The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 3 · Chapter 17
The .xvii. Chapter. ¶ The agreement of the promises of the lawe and the Gospell.
NOw let vsus also goe through the other argumētes wherwith Satan by the soldiars of his garde, goeth about eyther to ouerthrowe or batter the iustification of fayth. This I thinke we hauehave already wrong frō the sclaunderers, that they can no more charge vsus as enemies of good workes. For, iustification is taken awaye from good workes, not that no good workes should be done, or that those which be done shold be denied to be good, but that we should not put affiāce in them, not glorie in them, not ascribe saluatiō to them. For this is our affiance, this is our glorie, and the only authour of our saluation, that Christ the sonne of God is oures, and we likewise are in him the sonnes of God, and heyers of the heauēly kingdome, beyng called by the goodnesse of God, not by our owne worthinesse, into ye hope of eternal blessednesse. But bicause they do biside these assayle vsus, as we hauehave sayd, with other engines, goe to, let vsus goe forward in beatyng awaye these also. First they come backe to the promises of the lawe, which the Lord did set forth to the kepers of his law: and they aske whether we wil hauehave them to be vtterly voyde or effectuall. Bycause it were an absurditie and to be scorned to say that they are voyde, they take it for confessed that they are of some effectualnesse. Hereupon they reason that we are not iustified by only faith.Deut. vii.xi…. For thus sayth the Lord: And it shalbe, yf thou shalt heare these commaundementes and iudgementes, and shal kepe them and do them, the Lord also shall kepe with thee his couenant and merciemercy whiche he hath sworne to thy fathers, he shall louelove thee and multiplie thee,Ier. vii.ii… and xxiii. and blesse thee, &c. Agayne, If ye shall wel direct your wayes and your endeuors, yf ye walke not after strange Gods, yf ye do iudgement betwene man and man, and goe not backe into malice, I will walke in y• middest of you. I will not recite a thousand peces of the same sorte, whiche sithe they nothyng differ in sense, shalbe declared by the solutiō of these.Deut. xi.xxvi. In a summe, Moses testifieth that in the lawe is set forth blessyng and curse, death and life. Thus therfore they reson, that eyther this blessyng is made idle & frutelesse, or that iustification is not of fayth alone. We hauehave already before shewed, how if we sticke faste in the lawe, ouer vsus beyng destitute of al blessing, hangeth only curse which is thretened to al transgressors. For the Lord promiseth nothyng but to the perfect kepers of his law, such as there is none found. This therefore remaineth, that all mankinde is by the law accused, and subiect to curse & the wrath of God: from whiche that they maye be loosed, they must needes goe out of the power of the law, and be as it were brought into libertie from the bō dage therof: not that carnall libertie whiche should withdraw vsus frō the kepyng of the law, should allure vsus to thinke all thinges lawfull and to suffer our lust, as it were the stayes beyng broken & with loose reyn…s to runne at riot: but the spiritual libertie, whiche may comfort and rayse vp a dismayed and ouerthrowen conscience, shewyng it to be free from the curse and damnation wherewith the lawe helde it downe bond and fast tied. This deliuerance from the subiection of the law, and Man…mission (as I may cal it) we obteyne whē by fayth we take holde of the merciemercy of God in Christ, whereby we are certified and assured of the forgeuenesse of sinnes, with the felyng whereof the law did prick and bite vsus.
By this reason euen the promises that were offred vsus in the lawe, should be all vneffectuall & voyde, vnlesse the goodnesse of God by the Gospell did help. For, this condition that we kepe the whole law, vpō which the promises hang, and wherby alone thei are to be performed, shal neuer be fulfilled. And the Lord so helpeth, not by leauyng part of righteousnesse in our workes, and supplyeng part by his mercieful bearyng with vsus, but when he setteth only Christ for the fulfillyng of righteousnesse. For the Apostle, when he had before sayd that he and other Iewes beleued in Iesus Christ, knowing that man is not iustified by the workes of the lawe,…, xvi addeth a reason: not that they should be holpen to fulnesse of righteousnesse by the fayth of Christ, but by it should be iustified, not by the workes of the law. If the faythfull remoue from the law into fayth, that they may in fayth finde righteousnesse which they see to be absent from the law: truely they forsake the righteousnesse of the lawe. Therefore now let him that list, amplifie the rewardinges whiche are sayd to be prepared for the keper of the law, so that he therewithall cōsider that it cōmeth to passe by our peruersnesse, that we fele no frute thereof till we hauehave obteyned an other righteousnesse of faith. So Dauid, when he made mention of the rewardyng whiche the Lord hath prepared for his seruantes, by and by descendeth to the reknowledging of sinnes, wherby that same rewarding is made voyde.… Also in the xix. Psalme, he gloriously setteth forth the benefites of the law, but he by & by crieth out: Whoe shall vnderstand his faultes? Lord cleanse me frō my secret faultes. This place altogether agreeth with the place before, where when he had sayd that all the wayes of the Lord are goodnesse and truth to them that leaue him,P…. ….x. he addeth: For thy names sake Lorde, thou shalt be mercifull to my peruersnesse, for it is muche. So ought we also to reknowledge, that there is in deede the good will of God set forth vntounto vsus in the lawe, if we might deserue it by workes, but that the same neuer cōmeth to vsus by the deseruyng of workes.
