Questions of Religion, Commonplaces · Commonplace 5
The fithe Common place. Of Fayth and good Woorkes.
The. xviij. Question.
What they thinke of fayth, hope, and charitie?
The Answere.
TOuching these thrée, being in déede the cheefe poynts of our Christian religion, I thinke very wel and truely of them, euen as the word of god hathe taughte. Fayth is the sure confidenceFayth. of a man that is lyghtened of God, whereby he trusteth in God and in his onelyonly son our Lord Jesus Chryst and his vndoubted worde, and that to the remission of sinnes and eternall lyfe. Hope is a stedfaste, pacient, andHope. comfortable looking for of those things whiche we beléeue, cheefly if the receiuing of them be deferred, and appeare otherwise thā they were beléeued to be.Charitie. charitie is poured into our hearts, encreased and preserued, and is due both to God & man, so that we should louelove God aboue all things, and our neighbour as our selfe, euen as Chryste also hath loued vsus. The places of Scripture from whence these descriptions are taken, I hauehave therfore willingly left out, least this Booke shoulde grow and encrease vntounto an huge volume.
The. xix. Question.
Whether these three vertues, faith, hope & charity are but one thing, or else distinct vertues in the holy Scripture: and chiefly whether the one may not be taken for the other?
The Answere.
TOuching these thrée singulerEche of these vertues hauehave their peculiar properties giftes of God, S. Paule speaketh distinctly, giuing to ech of them their peculyar properties. 1. Thes. 1. VVe giuegive thanks vntounto God almightie for you all, making mention of you in our praiers: remembring alwayes your effectuall fayth, diligēt or working louelove, and stedfast hope in our Lord Iesus Chryst. &c. And forasmuche as he giueth thankes and prayers vntounto God, he teacheth, that these vertues are fréely giuen frō him vntounto men, and that therefore they ought to pray and render thankes vntounto him. And vntounto faythe he attributeth a certayne effectuall working, bicause that from hir all good works, yea hope and charitie do spring. And he calleth charity diligētor working, bicause true charitie or louelove laboreth and exerciseth hir selfe to please bothe God and man. And to hope he attributeth stedfastnesse and pacience, bicause Paul in the eight to the Romanes sayth: That wee are made safe throughe hope. But hope if it be seene is no hope. For how can a man hope for that which he seeth? But if we hope for the thing whiche we see not, by pacience wée looke for them. Therefore fayth, hope and charitie are distincted vertues, and hauehave eche their proper operations. And therefore are they seuerally reckened by S. Paule 1. Corin 1. in which place he sayth thatThese three vertues are so coupled togither that the one springeth of the other. these thrée are. Agayne these vertues are so coupled togither, and depende so one of an other, that they can not in any wise be hadde seuerally. For who so rightly beléeueth in God and his word, the same also hopeth to receiue the things he looketh for: Lyke as Paule teacheth out of the Prophet Abacuc in the Epistle to the Hebrues cap. 10. Againe, who so rightly beléeueth in God, loueth him as his chefe and euerlasting good: and loueth man bicause he is the image of God, redéemed by him, as S. John teacheth in his Epistle. And therfore Paule to the Hebrues Cap. 11. interpreteth fayth by hope, saying: Fayth is the substance or grounde of thynges which are hoped for. And in hys firste Epistle to Timothe he sheweth that charitie springeth from faythe, saying: Furthermore the end of the commaundementis, louelove from a pure hart, a good conscience, and fayth vnfayned. Therefore like as there is but one sunne, and yet he is not alone: so is there but one fayth, and yet is she not alone. But as from the sunne procéedeth two seuerall things, so that thereby three things are in the sunne, that is, the globe or body of the sunne, from whiche procéedeth brightnesse and heate, and these thrée are so ioyned in one sunne, that by no meanes they can be separated, and yet are they three distincted things, hauing eche their seuerall properties. So lykewise these three vertues, faythe, hope, and charitie are so knytte togither, that by no meanes they may bée separated, and yet are they seuerally distincted. Wherefore, euen as from the Globe or substaunce of the sunne, as from one spring, lighte and heate doo flowe, so from faythe also, bothe charitie and hope doo spring. And as the body of the sunne is not the lyghte or the heate, so Fayth is neyther Hope nor Charitie. Yet neuerthelesse, the bodye of the Sunne is not wythoute Heate and Lyght, and Fayth is not without HopeFayth is one but not all one. and Charitie. And as the sunne shineth by his brightnesse, and not by his heate, so faythe inasmuche as shée receiuethFaythe iustifieth. Chryste, iustifieth vsus before God, and not through charitie. Therfore like as it foloweth not that the body of the sunne, bicause it is not alone, but hathe light and heate, therfore shineth not only with hys lighte, but also with hys heat: so likewise it foloweth not which our aduersaries affirme, Faythe is not alone, but ioyned with charitie, therfore fayth onelyonly iustifieth not before God, but charitie also. But touching iustification I shall by Gods helpe hereafter speake more at large.
