we are iustified by it cleauing fast in vs the selfe same is the Iustice of God bicause it is powred into vs by God through the merite of Christe Neither is that to be omitted in this place that although there be so much ascribed vnto good woorkes in the holie Scriptures that Christe promiseth euen to him Matth. 10. that shall geaue a draught of colde water to one of his litle ones that he shall not lacke his rewarde and the Apostle witnesseth that that tribulation of ours which in this present life is but short and light 2. Cor. 4. woorketh in vs an euerlasting weight of glorie high aboue measure yet God forbid that a Christian man should either trust or glorie in him selfe and not in our Lorde whose goodnes is so great towardes all men that he will haue those thinges to be their merites which are his owne giftes And bicause we offende all in many pointes euerie man ought to haue before his eies like as his mercie and goodnes euen so his seueritie and iudgement neither ought any man to iudge him felfe although he knowe nothing by him selfe bicause all the life of men is to be examined and iudged 1. Cor. 4. by the iudgement not of man but of God who shall bring to light the hidden thinges of darkenes and make manifest the counsels of hartes Matth. 16 Rom. 6. and then shall euerie man haue his commendation from God who as it is writen shall render to euerie man according to his woorkes After this Catholique Doctrine touching Iustification the whiche vnlesse euerie man receiue faithfully and firmely he can not be iustified it hath pleased the holie Councell to adioine herevnto these Canons to the entent all men maie knowe not onely what to holde and folowe but also what they ought to auoide and flee THE CANONS OF THE SAME SESSION TOVCHING IVSTIFICATION THE FIRST CANON Note Reader the doctrine of the Catholike Churche is not as heretikes do slaunder it IF anie man saie that a man maie be Iustified before God by his owne woorkes whiche are done either by the power of mannes nature or by the doctrine of the lawe without the grace of God through Iesus Christe Accursed be he THE SECOND CANON IF anie man saie that the grace of God is geauen through Iesus Christe to this ende onely that man maie with the more facilitie liue iustly and deserue life euerlasting as though he were able by free will without grace to perfourme both the one and the other thowgh hardly and with difficultie Accursed be he THE THIRD CANON IF any man saie that man is able without the preuenting inspiration of the holie Ghoste and aide of the same to beleeue to hope to loue or to repent so as it behoueth that the grace of Iustification be geuen vnto him Accursed be he THE FOVRTH CANON IF anie man saie that mannes free will moued and stirred of God woorketh nothing together with him by assenting vnto God stirring and calling whereby he may dispose and prepare him selfe towardes the obteining of the grace of Iustification and that he can not dissent if he will but that being as a thing without life he doth nothing at all but beareth him selfe as a thinge that suffreth only Accursed be he THE FIFTH CANON IF anie man saie that mannes free wil is lost and extinguished after the sinne of Adam or that it is a thing of a title only or rather a title without a thing finally if any man saie that it is a deuise brought into the Church by Satan Accursed be he THE SIXT CANON IF anie man saie that it is not in the power of man to make his waies euyll but that God woorketh euyll woorkes euen so as he doth the good not only by permission but also properly and by him selfe in so much that the treason of Iudas be no lesse the proper woorke of God then the calling of Paule Accursed be he THE SEVENTH CANON IF anie man saie that all woorkes which are done before Iustification by what meanes so euer they be done are verily sinnes or that they deserue the hatred of God or that a man the more earnestly he endeuoureth to dispose him selfe to grace the more greuously he doth sinne Accursed be he THE EIGHTH CANON IF anie man saie that the feare of hell by the which feare we do flee vnto the mercie of God in sorowing for our sinnes or els absteine from sinning is sinne or that it maketh sinners the worse Accursed be he THE NINTH CANON IF anie man saie that the wicked is iustified by faith only meaning thereby that there is nothing els required which should worke withall towardes the atteining of the grace of Iustification and that it is in no wise necessarie that he be prepared and disposed by the motion of his owne will Accursed be he THE TENTH CANON IF anie man saie that men are iustified without the iustice of Christe by which he hath deserued for vs or that they are iust by the same iustice of Christ * Formaliter formally Accursed be he THE ELEVENTH CANON IF anie man saie that men are iustified either by the only imputation of Christes iustice or els by the only remission of sinnes excluding grace and charitie which is powred in their hartes by the holy Ghost and is inherent in them or also that the grace by the which we are iustified is only the fauour of God Accursed be he THE TWELFTH CANON IF anie man saie that the iustifying faith is nothing els but an affiance of the mercie of God forgeauing sinnes for Christes sake or that that affiance is the only thing by the which we are iustified Accursed be he THE THIRTENTH CANON IF anie man saie that to atteine the remission of sinnes it is necessarie for euery man to beleeue assuredly and without casting anie doubt of his owne infirmitie and indisposition that his sinnes are forgeauen him Accursed be he THE FOVRTENTH CANON IF anie man saie that a man is absolued from his sinnes and iustified for that that he beleeueth assuredly that he is absolued and iustified or that no man is truly iustified but he which beleeueth him selfe to be iustified and that by this beleefe onlie Absolution and Iustification is perfited Accursed be he THE FIFTENTH CANON IF anie man saie that a man being borne againe by Baptisme and iustified is bownd by faith to beleeue that he is assuredly in the number of the predestinate Accursed be he THE SIXTENTH CANON IF anie man saie of an absolute and infallible certaintie that he shall assuredly haue that great gifte of perseuerance vntil the ende vnlesse he haue learned it by special reuelation Accursed be he THE SEVENTENTH CANON IF anie man saie that the grace of Iustification cometh not but only to such as are predestinate to life and that all others which are called are onely called but do not receiue grace as who were by the power of God predestinate to
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
A TREATIE of Iustification Founde emong the writinges of Cardinal Pole of blessed memorie remaining in the custodie of M. Henrie Pyning Chamberlaine and General Receiuer to the said Cardinal late deceased in Louaine Item certaine Translations touching the said matter of Iustification the Titles whereof see in the page folowing Prouerb 4. Ne declines neque ad dexteram neque ad sinistram Turne not aside to the right hande nor to the lefte RESPICITE VOLATILIA COELI ET PVLLOS CORVORVM LOVANII Apud Ioannem Foulerum Anno. 1569. CVM PRIVILEGIO Beside the Treatie of Iustification in this Volume are comprised these Translations First the Sixte Session of the Generall Councell of Trent whiche is of Iustification with the Canons of the same Session Item a Treatie of S. Augustine that famouse Doctour by him entituled Of Faith and VVorkes Item a Sermon of S. Chrysostome Of Praying vnto God. Item a Sermon of S. Basil Of Fasting Item certaine Sermons of S. Leo the Great of the same Argument Last of al a notable Sermon of S. Cyprian that blessed Martyr Of Almes deedes All newly translated into English by Thomas Lorde Coppley The Preface to the Reader AS all Scripture inspired by God is profitable to teache and instructe in rightuousenes 2. Tim. 3. to the ende that a godly man maie be perfecte instructed to al good woorkes so is there no pointe or article thereof more expediente for a Christian man to seeke more necessary to find and know more comfortable rightly to vnderstand and more profitable to remember and practise then is the trewe and right knowledge of his Iustification and the maner how the same is atteined We are sure by the Scripture that a wicked man and his wickednes bothe like are hateful vnto God Neither can there be looked for any other thing Sap. 14. then heauy punishement and iust damnation where the anger and displeasure of God is vnpacified once iustely deserued and not taken awaie by some meanes to his contentation We doubt not also but that all men are borne naturally the children of anger that is to saie Ephes 2. in Gods displeasure and indignation as branches of a condemned stocke a thral kinde and bonde race of one man Rom. 5. by whom sinne entred into the world and by sinne death and so wente through all in whome all haue sinned And what can be so pleasaunt to a captiue as to vnderstande truely the way and meanes of his deliuerance or so comfortable to a person bonde and thrall as to know not onely how he maie be made free but also how he maie be brought in speciall fauor with his Lorde by whom onely he must liue or els perish Finally how he maie be made a childe a sonne Ephes 2. and heire to him vnto whom he was a stranger before And bicause no man 1. Ioan. 1. be he neuer so rightuouse and iuste Aug. de ciuitate Dei. li. 21. cap. 16. Galat. 5. Ioan. 5. Cypria de Elcemos liueth here without sinne and fewe there are of that happy estate that fal not into damnable and mortal sinne the doers whereof shall not possesse the kingdome of God sith also a law is appointed vs by our Physition that once made vs hole who saied Thou arte made hole nowe sinne no more we were as S. Cyprian saieth driuen to â—â—arowe straite hauing a precise lawe of innocency prescribed vnto vs neither coulde the weakenesse of mannes frailtie tell what to do if God of his mercy had not appointed a waie and meane how man that by sinne falleth from iustice after his Baptisme may be restored to rightuousnes and iustice againe Further it suffiseth not a Christian man to be made rightuouse and to be set in the state of iustice vnlesse he continewe and perseuere in the same Matth. 