This will yet be made a great deal more manifest, if we call to remembrance and do consider, that the apostles had to deal with two kinds of men: the one sort whereof did affirm, [61 Pet. i. 15, 16, in omni conversatione, Lat.]
[5 in respect of Christ his blood, is an addition of the translator’s.] [BULLINGER, 11.] 22
that they were sufficiently able of their own strength to satisfy or fulfil the law, and that they could by their deserts and good works merit eternal life; yea, they affirmed that the merit of Christ was not sufficient enough! to the getting of salvation, unless the righteousness of men were added thereunto. Against these Paul disputed very constantly and pithily in-all his epistles; for they made Christ and the grace of God of none effect. The other sort of men were such as, of abusing the doctrine of grace and faith, did wallow like swine in all filthy sins, because they thought that it was sufficient unto salvation if they did say that they believed; but they never declared their faith or belief by any good works, although occasion thereunto were given them. Against these did St Peter very well and wisely? dispute in the first chapter of his second epistle, and St James in the second chapter of his epistle. For he affirmeth, that Abraham was not justified by faith only, but by works: that is to say, that he was not justified by a vain opinion, but by faith which bare and was full of good works, For James doth use the names of faith and justification in one sense, and Paul in another. Paul putteth faith for an assured confidence in the merit of Christ; and he useth justification for absolution and remission of sins, for adoption into the number of the sons of God, and lastly? for the imputing of Christ his righteousness unto us. But in James faith doth signify a vain opinion: and justification doth import, not the imputing of righteousness, but the declaring of righteousness and adoption. For it is undoubtedly true, that the holy apostles of Christ, St Peter and St James, would not by their writings make void the grace and merit of Christ, to advance the merits of mortal men; but rather to withstand the unpureness of them which put the faith of Christ in peril of disgracing, to the offence of all good men, living in the mean while most wickedly in detestable sing without repentance. Therefore the apostles of Christ, requiring good works at the hands of the faithful, do first of
[1 per se, Lat. omitted; of itself. ] [3 constanter et acriter, Lat. [3 adeoque et, Lat.; and thus also. ] [ fidelissimos, Lat.; the most faithful.] [5 rather, which made boast of faith in Christ to the offence, &.]]
1Χ.} OF CHRISTIAN LIBERTY, WORKS, AND MERITS. 9399 all require a true and lively faith, and do refer them both unto the grace of God.
Let us therefore most firmly hold, that the apostles do attribute justification, life, and salvation, to good works improperly; to true faith properly; but most properly to Christ, who is the subject and foundation of true faith. For although true faith? is not without good works, yet doth it justify without good works, by itself alone. For it is most certain, that life and salvation are bestowed on us after the same manner that health and life was given to the children of Israel, which in the wilderness were poisoned of the serpents. They had their health restored them not by any works, but by the only beholding and looking upon the brasen serpent: therefore we also are made partakers of eternal life by faith alone, which is the true beholding and looking up to Christ. “As Moses,” saith our Saviour, “did lift up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up; that every one which believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” And the apostle Paul saith: “Ye are saved by grace through faith; not of yourselves; it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast,” &e.
With this doctrine of the evangelists and apostles do the testimonies of certain doctors of the church agree: some of which I will recite unto you, dearly beloved, not because these testimonies of the scripture are not sufficient, but because we will not seem to be the beginners and bringers in of new doctrines: although in very deed that can not be new, which is derived out of the evangelical and apostolic doctrine, albeit that all the doctors of the church should gainsay or deny it. Now therefore give ear how some, even of the best of them, do not in words only say and write, but also by proofs shew, that faith alone doth justify.
Origen, a very ancient writer, upon the third chapter of the epistle of St Paul to the Romans, doth say: “Paul saith that the justification of faith alone is sufficient for a man; so that every one that doth believe only is justified, although no works are once wrought by him. Now if we require an example, where any was ever justified by faith alone without good works; that thief, I suppose, is example good enough,
[i [6 omnia, Lat.; all.]. ΓΤ communi lege, Lat. omitted; by a general law.] 22—2]
who, being crucified with Christ, did cry from the cross, Lord Jesu, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.” In the writings of the evangelists there is mention made of no good work which he in his life time did; and yet, because of this his faith only, Jesus said unto him: “Verily Ἶ I say unto thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise.’ Therefore this thief was through faith justified without the works of the law. For after this request and prayer of his the Lord made no inquisition what his works were all his life long; neither did he look what works he would do after this faith and believing; but did immediately, upon his confession, both justify, and take him as a companion to go with him to paradise. Moreover to the woman, of whom mention is made in the gospel after St Luke, not for any work of the law, but for faith only he said, Thy sins are forgiven thee” And again, “Go in peace, thy faith hath made thee safe.” Furthermore, in many places of the gospel we find that our Saviour used the like kind of speech, making faith always to be the cause of men’s salvation. And a little while after the same
14. apostle saith: God forbid that I should glory in any thing but in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world.” Thou seest here that the apostle glorieth not of his own righteousness, or chastity, or wisdom, or other works or virtues of his own, but doth most plainly pronounce and say: Let him that glorieth glory in the Lord; and so by that means all boasting is excluded.” And so forth, with many other sayings tending to this purpose.
