iustification to come of the only mercy of god / and it maketh vs to beleue the scriptures that shewes that we are iustified by grace throughe faythe without all workes Good workes go nat before fayth / but they folowe fayth and our iustification by the faythe maketh vs certayne that we be iustified as shal be god willing more playnly here after declared 3. Al be it that we be iustified by faythe knowe we haue our synnes forgyuen of goddes goodnes throughe faythe / yet we haue no cause why we shulde glory in our selfe For faythe is nat of vs / but it is the gyfte of god nat the worke of our power as sayth saynt Paule 2. Corin. 3. we are nat able of our sealfe to thynke any good thought / as of our selfe but all our habilite is of the lorde Also saynt Paule to the RomÌ„ 2. sayeth Yf by grace we be saued nowe it is nat of workes / for grace is then no grace but yf it be of workes nowe it is no grace ⧠⚹ ⧠4. Nat of workes leaste any man shulde boste hym sealfe Our healthe iustice is nat of any workes For yf it were of workes / then myght men boste them sealfe in theyr workes but man hath nat where in he may boste hym sealfe For what haste thou o man that thou haste nat receyued and yf thou hast receyued / why doste thou glory / as thoughe thou haddest nat receyued it Therfore he that wyl glory let hym glory in god / of whome cometh redeÌ„ption iustification / healthe / saluation and lyfe euerlastynge in blysse ⧠⧠5. But some paraueÌ„ture wyll say Yf our workes do nat iustifye vs / we wyll do no good workes / or what shulde it profite vs to do good workes yf by workes we be nat iustified To this saynte Paule here maketh answere sayenge / that we are the creatures of god made to do good workes / whiche god hath prepared that we shulde walke iÌ„ them So we may nat ceasse from doynge of good workes / althoughe good workes do nat iustifye vs. For good workes are to be done to the glorye of god / without blasphemye of god It is blasphemye to god to attribute to workes that is to be attributed and gyuen onely to god It is to be ascribed onely to god our iustification / our saluation / forgyuenes of synnes ad lyfe euerlastynge Wherefore good workes are nat to be done for this intent that they shulde iustifye vs / deserue the grace of god / take aware synnes brynge lyfe euerlastyng by reason of the worke in it selfe But good workes are to be done of christen men to shewe declare our fayth to vs and to al the worlde To declare our loue and kyndenes of our herte towardes god for hê benefites geuen to vs. To make our callynge certayne and sure so that we myght do the wyll of god / and auoyde his displeasure bothe in this worlde also in the worlde to come 1. Corin. 2. That we myght shewe our redynesse to do the wyll of god that we myght prouoke other men to glorifye god with vs. Math. 5. That we myght agree to our creacyon / profite other men in goodes gyftes gyuen vs of god for that ende And that we shulde be alwayes to the glorye of god with out faute before hym by loue Ephe. 1. For these causes diuerse other / good workes are to be done ⧠⧠⧠⧠6. Some parauenture wyl say If good workes do nat iustifye vs / take nat away synne geue euerlastynge lyfe Wherfore in the scriptures is iustificatioÌ„ / forgiuenes of synne and lyfe eternall attributed to good workes so ofte To thys I answere that scripture oftymes speaketh after the maner of men The father oftymes entyseth his soÌ„ne to do his wyl by promyse of a rewarde So the scripture speaketh after the maner of fathers or of men where as it promiseth iustification / forgeuenes of sinne / lyfe euerlastyng to them that kepe the coÌ„mandementes of god that be faythfull as Christe sayeth Math. 18. If thou wyll entre in to lyfe kepe the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes of god Here the scripture speaketh after the maner of men entisynge euery man to kepe goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes / promisyng them a rewarde / if they kepe goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes He meaneth nat here that the kepynge of the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes deserueth lyfe euerlastyng but rather that lyfe euerlastyng is frely geuen to theÌ„ that kepe the coÌ„mauÌ„dementes of god / and they may be sure of lyfe in ioye blysse to come that kepe the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes And they that kepe nat goddes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes may be sure they shal haue no lyfe in the worlde to come / but shal be dampned ê‘petually in hel Furthermore where as the scriptures do apere to geue to workes forgeuenes of synnes The scriptures speaketh of suche workes that be done in fayth / which hath alway annexed forgeuenes of synnes / nat for the workê sake / but rather for the fayth that they were done in / bycause they that worke these workes were iustified before god through fayth before they dyd worke Fynally sometyme in the scripture iustificacyon is attributed to workes / because workes declareth men to them selues and to other that they haue a true and lyuely saythe by the whiche they be iustified before god And so iustification of workes is the declaracyon of a true faythe / and so is iustification takeÌ„ some tymes in the scripture as in Iames. 