24 for he shal be saued that continueth vnto the ende Also he muste increase in rightuousenes Apoca. 22 Leo Sermon 8. de passio Do. for so the Scripture teacheth vs Let him that is iuste be yet iustified for trewely is it saied Quantumlibet quisque iustificatus sit habet tamen dum in hac vita est quo probatior esse possit melior Qui autem non proficit deficit qui nihil acquirit non nihil perdit Euery man be he neuer so much iustified yet maie he while he is in this life be more tried and better and who so encreaseth not faileth and goeth backeward and he that getteth nothing loseth somewhat For whiche causes it behoueth vs not onely to knowe how we are made iuste and rightuouse but also how we be restored to Iustice when we fal and how we maie continewe and increase in rightuousenes when we be restored and finally attaine to saluation and glory which is the ende of Iustification and without the which all Iustification in this life auaileth nothing but rather turneth to a heape and increase of our damnation bicause as Oecumenius saith Oeco in 2. cap. Iaco. Like vnprofitable seruantes we receiue our maisters mony and make no gaine thereof that is to saie we receiue his grace in vaine This being vnderstanded 2. Cor. 16. how necessary and profitable the knowledge of this Article is and seing also that a man runne he neuer so fast yet if he runne out of the way he neuer commeth to the right end of his iourney to the intente thou be not induced to iudge amisse in so greate a matter and to thee so necessary I haue Christian Reader with the hope of Gods helpe indeuoured my selfe to laie before thine eies particularly as briefely and plainely as I coulde the maner of our Iustification in Christ with the circumstances belonging to the same Grounding my selfe chiefely in al pointes through the Treatie vpon the Scripture and holy Worde of God. 2. Petr. 1. Aug. lib. Confess 12 cap. 25. And bicause the same neither is nor ought to be of any mannes priuate interpretation for he that goeth abowt to drawe it to his owne priuat sense shall be depriued of it I haue taken suche construction thereof as the holy Ghost hath deliuered and taught his Church and suche as the auncient Fathers of sundry ages and places agreeing togethers haue lerned in the Church and vttered in their writinges to teach other Emong whom I haue especially and moste of all other folowed the auctoritie of S. Augustine as wel for that he hath writen most largely of this matter as also bicause suche as be of the contrary parte in moste credite Luthe Philip. Melan. Calui Institut cap. 18. 1. Tim. 3. and haue written in this time confesse that in the Doctrine of the Churche he is a moste faithefull declarer of antiquitie Intending therby to discharge my selfe as teaching nothing but that I haue learned in Goddes Church the state and piller of truthe and geeuing thee thereby good occasion I trust readily to beleue that thou shalt heere reade But as I haue declared vnto thee that the right knowledge of this pointe concerning
our Iustification is to a Christian man most necessary and comfortable so must 〈◊〉 aduertise thee that the mistaking and wrong vnderstanding thereof Aristo Ethic. is most dangerouse For as the Philosophers saie that euery vertue is besette of eche side with a vice contrary to it so S. Augustine writeth that the true Doctrine of Iustification Aug. in Praesa Psal 31. hath of eche side of it a deepe and dangerouse fall so that who so goeth out of the streight waie thereof on the right or lefte hand falleth downe hedlong and casteth awaie him selfe Into the one danger and of the one side they fall that presume of themselues thinking to be iustified by them selues by their owne strength and rightuousnes without the helpe and grace of God. August suprà Of them he saith Si se in audaciam quandam c. If a man lift him selfe vppe vnto a boldenes of presumption and presume of his owne strength and iustice and purpose in his minde to fulfil iustice and to doe all that is commaunded in the lawe offending in nothing and thinke to haue his life in his owne power that he slide no where faile no where stumble no where see darcke and dymme nowhere and attribute this to the power of his owne will although peraduenture he fulfil al things that seeme iust in mennes sight so that nothing be founde in his life that may be blamed of menne yet God condemneth the very presumption and vaunting of pride The other hedlong fall is on the contrary side and into it suche men fall as pretending their owne infirmitie and weakenes do no good deedes and trust and presume onely to be saued by Gods grace and mercie though they liue vngodly of whome also S. Augustine saith in the same place Si se infirmitati c. August vbi suprà If a man yelde himselfe vppe to his owne weakenesse fully and wholy and bende himselfe to this cogitation to say bicause the mercy of God is readie for all sinners vnto the ende in what so euer sinnes they continue if they beleue that God deliuereth God forgeueth so that no wicked men that haue faith and beleue shal perish that is to say none of them shall perish that say to them selues what so euer I doe with what so euer outrages and shamefull dedes I be distained sinne I neuer so much God of his mercy deliuereth mee bicause I haue beleued in him he then that saith no such menne perish by that euil thinking is moued to sinne freely And the iust God vnto whom mercy is songe and iudgement not mercy onely but iudgement also findeth man yll presuming of him selfe and abusing Gods mercy to his owne destruction and of necessity such a one must be damned And somewhat after that he saith Quid igitur fit What shall we then doe If a man iustifie him selfe and presume of his owne iustice he falleth If a man considering and thinking upon his owne weakenesse and presuming of the mercy of God haue no care to cleanse his owne life of his sinnes and drowne him selfe in all the goulfe of lewd doinges he falleth also Presumption vppon his owne iustice is as it were the right hand The thinking that sinnes escape vnpunnisshed is like the left hand Let vs heare the voice of God saying to vs Turne not aside to the right or left hand Prouer. 4. Presume not to come to the kingdome by thine owne iustice presume not to sinne through the mercy of God. These be good Christian Reader the two perilouse and deadly daungers that men may fall into if they doe not rightly vnderstande the true doctrine of Iustification Whiche falles being so dangerouse God graunt all men carefully to eschew Wherin to helpe thee iudge vprightly I haue taken in hande this trauaile trusting by Gods grace so to leade thee Via Regia that is in the true and high waie that thou shalt not nede to fall of either side if thou wilt vprightly waie and with the feare of God consider such thinges as thou shalt finde here alleaged And bicause I can not hope to atteine any good much lesse so great a good but by his geuing of whom commeth al good I wil beginne with the prayer which S. Augustine intending to preache of the same matter made desiring thee to pray for mee as he did his hearers for him selfe Primùm infirmitatem meam c. First of al saith he I commende my weakenesse to your prayers Ephes 6. as the Apostle saith that woordes may be geauen me in opening my mouth so to speake vnto you as it be not perilouse for me to speake and may be holesome for you to heare And this request I make vnto thee Gentle Reader not onely for mine owne sake who neede the same but for thine also that thou maist perceiue howe great helpe and assistance thou needest at Gods hand for thy parte if thou wilt profitably reade or speake of this matter of whiche so vertuouse and excellently learned a Bishop thought him selfe not able nor meete to speake without the healpe of godlie prayers A BRIEF TREATIE OF MANS IVSTIFICATION THE FIRST BOOKE VVhat is meant by the worde of Iustification And what degrees perfect Iustification and saluation hath in it THE FIRST CHAPTER RIGHT order of teaching requireth that sithens mine intent is to shew how a man is iustified I shoulde first declare what is meant by the worde of Iustification Three degrees of Iustification in Scripture Rom. 4. of which the holy Scriptures seme to speake after three sortes and manners The first kinde is called the Iustification of a sinfull or wicked man of which S. Paul speaketh saying Credenti in cum qui iustificat impium reputatur fides ad iustitiam Faith is reputed for iustice vnto the partie that beleueth in him which iustifieth the wicked Whiche wordes S. Augustine expounding saith To iustifie the wicked In exposi quarund propos ex epistola ad Rom. Aug. in Psal 7. in ep 120. Rom. 8. is as much to saie as to make of the wicked a godly man. And in an other place he saith When a wicked man is iustified of wicked he is made iust And sith all Iustification commeth of God Deus est qui iustificat It is God that iustifieth of these places and manie other that might be alleaged to this purpose we may gather and saie that Iustification in this kind is the gifte of God whereby a wicked or sinfull man is made godlie and rightuouse An other degree or manner of Iustification the Scripture also acknowlegeth Apoc. 22. saying Qui iustus est iustificetur adhuc Let him that is iust be iustified yet And let him that is holie be yet made holier And in an other place Non impediaris orare semper ne vetêris vsque ad mortem iustificari Eccle c. 18 quoniam merces Dei manet in aeternum Let nothing let thee to praie euer and let nothing forbid thee to be iustified
