Necessary Doctrine
- by Thomas Cranmer (1489-1556)
- The following is an extract from Cranmer's annotations to The King's
Book, which was the popular title for "A Necessary Doctrine and
Erudition for Any Christian Man; Set Forth by the King's Majesty of
England," (1538). This electronic edition was scanned and edited by
Shane Rosenthal from the Parker Society edition of Cranmer's writings
(Cambridge University Press, 1840), and is thus in the public domain.
Content has been edited in a few cases.
-
To know how we obtain our justification, it is expedient to consider,
first, how naughty and sinful we are all, that be of Adam's kindred; and
contrariwise, what mercifulness is in God, which to all faithful
and penitent sinners pardoneth all their offences for Christ's
sake. Of these two things no man is lightly ignorant that ever hath
heard of the fall of Adam, which was to the infection of all his
posterity; and again, of the inexplicable mercy of our heavenly
Father, which sent his only begotten Son to suffer his most
grievous passion for us, and shed his most precious blood, the
price of our redemption. But it is greatly to be wished and
desired, that as all Christian men do know the same, so that every
man might acknowledge and undoubtedly believe the same to be true
and verified, even upon himself; so that both he may humble himself
to God and knowledge himself a miserable sinner not worthy to be
called his son; and yet surely trust, that to him being repentant
God's mercy is ready to forgive. And he that seeth not these two
things verified in himself, can take no manner of emolument and
profit by acknowledging and believing these things to be verified
in others. But we cannot satisfy our minds or settle our conscience
that these things are true, saving that we do evidently see that
God's word so teacheth us. -
- The commandments of God lay our faults before our
eyes, which putteth us in fear and dread, and maketh us see the
wrath of God against our sins, as St. Paul saith, Per legem
agnitio peccati, et, Lex iram operatur, and maketh us sorry and
repentant, that ever we should come into the displeasure of God,
and the captivity of the Devil. The gracious promises of God by the
mediation of Christ showeth us, (and that to our great relief and
comfort,) whensoever we be repentant...we have forgiveness of our
sins, [are] reconciled to God, and accepted, and reputed just and
righteous in his sight, only by his grace and mercy, which he doth
grant and give unto us for his dearly beloved Son's sake, Jesus
Christ; who paid a sufficient ransom for our sins; whose blood doth
wash away the same; whose bitter and grievous passion is the only
pacifying oblation, that putteth away from us the wrath of God his
Father; whose sanctified body offered on the cross is the only
sacrifice of sweet and pleasant savour, as St. Paul saith: that is
to say, of such sweetness and pleasantness to the Father, that for
the same he accepteth and reputeth of like sweetness all them that
the same offering doth serve for.
-
- These benefits of God with
innumerable other, whosoever expendeth, and well pondereth in his
heart, and thereby conceiveth a firm trust and feeling of God's
mercy, whereof springeth in his heart a warm love and fervent heat
of zeal towards God, it is not possible but that he shall fall to
work, and be ready to the performance of all such works as he
knoweth to be acceptable unto God. And these works only which
follow our justification, do please God; for so much as they
proceed from an heart endued with pure faith and love to God. But
the works which we do before our justification, be not allowed and
accepted before God, although they appear never so good and
glorious in the sight of man. For after our justification only
begin we to work as the law of God requireth. Then we shall do all
good works willingly, although not so exactly as the law requireth
by mean of infirmity of the flesh. Nevertheless, by the merit and
benefit of Christ, we being sorry that we cannot do all things no
more exquisitely and duly, all our works shall be accepted and
taken of God, as most exquisite, pure, and perfect.
-
- Now they that
think they may come to justification by performance of the law, by
their own deeds and merits, or by any other mean than is above
rehearsed, they go from Christ, they renounce his grace:
Evacuati estis a Christo, saith St. Paul, Gal. v.,
quicunque, in lege, judificamini, a gratia excidistis. They
be not partakers of the justice, that he hath procured, or the
merciful benefits that be given by him. For St. Paul saith a
general rule for all them that will seek such by-paths to obtain
justification; those, saith
- he, which will
not knowledge the justness or righteousness which cometh by God,
but go about to advance their own righteousness, shall never come
to that righteousness which we have by God (Rom. 10:1-4); which is
the righteousness of Christ: by whom only all the saints in heaven,
and all other that have been saved, have been reputed righteous,
and justified. So that to Christ our only Saviour and Redeemer, on
whose righteousness both their and our justification doth depend,
is to be transcribed all the glory thereof.
This article was made available on
the internet via REFORMATION
INK (www.remembrancer.com/ink). Refer any
correspondence to Shane Rosenthal: [email protected]
This document (last modifiedNovember 18, 1998) from Believerscafe.com
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