Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 2 · Decade 3 · Sermon 9

Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion · Sermons 2 · Decade 3 · Sermon 9

p. 440¶ Of Chriſtian libertie, and of offences. Of good workes, and the reward thereof.

¶ The ninthe Sermon.

I HAVE alreadie through many ſermons diſcourſed, longe vppon Gods lawe, nowe therefore becauſe vppon the conſideration & handling of the lawe there doe ariſe certaine pointes not to bee omitted, which doe depend vppon, and are annexed hand in hand vntounto the lawe, of which ſort are Chriſtian libertie, good woorkes, the reward of good woorkes, ſinne, and the reward or puniſhment of ſinne: I wil ſpeake of them in order as God ſhall put into my mouth: whō I ſhall deſire you to praye vntounto with mée, beſéeching him not to ſuffer me to ſpeake, in theſe or other points of holy doctrine, the thing that ſhall ſounde againſt his holy will.

Vppon the abrogation of the lawe doeth Chriſtian libertie depende and Of Chriſtian libertie.follow, as the effecte of the abrogating of the lawe, which libertie doth miniſter vsus occaſion to ſpeake of offences. Nowe concerning Chriſtian libertie the moſt holy Apoſtle of Chriſt Sainct Paule hath reaſoned verie diligently and largely, whereby we may gather that the conſideration of Chriſtian libertie is neither of no weighte nor yet of little profite. But the treatiſe therof is eſpecially neceſſarie to vsus of this age, amonge whom there are no ſmall number of men, which doe either not vnderſtand what Chriſtian libertie is, or elſe, if they knowe it, do foulie abuſe it, thereby to fulfill the luſtes of the fleſh. I will therefore tell you, who is the deliuerer that ſetteth vsus at libertie, who they are that he ſetteth at libertie, and wherein and howe farre forth he ſetteth them at libertie: whiche things being once knowen, it wilbe an eaſie matter, to perceiue, what Chriſtian libertie is, what the propertie or diſpoſition of thoſe is which are ſo ſet at libertie, and howe farre forth they muſt beware from giuing office to any man, and from abuſing their graunted libertie.

There is none other deliuerer promiſed, Who … our ….giuen, and preached vntounto vsus, than Chriſt Ieſus the Sonne of God. For he which doth deliuer other men, muſt be himſelfe frée from the bands, wherewith they are tyed, that wiſhe & loke to be ſet at libertie. But throughout all ages there is none ſuch to bée found in all the world, nor yet in heauen, but Ieſus Chriſt alone the ſonne of God, who for that cauſe did in the Goſpell ſay, If the Sonne ſet you at libertie, then are ye free in deede.

Nowe they, whome the Lord deliuereth, are bondſlanes, wherefore hée Who … …e tha… Chriſte doth ….doeth deliuer them from bondage, and doth incorporate them in the libertie of the ſonnes of God. Hée doth ſet all bondſeruauntes at libertie, excluding none, but ſuch as do by their owne default, their owne vnbeléefe, and diſobedience exclude themſelues. For the comming of the ſonne of God was to ſet all ſuch at libertie, as were entangled in bondage. Therefore he doth ſo farre forth deliuer vsus, as we are bondſeruaunts. For bondage and libertie are one oppoſed and contrarie to the p. 441other, ſo that without the conſideration of the one wée cannot conceiue the meaning of the other. Wherefore I thincke it beſt héere to ſpeake ſo much of bondage as this preſent argument ſhall ſéeme to require.

Firſt, bondage is nothing elſe but What bondage is.the ſtate or condition wherein bondſeruauntes bée. Nowe thoſe that are in bōdage are either bondmen borne, or elſe made bondſeruauntes. The children, that iſſue of bondſeruaunts, are bondſlaues borne. The other, that are made bondſeruantes, are ſo made either by captiuitie, wherevppon they take their names, and are called captiues. For Pomponius ſaith, Slaues were therevppon ſo called, becauſe the Capitaines commaunded to ſell them for monie, when they were in warres taken captiues by their ſouldiours, and ſo by that means to ſpare their liues and ſaue them: theſe bondmen are in latine alſo called Mancipia, eo quod ab hoſtibus manu caperentur, becauſe they were taken priſoners by the hande of their enimies. Or elſe they are made bondſlaues by the ciuil law, as when a frée man aboue twentie yeares of age, doeth for lucre ſake ſuffer himſelfe to bée ſould for monie. Bondmen therefore hauehave loſte all libertie, and doe whoalie hange vppon their maiſters gouernment, in whoſe power it lyeth to kill them if they liſt.

Nowe of bondage there are two ſortes, the Politique, and the Spirituall. The politique bondage is not … ſorts … bon…ge.by grace & the preaching of the Goſpell, taken out of the Churche of the faithfull, ſo that there ſhould bee no ….bondmen at all, or that they ſhould not doe their duetie, or not doe the ſeruice that of right they doe owe. For the Apoſtle Paule ſaith, Let eueryevery man walke, according as he is called. And ſo ordeine I in al Churches. Art thou called being a ſeruaunt? Care not for it. But yet if thou mayeſt be free, vſe it rather. And againe, Seruauntes obey them that are your bodilie maiſters with feare, and trembling, and ſingleneſſe of hearte as vntounto Chriſt, not with eye ſeruice as men pleaſers, but as the ſeruauntes of Chriſte, doinge the will of God from the heart, with good will ſeruing the Lord and not men, knowing that what ſoeuer good thinge any man doeth, that ſhall hee receiue againe of the Lord whether hee be bond or free. And in his Epiſtle to Timothie hée ſaith, Let as many ſeruauntes as are vnderunder the yoke, counte their maiſters worthie of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine bee not blaſphemed. And they, which hauehave beleeuing maſters, deſpiſe them not, becauſe they are brethren: but rather doe ſeruice, for as much as they are beleeuing, & beloued, and ſuch as are partakers of the benefite.

And yet in this bondage the faithfull hauehave this comfort by y^e preaching of the Goſpel, that, howſoeuer they bée bond in body, yet they are frée in mind and ſoule. For y^e Apoſtle againe doth ſay, Hee, that is called a bondman in the Lord, is the Lords freeman. Likewiſe A Paradox of libertie.hee that is called free, is bond to Chriſt.

This is a comfort to the faithful in all their afflictions, which knowe that their ſpirite is ſafe and frée, howſoeuer their bodie is ſtreightly impriſoned or ſharpely tormented. Therefore the Saincts are at their libertie, although they be neuer ſo narrowely looked to, and ſhutt vpp in cuſtodie: they are victorers and vanquiſhers, howſoeuer they are bound and oppreſſed: Finally they enioy moſt exquiſite pleaſures, p. 442euen then, when they are vexed with moſt infinite euils. I knowe that the children of this world doe mocke and ſcoffe at theſe pleaſures and libertie of the faithfull beléeuers, as though they were méere dreames and fantaſi…s of very fooles and aſſes. But God doth ſoundly pay them home for their ſcoffes and mockerie, not in the world to come onelyonly, but alſo in this preſēt life: while they themſelues like miſerable caytifes beeing in extreme captiuitie, doe notwithſtanding euen in that ſlauerie, thincke themſelues at libertie and in moſt abſolute felicitie. For they ſerue a filthie ſeruice in deteſtable ſlauerie, making themſelues bondmē to abhominable whoredome, to beaſtly madd drunkenneſſe, to the wicked Mammon, and to other moſt vile pleaſures, wherein they die and rott with endleſſe ſhame and infamie. But of the ſeruice & afflictions of the Sainctes, who doe euen in their afflictions enioye their libertie and reioyce in the Lord, the Apoſtle Paule ſpeaketh where he ſaith, We are troubled on eueryevery ſide, yet are wee not made penſiue: wee are in pouertie, but not in extreme pouertie: wee ſuffer perſecution, but are not vtterly forſaken therein: wee are caſte downe, but wee periſh not: bearing about alwayes in the body the dying of the Lord Ieſus, that the life of Ieſus might alſo appeare in our bodie.

And againe, In all things wee doe our 2. Cor. 11.2 Cor 11endeuour, to ſhewe oure ſelues as doth become the miniſters of Chriſt, in much ſuffering, in afflictions, in neceſſities, in ſorrowes, in ſtripes, in impriſonmentes, in ſeditions, in labours, in watchinges, in faſtinges, in glorie and ignominie, in reproches and prayſes: as deceiuers, & yet ſpeakers of trueth: as vnknowen, and yet knowen: as dying, and loe wee liue: as chaſtened, and not killed: as ſorrowfull, and yet alwayes reioycing: as poore, and yet making many riche: as hauing nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all thinges.

Loe héere ye ſée howe the Saincces in extreme ſeruitude, hauehave a chéerefull conſolation, and are alwayes at their libertie: as is to be ſéene by infinite examples in the Actes of the Apoſtles, & other Eccleſiaſticall hiſtories. Nowe wee come to the ſecond part of bondage.

The ſpirituall bondage hath a certaine likeneſſe to the bodily ſeruitude. Spiri…l …ondag…For Adam, by his owne fault, became a bondman: and wée of him are all borne bondmen. Hée was once at libertie, and had the Lord to bee his friend and fauourer, but hée did diſ…oyallie reuolte from GOD, and goſt himſelfe an other maiſter, the diuell, a tyraunt as cruell as maye bée, who for his ſinne hauing gotten power ouer him, did like a mercileſſe Lord miſerablie handle him like a bond ſeruaunte. Nowe wée of oure corrupte graundſire are borne corrupt and ſinners, and for our ſinne are alſo vnderunder the diuels dominion: wée are in danger of the lawe, and of the curſe thereof. For we are the bondſlaues of ſinne, wée are made ſubi…te to ſundrie calamities by reaſon of our ſinne. This therefore is called the ſpirituall bondage, not becauſe it is onelyonly in the minde of man, but béecauſe of the oppoſition, whereby it is oppoſed to the bodilie bondage. For otherwiſe ſinne hath made oure bodie alſo ſubiecte to the curſe. Neither doe wée ſinne in minde alone, but in the bodie alſo. For eueryevery part and al the members of our p. 443bodies are ſubiecte vntounto ſinne and infected with iniquitie.

Therefore we ſerue in moſt miſerable bondage, while beeing vnderunder the Abortion is made …hen a woman is before her time deliuered of her childe.diuels dominion, wee doe the thinges that pleaſe the fleſhe, by the egging on of euil affections, to the bringing forth of fruite, or rather to the making of abortion with perill of oure liues to the diuell our cruell and ouer rigorous maiſter. For this verilie is oure hardeſt and moſt lamētable ſeruitude The ſpiritu…l libertie, & how farre forth we are made free by Chriſt.and bondage.

Nowe on the other ſide let vsus ſée what Chriſtian libertie is, that is to ſay, from what, and howe farre foorth the Lord hath made vsus frée. In one word wée doe briefly ſay, that Chriſte oure Lord hath deliuered vsus from a gréeuous bondage, to wit, that hée hath ſo farre forth made vsus frée, as wée by ſinne were ſlaues and bondſeruants. This we maye more largely expound and ſay, The ſonne of God came into this world, and hauing firſt oppreſſed the tyrannie of Sathan, and cruſſhed his head by his death and paſſion, hee hath trāſlated vsus into his owne kingdome, & hath made himſelfe oure Lord and king. Secondarilie, hee hath adopted vsus to be the ſonnes of GOD, and with his bleſſing tooke awaye the bitter curſe of the lawe. For he toke awaye all ſinnes, and purged all the faithfull from their iniquities.

Thirdly, hee did moſt liberally beſtow the frée gift of the holy Ghoſte, to the end that the ſonnes of God ſhould willingly and of their owne accorde, ſubmit themſelues to the will of God, and to doe the thinges that the Lord would hauehave them. For the hatred of the lawe doeth not remaine, although the weakeneſſe of the fleſhe abideth ſtill Laſtly, the ſame our Lord & king hath taken from the ſhoulders of his electe the burthen of the law, the types, and figures, with all the coſte belonging to the ſame, and hath forbidden vsus, being once ſet at libertie, to entangle our ſelues againe with any lawes and traditions of men. Of all this being layed together we make this definition. Chriſtian libertie.To deliuer, is to make frée, and to ſet at libertie from bondage. Hée is frée or manumiſed, that beeing deliuered from bondage doeth enioye his libertie. Therefore manumiſſion or libertie is nothing elſe but the ſtate of him that is made frée, the commoditie, I ſaye, whiche a frée made man hath receiued, and doth enioy by reaſon of his deliueraunce, to witt, in that hée being deliuered from the tyrannie of Sathan, from ſinne, from the curſe of the lawe, and from death, is made the ſonne of God, and heire of euerlaſting life: and alſo that he hath receiued the ſpirite of libertie, by whiche hee doeth wholie giuegive himſelfe to bée the ſeruaunte of God, to doe him ſeruice all his life long: and laſtly, that beeing deliuered from the lawe of Moſes and from all lawes of mortall men, hée doeth altogether depende vppon the Goſpell onelyonly, hauing at libertie the frée vſe of external thinges, as of meate, of drincke, of cloathing, and of ſuch like indifferent thinges. And in theſe thrée laſt rehearſed points doth Chriſtiā libertie chiefly conſiſte.

Nowe to this I will add ſuch teſtimonies of Scripture as ſhall both Teſtimonies to proue chriſtian libertie by.better confirme, and more plainely declare my expoſition. And firſt of all, I will alledge thoſe teſtimonies which are to be found in the bookes of the holie Euangeliſtes, and then thoſe that are extant in the writinges of the Apoſtles.

Zacharias the prieſt & father of Iohn p. 444Baptiſte in his hymne of thanckeſgiuing, Luke. 1, doeth declare the trueth and goodneſſe of God, in performing that to vsus, which hee promiſed to oure forefathers, to witt, That wee beeing deliuered out of the handes of oure enimies mighte ſerue him without feare, in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe before him all the dayes of our life. In this teſtimonie of his, wée hauehave the true libertie, that fréedome, I meane, wherein wée being by the Lord deliuered from all our enimies, both viſible and inuiſible, ſhould no longer ſerue them with feare, but ſerue oure GOD in ioye and gladneſſe. There is added alſo the manner and order howe to ſerue him, In holineſſe and righteouſneſſe. Holineſſe doeth cutt off and caſte awaye all vncleanneſſe and incontinencie. Righteouſneſſe giueth to eueryevery man that whiche is his due, to witt, the thinges which wee of duetie doe owe to euerie man, and doeth conteyne in it bothe fréedome and beneuolence. And in this kinde of ſeruice doe they, whiche are made frée, ſerue the Lord their God, not for a day or two, or a certeine fewe yeares, but all the dayes of their life. Therefore, true Chriſtian libertie is the perpetuall ſeruice, which wée owe and doe to God.

In the eighth Chapiter of Saincte Iohns Goſpell, to the Iewes whiche made great bragges of the vaine and ſillie libertie which they receiued of their aunceſtours, Chriſte our Lord maketh this obiection: Verilie verilie I ſay vntounto you, that whoſoeuer committeth ſinne, hee is the ſeruaunt of ſinne. And the ſeruaunt abideth not in the houſe for euer, but the ſonne abideth for euer: if the ſonne therefore ſhall make you free, then are ye free in deede. In theſe woords hée maketh mention both of bondage and of libertie. Hée is a bondman to ſinne, as to a cruell maiſter, or a neuer contented tyrant, whoſoeuer doeth committ any ſinne. For he doth obey, as one that is bound to ſinne. Such bondmen are all the ſonnes of men: whoſe puniſhment is to hauehave none inheritaunce in their fathers houſe, whiche is the heauenly Hieruſalem.