[0 Dicit (Paulus) sufficere solius fidei justificationem, ita ut credens]
[quis tantummodo justificetur, etiamsi nihil ab eo operis fuerit expletum.]
[Imminet igitur nobis, qui integram esse scripturam apostoli conamur]
[asserere, et ordine suo cuncta constare, ut requiramus, quis sine ope-]
[ribus sola fide justificatus sit. Quantum igitur ad exemplum pertinet,]
[sufficere arbitror illum latronem, qui, cum Christo crucifixus, clamavit]
[ei de cruce, Domine Jesu, memento mei cum veneris in regnum tuum.]
[Nec aliud quicquam describitur boni operis ejus in evangeliis, sed pro]
[hac sola fide ait ei Jesus, Amen dico tibi, hodie mecum eris in para-]
[diso.Per fidem enim justificatus est hic latro, sine operibus legis,]
[Quia super hoc Dominus non requisivit quid prius operatus esset, nec]
[exspectavit quid operis cum credidisset expleret, sed sola confessione]
[Jjustificatum comitem sibi eum paradisum ingressurus assumpsit. Sed]
[et mulier illa, de qua in evangelio secundum Lucam refertur.ex]
St Ambrose in his exposition of Paul his epistle unto the Romans, upon the third and fourth chapters, doth say: “They are freely justified, saith St Paul, because, when they work nothing, nor do any thing for God again, they are yet through faith only justified by the gift of God.
“According to the purpose of God’s grace,” saith Paul: it was so ordained of God, that, laying the law aside, the grace of God should require faith only unto salvation3.”
“This doth by the example of the prophet confirm the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works: he calleth them blessed, with whom the Lord hath covenanted, that without labour and keeping of the law they should be justified before their Maker+.”
St John Chrysostom, treating of faith, of the law of nature, and of the Holy Ghost, doth expressly say: “1 cannot prove that he which worketh the works of righteousness without faith doth enjoy eternal life: but I can by good proof shew that he which believed, without works, did both live and obtain the kingdom of heaven. No man without faith hath obtained life; but the thief believed only, and for his faith was justified by the most merciful God. And whereas
[nullo legis opere, sed pro sola fide, ad eam (ait), Remittuntur tibi]
[peccata tua: et iterum, Fides tua te salvam fecit, vade in pace. Sed]
[et in multis evangelii locis hoc sermone usum legimus Salvatorem, ut]
[credentis fidlem causam dicat esse salutis ejus. Audi quid dicit (apos-]
[tolus): Mihi autem absit gloriari, nisi in cruce Domini mei Jesu Christi,]
[per quem mihi mundus crucifixus est, et ego mundo. Vides apostolum]
[non gloriantem super justitia sua, neque super castitate, neque super]
[sapientia, neque super ceteris virtutibus vel actibus suis, sed apertissime]
[pronunciantem et dicentem, Qui gloriatur, in Domino glorietur; et]
[sic exclusa est Judaica gloriatio, &c.—Orig. Comment. in ep. ad]
[Roman. Lib. mr. Tom. 1v. Par. 1733—59, pp. 516, 17.] [2 Justificati sunt gratis, quia nihil operantes, neque vicem red-]
[dentes, sola fide justificati sunt dono Dei.—Ambros. Comment. in ep.]
[ad Rom. cap. mi. v. 24, Tom. 11. Append. Par. 1690, col. 46. But see]
[above, page 336, note 3.] [83 Secundum propositum gratie Dei] Sic decretum dicit Paulus a]
[Deo, ut cessante lege solam fidem gratia Dei posceret ad salutem.—Ib.]
[cap. iv. v. 5, col. 48.] [6 Sicut et David dicit.] Hoe ipsum munit exemplo prophets]
[beatitudinem hominis cui Deus accepto fert justitiam sine operibus.]
[Beatos dicit, de quibus hoc sanxit Deus, ut sine labore et aliqua obser-]
[vatione sola fide justificentur apud Deum.—Ib. cap. 1v. v. 6, col. 48.]]
peradventure, thou wilt object, that he wanted time to “live justly, and to do good works: I answer, that I do not greatly strive about that; but this only I stick to, that faith alone did justify and save him. For if he had lived any longer, and had neglected faith and works, he had undoubtedly fallen from salvation. But the only end and argument whereat I now shoot is, that faith of itself doth bring sal vation, and that works of themselves did never save any workers that wrought them:” as Chrysostom doth at large declare by the example of the captain Cornelius?
These testimonies, I suppose, are sufficient to wits that will be answered and do not stand obstinately in quarrellings and janglings; otherwise I could allege a great number more. But I will not be over-tedious unto you, dearly beloved, nor seem to be endless in an evident matter. or But now because to this treatise of the righteousness of works there is a question annexed touching the merits of good works; I will therefore summarily say somewhat of merits, or rather, of the hire and reward of good works: to this end specially, lest any man, thinking irreligiously of the merits of good works, do thereby win to himself not good but evil works.
