade into they house I thou see one naked cloth him and the houshold of thy kinne doo not despise Then shall thy light breake foorthe in timely season thy health shall soone appere and iustice shal goe before thee and the brightnesse of God shal cōpasse the round about Then shalt thou cry out and God shal heare thee and while thou art yet speaking shall saie vnto the Beholde I am at hande Thus we see that remedies to winne Gods fauour were geeuen by Gods owne woordes And what sinners ought to doo Gods instructions haue shewed and taught Againe that by iust woorkes satisfaction is made to God that sinnes are purged by merites of mercy wee reade in Salomon also Eccles 29. Close vppe thine almose saith he in the bosome of the poore and he shall praie and entreate for thee against al ill And againe Prouer. 21 He that stoppeth his eares not to heare the weake and needy him selfe shall call vppon the Lorde and shall not be heard For he can not deserue the mercy of our Lorde whiche is not him selfe mercifull or obtaine of Gods fauour any thing in his praier who is not gentill to the praier of the oorep This also doth the holy Ghoste declare and proue in the Psalmes Psal 40. saying Blessed is hee that hath regarde to the needy and poore Our Lorde shall deliuer him in the euill daie Whiche preceptes Daniell hauing in minde Daniel 4. when the Kinge Nabuchodonosor being feared with a terrible dreame boiled in great anguishe of minde he gaue him remedie for the turning awaie and mitigating of those euils by obtaining God his helpe saying Therefore ô King let my counsel please thee redeeme thy sinnes with almose deedes and thy vnrightuousnes with mercy on the poore and God shall be mercifull ouer thy sinnes To whome the Kinge not obeying suffered the terrours and aduersities whiche he sawe in his dreame whiche yet he might haue escaped and auoided if hee woulde haue redeemed his sinnes by almes deedes Also Raphael the Angell dooth witnesse the lyke and exhorteth that almes be willingly and bountefully geeuen Raphael Angelus saying Praier is good with fasting and almes for almes deliuereth from death and it purgeth sinnes Hee sheweth that our praiers and fasting be of the lesse force if they be not helped with almes deedes and that praiers alone are of littell efficacie to intreate vnlesse they be filled vppe and helped with the adioyning of deedes and woorkes Praiers vvithout vvorkes are of small force The Angell dooth reuele open and testifie vnto vs that our praiers are made effectual by almes deedes that by almes life is redeemed from perill by almes soules are deliuered from death Neither doo we derely beloued Brethern so auouch these thinges but that wee shall with the very testimony of Truth it selfe confirme that which the Angel Raphael hath saied In the actes of the Apostles we haue good proofe hereof and by a fact done we plainly finde that soules are by almose deliuered not onely from the second death of hell but also from the first death of this present life Tabitha being a wooman much geuen and addicted to good woorkes and dooing of almose when by sickenes she had departed this life Peter was sent forth vnto the dead carcas whoo when readely and gently as it becomed the mekenesse of an Apostle he was come thither there stood about him a sorte of widowes weeping and intreating him and shewing vnto him the clokes coates and all other the clothing which they had before receaued of her making sute for her being dead not so much by their woordes as by showe of her owne woorkes The good intention helpeth muche praier Peter perceiued that the thing in suche sorte sued for might be obtained and that the helpe of Christe would not want at the sute of the widowes since him selfe was also clothed in the widowes Therefore when kneeling downe vpon his knees he had praied and as a fitte aduocate had vttered and sent vp vnto God the praiers made vnto him by the widdowes and the poore turning then to the bodie which being wasshed lay alreadie vpon a borde he said Tabitha arise in the name of Ihesu Christ Neither did he faile Peter but straight way gaue helpe who in the Ghospell had saied that what soeuer were asked in his name should be graunted Death therefore was suspended life retourned and the reuiued body restored quicke to light all the company muche maruailing and being not a little astonnied thereat Of suche force were the merites of mercy of suche value and power were good workes Merites of vvorkes Shee that to the needy widowes had geuen reliefe and succour of life deserued at the praiers of the widowes to be restored to life The teacher therefore of oure life and the maister of our eternall saluation geeuing life to the people beleeuing and prouiding for euer for them on s brought to life doth emong his diuine commaundementes and heauenly preceptes in the Ghospell will and charge nothing more often then that wee should continue and persist in geuing almose that wee should not lie and grouell vpon our earthly possessions but rather hearde vppe to our selues some heauenly treasures Sell your goodes saith hee and geue almose And againe Lay not vppe to your selues treasures vppon earth Luc. 12. where mothe and rust spoileth and decaieth and where theeues digge vp and steale but heape vppe vnto your selues treasures in heauen where neither mothe nor rust doth consume and where theeues do not breake vp and steale for where thy treasure is there will also thy hart bee And when he woulde teache one that had obserued the lawe howe he should be perfite he saied If thou wilt be perfite goe and sell all that thou hast and geue it to the poore and thou shalt haue treasure