As for thoſe, whiche the Sonne of God reſtoareth to fréedome, they are partakers of the heauenly kingdome and fellowe heires with the Sonne of God. But Chriſte maketh none frée but them that are faithfull: therefore the ſonnes of God and fellowe heires of Chriſt are, for Chriſt his ſake their onelyonly deliuerer, made frée and ſet at libertie. Neither is there any other in heauen or in earth beſide Chriſt Ieſu, which is able to ſet vsus at fréedome and at libertie.

Paule in the ſixte Chapiter to the Romanes ſayth, Let not ſinne reigne in your mortall bodie, that ye ſhould therunto obey by the luſtes of it: neither giuegive ye your members as inſtruments of vnrighteouſnes vntounto ſinne: but giuegive your ſelues vntounto god, as they that are aliue from the dead, and your members, as inſtrumentes of righteouſneſſe vntounto God. For ſinne ſhall not hauehave power ouer you, becauſe ye are not vnderunder the Lawe, but vnderunder Grace. In theſe wordes he exhorteth them, that are purged and made frée by Chriſt, to liue holilie in their ſpirituall bondage. Now he ſaith not, Let not ſinne be in you, or in your mortall body: but he ſaith, Let not ſinne reigne in you, or in your mortall bodie. But when reigneth ſinne? Forſoothe ſinne reigneth then, when wée obey it thorough the luſts thereof, y^t is, when we p. 445reſiſte not, but doe fulfill the luſtes of the fleſhe.

Sinne therefore doth not reigne in our mortall bodie, ſo longe as it is but fealt in the bodie, and not obeyed or permitted to rule, but rather reſiſted and trode vnderunder foote. This ſame ſentence doth he expound by an other ſomwhat more eaſie to be vnderſtood, I would not hauehave you to permit your members to ſinne, as to a tyraunt, to vſe them as inſtrumentes to woorke all vnrighteouſneſſe. I rather require you to giuegive your ſelues to bée ruled and gouerned by God. For ſince hée hath ſet you frée from death, & brought you to life againe, it is requiſite that ye ſhould giuegive your members to God as liuely inſtrumentes to woorke all righteouſneſſe. And that ſhall ye bée eaſilie able to doe, becauſe ye are not vnderunder the lawe, but vnderunder grace. Vppon this doth all the reſt of that Chapiter depend vntounto the end. What then, ſaith hée, ſhall we ſinne, becauſe wee are not vnderunder the lawe, but vnderunder grace? God forbidde. Knowe ye not how that to whomſoeuer ye commit your ſelues as ſeruauntes to obey, his ſeruauntes ye are to whome ye obey, whether it be of ſinne vntounto death, or of obedience vntounto righteouſneſſe? But God be thanked that ye were the ſeruants of ſinne, but ye hauehave obeyed with heart, the fourme of doctrine into the which ye are brought vntounto. Being then made free from ſinne, ye are become the ſeruauntes of righteouſneſſe. And yet he ſheweth that the fréemen of Chriſt do not abuſe their libertie, and giuegive themſelues againe to be gouerned by their old & tyrannous maiſter Sinne. For he maketh Sinne and Righteouſneſſe to bée, as it were two maiſters: and addeth to eche of them the hire or reward that they giuegive to their ſeruauntes, the one Life, the other Death. Laſtly he ſaith generallie that we are his ſeruaunts to whome wée giuegive our ſelues to obey. Vppon which hée inferreth, Being redeemed by the grace of God from the bondage of ſinne, and from death whiche is the rewarde of ſinne, we are tranſlated into the bondage of righteouſneſſe (whoſe reward is life) that thereby we may liue. For he doth more ſignificantly expreſſe his meaning in that which followeth ſaying, I ſpeake after the manner of men, becauſe of the infirmitie of your fleſh. As ye hauehave giuen your mēbers ſeruaunts to vncleanneſſe and iniquitie, vntounto iniquitie: euen ſo now giuegive your members ſeruauntes to righteouſneſſe, vntounto holineſſe. For when ye were the ſeruauntes of ſinne, ye were free from righteouſneſſe. What fruite had ye then in thoſe thinges, whereof ye are nowe aſhamed? For the end of thoſe thinges is death. But nowe ye being made free from ſinne, & made the ſeruants of God, hauehave your fruit vntounto holineſſe, and the ende euerlaſting life. For the reward of ſinne is death: but the gift of God is eternall life, thoroughe Ieſus Chriſte oure lord. All this is ſo plaine and euident, that it néedeth no larger expoſition of mine.

And yet in the ſeuenth Chapiter next following hee doeth by compariſon in a parable more fullie expounde all that hée ſaid before. The woman, ſaith hée, whiche is in ſubiection to the man, is by the lawe bound to the man as longe as hée liueth: If while the man liueth ſhée goe a ſide to an other, ſhe is counted an adultreſſe. But if the man be dead, ſhée may couple her ſelfe with an other man. Euen ſo, I ſaye, wée are dead to the lawe. For Chriſt p. 446died for vsus, and was in his bodie offered vpp to be a ſacrifice or oblation to cleanſe and purge oure ſinnes, that we might thenceforth bée vnited and coupled to him, and that wée being conceiued and made with childe with his holy ſpirite, maye trauaile, bring foorth and be deliuered of an excellent iſſue & holie fruite of good works: euen as, while we ſerued ſinne, & were ſubiecte vntounto it, as to oure maiſter, wee brought foorth an ill fauoured babe of death, I meane, iniquitie and wickedneſſe, for the puniſhing whereof death is appointed and ordeined. But let vsus now heare the verie woords of the holie and bleſſed Apoſtle, ſaying: Euen ſo my brethren wee alſo are deade concerning the Lawe by the bodie of Chriſte: that wee ſhould bee coupled to an other, who is rayſed from the dead, that wee ſhould bring forth fruite vntounto God. For when we were in the fleſh, the luſtes of ſinne, which were by the lawe wrought in oure members to bring forth fruite vntounto death. But no we are wee deliuered from the law, and dead vntounto it, wherunto wee were in bondage, that wee may ſerue in neweneſſe of ſpirite and not in the oldneſſe of the letter.

That place in the eighth Chapiter to the Romanes is vnknowen to no man, where he ſaith: The lawe of the ſpirite of life thorough Chriſt Ieſus, hath made mee free from the lawe of ſinne and death. The manner of this deliueraunce hée doeth immediately after add, ſaying: For what the lawe could not doe, that GOD did by ſending his owne ſonne, And ſo forth as followeth. For the woordes are ſufficiently plaine and vnderſtoode of all men.

In the ſeuenth Chapiter of the firſt Epiſtle to the Corinthians hee ſaith, Yee are bought with a price, doe not ye become the ſeruauntes of men. In theſe woordes the holy Apoſtle exhorteth ſeruauntes, vnderunder the colour or pretence of worldly bondage not to committ anye thinge for their earthly maiſters pleaſure, whiche ſoundeth againſt ſinceritie and is repugnant to pure religion: to witt, althoughe they bee called by the name of ſeruauntes, yet that they ſhould not obey the wicked lawes and vngodly ordinaunces of mortall men. The cauſe that oughte to pull and draw vsus from it, is, Becauſe we are redeemed and ſet at libertie by the price of Chriſtes his bloud. It would therefore be to to bad and vnwoorthie a thinge, if wée, contrarie to the effecte of oure libertie, ſhould obey the naughtie lawes and ordinaunces of man.

This alſo is extended & ſtretcheth oute to the lawes of men, whiche are Free fro… the lawes and ordinances of men.made in matters of religion. For in the fiftéenth Chapiter of the holy Goſpell written by the Euāgeliſt S. Matthewe the Lord and Sauiour ſayeth, In vaine doe they worſhip mee, teaching doctrines the precepts of men. And: Let them alone, they are blinde leaders of the blinde. And the Apoſtle S. Paul ſaith, If ye be dead with Chriſte from the rudimentes of the world, why as yet liuing in the world are ye ledd with traditions, Touche not, Taſte not, Handle not? Which all doe periſhe in abuſing after the commaundementes and doctrines of men: which thinges hauehave a ſhewe of wiſedome in ſuperſtition and humbleneſſe of minde, and in neglecting of the body, not in any honour to the ſatiſfying of the fleſh.

Firſt of all hee ſheweth that the faithfull ones of Chriſt Ieſu, hauehave nothing to doe with the decrées of mans p. 447inuentions, and that they are not bound to obſerue mens traditions: becauſe they are dead to traditions with Chriſt, that is to ſay, they are by Chriſt Ieſu redéemed and ſet frée from traditions, whiche traditions did in Chriſte his deathe finiſhe and come to an ende, while hee did make vsus his owne, and ſett vsus at libertie. Then alſo hée doth by imitation counterfaite the woordes of them whiche make thoſe decrées, & ſaye: Oh, touch not, Taſte not, Handle not.

Theſe thrée preceptes ſtretch very farre, and comprehende manye petit decrées. All which hee doeth unmediately confute with theſe probable argumentes. Firſt, becauſe they appoinct the worſhippe of GOD to be in thinges that periſh in the vſe thereof. But the kingdome of God is neither meate nor drincke, but doth conſiſte in ſpirituall thinges. And that whiche entereth in by the mouth doeth not defile the man. Secondarilie, béecauſe they are not made of God the authour of all goodneſſe, but hauehave their beginning of mans inuentions. But in vaine doe they worſhippe mée, ſayeth the Lord in the Goſpell, teaching doctrines the preceptes of men. Neither doeth the holy Apoſtle ſaincte Paul wincke at and ſlylie paſſe ouer, becauſe hée will not aunſweare to the thinges, whiche doe moſt commende theſe traditions.

Firſt of all they are commended …for the ſhewe and appearaunce of wiſedome that is in them. For they ſéeme to hauehave béene, not without great wiſedome, ordeined of wiſe menne in that they doe ſo fittlie ſerue to euerye perſon, time and place. The earneſt defenders of mens traditions crie out and ſaye: Oure aunceſtours weee no fooles, their lawes are full of wiſedome. But Ieremie cryeth out on the other ſide ſaying, They hauehave reiected the woord of GOD, therefore what wiſedome can bee in them?

An other cauſe why traditions are commended is the Gréekes foreign, that is to ſay, a choſen kinde of worſhippe, which wée of our owne braynes hauehave choſen and taken to oure ſelues to ſerue and do God worſhip with all. For men do gladly and willingly receiue the traditions of men, becauſe they are agréeable to their inclination. Yea, Chriſt in the holie Goſpell ſayth, If ye had beene of the world, the world would hauehave loued her owne: Nowe for becauſe I hauehave choſen you out of the worlde, the world doth hate you. And againe hée ſaith, That whiche men ſet great ſtore by, is abhominable vntounto God. Moreouer, mens traditions are commended for humilitie: which is vnderſtoode in two manners or reſpectes. For firſt, that is ſaid to be humilitie, if any man doe readily obey and eaſilie yéeld to that, which is vrged, obtruded and thruſt vponupon him, by men of countenaunce and authoritie. Secondarilie, the lawes of men do ſéeme to exerciſe humbleneſſe, and kéepe men in humilitie. But ſuch obedience and humilitie may rather bée called ſacrilege, becauſe it is not ruled and directed by the woord of God, as the thinge whereby alone it ſhould be tempered and ſquared, but doth tranſferre and conueighe ouer the honour of GOD from God to men. Laſt of all, mens traditions are commended for the neglectinge of the fleſhe. For (Oh) that diſcipline and chaſticemente of the fleaſhe ſéemeth to them a goodlye p. 448thinge, by whiche the wantonneſſe of the fleſh is ſomewhat brideled and tamed. Finallie the Apoſtle addeth, Not in any honour to the ſatiſtyinge The care of the body.of the fleſhe: that is to ſay, Whiche thinges although they hauehave a ſhewe of religion and holineſſe, hauehave notwithſtanding in verie déede no honour at all, conſidering that thoſe externall things are ordeined of GOD for the eaſe and reléefe of menns neceſſities. Yea Paul doth flatly finde fault with thoſe decrées, becauſe they giuegive the bodie no honour for the ſatiſfying of the ſame, that is, according to the meaſure of the bodies neceſſitie. For a moderate care and looking to the bodie is not only permitted, but alſo commanded, leaſt wée perhapps by too muche lacke and neereneſſe do marre the bodie, and make it vnapt to doe good woorkes. Neither is the care of the fleſh in any place forbidden, vnleſſe it tend to luſtes and ſenſualitie. Wherfore the Apoſtle ſaith, Cheriſh not the fleſh vntounto concupiſcence. Therefore God hath graunted to man for his neceſſitie the vſe of meate, drincke, ſléepe, cloathing, reſte, alloweable pleaſures, and other thinges neceſſarie.

In the fourth Chapiter to the Galathians Saincte Paule ſaith, When the fullneſſe of the time was come, God ſent his ſonne, borne of a womā, and made vnderunder the lawe, to redeeme them that were vnderunder the lawe, that wee mighte receiue by adoption the right (or inheritaunce) of children. Nowe becauſe ye are ſonnes, GOD hath ſent the ſpirite of his ſonne into your heartes, crying Abba, Father. Wherfore thou art no more a ſeruant but a ſonne: If thou be a ſonne, thou art alſo an heire of God, thoroughe Chriſt. And immediatly after againe, Stand faſte in the libertie, wherewith Chriſte hath deliuered vsus, and bee not againe wrapped in the yoke of bondage.

In the ſecond to the Hebrues hée ſaith, Chriſte was made partaker of fleſhe and bloud with vsus, to the ende that throughe death he might expell him that had Lordſhip ouer death, that is the diuell: and that hee might deliuer them which through feare of death were all their life time in daunger of bondage. Thus I hope theſe teſtimonies of Scripture ſuffice for our purpoſe.

Theſe thinges being wel weighed The … or … them … are … Chriſt.and throughly conſidered, will plainely teache what kinde of libertie they hauehave, whiche are made frée by Chriſt, and what their propertie and inclination is, to witt, moſt religious and altogether giuen to holy thinges, that is to ſay, in all points addicted to the ſpirite, without whiche there is no libertie, and by which al the ſonnes of God are alwayes gouerned. The Lords frée men doe moſt diligently beware, that they doe vnaduiſedly offend no man by their libertie, nor vainely abuſe their purchaſed fréedome. For they hauehave continuallie before their minds and eyes the weightie ſayings of the holie Apoſtles of their Lord, Chriſte Ieſu. Sainct Peter in the ſecond Chapter of his firſt Epiſtle ſaith, As free, and not as hauing the libertie for a cloake of maliciouſneſſe, but euen as the ſeruauntes of God. And Paule hath, Brethren, ye hauehave beene called vntounto libertie: onelyonly let not libertie be an occaſion to the fleſh, but by louelove ſerue one an other. For I, when I am free, hauehave made mee ſelfe ſeruaunte to all, that I maye winne the more.