The name of merits is an unacquainted term, not used in the scriptures. For in that signification wherein our meritworkers use it, to wit, for meritorious works; for that, I mean, whereunto both life and the grace of God is of duty given as debt that is due; in that signification, I say, it doth obscure the grace of God, and maketh man too proud and arrogant. What, I pray you, can our works deserve, since
[1 centurionis, Lat.] [ “Avev πίστεως τὸν ἐργαζόμενον ἔργα δικαιοσύνης οὐ δύνῃ παραστῆσαι]
[ζήσαντα, ἄνευ δὲ ἔργων τὸν πιστὸν δύναμαι δεῖξαι καὶ ζήσαντα καὶ βασιλείας]
[ἀξιωθέντα. Οὐδεὶς ἄνευ πίστεως ἔζησεν ὁ δὲ λῃστὴς πιστεύσας μόνον]
[ἐδικαιώθη. Kal μή μοι λέγε, οὐκ ἔσχε καιρὸν πολιτεύεσθαι” οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐγὼ]
[τοῦτο φιλονεικῶ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο παρέστησα, ὅτι ἡ πίστις καθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν ἔσωσεν.]
[Εἰ γὰρ ἐπέζησε τῇ πίστει, καὶ ἔργων ἠμέλησεν, ἐξέπιπτε τῆς σωτηρίας. Τὸ]
[δὲ σκοπούμενον νῦν καὶ ζητούμενον, ὅτι καὶ ἡ πίστις καθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν ἔσωσεν, ἔργα]
[δὲ καθ ἑαυτὰ οὐδαμοῦ τοὺς ἐργάτας ἐδικαίωσε. Καὶ θέλεις ἰδεῖν ἀκριβῶς,]
[ὅτι ἔργα ἄνευ πίστεως οὐ ζωοποιεῖ; Μεμαρτύρητο Κορνήλιος, &c.— Chrysost.]
[Serm. de Fide et Lege Nature et Sancto Spir. Opp. Tom. 1. Par.]
[1718, p. 826. But this treatise is not Chrysostom’s.] [3 spinosus, Lat.)]
none of the saints durst be so bold as to plead their merits before the Lord? Job crieth: “If I will justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me. If I will go about to shew myself to be an innocent, he shall prove me a wicked doer. If I wash myself with snow-water, and make my hands never so clean at the well? yet shalt thou dip me in the mire, and mine own garments shall defile” me.” David crieth: Enter not into judgment with thy servant; for in thy sight shall no man ΕΑ. be justified.” Christ our Lord in the gospel saith: “When ye have done all things that are commanded you, then say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done that we ought to do.” But a little before our Lord said: “Doth the master thank the servant which doth the things that are commanded him to do?” The holy apostle St Paul also crieth: “I do not despise the grace of God: for if righteousness be of the law, then did Christ die in vain.” Again, in the gospel after St Luke, the Pharisee is greatly blamed, which could not be content to put confidence in his own righteousness, but would needs boast of his merits also. And Nabuchodonosor felt no little plague for saying that the kingdom of Babylon did come unto him by his own art, industry, power, and virtue. By how much a greater punishment, therefore, shall we think them to be worthy of which are persuaded, and make their brags, that they by their merits have deserved or earned the kingdom of heaven? And yet all this doth not tend to the making void of the stipend of good works, or to the denying of the reward that is prepared for virtues: for he is true which promised, and what he promised he will perform. Now he promised rewards to them that work righteousness: even as also according to his justice and truth he hath threatened terrible punishments to wicked and impenitent sinners. But the promises of God are of two sorts; to wit, they lay before our eyes the gifts and rewards of this present life, and of the life to come. For the Lord in the gospel after St Mark doth say: “Verily I say unto you, there is no man that hath forsaken house, or brethren, or lands, for my sake
[4 So Coverdale, 1535.) [6 quasi aquis nivis, Lat.; as it were with.] [6 at the well, not in Lat.] [7 abominabuntur me, Lat.]]
and the gospel’s, but he shall receive an hundreth-fold now at this present with persecutions; and in the world to come iv. life everlasting.” And Paul saith: “Godliness is profitable to all things, having promise of the life that is now, and of that which is to come. This is a sure saying, and by all means worthy to be received. For therefore we both labour and suffer rebuke, because we have our hope settled in the living God, &c.” And here it will do well to reckon up and cite the testimonies of βου βόα, which do concern the reward of good works. I will therefore recite a few, but such as shall be evident and pertaining to the matter. The
10. Lord in Esay crieth: “Say to the just, that it shall go well with him; for he shall eat the fruit of his study, or travail. And woe to the wicked sinner; for he shall be rewarded according to the works of his hands.” In Jeremy we read: Leave off from weeping; for thy labour shall be rewarded thee.” And in the gospel the Lord saith: “Blessed are ye, when men speak all evil sayings against you, lying, for my sake. Rejoice ye, and be glad; for great is your reward
1.10. 10 heaven.” The apostle Paul also saith: Glory, honour, and peace, to every one that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.” Again: “We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every one may bear the deeds of his body, according to that which he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” And again: “Every one shall receive a reward according to his labour.” the Now let us remember, that the reward is promised and great gifts are prepared for them that labour manfully. To sluggards and slow-backs are imminent the evils of this present life, and also of the life to come. To them that strive lawfully the garland is due. But if it happen that the reward be deferred, and that they which strive receive not the promises by and by out of hand; yet let the afflicted think that their afflictions tend to their commodity, and that they are laid upon them by their heavenly Father. Let not their courage therefore fail them, but let them shew themselves men in the fight, and call to God for aid; for “whosoever persevereth unto the end, he shall be saved.” Let every one call to his remembrance the old examples of the holy fathers, to whom many promises were made, the
[11 Cor. i. 8; suam mercedem, Lat.]
