Abrahams Faith, Part 1 · Chapter 3 · Article 8
The eight article, of the right place and vſe of good woorkes.
8. Good workes are the fruits of the iustified Christians, and do make knowen their true and liuely faith: and where they are not, their faith is dead.
THis article doth declare, that although, by faith onelyonly we are iuſt in Gods ſight, & made heires of ſaluation, without any workes of our owne, as cauſes adiuuant and concurrent, and that the law cannot iuſtifie or ſaue any man: yet in the true religion, allowed of God, good workes are not excluded altogether, neither is the law ſo aboliſhed, as that it were not our dutie to liue godly and vprightly according to the law. But according to the law of iuſtice they hauing no place in the matter and cauſing of ſaluation ſhould yet hauehave their own proper right, place, and honour, according to their dignity, vſe and vertue. For if by the law and good workes wee all hauehave been iuſtified, it had been their due place, to hauehave ioined them in that article of iuſtification, and to hauehave honored them with the glorie of merite and deſeruing: but becauſe we men are ſo corrupt that in this life, our good workes, attaine not, to the righteouſnes which the law exacteth: wee muſt graunt them a lower place, euen ſo great dignitie as they doo properly and naturally require. Namely that it isa1. Theſſ. 4.3.4.5. Gods pleaſure, that they whom hee freely iuſtifyeth by his grace, and clenſeth by faith, ſhould not wallow in the puddle and filth of ſin, like the gentils who know not God; but ſhew thēſelues to be the redeemed of the Lord, his ſaints and children, by their godly life and honeſt conuerſation. And for this cauſe ſanctifying thoſe whom he iuſtifieth, he would hauehave them approue their faith by their good works, as it is written,bEph. 2.10. We are his workemanſhip, created in Chriſt Ieſus vntounto good workes, which God hath ordained that wee ſhould walke in them: c1. Ioh. 3.9.whoſoeuer is borne of God ſinneth not: for his ſeede remaineth in him &c. In which two places, firſt you may obſerue our ſanctification, in the words, creation and ſeed. For by the one is ſignified our new birth and renewing of the holie ghoſt, and by the other the ſpirit ſanctifying, which as ſeed beginneth a godly life in vsus. Secondly our faith in being in Chriſt and gods children: for we are no otherwiſe in Chriſt and gods children, but by faith. The doctrin of theſe places agreeth with the article, that they which are made Gods children by faith, are ſo farre ſanctified and renued by Gods ſpirit, that they walking a more vpright courſe of life then infidels, do make manifeſt their faith by their workes, and they which be otherwiſe hauehave no faith. Heere me thinketh I ſee Abraham, approouing himſelfe to hauehave a liuely faith, by a moſt conſtant change of life, in following of God, and attending vponupon his worde. Firſt he frankely leftdGen. 12.1.3.8. Heb. 11.8.9. his countrie and kindred, and forſooke all ſtrange religions and idolatrie, to follow God: Secondly, he contentedly abode in the land of Canaan as in a ſtrange land, and walking from place to place remained in tentes, and in euerie place ſhewed his godly deuotion in making an altar, and calling vponupon the name of the Lord:aCap. 13.8. he kindly yeelded to his nephew Lot,& 14.19. for auoiding of contention:& 24.1. & 18.23. & 20.17. charitablie reſcued him when hee was taken priſoner: carefully prouided a wife for his ſonne Iſaack: feruently intreated for the Citie of Sodom, & meekly praied for him that had taken away his wife:& 23. & 25. decently prouided for his wiues buriall: and wiſely before his death ſet an order betweene his children, concerning his ſubſtance, according to Gods word. And isbCap. 18.19. honourably commended by God himſelfe for his good inſtruction to his houſhold, children, & poſteritie, that they might walke in the waies of the Lord. But aboue all other he approued his fayth in this, that vponupon Gods commandement, he ſo readily offered vp his ſonne Iſaack, being (after Iſmaels expulſion) his onelyonly ſonne, his beloued ſonne, and concerning whom hee had receiued the promiſe of life and ſaluation, and the eſtabliſhment of the couenaunt: by this worke, hee made knowen to men and Angels, that hee had a true and a liuely faith, whereupon Saint Iames interpreting this fact of Abraham to be wrought by faith, bringeth this example to proue, that faith without workes is dead. And thus hee ſpeaketh:cIacob. 2.20.21. But wilt thou vnderſtande O vaine man, that fayth without workes is deade: Was not Abraham our father iuſtified through workes, when hee offered Iſaacke his ſonne vppon the Altar? Seeſt thou not that fayth wrought with duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page his woorkes, and through the workes the faith was made perfect: and the ſcripture was fulfilled which ſaith, Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed to him for righteouſnes &c. Heere I am enforced, becauſe of S. Iames maner of ſpeaking, to clere a doubt before I can conclude this point. For in as much, as Saint PauldRom. 