How then? Are they geuen that they should vanish awaye without frute: I hauehave euē now already protested that the same is not my meaning. I say verily that they vtter not their effectualnesse toward vsus, so long as they hauehave respect to the merit of workes, and that therfore if they be considered in themselues, they be after a certayne māner abolished. If the Apostle teacheth that this noble promise:… I hauehave geuen you commaūdementes, which who so shal do, shall liue in them, is of no value if we stand still in it, and shal neuer a whit more profit than if it had not ben geuen at all: bicause it belongeth not euen to the most holy seruauntes of God, whiche are all far from the fulfillyng of the lawe, but are compassed about with many transgressions. But when the promises of the Gospel are put in place of them, which do offre free forgeuenesse of sinnes, they bryng to passe that not only we our selues be acceptable to God, but that our workes also hauehave their thanke: and not this only that the Lord accepteth them, but also extēdeth to them the blessinges whiche were by couenant due to the keping of the law. I graunt therefore, that those thinges whiche the Lord hath promised in his lawe to the folowers of righteousnesse & holinesse, are rendred to the workes of the faythfull: but in this rendryng, the cause is alway to be cōsidered that powreth grace to workes. Now causes we see that there be three. The first is, that God turnyng away his sight frō the workes of his seruātes, which alway deserue rather reproche than praise, embraceth them in Christ, and by the only meane of faith reconcileth them to himself without the meane of workes. The secōd, that of his fatherly kindnesse and tender mercifulnesse, he lifteth vp workes to so great honour, not weyeng the worthinesse of them that he accompteth them of some value. The third, that he receiueth the very same workes with pardon, not imputyng the imperfectiō, wherwith they al beyng defiled, should otherwise be rather reckened amōg sinnes than vertues. And hereby appereth how much the Sophisters hauehave ben deceiued, whiche thought that they had gaylye escaped al absurdities when they sayd that workes do not of their owne inwarde goodnesse auayle to deserue saluation, but by the forme of the couenant, bicause the Lord hath of his liberalitie so much estemed them. But in the meane time they considered not, howe far those workes whiche they would hauehave to be meritorious, were from the conditiō of the promises, vnlesse there went before bothe iustification grounded vponupon only fayth, and the forgeuenesse of sinnes, by which euē the good workes themselues hauehave neede to be wiped from spottes. Therefore of three causes of Gods liberalitie, by which it is brought to passe that the workes of the faythfull are acceptable, they noted but one, & suppressed two, yea and those the principall.
They allege ye sayeng of Peter, whiche Luke rehearseth in ye Actes: I finde in truthe that God is not an accepter of persones:Act. x.xxxiiii. but in eueryevery nation he that doth righteousnesse is acceptable to him. And hereupon they gather that which semeth to be vndouted, that if man doth by right endeuors get himselfe the fauor of God, it is not the beneficiall gift of God alone that he obteyneth saluation: yea that God doth so of his merciemercy help a sinner, that he is by workes bowed to merciemercy. But you can in no wise make the Scriptures agree together, vnlesse you note a double acceptyng of man with God. For, such as man is by nature, God findeth nothyng in him whereby he maye be enclined to merciemercy, but only miserie. If therfore it be certayne that man is naked and needy of all goodnesse, and on the other side full stuffed and loden with al kindes of euels, when God first receyueth them: for what qualitie, I pray you shal we say that he is worthy of the heauēly calling▪ Away therefore with the vaine imaginyng of merites, where God so euidētly setteth out his free mercifulnesse. For, that which in the same place is sayde by the voice of the Angell to Cornelius, that his prayers and almes had ascēded into the sight of God, is by these men most lewdly wrested, that man by endeuor of good workes is prepared to receiue the grace of God. For it muste needes be that Cornelius was already enlightened with ye Spirit of wisdome, sithe he was endued with true wisdome, namely with ye feare of God: yt he was sanctified with the same Spirit, sith he was a folower of righteousnesse, which the Apostle teacheth to be a most certaine frute therof.…al. v.v. Al those things therefore whiche are sayd to hauehave pleased God in him, he had of his grace, so far is it of yt he did by his own endeuor prepare himself to receiue it. Truely there cā not one syllable of the Scripture be brought forth, that agreeth not with this doctrine, yt there is none other cause for God to accept man vntounto him, but bicause he seeth that mā should be eueryevery way lost, if he be left to himselfe: but bicause he will not hauehave him lost, he vseth his own merciemercy in deliueryng him. Now we see how this accepting hath not regard to the righteousnesse of man, but is a mere token of the goodnesse of God toward men beyng miserable and moste vnworthy of so great a benefit.