fruit whereof they did not reap till many a day were come and gone, wherein they strove against and did overcome full many a sharp temptation. The apostle Paul crieth: “I have fought a good fight, I have fulfilled my course, I have i kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me in that day: not to me only, but to them also that have loved his appearing.” They must lay before their eyes the truth of God, who saith: “Heaven and earth shall pass, but my word shall not pass.” The Israelites, verily, were a long time holden captive in Egypt: but the Lord did not forget his promise; for in a fit and convenient time he set them out at liberty with abundant joy and glory for the triumph gotten over their oppressors. The Amalechites and Chanaanites did a great while, I confess, exalt themselves in sin and wickedness; but when the measure of their iniquity was fully filled, then were they throughly recompensed for their pains by him that is the severe revenger of unrepented wickedness. The scripture therefore exhorteth all men to have sure hope, persevering patience, and constancy invincible: of which I spake in the third sermon of this third Decade. To this place do belong, as I suppose, those excellent words of St Paul, where he saith: “It is a faithful saying: for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: if we be patient, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also shall deny us: if we be unfaithful, he abideth faithful; he cannot deny himself.” And again: “Cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye may receive the promise. For yet a very little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. And the just shall live by faith: and if he withdraw himself, my soul shall have πο. pleasure in him. But we are not of them that withdraw ourselves unto perdition; but we pertain to faith, to the winning of the soul.”
Yet for all this we must not abuse these and such like testimonies touching the reward of works, nor the very name of merits, where it is found to be used of the fathers; neither must we wrest it against the doctrine of mere grace and
[2 Heb. 35—39. So Cranmer, 1539.)
the merits of Christ our Saviour. We must think that the kingdom of heaven and the other special gifts of God are not as the hire that is due to servants, but as the inheritance of the sons of God. For although in the last day of judgment the judge shall reckon up many works, for which he shall seem as it were to recompense the elect with eternal life; yet, before that recital of good works, he shall say: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess the kingdom prepared for you since the beginning of the world.” Now if thou demandest, why he shall in the day of judgment make mention rather of works than of faith; mine answer is, that it is a point or usual custom in the law for judgment not only to be just, but also by the judge’s pronunciation to have the cause made manifest to all men wherefore it is just. And God doth deal with ws after the order of men: wherefore he doth not only give just judgment, but will also be known of all men to be a just and upright judge. But we are not able to look into the faith of other men, which doth consist in the mind; and therefore we judge by their words and deeds. Honest words and works bear witness of a faithful heart; whereas unhonest pranks and speeches do bewray a kind of unbelief. The works of charity and humanity do declare that we have faith in deed: whereas the lack of them do argue the contrary. And therefore the scripture admonisheth us, that the judgment shall be according to our works. To this sense agreeth that in the twelfth of Matthew, where it is said, “By thy deeds’ thou shalt be justified, and by the same thou shalt be condemned.” To Abraham, after he had determined to offer his son Isaac, it was said: Because thou hast done this thing, and hast not spared thine only-begotten son, I will bless thee, and multiply thee exceedingly, ὅθ. But it is manifest that God made that promise to Abraham before Isaac was born; yea, he made it as soon as Abraham was brought out of his country: therefore the promise was not now first of all annexed as a reward unto the works of Abraham, το. in Therefore God examineth our works according to his own favourable mercy, and not with the extremity and rigour π of law; and doth reward them with infinite benefits, because they proceed from faith in Christ, albeit that, for the sin [1 verse 37; but Bullinger’s Latin is ex dictis tuis, by thy words.]
which abideth in us, they be unpure and nothing meritorious. Now he doth hereby give us a proof that he hath a regard of us and our works; because, in testifying the greatness of his love toward us, he doth vouchsafe so to honour not only us, but also his own gifts in us, which he of his great goodness hath graciously bestowed upon us. Our bountiful God doth herein imitate the manner of dealing which fleshly fathers use in this world toward their children: for they bestow gifts upon their children as rewards of their welldoing, thereby provoking them to greater virtues, when as in very deed all things belong to the children by right of inheritance; and the true and proper cause of this reward, which the father giveth to the child, is not the obedience of the son, but the mere good-will and favour of the father. Moreover herein are two things to be observed. First, although God doth after the manner of men allure us with rewards, draw us on with gifts, and keep us in good works with manifold recompences; yet must not the reward or recompence be the mark whereat the worker ought to look, respecting rather his own glory and commodity than the love and honour that he oweth to God. God will be worshipped for love’s sake only; and he will be loved of mere good-will, and not for the hope of any reward. For as he requireth a cheerful giver, so doth he look for such an uncoacted affection, voluntary love, and free good-will, as children do naturally bear to their parents. The last is, that our works, which some call merits, are nothing else but the mere gifts of God. Now he were a very unthankful person, which, when of another man’s liberality he hath licence given to occupy his land to his best commodity, will at length go about to translate the right thereof from the true owner, which lent it him, unto himself. But because I would be loath, by drawing out this treatise too far, to detain you longer than reason would, I will recite unto you, dearly beloved, a notable conference of places in the scripture made by St Augustine, whereby ye may evidently understand and infer a conclusion, that the rewards of good works, or merits of the saints, are the very free and mere grace of God. Therefore in the seventh chapter of his book, De Gratia et Libero Arbitrio, thus he saith: John the forerunner of
[2 uncoacted: uncompelled.]]