4. contendeth that Abraham was not iuſtified at all, by workes, but by faith without workes: and heere ſaint Iames ſeemeth to auoutch the contrarie, ſaying, was not Abraham our father iuſtified through workes: it is to be conſidered how theſe two may be reconciled. For the clearing of which difference. I aunſwere, that in deed they both vſe one worde, but not in one meaning, nor to one and the ſame ende: For Saint Paul by this woord (iuſtified) meaneth, that God freely imputeth righteouſnes vntounto him as namlie,Read Rom. 4.1.4.5.6.15.16. and cap. 3.24.25.28. iustified by faith, in ſaint Pauls mind is as much as to ſay: righteouſnes is imputed vntounto him for his beleefes ſake, and for nothing elſe. And his end was to prooue that no man can be iuſtified by workes in the ſight of God, but that this bleſſednes to bee iuſte before God, commeth by faith without workes. But Saint Iames hauing to doo with ſuch as boaſted of faith, and tooke to them ſelues licence to ſin, had this end; namely, to proue, that faith without workes was in deed no faith properly, and in the ſight of God but a dead faith, and therfore by this word iuſtified meaneth onelyonly this, that by workes a man is declared and made knowen, tn be iuſtified by faith, that is, that he hath not a vaine, dead and fruitles faith. And therefore ſeeing that Abraham was ſo iuſtified, that is, declared, and made knowen to be a iuſt man, of a true and liuely faith, teſtified by ſuch a notable woorke: he being our father we muſt be found to hauehave ſuch a woorking faith: or els we cannot be knowen, to bee any other but hypocrites, of a dead and counterfait faith. And that this is the true and proper meaning of Saint Iames: Firſt conſider, that this word (iuſtified) is diuerſly vſed, and to be taken in the holy ſcriptures (as all other wordes be) according to the ſcope and purpoſe of euerie place. For Rom. 6. where he ſayth:aRom. 6.7. He that is dead is iuſtified from ſinne; there it ſignifieth to be free, as it is by ſom tranſlated. And inbCap. 7.29. Luke it is ſaid that the Publicans iuſtified God, being baptized with the Baptiſme of Iohn; where it ſignifieth, to praiſe God for his mercy, goodnes, and righteouſnes. IncMath. 11.19. Mathew it is ſaid: Wiſedome is iustified of her children; where it ſignifieth acknowledged or profeſſed or declared iuſt. In which places this worde of neceſſitie hath ſuch ſence and meaning, as the ſcope of the ſeueral places aforde. So here Saint Iames intention being, to teach the vanitie of him, that boaſteth of faith, and yet liueth wickedly; by all reaſon muſt be vnderſtood to meane by the word iuſtified, the declaring of the righteouſnes of his faith, by his workes. And this wil eaſilie appeare, if you marke his propounding of this queſtion, the order of his reaſoning and his concluſion. Firſt his propoſition, verſ. 14. What auaileth it my brethren, though a man ſaith he hath faith, when he hath no workes? can the faith ſaue him? where you may perceiue, he ſpeaketh againſt pratlers and hypocrites, which ſay they hauehave faith: and ſecondly that ſuch a faith which is onelyonly in ſaying, and bringeth foorth no woorkes cannot ſaue: where you are to note that he propoſeth to himſelfe▪ the confutation of a vain and idle faith, which is only in ſaying, and that he doth not enter to entreat of this queſtion; whether faith onelyonly (being true and liuely) do iuſtifie, or ſo far to prefer workes, that they iuſtifie or ſaue vsus, with or without faith. And this meaning doth all the order of his reaſoning declare: Firſt ver. 15.16.17. where he teacheth, that as to make a ſhew of liberalitie in wordes, and in deede to miniſter nothing, doth beway but a counterfait liberalitie: So faith without woorkes is dead in it ſelfe, where marke that he ſaith, in it ſelfe, or by it ſelfe: for thereby he ſheweth that if it were the true iuſtifying and liuely faith in it ſelfe, it would bring foorth liuelie fruits to declare the ſame: and hereupon he openeth the meaning of his propoſition ver. 18. that a man is to ſhewe his faith by his workes, namely that it is a thing, which a man will aske for, of him that ſaith he hath faith: then ver. 9. he ſheweth that ſuch an idle faith, is that of the diuell, which beleeueth there is a GOD and trembleth: So theſe vaine pratlers may hauehave a generall beleefe, and ſometime tremble to thinke vponupon Gods power, and yet neuer hauehave the true faith in Ieſus Chriſt which iuſtifieth: wherewith whoſoeuer is rightly endowed he hath ChriſtaRom. 