But after that the Lord hath brought man out of the bottomlesse depth of destruction, and seuered him to himselfe by grace of adoption: bicause he hath nowe begotten him and newely formed him into a newe life, he nowe embraceth him, as a newe creature with the giftes of his Spirit. This is that acceptyng whereof Peter maketh mention, by whiche the faythfull are after their vocation allured of God euen in respecte also of workes: for the Lorde can not but louelove and kisse those good thinges whiche he worketh in them by his Spirit. But this is alwaye to be remembred, that they are none otherwise acceptable to God in respect of workes, but in as muche as for their cause and for their sakes, whatsoeuer good workes he hath geuen them in encreasyng of his liberalitie, he also vouchesaueth to accept. For whense hauehave they good workes▪ but bicause the Lord, as he hath chosen them for vessels vntounto honor, so will garnish thē with true godlinesse? Whereby also are they accompted good as though there were nothing wanting in them, but bicause the kinde Father tēderly graunteth pardon to those deformities & spottes that cleaue to them? Summarily, he signifieth nothing els in this place, but that to God his children are acceptable & louely in whom he seeth the markes and features of his owne face. For we hauehave in an other place taught that regeneratiō is a repairyng of the image of God in vsus. For asmuch as therfore wheresoeuer the Lord beholdeth his owne face, he both worthily loueth it and hath it in honor: it is not without cause sayd, that the life of the faithful beyng framed to holinesse & righteousnesse pleaseth him, but bycause the godly beyng clothed with mortall fleshe, are yet sinners, and their good workes are but begonne and sauoryng of the faultinesse of the fleshe; he can not be fauorable neyther to those nor to these, vnlesse he more embrace them in Christ than in themselues. After this manner are those places to be taken, whiche testifie that God is kinde & mercifull to the folowers of righteousnesse. Moses sayd to the Israelites,Deut. vij.ix. The Lord thy God kepeth couenant, to a thousand generations: which sentēce was afteward vsed of the people for a common manner of speache. So Salomon in his solemne prayer,i. …in. viij.xxiij. sayth, Lord God of Israell, whiche kepest couenant and merciemercy to thy seruātes which walke before thee in their whole heart. The same wordes are also repeted of Nehemias.… For, as in al ye couenātes of his merciemercy, ye Lord likewise on their behalues requireth of his seruātes vprightnesse & holinesse of life,Deut. xx….xviii. that his goodnesse should not be made a mockerie, & that no man swelling with vaine reioysing by reason therof should blesse his owne soule, walking in the meane time in the peruersnesse of his own heart: so his wil is by this way to kepe in their dutie them that are admitted into the cōmuniō of the couenāt: yet neuerthelesse the couenāt it self is both made at the beginnyng free, & perpetually remayneth such.ii. Sam…. xxij.i. After this māner Dauid when he glorieth yt there was rēdred to him reward of the cleannesse of his hādes, yet omitteth not that fountaine which I hauehave spoken of, that he was drawen out of the wombe, bicause God loued him: where he so setteth out the goodnesse of his cause, that he abateth nothyng from the free merciemercy whiche goeth before all giftes, whereof it is the beginning.
And here by ye way it shalbe profitable to touch what these formes of speakyng do differ from the promises of the law. I cal promises of the law, not those which are eche where cōmonly writtē in the bokes of Moses: (for as much as in them also are found many promises of ye Gospel) but those which properly belong to the ministerie of the law. Such promises, by what name so euer you list to cal them, do declare that there is reward redy vponupon condition, if thou do that which is cō maunded thee. But when it is sayd, that the Lord kepeth the couenāt of merciemercy to thē which louelove him, therin is rather shewed what māner of men be his seruantes which hauehave faithfully receiued his couenant, than the cause is expressed why the lord should do good to them. Now this is the manner of shewyng it. As the Lord vouchsaueth to graunt vsus ye grace of eternal life, to this end that he should be loued, feared, & honored of vsus: so whatsoeuer promises there are of his merciemercy in the Scriptures, they are rightfully directed to this, and that we should reuerence and worship the author of the benefites. So ofte therefore as we heare that he doth good to them that kepe his law, let vsus remē ber that the children of God are there signified by the dutie whiche ought to be continual in them: that we are for this cause adopted, that we should honor him for our Father. Therfore lest we should disherite our selues from the right of adoptiō, we must alway endeuor to this wherunto our calling tendeth. But let vsus againe kepe this in minde, yt the accōplishment of the merciemercy of God hangeth not vpō the workes of the faithfull: but that he therfore fulfilleth the promise of saluation to them whiche answer to their callyng in vprightnesse of life, bicause in them he acknoweth the natural tokēs of his children which are ruled with his Spirit vntounto good. Herunto let yt be referred which is in ye xv. Psalme spoken of the Citezens of ye Church, Lord whoe shal dwel in thy tabernacle, and whoe shal rest in thy holy hill: The innocent in hādes & of a cleane heart,Esa. xxxii….xiiij. &c. Agayne in Esaie, Whoe shall dwel with deuouring fire? He that doth righteousnesse, he that speaketh right thinges &c. For there is not described the staye whereupon the faythfull may stand before the Lord, but the manner wherewith the most merciful father bringeth thē into his felowship, & therein defendeth & strēgtheneth them. For, bicause he abhorreth sinne, he loueth righteousnesse: whō he ioyneth to himself, them he cleanseth wt his spirit, yt he may make thē of like fashion to himself & his kingdome. Therfore if ye question be of ye first cause wherby the entrie is made open to the holy ones into the kingdome of God, frō whense they hauehave yt thei may stand fast & abide in it, we hauehave this answer ready, bicause the Lord by his merciemercy both hath ones adopted them, & perpetually defendeth them. But if the question be of the manner, then we must come downe to regeneration and the frutes therof, which are rehersed in that Psalme.