the our Lord doth say, “ἃ man can receive nothing, unless it
27.1 be given him from heaven.’ If therefore thy good works be the gifts of God, then God crowneth thy merits, not as thy merits, but as his own gifts. Let us therefore consider the merits of the apostle Paul, (that is to say, the merits which he saith are in himself,) whether they be the gifts of God or i. no. ‘I have, saith he, fought a good fight, I have fulfilled my course, I have kept the faith.” First of all, these good works had been no good works, unless good thoughts had gone before them. Give ear, therefore, what he sayeth
5. Of those good thoughts: not because we can think anything of ourselves, as of ourselves, but our ability is of God. Then also let us consider every several particularity. ‘I have fought,’ saith he, ‘a good fight.” 1 demand, by what power he fought? whether by that which he had of himself, or by that which was given him from above? It is unlikely that so great a teacher of the Gentiles as the holy apostle St Paul was should be ignorant of the law, which in Deuteronomy is heard to say: Say not thou in thy heart, Mine own strength and the power of mine own hand hath done this wonderful thing: but thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, because he giveth thee strength and power to do it.” But what doth it avail to fight well, unless the victory do ensue? And who, I pray you, giveth the victory, but he of whom St Paul himself doth say, Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ?” And in another place, when he had cited the place out of the Psalms, where it is said, ‘ Because for thy sake we are killed all day, and are counted as sheep appointed to the slaughter,” he did immediately add, and say: But in all these things we overcome, or have the victory, through him which loved us’ We have the victory, therefore, not through ourselves, but through him that loved us. After that again he said: ‘I have fulfilled my course.’ But as he said this, so in another place also he saith: It is not of the willer, nor of the runner, but of God which taketh mercy.” Which sentence cannot be by any means so inverted, that we may say, It is not of God which taketh mercy, but of the willer, and of the runner. For whosoever dare take upon him so to invert that sentence of the holy apostle, he doth openly shew that he flatly gainsayeth the
words of St Paul. Last of all he said; ‘I have kept the faith but in another place again he confesseth, saying, I have obtained mercy that I might be faithful” He said not, I have obtained mercy because I am faithful; but, that I might be faithful: declaring thereby that faith itself cannot be obtained without the mercy of God; and that faith is the gift of God, as he doth most evidently teach where he saith, Ye are saved by grace through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” For they might say, We have therefore received grace, because we have believed; by that means attributing, as it were, faith to themselves, and grace to God: but, to prevent that insinuation, the holy apostle St Paul, when he had said, By faith,” doth straightways add, And that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.’ Again, lest they should say that they by their works did meritoriously deserve such a gift, he doth presently annex, Not of works, lest any man should boast” Not because he did deny or make void good works, considering that he saith, that God doth reward every man according to his works; but for because works are of faith, and not faith of works. And so by this means our works of righteousness proceed from him, from whom that faith doth also come, touching which it is said, ‘ The just doth live by faithl.’”
[[! Dicit et Joannes, precursor Domini nostri, Non potest homo]
[accipere quicquam, nisi fuerit ei datum de ceelo… Si ergo Dei dona sunt]
[bona merita tua, non Deus coronat merita tua tanquam merita tua, sed]
[tanquam dona sua. Proinde consideremns ipsa merita apostoli Pauli,]
[—et videamus, utrum merita ipsius, tanquam ipsius, id est, ex ipso ei]
[comparata, an dona sint Dei. Bonum, inquit, certamen certavi, cursum]
[consummavi, fidlem servavi. Primo, ista bona opera, si non ea pree-]
[cessissent cogitationes bong, nulla essent. Attendite itaque quid de]
[ipsis cogitationibus dicat; ait enim scribens ad Corinthios, Non quia]
[idonei sumus cogitare aliquid a nobis, tanquam a nobismetipsis, sed]
[sufficientia nostra ex Deo est. Deinde singula inspiciamus: Bonum,]
[inquit, certamen certavi. Queero qua virtute certaverit, utrum quee illi]
[ex semetipso fuerit, an que desuper data sit? Sed absit ut tantus]
[doctor gentium ignoraverit legem Dei, cujus vox est in Deuteronomio:]
[Ne dicas in corde tuo, Fortitudo mea et potentia manus mez fecit]
[mihi virtutem magnam hanc; sed memoraberis Domini Dei tui: quia]
[ipse tibi dat fortitudinem facere virtutem. Quid autem prodest bonum]
[τς certamen, nisi sequatur victoria? Et quis dat victoriam, nisi ille de]
[quo dicit ipse, Gratias Deo qui dat nobis victoriam per Dominum]
[nostrum Jesum Christum? Et alio loco, cum commemorasset testi.]
