to that doctrine of Paull in the exposition of thys Epystle to the Romaynes I wyl refute and take awai with so manifest argumentes and and profes that they theyr owne selfe shal se and also say that all togyther is a wrye and amysse We wyll byde by the wordes of Paull which sayeth that we be iustified by Faythe frely that is that we do obteine remission of our sinne beynge reputed iuste before God nat for any of our merites but by Fayth which is the trust of mercye promised to vs for Christ sake only We wil nat make Paul speakynge here in figures we do nat chaunge his wordes but we do lerne of him to take the true meanynge as the nature of the worde and the matter whiche the Apostle takethe in hande to dyspute doth requyre It is very profitable and necessary to al good men to haue certayne sure testimonies of the Scripture wiâ—h the confirmations of this proposition alway redy and at hande bothe to instructe other and also to styrre vp true Fayth and perfecte prayer The whiche vocables by vs declared and perceyued of you I trust in the Lorde that this proposition By Faith we are iustified is easy and lyght for euery man to vnderstande For the which cause at other tymes we haue gathered togyther forthe of Paull many places for this purpose Wherfore at this present it shal be sufficient to haue touched the principall In the ende of the thyrde chapiter to the Romaynes Paull mooste lyke a cunninge clerke propoundynge this proposition By Faythe we are iustified freely vseth weyghtye and clerkly confyrmations whiche moost of all are to be printed in mennes myndes to kyndle vp our Faith that in al our perylles and dangers they may be alway before our eyes ¶ THVS muche haue I spoken of Iustification and of Faythe workes Nowe wyll I declare some thyng concernyng the doctryne of good workes which are called the newe obedience Dure newe obedience whiche necessaryly foloweth Faith There be .iiii. thinges that we wyll speake of The fyrste what workes are to be done the second howe they maye be done Thyrdly howe they maye please God In the which thyrde part we wyl dyscusse whether we be iustified that is to say accepted of God to eternal felicitie for that newe obedience sake whiche be borne agayne in a newe kinde of life and whether we be without sinne and worthye euerlastinge lyfe for our owne purenesse Fourthlye we wyll treat of deadlye sinne whiche maketh vs voyd of Grace of Fayth and of the holy Ghost consequently declaryng what are called venyall sinnes and whiche they be â—hat worâ—es are to â—e done TO THE FIRST QVEstion what workes are to be done wherin it is right that we do lede the mindes of meÌ„ to the worde of God that they may know that al theyr life as wel concerninge the conflicte of conscience as their outwarde dedes must be gouerned and ruled by the worde of God as witnesseth the Prophete saienge The candle or lanterne to my fete is the worde of God I do aunswere therfore to thys question worde of God that those workes whiche are commanded to vs of God are to be kept and done and that by the manifest word of God As the ten commaundementes in maner and fourme as they be declared and also expouÌ„ded in the newe testament yea and also if there be any other preceptes or commaundementes perteynynge to the outwarde lyfe in the teachynges and lessons of Christe and hys Apostles This I do say bicause I wold nat that men shulde make and faine no newe worshippinges and workes with out the worde and commaundement of God As dyd the Monkes ChanoÌ„s and Fryers Nonnes Monkes with other Popysshe prelates and nowe of late the Anabaptistes whiche nat takinge the worde of God to councell did inuente and pike out for them selfes workes after theyr owne iudgemente and phantasies makinge men beleue afterward that they were styrred therto by the holy spirite The which may in no case be resisted or coÌ„traryed but obeyed by allawes right reson This was the cause of the dissolute and vnlawfull liuinge of the Anabaptistes Anabaptystes Wherfore here after it shal be declared to you what is to be vnderstaÌ„de and ment by this wordes to be deliuered from the Lawe purposyng nowe in fewe wordes to shewe that they whiche be regenerated and new borne by Faith as I haue sayde do receyue the holye Ghost that there may be begon in them a newe obedience or better maner of liuinge a newe lighte and life eternall whiche is a beginning and an entrance into the lawe of God ¶ THERFORE the Prophete sayeth