But there semeth to be much more hardnesse in these places, which do both garnish good workes with the titīe of righteousnesse, & affirme that man is iustified by them. Of the first sort there be very many places, where the obseruinges of the cōmaundementes are called iustifications or righteousnesses. Of the other sort, that is an exāple which is in Moses,Deut. vi.xxv. This shalbe our righteousnesse, if we kepe all these commaūdementes. And if thou take exception & say that this is a promise of the law, which being knit to a cōdition impossible, proueth nothing. There be other of which you cā not make ye same answer, as this, And yt shalbe to thee for righteousnesse before the Lord,Deu. xxiiij xiii. Ps. …vi.x…x. to redeliuer to the poore man his pledge &c. Againe, that which the Prophet sayth, yt the zele in reuenging the shame of Israell, was imputed to Phinees for righteousnesse. Therfore the Pharisees of our time thinke yt here they hauehave a large matter to triūph vponupon. For when we say, that when the righteousnesse of faith is set vp, ye iustificatiō of workes geueth place, by the same right they make this argument, If righteousnesse bee of workes, then it is false that we are iustified by faith only. Though I graunt that the commaundementes of the law are called righteousnesses: it is no maruell: for they are so in deede. Howebeit we muste warne the readers that the Grecians hauehave not fittly translated the Hebrue word Hucmi, Dikaiomata, righteousnesses for cōmaundemēts. But for the worde, I willingly release my quarell. For neyther doe we denie this to the law of God, that it conteineth perfect righteousnesse. For although, bycause we are detters of all the thinges that it commaundeth, therfore euen when we hauehave performed ful obedience therof, we are vnprofitable seruātes: yet bicause the lord hath vouchsaued to graunt it the honor of righteousnesse, we take not away that whiche he hath geuen. Therefore we willingly confesse that the full obedience of the lawe is righteousnesse: that the kepyng of eueryevery cōmaūdement, is a part of righteousnesse, yf so be that the whole summe of righteousnesse were had in the other partes also. But we denie that there is any where any suche forme of righteousnesse. And therefore we take away the righteousnesse of the law, not for that it is maymed and vnperfect of it felfe, but for that by reason of the weakenesse of our flesh it is no where seene. But ye Scripture not only calleth simply the cōmaundemētes of the Lord, righteousnesses: but it also geueth this name to the workes of the holy ones. As when it reporteth that Zacharie & his wife walked in the righteousnesses of the Lord:Luc. i.vi. truely whē it so speaketh, it weyeth workes rather by ye nature of ye law, thā by their owne propre estate. Howbeit here againe is that to be noted, which I euē now sayd, that of the negligence of the Greke translator is not a law to be made. But for asmuch as Luke wold alter nothing in ye receiued traslation, I will also not striue about it. For God hath commaunded these thinges that are in the lawe to men for righteousnesse: but this righteousnes we performe not but in keping the whole lawe: for by eueryevery transgression it is broken. Wheras therfore the law doth nothing but prescribe righteousnesse: if we hauehave respecte to it, all ye seueral cōmaundementes therof are righteousnes: if we hauehave respect to men of whome thei are done, thei do not obteine the praise of righteousnesse by one worke, beinge trespassers in many, and by that same worke whiche is euer partly faulty by reason of imperfection.
But now I come to the second kinde, in which is the chefe hardnes. Paul hath nothing more strong to proue the righteousnesse of fai…he, than that whiche is written of Abraham,Be. iiii.iii…. Psal. c. vi.xxxi. that his faithe was imputed to him for righteousnesse. Sith therfore it is said that the acte done by Phinees was imputed to him for righteousnesse: what Paule affirmeth of faith, the same may we also conclude of works. Whervpon our aduersaries, as though thei had wonne the victorie, determine that we are in dede not iustified without faith, but that we are also not iustified by it alone, and that workes accomplish our righteousnesse. Therefore here I beseache the godly, that if thei knowe that the true rule of righteousnesse is to be taken out of the Scripture only, thei will religiously and earnestly weie with me, how the Scripture may without cauillations be rightly made to agree with it selfe. For asmuch as Paul knewe yt the iustificatiō of faith is ye refuge for them yt ar destitute of their own righteousnesse, he doth boldly cōclude yt al thei yt ar iustified by faith, ar excluded from the righteousnesse of works. But sith it is certayne that the iustification of faith is common to all the faithfull, he dothe thereof with like boldenesse conclude that no man is iustified by works, but rather contrariewise that men are iustified without any helpe of workes. But it is one thing to dispute of what value works are by themselues, and an other thing what accompt is to be made of them after the stablishing of the righteousnesse of faith. If we shal set a price vponupon works according to their worthinesse, we saie that thei are vnworthy to come into the sight of God: and therefore that man hath no workes whereof he may glorie before God: then, that being spoiled of al helpe of works he is iustified by only faith. Now we define righteousnesse thus, that a sinner being receiued into the communion of Christ, is by hys grace reconciled to God, when being cleansed with his bloode he obteineth forgeuenesse of sinnes, and being clothed with his righteousnesse as with his own, he stādeth assured before the heauenly iudgment …eate. Whē the forgeuenesse of sinnes is set before, the good workes which folowe hauehave now an other valuation than after their own deseruing: bycause whatsoeuer is in them vnperfect, is couered with ye perfectiō of Christ: whatsoeuer spottes or fylthinesse there is, it is wyped away wyth hys cleannesse, yt it maye not come into ye examination of the iudgement of God. Therfore when the giltines of al trespasses is blotted out, whereby men are hindred yt thei can bring forthe nothing acceptable to God, and when the faulte of imperfection is buried, whiche is wonte also to defile good workes: ye good workes which the faithful do, are compted righteous, or (which is all one) are imputed for righteousnesse.