They therefore do ſpecially abuſe The … of …Chriſtiā libertie, who ſeeking after carnall p. 449things vnderunder the colour and pretence of the ſpirite and of libertie, doe make their bragges that they by the preachinge of the Goſpell are ſet free from all bodily debtes & dueties: and therefore they do denye to their maiſters, creditours, magiſtrates, and princes the dutie that they owe them, by that meanes reuolting and rebelling againſte them. Theſe fellowes are ſeditious ſtirrers, and not the reuerencers of the Euangelical doctrin. Paule crieth: GiueGive to eueryevery one that which is due: tribute to whome tribute belongeth, cuſtome to whome cuſtome is due, feare to whom feare, and honour to whome honour doeth appertaine. Owe nothing to any mā, but this, that ye louelove one another. Moreouer they alſo do abuſe Chriſtian libertie, who when they hauehave not receiued the ſpirite of libertie and of the ſonnes of God, when they are not as yet deliuered from Satan, nor iuſtified by Chriſt, do notwithſtanding promiſe libertie to all men, and think that for the opinion which they hauehave conceiued of their libertie, they maye do whatſoeuer it pleaſeth them, by y^t meanes gainſaying good lawes and ſeuere diſcipline, with exclamations & outcries, that libertie by lawes is intrapped, betrayed, and trode vnderunder foote. Againſt ſuch, and eſpecially againſt the teachers of that vaine and pernicious libertie Sainct Peter taketh ſtomach and ſaith: Theſe are welles without water, clowdes that are carried with a tempeſt, to whome the myſte of darkneſſe is reſerued for euer. For when they hauehave ſpoken the great ſwelling wordes of vanitie, they entice through luſtes in the voluptuouſneſſe of the fleaſh, ſuche as were cleane eſcaped from them, which are wrapped in errour, while they promiſe them libertie, wher as they them ſelues are the bondſeruaunts of corruption: for of whome a man is ouercome, vntounto the ſame is he brought in bondage. And ſo foorth as followeth. Licentiouſneſſe.Nowe when men doe after that manner abuſe libertie, that licentious luſt is not worthie to be called by y^• name of libertie. Laſt of all they doe abuſe Chriſtian libertie, whoſoeuer do abuſe thinges indifferent, and hauehave no regarde of their weake brethren, but do offende them vnaduiſedly. Wee muſt therefore, in this caſe, alwayes hauehave in minde this notable ſaying of Sainct Paule: All things are lawful for mee, but all thinges are not expedient: all things are lawfull for mee, but all things do not edifie. Touching this matter there is more to bee ſéene in the fourteenth Chapter of S. Paules Epiſtle written to the Romanes.

And here by occaſion, yea rather, Of offenc….being compelled by neceſſitie, I will ſpeake a little, and ſo much as ſhall be requiſite for the godly diſpoſed to knowe, touching offences. Scandalū, which worde the Latines borrowe of the Gréekes, doth ſignifi… a fallinge, a tripping, a ſtumbling blocke, an offence, a let or hinderance: ſuch as are ſtones in a ſtreate, that ſticke vpp higher then the reſt, or ginnes that are of purpoſe ſubtily ſett or hidde to ſnare the féete of them that paſſe ouer them. For they which doe either light on or ſtumble at them, doe fall or elſe are turned out the ſtreight path. Now this kinde of ſnare or ſtumbling bl…ck is by a metaphore tranſferred to the eſtate of religion and manners of mē. For he giueth an offence, whoſoeuer doth with ouerthwart, fooliſhe, or vnſeaſonable wordes or deedes either do or ſaye to another man any thinge, p. 450whereby he taketh an occaſiō to ſinne. Therefore Scandalum is an occaſion giuen to ſinne and doe wickedly, and the verie impulſion or driuing to a fall or to wickedneſſe. Other there are that do define Scandalum to be an offence ioyned with a contempt. For an offence doth vſually drawe a contempt with it, or as we may ſay alſo, an offence doth riſe vponupon contempt. To conclude therefore it is put for an iniurie offered by one man to another.

Nowe, wee offende other men either Howe and by what meanes an offence is giuen.by our woordes, or elſe by our deedes. The offence that is giuen by wordes is partely in euil, fooliſh and vnſeaſonable doctrine, and partely in our daily talke or communication. The greateſt offence is that, which doth ariſe of wicked doctrine directly contrarie to the true doctrine of y^e holie Goſpell. The nexte to this is that offence, which doeth ariſe of fooliſhe & vnſeaſonable doctrine: which, though it be deriued out of the worde of God, is notwithſtandinge either vnaptly vttered, or vnwiſely applyed. For the preacher may ſinne either by too much ſufferinge or lenitie: or elſe by too much ſharpneſſe and ouerthwart wai wardneſſe, ſo that the hearers beeing offended, do wholie drawe back from all the hearing of the Goſpell. And yet for all this the light of the Goſpel muſt not bee hidden, nor the trueth ſliely winked at, becauſe men wilbe offended, but preachers muſt with all their diligence take heede that the woorde of God bee wiſely ſet foorth, and aptly diſpenſed.

What ſoeuer thinges are againſt the lawes of God, thoſe muſt moſte conſtantly be accuſed, and without feare moſte diligently confuted, howſoeuer the worlde and worldlinges do ſtorme againſt the ſame. Nowe they do by their daily talke cauſe their brethren to ſtumble, whoſoeuer let their toungues runne looſe to talke they care not what, and at their pleaſure without aduiſe to babble they care not howe: of which ſorte are filthie ſpéech and ribaulorie, but eſpecially ſuch blaſphemous wordes as are vnreuerently vttered againſt God, the holie Scriptures, and articles of our faith. For euil wordes corrupt good manners. I do not here exclude the letters or writinges of men which doe vnaduiſedly offend their brethren.

Laſtly, ſtumbling blockes of offence are laide before many men, either by promiſes, or elſe by threatenings: ſo often I meane as by alluring inticements of many faire promiſes, or elſe by terrible threates and torments they are turned from the right path of trueth into bywayes and errours. For ſo did Pharao laye a ſtone of offence before king Zedechias by cauſing him to make a league with him, & by that meanes to truſte more in the power of Aegypt than in the mightie hand of God.

Tyrauntes doe often times giuegive weake Chriſtians cauſes of offence, while they by torments driue them to deny y^e name of their maiſter Chriſt.

Now the déedes whereby men are offended bee of two ſortes, that is to ſaye, they be either lawfull and at our frée choice, or elſe vnlawfull and vtterly forbidden vsus. But euen lawfull déedes are by abuſe made vnlawfull. For it is lawfull for the faithfull to eate what they luſte. For to the cleane all thinges are cleane. But thy eatinge is made vnlawfull, if thou doeſt eate with the offence of thy weake brother. For he doeth not vnderſtande that it is lawfull to eate p. 451indifferently eueryevery kinde of thinge: and thou knoweſt verie wel, that if thou eateſt hee will bee offended, and yet notwithſtanding thou doeſt eate and deſpiſe him, aſſure thy ſelfe in ſo dooing thou giueſt cauſe of offence, and ſinneſt not a little againſt thy weake brother. To this wee adde all vnſeaſonable vſing of frée things and indifferent.

But here ye muſt note that the doctours of the Churche doe diligently Weklings ….diſtinguiſh and make a difference betwixt weake brethren and ſtubborne perſons. The weakelinges are ſuch as be vtterly ignorant in ſome points of religion, and yet notwithſtanding are tractable enough, and feare the Lorde, not erring of purpoſe with malicious ouerthwartneſſe, but touched with a certeine weakeneſſe of faith and religion, ſuffering themſelues neuertheleſſe willingly to bee inſtructed.

Of ſuch the Apoſtle ſaith: Him that is weake in faithe receiue ye, not to ſtrifes of diſputations. But the ſtubborne and obſtinate people are they, which, when they knowe the trueth and libertie of the Sainctes, do notwithſtandinge harden their mindes and ſet them ſelues againſte the trueth and libertie, which they know, deſiringe to hauehave muche graunted them, and eueryevery man to beare with them, not ſo much, for that they doe euer meane to giuegive place to the truth, as, to the ende that by this occaſion once graunted them, they maye at laſt ſubuerte the trueth and Chriſtian libertie, and in ſtéede thereof ſet vpp their trifles and ſuperſtitious vanities.

Of ſuch men the Lorde ſpeaketh in the Goſpell ſaying: Let them alone, they be blinde leaders of the blinde. And Paule in the ſeconde Chapter to the Galathians ſaith: Titus beeing a Greeke was not circumciſed, becauſe of incommers beeing falſe brethren, which came in priuily to ſpie out our libertie, which we hauehave in Chriſt Ieſus, that they might bring vsus into bondage. To whome not ſo muche as for an houre wee gaue any place by ſubiection, that the trueth of the goſpell might continue with you.

Moreouer, to this place is to bée referred the difference that ſome An offence giuen and an offence taken.men doe verie wiſely make betwixte the giuing, and the taking of an offence.

An offence is giuen then, when by thy faulte, by thy importunitie, I ſaye, and thy lightneſſe, thou either doeſt or ſayeſt a thing: for which thy brother hath a cauſe to bee offended. The other kinde of offence is not giuen, but taken, or picked out, not by thy faulte, but by the malice or wickedneſſe of another man: as for example, when thou doeſt ſinne neither in woorde nor déede, when thy déedes are nothing inſolent, nor thy woordes vnſeaſonable, when thou either ſayeſt or doeſt the thing that is both frée and lawfull for thée to ſaye and do, and yet another taketh pepper in noſe and is offended with that libertie of thine. Which is all one, as if a man that walketh in a plaine pathe ſhoulde happe to trippe or ſtumble, and preſently quarell with his companion, as though hee had layed a blocke in his waye.

Nowe the vnlawfull and forbidden déedes wherewith men are offended, doe tende againſt God and his lawes, are done contrarie to all ſéemlineſſe, equitie, right, & reaſon, & ſtirre p. 452vpp others to imitate the like reuels and deſire of ill rule. For ſuche are idolatrie, murther, whoredome, couetouſneſſe, pride, and luxurie. So did the wicked king Ieroboam ſet vp the golden calues to bee a ſtumblinge blocke vntounto all the people of Iſrael. And in like manner doe many with their drunken tippling, and ouernéece brauerie in gawdie apparaile not only offend others, but alſo make them worſe, and by their ill example drawe them into like and more fooliſhe vanities.

Finally, to giuegive an offence is a verie To giuegive offence is a great ſin.great ſinne, as the ſaying of y^• Lord in the Goſpel affirmeth. For in Matthewe he ſaith: Wo vntounto the worlde becauſe of offences. It muſt needes be that offences come, but wo to the man by whom the offence commeth. Whoſoeuer offendeth one of theſe little ones that beleeue in mee, it were better for him that a milſtone were hanged about his necke, and that hee were drowned in the deapth of the Sea. And Paule the Apoſtle ſpeaking to the brethren that giuegive offence, doeth ſaye: Through thy giuing of offēce periſheth thy brother for whome Chriſt died. And againe: And ſo ye ſinning againſte your brethren, and wounding their weake conſciences, do ſinne againſt Chriſt him ſelfe. But what can bee deuiſed more heynous then to ſinne againſt Chriſt? Let vsus all therefore take héede, that by abuſing Chriſtian libertie, we giuegive no occaſion of offence to the weake, but all wayes do the thinges that doe belong to charitie.

Laſt of all we muſt eſpecially confirme our mindes againſt the enimies Offences … not of the Goſpel out of the … of … goſpel.of the Goſpell, who ceaſſe not daily to lay innumerable heapes of offences vppon the preachers and zealous followers of the Euangelical doctrine. Ye, ſaye they, are the cauſes of all the broyles, ſeditions, warres, and hurly burlies, wherewith the world is at this day diſquieted. Againſt theſe offenſiue outeries I ſaye wee muſt confirme our mindes with y^• notable ſaying of Chriſte in the Goſpell: I came not to ſende peace but a ſworde. For I am come to ſet a man at variaunce with his father, and the daughter againſt her mother, and the daughter in lawe againſt her mother in lawe: and a mannes foes ſhalbe they of his owne houſhold. Here wee muſt call to remembrance and laye before our eyes the notable examples of the prophets and Apoſtles. King Achab ſaide to Helias the Prophet, that hee was the diſturber and plague of the kingdome. But the Prophet replyeth that not he, but the king was the troubler of y^• countrie. The rebellious Iewes obiected againſt Ieremie, that ſince y^e time they began to leaue the worſhip of their (idol) gods, & to hearken to y^e preaching of the worde of God, they neuer had one iott of felicitie, but that miſhappes by troupes fell one vppon anothers necke. To which obiection they were anſwered, that thoſe miſfortunes did light vppon them becauſe of their ſinnes, and eſpecially for their rebellion and vnthankfulneſſe ſake. The vnbeléeuing Iewes at Theſſalonica cryed out againſt Paule and Silas, ſaying: Theſe fellowes that hauehave troubled the whole worlde, are come hither alſo. But Paule ſpeaking againſt the Iewes his enimies and perſecutours ſaide: They, as they hauehave killed the Lord Ieſus and their owne prophets, ſo doe they perſecute vsus: they pleaſe not God, and are aduerſaries to all men, reſiſting vsus that we ſhould not preach the Goſpell vntounto p. 453the Gentiles to their ſaluation, that they may ſtil fulfil their ſinnes, and ſo at laſt the endleſſe anger of God may fall vppon them. Theſe ſayings and ſuch like let the faithfull think vppon and hauehave in their mindes, and let them perſeauer ſtil with conſtancie and patience to ſpread abroade the doctrine of the Goſpell, howſoeuer the world doth freate and caſt offences in the way. And thus much hitherto touching offences.

It remaineth now, as my promiſe in the beginning was, to ſaye ſomewhat Of good …oorkes.in the ende of this ſermon concerning good woorkes. For wee hauehave learned that Chriſtian libertie is not licentiouſneſſe, but an adoption into the number of the ſonnes of God, which do beſtowe all their life vppon the ſtudie of godlyneſſe and vertues. Wee hauehave learned that the lawe of God is the rule and doctrine of good workes. The courſe of order therefore doth now require to hauehave ſomewhat ſaide touching good workes.

Firſt of all let vsus determine of the What wor…s do … in the ….verie true and certeine ſignification of workes, becauſe the worde is vſed diuerſly, and is of ample ſignification. For workes are the labours and buſie exerciſes of menne, by which they get their liuings. For Paule commaundeth eueryevery man to woorke with his owne handes. The lawe forbiddeth vsus to doe any woorke on the Sabboth day. And the Iſraelites were oppreſſed in Aegypt with harde and weariſome worke and toyle. There are alſo workemen to whome the Lorde in the Goſpell commaundeth to paye the hire that is their due. A woorke alſo is the thing which is made or expreſſed by the artificer or workeman. For the Prophet Ieremie ſpeaking of a potter ſaith: He made a worke vponupon a whéele.

Moreouer, a woorke doth ſignifie an office or duetie. For Paul ſaith, do the worke (meaning the office) of an Euangeliſt. And the holy Ghoſte, ſpeaking in the church at Antioche, ſaith: Separate me Paule and Barnabas for the woorke whereunto I hauehave choſen them. Furthermore the workes of the Lorde are the mightie déedes of God, whereby he doeth declare his power and goodneſſe vntounto men: and in that ſignificatiō, heauen, earth, and man him ſelfe are ſaide to be y^e workes of Gods hands. Workes alſo are the benefites of God beſtowed vppon vsus men. For in the Goſpel he ſaith: I hauehave ſhewed you manye good workes: as if he ſhould hauehave ſaid, I hauehave done you many good turnes. There are alſo euil workes, I meane, workes of iniquitie. Wherevppon ſome men are called woorkers of iniquitie: whoſe déedes are the woorkes of the fleſhe and of darkneſſe. Againe, there are good workes, I meane ſundrie vertues, the fruites of faith, of which ſorte are iuſtice, temperaunce, charitie, patience, hope &c. For the Lorde in the Goſpell ſaide: Let your light ſo ſhine beefore men, that they may ſee your good workes and glorifie the father which is in heauen. The Apoſtle ſaith that wee are made for good workes, to walke in them. Thoſe ſame are called the fruites of repentance, and woorkes worthie of repentance. They are called y^e works of light and the fruites of the ſpirite. The ſame are the workes of humanitie, beneuolence and charitie, ſuche are commended in Tabitha, which is read to hauehave beene full of good works. Paule ſaith: Let vsus woorke good while we hauehave time to all, but eſpecially to them of the houſhold of faith. p. 454Such a like worke of humanitie and charitie did Marie beſtowe vppon Chriſte our Sauiour: who ſaide: She hath wrought a good worke on mee. This beeing thus declared wee will nowe deſcribe good woorkes in their colours and qualities.

