Galatians — Chapter 5

Againe note here, that if the Protestants who pretend conference of places to be the best or only way to explicate hard speaches of the holy Scriptures, had followed but their own rule, this one text would haue interpreted & cleared vnto them al other wherby iustice and saluation might seeme to be attributed to faith alone: the Apostle here so expresly setting downe, the faith which he commendeth so much before, not to be alone, but with charitie: not to be idle, but to be working by Charitie; as S. Augustin noteth. de fid. & op. c. 14 How the Protestants admit charitie and good workes to iustification. Further the good Reader most obserue, that wheras the Protestants some of them confesse, that Charitie and good workes be ioyned and requisit also, and that they exclude them not, but commend them highly, yet so that the said Charitie or good workes are no part of our iustice or any cause of iustification, but as fruits and effects of faith only, which they say doth al, yea though the other be present: this false glosse also is reproued euidently by this place, which teacheth vs cleane contrarie: to wit, that faith hath her whole actiuitie and operation toward iustice and saluation, of charitie, and not contrariewise: without which it can not haue any act meritorious or agreable to God for our saluation. For which cause S. Augustin saith, li. 13. de Trin. c. 18. Fidem non facit vtilem nisi charitas nothing maketh faith profitable but charitie. Charitie is more principal then faith in iustification. But the Heretikes answer, that where the Apostle saith, faith worketh by charitie, he maketh charitie to be the instrument only of faith in wel working, and therfore the inferiour cause at the least. But this also is easily refuted by the Apostles plaine testimonie, affirming that charitie *is the greater vertue, & that if a man had al faith & lacked charitie, he were worth nothing. And againe, **that Charitie is the perfection and accomplishment of of the Law (as faith is not) which can not agree to the instrumental or inferiour cause. *1. Cor. 13. **Rom. 13. 1. Tim. 1. How faith worketh by charitie. And therfore when it is said that faith worketh by charitie, it is not as by an instrument, but as the body worketh by the soul, the matter by the forme, without which they haue no actiuitie. Wherupon the the Schooles cal Charitie, the forme or life of faith, that is to say, the force, actiuitie, and operatiue qualitie therof, in respect of merit and iustice. Which S. Iames doth plainely insinuate, when he maketh faith without Charitie, to be as a dead corps without soul or life, and therfore without profitable operation. c. 2. v. 26.

6. Faith.) This is the faith working by charitie, which S. Paul meaneth els-where, when he saith that faith doth iustifie. And note wel that by these termes Circumcision and Prepuce not auailable to iustification, it is plaine that in other places he meaneth the workes of Circumcision and Prepuce (that is, of the Iewes and the Gentils) without faith, which auaile not, but faith working by charitie: as who should say, faith & good workes, not workes without faith. Iustification by faith only, disproued by conference of Scriptures. Againe note here, that if the Protestants who pretend conference of places to be the best or only way to explicate hard speaches of the holy Scriptures, had followed but their own rule, this one text would haue interpreted & cleared vnto them al other wherby iustice and saluation might seeme to be attributed to faith alone: the Apostle here so expresly setting downe, the faith which he commendeth so much before, not to be alone, but with charitie: not to be idle, but to be working by Charitie; as S. Augustin noteth. de fid. & op. c. 14 How the Protestants admit charitie and good workes to iustification. Further the good Reader most obserue, that wheras the Protestants some of them confesse, that Charitie and good workes be ioyned and requisit also, and that they exclude them not, but commend them highly, yet so that the said Charitie or good workes are no part of our iustice or any cause of iustification, but as fruits and effects of faith only, which they say doth al, yea though the other be present: this false glosse also is reproued euidently by this place, which teacheth vs cleane contrarie: to wit, that faith hath her whole actiuitie and operation toward iustice and saluation, of charitie, and not contrariewise: without which it can not haue any act meritorious or agreable to God for our saluation. For which cause S. Augustin saith, li. 13. de Trin. c. 18. Fidem non facit vtilem nisi charitas nothing maketh faith profitable but charitie. Charitie is more principal then faith in iustification. But the Heretikes answer, that where the Apostle saith, faith worketh by charitie, he maketh charitie to be the instrument only of faith in wel working, and therfore the inferiour cause at the least. But this also is easily refuted by the Apostles plaine testimonie, affirming that charitie *is the greater vertue, & that if a man had al faith & lacked charitie, he were worth nothing. And againe, **that Charitie is the perfection and accomplishment of of the Law (as faith is not) which can not agree to the instrumental or inferiour cause. *1. Cor. 13. **Rom. 13. 1. Tim. 1. How faith worketh by charitie. And therfore when it is said that faith worketh by charitie, it is not as by an instrument, but as the body worketh by the soul, the matter by the forme, without which they haue no actiuitie. Wherupon the the Schooles cal Charitie, the forme or life of faith, that is to say, the force, actiuitie, and operatiue qualitie therof, in respect of merit and iustice. Which S. Iames doth plainely insinuate, when he maketh faith without Charitie, to be as a dead corps without soul or life, and therfore without profitable operation. c. 2. v. 26.

13. Libertie an occasion.) True libertie, not carnal and fleshly. They abuse the libertie of the Ghospel to the aduantage of their flesh, that vnder pretense therof, shake of their obedience to the lawes of man, to the decrees of the Church and Councels, that wil liue and beleeue as they list, and not be taught by their Superiours, but fornicate with euery Sect-maister that teacheth pleasant & licentious things: and al this vnder pretense of spirit, libertie, and freedom of the Ghospel. Such must learne that al heresies, schismes, and rebellions against the Church & their lawful Prelates, be counted heer among the workes of the flesh. See S. Augustin de fid. & op. c. 24. 29.