I wyll gyue and put my lawe into theyr hertes Faythe of necessitie muste nedes go before this newe life the whiche life must also folow as necessarily Many sentences in the Scriptures bearynge therto witnes Example If thou wylt entre into heuen kepe the commandemeÌ„tes Also Excepte the iustice of you do abounde aboue c. Fornicators and adulterers shal nat possesse the kingdom of God And. The holye Ghoste doeth moue and styre the hertes of men by the worde of God to the which worde we muste gyue all our obedience As Paull witnesseth we are detters that we doo nat lyue after the fleshe For Fayth can nat stande in vs withoute repentaunce For by Faythe we muste receyue the remission of sinne And that man doth nat in dede aske and call for remission of sinne whiche agaynst his owne conscience deliteth in mischiefe It is nat the outwarde discipline only whiche is requyred of vs. But the beginninge of the inwarde obedience that is to saye the godly motions of our herte agreable to the lawe of God A man may se that the aduersaries of the truth when they doo crye and barke good workes they doo play as though they shulde teache chyldren how they shuld behaue them selfes in modest and honest wearinge of their garmentes in theyr eating drinking Nowe and then peraduenture they doo speke of almes dede But touchyng the workes commaunded in the fyrst table they do playe mum nat one worde for a good pounde beynge as dum as a fishe Wherfore is the but bicause they knowe nat the doctrine of Fayth therfore they can gyue no good instruction But God commaundethe and requyreth of vs the workes of both the tables ⧠HE wyllethe that we do feare and drede the angre and wrathe of God agaynst oure infyrmities innumerable offences He wylleth also that we being reconciled by the sonne of God do beleue that he hath receyued vs to hys fauour that he wyll saue vs that he wyll helpe vs. With this Faythe wyll he be called on He wyllethe that with thys Faythe we do bothe call and surelye to loke and trust after helpe as the psalme Call on me c. He wyllethe with this Fayth that we do depende and hang on him and nat to seke other aides helpes contrary to his worde and wyll
⧠THE IVSTIFICATION OF MAN BY FAITH ONLY MADE AND VVRITTEN by Phylyp Melanchton and Translated out of the Latyn in to this oure mother tonge by Nicholas Lesse of London AN APOLOGIE OR DEfence of the worde of God declaringe what a necessâ—ry thynge it is to be in all mennes handes the want wherof is the only cause of al vngodlines committed thorowe the whole earthe made by the sayde Nicholas Lesse Augustinus in Psal 31. Si vis esse alienus a gratia iacta merita tua ⧠TO THE MYGHTIE AND VICTORIOVS PRINCE Edwarde by the grace of God duke of Somerset Lorde gouernoure mooste fortunate of the Kynge hys hyghnesse owne proper persone and Lorde Protector of the Realmes of Englande and Irelande with the rest of the Kyng his dominions on bothe syde the Seas Nicholas Lesse of London desyrethe good helth both of body and minde with long continuance therein to the plesure of the Lorde COnsidering and pondering with my selfe mooste noble Lorde and verye frende of God the greate diuersitie of opinions nat onely in thys Realme but in al other realmes and dominions rysen and spronge for lacke of the true knowledge of the worde of God concernynge the iustificacion of man besyde the greate variaunce and mortall hatred nat onely betwene man and man but also betwene Realme and Realme that almoste no countrye no region or place is voyde of thys and suche lyke kynde of controuersies to no small dystructyon of Christians the matter beynge in the time of Lent last past which was in the yeare of our lorde 1547. by the Kynge hys grace hys owne subiectes before his highnes in his Chappell moste clarkely and connyngly declared and made open that nothynge coulde be desyred more it semed to me a thynge very necessarye and expediente amonge many whiche haue written on this article accordynge to good and syncere doctryne to select and chose on 〈◊〉 doynge whose labour and payns shulde seme to me so fruytfull whose reasons so plâ—â—ne so mete for the capacitie of al men to be perceyued and vnderstanded that for the comon profite and lerninge of all men whiche are wyllynge to knowe and learne the truthe it shulde seme to me no laboure no payne but great pleasure and comfort to traÌ„slate it into this oure mother tonge That lyke wyse as they haue bene instructed and taught