Good workes are déedes or actions Good workes what they are.wrought of thoſe which are regenerate by the ſpirite of God, through faith and according to the worde of God, to the glorie of God, the honeſtie of life, & the profite of their neighbour. This briefe deſcription I will proſecute by partes and expounde ſo well as the Lorde ſhall giuegive mee grace.

Firſt of all I will by proofe ſhewe that there is none other welſpringe The originall cauſe of good workes.from whence good workes do flowe, than God him ſelfe which is the author of all good thinges. For the Prophet ſaith: All men are lyars, God alone doth ſpeake the trueth. And the Lorde in the Goſpell ſaith: None is good but God alone. Good woorkes therefore muſt hauehave their beginning, not of man who is a lyar and corrupt, but of God him ſelfe the welſpring of all goodneſſe. And God doeth by his ſpirite and by faith in Chriſte Ieſus renue al men, ſo that they being once regenerate, doe no longer their owne, that is, the workes of the fleſhe, but y^e workes of the ſpirite, of grace, and of God him ſelfe. For the woorkes of them that are regenerate doe growe vpp by the good ſpirite of God, that is within them, which ſpirite, euen as the ſappe giueth ſtrength to trees to bring foorth fruite, doth in like manner cauſe ſundrie vertues to budde & braunch out of vsus men, as the Lorde him ſelfe doth in the Goſpell teſtifie & ſaye: I am the vine, ye are the braunches. As the braunche cannot beare fruite of it ſelfe, vnleſſe it abide in the vine: ſo cannot ye alſo vnleſſe ye abide in mee. Whoſoeuer abideth in mee, and I in him, hee bringeth foorth much fruite: for without mee ye can do nothing. To y^e ſame cauſe is that to be referred, whereas wee ſay that a good worke is done by faith. For faith is the gift of God, whereby wée laye holde on Chriſte, throughe which wée are both iuſtified and quickened, as the Scipture ſaith: The iuſt ſhal liue by his faith. And in another place ſaith Paule: By faith Chriſte dwelleth in our heartes. And againe: I liue, yet now not I, but Chriſte liueth in mee. And the life which now I liue in the fleſhe, I liue by the faith of the ſonne of God, who loued mee and gaue him ſelfe for mee. Nowe he that liueth doeth the workes of life, through him, no doubt, by whome he is quickened: and he that is iuſtified doeth the woorkes of righteouſneſſe, through him that iuſtified him: that is, the righteous do, through Chriſte, woorke righteouſneſſe, and righteouſeneſſe conteineth the whole companie of vertues. So then God alone remaineth ſtil the onelyonly welſpring and author of good woorkes. But let vsus nowe ſee the teſtimonies of Scripture by which wee may euidently learne, that the workes of them, that be regenerate, are attributed to God him ſelfe, who by his ſpirite and by faith doeth woorke in the heartes of the regenerate.

Moſes teſtifieth ſaying: The Lord ſhall bleſſe thee, and the Lorde thy God ſhal circumciſe thy hearte, and the heart of thy ſeed, that thou maiſt louelove the Lorde thy God with all thy hearte, and with all thy ſoule, that thou maiſt liue.

Lo here the cauſe y^e godly men doe p. 455rightly louelove the Lorde doth procéede of the circumciſion of the heart. Now who, I praye you, doth circumciſe the hearte, beſide the Lorde? The Prophet Eſaie doeth more plainly ſaye: Thou Lorde ſhalt ordeine peace: for euen thou haſte wrought all our workes in vsus.

In the Goſpell after Sainct Iohn, our Sauiour ſaith: He that worketh veritie commeth to the light, that his workes may be ſeene, becauſe they are wrought by God. And againe: Whoſoeuer abideth in mee, and I in him, he bringeth foorth much fruite. For without mee ye can do nothing. Paule alſo to the Philippians, ſaith: To you it is giuen for Chriſte, not onelyonly to beleeue in him but alſo to ſuffer for him.

And yet againe more plainly: It is God that woorketh in you both to will, and to doe accordinge to the good purpoſe of the minde. Likewiſe alſo Sainct Iames ſaith: Euerie good giuing, and euerie perfecte gifte is from aboue, and commeth from the father of lightes.

Moreouer, Sainct Peter aſcribing all the partes of good woorkes ſo God, deeth ſaye: The God of all grace, who hath called you to his eternall glorie through Chriſte Ieſus, reſtore, vpholde, ſtrengthen, and ſtabliſhe you. For wée are not able, as Paule in an other place ſaith: Of our ſelues to thinke any thinge, as of our ſelues, but all our abilitie is of God. Therefore God alone remayneth ſtill the onelyonly welſpring of all good workes, from whome as from a ſpring head good works do flowe into the Sainctes as into ſundry ſtreames and chanels.….

Yet here by the waye this muſte be added that good woorkes although they doe in deede procéede from God, and are in verie true and proper phraſe of ſpéeche the fruites of the ſpirite and of faith, both are notwithſtanding, and are alſo ſayde to bee ours, that is to ſaye, the woorkes of faithfull men, partely becauſe God worketh them by vsus, and vſeth our miniſterie in the dooing of the ſame, and partely becauſe wee are by faith the ſonnes of God, and are therefore made the brethren and ioyntheires w^t Ieſus Chriſt.

For by this right of inheritaunce all the workes of God, which are in vsus Gods giftes, do beginne to be not anothers, but our owne and proper woorkes. Yea, the verie Scripture doeth attribute them to vsus as vntounto ſonnes and fréeborne children. For the Lorde in the Goſpell ſaith: The ſeruaunt abideth not in the houſe for euer, the ſonne abideth for euer. Therefore, as all thinges in the fathers houſe do by right of inheritance and title of proprietie come to the ſonne, although the ſonne hath not gotten them by his owne induſtrie, nor gathered them by his owne labour, but hath receiued them by the liberalitie of his parents: euen ſo the workes of God which he doth woorke in vsus and by vsus, which are Gods gifts beſtowed vppon vsus, both are, and are ſaide to be our owne, becauſe we are the ſonnes of the houſhold, as it were by adoption, and therefore are the lawful heires. Wherefore it were the ſigne of a verie vnthankfull minde, for an adopted ſonne, beeing forgetfull of his fathers beneficence & liberalitie, to make his bragges that all thoſe goods, which hee enioyeth by right of inheritaunce, were gotten & come by, through his owne labour and trauaile.

p. 456Whereuppon Paule ſaide verie religiouſly: What haſt thou that thou haſt not receiued? if thou haſt then receiued it, why doeſt thou yet boaſt as though thou receiuedſt it not? Verie well thought the holy martyre of Chriſte, Sainct Cyprian who was wont to ſaye: We ſhould boaſt of no thing, becauſe wee hauehave nothinge of our owne. And to this place belongeth that ſaying of the Prophet Eſaie: Shall the axe boaſt againſt him that heweth with it? or ſhal the ſawe brag againſt him that draweth it? We verily are the inſtrumentes or tooles of God by which he woorketh. For the Apoſtle ſaith: We are ioyntworkers with God, ye are Gods huſbandrie, ye are Gods building, according to the grace which God hath giuen me. Therefore, according to the meaning of the Apoſtles writing, Sainct Auguſtine lib. de Gratia et libero arb. in the ſixte Chapter, doth ſaye: When grace is giuen, then doe our merites begin to be good, and that through grace. For if grace bee taken awaye, then man doth fall, not being ſet vp, but caſt downe headlong by free wil. Wherefore, when man beginneth to hauehave good workes, hee muſt not attribute them to him ſelfe, but vntounto God, to whome it is ſaide in the Pſalme: Be thou my helper, oh forſake mee not. In ſaying, forſake mee not, he ſheweth, that if he bee forſaken, he is able to do no good of him ſelfe. So then in theſe woordes ſainct Auguſtine doeth plainly enough declare, that good workes are oures after that ſorte, that yet notwithſtanding they ceaſſe not to be the workes of God: yea, that they ought neuertheleſſe to bee aſcribed to the grace of God, that worketh in vsus.

Nowe by this which wee hauehave hitherto No works do iuſtifie.alledged out of the ſcriptures touchinge the true originall cauſe of 1good workes, wee may eaſily vnderſtande howe and after what manner the Scripture doeth attribute righteouſneſſe vntounto oure merites. For I hauehave in another place ſufficiently declared (and will againe ſaye ſomewhat when I come to the treatiſe of the Goſpel) that faith, not woorkes, doeth iuſtifie vsus in the ſight of God: which is the eſpeciall point and chiefe foundation of the Euangelical and Apoſtolicall doctrine. All our workes generally are either the works of nature or the fleſhe, or elſe the workes of the lawe, or elſe the workes of faith or grace. Nowe, the workes of nature or the fleſhe do not iuſtifie but cō demne vsus: Becauſe that which is borne of fleſhe is fleſhe. But the luſte of the fleſhe is death, and enimitie againſt God. What y^e Apoſtle thought 2and ſaide touching the woorkes of the lawe, I did declare to you in my former ſermon: By the woorkes of the lawe, ſaith he, ſhal no fleſhe be iuſtified. But if we beat out and examin 3the workes of grace and of faith: wee ſhal finde that they both are, and hauehave béene done by faithfull and iuſt men. Whereupon it is manifeſt that iuſtification did alwayes goe beefore the workes of righteouſneſſe. For y^e iuſt man doth worke righteouſneſſe, ſo y^e righteouſneſſe is the fruite that y^e iuſt do bring forth. Man verily is iuſtified freely by grace, and not by woorkes, which followe after iuſtification. What may be ſaide to that, where y^e Scripture ſaith, that euen Abraham the father of all that beléeue, was not iuſtified by the woorkes of grace and of faith? He liued 430 yeres before the lawe, he beléeued in God, and by true faith did moſt excellent workes: p. 457and yet by thoſe his woorkes of faith hee was not iuſtified. For Paule doth plainly argue thus: If Abraham were iuſtified by workes, than hath he wherein to boaſt, but not before God. For what ſaith the Scripture? Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vntounto him for righteouſneſſe. To him that worketh is the rewarde not reckoned of grace but of dutie. But to him that worketh not, but beleeueth on him that iuſtifieth the vngodly, his faith is counted for righteouſneſſe.

Nowe whereas wee conclude that we alſo ſhalbee iuſtified according to the example of Abraham by faith, and not by workes, wee ground that concluſion not vppon our owne mindes, but vppon the Apoſtles doctrine, who ſaith: Neuertheleſſe it was not written for him onelyonly, that faith was imputed to him for righteouſneſſe: but it was written for vsus alſo, to whome it ſhalbe reckoned, if wee beleeue in Chriſt. Touching this matter I hauehave alreadie diſputed in the ſixte ſermon of the firſt Decade. I verily am perſuaded that this doctrine of the Apoſtles and Euangeliſtes ought to bee laide vp in the bottome of eueryevery faithfull heart, that wee are iuſtified by the grace of God, not by merites, through faith, & not through workes.

But while wee vrge and repeate Good workes a… no… … their … is by ….this doctrine vntounto the people, we are ſaide of many to be the patrones of all naughtineſſe, and vtter enimies to al good workes and vertues. But wee by this our preaching and doctrine of faith which doeth only iuſtifie, do not contemne good woorkes, nor thinke them to be ſuperfluous. Wee do not ſaye that they are not good: but do cry out vppon the abuſe of good woorkes, and the corrupt doctrin of good works, which is defiled with the leauen of the Phariſeis. For we teache to do good woorkes, but wee will not hauehave them to be ſet to ſale, & to be bought I cannot tell in what order of bargaining, we wil not hauehave any man to put confidence in them, wee will not hauehave any man to boaſt of the giftes of God, wee will not hauehave the power to iuſtifie or to merite life euerlaſting to bee ſimply attributed vntounto them. For by that meanes Chriſte ſhoulde waxe vile and contemptible, whoe hath with his death alone merited for vsus the heauenly kingdome of God Almightie.

Neither do we by this, as manye thinke we do, ſeparate good woorkes from faith. Our doctrine is, that workes and faith are not ſeuered, but cleaue together as cloſely as may bee: ſo yet notwithſtanding that iuſtification is properly aſcribed to faith, and not to workes. For workes do conſiſt in our worthineſſe, but faith doth leane to the promiſe of God, which ſetteth before vsus both righteouſueſſe and life in the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God Chriſt Ieſus our Sauiour. And Chriſte is ſufficiently able of him ſelf, and by his owne power and vertue, to iuſtifie them that beléeue in his name, without any ayde or helpe of ours at all.

I will not winke at ſome mennes obiection, but fréely confeſſe that the In what ſenſe the ſcripture doth attribute iuſtification vntounto good workes.Scriptures here and there do after a ſorte attribute both life and iuſtification vntounto good works. But the ſcripture is not contrary to it ſelfe: therefore we muſt ſearche and examine in what ſenſe and howe, life and iuſtification are aſcribed to our woorkes. Sainct Auguſtine dooth ſo aunſwere this obiection, that hee referreth our workes vntounto the Grace of God.

p. 458For in his booke De gratia et libero arbitrio the eighth Chapter, hee writeth:

If eternall life be of duetie giuen to good works, as the ſcripture doth moſte plainly teſtifie, ſaying: Beecauſe God will rewarde eueryevery man according to his workes: then howe is eternall life of Grace, conſideringe that grace is not giuen as due to workes, but freely and without deſertes? as the apoſtle Paule doth ſay: to him that worketh, the reward is not reckoned of grace, but of duetie. And againe:

The remnant, ſaith hee, are ſaued by the election of grace. And immediately after be addeth: If it be of grace, then is it not nowe of workes, for then grace is no more grace. Howe then is eternal life, which is gotten by workes, a gift? Or elſe did not the Apoſtle ſay that euerlaſtinge life is a gifte? Yes verily he ſaide it ſo plainly that we cannot denye it.

Neither are his words ſo obſcure, that they require a ſharpe vnderſtander, but an attentiue hearer. For when he had ſaide, the rewarde of ſinne is death, he addeth ſtreightwayes: but the gift of God is life euerlaſting, in Ieſu Chriſt our Lorde. Mee thinketh therefore that this queſtion can bee none otherwiſe reſolued, vnleſſe wee vnderſtand that euen our good workes, to which eternall life is giuen, muſt be referred to the grace and gift of God: becauſe the Lord Ieſus ſaith, without mee ye can do nothing. And the Apoſtle, when he had ſaide, ye are ſaued by grace through faith, doeth preſently adde: and that not of your ſelues, it is the gifte of God: not of workes, leſt any man ſhoulde boaſt.

Thus much hitherto out of Saincte Auguſtine.