2. Luce. 16. where Christe sayeth to the Phariseis You are they whiche iustify your selues before men / god knoweth your hertes 7. We be the creatures of god ordinated to do good workê Here in these wordes two thyngê we be taught Fyrste is that we be the creatures of god his workemanshyp made of him Of the whiche we may fully persuade to vs the loue of god / for no man hateth his owne worke but loueth it and wyll nat suffer it to peryshe / and if we be the worke of god as we be iÌ„ dede We may nat be proude agaynst our maker or be displeased with hym sayeng why haste thou made me after this fashyon or that fashyoÌ„ it is nat mete that the pot shuld say to the potter / why hast thou made me to this vse or that fylthy vse / and another that deserueth no better then I to be had in honour glory / of this thynge there is none other cause to be geueÌ„ but the wyl of the potter / and it is conuenient that euery pot shulde be content with the wyl of the potter / and nat that he shulde murmure agaynste the potter that hathe prefarred another before hym sythe the pote is in nothers det / and both pottes haue that that they haue only of the wyll of the potter The seconde thyng is that we shulde learne to knowe for what ende we were created of god / that is to say / nat that we shulde be ydle
learne to repete one sentence ones or twyse / whiche they wolde haue knowne moste chefely and moste suerly prynted in hart 2. God hathe ordeyned vs that we shulde be his chyldrenne by adopcyon and that not of our deseruynge or merytes but onely by his mercye and grace / and by the merytes of Chrystes passyon / that all the prayse and thanke shulde be gyuen onely to God for it / and nothyng to our selfe he hathe made vs his chyldrenne by adopcyon / that we shulde sue our father in all holynes of lyfe / that we shulde followe hys fotesteppes in our lyfe 3. accordyng to the plesure of his wyl / these he addeth lest any shulde saye that we be made the chyldren of God by adopcyon for our merytes / or for the merites of our Lady / Peter / or Paule or of some other man / and not only for the pleasure of god of whome we haue al thinges that be good / and his wyll only alone is the cause of them and no other cause is to be asked why god hath elected and chosen vs to be his children by adopcyon and heyres of the kyngdome of heauen but only his wyll / marcye / and pleasure / that all prayse and thanke myght alone be giuen to hym and to none other creature / worke dede nor man 4. Vnto the praise of the glory of his grace / here he declareth for what ende he hath elected vs to be his chyldren by adopcyon / that he myght be praysed / glorifyed of all men / whiche hathe made vs synners his welbeloued chyldren / and that by Iesus Christe alone / which hath pacifyed the ire of the father and reconcyled vs to his fauour to whom we be made welbeloued throughe the death of Christ 5. In whome we haue redempcyon thoroughe his bloude forgyuenes of synnes Two thynges is here declared One is that by Cyryste we are redemed from the malediccyon of the lawe from syn deathe hell / eternall dampnacyon and from all captiuite and thraldome of the deuyl and by Christe be restored to the lyberte of the spiryte of god The other that we haue forgyuenes of our synnes onely be Chrystes bloude shed for vs vpon the Crosse Marke the remissyon of synnes is gyuen to vs by the bloude of Christe and nat by the popes pardons / masses and Scala celi by pylgrymages to Paule / Peter Iohan / or Iames / in the yere of Iubilei by the brothered or fraternyte of Chrystoffor of yorke / or of our Lady of Boston nor yet by saynte Fraunces coule Benedictes habyt cope or cote by monkes bootes or by the caruing of fryer obseruates shoyes or knotted gyrdles nor by Syon beades by holy water ringynge of the greate holy belle / or by any suche lyke outwarde ceremony or sacrifyce who so by these thinges thynketh to optayne forgyuenes of their sinnes before god they decieue them selfe they blaspheme Christ they be iniuryous to his bloudeshed vpon the Crosse to take away our synnes to optayne pardon of God for our synnes and to wasshe vs clere from syn as saynt Iohan sayth Apocalyp 1. The bloude of Christe hath wasshed