by the liuely voyce of godly and learned preachers so they maye beynge at home in theyr houses certifie and confyrme theyr owne conscience euery man as God wyl gyue him grace to receyue it ¶ OF the which article of Iustification for as muche as there be thre sundry opinions and myndes of men so diuers so contrary and different one from that other that almoste no blakâ—iâ—s more contrary to whyte beynge no lykenesse of similitude and agrement in them euery man for his perswasion with to the and nayle striuinnge and contendynge that almost the whole some of our belefe is nowe come to that case that it is nothynge els but a bare contention it is nedeful I say therefore that there be set abrode to al the kynge his moste louynge subiectes in wrytynge some perfect instruction all other phantasies and opinions sayde asyde wherein beynge lerned they may knowe certaynly wherto they may-stycke and confyrme theyr myndes ¶ There is one kynde of men whiche contende that by theyr owne workes and merites they ar iustified to whom theyr sauyoure and redemer is of none effecte and serueth for no purpose except it be to theyr condempnation bicause they do refuse so gentyll and louynge a sauyoure makynge and deuysynge to them selues euerye man after his owne phantasye a sundrye sauyoure and redemer some one thyngesome an other Papistes Iewes The whiche sorte of men are the foule and stynkynge Papystes and also the Iewes Of the whiche twayne the Iewes are least to be blamed for as muche as the Papystes professynge the name of Christ do vtterly denye Christe in byenge and sellynge the saluation of man none otherwise than Iudas dyd bye and sel his maister I feare me that lyke mischefe wyll happen to them as dyd to Iudas whiche for sorowe moost desperate wente a 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—ed him selfe The Lorde gyue them gâ—â—â—â— to repente whyle they be in the waye And as for workes they do drowne mennes conscience in them so muche that withoute they do them as they be prescribed there shal remaine no hope of saluation more redy to dryue men headlynge into desperation than to any trust of the bloude of Christe The Iewes are no Iewes in comparation to these They haue the Scriptures to serue for theyr purpose at the leaste they do make them to do them seruyce as the Deuyll what tyme he tempted the Lorde If it wolde please God to open the eyes of the Iewes that they myght beholde and se the lyghte of the ryght Messias whiche is come all redy to vs whome they yet loke after they wolde deteste and abhorre these foule Cankres they wolde nat knowe them to be anye of the flocke of Christ but of Sathan to whom they do seruice of whom they shall be rewarded ¶ An other sorte there is to whome Christe is somewhat more beholdynge nat so openly malicious as they be but no lesse dangerous for as much as they do come more vnder coloure of vertue At whose handes Christe lesyth nat all hys laboure beynge allowed as yet for halfe a sauioure Our saluation beynge cutte of in the myddes that one halfe to Christe and that other to theyr owne workes ascrybed Hipocrites These be the holy Hipocrites which perceyuynge and seyng the lyght of the Gospell so shynynge abrode all the worlde that theyr abhominable traytery to God can no lenger be hydde do nowe at the last mitigate and swage some thynge that greate and foule errour wherein they made Christ to lese all his labour all his paynes all hys bloudshed as muche as lay in them They do sause it I saye with Sewgar they do myxe Hony with Poyson to begyle the poore soules the more craftely and subtyllye sayenge that with workes and faythe togyther they muste or iustified so that from our iustification in no case they wyl exclude workes for none other purpose but to maynteyne and holde vp the fylthye dignitie of those workes which they haue inuented by theyr owne brayns for lucre sake The worde of God The word of God is Triacle to the soule whiche is the most fyneste Triacle that maye be can nat chose but expell this deadelye Poyson from the herte of man ¶ Tâ— thyrde sorte knowledgyng and confessynge Christe in his owne kinde that he is the only sauiour the only redemer Trewe prechers our only mediatour and aduocate whiche shewethe to his father in oure cause hys bloudy payns which he hath suffered and passed for vs these men do teache that onely by faythe euery Chrystyan man is iustified in the bloude of the Lambe whiche is Christ Nat there by excludynge repentaunce