Nowe, although this aunſwere of Sainct Auguſtine be godly and plain enough to him that ſimply ſearcheth for the trueth, yet I am ſure that ſome there are which neuer will bée aunſwered with it. They wil, I knowe, go about vppon Sainct Auguſtines The … of the… whic… … …nto w… kes.wordes to inferre, y^• works and not faith alone do iuſtifie vsus men. For thus they argue: wee are iuſtified and doe obteine eternall life by grace: good workes doe belong to the grace of God: therefore good workes do iuſtifie vsus.

Nowe, it is not amiſſe to cloaſe & buckle hande to hande with theſe diſputers, that in this little ye may perceiue that they bée méere ſhiftes of ſophiſtrie, which they ſet to ſale vnderunder the name and colour of verie ſounde arguments.

And firſte of all, there is no man ſo fooliſhe, if hee hath read the doctrine of Sainct Paule, but knoweth verie well that thoſe two propoſitions cannot hang together: wee are iuſtified by grace: and, we are iuſtified by workes. For that ſentence of Saincte Paule is as cleare as the Sunne, where he ſaith: If of grace, then, nowe not of workes: for then grace were no grace. Wee do freely graunt both their propoſitions, to wite, that we are iuſtified by grace, and that woorkes belong to the grace of God, or be the gifte of God. But wee denye their conſequence, and ſay that it is falſe, to wite, that workes do iuſtifie.

For, if that be true, then may we in like manner truely ſaye: a man doth ſee: an hande doeth belong vntounto a man: and therevppon inferre, therefore a hande doth ſee. But who p. 459would gather ſo vaine a conſequent. For all doe vnderſtande that a man doeth conſiſt of ſundrie members, and that eueryevery member hath his effectes and offices.

Againe, what is he which knoweth not, that the grace of God, whiche is otherwiſe vndiuided, is diuided and diſtinguiſhed according to the diuerſe operations which it worketh. For there is in God a certeine (as it were) generall Grace, whereby he created all mortall menne, and by which hee ſendeth raine vppon the iuſt and vniuſt. But this grace doth not iuſtifie. For if it did, then ſhould the wicked and vniuſt be iuſtified.

Againe, there is that ſingular grace, whereby he doeth for his onelyonly begotten Chriſte his ſake adopt vsus to bee his ſonnes: he doth not I meane adopt all, but the beléeuers onelyonly, whoſe ſinnes hee reckoneth not, but doeth impute to them the righteouſeneſſe of his onelyonly begotten ſonne our Sauiour.

This is that grace which doeth alone iuſtifie vsus in verie déede. Moreouer, there is a grace, which beeing powred into our mindes doth bringe foorth good woorkes in them that are iuſtified. This grace doeth not iuſtifie, but doeth ingender the fruites of righteouſeneſſe in them that are iuſtified. Therefore we confeſſe and graunt that good woorkes belong to grace, but after a certeine manner, order and facion.

Againe, they obiect and ſaye: but Grace or faith, and woorkes, iuſtification alſo and ſanctification are ſo ioyned together, that they cannot be ſeauered one from another: therefore the thinge that agréeth to one, is alſo applyable vntounto the other.

I verilye, neither dare nor doe in any caſe gaineſaye, that faith and woorkes do cleaue together: but I do vtterly denye that they twaine are all one, ſo that the thing which is attributed to the one, may alſo bee applyed vntounto the other.

For faith, although it bée weake and vnperfect in vsus, doeth notwithſtandinge, leane and ſtaye vppon Chriſte his perfection alone, and ſo farre foorth it doth iuſtifie vsus. But our workes hauehave in them (for I vſe the myledeſt phraſe of ſpeache) ſome ſprinkling of vice and ſparckle of errour, beecauſe of the originall diſeaſe that is naturall in vsus all: but it followeth not therefore, that the grace of God is polluted by any vice or fault of ours: which ſhould of neceſſitie followe conſequently, if by reaſon of the ſtreight knott betwixte them, the properties of the one were common to the other.

Although the light of the Sunne bée not ſeparated from the heate therof, yet is not the light the ſame that the heate is.

Neither is it a good conſequence to ſaye: the Sunne giueth light to the worlde: therefore, the heate of the Sunne giueth light to the worlde. Becauſe in the Sunne the heate and light cannot be ſeparated. Yea, rather the Sunne, in reſpecte of his light, doth lighten the worlde, not in reſpect of the heate that it hath. And yet the Sunne doeth both warme and lighten the earth at once.

In like manner, wee are freely iuſtified by the mercifull grace of God, for Chriſte his ſake our Lord…, and Sauioure, not in reſpect and conſideration of the works of Grac… that are found in vsus: although … p. 460woorkes are ingendred and brought forth by that frée grace.

And ſo we muſt attribute all glorie wholy to the grace of God, and not parte ſtakes with him, and take to our owne ſhare any parte of his glorie.

Theſe wranglers hauehave yet another ſhifte, and ſaye: although we ſaye that eternall life is giuen by God to all faithfull beléeuers, not for faith onelyonly in Chriſt Ieſus, but alſo for the workes of faith, all the glorie neuertheleſſe ſhall redounde to God, namely ſince we acknowledge and confeſſe that thoſe workes are wrought in vsus by the power and grace of God. To this our anſwere is, that glorie muſt ſo be giuen to God, as he doth pleaſe to hauehave it giuen him. If the will, purpoſe and counſell of God were to receiue vsus into his friendſhip for the workes ſake, which his ſpirite and grace doeth bring foorth in vsus, then ſhould he vnaduiſedly without diſcretion hauehave ſent his onelyonly begottē ſonne into the worlde, and raſhly hauehave appointed him to the terrible pangues of bitter death.

But God, in all that he hath created, either in heauen or earth, much leſſe in this caſe which is the greateſt that belongeth to man, the chiefe and moſt excellent creature that he hath made, did neuer at any time doe any thing raſhely without greate aduiſement. Wherefore it is aſſuredly certeine, that it was neuer the counſell and purpoſe of God for our own good woorkes and vertues to redéeme vsus from the tyrannie of Satan and to accept vsus for his ſonnes, but for the only ſacrifice and ſatiſfaction of his onelyonly begotten ſonne Chriſte Ieſus oure Lorde and Sauiour. For the iudgement of Paule in this matter remaineth firme and inuincible, where hee ſaith: If righteouſneſſe come of the workes of the lawe, then did Chriſte die in vaine. And that diuine ſaying of Sainct Peter remaineth for euer vncomptroleable: There is ſaluatiō in none other.

Againe, they doe laye certeine places of Scripture together, and therevpon do argue thus. Although Paule in one place doth ſaye: Ye are ſaued by grace through faith: yet in another place the ſame Paule doth ſaye, we are ſaued by hope. Now, who knoweth not that hope is as it were vpheld and ſtrengthened by patience? Chriſt him ſelfe in the Goſpell agréeing therevnto and ſaying: In your patience ye ſhal poſſeſſe your ſoules. Therefore not faith onelyonly but hope and patience doe bring vsus to ſaluation. To this we aunſwere thus, that the holie Apoſtle doeth ſufficiently expound him ſelfe, if a man will take the paines to read him through out, and weigh with him ſelfe the end and cauſe for which he ſpake eueryevery ſeuerall ſentence.

Ye are, ſaith he, ſaued by grace through faith: and that not of your ſelues, it is the gifte of God: not of woorkes, leaſt any man ſhould boaſt &c. Hath he not in theſe fewe wordes moſt euidently declared, what his beléefe is touching grace or faith, and workes? who would deſire a plainer ſpéeche? There is none ſo verie a dorrhead, as that hee vnderſtandeth not that the benefite of ſaluation is wholie and merely aſcribed to grace.

For hee doeth not diuide ſaluation or iuſtificatiō partly to faith or grace, and partely to woorkes: neither doeth hee attribute the firſte place to faith, and the ſeconde place to woorkes.

p. 461Hee doeth vtterly exclude all boaſting. Ye are, ſaith he: ſaued by grace through faith. And immediately after hee addeth: and that not of youre ſelues. Hee annexeth the cauſe: It is the gifte of God. And againe: not of workes. He ſheweth why: Leaſt any man ſhould boaſt.

Hee that vnderſtandeth not this, doth vndoubtedly vnderſtand nothing … to them that ſpeake againſt the ….at all. He that wreſteth or otherwiſe cauilleth at this, doth ſpeake againſte the Sunne, and ſaith that the light is darkneſſe. Nowe, whereas y^e ſame Apoſtle doeth in another place ſaye: We are ſaued by hope, it is by the marking of the whole place to be gathered, that his meaning is, as if hee had ſaide: I told you that they which beléeue in Chriſt, are the ſonnes and heires of God, and hauehave thereby their ſaluation and felicitie: but I woulde hauehave eueryevery one to vnderſtande it in hope and expectation, not in enioying the very thinge it ſelfe, and preſent fruition. Nowe, who can herevppon inferre: therefore hope doth iuſtifie? But we do rather make this argument, patience is no patience at all, vnleſſe the patient man be firſte iuſtified by true faith: therefore the commendation of patience doth wholy depende vppon faith, and not the praiſe of faith vponupon patience, although faith be declared and ſhewed forth by patience.

For it ts a ſentence vtterly vnworthie to come out of a Chriſtian mannes mouth, to ſaye: that faith is made perfect by good workes, that is to ſay: where faith doth want a piece, that there good workes do patch it vp. For when wee name faith, wee doe not name ſimplie the qualitie of beléeuing which is in our min…es, but wee hauehave an eye to Chriſte him ſelfe our Lorde and Sauiour together with his righteouſneſſe and heauenly giftes: vppon whome alone as vppon a baſe and ſure foundation our faith doeth reſt and firmely ſtande. But to go about to ſupply the want of any thinge in Chriſte Ieſus, is nothing elſe, but with diueliſh blaſphemie to diſgrace the ſonne of God. The faith of Sainctes I confeſſe doth declare & ſhewe it ſelfe by woorkes: but it followeth not there vppon that workes do therefore make perfect that, which ſéemeth to be wanting in Chriſt his perfectiō. For there is nothinge lacking in our deliuerance, redemption, and iuſtification wrought by Chriſt. The Apoſtle Iames did ſaye in déede: Seeſt thou howe faith was made perfect by workes? but his meaning was none other but to ſay: ſeeſt thou howe faith, by the workes, which followed it, did declare it ſelfe to be a true and righteous faith, and not an hypocriticall faith? For before theſe woordes he ſaide: Seeſt thou howe his faith was effectuall through workes? Againe the Apoſtle Paule ſaide: I fulfill that which is lacking to the afflictions of Chriſte, in my fleſhe for his bodies ſake which is the church. But you may better tranſlate the Gréeke foreign to be that rather, which is behinde, than that which is lacking to the afflictions of Chriſt. For the Gréekes call foreign not only thoſe thinges that are wanting, but alſo the remnant (which word Sainct Ambroſe alſo vſed) I meane the remnant, and thoſe thinges that are remaining behinde.

And Sainct Peter ſaith that Chriſt ſuffered for vsus, leauing behinde him an example for vsus, that wee might followe his trace and footeſteppes. Therefore the Apoſtle affirmeth that p. 462he by ſuffering fulfilled the remnaunt which was behinde.

After this againe they alledge the wordes of the Apoſtle Paul, where An other obiection.he ſaith: If I hauehave all faith, ſo that I can remoue mountaines out of their place, and yet hauehave not charitie, I am nothing. For vponupon this they inferre: Therefore not faith onelyonly, but alſo charitie: yea, rather charitie than faith doth iuſtifie.

But we ſay that Paul in this ſentence doth neither denye that faith alone doth iuſtifie, nor yet doeth attribute the iuſtification of the Sainctes to charitie. For when we affirm that we are iuſtified by faith, or when wée make faith the cauſe of iuſtification, (which thing muſt be by often repetition beaten into our memories) wee do not vnderſtand that faith, as it is a vertue in vsus, doth worke, and by y^e qualitie that ſticketh to vsus, doeth merite righteouſneſſe in the ſight of God: but ſo often as wee make mention of faith, wee vnderſtande the grace of God exhibited in Chriſte, whiche is through faith freely applyed to vsus, and receiued as the free gifte of God beſtowed vppon vsus. And in that ſenſe doeth Paule vſe the name of faith, when he affirmeth that faith doth iuſtifie. But in this place of the thirteenth Chapter to the Corinthians hee doth not ſo take the name of faith, but putteth it for the power of workinge miracles, as is manifeſt by that which followeth, where he ſaith: So that I can remoue mountaines. That faith doeth not comprehende Chriſte wholie, but onelyonly the power in ſhewing of miracles.

And therefore it may be ſometime in an vniuſt man and an hypocrite, as it was in Iudas Iſcariot, to whom the faithe of miracles profited nothing, becauſe hee was without the iuſtifying faith, which faith is neuer without (but of it ſelfe ingendreth) charitie.

Againe, whereas they obiect that ſaying out of the Goſpell of Saincte Iohn: Whoſoeuer knoweth my commaundementes and keepeth them, he it is that loueth mee: and my father will louelove him, and we wil come to him, and make our abidinge in him. Therefore for the obſeruation of the commaundements, that is, for our woorkes ſake, G…d is ioyned to vsus: we againe alledge this ſaying of the ſame Euangeliſte and Apoſtle Iohn: By this wee knowe that weabide in him, and he in vsus, becauſe he hath giuen vsus of his ſpirite. But that ſpirit of God is a free gifte. Therfore wee are ioyned to God by meere and frée grace.

It followeth in Iohn: And wee hauehave ſeene and do teſtifie, that the father hath ſent the ſonne to bee the Sauiour of the worlde. Thou heareſt, I hope, by what it is that the worlde is ſaued, and what Chriſt the Sauiour of the worlde is. Nowe who knoweth not, that hee was ſent vntounto vsus of the father by the méere and onelyonly grace of God? It followeth nowe howe that Grace is receiued: Whoſoeuer confeſſeth that Ieſus is the ſonne of God, God abideth in him, and he in God. But in the ſixte of Iohn, in ſteede of confeſſeth, is put beléeueth. And no merueile, ſince out of a true faith a true confeſſion doth ariſe. By faith therefore are we ſaued, and by faith are wee ioyned vntounto God. But letting paſſe theſe wranglers, who will neuer bee without ſtore of ſuch ſophiſtical ſhifts, we do againe returne to our purpoſed argument, to ſhewe you howe, and in p. 463what ſenſe life and iuſtification are attributed to workes.

They that are well exerciſed in the reading of the holie Scriptures, that The places …f faith & works that …eeme at a … to …ſigree, … here ….they may reconcile the places of ſcripture, that ſeeme at a bluſhe to bee at diſcorde, do teache that faith & works in verie déede are not ſeparated one from another. For the ſame holie ſpirite which giueth faith, doth therwithall alſo regenerate the vnderſtanding and will, ſo that the faithfull doeth ardently deſire, and do his indeuour in all things to doe ſeruice to GOD his maker.

Therefore, for the vnſeparable knott betwixt faith and good workes, which alwayes kéepe company and attende vponupon faith, we ſaye that iuſtification is ſomtimes ſomewhat vnproperly attributed to workes, which is ſomewhat more properly to bee attributed to faith, but moſte properly of all to be aſcribed to Chriſte apprehended by faith, who is in verie deede the foundation & ſubiect of our faith. I will yet aſſaye to make this more manifeſt. In true faith there are two thinges to be conſidered, Reconciliation and Obedience. Reconciliation, becauſe by faith wee vnderſtande and verily beléeue that God is reconciled to vsus for Chriſte his ſake, by whome wee are adopted into the number of the ſonnes of God. And Obedience, becauſe they that are reconciled doe wholie yelde them ſelues to him, to whome they bee reconciled, with carneſt deſire and zeale to doe his will and pleaſure.

