This did Bernard, a man so godly, so holy and so chaste, that he is to be commended & preferred above them all. He being once grievously sick, and having no hope of life, put not his trust in his single life wherein he had lived most chastely, nor in his good works and deeds of charity whereof he had done many: but removed them far out of his sight, and receiving the benefit of Christ by Faith, he said: *I have lived wickedly. But thou Lord Jesus Christ, by double right doest possess the kingdom of heaven: First,1 because thou art the Son of God: Secondly, because thou hast purchased it by thy death & passion. The first thou keepest for thy self by thy birthright. The second thou givest to me, not by the right of my works, but by the right of grace. He set not against the wrath of God his Monkery nor his angelical life: but he took hold of that one thing which was necessary, and so was saved. I think that Hierome, Gregory, and many other fathers were saved after the same sort. And it is not to be doubted but that also in the old Testament many Kings of Israel and other Idolaters were saved in like manner, who at the hour of death, casting away their vain trust which they had in Idols, took hold of the promise of God, which was made unto the Seed of Abraham, that is to say, Christ in whom all nations should be blessed. And if there be any of the Papists which shall be saved, they must simply lean, not to their own good deeds and deserts, but to the mercy of God offered unto us in Christ, & say with Paul:2 I have not mine own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is by Faith in Christ.
This did Bernard, a man so godly, so holy and so chast, that he is to be commended & preferred aboue them all. He being once greuously sicke, and hauing no hope of life, put not his trust in his single life wherin he had liued most chastly, nor in his good workes and deedes of charitie whereof he had done many: but remoued them farre out of his sight, and receauing the benefite of Christ by Faith, he sayd: *I haue liued wickedly. But thou Lord Iesus Christ, by double right doest possesse the kingdom of heauen: First,1 because thou art the sonne of God: Secondly, because thou hast purchased it by thy death & passion. The first thou keepest for thy selfe by thy birthright. The second thou geuest to me, not by the right of my workes, but by the right of grace. He set not against the wrath of God his Monkerie nor his angelicall life: but he tooke hold of that one thing which was necessary, and so was saued. I thinke that Hierome, Gregorie, and many other fathers were saued after the same sorte. And it is not to be doubted but that also in the olde Testament many Kings of Israell and other Idolaters were saued in like maner, who at the houre of death, casting away their vaine trust which they had in Idolles, tooke holde of the promisse of God, which was made vnto the Seede of Abraham, that is to say, Christe in whom all nations should be blessed. And if there be any of the Papists which shall be saued, they must simplie leane, not to their owne good deedes and desertes, but to the mercy of God offred vnto vs in Christ, & say with Paule:2 I haue not mine ovvne righteousnes vvhich is of the lavve, but that vvhich is by Faith in Christe.
- 1Bernards confession.
- 2Phil. 3.9.