The. xx. Question.
Whether men be iustified before God by faith only in chryst, or by good workes also?
The Answere.
FIrst we will shew what it is to be iustified beforeTo be iustified before God. God: and that is to bée purged from sinne, deliuered from the punishement thereof, and to bée had and receyued into the number of the sonnes of God, and heires of eternall lyfe, yea and that before the iudgement seate of God, before the which all men are accused and condemned as giltie. And that we shall eueryevery one of vsus before the iudgement seate of God be conuicted and founde gyltie of sinne and eternall damnation, Paule in the thirde to the Romanes dothe playnely teache. And agayne that iustification is the taking away and remission of our sinnes, the same aptly also teacheth Acts. 13. Wherfore the remission of the sinne, and the punishement or damnation is called of him iustificatiō. Rom. 5. And that to be iustified and adopted in the number of the sonnes and heires of God is all one, wée may gather by that Paule saythe: VVe are iustified by fayth: and Sainct John sayth, But as many as beleeued him, he gaue themwhy god chose vsus to be his sonnes & heirs. power to be made the sonnes of God. Secondely, wée muste séeke the cause why God forgiueth our sinnes, delyuereth vsus from damnation, and adopteth vsus into hys sonnes and heyres. Truely the proper cause hereof is hys mercy and grace, by the which he gaue vntounto vsus his onelyonly sonne to take our nature vponupon him, and to suffer death, and shedde his bloud for our sakes, to the ende that béeing deliuered from our sinnes, eternall death and damnation, frée from all accusations, we might be absolued before the iudgement seate of God: yea and that béeing made righteous by Chryst (for his righteousnesse is made ours) we might be made heires of eternall life. Wherefore it is onelyonly the grace of God, the bloud and death of Chryst, and his innocencie and righteousnesse, for whose sake we are not condemned, but are adopted into his sonnes and heires, and are made partakers of eternall life. Of this doctrine there are diuers proofes in Paul, Rom. 3. 4. and. 5. 2. Corinth. 5. Ephesi. 1. Coloss. 1. and. 2. Tim. 2. &c.