and good workes from our lyfe Good workes as the Papystes and Hypocrytes do continuallye barke and blaspheme but excludynge them from the cause of our iustification The cause of our iustification whiche cause is only Christ and his merites These be those men which wolde fayne that Christ had hys ryghte and hys honour nat mynyshed these men wyll and teache him to be a whole sauioure nat scanteled mangeled peced and botched Of these sort of newe learned men was Iohn Baptyste Iohn Baâ—tyst whiche for all that he taught the people repentance and knowleginge of theyr sinne yet for al that he declared that all that wolde nat serue them dyd they neuer so muche shewing to the people with his fynger him whiche shulde be theyr sauiour which came downe for none other cause but to take awaye the sinne of man If there hadde bene any other thinge beside him wherin our saluation shulde consist he wold nat haue sayde beholde the Lambe of God whiche take the away the sinne of the worlde he wold haue ben wel ware of it he wolde nat haue spoken these wordes so playne to be any maner of occasion of heresye or diuision he wolde haue sayde loke yender is he whiche may do muche in thys cause he shal be a greate part of youre saluation but yet take good hede and truste nat to muche to hym Iohn fyrsâ— preached â—â—pentaunceâ— afterwarâ— the Gospeâ— trust to your workes also or els ye may be deceyued This or suche lyke oration wolde he haue made to his hearers But he was wel assured of the contrarye And therfore he shewed to them theyr synne that they myght se and abhorre theyr abhomination of lyfe theyr fylthynes of maners to the entent they myght be the more apte to receyue comforte of the Gospell whiche is the glad tidinges And so after he had rebuked them of theyr sinne with lyke counsell to repent and to forsake theyr vnhappy lewdnesse then he taught them the Gospell that â—hriste shulde take awaye the sinne nat of one or twayne or of a fewe in nombre but of all the whole world To this brasen walle he commaunded them to leane harde whiche is vnable to be broken If he hadde spoken these wordes within these fewe yeres in London Smithfeld â—ger sanâ—uinis I thynke nat the contrarye but Smythfelde wolde haue bene to whote for hym he shulde haue learned what it is to roste a faggot he shulde haue bene taught to knowe howe Iudicare came to Crede for hys true preachynge ¶ Thus the people beynge taught .iii. maner of sundry wayes euerye teacher hauynge his patron hys heade hys bearer hauynge and makynge the Scriptures for theyr purpose howe is it possible moste noble and Godlye disposed Lorde that the poore and simple people shuld be in an vnitie Diuersitie â—f preaâ—hynge cauâ—ethe dysâ—orde concord and loue Howe is it possible the carte shulde go forwarde when the horse drawers do plucke and drawe sundry wayes What tyme shal a shyppe be brought to her viage ende yf euerye maryner styrrethe a contrary course what tyme wolde it be or these foure persons shuld mete if the one goeth East another West the third Northe the fourthe Southe we muste all go one waye we must kepe the kyng his highe waye nat turnynge into by pathes and lanes for lesyng and goyng forth of the ryght way which is Christ We must kepe all one course to the port of saluation ¶ I do offer therfore exhibite to your grace the mynd iugement and sentence of that noble clarke and Godlye deuyne Phylyp Melanchton Phylypp Melanchton a man for his intollerable payns and sweat in settynge forthe the woorde of God susteyned by hym worthy to be hadde in most hyghe estymatyon touchynge the artycle of oure iustyfycatyon by me translated forthe of the Latyne into Englysshe by hym so playnly so openly set forthe his argumentes reasons examples and auctorities beynge so manye and so manyfest that euerye plowman whiche can fynde in hys herte to learne to knowe to whome he shal cleaue for his saluation may with no great payns ye in passing of his tyme come to the knowledge whereto he shal stande and stycke to for his saluation Whose doctryn in al matters and specially in thys iâ— so conformable and correspondent to the Scriptures bothe olde and newe nat writhen nor wrasted as shall appeare to the readers that I thinke there be no man which can be so peruerse and malicious that can fynde any faulte therewith Excepte he wyll denye vtterlye Christe to be Christe and the Gospel to be trewe If there be any suche as there