effectual faith for he beleued not God nor kepte that faith whiche S. Cyprian calleth fidem mandati De simplicitate pralator the faith of his commandement It was said vnto him by God him selfe of the tree of knowlege of good and ill Thou shalt not eate what day soeuer thou eate of it thou shalt assuredly dye He disobeied that commandement and did the contrary He waied so lightely the souereigne loue which he owed vnto God aboue all things Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 14. cap. 13. that either for his owne pleasure or for the contentation of his wife he was soone induced to folow his owne wil and to leaue Gods wil vndone He cast aside the hope that he should haue reposed in God Gen. 3. and beganne to put affiance in him selfe harkening to the serpentes woordes Eritis sicut Dij ye shal be like Goddes He lost the vertue of temperance desiring the meate that was forbidden and therby vnlawful for him to eate And hereby was he berefte of wisedome and vnderstanding falling into such ignorance that of him selfe he was not able to knowe the highest and trewe good Prosper vbi suprà Aug. de Corrept grat cap. 11. He was lefte without counsell and strength and fel into such weakenes that where by his creation he was of so free and strong will that it was in his power to continewe in grace if he had and would and not to sinne excepte he would thorough his faull he was made weake and vnhable of him selfe to doo any good Thus dranke he the poyson of all vices infecting and poisoning his owne nature and thereby all that descended of him Rom. 5. Per vnum hominem peccatum for by one man sinne came into the world and by sinne death and so wente it through all men in whom all sinned Ephe. 2. Rom. 6. Thus were al men by birth made naturally the children of angre And by sinne the enimies of God. Seing therefore that this is mannes estate and condition of his owne nature and sithens also we knowe that the Sonne of man came to seeke and saue that was loste Luc. 19. to repaire that was in man decaied to renewe and restore him againe to the estate of iustice if we wil dispute what thinges are requisite in him that is to be iustified we must of consequence say Rom. 4. that he is made iust and rightuouse vnto whom firste God pardoneth sinne And further vnto whom of his bountifull mercie he restoreth the good and heauenly qualities that were planted in Adam vnto whom he inspireth faith continencie charitie wisedome and vnderstanding counsel and strength with other vertues which Adam lost in whom God restoreth his image and likenes which by sinne was defaced and decaied To make the matter more plaine let vs lay before our eies the example of a man deadly sicke in al the principal partes of his body as the harte the head A Similitude the liuer and the lunges whom if a physition cure of the payne in his head and of the passion of the harte yet can he not be called a whole man vnlesse the other partes be cured also For he maie els die neuerthelesse by obstruction of the liuer or putrifaction of the lunges Euen so the sowle being generally infected and mortally wounded in all her principall partes and powers requireth likewise a perfect cure of eche parte without the which it can not be said vnto man touching his sowle Ioan. 5. Ecce sanus factus es Lo thou arte made a whole man. There be emong others two principall and souereigne powers of the sowle Tvvo povvers of the soule the one called reason and vnderstanding the other will by the which the image of God is specially represented in man for that he hath them singularly and alone aboue all beastes and other creatures so long as the same be rightly ordered that is to say so long as he vnderstandeth without error and willeth nothing but good all his doinges be godly and him selfe a heauenly creature and a liuely Image of God. Bothe these were infected and corrupted in Adam his reason and vnderstanding yelded to thinke it good for him to take his pleasure of a vaine and corruptible meate forbidden by God though he shoulde die for it his will assenting therevnto strake the stroke and put it in execution Bothe the same therefore muste be healed in man before he can be recouered of that plage For neither can he doo good vnlesse he be rightely informed and taught to knowe what is good neither is it ynough for him to knowe what is good vnlesse he haue a righte and good will to doo it See the 2. Chapter Hovv the Image of God is restored in man. Aug. de Ciuitat Dei li. 14. cap. 9. Ethic. 1. cap. 1. Aug. de Ciuita Dei. li. 11. cap. 28. The medicine to heale mannes corrupte reason and vnderstanding is right faith For if reason be subiecte to faith and the vnderstanding ruled by it there can be no error in his iudgement But the salue to cure mannes wil and affection is specially right loue which is called Charitie Quia rectus est amor eorum omnes affectiones rectas habent sayth S. Augustine Bicause their loue is right they haue all affections righte For sithe mannes will and affection naturally desireth good if it can be induced to loue that whiche is trewely good it is made perfecte and straight if it loue amisse it is crooked and ill For as S. Augustine saith Ita corpus pondere sicut animus amore fertur quocunque fertur So the body is caried with weight as the minde is caried with loue whether so euer it is caried For what he loueth he willeth and what he willeth being not inforced or lette that he doth Neither can it be trewely saide that reason and vnderstanding being healed by faith Luca. 12. maketh the will whole For we know by the wordes of Christ that a seruant may know the wil of his Master and yet doo it not And the cause why he doth it not Aug. de Ciuitate Dei. li. 11. cap. 28. knowing it is but the lacke of will to doo it Neque enim vir bonus meritò dicitur qui scit quod bonum est sed qui diligit Neither is he worthely called a good man whiche knoweth that is good but whiche loseth it And thereby doe we see that will and affection may be diseased and disordered when reason and vnderâ—tanding is healed And so the man not whole when reason by faith is healed If I should saie no more then is alreadie said yet might the Reader wel perceiue what is required to the Iustification of a sinner I haue declared that Adam being created in perfect iustice by his sinne loste the same and â—l other men in him Rom 5. 1. Cor. 15. Luc. 19. and that Christ as a newe Adam to satisfie for the offence of
thee without thy knowledge he iustifieth thee by thy wil. And in an other place he saith further That Christes worke in our Iustification is our woorke That Christe woorketh it not without vs that we woorke togeather with Christ our owne Iustification and saluation Credenti in eum qui iustificat impium Tract 72. in Ioan. To the beleuer in him that iustifieth the wicked faith is accompted for iustice In this woorke we doe the woorke of Christe For the very beleefe in Christe is Christ his worke This he worketh in vs Philip. 2. but assuredly not without vs. And alleaging the place of S. Paule that willeth vs with feare and tremblinge to worke our owne saluation he saith Operante in se Christo By Christes working in man togeather with Christe man worketh his owne saluation euerlasting and Iustification Eusebius Emisse ho. 9. de Pasc And this God worketh in vs not onely to commend his mercie but also to shewe his iustice Iusto ordine qui per calliditatem Iust order requireth saith Eusebius that man who by the subtil crafte of the malitiouse serpent was not forced but seduced to his destruction should be againe by the wisedome of a louing redemer not compelled but lead to saluation and he that semed to haue fallen by his owne wil should be repaired againe by his owne will that there might be place for vertue and rewarde Therefore he pulleth him not awaie by force but rather by iust good will inuiteth and instructeth him to lyfe for the louing gentlenes of the prouoker longeth for the merite of the agreer and the fauour of the most curteouse Physition requireth the consent of his sicke patient What can be more plainely saied then this Man is iustified by his owne free will. He geueth his assente and agreement vnto it He getteth merite and rewarde by his assente This is the righte teaching of Christes Churche neither to derogate from Goddes grace nor to pull away mans seruice in our saluation The holy Ghost saith Philip. 2. it is God that worketh in you both to will and to doo The holie Ghost faith also in the same place with feare and trembling worke your owne saluation Non est volentis Rom. 9. neque currentis c. It is not in the willer nor in the runner but in God that taketh mercy And yet saith S. Augustine Enchiri cap. 32. Proculdubio si homo c. Without doubt if a man be of suche age that he is once able to vse reason he can not beleue hope nor loue vnlesse he will neither can he come to winne the price of the high callinge of God vnlesse he runne with his will. How is it then neither in the willer neither in the runner but in God that taketh mercy but after this sorte bicause the very wil it selfe as the Scripture saith is prepared by God By this order is our saluation wrought Neither God worketh it alone without man neither man without God can atteine to any degree thereof God firste prepareth the will and maketh it meete to serue him and the will directed and holpen by grace is able to doo all good And by this rule faith and workes saith S. Augustine are both the giftes of God and faith and workes are both the doinges of men Retract Li. 1. ca. 23 Vtrumque nostrum est propter arbitrium voluntatis vtrumque tamen datum per spiritum fidei charitatis vtrumque ipsius est quia ipse praeparat voluntatem vtrumque nostrum quia non fit nisi volentibus nobis Either of bothe is ours for free willes sake and yet either of bothe is geuen by the spirite of faith and charitie Either of bothe is his bicause he prepareth the wil and either of both is ours bicause it is not done but by our will. Psal 134. Though God by him selfe doo all that liketh him in heauen and in earth yet hath it pleased him to aduance man to that dignitie as to make him a worker together with him in his owne saluation 1. Cor. 3. Aug. in Psal 77. Non solùm operatur remissionem peccatorum The grace of God doth not onely worke remission of sinnes but also maketh the spirite of man a worker with him selfe in the doing of good workes Quando enim cum spiritu Dei operante c. For when with the working of Gods spirite the spirite of man worketh together then is that fufillled which God hath commaunded And by this doo we see what free will worketh in Iustification First it is saued deliuered and prepared by grace Then doth it ioine and worke together with God. It worketh the same thing that God worketh It beleueth It hopeth It loueth It runneth and getteth the price of the heauenly calling It fulfilleth the lawe God standeth at the dore knocking and it openeth God openeth the eare Aug. de spiri Lit. ca. 30. Apoca. 