8. ver. 9.10. dwelling in him by his ſpirit, by whom the bodie of ſinne is ſlaine, and the life of righteouſnes is as it were a new created: as it is ſaid elſe where,b2. Cor. 5.17. if any be in Chriſt he is a new creature: but the diuels and wicked men deſtitute of this true faith, are voide of this grace, and therefore doo not bring foorth good workes. Nowe then Saint Iames bringing in the ſtorie of Abraham, offering vp his ſonne, vponupon this propoſition and order of reaſoning: and namelie prefixing theſe woords, But wilt thou vnderſtand O thou vaine man, that faith without workes is dead. What other thing can hee meane by the woord (iuſtified,) except he abruptlie goe contrarie to all his owne former ſpeech, but onlie the declaring, ſhewing, and making knowen of his faith, not to bee dead, vaine or onelie in ſaying, and not that workes make a man iuſt before GOD, which appeareth by his reaſon in this example, in that he ſayth: Faith wrought with his workes and through workes was faith made perfect, which ſignifieth that in offering vp of his Sonne; his faith wrought to bring foorth this worke, and that this worke being atchieued, it made manifeſt that hee had a true and perfect faith, his workes then in Saint Iames meaning, perfected his faith, that is made it appeare perfect, but it did not meddle with the making of the man Abraham to be iuſt and righteous in the eies of GOD by that worke ſo wrought. And then adding: The ſcripture was fulfilled which ſaith, Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed to him for righteouſnes; he vnderſtandeth that the offering vp of his Sonne, did make manifeſt that Abraham beleeued in deede and a right: and therefore that ſcripture was approoued true: that God imputed righteouſnes to him (not for a vaine ſaying and hypocriticall diſſimulation) but for a true beleefe and an vnfayned faith in Gods promiſe. In the ſame ſenſe, verſe 25. hee alleageth the ſtorie of Rahab. Nowe laſtely the concluſion being by a compariſon, of a mā to be dead, which hath not a ſpirit that ſo faith without works is dead: ſheweth that there is a ſpiritual working of faith, which if it appeare not by works, it declareth that faith is dead in it ſelfe. So that Saint Iames ſpeaketh onelyonly againſt a dead faith, meaning not, by any termes to derogate from a liuely faith, as though it had helpe of workes in the matter of iuſtification before God. Further if we conſider the ſtory of Geneſis out of which it is taken, you ſhall finde that Saint Iames could not hauehave any other meaning. For it was beforeaGen. 15.16. & 17.11.25. & 21.5. & 22. Iſmaell was borne, that Abraham was iuſtified by his faith, without reſpect of workes: Then Iſmaell was fourteene yeeres ould when Iſaack was borne, and Iſaack was of ſome pretie yeres, that he was able to beare a bundel of wood wherewith he ſhould hauehave been burned; therefore it muſt needs be between twentie and thirtie yeeres, after the time of Abrahams iuſtifying, that he offered vp Iſaack: which being ſo, it cannot be vnderſtood, that that worke iuſtified him, leaſt it ſhould deſtroy andbRead Rom. 4 10.11. & Gal. 3.17. diſanul his iuſtifying by faith ſo long before. And therfore God himſelfe doth expreſſe the power and vſe of this worke, not any whit to iuſtify him, but only to make his faith to be knowen: where hee ſaith:cGen. 22.12. Now I knovv that thou fearest God: ſeeing for my ſake thou hast not ſpared thine onelyonly ſonne. And therefore doth the holy ghoſt interpret it thus.dHeb. 11.17. By faith Abraham offered vp Iſaack when hee was tried &c. teaching vsus that this was a fruit of the iuſt mans faith, and not a worke to make him iuſt or meritorious in Gods ſight. Therefore we may boldly conclude, that Saint Iames in ſaying; Abraham was iuſtified by workes when he offered vp his ſon doth onelyonly contend for this, that it was of neceſſitie, that faith ſhoulde be declared and made knowen by woorkes, becauſe our father Abraham did ſo, by workes ſhew himſelfe to be iuſtified by faith, therefore we his children are baſtards and not ſons, if our faith be idle and vnfruitful, euen as Chriſt ſaith to the Iewes:aIoh. 8.39. If ye were Abrahams children ye would doe the workes of Abraham, which wordes doe directly ſhew this article, we hauehave in hand. Firſt that Abraham did workes approouing his faith: and ſecondly that this alſo is to be looked for of his children (that is of all beleeuers) that they quite themſelues to hauehave a true faith, by their good life and obedience to God: or els they bee no beleeuers, or children of Abraham. The ſame faith doth the church of England profeſſe namely:bArticl. 12. of good workes. Good woorkes are the fruits of faith, and follow after iustification: they doo ſpring out neceſſarily of a true and liuely faith, in ſo much as by them, a liuely faith may be as liuely knowen, as a tree diſcerned by the fruit, and againe;cApolog. cap, 20. diuiſ. 