Now if any man obiect this against me to assaile the righteousnesse of faithe, first I will aske whether a man be compted righteous for one or two holy works, being in the rest of the works of his life a trespasser of the law. This is more than an absurditie. Then I will aske if he be compted righteous for many good works, yf he be in any parte founde gilty. This also he shal not be so bolde to affirme, when the penal ordina…ce of the law crieth oute against it, & proclameth al them accursed which hauehave not fulfilled all cōmaundementes of the lawe to the vttermost.Deut. xxvij Moreouer I wil go further & ask, whether ther be any work yt deserueth to be accused of no vncleannesse or imperfection. And howe could there be any such before those eies, to whom euē the very starres are not cleane enough,Iob. iiii, xviii. nor the Angeles righteous enough? So shal he be compelled to graunt that there is no good worke which is not so defiled with transgressions adioyned with it, & with ye corruptnesse of it selfe, that it can not hauehave the honoure of righteousnesse. Nowe if it bee certaine that it proceedeth from the righteousnesse of faith yt woorkes which are otherwise vnpure, vncleane, and but halfe workes, not worthy of ye sight of God, much lesse of his louelove, are imputed to righteousnesse, why do thei wt boasting of the righteousnesse of workes destroye the iustification of faith, wheras if this iustification were not thei shold in vaine boaste of that righteousnes? Wyll thei make a vipers birth… For therto end the saiengs of the vngodly mē. Thei can not denie that the iustificatiō of faith is the beginning, foundatiō, cause, matter, & substance of ye righteousnesse of works: yet thei cōclude ye man is not iustified by faith, bycause good workes also are accōpted for righteousnesse. Therfore let vsus let passe these follies & confesse as the truth is, yt if the righteousnesse of works of what sort soever it be accōpted, hangeth vponupon the iustificatiō of faith, it is by this not onelyonly nothing minished but also cōfirmed, namly wherbi the strength therof appeareth more mighty. Neither yet let vsus think yt works ar so cōmēded after fre iustificatiō, yt thei also afterward come into ye place of iustifieng a mā, or do parte yt office betwene them & faithe. For vnlesse the iustificatiō remaine alway whole, the vncleannes of workes shalbe vncouered. And it is no absurditie, yt a man is so iustified by faith yt not only he himself is righteous, but also his woorkes are esteemed righteous aboue their worthynesse.
After this māner we wil graūt in workes not only a righteousnes in parts (as our aduersaries thēselues wold hauehave) but also yt it is alowed of God as if it wer a perfect & ful righteousnesse. But if we remēbre vpō what foūdatiō it is vpholdē, al ye difficultie shalbe disolued. For then & no… til their beginneth to be an acceptable worke, whē it is receiued wt pardō. Now whense cōmeth pardō, but bicause God beholdeth both vsus …amp; al our thinges in Christe? Therefore as we, when we are graffed into Christ, do therfore appeare righteous before God, bicause our wickednesses are couered with his innocence, so our workes are & be taken for righteous, bicause whatsoeuer faultines is otherwise in thē, being buried in ye cleannesse of Christe, it is not imputed. So we may rightfully sai, yt bi onli faith not ōly we but also our works ar iustified. Now if this righteousnes of works of what sorte soeuer it be, hangeth vpō faith & tree iustification, & is made of it: it ought to be included vnderunder it, and to he sette vnderunder it as the effect vnderunder the cause therof, as I may so cal it: so farre is it of that it oughte to bee raysed vp either to destroy or darken it.Ro. iiii.vii So Paule, to dryue men to confesse yt oure blessednesse cōsisteth of ye mercy of God, not of works, chefli enforceth that saying of Dauid, Blessed are thei whose iniquitties are forgeuen,Ps. x…xii. and whose sinnes are couered. Blessed is he to whom ye Lord hath not imputed sinne. If any mā do thrust in to ye contrary innumerable sayings wherin blessednesse seemeth to be geuen to works:Psa. cxxii. Pra. xiiii. xxi. Psal. i.i. …am. i.x…i Ps. cvi. ii… & cxix. i. Mat. v.ii… as are these: Blessed is the man whiche feareth the Lord, whiche hath pitie on the poore, which hath not walked in the councell of the wicked, which beareth temptation: Blessed are they which kepe iudgement, the vndefiled, the poore in Spirit, the meeke, the mercifull. &c. they shall not make but that it shall bee true which Paul saith. For bicause those thinges that ar ther cōmended are neuer so in man, that he is therfore allowed of God, it foloweth ye man is alwai miserable, vnlesse he be deliuered from misery by forgeuenesse of sinnes. For asmuch as therfore all the kindes of blessednes which ar extolled in the scriptures, do fal down void, so ye man receiueth frute of none of thē, til he hauehave obteined blessedness by forgeuenes of sins, which mai afterward make place for thē: it foloweth yt this is not only ye hiest & the chefe but also the only blessednes: vnlesse paraduenture you will hauehave that it be weakned of those which consist in it alone. Now ther is much lesse reason why the calling of mē righteous shoulde trouble vsus, which is cōmonli geuē to ye faithful. I graūt verili yt thei ar called righteous of ye holines of li…: but for asmuch as thei rather endeuor to ye folowīg of righteousnes, than do fulfil righteousnes it self, it is mete yt this righteousnes suche as it is, giuegive place to the iustification of faith, from whence it hath that which it is.