Furthermore we must note by what meanes the grace of God in Chryste,By what meanes rightuousnesse is impu…ed to vsus. redemption, righteousnesse, and eternall lyfe is imputed vntounto vsus, and on the other side howe wée receiue it, and by what meanes they bée made ours, so that Chryste in vsus, and we in him doo lyue. All the good giftes of God are imputed vntounto vsus by the holy Ghoste, as the holy Scripture testifieth almoste eueryevery where, and chiefly our Lorde him selfe saythe: It is the spirit which quickeneth, &c. And wée receiue all these things by fayth, yea by fayth only, and by none other thing. And therefore it may very well bee sayde, that a man is iustified by saythe onelyonly. For Chryste him selfe in the thirde of John teacheth vsus, that wée muste bée saued euen after the same manner as the Israelites were healed of the deadely stinging of the Serpentes. For as they coulde by none other meanes attayne vntounto healthe, than by the beholding of the Brasen Serpent hanged vp in the myddest of their Campe: so wée can by none other meanes bée delyuered from euerlasting deathe and damnation, and bée preserued in eternall lyfe, than by the beholding of Chryste Crucifyed. And thys beholding of Jesus Chryste is fayth, yea fayth onelyonly. For as no Woorkes, no Prayers, Fastings, Almes, Sacrifices, or any thing else, whatsoeuer coulde helpe the stynging of the Serpente, but onelyonly the beholdyng of the Brasen Serpente, so is there nothing that can saue vsus, but Faythe onelyonly. Wherefore Chryst in the sixthe Chapter of Sainct John, saythe: Veryly veryly I say vntounto you, excepte you eate the fleshe of the sonne of man, and drinke his bloud, you hauehave no lyfe in you. And to eate, the Lorde hym selfe interpreteth it to beléeue. But if there bee anye that desire to knowe more testimonies, by the whiche our Justification in Chryste by Faythe onelyonly is proued, then let him reade the thirde and fourthe Chapters of S. Paule to the Romanes, and also the Epistle to the Galathians, where the Apostle in the second Chapter writeth thus: Nowe lyue I no longer, but Chryste lyueth in mee. And the lyfe whiche I nowe lyue in the fleshe, I lyue by the faythe of the sonne of God. &c. Wherefore when wée say, that Fayth only in Chryst iustifieth, we attribute not Justification to Faythe, as in respecte that it is any woorke of oures, (for Faythe also is the frée gyfte of GOD) but bycause that Faythe onelyonly beholdeth or regardeth the grace of God in Chryst, and trusteth only herein, & in none other thing. And the grace of God in Chryste iustifieth, as wée hauehave sayde before. Therefore, when wée stryue and contende aboute thys question, Faythe onelyonly iustifieth, wée striue for Chrystes cause and the glory of GOD, that this iustification may bée attributed to none other than Chryste, to the ende wée may hauehave one onelyonly true ryghteousnesse. LasteWhy vvoorke… do not iustifie. of all wée muste shewe why not onelyonly wée doo not attribute iustification to woorkes, but also wherefore wée suffer not parte thereof to bée attributed to Woorkes, and parte to Faythe, but saye playnely, that wée are iustified onelyonly by Faythe, and not by Woorkes. Firste, for that God wyll in no wyse hauehave vsus to glorye and truste in our selues, but in hym alone: Like as it is manyfestly taught Rom. 3. 1. Corinth. 1. lerem. 9. Those therefore whiche impute their righteousnesse to Woorks, they trust in them: but those whiche beléeue in Chryste, by whome throughe grace their sinnes are forgiuen, and obtayne saluation, they truste not in them selues, but in the grace of God alone.
Secondely, all good Woorkes are wrought of good men. Wherefore it is of necessitie that the trée bee made good, before she bring foorthe good fruite, and therefore the frute maketh not the trée good, but is rather the signe of a good tr…e: so it followeth that Woorkes d…, not iustfie, bycause they are …oone of those which before were made righteouse throughe grace. Wherefore all men may easily knowe, that the righteouse doo not good Woorks, to the ende they mighte thereby bee ryghteouse, but rather bycause they are righteouse: so that nowe those whiche withoute woorks were firste iustified by grace, bring afterwarde foorthe good workes, euen as the good trée beareth good frute.
Thirdly, the works euen of the faithfull by reason of the infirmitie of mans nature which remayneth with vsus, yea vntounto death, are neuer so pure and perfect, that they durst ascribe therby righteousnesse vntounto them selues. Wherfore Job sayth, Althoughe I were iuste, yet would I not make answere, but intreateIob. 9. Psal. 14…. my ludge. And Dauid sayth: Enter not into iudgemente O Lorde with thy seruaunt, bycause no man liuing shall bee iustified in thy sighte. And it is euident what Saint Paule writeth to the Romanes, the seuenth Chapter.