3. Esai 50. Ephes 2. 2. Cor. 5. and it doth not gainesaie him nor goeth backewarde God inspired good thoughtes and willingly it executeth them God prepareth good workes and it walketh in them It liueth not nowe vnto it selfe but Christe liueth in it and it liueth vnto him that died to saue it And thus farre haue I spoken of Iustification which is the reconciliation of a sinner whereby as S. Paule saith we haue accesse to God and of wicked are made rightuouse especially by grace through the Sacrament of Baptisme and other giftes of God before rehearsed without any workes of iustice going before to deserue the same That suche as fall into sinne after Baptisme be iustified by penance againe and what penance is required of them THE XI CHAP. IF such as haue receiued the Sacrament of Baptisme Of Penance and thereby remission of all sinne coulde keepe them selues in that happie estate of innocency and vprightnes there were no neede to say any more in this argument For al men that liue this day in Christian Regions were christened in their infancie and by their Baptisme made heires in hope of euerlasting life Tit. 3. But if there had ben none other prouision made for man but once to saie vnto him Ecce sanus factus es Lo thou arte made whole Ioan. 5. Cypria de elcemo Gen. 8. nowe sinne not leste some worse happe fall vnto the. We had ben driuen to a narowe straite neither coulde mannes frailety tel what to doo who being prone to ill euen from his youth was in daunger by sinne to lose Gods grace and then to stande without hope of remedie For this cause God hath prouided penance Chrysost Ho. 27. in Gen. Quam humano generi nostro ob ineffabilem misericordiam suam concessit Whiche throughe his vnspeakeable mercy saith Chrysostome he hath graunted vnto mankinde which benefite he accompteth so greate that in an other place he reckeneth it emong the most excellent giftes that euer God bestowed vppon man saying Chrysost Ho. 34.
men are workers together and helpers with God. To these we geeue commendation and that none otherwise then the holy Scriptures and auncient Fathers doo The Catholike doctrine slaūdered And hereby the Reader maie see how vntrewly it is saide that the Catholike Doctrine teacheth men to presume of their owne workes or to thinke they be able to doo well without the grace of God yea howe farre they are that so saie from knowing what good and godly workes are A briefe rehersall of so much as hath ben hitherto saide in this Treatie of Iustification THE XIIII CHAPTER IN the Preface of this treatie after that I had shewed howe profitable and necessary the trewe knowledge and doctrine of Iustification was I did by the wordes of S. Augustine put the Reader in minde of two great daungers In Psal 31. which that most learned and godly Father calleth hedlong falles sayinge that who so speaketh of this matter vnlesse he keepe the streight high waie going neither to farre on the righte hande nor on the lefte may easily fall him selfe or bringe his hearer into one of them The one perill is the presumption of mans owne iustice to thinke that he maie be iustified and liue godly without the helpe of grace which danger he saith is as it were on the right hande The other perill is the presumption vppon Gods mercy to thinke that a man though he liue ill dooing no good workes yet shal be saued by faith that peril he saith is as it were on the lefte hande To shewe the good Christian Reader who desireth to go the streight way howe he may auoide bothe daungers the falling into either whereof is the losse of life euerlasting I haue taken this trauaile in hande wherein I trust I haue nowe saide inough to keepe him from the daungerouse fall on the righte hande hauing declared at large howe litle cause man hath to presume of his owne iustice who descending of the corrupte race of Adam borne in sinne and in daunger of the diuell hath no hope to aspire to the state of iustice whiche Adam loste to him selfe 1. Timo. 2. and for all vs but onely by mercie of the mediatour of God and menne the man Iesus Christe who gaue him selfe a raunsome for all by whose grace we are freely iustified Rom. 3. Ephes 2. without respecte of any good woorkes going before or deseruing that mercy at his handes I haue shewed that the chiefe and original cause of our Iustification was the exceding loue of God Ephes 2. who when we were deade in sinne gaue vs life againe in Christe The cause that procured vnto vs the benefite of our Iustificatiō to be the merit of Christs death Rom. 6. who died for vs when we were sinners Colos 1. pacifiyng by the bloud of his Crosse all that is in heauen or in earth I haue declared that our Iustification is wrought in vs by grace and atteined by faith through the feare of God hope charitie penance and the Sacrament of Baptisme And this much haue I said of the first degree of our Iustification Ro. 5. whereby we haue accesse to comme to this grace making with the Scripture and aunciente Fathers for plainer vnderstanding three degrees of our Iustification and saluation The seconde and thirde degrees of our Iustification whiche are increase of iustice in this life and perfiting thereof in the life to comme I haue proued to be gotten and obteined by faith and good workes I haue also declared that not only faith the feare of God hope charity and penance but also our good workes and all thinges any waie helping to our Iustification be the giftes of God and made ours by the assent and working of our free will which is first healed and made strong by grace and the speciall helpe of God. And bicause no man liueth without sinne and fewe without greate and mortall crimes whereby the grace of Iustification is loste I haue shewed that the waie to recouer it againe is by the Sacrament of penance which is also the gifte of God for that he moueth a sinner to change and amende his life Math. 3. and to doo the worthy fruites of penance without the whiche motion no man euer did profitable penance And thus haue I proued that all Iustification in euery māner commeth from God and is receiued and wrought in man through grace 1. Cor. 3. by his owne will and consent whom it hath pleased God to haue a worker together with him not empeyring thereby but muche auancing his owne glorie for that he is meruelouse Psal 67. not onely in him selfe but also in his holie Rom. 3. And so haue I truely and faithfully excluded al boasting of man in him selfe geuing glory to God. For I haue so set forth the free wil of man and commended good workes that the indifferent Reader may truly say Omnia ex Deo. 2. Cor. 5. All is of God to th ende that who so vanteth and boasteth 1. Cor. 1. may vante and boaste in God. THE SECOND BOOKE DECLARING THE SECOND DANGER Howe daungerouse it is for a man to presume only vpon Gods mercy and to doo no good workes THE I. CHAPTER August in prafatio Psalm 31. HAVING thus shewed the waye to auoyde the one daunger whiche is on the righte hande and playnely declared that no man is iustified by him selfe nor hath to presume of him selfe bicause it auayleth a man nothing to eschewe one peril and to perishe by an other contrarie to it that is as the Poete saieth to escape Charibdys and be drowned in Sylla Augu. de fid et operib c. 14. Iam illud videamus c. Let vs nowe consider that other pointe whiche muste be shaken owt of good and religiouse hartes leaste putting cocke in the hoope by an yll securitie and carelesnes they lose their saluation if they thinke faithe onely fufficiente to obteyne it and take no care to holde them selues in Gods waye by doing good woorkes By whiche woordes S. Augustine moneth vs to auoide the other daunger on the lefte hande of presuming in Gods mercy alone Willing no man to thinke he may be saued by faith and beleeuing onely if hauing tyme thereunto he neyther lyue godly nor doo good woorkes And this perill is so muche the more to be wayed and carefully to be eschewed bicause as he saieth in the same woorke that is the moste daungerouse opinion of all August de fid opeca 27. whereby menne are made beleeue that lyue they neuer so lewdely and shamefully yea and continue in that kinde of lyfe yet if they doo no more but beleeue in Christe and receyue his Sacramentes they shall come to euerlasting life I cal this with S. Augustine the moste daungerouse opinion of al bicause it is the greateste enemy of godly life and good woorkes without the whiche no man shal be saued For he that putteth affiance in good life and