hath ben in dede and I feare me there be many whiche louynge the Deuyll as well as the Gospell wyll put awaye theyr seruauntes yf they maye knowe that they do but ons smatter therof such I wold wyssh to be banyshed foor from al mens company suche wolde I desyre to be in lowe auctoritie rule that they might do lytell harme or none I wolde wisshe I saye that God of hys infinite mercye wolde open theyr eyes that they myghte se the lyghte of theyr saluation that theyr eyes shoulde be nomore bleared with the phantasies and auctorities of men ¶ Thys worke bycause the learned as well as the vnlearned myghte be full instructed and ledde as it were by a lyne to the perfecte knowledge and vnderstandynge of thys proposition Onely faythe iustyfyethe Therefore it is deuyded into foure partes ¶ The fyrste conteynethe the declaratyon of this vocable and word Iustice howe it is taken in the Phylosophers and howe with the Gospell and what they be bothe in effecte shewynge what the lawe of God doth requyre of vs and what we can perfourme of oure owne selfes And at the laste what remedy by what meanes is to be hadde for oure infyrmytye ¶ The seconde parte doethe teache the ryghte vnderstandynge of these vocables and wordes The lawe the Gospell Synne Iustification Grace and faythe howe and in what maner after the sincere doctryn of the Gospel euery one of these vocables must be taken The blyndnes and ignoraunce wherof hath broughte so greate darkenesse into the worlde that the cleare bryghtnesse of the Gospel coulde nat be perceyued but made darke clowdye and so mysty that men hadde no lyst to haue the worde of God in theyr handes as a thynge most asperous and bytter and fore frome all comforte The whiche thinge did cause the vngracious and peruerse maner of interpretacion of the sayde vocables and wordes contrary to the ryght sence and meanynge of them The ryghte vnderstandynge and meaninge therof perceyued and knowen that whiche semyd before darke and cloudye shall appeare nowe bryghte shynynge lyke the sonne as cleare as any Christall that whiche was harde and rogged shall be founde softe and tender and fynally which semyd to be as bitter as Gall shal be more swete then any Honye So great an all teratyon shall the worde of
These are the secrete and moste propre workes of a christian man which we must nedes vnderstande The examples whereof are sene in those Godlye men whiche God hath sette before vs as maysters and teachers In Abraham Isaack Iacob Ioseph Samuâ—l Dauid Ieremy Danyel and such lyke He commaundeth vs also that we haue a whote and an ardent desyre both to knowe and also to set forth abrode to all men the Gospell This is the worshyppynge whiche he teacheth for the whiche we are al chefely ordeyned created regenerated and called As Peter writeth Being called from darknesse to shewe and sette forth to all men the benefites of God and the psalme .34 I wyl confesse to the c. and psalme .95 I wyl rendre and perfourme to the lord before all the people my vowes in the porches of the house of our god He willeth that in the profession of the gospel we be constant and in afflictions obedient callinge and trusting for helpe and succour from him He willeth vs to take hede that with our yll examples of lyfe we do gyue none occasion of sclaunder He commaundeth vs to refute hate and abhorre al wicked doctrines and nat to corry fauell with the instrumentes and membres of the Deuyl whiche do go aboute to obscure and darken the mooste clere pure and holsome doctrine of the Gospell I go nat about nowe to make none exposition of the commaundementes but yet I wolde councel all men always to loke earnestly on them and to considre howe many greate and harde matters they do comprehende ¶ Howe workes may be done TO the seconde question by what reason and howe maye so greate workes both the inward and the outwarde workes be perfourmed and done our weakenes being so great as it is Although that the outwarde workes by mannes power and diligence may be somewhaâ— likely and skant so so performed yet the inwarde discipline worke being in the spiritual motions agreing to the worde of God without the working of the holy Ghost can by no meanes be done as they ought to be Therefore when that with Fayth the hertes of meÌ„ are erected and lifte vp with comforte then is giuen the holye Ghost to kindle in the mindes of men godly motions respondent to thâ— lawe of God according to the sayinge of Paul that we may