So then wee ſaye that faith is of two ſortes, the iuſtifying and y^e obeying faith. Of the iuſtifying faith Sainct Paul maketh mention where he ſaith: Beeing iuſtified by ſaith, we hauehave peace toward God, through the Lorde Ieſus Chriſte, by whome wee are reconciled.

Againe, hee maketh mention of the obeying faith, where hee ſaith: Knowe yee not that to whome yee giuegive your ſelues as ſeruauntes to obey, his ſeruauntes ye are, to whome ye do obey: whether it bee of ſinne vntounto death, or of obedience vntounto righteouſeneſſe? that is to ſaye: which obedience maketh you to doe the thinges that are righteous, and to bee the ſeruauntes of righteouſeneſſe, which ſhall turne to you to eternall life: and not the ſeruauntes of ſinne, which turneth vntounto death.

Nowe therefore, iuſtification is properly attributed to the reconciling righteouſeneſſe through Chriſte Ieſus, and is improperly aſcribed to the obeying righteouſeneſſe, or righteouſeneſſe of obedience. For the obeying righteouſeneſſe is of the reconciling, and without the reconciling righteouſneſſe, obedience ſhoulde not bee called righteouſeneſſe. To which this alſo is to bee added, that they which are iuſtified doe not put any confidence in this obedience, as that which is alwayes ſpotted in this worlde by reaſon of our fleaſh.

To this alſo agreeth this other explication which I will here annexe. The moſte proper woorke of faith is purification and ſanctification. For Sainct Peter doeth expreſſely ſaye, that by faith our heartes are purified. But in ſanctification the holie ſcriptures doe ſhewe to be two eſpeciall thinges.

Firſte, that all the faithfull are fréely purified by the bloud of Chriſte 1Ieſus.

For againe, y^e ſame S. Peter ſaith: p. 464Ye knowe that you are redeemed not with tranſitorie thinges as golde and ſiluer, but with the precious bloud of Chriſte, as of an vnſpotted Lambe. Sainct Paule ſaith: Ye are ſanctified by the will of God through the oblation of the bodie of Ieſus Chriſt once made. For with that one oblation he made them perfecte for euer, whiche are ſanctified. Sainct Iohn alſo ſaith: The bloud of Ieſus Chriſt the ſonne of God doth cleanſe vsus from al ſinne. Therefore the moſte proper phraſe of ſpeech is to ſaye that we are ſanctified through faith by the bloud of Chriſte, who ſaide: I ſanctifie my ſelfe from them, that they alſo may bee ſanctified through the trueth. The latter is, that they which are ſanctified by 2the bloud of Chriſte through faith, doe day by day ſanctifie them ſelues, and giuegive their mindes to holyneſſe. To y^• doing and ſtudie whereof the Apoſtles doe moſte earneſtly exhorte the Sainctes. For Peter ſaith: As hee which called you is holie, ſo be ye alſo holie in your conuerſation, becauſe it is written: Bee ye holie, for I am holie. Sainct Paule ſaith: This is the will of God, euen your holineſſe &c. 1. Theſſal. 4. Sainct Iohn ſaith: Nowe are wee the ſonnes of God, & yet it doth not appeare what we ſhal be: but wee knowe that when he ſhal appeare, we ſhalbe like him: for wee ſhal ſee him as he is. And eueryevery one that hath this hope in him, purifieth him ſelfe, euen as he alſo is pure. Nowe this purging or purification, which is made by our care and induſtrie, is called by the name of ſanctification, not becauſe it is made by vsus as of our ſelues, but becauſe it is made of them that are ſanctified by the bloud of Chriſte, in reſpecte of Chriſte his bloud.

For vnleſſe that ſanctification, which is the verie true and onelyonly ſanctification in déede, do goe before, our ſanctification (I meane that whiche we worke) is none at all. But if that go before, then is this of oures imputed for ſanctification, although in the meane while the ſpottes of ſinne remaining in vsus doe defile it, and that we do put no confidence in it. Therefore ſo often as thou ſhalt reade in the holy ſcriptures, that righteouſneſſe is attributed to our good woorkes, thou ſhalt thinke ſtreightwayes that it is done for none other cauſes than thoſe which I hauehave hitherto alreadie declared vntounto thee. For the Apoſtolical ſpirite cannot be repugnant or contrarie to it ſelfe.

This wil yet be made a great deale more manifeſt, if we call to remembraunce The … the …and doe conſider that the Apoſtles had to deale with two kindes of men, the one ſorte whereof did affirme that they were ſufficiently able of their owne ſtrength to ſatiſfie or fulfill the lawe, and that they coulde by their deſertes and good woorkes merite eternall life: yea, they affirmed that the merite of Chriſte was not ſufficient enoughe to the gettting of ſaluation, vnleſſe the righteouſneſſe of men were added therevnto.

Againſt theſe Paule diſputed verie conſtantly and pithiely in all his Epiſtles. For they made Chriſte and the grace of God of none effect. The other ſorte of men were ſuch as abuſing The … ſtles … gainſ… abuſe… grace… faith▪the doctrine of grace and faith, did wallowe like ſwine in all filthie ſinnes, beecauſe they thought that it was ſufficient vntounto ſaluation, if they did ſaye that they beléeued.

But they neuer declared their faith or beléefe by any good woorkes, p. 465although occaſion therevnto were giuen them. Againſt theſe did S. Peter very well and wiſely diſpute in the 1. Chap. of his 2. Epiſtle: and S. Iames in the 2. Chap. of his Epiſtle. For hée affirmeth that Abraham was not iuſtified by faith onelyonly, but by workes: that is to ſay, that he was not iuſtified by a vaine opinion, but by faith which bare and was full of good woorks. For Iames doeth vſe the names of Faith and iuſtification in one ſenſe, & Paule in another. Paul putteth faith for an aſſured confidence in the merite of Chriſt: and hée vſeth Iuſtification for abſolution and remiſſion of ſinnes, for adoptiō into the number of the ſonnes of God, and laſtly for the imputing of Chriſt his righteouſnes vntounto vsus. But in Iames faith doth ſignifie a vaine opinion: and iuſtification doth import, not the imputing of righteouſneſſe, but the declaring of righteouſneſſe & adoption. For it is vndoubtedly true that the holy Apoſtles of Chriſt S. Peter and S. Iames would not by their writinges make voyde the grace and merite of Chriſt, to aduaunce the merites of mortall men: but rather to withſtand the vnpureneſſe of them, which put the faith of Chriſt in perill of diſgracing to the offence of all good men, liuing in the meane while moſt wickedly in deteſtable ſinnes without repentaunce. Therefore the Apoſtles of Chriſt requiring good workes at the handes of the faithfull, doe firſt of all require a true and liuelie faith, and doe referre them both vntounto the grace of God.

Let vsus therefore moſt firmely hold that the Apoſtles doe attribute iuſtification, …life, and ſaluation to good workes improperly: to true faith properly: but moſt properly to Chriſt, who is the ſubiecte & foundation of true faith. For although true faith is not without good woorkes, yet doeth it iuſtifie without good works, by it ſelfe alone. For it is moſt certaine, that life and ſaluatiō are beſtowed on vsus, after the ſame maner, that health and life was giuen to the children of Iſrael, whiche in the wilderneſſe were poyſoned of the Serpents. They had their health reſtored them not by any workes, but by the onelyonly beholding and loking vppon the braſen Serpent: therfore we alſo are made partakers of eternall life by faith alone, which is the true be holding and looking vp to Chriſt. As Moſes, ſaith our Sauiour, did lift vpp the Serpēt in the wilderneſſe, ſo muſt the ſonne of man be lifted vp, that euerie one whiche beleeueth in him ſhould not periſhe, but hauehave eternall life. And the Apoſtle Paule ſaith, Yee are ſaued by grace through faith, not of yourſelues, it is the gift of God: not of works, leaſt any man ſhould boaſt &c. With this doctrine of the Euangeliſtes and Apoſtles doe the teſtimonies of certaine doctors of the Church agrée. Some of whiche I will recite vntounto you, déerely beloued, not becauſe theſe teſtimonies of the Scripture are not ſufficient, but becauſe we wil not ſéeme to be the beginners & bringers in of newe doctrines: although in very déed that cannot be newe which is deriued out of the Euangelicall and Apoſtolicall doctrine, albeit that all the doctors of the Church ſhould gaineſay or denie it. Now therefore giuegive eare how ſome, euen of the beſt of them, do not in words onelyonly ſay and write, but alſo by proofes ſhewe that faith alone doth iuſtifie.

ORIGEN a very ancient writer, vppon the 3. Chap. of the Epiſtle of Origen in 3. cap. ad Roma.Sainct Paul to y^e Romanes doth ſay, Paul ſaith that the iuſtificatiō of faith p. 466alone is ſufficient for a man, ſo that eueryevery one that doeth beléeue onelyonly is iuſtified, although no workes are once wrought by him. Now if we require an example, where any was euer iuſtified by faith alone w^tout good workes, that théefe, I ſuppoſe, is example good enough, who being crucified with Chriſt, did crie from the Croſſe: …ord Ieſu remember mee when thou commeſt into thy kingdome. In the writinges of the Euangeliſtes there is mention made of no good worke, whiche hee in his life time did, and yet becauſe of this his faith onelyonly Ieſus ſaid vntounto him: Verilie I ſay vntounto thee, this day thou ſhalt bee with mee in Paradiſe. Therefore, this théefe was thoroughe faith iuſtified without the workes of the lawe. For after this requeſt and prayer of his, the Lord made no inquiſition what his woorkes were all his life longe, neither did hee looke what workes hée would doe after this faith and beleeuing, but did immediatly vppon his confeſſion both iuſtifie and take him as a companion to goe with him to Paradiſe.

Moreouer to the woman, of whom mention is made in the Goſpell after Sainct Luke, not for any worke of the lawe, but for faith onelyonly, hee ſaid, Thy ſinnes are forgiuen thee. And againe, Go in peace, thy faith hath made thee ſafe. Furthermore in many places of the Goſpell wée finde, that our Sauiour vſed the like kinde of ſpeach, making faith alwayes to bee the cauſe of mens ſaluation. And a little while after the ſame Apoſtle ſaith, God forbid that I ſhould glorie in any thing, but in the croſſe of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, by whome the world is crucified to mee, and I to the world. Thou ſéeſt héere that the Apoſtle glorieth not of his owne righteouſneſſe, or chaſtitie, or wiſedome, or other workes or vertues of his owne, but doth moſt plainly pronounce and ſay: Let him that glorieth, glorie in the Lord, and ſo by that meanes all boaſting is excluded. And ſo forth, with many other ſayings tending to this purpoſe.

S. AMBROSE in his expoſition of Paule his Epiſtle vntounto the AmbroſeRomanes, vppon the third and fourth Chapiters, doeth ſaye: They are fréelie iuſtified, ſayth Sainct Paule, beecauſe when they woorke nothing, nor doe any thing for GOD againe, they are yet thorough faith onelyonly iuſtified by the gift of God.

According to the purpoſe of Gods grace, ſayeth Paule, it was ſo ordeined of God, that laying the law aſide, the grace of God ſhould require faith onelyonly vntounto ſaluation.

This doeth by the example of the Prophete confirme the bleſſedneſſe of the man, to whom the Lord imputeth righteouſneſſe without woorkes: hée calleth them bleſſed, with whome the Lord hath couenaunted, that without labour, and kéeping of the lawe, they ſhould bee iuſtified before their maker.

S. IOHN Chryſoſtome treating Chryſoſ…of faith, of the lawe of nature, and of the holie Ghoſt doth expreſſely ſaye: I cannot proue that hee whiche woorketh the woorkes of righteouſneſſe without faith, doeth enioye eternall life. But I can by good proofe ſhewe that hée, which beleeued without works, did both liue and obteine the kingdome of heauen. No man without faith hath obteined life. But the théefe beléeued onelyonly, and for his faith was iuſtified by the moſt mercifull God. And whereas here peraduenture thou wilt obiecte that hee wanted time to liue iuſtly, and to doe good woorkes: p. 467I aunſweare that I doe not greatly ſtriue about that: but this onelye I ſticke to, that faith alone did iuſtifie & ſaue him. For if he had liued any longer, and had neglected faith and workes, hée had vndoubtedly fallen from ſaluation.

But the onelyonly end and argument whereat I now ſhoote, is, that faith of it ſelfe doth bring ſaluation, and that workes of themſelues did neuer ſaue any workers that wrought them. As Chryſoſtome doth at large declare by the example of the Capitaine Cornelius. Theſe teſtimonies I ſuppoſe are ſufficient to wittes that will bee aunſweared, and doe not ſtand obſtinate… in quarellinges and ianglings. Othe…wiſe I could alledge a great …. But I will not bee ouer ted…ors vntounto you, deerely beloued, nor ſame to bee endleſſe in an euident matter.

But nowe becauſe to this treatiſe of the righteouſneſſe of woorkes, there … of …is a queſtiō annexed touching the merits of good woorkes, I will therefore ſummarilie ſay ſomewhat of merits, or rather of the hire and reward of good woorkes: To this ende eſpeciallie, leaſt any man thincking irreligiou…ly of the merits of good workes, do therby winne to himſelfe not good, but euill workes.

The name of Merits is an vna… quainted …terme, not vſed in the Scriptures. For in that ſignification wherin our Merite woorkers vſe it, to wit, for meritorious woorkes, for that, I meane, wherevnto both life and the grace of GOD is of duetie giuen as debt that is due, in that ſignification I ſaye, it doeth obſcure the Grace of God, and maketh man too proude and arrogant. What I pray you can our woorkes deſerue, ſince none of the Sainctes durſt bée ſo bold as to plead their merites before the Lord? Iob cryeth, If I wil iuſtifie mee ſelfe, mine owne mouthe ſhall condemne mee: If I will goe about to ſhewe mee ſelfe to bee an innocent, hee ſhall proue mee a wicked doer. If I waſhe mee ſelfe with ſnowe water, and make my handes neuer ſo cleane at the wel, yet ſhalt thou dippe me in the myre, and mine owne garmentes ſhall defile mee.

Dauid crieth, Enter not into iudgment with thy ſeruaunt, for in thy ſighte ſhall no man liuing bee iuſtified. Chriſt oure Lord in the Goſpell ſaith, When ye hauehave done all thinges that are commaunded you, then ſay, wee are vnprofitable ſeruauntes: wee hauehave done that wee oughte to doe. But a little before, oure Lord ſaide: Doeth the maiſter thancke the ſeruaunt whiche doeth the thinges that are commaunded him to doe? The holy Apoſtle Sainct Paule alſo cryeth, I doe not deſpiſe the Grace of GOD. For if righteouſneſſe bee of the Lawe, then did Chriſte die in vaine. Againe, in the Goſpell after Sainct Luke the Phariſcie is greatly blamed, which could not be content to put confidence in his owne righteouſneſſe, but would néedes boaſte of his merits alſo. And Nabuchodonoſor fealt no little plague, for ſaying that the kingdome of Babylon did come vntounto him by his owne arte, induſtrie, power and vertue. By how muche a greater puniſhement therefore ſhall wée thincke them to be worthie off, which are perſuaded, & make their bragges that they by their merits hauehave deſerued or earned the kingdome of heauen?A rewarde is giuen to good workes.