vitae quae nunc est futurae Godlinesse is profitable to al purposes hauing promise of the life that nowe is and the lyfe to come In this life godlinesse hath promise to directe faith and leade her to the vnderstanding of the Ghospell Ioan. 7. If a manne will doe his will that sente me saieth Christe he shal knowe of my doctrine whether it be of God or I speake of my selfe Iacob 2. Eccles 7. Good woorkes make faith perfite Thou seest saieth S. Iames of Abraham that faith was ioyned with his woorkes and by his woorkes faith was perfited They confirme and strengthen charitie Be not lothe to visite the sicke for by suche doinges shalte thou be made strong in loue Eccles 7. Good woorkes breede in vs a stronge hope and affiance in God. Almes shall be a greate affiaunce before God the highest Tobi. 4. vnto all that doe it He saieth not it shall be onely a declaration of faith before menne but a greate affiance before God. 1. Tim. 3. Deacons that serue well gette them a good degree and muche affiance in faith whiche is in Christe Iesus Whereby we vnderstande that good workes do not onely nurrishe hope but also strengthen faith And as S. Augustine saith Ser. 16. de ver Apos Quae spes nisi de aliquae conscientiae bonitate What hope can there be but vppon some goodnesse of conscience So a conscience vsed and confirmed in well doing is full of affiance and hope S. Paule saieth to the Hebrewes who had ben charitable to suche as were imprisoned and also loste their owne goodes for Christes sake Hebr. 10. Lose not your confidence and affiance which hath great rewarde He saith that their good woorkes had not onely bredde a stronge hope and affiance to them but also that the same should haue a great rewarde And here let the Reader learne how strong hope and affiance in God is to be gotten Prayer is but one of the woorkes commended by Christe of which Chrysostome saith vitam piam oratio conciliat conciliat am auget Prayer bringeth a godly life Chrysost Tom. 5. de â—râ—Ì„d DeuÌ„ and increaseth it when it is gotten fasting watching and prayer make vs stande and perseuer in goodnesse and defende vs from yll Haec sunt nobis arma coelestia Cyprian lib. 1. ep 1. c. These be vnto vs heauenly armour that make vs stande and perseuer strongly these be spirituall municions and weapons geauen of God whiche defende vs. Almes an other of the workes which Christe commendeth is a bulwarke and defense bothe of faith and hope Solatium grande credentium c. Holesome woorking is a great comforte of the beleeuing a forte of our safetie Cyprian de elemo the buckler of hope the defence of faith the medicine of sinne Fasting almes and prayer ioyned togeather be meanes to heale our sores to get the fauour of God to put away the penaltie due to sinne to auoide the Diuell Curandis laesionibus quas saepe c. Leo ser 4 de ieiu 10. men To cure the hurtes which often they fal into that with the inuisible enemie haue conflict the medicine of three remedies is specially to be laide In earnest prayer in chastisment of fasting in liberal almes When these be exercised togeather God is made fauourable gilte and fault is put out and the tempter is beaten downe These auncient Fathers said not thus much of their owne heades but as they had learned of the Scripture so they spake Daniel said to Nabuchodonosor Peccata tua eleemosynis redime Dan. 4. iniquitates tuas misericordijs pauperum Ransome thy sinnes with almes and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore By mercie and faith sinnes are purged Prouer. 15. 16. Tobi. 4. Luc. 11. by mercie and troth iniquitie is ransomed Almes deliuereth from all sinne and from death and suffereth not the sowle to goe into darkenesse Geue almes and all thinges are cleane vnto you Neither doth God hereby take away his owne prerogatiue which is to remitte sinne but prouideth for mans weakenesse many remedies Note and by sundrie waies inuiteth him to enioye remission of sinne of all whiche remedies God him selfe is the Author and geuer And so haue we not many Sauiours but one Sauiour which geueth many helpes and waies of saluation To suche as doe workes and vse the grace of God increase of grace is promised Matth. 25 Theophilact ibid. Omni habenti dabitur To euery man that hath that is to saie that vseth his giftes there shal be geuen There is no difference noted betwene the good and yll seruaunt but that the good increased in that he had receiued The slouthful and yll had no more at the time of the accompte then he receiued the firste daie By good workes our election and calling is made sure as in this life it may be assured 2. Pet. 1. Satagite vt per bona opera c. Earnestly endeuour by good woorkes to make sure your calling and election By good workes we grow and increase in Christe Ephes 4. veritatem facientes c. By doing truth in charitie let vs growe in all thinges in him who is Christe our heade 1. Pet. 2. Deponentes omnem malitiam c. Laying aside al malice and all guile false semblance enuie and detraction as children newly borne couet after reasonable and spiritual milke that therby ye may grow to saluation S. Paule and S. Peter saie that by true and charitable doing by leauing vice and folowing a new and innocent life we increase in Christe and grow in saluation These be the benefites and commodities that Christian men may take by good woorkes in this life 1. Direction of faith 2. Perfiting of the same 3. Increase of charitie 4. Strength of hope and affiaunce in God. 5 The getting of a good life and increase thereof 6 Strength and defence againste sinne and the Diuell 7 Pardone of penaltie due vnto sinne 8. Turning away of Gods iust and deserued plague 9 Growing in Christ 10 Increase of grace to saluation The promises that good woorkes haue concerning the life to come be no lesse then life it selfe euerlastinge Euerie man faith our Sauiour that shall leaue house Matt. 1â— or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or landes for my names sake shall haue againe an hundred times as muche and shall inherite life euerlasting Esai 56. God promiseth by his Prophete that who so euer keepeth his leage he will bring him to his holy hill And in the Euangeliste Christ saith of his commaundementes Hoc fac viues Luc. 10. Doo this and thou shalte liue He biddeth vs geue almose saying make you selues frendes of the mucke of iniquitie Luc. 16. that when you shall faile they may receiue you into euerlasting tabernacles Bid the riche men of this worlde doo wel saith S. Paule to be
sort that when God toucheth the harte of man by geuing vnto it the light of the Holie Ghost neither may the man him selfe do nothing at all when he receuieth that inspiration for he hath power also to caste it away and refuse it neither yet can he without the grace of God of his owne free will moue him selfe to iustice before God. Whereupon in the holie Scriptures when it is said Be you turned vnto me Zacha. 1. and I will be turned vnto you We are put in minde of our libertie When we answere Turne vs O Lord vnto thee Thren 5. and we shal be turned we do confesse that we are preuented by the grace of God. The manner of our preparation THE VI. CHAPTER VNTO this same iustice are men disposed whiles being stirred vp and holpen by the grace of God they conceiue faith by hearing and are freely moued towardes God beleeuing such thinges to be true as are by God reueled and promised and that especially that the wicked is iustified by God through his grace through the redemption which is in Christe Iesus And when they vnderstand them selues to be sinners turning them selues from the feare of Gods iustice wherewith they are profitably shaken to cōsider the mercie of God they are raised vppe into hope trusting that God wil be mercifull vnto them for Christes sake and so beginne they to loue him as the fountaine of al iustice and therfore are moued against sinnes through a certeine hatred and detestation that is through suche penaunce as is behouefull to be done before Baptisme finally when they purpose to receiue Baptisme they are moued to beginne a new life and to keepe the commaundementes of God. Of this disposition it is writen Hebr. 11. he that commeth vnto God must beleeue that he is and that he is a rewarder to those that seeke him Matth. 9. Againe Be of good comfort sonne thy sinnes are forgeuē thee Eccle. 1. Againe The feare of God driueth out sinne Againe Actor 2. Do you penance and let euerie one of you be Baptized in the name of Iesus Christe to the remission of your sinnes and you shall receiue the gifte of the holie Ghost Againe Luc. 24. Go ye therefore and teach all nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost teaching them to keepe what so euer thinges I haue commaunded you 1. Reg. 7. Finally Prepare your hartes vnto God. VVhat the Iustification of the wicked is and what the causes of it are THE VII CHAPTER AFter this disposition or preparation the Iustification it selfe foloweth which is not onelie the remission of sinnes but also a sanctifying and renewing of the inward man through the voluntarie receiuing of grace and giftes whereby man is made of vniust iust of an enemie Ephes 1. a friend that he maie be the heire of life euerlasting according to hope The causes of Iustification Of this Iustification the causes are these The cause final is the glorie of God and of Christe and life euerlasting The cause efficient is our mercifull God who doth freely clense and sanctifie sealing and annointing vs with the holie spirite of promise Ephes 2. which is the pleadge of our inheritance The cause meritorious is his most deere the onlie begotten sonne our Lord Iesus Christ who when we were ennimies for the exceding great charitie wherewith he loued vs hath deserued Iustificatiō for vs through his most holie passion on the tree of the Crosse and hath made satisfaction vnto God the father for vs. The cause instrumental is the Sacrament of Baptisme which is the Sacrament of faith without the which no man euer atteined Iustification Last of al the only cause formal is the iustice of God Not