Fourthly, if any man should be iustified by his workes, then Abraham and the Apostles should be iustified by the works of their faith: but that they were not iustified by workes is manyfestly taughte, Romanes. 4. Galathians. 2. Wherfore iustification is not to be attributed to workes, althoughe liuely workes procéede from sayth.
Fifthly, nothing ought to be done or suffered in the churche of Chryste, that should obseure or darken the death and merites of Chryste, and frée mercy of God: but if we attribute iustification to our workes, then they blot out bothe the merites and death of Chryste, and the frée mercy of God, as Paule teacheth. Galath. 2. and. 5. Therefore we must not ascribe iustificatiō to works. Sixtly, wee muste keepe faithfully and purely the Apostles doctrine, and that teacheth that wée are not iustified by works, but through faythe in the froe mercies of God, lyke as it appeareth Acts. 15. and in al the Epistles of Paul: wherefore wée muste faythefully and stedfastly cleaue to this doctrine. But yet amongst many testimonies, I will bring onelyonly one, whereby it shall manyfestly appeare that this Answere of ours, to this twentith Question, is taken out of the wordes of S. Paule, and therefore in the seconde Chapter to the Ephesians he sayth thus: By grace areThe summe of this doctrine. yee saued throughe Faythe: and that not of your selues, it is the gifte of God, and not of woorkes, leaste any man should boaste. For wee are hys woorkemanshippe created in Chryste Iesu vntounto good woorkes, whiche GOD hathe ordeined that we shoulde walke therin. And truely I thinke, there is no man could speake this more plainly: wherefore it is méete that we beléeue this the Apostles doctrine, and that we be not so miserable and wicked menne (as a great numbre are) to affirme that it is a false and heretical opinion, to beléeus that faith iustifieth before God, and not woorkes.
The. xxi. Question.
If faithe only iustifie, whether thē the Deuill, Judas, and such like be saued? If not, then whether it dothe not followe, that men are not saued only by faith▪ but also by charitie and hope?
The Answere.
TOuching the Deuill, Iudas, Simon Magus & such like, they had not true faithe in Christ: for if they had had this true faith in him, then had they also had Christe and eternall life, like as it is written: He vvhichwhich beleeueth in the sonne of God, hathe a testimonie in himself. And this testimonieIohn. 5. is, that God gaue vsus eternall life: and this life is in his sonne. He vvhichwhich hath the sonne, hath life Wherfore sith they hauehave not life, they neither hauehave faythe, nor Christe, for so it is wrytten: Hee vvhichwhich hath not the sonne of God, hath not life. And againe: Except you beleueIohn. 8. that I am the sonne of God, you shall perishe in your sinne. But whereas S. James saythe, in the seuenth Chapter of his Epistle, that the Diuels doe beléeue and tremble, and S. Luke in the eighte Chapter of the Actes, saithe thatAct. 8. Simon Magus beléeued, it is not to be vnderstanded of true faith, but of a false and dissembling faithe. For in the holy scripture there is mention made of two kindes of faith, that is true faith & false. True faithe is liuely, and of great force in Christe, iustifying vsus in him, and afterwarde bringethforthe good woo… Yet notwithstanding it followeth n… that we shall not be saued through faith but by charitie and hope also. For if we be not saued by faithe onelyonly, then those things muste néedes be false, which are redde in the gospel and wrytings of S. Paul, touching Christ and faith in him. But bicause those whiche beleeue in Christ, are made heires of saluation by his merites, therefore they hope & louelove also. Therefore when the scripture attributethHow works are called righteousne… iustificatiō to hope and charitie, or calleth good. woorks the righteousnesse of the faithfull: that is not done for the woorks sake, but bicause the true beléeuers are vnited with god, & so please God in him, & therfore are their works acceptable vntounto him: and bicause they are iustified by faithe in Christe, they doe also the woorkes of righteousnesse: so that all honoure and glory mighte be giuen to faithe, or rather to Christ and the frée mercyes of God.