All this have I hitherto word for word recited out of St Augustine: wherein all that may be said concerning the merits of good works are sufficiently well contained, and so soundly confirmed by proofs of scripture, that I mean not to add any thing unto them: for I see it sufficiently manifest for all to understand what and how the ancient fathers thought and taught of the merits of sinful men. For what can be said more briefly, sincerely, and fully, than that a reward is prepared for the good works of men? but yet that that reward is nothing else but the grace, and that the merits or good works of the saints are the gift!, of God; which merits while he crowneth, he crowneth his own gifts. In all this therefore the ecclesiastical and apostolic doctrine remaineth still immustable and unreprovable; that we are justified and saved by the grace of God through faith, and not through our own good works or merits,
We do now again return to good works, and are come to to. expound the description or definition of good works which we of.. aioe. ᾿ of did set down in the beginning of this treatise. Now therefore,
[monium de psalmo, Quoniam propter te mortificamur tota die, depu-]
[tati sumus ut oves oceisionis; subjecit atque ait, Sed in his omnibus]
[supervineimus per eum qui dilexit nos. Non ergo per nos, sed per]
[eum qui dilexit nos. Deinde dixit, Cursum consummavi. Sed ille]
[hoc dixit, qui alio loco dicit, Non volentis, neque currentis, sed mise-]
[rentis est Dei. Que sententia nullo modo potest etiam sic eonverti ut]
[dicatur, Non miserentis Dei, sed volentis atque currentis est hominis.]
[Quisquis enim hoe ausus fuerit dicere, aperte se ostendit Apostolo con-]
[tradicere. Postremo dixit, Fidem servavi. Sed ille hoe dixit qui]
[alibi ait, Misericordiam consecutus sum ut fidelis essem. Non enim]
[dixit, Misericordiam consecutus sum, quia fidelis eram; sed, ut fidelis]
[essem: hine ostendens etiam ipsam fidem haberi nisi Deo miserante]
[non posse, et esse donum Dei: quod apertissime docet dicens, Gratia]
[salvi facti estis per fidlem; et hoc non ex vobis, sed Dei donum est.]
[Possent enim dicere, Ideo accepimus gratiam quia eredidimus, tan.]
[quam sibi fidem tribuentes, gratiam Deo: propter hoc Apostolus cum]
[dixisset, per fidem, et hoe, inquit, non ex vobis, sed Dei donum est.]
[Rursus, ne dicerent se suis operibus donum tale meruisse, continuo 4]
[subjecit, Non ex operibus, ne forte quis extollatur: non quia negavit]
[aut evacuavit opera bona, cum dicat Deum unicuique reddere secundum]
[opera ejus; sed quia opera sunt ex fide, non ex operibus fides; ac per]
[hoe ab illo sunt nobis opera justitiz, a quo est ipsa fides de qua dictum]
[est, Justus ex fide vivit.——Augustin. de Grat. et Lib. Arb. ad Valentin.]
[Opp. Par. 1531, Tom. vi p. 268, coll. 2, 3, capp. 6, 7.] [! gratiam, Lat.] [2 sola gratia Dei, Lat.]]
unless our works do spring in us from God through faith, they cannot have the name of good works: but contrarily, if they do proceed from God through faith, then are they also framed according to the rule of the word of God. And for that cause did I in the definition of good works significantly say, that they are done of them which are regenerate by the good Spirit of God, through faith, according to the word of God. For God is not pleased with the works which we of ourselves do of our own brains and authority, without warrantise of his word, imagine and devise. For the thing that he doth most of all like and look for in us is faith and obedience, which is most evident to be seen in the very example of our grandfather Adam; and contrarily, he doth mislike and utterly reject the works of our own choice and our good intents, which spring in and rise upon our own minds and judgments; as I will by these testimonies of scripture declare unto you.. In the twelfth of Deuteronomy we read: “Every man shall not do that which is righteous in his own eyes. Whatsoever I command you, that shall ye observe to do it: neither shalt thou add anything to it, nor take anything from it.” Moreover in the history of Samuel there is a notable example of this matter to be seen. For Saul, the king of Israel, received a commandment to kill all the Amalekites, with all their beasts and cattle: but he, contrary to the precept, through a good intent (as he thought) of his own, and for a religious zeal’s sake of his own choosing, reserved the fattest oxen for to he sacrificed: and for that cause the prophet came and said unto him, “Is a sacrifice so pleasant and acceptable to the Lord as obedience is? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice; and to hearken is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as the vanity of idolatry,” Lo, here in these few words thou hast the goodly praise and commendation of the religion of our own inventing, and of our own good works which do arise of our own good intents and purposes. They which do neglect the precepts of the Lord to follow their own good intents and forecasts are flatly called witches, apostates, and wicked idolaters. They
[8 et intentione bona, Lat. omitted; and good intention. ] [4 apostasia sive rebellio, Lat.] (5 vel nolle obsequi, Lat. omitted; or unwillingness to be obedient. ] [6 a veritate divina, Lat. omitted; by the truth of God.]]