But thei say that we hauehave yet more busines with Iames, namelye which wt opē voice fighteth against vsus.Iam. i.xii For he teacheth both yt Abrahā was iustified by works, and also that al we are iustified by workes, not by faith only. What then? wil thei draw Paul to fight with Iames? If thei hold Iames for a minister of Christ, his saying must be so takē that it disagre not frō Christ speakīg by the mouth of Paul. The holy ghost affirmeth by the mouth of Paul, that Abrahā obteined righteousnesse by faith, not by workes: & we also do teach that all are iustified by faith without the works of ye law. The same holy ghost teacheth by Iames that both Abrahams righteousnes and ours consisteth of workes, not of only faith. It is certain that the holy ghost fighteth not wt himselfe. What agrement shall ther be therfore of these two? It is enough for ye aduersaries, if thei pluck vp the righteousnes of faith which we wolde hauehave to be fastened with most depe rootes: but to render to consciences their quietnesse, thei hauehave no great care. Whereby verily you may see yt thei gnaw ye iustificatiō of faith, but in ye meane tim do apoint no mark of righteousnes wher cōsciences may stay. Therfore let them triumph as thei list, so yt thei may boaste of no other victorie than yt thei hauehave taken away all certainetie of righteousnesse. And this wretched victorie thei shal obteine, where ye light of truth being quenched, ye lord shal suffer thē to ouerspred ye darknes of lies. But whersoeuer ye truth of God shal stand, thei shall nothing preuaile. I deny therefore yt the saieng of Iames which thei still cōtinually hold vp against vsus as it wer ye shelde of Achilles doth any thing at al make for thē. That this may be made plaine, first we must loke at ye mark yt the apostle shooteth at: & then we must note wher thei be deceiued. Bicause there were thē many (whiche mischefe is wont to be continual in ye Church) which openly bewraied their infidelitie, in neglecting & omitting al ye propre works of ye faithful, & yet cessed not to boaste of ye false name of faith: Iames doth here mock ye folish boldnes of such mē. Therfore it is not his purpose in any point to diminish ye force of true faith, but to shew how …ondly those trifles did chalenge so much ye vaine image of it, yt being contented herwt thei carelesly ranne dissolutely abroade into all licentiousnesse of vices. This ground being cōceiued, it shalbe easy to perceaue where oure aduersaries do misse. For thei fal into two deceites in ye word, the one in ye name of faith, yt other in ye word of iustifieng. Whereas the Apostle nameth faith a vaine opinion farr distant from ye truth of faith, it is spokē by waie of graunting, which is no derogation to the matter: whych he sheweth at ye beginning in these words. What profiteth it, my brothrē, If any man say yt he hath faith, & hath no works? He doth not say, if any hauehave faith wtout workes, but, If any man boast. More plainely also he speaketh a little after, where he in mockerie maketh yt worse than the deuills knowledg: last of al, when he calleth it dead. But by the definition you maye sufficiently perceaue what hee meaneth. Thou beleuest (saith he) yt there is a God. Truely if nothing be conteined in thys faith but to beleue that there is a God, it is now no maruel if it do not iustifie. And when this is taken from it, let vsus not think that any thing is a bared from the Christian faith, the nature whereof ys farre otherwise. For after what manner doth true faith iustifie vsus, but when it cōioyneth vsus with Christ, that being made one wt him, we may enioy the partakyng of hys righteousnesse. It dothe not therefore iustifie vsus by this that it conceiueth a knowledge of the beinge of God, but by thys that it resteth vponupon the assurednesse of the mercy of God.