that iustice by the which God him selfe is iust but that by the which he maketh vs iust by the which when it is geauen vs frō God we are renewed in the spirite of our mind and we are not onely reputed iust but we are named iust and are iust in deede receiuing iustice in our selues eche man his according to the measure which the holie Ghost geaueth to ech particular man as his will is and according to the proper disposition and working of euerie man together with the holie Ghost For although no man can be iust but he to whom the merites of the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ are communicated yeat in this Iustification of a wicked man it is done whiles by the merite of the said most holie passion Rom. 5. through the holie Ghost the charitie of God is powred abroade in the hartes of those that are iustified and cleaueth fast in them Wherupō in Iustificatiō man receiueth with the remission of sinnes all these thinges faith hope and charitie powred in him together by Christe in whom he is ingraffed For faith vnlesse hope come vnto it and charitie neither doth it perfectely vnite a man vnto Christe neither doth it make him a liuely member of his bodie By reason whereof it is most truly saied that Faith without woorkes is dead and idle Iacob 2. Gal. 5. Againe In Christ Iesus neither to be circumcised nor to be without circumcision auaileth any thing but Faith that worketh by charity This Faith do the Catecumens require of the Churche according to the tradition of the Apostles before they receiue the Sacrament of Baptisme when they require that Faith that geaueth life euerlasting the whiche life faith can not geaue without hope and charitie Wherevppon they heare this saying of Christe foorthwith pronounced vnto them If thou wilt enter vnto life keepe the commaundmentes Matth. 19 And thus do they receiue a true and Christian iustice the whiche being geauen vnto them by Christ Iesus as the first stole in place of that which Adam lost both to him selfe and to vs through his disobedience such as are regenerated in Baptisme are by and by commaunded to keepe white and vnspotted that they maie bring it before the iudgement seate of our Lord Iesus Christ and so receiue life euerlasting How it maie be vnderstanded that the wicked is iustified by Faith and freely THE VIII CHAP. Rom. 5. Gratis NOVV whereas the Apostle saieth that man is iustified by faith and freely those wordes are to be taken in that sense which the continual agreement of the Catholike Churche hath alwaies holden and expressed which is that we be said to be therfore iustified by faith bicause faith is the beginning of mannes saluation the foundation and roote of all Iustification Hebr. 11. without which it is impossible to please God and to come vnto the felowship of his children And that we be said to be therefore iustified freely bicause none of those thinges whiche go before Iustification whether it be faith or woorkes deserueth the grace of Iustification Rom. 11. For if is be grace then is it not by woorkes otherwise as the same Apostle
saieth grace were not then grace Agaiast the vaine affiance of Heretikes THE IX CHAPTER AND although it be necessarie to beleeue that sinnes neither are neither haue ben at anie time forgeuen otherwise then freely by the mercie of God for Christes sake yet muste we say that sinnes neither are nor haue ben forgeuen to anie man that boasteth of an affiāce and certaintie of the forgeuenes of his sinnes and resteth vpon it only For so much as this affiance which is vaine and farre wide from all godlines maie be and is in our time emōgest heretikes and schismatikes set foorth and mainteined against the Catholike Church yea and that with earnest contention Neither is that opinion to be holden that such as are truely iustified must without all doubte in the worlde make them selues assured that they are iustified and that no man is absolued from his sinnes and iustified but he which beleeueth certainly that he is absolued and iustified and that absolution and Iustification is made perfecte by this belefe onely as though he that beleeued this doubted of the promises of God and of the efficacie of the death and resurrection of Christ For as no godlie man ought to doubt of the mercie of God of the merite of Christ and of the vertue and efficacie of the Sacramentes so euerie man when he looketh vpon him selfe and considereth his owne weakenes and indisposition maie stand in doubt and feare of his owne grace for so much as no man is able to know by certaintie of faith such as is infallible that he hath atteined the grace of God. Of the increase of Iustification after it is receiued THE X. CHAPTER Ephes 2. Psal 13. 2. Cor. 4. THEY therefore that are thus iustified and made the frendes and of the houshold of God going from vertue to vertue are renewed as the Apostle saieth from daie to daie that is to say by mortifying the members of their flesh and by yelding them as the armour of iustice to sanctification by keeping the cōmaundementes of God and of the Churche they growe in this iustice which they receiued by the grace of Christ faith woorking together with good woorkes and so they are iustified more and more as it is writen He that is iust let him be further iustified Apoc. 22. Eccles 18. Iacob 2. and againe Be not ashamed to be iustified euen vnto death and againe You see that man is iustified by woorkes and not by faith only This increase of iustice doth the holy Church aske of God when she praieth thus Geaue vs O Lord increase of faith hope and charitie Of the obseruation of the commaundementes Of the necessitie and possibilitie thereof THE XI CHAPTER NO man be he neuer so much iustified ought to thinke him selfe to be discharged from the keeping of the cōmandementes no man ought to vse that talke which is both rash and forbiddē of the holy Fathers vnder paine of excōmunication Note that the cōmandements of God are impossible to be kept of a man being iustified For God cōmaundeth not thinges impossible but by cōmaunding he warneth thee both to do what thou canst and to aske of him what thou canst not do and so doth he helpe that thou maist be able to do 1. Ioan. 5. Matth. 11. whose cōmandementes are not heauie whose yoke is sweete and burden light For they that are the sonnes of God do loue Christ Ioan. 14. and such as do loue him do as he him selfe witnesseth keepe his wordes the which thing vndoubtedly they are able to performe with Gods helpe For although men in this mortal life be they neuer so holy and iust do some time fal at the lest into certaine light and dailie trespasses which are also called veniall sinnes yet do they not for that cease to be iust For this is the voice of iust men both humble and true forgeaue vs our trespasses Matt. 6. Wherfore the iust ought to thinke them selues so much the more bownd to walke in the waie of iustice to the end that being now deliuered from sinne and made seruantes vnto God Tit. 2. they maie liue soberly iustly and godly and so go foreward by Christ Iesus by whome they haue had accesse into this grace For God forsaketh not such as are once iustified by his grace vnlesse he be first forsaken of them No man ought therfore to flatter him selfe in onlie faith thinking that he is made an heire and that he shall obteine the inheritance for faith onlie although he suffer not with Christ that he maie be glorified with Christ Hebr. 5. For euen Christ him selfe as the Apostle saieth for all that he was the sonne of God yet did he learne by such thinges as he suffered obedience and when he was perfited he was made to all suche as were obedient vnto him the cause of euerlasting saluation Wherefore the Apostle warneth such as are iustified saying 1. Cor. 9. Know you not that suche as runne in the race they runne all together but one receiueth the price So runne ye that you maie laie hand on the game I therefore do so runne not as for an vncertaintie I do so fight not as one that beateth the aier but I do chastice my bodie and bring it into bondage lest peraduenture when I haue preached vnto other men I maie become a cast away my selfe In like manner speaketh the chiefe of the Apostles S. Peter 2. Pet. 1. Do your endeuour to the vttermost that ye maie by good workes make your calling and election certaine for in so doing you shall not sinne at anie time By the which places it is euident that those men do impugne the Doctrine of the true and Catholike religion which saie that the iust man sinneth in euery good worke at the lest venially or that he doth which is more intolerable deserue euerlasting damnation It is also manifest that they do impugne the true and Catholike doctrine which do determine that the iust do sinne in all their woorkes if in the same good woorkes in stirring vp their owne sluggishnesse and in cheering them selues to runne in the race they do principally respect this that God may be glorified and withal do looke vpon the euerlasting reward for so much as it is writen Psal 118. I haue inclined my hart to do thy iustifications for the rewardes sake Hebr. 11. and the Apostle saieth of Moises that he looked vpon the rewarde That the rash and presumptuous opinion of predestination is to be eschewed THE XII CHAP. NO man so long as he is in this mortall life ought to presume so far of the secret mysterie of Gods predestination as to saie assuredly that he is in the number of the predestinate as though this were true that a man being once iustified either coulde not sinne any more or els if he do sinne that he should assure him selfe of amendement for vnlesse it be by special reuelation it can not be knowen whom God