seem in their own eyes verily to be jolly fellows, and true worshippers of God, and zealous followers of the traditions of the holy fathers, bishops, kings, and princes: but God, which cannot lie, doth flatly pronounce that their works do differ nothing from witchcraft, apostasy, and blasphemous idolatry, than which there can be nothing more heinous by any means devised. Therefore the Lord in the gospel, citing that place out of Esay’s prophecy, doth plainly condemn, reject, and tread under foot all those works which we choose to ourselves, having their beginning of our own good intents and purposes, xv. where he saith: “In vain do they worship me, teaching doctrines the precepts of men. Every planting, which my Father hath not planted, shall be plucked up by the roots. Let them alone; they be blind leaders of the blind.” And thereupon it is that St Paul did so boldly affirm, that the precepts of men are contrary to the truth, and are mere lies. The xiv. same Paul in one place saith, Whatsoever is not of faith is sin: and in another place, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Whereupon we may gather, that the works which are not framed by the express word of God, or by a sure consequence derived from it, are so far from being good works, that they are plainly called sins. Enforce thou, I pray thee, never so great a good turn upon a man against his will, and see what favour thou shalt win at his hand, and how thou shalt please him with that enforced benefit. Therefore good works do first of all require the precise and express observing of God’s will, to which alone they ought to tend. In his epistle to the Colossians the same apostle doth openly condemn the Greek ἐθελοθρησκείαν, that is, the voluntary religion which they of their own choice and mind brought in to be observed. And what need have we, I pray you, to invent to ourselves other new kinds of good works, considering that we have not yet done those works which God himself? prescribeth, and doth in express words require at our hands? By this now our adversaries may perceive, that we do not altogether simply condemn good works, but those alone which we, by rejecting the word of God, do first set abroach by our own imaginations and fantastical inventions: of which sort are many
[1 to which—tend, not in Lat.]
[2 jure, Lat. omitted; of good right.]]
upstart works of our holy monks and sacrificing shavelings, But to conclude: the works that are repugnant to the word of God are by no means worthy of any place or honour,
And that we may more rightly perceive the sense or
“1
meaning of good works, we must in mine opinion diligently observe these words of the apostle: “We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” He maketh here two notes concerning those that are good works indeed. The first is, “We are,” saith he, “created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” It doth therefore necessarily follow, that good works are wrought of him which is by true faith graffed in Christ Jesu: for unless the branch abide in the vine, it cannot bring forth fruit. All the works therefore of the unfaithful, howsoever they shine with the title of righteousness, are notwithstanding not good works in very deed. The latter is, “” Which God hath before ordained, that we should walk in them.” We must not therefore make account, that all the works which men may do are to be counted good works indeed; but those only which God hath ordained of old that we should walk in them. Now what works those be, the Lord in his law (which is the eternal will of God) hath very plainly expressed. And thereupon it is that the Lord in the gospel, being demanded questions concerning eternal life and the very true virtues, sendeth the demander unto the law, and saith: “What is written in the law?” And again; “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” Therefore the ten commandments are a most sure and absolute platform of good works: which that ye may the better understand, I will briefly re-
capitulate, and as it were in a picture lay it before your eyes.
To the first precept thou shalt refer the fear, the faith, and love of God, with assured hope, persevering patience, and constancy invincible in trouble and afflictions. To the second belongeth the true and sincere worship wherewith God is pleased, with the utter refusal of all superstition and perverse religion. Upon the third doth depend the reverence of God’s majesty, the free confession of his might, the holy 4 invocation of his name, and the sanctification of the same. In the fourth
[2 monachorum et sacrificorum, Lat.) [4 et perseverantem, Lat. omitted; and enduring.] 23 [BULLINGER, 11.]]
is comprehended the moderate conservation of the ecclesiastical ceremonies, the preaching of God’s word, public prayers, and whatsoever else doth belong to the outward service or external worship due to God. To the fifth thou mayest annex the natural love of children toward their parents, of men toward their country and kinsfolks, the due obedience that we owe to the magistrates and all in authority, and lastly, the offices of civil humanity. To the sixth thou shalt join justice and judgment, the protection of widows and orphans, the delivering of the oppressed and afflicted, well-doing to all men, and doing hurt to no man. To the seventh thou shalt add the faith of wedded couples, the offices of marriage, the honest and godly bringing up of children, with the study of chastity, temperance, and sobriety. To the eighth is to be reckoned upright dealing in contracts, liberality, bountifulness, and hospitality. Under the ninth is couched the study of truth through all our life-time, faith in words and deeds, with decent, honest, and profitable speech. In the tenth and last thou mayest remember good affections, holy wishes, with all holy and honest thoughts. And so this is the compendious platform of good works, Now if thou desire to have it more briefly expressed than this that thou seest, then turn thyself, and hearken to the words of Christ our Lord, who gathereth these ten into two principal points, and saith: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. Whatsoever therefore ye would that men should do to you, even so do ye to them.” Upon these precepts of the Lord all the faithful, which de, desire to do good works, must surely fix their eyes and minds, and that too so much the more diligently and con- stantly as they do more surely and evidently perceive and see, that God in the law and the prophets doth require nothing else nor any other works at the hand of his elect and chosen servants, Go to now therefore, let us hear out of the holy prophets some such evident testimonies touching good works as do consent and wholly agree with the law of the Lord. x. 12, Moses in Deuteronomy crieth: And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, and to walk in all his ways, to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul; that thou keep the commandments of the Lord, and his ordi-
nances, which I command thee this day?” And the kingly prophet David in the fifteenth Psalm asketh this question: # Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabernacle?” and presently answereth it himself, saying: “Even he that walketh wuprightly, and doth the thing that is just and right;” and so forth, as it is contained in the ten commandments. Esay also, in his thirty-third chapter, moveth the same question, and answereth it even so as David had done before him. Jeremy, in the twenty-second chapter, doth urge and reiterate these words to the Jews: “Thus the Lord commandeth: keep equity and righteousness, deliver the oppressed from the power of the violent, do not grieve nor oppress the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, and shed no innocent blood in this place.” And Ezechiel, in his eighteenth chapter, knitteth up a beadrow of good works, in no point unlike to these, saving only that it is somewhat more largely amplified. In Osee the Lord saith: “I desire mercy? more than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than whole burnt-offerings.” Micheas doth diligently inquire what the worshipper of God should do to please him withal, and what works he should do to delight the Lord; and immediately, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, he maketh answer, saying: “I will shew thee3, O man, what is good; and what the Lord requireth of thee: namely, to do justly, to love mercy, and with reverence to walk before thy God.” In like manner the prophet Zachary, to them that demanded of him certain questions touching virtues and such good works as please the Lord, gave this answer, saying: “Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Execute true judgment, shew mercy and loving-kindness every man to his brother: do the widow, the fatherless, the stranger and the poor, no wrong: let no man imagine evil in his heart against his brother: neither be ye lovers of false oaths: for these are the things which I do hate, saith the Lord.”