We hauehave not yet the work, vnlesse we examine also the other deceite in the word, for asmuche as Iames setteth part of iustificatiō in works. If you wil make Iames agreing both wt the rest of the Scriptures, & in himself, you must of necessitie take the word of Iustifieng in an other significatiō thā it is takē in Paul. For Paul saith yt we ar iustified, whē ye remēbrance of our vnrighteousnes being blotted out, we ar accōpted righteous. If Iames had ment of yt takinge, he had wrongefully alleged yt out of Moses, Abrahā beleued God. &c. For he thus frameth it together: Abrahā bi works obteined righteousnes, bycause he sticked not at ye cōmaundemēt of God, to offer vp his sonne. And so the Scriptur was fulfilled whiche saithe, that hee beleued God, and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse. If it be an absurditie, that the effect is before hys cause, eyther Moses dothe in that place falsely testifie, that faythe was imputed to Abraham for righteousnesse: or he deserued not righteousnesse by that obedience whiche he shewed in offering vp of Isaac. Abraham was iustified by his faith, when Ismael was not yet conceiued, whych was nowe growen past childehode before that Isaac was borne. Now therfore shal we saie, that he got to himself righteousnesse by obedience which folowed long afterward? Wherefore either Iames did wrongfully misturne the order (which it is a wickednesse to thinke) or he meant not to say that he was iustified, as though he deserued to be accompted righteous. How then? Truely it appeareth that he speaketh of the declaration of righteousnesse and not the implication: as yf he had saide. Whoso are righteous by true faithe, thei doe proue their righteousnesse wt obediēce & good works, not wt a bare & imagelike visor of faith. In a sūme, he disputeth not by what meane we ar iustified, but he requireth of ye faithful a working righteousnesse. And as Paule affirmeth yt mē be iustified wtout ye help of works: so Iames doth here suffer thē to be accōpted righteous which want good workes. The cō sidering of this end, shal deliuer vsus out of al dout. For our aduersaries are hereby chefely deceiued, yt thei think yt Iames defineth ye māner of iustifieng, wheras he trauaileth about nothing els but to ouerthrowe their peruerse carelesnes, which did vainly pretend faith to excuse their despisinge of good workes. Therefore into howe manye waies soeuer thei wrest ye words of Iames, thei shal wring out nothing but two sentences: y• a vaine bodilesse shewe of faith doth not iustifie, & yt a faithful man not cōtented wt such an Imaginatiue shew, doth declare his righteousnesse by good workes.
As for yt which thei allege out of Paul the same meaning, yt the doers of ye law,Ro. ii.xiii. not ye hearers, ar iustified, it nothing helpeth them. I will not escape away wt the solutiō of Ambrose, yt that is therfore spokē bicause the fulfilling of the law is faith in Christe. For I see yt it is but a meare starting hole, which nothing nedeth where there is abroad way open. There ye Apostle throweth down yt Iewes frō folish cōfidence, whyche boasted thēselues of the only knowledg of the law, when in the meane time thei were the greatest despisers of it. Therfore that thei shold not stand so much in their own conceite for the bare knowledg of ye lawe he warneth thē, yt if righteousnesse be sought out of the law, not ye knowledg but ye obseruing of it is required. We verily make no doubt of this yt the righteousnesse of the law standeth in workes: nor yet of this also, that the righteousnesse cōsisteth in the worthinesse & merites of works. But it is not yet proued, yt we are iustified by works, vnlesse thei bring forth some man yt hath fulfilled ye lawe. And yt Paul meant none otherwise, ye hanging together of ye text shalbe a sufficient testimonie. After that he had generally cōdemned the Gentiles & the Iewes of vnrighteousnesse, then he descendeth to the particular shewing of it, & saith yt thei which sinned wtout the Law, do perish wtout the law: which is spoken of ye Gentiles: but thei whiche hauehave sinned in ye law, are iudged by ye law: which perteineth to the Iewes. Now bicause they winkinge at their own trespassinges, proudly gloried of the onelyonly law: he adioyneth yt whiche most fitly agreed, yt the law was not therfore made, yt mē shold be made righteous by only hearing of ye voice therof: but then & not til then when their obeied: as if he shold say: Sekest thou righteousnesse in the law? allege not ye hearing of it, which of it self is of small importāce: but bring works, by whiche ye maiest declare yt the lawe was not set for thee in vaine. Of these workes bicause thei were all destitute, it folowed yt thei wer spotled of gloriēg of ye law. Therfore we must of ye meaning of Paul rather frame a contrary argument. The righteousnes of the law consisteth in ye perfectiō of works. No man can boast yt he hath by workes satisfied ye law. Therfore there is no righteousnes by ye law.