1. A true faith is liuely and can in no wiſe bee idle. dExod. 20.Moſes conſent in this doctrine may be found, where God pronounceth the lawe, of the ten commandements teaching all dueties of good workes to God and man: ſaying, I am the Lorde thy God, and vponupon this inferreth all their obedience to thoſe commandements, for what is, I am the Lord thy God? but the couenant of faith, to be their God, in the promiſe of Chriſt, vponupon this he requiring obedience in a godlie life, doth inſinuate, that they which profeſſe the faith that God is their God, muſt declare their faith by obedience to his commaundements; and therefore he ſaith in an other place.eDeut. 6.11. Beware thou forget not the Lorde thy God, not keeping his commandements &c. which ſheweth plainlie, that where diſobedience is there is no faith; for how can he hauehave faith, that forgetteth him, in whom hee ſhould beleeue. Hereupon, all their diſobedience, rebelling and prouoking of God in the wildernes, is ſaid to be this;aPſal. 78.22.32. Heb. 4.1. They beleeue not God. And this doth Moiſes aime at, when hee ſaith; Thou haſt ſet vp the Lord this day to be thy God, and to walke in his waies, and to keepe his ordinances &c. whereby it appeareth, that vntounto faith in couenanting with GOD, this is an inſeperable conſequent: that if we embraſe God by faith, we ought to follow his commandements by our deeds, and he that doth not this latter bewraieth that he hath not, with a true hart and faith receiued the former: Therefore the prophets which expound the law, in the perſon of God ſay thus:aMat. 1.6. A ſonne honoureth his father and a ſeruant his Maſter; If then I bee a father, where is my honour? and if I be a maſter where is my feare &c. Nowe we know that wee are ſonnes no way but by faith: Therefore this prophet intendeth, that we are not ioined to the Lorde by faith, either as his people, children or ſeruants, or that hee is our God, father and Lorde; except our deedes ſhew the vnfainednes of our faith, in honor and feare. Therefore ſaith an other prophet:bPſal. 116.10. I beleeued and therefore I ſpake, making it a moſt aſſured thing, that a liuely faith, cannot bee ſecrete and idle, but will ſhewe it ſelfe, by the outwarde deedes and namely profeſſion. Therefore a iuſt and righteous man in the prophets is thus deſcribed:aPſal. 37.30. The mouth of the righteous will ſpeake of wiſedome, and his tongue will talke of iudgement, for the law of his God is in his heart &c. Who is righteous, but the beleeuer, and how are we righteous but by faith? this teacheth then, that the beleeuer, hauing the law of his God in his heart, cannot but bring foorth good workes, both in worde and in deed: euen as the vnbeleeuer cannot bring forth any other but euill deeds: therefore by the prophetes, euill doers and beleeuers are made contraries, as it is written:bVerſe 9. Euill doers ſhall be cut off: but they which waite vponupon the Lord ſhall inherite the lande. And againe,cPſal. 32.10. Many ſorrowes come to the wicked, but he that truſteth in the Lord, merciemercy ſhal compaſſe him.
But the Goſpell doeth ſhewe this, yet more brightly, as namely where it is ſaid:dGal. 5.6. In Ieſus Chriſt neyther circumciſion, auaileth any thing, neither vncircumciſion, but faith which worketh by louelove: that is to ſay, faith doeth not onelyonly take holde on Chriſt, for righteouſnes: but alſo buddeth out before God and man, the ſweet bloſſoms of louelove, in the workes of pietie and honeſtie. And therefore Chriſt challengeth them for no beleeuers in him, which walke diſobediently, ſaying:eLuk. 6.46. Why call ye mee maſter, maſter, and do not the things that I ſpeake. Whereupon the bleſſed Apoſtle is not afeard to ſay, that he which is not a new man in holines & righteouſneſſe, but runneth greedily after his luſts in wickedneſſe, hath notfEph. 4.10.11. learned Chriſt as the truth is in Ieſus. And S. Iohn ſpeaking of the hope of Gods children, what they ſhalbe at the ioyful appearance of Chriſt: conſtantly affirmeth, thati1. Ioh. 3.3. euerie man who hath this hope, purgeth himſelfe euen as he is pure. And againe,kVerſ. 10. In this are the children of God knowen, & the children of the Deuil: whoſoeuer doth not righteouſnes is not of God, neither he that loueth not his brother. So that as clearely as the ſunne is ſeene to ſhine in the middeſt of the day: it is moſt apparant both by Abraham, Moſes, and the prophetes and alſo by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, that our faith and doctrine taught in England touching workes, is moſt ſound and catholicke: namely that works neceſſarily follow faith, declare it to be a true and a liuely faith, and he that liueth licentiouſly and wickedly hath not faith.