With this doctrine of the prophets doth the preaching of the evangelists and apostles fully agree, teaching in every place that charity, righteousness, and innocency are the scope and sum of all good works. The apostle James saith: “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father 18
[1 catalogum, Lat.] [2 beneficentiam, pietatem seu misericordiam, Lat.] [3 So Coverdale’s Bible, 1535, and the Vulgate. ] 23—=2]
this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their adversity, and to keep himself unspotted of the world.” end It remaineth now for me to draw to an end, and in the rest that is yet behind to be spoken touching the description of good works to confer places of the scripture for the confirmation and plain exposition of the same. Now therefore we said, that good works indeed are wrought by them that are regenerate, to the glory of God, the ornament of our life, and the profit of our neighbour. For the Lord in the gospel prescribeth this end to good works, where he saith: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” The apostle Paul also oftener than once, exhorting us to good works, doth, as a most effectual cause to set them forward, 10] add: “That by those works of ours we may adorn the doctrine of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus.” And even asa comely and cleanly garment adorneth a man, so do good works indeed set forth the life of christian people. For hereupon it riseth, that the apostles of Christ did so often 22 persuade us to put off the old man, and put on the new which is created in the similitude and likeness of God. For thereby we obtain both honour and glory; we both are, and are called, the servants, yea, and the sons of our Lord God, whose property and virtue shineth in us, to the glory and praise of his holy name. And as he doth require good works at our hands, so, if we do them, we on the one side do please and delight him, and he on the other doth honour us again: as may be proved by many testimonies of the holy scripture. But the thing itself is so plain and without all controversy, that it needeth no business to prove it at all. He, verily, doth every minute augment in us his gifts, while we are intentive to do xxv. 200d works; for in the gospel he saith: “To every one that hath shall be given, and he shall abound; and from him that hath not shall be taken even that which he hath, and shall be given to him that hath.” To this also may be added, that God is favourable to them that work righteousness, and doth enrich them even with many temporal gifts, and at the last bring them to life everlasting. For the apostle Paul doth expressly say: “God shall reward every man according to his deeds; to them which, by continuing in well-doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life;” and
again, “Glory, and honour, and peace, to every one that worketh well:” although the godly in all their good works do not (as I told you before) respect so much the recompence and reward at God’s hand, as the advancement of God’s glory, the fulfilling of his will, and the profit of our neighbour. For Paul saith: “Do all things to the glory of God:” and again, “Let no man seek his own, but every one another’s profit: even as I do in all things please all men, not seeking mine own commodity, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.” Therefore all the godly do so direct and temper their works, that they may please, delight, and honour Godand profit many men; for in so doing they express, or represent, the nature of God, whose sons they both are, and are also called; for he doth liberally pour out his benefits upon all creatures; and therefore his sons are beneficial and bent to do good to all men.
Thus much had I hitherto to say touching the nature or property, cause, end, and effect, that is, the very true and right meaning!, of good works: by which I hope 10” is evident to be perceived, how and in what sense the Lord in the scriptures is said to attribute the name of righteousness and justification unto the good works of the saints his servants: and that true principle of our religion remaineth firm and unreproveable, wherein we confess and hold that “we are justified by the grace of God for Christ his sake through faith, and not for works.” Now therefore there is nothing more behind but this only; for us to make our humble petition to God for true faith in Christ our Lord, and that by his grace he will so guide us, that we may now in works put that in practice which hitherto we have been taught in the words of this treatise; that is to say, that we may in good works indeed express the faith which we in words profess that we have in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen?
[1 ratione, Lat.] [2 etiam illud, Lat.] [8 mercedemque reddere, Lat. omitted; and to render a reward. ] [ orthodoxum et primarium dogma, Lat.] [6 nihilominus, Lat. omitted; notwithstanding. ] [6 de bonis operibus, Lat. omitted; concerning good works. ] [7 The greater part of this ninth Sermon is extracted from Bul-]
[linger’s treatise, De vera hominis Christiani justificatione, which, dated]
[at Zurich, August 1543, forms the preface to his Commentary on the]
τῶν Fo.:.
Be TT Eo Noh 358 THE THIRD DECADE. [sera OF SIN, AND OF THE KINDS THEREOF; TO WIT, OF
Original and Actual Sin, and of Sin Against
The Holy Ghost: And Lastly, of The
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