And yet, all this doth not tend to y^• making void of y^e ſtipend of good woror p. 468to the denying of the reward that is prepared for vertues. For he is true which promiſed, and what hee promiſed he will performe. Now he promiſed rewards to them that worke righteouſneſſe: euen as alſo according to his iuſtice and trueth hée hath threatened terrible puniſhments to wicked & impenitent ſinners. But the promiſes of God are of two ſortes, to witt, they lay before oure eyes the giftes and rewards of this preſent life, and of the life to come. For the Lord in the Goſpell after S. Marke doth ſay, Verilie I ſaye vntounto you, there is no man that hath forſaken houſe, or brethren, or landes for my ſake and the Goſpels, but he ſhall receiue an hundreth fold now at this preſent with perſecutiōs, and in the world to come life euerlaſting. And Paul ſaith, Godlineſſe is profitable to all thinges, hauing promiſe of the life that is nowe, & of that which is to come. This is a ſure ſaying and by all meanes worthie to bee receiued. For therefore wee both labour and ſuffer rebuke, becauſe wee hauehave oure hope ſettled in the liuing God, &c. And here it will do well to reckon vp and cite the teſtimonies of Scripture which doe concerne the reward of good woorkes, I wil therefore recite a fewe, but ſuch as ſhalbe euident and perteyning to y^e matter. The Lord in Eſaie crieth, Say to the iuſte that it ſhall goe well with him, for he ſhall eate the fruite of his ſtudie or trauaile. And wo to the wicked ſinner, for he ſhalbe rewarded according to the workes of his hands. In Ieremie we read, Leaue off from weping, for thy labour ſhalbe rewarded thee. And in the Goſpel the Lord ſaith, Bleſſed are ye when men ſpeake all euill ſayinges againſt you, lying, for my ſake. Reioyce ye and be glad, for great is your reward in heauen. The Apoſtle Paule alſo ſaith, Glorie, honour, and peace to eueryevery one that worketh good, to the Iewe firſt and alſo to the Gentile. Againe, Wee muſt all appeare before the Iudgement ſeate of Chriſt, that euerie one may beare the deedes of his bodie according to that whiche hee hath done, whether it bee good or badd. And againe, EueryEvery one ſhall receiue a reward according to his labour.

Now let vsus remember that the reward is promiſed and great gifts are To … the … are ….prepared for them that labour manfullie. To ſluggardes and ſlowebacks are imminent the euils of this preſent life, and alſo of the life to come. To them that ſtriue lawfully the garland is due. But if it happen that the reward be defferred, and that they, whiche ſtriue, receiue not the promiſes by and by out of hand, yet let the afflicted thincke that their afflictions tend to their commoditie, and that they are layd vponupon them by their heauenly father. Let not their courage therefore faile them, but let them ſhew themſelues men in the fight, and call to God for ayd. For, whoſoeuer perſeueareth vntounto the end he ſhalbe ſaued. Let euerie one call to his remembrance the old examples of the holy fathers, to whome many promiſes were made, the fruite whereof they did not reape till many a day were come and gone, wherein they ſtroue againſt, and did ouercome full many a ſharpe temptation. The Apoſtle Paul cryeth, I hauehave fought a good fight, I hauehave fulfilled my courſe, I hauehave kept the faith. Hēce foorthe there is layde vpp for mee a crowne of righteouſneſſe, which the Lord the righteous Iudge ſhall giuegive mee in that day: not to mee only, but to them alſo, that hauehave loued his appearing. p. 469They muſt lay before their eyes the truth of God, who ſaith, Heauen & earth ſhal paſſe: but my word ſhall not paſſe. The Iſraelites verily were a longe time holden captiue in Aegypt: but the Lord did not forgett his promiſe. For in a fit and conuenient time, he ſet them out at libertie w^t abundant ioy & glorie for the triumph gotten ouer their oppreſſours. The Amalechites, and Chanaanites did a great while, I confeſſe, exalte themſelues in ſinne and wickedneſſe. But when the meaſure of their iniquitie was fully filled, then were they thoroughly recompenced for their paines by him, that is the ſeuere reuenger of vnrepented wickedneſſe. The Scripture therefore exhorteth all men to hauehave ſure hope, perſeuearing patiēce, and conſtancie inuincible. Of which I ſpake in the third Sermon of this third Decade. To this place doe béelong, as I ſuppoſe, thoſe excellent wordes of S. Paule where hee ſaith, It is a faithfull ſaying: For if wee bee dead with him we ſhall alſo liue with him: if wee be patient, wee ſhall alſo reigne with him: if we denie him, he alſo ſhall denie vsus: if wee be vnfaithfull, hée abideth faithfull, hee cannot denie himſelfe. And againe, Caſt not awaye your confidence, whiche hath great recompence of reward. For ye hauehave neede of patience, that after ye hauehave done the wil of God, ye may receiue the promiſe. For yet a verie little while, and he, that ſhall come, will come, and will not tarie. And the iuſt ſhal liue by faith: and if he withdraw himſelfe, my ſoule ſhall hauehave no pleaſure in him. But wee are not of them that withdrawe our ſelues vntounto perdition, but we pertaine to faith to the winning of the ſoule.

Yet for all this we muſt not abuſe … theſe places whiche confirme the reward of good workes.theſe & ſuch like teſtimonies touching the reward of woorkes, nor the very name of merites where it is found to be vſed of the fathers, neither muſt we wreſte it againſt the doctrine of méere Grace, and the merits of Chriſte oure Sauiour. Wée muſt thincke that the kingdome of heauen, & the other ſpecial Hire is due but heritage proceedeth of the parents good will.gifts of God are not as the hire that is due to ſeruaunts, but as the inheritaunce of the ſonnes of God. For although in the laſt day of iudgment the iudge ſhall reckon vpp many workes, for which hee ſhall ſéeme as it were to recompence the elect with eternal life, yet before that recital of good workes, he ſhall ſay, Come ye bleſſed of my father, poſſeſſe the kingdome prepared for you ſince the beginning of the world. Now if thou demaundeſt, why he ſhall in the day of iudgement make mētion rather of works than of faith? Mine aunſwere is, that it is a point or vſuall cuſtome in the lawe for iudgement, not onelyonly to be iuſte, but alſo by the iudges pronunciation to hauehave the cauſe made manifeſt to al men wherfore it is iuſt. And God doeth deale w^t vsus after the order of men. Wherefore he doth not onelyonly giuegive iuſt iudgement, but will alſo be knowen of all men to be a iuſt and vpright Iudge. But we are not able to looke into the faith of other men, which doth cōſiſt in y^e mind: and therfore we iudge by their words and déeds. Honeſt words and works beare witneſſe of a faithfull hearte, whereas vnhoneſt prankes and ſpeaches doe bewray a kinde of vnbeliefe. The workes of charitie and humanitie doe declare that wee hauehave faith in déed: whereas the lacke of them do argue the contrarie. And therefore the Scripture admoniſheth vsus, that the iudgement ſhalbe according to oure workes.

p. 470To this ſenſe agréeth that in the 12. of Matthew, where it is ſaid, By thy deedes thou ſhalt be iuſtified, and by the ſame thou ſhalt be condemned. To Abraham, after he had determined to offer his ſonne Iſaac, it was ſaid, Becauſe thou haſt done this thing, and haſt not ſpared thine onelyonly begotten ſonne, I wil bleſſe thee and multiplie thee exceedingly, &c. But it is manifeſt that God made that promiſe to Abraham before Iſaac was borne, yea, hée made it as ſoone as Abraham was brought out of his countrie: therefore the promiſe was not nowe firſt of all annexed as a reward vntounto the works of Abraham. &c.

Therefore God examineth oure How or in what ſenſ… God is ſaid to giuegive a reward vntounto oure good workes.workes according to his owne fauourable merciemercy, and not with the extremitie and rigour of lawe, and doth reward them with infinite benefits, becauſe they procéed from faith in Chriſt albeit that for the ſinne, which abideth in vsus, they be vnpure & nothing meritorious. Nowe he doth hereby giuegive vsus a proofe that hee hath a regard of vsus & our workes: becauſe in teſtifying the greatneſſe of his louelove toward vsus, hee doth vouchſafe ſo to honor not only vsus, but alſo his owne gifts in vsus, which he of his great goodnes hath gratiouſly be ſtowed vppon vsus. Our bountiful God doth herein imitate the maner of dealing whiche fleſhly fathers vſe in this world toward their children. For they beſtow giftes vppon their children as rewardes of their welldoing, thereby prouoking them to greater vertues, when as in very déed al things belong to the children by right of inheritance, and the true and proper cauſe, of this reward, which the father giueth to the child, is not the obediēce of the ſonne, but the meere good will and fauour of the father. Moreouer, herein are two thinges to be obſerued. Firſt, although God doth after the manner of men allure 1vsus with rewardes, drawe vsus on with giftes, and kéepe vsus in good workes with manifold recompences, yet muſt not the reward or recompence bee the marke where at the woorker ought to looke, reſpecting rather his owne glorie and commoditie, than the louelove & honour that hee oweth to God. God wilbe worſhipped for loues ſake onelyonly, and hee wilbe loued of méere goodwill, and not for the hope of any reward. For as he requireth a chéerefull giuer: ſo doth hée looke for ſuch an vncoacted affection, voluntarie louelove, and frée goodwill as children do naturallie beare to their parentes. The laſt is, That our workes, which ſome call merits, are nothing elſe but the …méere giftes of God. Now hee were a very vnthankfull perſon, which, when of an other mans liberalitie hee hath licence giuen to occupie his land to his beſt commoditie, will at length goe about to tranſlate the right therof from the true owner, which lent it him, vntounto him ſelfe. But becauſe I would be loath by drawing out this treatiſe too farre, to deteine you longer than reaſon would, I wil recite vntounto you, derely beloued, a notable cōference of places in the Scripture made by S. Auguſtine, whereby ye maye euidently vnderſtand and inferre a concluſion, that the rewardes of good woorkes or merits of the Saincts are the very frée and méere grace of God.

Therefore in the ſeuenth Chapiter of his booke De Gratia & libero arbitrio S. … the …thus hée ſayth: Iohn the forerunner of our Lord doth ſay, A man can receiue nothing, vnleſſe it be giuen him from heauen. If therefore thy good workes p. 471bée the giftes of God, then God crowneth thy merits, not as thy merits, but as his owne giftes. Let vsus therefore conſider the merits of the Apoſtle Paule, (that is to ſay, the merits whiche hee ſaith are in himſelfe,) whether they be the giftes of God or no: I hauehave ſayeth hee, fought a good fight, I hauehave fulfilled my courſe, I hauehave kept the faith. Firſt of all, theſe good workes had beene no good woorkes, vnleſſe good thoughtes had gone beſore them. GiueGive eare therefore what hee ſayeth of thoſe good thoughtes: Not béecauſe wée can thincke any thing of oure ſelues, as of our ſelues, but our abilitie is of God. Then alſo let vsus cōſider euerie ſeueral particularitie, I hauehave fought, ſayth hee, a good fight. I demaunde by what power hee foughte? Whether by that which hee had of himſelfe, or by that whiche was giuen him from aboue?

It is vnlikely that ſo great a teacher of the Gentiles, as the holy Apoſtle Sainct Paule was, ſhould bée ignoraunt of the lawe, whiche in Deuteronomie, is heard to ſay: Saye not thou in thy hart, mine owne ſtrēgth, and the power of mine owne hande hath done this wonderfull thinge: but thou ſhalt remember the Lord thy GOD: becauſe hee giueth thee ſtrength and power to doe it.

But what doeth it auaile to fighte well, vnleſſe the victorie doe enſue? And who I praye you, giueth the victorie, but hee of whome Sainct Paule himſelfe, doeth ſay? Thanckes bee to GOD whiche giueth vsus the victorie thoroughe oure Lord Ieſus Chriſte. And in an other place when hée had cited the place out of the Pſalms, where it is ſaid: Becauſe for thy ſake wee are killed all day, and are counted as ſheepe appointed to the ſlaughter, hée did immediatelie add, and ſaye: But in all theſe thinges we ouercome or hauehave the victorie thoroughe him, which loued vsus.

Wée hauehave the victorie therefore not thorough our ſelues, but thorough him that loued vsus. After that againe hee ſaid: I hauehave fulfilled my courſe. But as he ſaid this, ſo in another place alſo hee ſayeth: It is not of the willer, nor of the runner, but of GOD which taketh merciemercy.

Whiche ſentence cannot bée by any meanes ſo inuerted, that wée may ſaye: It is not of God, whiche taketh merciemercy, but of the willer, and of the runner. For whoſoeuer dare take vppon him ſo to inuerte that ſentence of the holy Apoſtle, hee doeth openlye ſhewe that hee flattly gaineſayeth the woordes of Sainct Paule.

Laſt of all hee ſaide, I hauehave kepte the faith: but in an other place againe hée confeſſeth ſaying. I hauehave obteined merciemercy that I might bee faithfull. Hée ſaid not, I hauehave obteined merciemercy, béecauſe I am faithfull, but, That I mighte bée faithfull: declaring thereby that faith it ſelfe cannot bée obteined without the merciemercy of God, and that faith is the gifte of God, as hee doeth moſt euidently teache where he ſayeth: Yee are ſaued by Grace thoroughe faith, and that not of your ſelues, it is the gift of God. For they mighte ſaye: Wée hauehave therefore receiued Grace, béecauſe wee hauehave beléeued: by that meanes attributing, as it were, Fayth to themſelues, and Grace to God: but to preuent that inſinuation, the holy Apoſtle Saincte Paule when hee had ſaide, By faith, doeth ſtreighte wayes add, And that not of your ſelues, it is the gifte of God.

Againe, leaſt they ſhould ſaye that p. 472they by their workes did meritoriouſly deſerue ſuch a gift, he doeth preſently annexe: Not of woorkes, leaſt any man ſhould boaſt. Not becauſe he did denie or make voyd good workes, conſidering that hee ſaith, that God doeth reward eueryevery man according to his works: but forbecauſe workes are of faith, and not faith of workes. And ſo by this meanes our workes of righteouſneſſe procéede from him, from whō that faith doeth alſo come, touching which it is ſaid: The iuſt doth liue by faith.

All this hauehave I hetherto woord for word recited out of Auguſtine: wherin, all that may be ſaid concerning the merits of good workes, are ſufficiently well conteyned, and ſo ſoundly confirmed by proofes of Scripture, that I meane not to ad any thing vntounto them: for I ſée it is ſufficiently manifeſt for all to vnderſtand, what and howe the auncient fathers thought and taughte of the merits of ſinnefull men. For what can be ſaid more briefly, ſincerely, & fully, than that a reward is prepared for the good workes of men? but yet that that reward is nothing elſe but the grace: and that the merits or good works of the Saincts are the gift of God: which merits while he crowneth, he crowneth his owne giftes. In all this therefore the Eccleſiaſticall & Apoſtolique doctrine remayneth ſtill immutable and vnreproueable, That we are iuſtified and ſaued by y^e grace of God through faith, and not throughe our owne good woorkes or merits.