Wherefore when we say that weFayth bringeth foorthe good works. are iustified by faith onelyonly before God, we doe not say that saith is alone without hope, charitie and good woorkes: but we say yt faith alone iustifieth, bicause we receiue by faithe, the frée mercy of God, Christ & his redēption (for in him onelyonly oure true iustification consisteth) and not in our woorkes which procéede of faithe. Not for that faithe wanteth these, for if it be true faithe, it woorketh good woorkes, as Peter, Paule, James, and John teache: and yet notwithstanding it first iustifieth, and so man being iustified by the grace of God throughe faith in Christ, doth finally bring foorth good woorkes. 2. Pet. 1. Rom. 6. Iacob. 2. 1. Iohn. …. &c.
The. xxij. Question.
Whether they beleeue that good workes done of charitie, and throughe the grace of God doe deserue eternal life through Christe, and for his sake?
The Answere.
THe grace of God andOf the discer…ing of workes. merites of Christe cannot be coupled with our workes. For Paul saith plainly: If vve be iustified by grace, then not by vvorkes: for els grace vvere no grace: But if vvee be iustified by vvorkes, then is it not by grace, for else vvorkes are no vvorkes. Rom. 11. The like dothe the Apostle teach. Rom 4. And in the second Chapter to the Galathians, he saythe: I make not the grace of God of none effecte: for if righteousnesse come by the lavve, then died Christe in vaine. For if vve vvere able to deserue eternall life, vvhat neede had Christe to suffer? Whether our merice… are made meritorious by the merites of ChristBut hére is obiected vntounto vsus, that the merites of manne be made effectuall through the merites of Christe: but this they finde not in the holy scripture, for they teache that righteousnesse and saluation is bestowed vppon vsus for Christes sake, and not for oure workes: and howe then might they teache, that oure works are made meritorious through the merites of Christe? But these men cannot abide that all things which we receiue, should be referred to the frée mercies of God, but they woulde hauehave some parte with it. And therfore héerein they diligently labor, that althoughe they are constrained to graunt the glorie to Christe, that yet neuerthelesse in the wrapping vp, they mighte plucke somewhat to themselues. And to thysThe revvard of woorkes. ende they wrest those places of Scripture, in which rewarde is promised the righteousnesse of the faithfull.
In deede we Confesse that many things are written in the holy Scripture, touching the rewarde of the righteous, and punishment of the vngodly, which rewarde is not referred to the deseruing of oure woorkes, but to the free merciemercy of God: and therefore when the faithful doe any thing, for the which God giueth them a rewarde, they receiue not the same as of duetie, but as giuen them fréely by grace. And thys same dothe the Scripture manyfestly teache, for Paule saythe: The revvardeRom. 6. of sinne is deathe, but eternall life is the gifte of God throughe Iesus Christ our Lorde. Wherefore it is manifest that oure sinne deserueth deathe, but oure righteousnesse deserueth not eternall life. For it is the frée gift of God which Christe hathe deserued for vsus, and is therefore freely giuen vntounto vsus. Wherefore the Apostle sayth: For I counte notRom. 8. the afflictiōs of this present time vvorthy of that glory vvhichwhich shall be shevved on vsus in the life to come. Yet neuerlesse these men go about to persuade wt all men yt we deserue so great things by our owne woorkes: and so wilfully sette them selues againste the faithfull Doctrine of our Lorde, who saythe: SoLuke. 7. you likevvise vvhen you hauehave done all that you can, yet say that you are vnprofitable seruauntes, vvee hauehave done that vve oughte to hauehave done. And againste this saying of Augustine: God revvardeth his ovvne giftes, and not thy merites. Againe: If thou vvilt be an abiecte from grace, then bragge of thy merites.
The. xxiii. Question.
Whether that Marie Magdalenes sinnes were not forgiuen for the earnest loues sake, which she bare vntounto Christe?
The Answere.