euil Accursed be he THE EIGHTENTH CANON IF anie man saie that the commaundementes of God are impossible to be kept euen of a man that is iustified and in the state of grace Accursed be he THE NINETENTH CANON IF anie man saie that there is nothing commaunded in the Ghospel besides faith that al other thinges are indifferent neither commaunded nor yet forbidden but free or that the ten commaundementes do nothing apperteine to Christian men Accursed be he THE TWENTETH CANON IF any man saie that a man being iustified and neuer so perfecte is not bound to the keeping of the commaundementes of God and of the Churche but onely to beleeue as though the Gospell were a bare and absolute promise of life euerlasting without anie condicion of keeping the commaundementes Accursed be he THE XXI CANON IF anie man saie that Christe Iesus was geauen by God vnto men onely as a redeemer whome they should trust and not also as a lawe maker whome they should obeie Accursed be he THE XXII CANON IF anie man saie that a man being iustified either maie without the speciall helpe of God perseuere in the Iustice receiued or that with the saied helpe he can not perseuere Accursed be he THE XXIII CANON IF any man saie that a man being once iustified can sinne no more nor leese grace and therfore saie that he which falleth and sinneth was neuer truely iustified or contrariwise that he maie in all this life auoide al sinnes euen venial sinnes vnlesse it be by special priuilege of God as the Churche holdeth of the blessed Virgin Marie Accursed be he THE XXIIII CANON IF any man saie that iustice receiued is not conserued and also that it is not augmented before God by good woorkes but that the Woorkes them selues are the frutes onely and signes of Iustification already gotten and not a cause of the same to be augmented Accursed be he THE XXV CANON IF any man saie that the iust sinneth in euerie good woorke at the least venially or which is more intolerable mortally and therefore deserueth euerlasting damnation and that he is not damned for that onely bicause God doth not impute those woorkes to damnation Accursed be he THE XXVI CANON IF any man saie that the iust ought not for the good woorkes whiche haue ben done in God to looke and hope for the euerlasting reward from God through his mercie and the merite of Iesus Christ if they shal continue euen vntill the ende in well doing and in keeping the commaundementes of God Accursed be he THE XXVII CANON IF any man saie that there is no sinne mortall vnlesse it be the sinne of infidelitie or that grace once receiued is lost for none other sinne be it neuer so grieuous and enormeouse excepte it be by the sinne of infidelitie Accursed be he THE XXVIII CANON IF anie man saie that when grace is lost by sinne faith is alwaies lost withal or that faith which remaineth is not true faith although it be not liuelie faith or els that he which hath faith without charitie is not a Christian Accursed be he THE XXIX CANON IF anie man saie that he whiche hath fallen after Baptisme can not rise againe by the grace of God or that he maie rise againe but so that he recouer the iustice loste by onely faith without the Sacrament of penauncee as the holie Romaine and vniuersall Churche taught by Christ our Lord and his Apostles hath til this daie professed kept and taught Accursed be he THE XXX CANON IF anie man saie that after the grace of Iustification receiued the fault is so forgeauen to euerie penitent sinner and the gilt of the euerlasting paine taken away in such sorte that there remaineth no gilt of temporall paine to be paied either in this worlde or els in the worlde to come in purgatorie before the way may be set open to the kingdome of heauen Accursed be he THE XXXI CANON IF anie man saie that a man being iustified sinneth whiles he woorketh well in respecte of euerlasting rewarde Accursed be he THE XXXII CANON IF anie man saie that the good woorkes of a man instified are so the giftes of God that they are not also the good merites of him that is iustified or that he which is iustified doth not by good woorkes whiche are done by him by the grace of God and by the merite of Iesus Christe of whome he is a liuely member verely deserue increase of grace life euerlasting and the atteining of the same life euerlasting so that he departe out of this life in grace yea and the increase of glorie also Accursed be he THE XXXIII CANON IF anie man saie that this Catholike doctrine touching Iustification expressed by the holy Councel in this present Decree doth in any wise derogate from the glorie of God or from the merites of Iesus Christe our Lord and doth not rather sett foorth the truth of our faith and finally the glorie of God and of Christe Iesus Accursed be he AMEN A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS OF THE TREATIE OF IVSTIFICAtion Wherein the Argumentes and the principal matters of the whole Treatie are conteined In the First Booke Chap. 1 VVhat is meant by the worde of Iustification And what degrees perfect Iustification and saluation hath in it Fol. 1. a. Chap. 2 VVhat is meant by the name of Faith and howe many kindes of Faith there be Fol. 3. a. Chap. 3 VVherin the controuersy of Iustification resteth and what is the readiest waie to know how the same is wrought in vs. Fol. 6. a. Chap. 4 VVhat was lost in Adam by sinne and what is restored by Christe in our Iustification And in what thinges our Iustification standeth Fol. 6. b. Chap. 5 Of the Causes of our Iustification Fol. 10. b. Chap. 6 That the Sacramente of Baptisme is the instrumente and meane whereby God iustifieth vs. Fol. 11. b. Chap. 7 Of Iustification of Infantes by the Sacrament of Baptisme Fol. 12. a. Chap. 8 Of the Iustification of suche as were christened being of perfect age and what was required of them Fol. 13. b. Chap. 9 That our Iustification and the vertues wherby we receiue it be the giftes of God and come of Grace Fol. 15. b. Cha. 10 That man hath free will whiche being holpen by grace Chap. 10 worketh in our Iustification and what it worketh Fol. 18. a. Cha. 11 That such as fal into sinne after Baptisme be iustified by penance Chap. 11 againe and what penance is required of them fol. 22. a. Cha. 12 Of the increase and perfiting of our Iustification wherein Chap. 12 it is truely said that we be iustified by good workes and not by faith onely Fol. 26. b. Cha. 13 VVhat good workes be and how they be called ours 29. b Chap. 13 Cha. 14 A brief rehearsal of so muche as hath ben hitherto saied in Chap. 14 the Treatie of Iustification Fol. 31. b. In the Second Booke Chap. 1 How dangerouse it is for a man to presume onely vppon
by certaine of the Fathers sayinges gathered together with their owne deuise and industry Nowe thou hearest the Fathers them selues to tell their owne tales Thou seest the maner of their writing Thou learnest by their owne talke what their faith was Onely I haue made them to speake in English as faithefully as truly and as familiarly as I coulde possibly doo not swaruing one iote from their wordes and meaning Accepte my poore labour in good parte which I haue taken to edifie many to offend none And our Lorde of his mercy geue bothe to thee gentle Reader and to me of his holy Grace that we may folow and practise in woorkes that which these holy Fathers do teache vs in woordes That as sinne hath bene the cause of this horrible schisme and manifolde heresies that nowe raigne so amendement of life maie be a meane to stay the raging course thereof and to call vs home to vnite againe to the honour of God and peace of his Church Amen A TREATISE MADE BY THAT BLESSED AVNCIENT FATHER S. AVGVSTINE BISshoppe of Hippo in Afrike in the yeare of our Lord 380. Which he intituled Of Faith and Woorkes Against them that did admitte all men to Baptisme without any difference THE FIRST CHAPTER SOME be of opinion that all persons An olde errour without any difference should be admitted to the fonte of regeneration which is in our Lorde Iesu Christe although they haue no will to chaunge their lewde and filthie life being infamouse with notoriouse crimes yea and though by open protestation they professe that they meane to continewe therein As for example If a man kepe a harlot he should not be commaunded first to departe from her and then to come vnto Baptisme but that euen remaining with her and meaning stil so to doe he should notwithstanding that his presumption be admitted and baptised and should not be staied from being a member of Christ though he continew the member of an harlot but should afterward be taught how euil a thing that is and so being baptised should be instructed to amende his manners For these men thinke it a peruerse and preposterouse thinge first to teache them howe a Christian should liue and after to baptise them But in their iudgement the Sacrament of Baptisme should rather goe before that the doctrine of life and manners may after folowe Which if the baptised wil kepe and obserue he shal doe it with profit If not but retaining the Christian faith without the which he shuld perish euerlastingly he perseuer in al wicked and sinneful liuing yet shall he be saued as by fier euen as he whiche vpon the foundation which is Christe buildeth not golde 1. Cor. 3. siluer or pretiouse stones but wood haie and stooble that is to saie not iust and chaste conuersation but wicked and vncleane The cause of this their imagination and opinion is that that they see such are not admitted to baptisme who being menne and putting awaie their wiues marrie others Or being wemen and forsaking their husbandes marrie others And that bicause our Lord Christ doth testifie these to be without al doubt adulteries and not marriages For these men when they could not denie that to be adulterie Matt. 5. which the truth it selfe doth without al question pronounce and confirme to be adultery and yet had a desire to helpe them to the receiuing of baptisme whom they sawe so intangled in that snare that if they were not admitted to Baptisme thei had rather liue yea and die to without any Sacrament at al then to be