Wee doe nowe againe returne to good workes, and are come to expound Good workes muſte be done according to the rule of the worde of God.the deſcription or definition of good woorks, which we did ſet downe in the beginning of this treatiſe. Now therfore vnleſſe oure workes doe ſpring in vsus from God throughe faith, they cannot hauehave the name of Good Workes. But contrarilie, if they doe procéede from God through faith, then are they alſo framed according to the rule of y^e word of God. And for that cauſe did I in the definition of good workes ſignificantly ſaye, That they are done of them which are regenerate by the good ſpirite of God, through faith according to the word of God. For God is not pleaſed with the workes, which we of our ſelues doe of our owne braines & authoritie without warrantize of his word imagine & deuiſe. For the thing that he doeth moſt of all like and looke for in vsus is faith and obedience (which is moſt euident to be ſéene in the verie example of our graundfather Adam:) and cōtrarilie he doth miſlike and vtterly reiecte the woorkes of our owne choice & our good intents which ſpring in and riſe vponupon our owne minds and iudgementes: as I will by theſe teſtimonies of ſcripture declare vntounto you. In the 12. of Deuteronomie we read, Euerie man ſhall not doe that which is righteous in his owne eyes. Whatſoeuer I commaund you, that ſhall ye obſerue to doe it: neither ſhalt thou ad any thing to it, nor take any thing from it.

Moreouer in the hiſtorie of Samuel there is a notable example of this matter to be ſéene. For Saule the king of Iſrael receiued a commaundement to kill all the Amalechites with all their beaſts and cattell: but he contrarie to the precept throughe a good intent (as he thought) of his owne, and for a religious zeales ſake of his owne choſing, reſerued the fatteſt Oxen for to be ſacrificed: & for that cauſe the Prophete came and ſaid vntounto him, Is a ſacrifice ſo pleaſant & acceptable to the Lord as obediēce is? Behold, to obey is better then ſacrifice: and to hearken is p. 473better than the fatt of ramms. For rebellion is as the ſinne of witchcraft, and ſtubbornneſſe is as the vanitie of Idolatrie. Lo here in theſe few words thou haſt the goodly praiſe and commendation of the religion of our owne inuenting, and of our owne good workes which doe ariſe of oure owne good intents and purpoſes. They, whiche doe neglecte the preceptes of the Lord to follow their owne good intents and forecaſtings, are flatly called witches, Apoſtataes, & wicked idolaters. They ſeeme in their owne eyes verilie to be …ellie fellowes, and true worſhippers of God, and zealous followers of the traditions of the holy fathers, biſhops, kinges and princes: but God, whiche cannot lye doeth flatly pronounce that their woorkes doe differ nothing from witchcraft, Apoſtacie, & blaſphemous idolatrie, than which there can bée nothing more heynous by any meanes deuiſed. Therefore the Lord in the Goſpell citing that place out of Eſaies Prophecie doth plainly condemne, reiecte, and treade vnderunder foote all thoſe workes which we chooſe to our ſelues, hauing their beginning of oure owne good inteates and purpoſes, where hee ſayeth: In vaine doe they worſhippe mee, teaching doctrines the precepts of men. Euerie planting, which my father hath not planted, ſhalbe plucked vp by the rootes. Let them alone, they be blinde leaders of the blinde. And therevppon it is that S. Paule did ſo boldly affirme that the precepts of men are contrarie to the truth, and are meere lyes. The ſame Paule in one place ſayeth, Whatſoeuer is not of faith is ſinne. And in another place, Faith commeth by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Wherevppon we may gather, that the woorkes whiche are not framed by the expreſſe word of God, or by a ſure conſequence deriued from it, are ſo farre from béeing good workes, that they are plainly called ſinnes. Inforce thou, I pray thée, neuer ſo great a good turne vponupon a man againſt his will, & ſée what fauour thou ſhalt winne at his hand, and howe thou ſhalt pleaſe him with that inforced benefite. Therefore good woorkes do firſt of all require the preciſe & expreſſe obſeruing of Gods wil, to which alone they ought to tend. In his Epiſtle to the Coloſſians the ſame Apoſtle doeth openly condemne the Greeke foreign, that is, the voluntarie religion which they of their owne choyce and minde brought in to bee obſerued. And what néede hauehave wée I pray you to inuent to our ſelues other newe kindes of good woorkes, conſidering that we hauehave not yet done thoſe woorkes, whiche God himſelfe preſcribeth and doth in expreſſe words require at our handes? By this now oure aduerſaries maye perceiue that wée doe not altogether ſimplie condemne good woorkes, but thoſe alone whiche wée by reiecting the woord of GOD, doe firſt ſet abroache by oure owne imaginations, and phantaſticall inuentions: of which ſort are many vpſtart woorkes of our holy Monkes and ſacrificing ſhauelinges. But to conclude, the workes that are repugnaunt to the word of God, are by no meanes worthie of any place or honour.

And that wée maye more rightly perceiue the ſenſe or meaning of good Good workes indeedwoorkes, wée muſt in mine opinion diligently obſerue theſe wordes of the Apoſtle: We are created in Chriſt Ieſus vntounto good woorkes, which God hath before ordeined, that we ſhould walke in them. Hee maketh here two notes concerning thoſe that are good p. 474woorkes in deede. The firſt is, Wee are, ſayeth hée, created in Chriſt Ieſus 1vntounto good workes. It doth therefore neceſſarilie followe, that good workes are wrought of him, whiche is by true faith graffed in Chriſt Ieſu. For vnleſſe the braunche abide in the vine, it cannot bring forth fruite. All the workes therefore of the faithfull, howſoeuer they ſhine with the title of righteouſneſſe, are notwithſtāding not good woorkes in verie déede. The latter …is, Whiche God hath before ordeyned, that wee ſhould walke in them. We muſt not therfore make accompt that all the workes, which men maye doe, are to be counted good woorkes in déed: but thoſe onelyonly which God hath ordeyned of old, that wée ſhould walke in them. Now what workes thoſe be, the Lord in his lawe (whiche is the eternall will of God) hath verie plainely expreſſed. And therevppon it is, that the Lord in the Goſpel being demanded queſtions concerning eternal life, and the very true vertues, ſendeth the demaunder vntounto the lawe, and ſayth: What is written in the lawe? And againe, If thou wilt enter into life kepe the commaundements. Therefore the tenne commaundementes are a moſt ſure and abſolute platforme of good woorkes. Which that ye may the better vnderſtand, I will briefly recapitulate, and as it were in a picture laye it before your eyes.

To the firſt precept thou ſhalt referre the feare, the faith, & louelove of God, The tenne commandements are a platforme of good workes.with aſſured hope, perſeuearing patience, & conſtancie inuincible in trouble and afflictions. To the ſecond belongeth the true and ſincere worſhip, wherwith God is pleaſed, with the vtter refuſall of all ſuperſtition and peruerſe religion. Vppon the third doeth depende the reuerence of Gods Maieſtie, the frée confeſſion of his might, the holie inuocation of his name, and the ſanctification of y^e ſame. In the fourth is comprehended the moderate conſeruation of the Eccleſiaſticall Ceremonies, y^• preaching of Gods word, publique prayers, & whatſoeuer elſe doeth belonge to the outward ſeruice or externall worſhip due to God. To the fifte thou mayeſt annexe the naturall louelove of children toward their parents, of men toward their countrie & kineſe-folkes, the due obedience that we owe to the magiſtrates and all in authoritie, and laſtly the offices of ciuil humanitie. To the ſixte thou ſhalt ioyne iuſtice and iudgement, the protection of widowes & orphanes, the deliuering of the oppreſſed and afflicted, weldoing to all men, and doing hurt to no man. To the ſeuenth thou ſhalt add the faith of wedded couples, the offices of marriage, the honeſt and Godly bringing vp of childrē, with the ſtudie of chaſtitie, temperance, and ſobrietie. To the eighth is to bee reckoned vpright dealing in cōtracts, liberalitie, bountifulneſſe, and hoſpitalitie. VnderUnder y^• ninthe is couched the ſtudie of trueth through al our life time, faith in words & déeds, with decēt, honeſt, & profitable ſpeach. In the tenth and laſt, thou mayeſt remember good affections, holie wiſhes, with all holy and honeſt thoughts. And ſo this is y^e compendious platforme of good workes. Nowe if y^u deſire to hauehave it more briefly expreſſed than this that thou ſéeſt, then turne thee ſelfe & hearken to the wordes of Chriſt our Lord, who gathereth theſe 10. into two principall points, & ſaith: Thou ſhalt louelove the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with al thy ſoul, & with al thy mind: & thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. Whatſoeuer therefore yee would that men ſhuld do to you, euen ſo do ye to thē.

p. 475Vppon theſe precepts of the Lord, let all the faithful (which deſire to doe … be … to … of ….good works) moſt ſurely fixe their eyes and minds, & that too ſo much the more diligently and conſtantly, as they doe more ſurely and euidently perceiue & ſee, that God in y^e lawe & the prophets, doeth require nothing elſe, nor any other works at the hands of his electe & choſen ſeruants. Go to now therefore, let vsus heare out of the holy Prophets ſome ſuch euidēt teſtimonies touching good woorks, as do conſent & wholie agree with the lawe of the Lord. Moſes in Deut. crieth: And now Iſrael, what doeth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to feare the Lord thy God, & to walk in al his wayes, to louelove him & to ſerue the Lord thy God with all thy hart, and with all thy ſoule? That thou keepe the cōmandements of the Lord and his ordinances, which I cō maund thee this day. And the kinglye Prophete Dauid in the 15. Pſalme aſketh this queſtiō: Lord who ſhal dwel in thy tabernacle? And preſently anſwereth it himſelfe, ſaying: Euen hee that walketh vprightly, & doeth the thing that is iuſt & right. And ſo forth as is conteined in the 10. cōmaundemēts. Eſaie alſo in his 33. cap. moueth the ſame queſtion and anſwereth it euen ſo as Dauid had done before him. Ieremie in the 21. chap. doth vrge and reiterate theſe woords to the Iewes: Thus the Lord cōmaundeth: Keepe equitie and righteouſnes, deliuer the oppreſſed from the power of the violent, do not greeue nor oppreſſe the ſtrāger, the fatherles nor the widow, and ſhedd no innocent bloud in this place. And Ezechiel in his 18. cap. knitteth vp a beadrowe of good workes, in no point vnlike to theſe, ſauing only y^• it is ſomewhat more largly amplified. In Oſée the Lord ſaith: I deſire merciemercy more than ſacrifice: & the knowledge of God more than whole burnt offerings. Micheas doth diligently inquire what the worſhipper of God ſhould do to pleaſe him with all, & what workes he ſhould doe to delight the Lord: and immediatly by the inſpiration of the holy Ghoſte he maketh aunſwere, ſaying: I will ſhewe thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee: namely, to doe iuſtly, to louelove merciemercy, and with reuerence to walke before thy God. In like maner the Prophete Zacharie, to them that demaunded of him certaine queſtions touching vertues, & ſuch good woorkes as pleaſe the Lord, gaue this anſwere, ſaying: Thus ſayeth the Lord of hoſtes, Execute true iudgement, ſhewe merciemercy and louing kindeneſſe euerie man to his brother: doe the widowe, the fatherleſſe, the ſtraunger, and the poore no wronge. Let no man imagine euill in his heart againſt his brother: neither bee ye louers of falſe othes, for theſe are the thinges which I do hate, ſayeth the Lord.

With this doctrine of the Prophets doth the preaching of the Euangeliſts and Apoſtles fullie agrée, teaching in euerie place, that charitie, righteouſneſſe and innocencie, are the ſcoape & ſumme of all good woorkes. The Apoſtle Iames ſayeth: Pure religion and vndefiled before God and the father, is this: To viſite the father leſſe and widowes in their aduerſitie, & to kepe himſelf vnſpotted of the world.

It remayneth now for me to drawe to an end, and in the reſt that is yet be To what end good workes muſt be done.hind to be ſpoken touching the deſcriptiō of good works, to confer places of y^e Scripture for y^e confirmation & plaine expoſition of y^e ſame. Now therfore we ſaid y^• good works in déed are wrought by them that are regenerate, to the p. 476glorie of God, the ornamēt of our life, and the profite of our neighbour. For the Lord in the Goſpell preſcribeth this end to good works, where he ſaith: Let your lighte ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good workes, and glorifie your father whiche is in heauen. The Apoſtle Paul alſo oftener than once exhorting vsus to good woorks doth, as a moſt effectuall cauſe to ſett them forward, add: That by thoſe workes of ours, we may adorne the doctrine of oure Lord and Sauiour Chriſt Ieſus. And euen as a comelie and cleanely garment adorneth a man, ſo doe good workes in déede ſet foorth the life of Chriſtian people. For herevppon it riſeth that the Apoſtles of Chriſte did ſo often perſuade vsus to put off the old man and put on the newe, which is created to the ſimilitude and likeneſſe of God. For thereby wee obteine both honour and glorie. We both are, and are called, the ſeruaunts, yea and the ſonnes of oure Lord and God, whoſe propertie and vertue ſhineth in vsus, to the glorie and praiſe of his holy name. And as hée doth require good works at our hands, ſo if we do them, we on the one ſide do pleaſe and delight him, and hee on the other doeth honour vsus againe: as may bee proued by many teſtimonies of the holy Scripture. But the thing it ſelfe is ſo plaine, & without all controuerſie, that it needeth no buſineſſe to proue it at all. Hée verilie doeth eueryevery minute augment in vsus his giftes, while wée are intentiue to doe good workes. For in the Goſpell hee ſaith, To eueryevery one that hath ſhalbe giuen, and hee ſhall abounde. And from him that hath not, ſhalbe taken euen that which he hath not, and ſhalbe giuen to him that hath. To this alſo may be added that God is fauourable to them that worke righteouſneſſe, and doth enrich them euen with many temporal gifts, and at the laſt bring them to life euerlaſting. For the Apoſtle Paul doth expreſſely ſay, God ſhall reward euerie Rom. 2.Rom 2man according to his deedes, to them whiche by continuing in welldoing ſeeke for glorie, and honour and immortalitie, eternall life. And againe, Glorie, and honour, and peace to euerie one that worketh well. Although the Godly in all their good workes do not (as I told you before) reſpecte ſo much the recompence and reward at Gods hand, as the aduauncement of Gods glorie, the fulfilling of his will, and profite of their neighbour. For Paule ſayeth, Doe all thinges to the glorie of God. And againe, Let no man ſeeke his owne, but eueryevery one an others profite: euen as I doe in all thinges pleaſe all men: not ſeeking mine owne commoditie, but the profite of many, that they may be ſaued. Therefore all the Godly doe ſo directe and temper their woorkes, that they maye pleaſe, delight, or honour God, and profite many men. For in ſo doing they expreſſe or repreſent the nature of God, whoſe ſonnes they both are, and are alſo called. For hee doeth liberallie powre out his benefits vppon all creatures: and therefore his ſonnes are beneficiall and bent to doe good to all men.

Thus much had I hetherto to ſay, touching the nature or propertie, cauſe end, and effecte, that is, the very true and right meaning of good workes: by whiche I hope it is euident to bee perceiued, howe & in what ſenſe the Lord in the Scriptures is ſayd to attribute the name of righteouſneſſe and iuſtification vntounto the good woorkes of the Sainctes his ſeruauntes: and that that true principle of oure rereligiō p. 477remayneth firme & vnreproueable, wherein wée confeſſe and hold, That wee are iuſtified by the Grace of God for Chriſt his ſake thorough faith and not for workes. Now therfore there is nothing more behind, but this onelyonly, for vsus to make our humble petition to God, for true faith in Chriſt our Lord, and that by his grace hée will ſo guide vsus, that we may … in workes put that in practiſe, … hetherto wée hauehave béene taught in … wordes of this treatiſe, that is to ſaye, that wée may in good workes in déede, expreſſe the faith, which wée in words profeſſe that wée hauehave in Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.