IF that sinnefull MariesMarie therfore loued bicause hir sinnes were remitted. sinnes were forgiuē hir, for the louelove which shée bore to Christ, then shée recompenced thys hir forgiuenesse, and therefore it was not the frée gift of God, neither wer hir sinnes remitted by grace? But the Gospell teacheth that shée had remission of hir sinnes, without any desert: For the Lorde sayth. There vvas a certaine man vvhichwhich had tvvo detters, and vvhen they vvere not able to paie him, he forgaue bothe of them the dets. Wherfore if hir det were forgiuen and pardoned, then did shée not purchase, or deserue it by hir louelove. Furthermore, the wordes of the gospel plainly teache that Maries louelove sprang from the forgiuenesse of hir sinnes, and not the forgiuenesse of hir sinnes from hir louelove: for so is it written. Of these tvvo therefore (that is to say, of the two detters which were pardoned) tell me vvhiche vvill louelove him most. Simon answered, saying: I thinke him, to vvhome moste vvas forgiuen. And he said to him, thou hast iudged right. And therefore he afterwarde telleth with what great louelove Marie embraced him, and that bicause he had forgiuen hir many sinnes. Yet notwithstāding, these men dare manifestly affirme the contrary, to wit, that …ure Lord forgaue hir hir sinnes, & that for hir loues sake. But yet they obiect yt Christ sayd: Many sinnes are forgiuen hir, for shee loued much. To that I answere, that it is all one, as if he should hauehave sayd: many sinnes are forgiuē hir▪ and therfore shée loueth much. And that this is the true meaning of our Lordes words, the things which go before, and the things which folow after, do manifestly teache. For euen immediatly after these words he saith, To vvhome a little is remitted, he loueth a little. Then knitteth he vp his words thus: Thy fins are forgiuen thee. Thy faith hath saued thee, go in peace. Sée therfore what saued hir: first the free grace of our Lord, by which hir sinnes were forgiuen: secondly, faith, by the which shee receyued the mercy or grace of god, and committed hir selfe wholely to him. And héere hence it came that shée obtained quietnesse, and faithfully loued him.
The. xxiiij. Question.
Whether Christe did not reiect those which beleued in him, and cast out deuils in his name, and did not good workes: and whether he will not call all those to eternall life, which hauehave done good works, & whether he will not condemne al those at the last day, which are workers of iniquitie?
The Answere.
IT hath bin euer knownFayth to work miracles. that the faith to woorke miracles, is distincted from the faith in Christ. Wherfore it followeth not, yt bicause the faithe to woorke miracles, saueth not those which doe them, therfore true faithe in Christe, saueth not. Like as it foloweth not (as we hauehave said before.) The deuil beléeueth and yet is not saued, therfore faith saueth not. For there is one faithe of the deuels, an other of the faithfull, wherby they trust in the grace and promisse of God. Furthermore Christ shalWhy Christe wil iudge not according to fayth, but according to works. iudge in the laste day after the manner of men: for they iudge of things manifest and known, and so also shall Christ do. But bicause faith is the gift of God, spirituall and inuisible, & yet notwithstanding sheweth it selfe by workes, so that therby is made manifest, who are faithful, and who not, therfore the Lord iudgeth according to works: But let vsusMath. 25. heare the sentence of the iudge: Come (saith he) you blessed of my father, possesse the inheritance or kingdome prepared for you before the foundation of the world. And in whom are we blessed but only in Christ. Gal. 3. Wherfore if ye kingdome come by inheritance, thē is it of grace. Furthermore, if it be prepared before the foundations of the worlde, then was it prepared before we were borne, or could doe good woorks. Of this matter Paule speaketh more. Ephesi. 1.
Thus much hauehave we spoken of faith and good woorkes, which we do not condemne or despise, as our aduersaries do falsly accuse vsus, but this is it we onelyonly séeke, that we wold not hauehave that to be attributed to good woorks, which only is due vntounto Christ. For otherwise, we exhort all mē to the doing of good woorks, and that not such as we faine or deuise of oure selues, but suche as God hathe commaunded to be done throughe true faithe, and not to make marchandise of them. Yea we testifie vntounto all those churches which we teach, that they are greatly reproued and cōdemned, if they brag of faithe, and declare not the sam… by good woorkes.