receyue the promise of the spirite by faith Zachary the .iiii. cap. I wyl poure oute vpon the dwellers of Ierusalem the spirite of my grace fauoure and pardone Very godly forsothe did this Prophete set forth and declare the office workes of the holye Ghoste in the hertes of the vertuouse and also the righte worshippinges that we oughte to do He doethe name the spirite of Grace bicause that when by Fayth we are lyfte vp then we are holpen of the holy Ghoste whereby we are persuaded that God is mercifull to vs and againe that we are acceptable to him ⧠FIRST therfore he doth declare and signifie to vs that Faythe is styrred vp in vs by the holy Ghost in the which motion and styrrynge the holye ghoste doth giue vs testimonie and witnes As Paul sayeth For as much saieth he as by faythe we do knowledge the mercye and presence of god we do thâ—n also cal on him we do submit our selfes to hym beginning al other true worshippinges which vnder the name of praâ—eâ— the prophete doeth comprehend For this is the chefe honour that can be done and exhibited to god It is therfore easy ynough to be perceyued that Fayth of the whiche we do speake is the beginninge of the inwarde obedience good purpose or intentes as men vse to call it Neyther can the fyrst precept which techeth of the wrath of God agaynst sinne and also of his free pardon haue any roote or beginninge in vs except thorowe the hearing of the worde of God whiche is the Gospel with a strong Fayth we doo certaine our selfes that for Christ sake we do obteyne remission of our sinne For Fayth doeth beholde the son of god in his kingdome knowinge perfectly that he is nat idle but alway giuing bat tayle to the Deuyl whiche continually ragynge ouer mankynde neuer ceasseth with his cautels and giles to illure and prouoke him to sinne and other misfortunes for none other cause but to draw him into desperatioÌ„ with diuers kindes of errors and other epicuris opinions whiche doo flatter and deceyue gentyll and soft wittes On that other side he styrreth vp tyrantes for to putte downe and to suppresse withal crueltie the name of Christe For as muche therfore that it is manifest that the nature of maÌ„ is so weake and feble that without the heuenly helpe it is nat able to vanquish and ouercome so cruel fierce an enmy whiche neuer slepeth Therfore Faith calleth to remembrance the kingdom of Christ beleuyng stedfastly that he hathe ben contynually with his faythful euen from the tyme of his fyrst promise whiche was The fyrste promise the sede of the woman shal trede to pouder and dust the head of the Serpent The which promise by Iohn is made playne sayinge Christ appered to distroy the workes of the deuyl The Lorde was at hand with Iacob and blessed him with the holy Ghost he was by Danyel and talked with him he doeth reygne so that he is alway preseÌ„t with his members confyrmynge them with the holy Ghost gydynge them agaynste the crafty gyles and deceytes of the Deuyl with all his assaultes What maner and howe glorious these victories be The examples of Dauyd Ezechias and Danyel do declare ye and Christ at the resurrection of the deade shal shewe those gorgious triumphes which the world doth make lyght at naye they do openly deride and laugh to skorne ☞ BVT to good men these battailes are well inoughe knowen which in the tymes of perylles and daungers muste practyse thys Fayth knowledging and callyng on Christ theyr captaine and so hauing confidence in him to fight with the Deuyl remembringe the wordes of Iohn Christ came downe among vs to distroy the workes of the Deuyli By thys men maye se that Faythe is nat an ydle speculation or phantasy but that it is a lyght which gouernethe all oure actes ye and al our perylles and daungers We may therfore by the helpe of the sonne of God which reygneth begyn this newe obedience which lyke a valiaunt captayne neuer forsaketh hys beloued puttynge into them his holye spirite We may nat thynke that Christ lyueth and reygneth in Heauen ydelly as the Poetes fayned Iupiter to banket and to make mery in Heauen nothinge regardinge what is done in earth Such darknes is in the mynd of men contemnynge and settynge lyght by God The which errors by the lyght of the Gospell and by Fayth must be redressed Of this practise and exercise of Fayth with true inuocation of God what can the aduersaries of god say and speke which in the steade of the Gospel and of Faith doeth inculcate and teache vs the Pirrhonious