deliuered of that snare with breaking their bond of adulterie they were moued with a certaine humaine pittie and compassion so to consider of their cause that they thought meete to admitte vnto baptisme not them onely but also all maner of lewde and shameful liuers though they were neyther rebuked with any prohibition nor corrected with instruction nor amended by any penaunce as thinking except that were done they should perish euerlastingly but if it were done though they stil continewed in those euils yet should they be saued through fier That the Church indureth the Commixtion of euil persons togeather with the good and yet doth not omitte the seueritie of discipline THE SECOND CHAPTER TO whiche sorte of men for answere first this I say Let no man so take those testimonies of Scriptures which either declare a commixtion of bothe good and euill in the Church presently or foretell it to come assuredly let no manne I saie being not taught by those Scriptures but deceiued by his owne opinion so take them as to thinke therefore either seueritie of discipline or diligence in noting and punishing of vice is to be omitted or taken awaie Num. 23. For al be it Moyses the seruaunt of God most paciently suffered that commixtion in the first people yet so was it that he punished also diuers with the sworde And Phinees the Priest did with the reuenging sworde thrust through both the adulterers being found together Degradations Which thing verely was signified should be also done by degradations and excommunications in this time when in the discipline of the Churche the visible sworde should cease Neither the blessed Apostle 2. Cor. 11. Ad Phil. 1 albeit he moste paciently lamented emongest false brethren 1. Cor. 1. yea and suffered some being driuen forwarde with diuelish prickes of enuie to preache Christe did yet thinke meete to spare him which toke his Fathers wife whome he commaunded the Churche being assembled to be geauen ouer to the Diuell 1. Tim. 1. into the destruction of his bodie that his sowle might be saued in the daie of our Lorde Iesu Christe or did him selfe therefore lette to deliuer vppe others to Sathan 1. Cor. 5. that they should learne not to blaspheme Neither did he in vaine saie I haue written to you in mine Epistle that you shoulde not keepe companie with fornicators I meane not with fornicators of this worlde or couetouse persons or extorcioners or suche as serue Idolles for then you should haue gone out of this worlde but nowe I haue written to you not to keepe companie with any suche of your brethren as is knowen and named to be a fornicator a seruer of idolles a couetouse man a slaunderour a dronkerd or an extorcioner no not so muche as to take meate with suche for as of them which be without howe can I iudge But of them whiche be within doe not your selues iudge Of them whiche be without God shall iudge Take awaie the euill from emong your selues Whiche wordes from emong your selues some doe vnderstande that eche man should take awaie and remoue the euil out of him selfe that is to saie that he him selfe should be good But how so euer it be vnderstanded eyther that lewd persons should by seueritie of the Church be rebuked and throwen out by excommunications or els that euery man by taking vp and correcting him selfe should remoue the
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
in Gen. God hath deliuered his Sonne for our sinnes he hath graunted the gyftes of Baptisme he hath geuen remission of our former sinnes he hath opened vnto vs the waie of Penance By this remedie such as fall into sinne after Baptisme may be restored againe to the state of iustice For to such as do penance God hath promised grace and reconciliation Ezech. 18. saying by the Prophete Si impius egerit c. If the wicked man doo penance for all his sinnes that he hath committed he shall assuredly liue and not die The like promise he hath made in the newe Testament by S. Peter Acto 3. Poenitemini conuertimini vt deleantur peccata vestra Doo penance and turne that your sinnes maie be blotted owt But vnto suche as falle and will not doo penance God threateneth damnation Ezech. 33. Si impius nō fuerit conuersus à via sua c. Ipse in iniquitate sua morietur If the wicked be not turned from his waie in his wickednes shall he die And in the newe Testamente Christe him selfe saith Luca. 13. Nisi poenitentiam egeritis omnes similiter peribitis Vnlesse ye doo penance ye shall perish all after like sorte By which wordes putte together we vnderstande that as penance is the sure and vndoubted waie to restore a sinner againe so without the same there is no hope of his reconciliation As this order is commanded by the Scriptures so hath it in all ages ben practised by the Churche of Christ that sinners should be reconciled and iustified by penance Clem. lib. 2. ca. 45. Constitu Apost Tit. 3. Clement S. Peters scholer and successor compareth penance with the Sacrament of Baptisme saying to the Bishoppe Quemadmodum gentilem per lauacrum c. As thou receiuest the heathen by Baptisme after that he is instructed so shalt thou restore this man that is the penitent to his olde estate when he is cleansed by laying handes on him as by penance all men praying for him and the laying of handes shal be in steade of Baptisme He saith that penance standeth in steade of Baptisme bicause as by Baptisme the sinner is saued euen so by penance his sinnes be forgeuen for Christe hath saide Quorum remiseritis peccata remittuntur illis Ioan. 20. Whose sinnes you forgeue they be forgeuen them S. Augustine making the same comparison saith Quae autem Baptismatis eadem reconciliationis est causa De adulter cōiug li. 1. ca. 28 The like respecte is to be had of reconciliation and absolution as of Baptisme if it happen the penitent to fall in daunger of death for the Churche our mother ought not by her will to suffer them passe cut of this life without the pleadge of their peace He calleth absolution the pleadge of our peace as whereby our sinnes be forgeuen and conscience quieted He maketh penance as necessary to a sinner after Baptisme as Baptisme it selfe to him that is heathen S. Leo saith Peccata Baptismi aquis et poenitentiae lachrymus abluūtur Ser. 11. de quadrag ser 9. de Pasch Sinnes are wasshed away by the water of Baptisme and by the teares of penance And as men entre into the Church and be made members of Christe by Baptisme so if they fal away againe by sinne they may returne saith S. Cyprian by penance Cypria li. 4. epist 2. Nam cùm scriptum sit c. For sith it is written God made not death neither is delited to haue the liuing cast away vndoubtedly he that willeth none to perish desyreth that sinners should doo penance and by penance returne to life againe Pacianus faith that God hath prouided this remedie for men And in the same sentence Idem stantibus praemia qui iacentibus remedia largitus est Pacia epi. 1. ad Sym pronia Euen he hath giuen rewardes to them that stand who hath graunted remedies to such as lie and are fallen And thus we see it proued by authoritie of Scriptures and auncient Fathers that the right and assured remedy to heale a sinner after Baptisme is penance And that the Sacrament of penance by the promise of Christe hath vertue to reconcile and iustifie a sinner For which cause it is compared with the Sacrament of Baptisme and called by S. Cyprian a returning to life by S. Clement a restoring and cleansing By S. Augustine a pleadge of our peace and quiete of conscience by S. Leo a wasshing away of sinne by Pacianus the remedy of such as are fallen And to make vppe the matter S. Chrysostome calleth it the cure of our woundes and by the plaine terme Iustification Contritionem vult cordis Chrysost ho. 20. in Genes God will haue saith he contrition of harte remorse of minde confession of the fall a continuall care and diligence and geueth not onely the curinge of woundes and cleanseth from sinne but euen him that was before laden with innumerable burdens of sinnes he maketh a iust man. And hereby also may the Reader perceiue how good cause the auncient Bishop Pacianus Pacia epi. 1. ad Symproniae Hiero. ad Pamma Ocea and S. Ierome had to cal penance a borde to saue him that had suffred wreack or a seconde borde after wreack that is to say a second refuge when the firste helpe is loste And also he may see how litle ground they haue who against authoritie trewth and reason mislyke that manner of speache seeinge that by penance a sinner may be reconciled and saued which without the same should perish as hath ben proued How a sinner commeth to trewe penance and by what meanes he receiueth his Iustification I haue declared before Cap. 8. and shall for the Readers remembrance onely repete the same here It is grace first that moueth him to amendement and to say Surgam ibo ad patrem meum Luc. 15. I will rise and go to my father through which grace faith being stirred to beleeue the Scriptures and the threatninges of God vttered therein against sinners striketh into him a feare of Goddes iust iudgement and further bicause he should not dispaire moueth him to conceiue hope of mercie for that God is full of compassion and mercie Psal 102. 1. Tim. 1. Aug. in Psal 114. and came to saue sinners and that hope being once entred engendreth a loue of God as S. Augustine saith Quia credidisti sperasti quia sperasti iam dilexisti Bicause thou hast beleued thou haste hoped bicause thou haste hoped nowe hast thou loued Charitie taking roote in the harte bringeth forth a louing feare and care loth to offende God and such as maketh all penance be it neuer so sharpe to seeme easy and light And these be the fiue pointes apperteining to trewe penance faith a dreadfull feare of God hope Charitie and a louinge feare or carefull loue which thing may not onely be noted in the Niniuites in Marie Magdalene Zacheus and suche as the