Now thei allege also these places, wherin ye faithful do boldly offer their righteousnesse to ye iudgmente of God to be examined, & require ye sentēce be geuē of them according to it.Psa. vii.i Of which sort are these: Iudge me O lord according to my righteousnes,Ps. xvii.i. & according to my innocence, which are in me. Again, Heare my righteousnesse, O God. Thou haste proued my heart, & hast visited it in the night, & there was no wickednesse founde in me.Psal. xviii xxi. Againe, The Lorde shall rendre to me according to my righteousnesse, & he shal recompense me according to ye cleannesse of my hands. Bicause I hauehave kept ye waies of ye Lord, & hauehave not wickedly departed frō my God. And I shalbe vnspotted & shal kepe me frō my iniqui…ie.Psa. xxvi.i. Again, Iudge me, Lorde, bycause I hauehave walked in mine innocence. I hauehave not sit wt lieng men, I wil not entre in wt thē yt do wycked things. Destroy not my soule wt ye vngodly, my life wt men of blood: in whose hands ar iniquities: whose right hand is filled wt giftes. But I hauehave walked innocently. I hauehave aboue spokē of the affiance which ye holy ones do seme simply to take to thēselues of works. As for these testimonies yt we hauehave here alleged, thei shal not much accōbre vsus if they be vnderstāded according to their compasse, or (as thei cōmonly call it) their circumstance. Now ye same is doble. For neither would thei hauehave them to be wholy examined, yt thei shold be either cōdēned or acquited according to ye continual course of their whole life: but thei bringe into iudgment a special cause to be debated. Neither do thei claime to them selues righteousnes in respect of ye perfectiō of God, but by comparison of naughty & wicked mē. First when ye iustifieng of man is entreated of, it is not only required yt he hauehave a good cause in some particular mater, b…t a certaine perpetual agreement of righteousnesse in his whole life. But ye holy o…es, when thei cal vpō ye iudgmēt of God to approue their innocencie, do not offer thēselues free frō al giltinesse & in eueryevery behalfe faultlesse: but verily whē thei hauehave fastned their affiance of saluation in his goodnesse onelyonly, yet trusting yt he is ye reuenger of ye poore afflicted against right & equitie, thei cōmend to him ye cause wherein ye innocent are oppressed. But when thei set their aduersaries wc thē before ye iudgment seate of God, thei boast not of such an innocence as shal aunswer to ye pureueise of God if it be seuerely searched, but bicause in cōparison of ye malice, obstinancie, suttletie & wickednesse of their aduersaries thei know yt their plainnes, righteousnes, simplicitie, & cleanes is knowē & pleasing to God: thei feare not to cal vpō him to be iudge betwene thēselues & thē.i. Sa. xxvi xiii. So when Dauid said to Saul: The lorde rendre to eueryevery mā according to his righteousnesse & truth: he meant not that the lord shold examine by himself & reward eueryevery man according to his deseruings, but he toke ye lord to witnesse, how great his innocēcy was in cōparisō of ye wickednes of Saul. And Paul himself, whē he bosteth wt this glorieng yt he hath a good witnesse of cōscience,…i. Cor. i.xii. yt he hath trauayled wt simplicitie & vprightnesse in ye Churche of God, meaneth not yt he stādeth vpō such gloriēg before God: but being cōpelled wt ye sclaūders of ye wicked, he defēdeth his faithful & honest dealing, which he knew to be pleasing to ye merciful kindnes of God, agaist al euel speaking of mē whatsoeuer it be.i. Cor. iiij.xiij. For we se what he saith in an other place, that he knoweth no euel by himself, but ye he is not therby iustified: namly bicause he knew yt the iudgment of god far surmūteth ye bleareyed sight of mē, Howsoeuer therfore ye godly do defend their innocēce agaist ye hypocrisie of ye vngodly, by ye witnessing & iudgmēt of God: yet when thei hauehave to doe wyth God alone, they all crye oute wyth one mouthe: If thow marke iniquitie,Ps. c.xxx….iii. &c.xl.… Ps. xxxvi.iiii. Lorde, Lorde who shall abide it: Entre not into iudgement with thy seruantes: bycause eueryevery one that liueth shall not be iustified in thy sight: and distrusting their owne workes, thei gladly sing, Thy goodnesse is better than life.
There are also other places not vnlyke to these before, in which a man may yet tarry.Pro. xx.vi… & .xxii.xv.…. Ez. xviii.ix. & xxxii….xv. Salomon saith, that he whiche walketh in his vprightnesse, is righteous. Againe, That in the path of righteousnesse is life, and that in the same is not death. After whiche manner Ezechiell reporteth that he shal liue life that doth iudgment and righteousnesse. None of these do we either denye or darken. But let there come forthe one of the sonnes of Adam with such an vprightnesse. If ther be none, either thei must perishe at the sighte of God, or flee to the sanctuarie of merciemercy. Neither do we in the meane time denie but that to the faithfull their vprightnesse, though it be but halfe & vnperfect, is a step towarde immortalitie. But whence commeth that but bicause whome the Lord hathe taken into the couenant of grace, he searcheth not their works according to their deseruinges, but kisseth them wt fatherly kindenes? Wherby we do not only vnderstand yt which the scholemen do teache, yt works hauehave their value of ye accepting grace. For thei meane, yt workes which are otherwise in sufficient to purchase righteousnesse by ye couenant of ye law, are by ye accepting of God auaūced to the value of equalitie. But I saie yt thei being defiled bothe wt other trespassinges & with their owne spottes, are of no other value at al, than in so muche as the lord tenderly graunteth pardō to bothe: yt is to say, geueth free righteousnesse to mā.Eph. i.iiii i. Thes. iii.xiii. Neither are here those praiers of the Apostle seasonaly thrust in place, wher he wissheth so great perfectiō to ye faithful, that thei may be faultlesse & vnblamable in the day of ye lo…. These wordes in deede ye Celestines did in olde tune turmoile, to affirme a perfectiō of righteousnes in this life. But, which we thinke to be sufficient, we answer brefely after Augustine, that al the godly oughte in dede to endeuoure toward this mark, yt thei may one day appeare spotlesse & faultlesse before ye face of God: but bicause the best & most excellent māner of this life is nothing but a going forward, we shal then & not til then atteine to this mark, when being vnclothed of this flesh of sinne we shall fully cleaue to ye lord. Yet wil I not stiffely striue wt him which will geue the title of perfectiō to the holy ones, so yt he also limit the same wt the words of Augustine himselfe.Lib. ad Bo. 3. cap. 7. Whan (saich he) we wil cal ye vertue of the holy ones, perfect: to the same perfectiō also belongeth the acknowledging of imperfection bothe in trueth and in humilitie.