vs from our synnes and Iohan 1. Ioh. 1. The bloude of Christ hath pourged vs from al iniquyte yf forgyuenes of synne be by the bloude of Chryste then it is nat by the Popes bulles / or pardons masses and Scala celi and suche lyke of mannes inuencyons and dreames inuented by mā if by such workes sinnes might haue bene taken awaye then dyed Christ in vayne Gaia 1 If synnes myght haue bene pourged by suche meanes or workes of man than was Chryst a fole that suffered so sharpe a death to saue vs / to take awaye our synnes I suppose Chrystes blessynge to haue bene as good as the byshoppe of Romes blessynge / or any other byshoppes blessyng / but Christ taught vs nat to beleue by suche meanes our synnes to be purged / wherfore they be starke lyes ye blaspheme to Chryst and his holy blod to beleue our sinnes to be taken awaye by any other waye or meane then by Chryst and his holy bloude / wherfor they ar from the true waye that thynke by theyr workes / merites of sayntes or of men alyue or departed / by the vertue of the masse heard or sayde thynkyng the masse to be a sacrifyce to god to take awaye the synne of the people / for there is none other sacrifyce to take awaye synne but Christ whiche hath satisfyed for our synne and is a full satysfaccyon for the synnes of the hole worlde Iohannis 2. and by one oblacyon ones offered vp for vs vpon the Crosse he hath made all them perfyte that shal be sanctifyed for euermore Hebre. 10. 4. Accordynge to the ryches of his grace Redempcion and remissyon of sinne hath come vnto vs al by the ryche grace of god and nat by our merytes / dedes / or workes or for any saynt sake liuynge or departed but alone for Christes sake frely / without our merytes or any deseruynges of our parte that all laude and prayse with thankes myght onely be gyuen to God as the auctor of al goodnes 7. whiche hath shed vpon vs aboundantly in all wysdome / also we haue receyued of godes goodnes all spirytuall wysdome / as touchynge the knowledge of godly thinges and all other knowledge necessary for the health of our foule This place somthynge reproueth them that say there is many thynges necessarye for the saluacyon of man that be nat wrytten in holy scrypture / nor yet can be gathered out of the holy scrypture S. Paule Ro. 1. sayth that the gospell is the power of god that workes all health to al them that beleueth This place shewith all learnynge knowledge and godly wysdome to come of god nat of our study diligence and labour / althoughe our study labour is required as lawfull meanes necessarye by the whiche god gyueth knowledge / learnynge / and wysdome / to them that with a pure harte requyreth of hym This reproueth all theym that thynketh they get the learnynge they haue by their owne labour study and paynes / thynke nat that it commeth of god / which giueth these gyftes to them that seke and labour in faythe desyrynge to haue learnynge to glorifye god to profyte them and other accordynge to their talentes .8 whiche hath opened vnto vs the mystery of his well accordynge to his wyll pleasure The time he sheweth whē god gaue to vs this knowledge / and wysdome / by his grace / he dyd gyue it when it pleased hym to shewe the misterye of his wyll hyd longe from the worlde / but at the last shewed by his word declared playnely to the worlde when he pleased / and nat at the pleasure of man / of the whiche we maye learne that the word of god commeth to vs and is clerly shewed at the wyll of God / nat at the wyll of man / or at mannes pleasure
pareÌ„tes that kepe theyr chyldren in to much awe or feare of them / by whose fiersnes hastynes / the chyldren be almoste marred and broughte to suche feare that they be without al sence and for feare they caÌ„ nat tell what they shulde answere or do / ye for feare they can nat speake one worde right this thynge causeth the fiersnes or rygorousnes of some to muche seuere fathers towardes theyr chyldren whom by awe feare they thynke to make wyse / by that meanes they make them starke foles / and without senses / as they be that be angry or in a fury / whiche be paste them selfe for ire or fury / that for a tyme they can nat tel what they say or do / or what is spoken to them / to whose madnes or furye the Apostle doth appere to allude here wheÌ„ he saith Ye fathers prouoke nat youre chyldren to wrath / as he wolde say / Ye fathers by your hardnes or rigorusnes prouoke nat youre chyldren to be without sense or in such fere that they can nat tell what to say or do for feare Therfore let parentes take hede as they bryng vp theyr children / let theÌ„ nat vse to muche teÌ„dernes nor yet to much rigorousnes ouer theyr chyldren / brynge them vp in the knowledge of god / in loue and feare of God / in feare to breake Goddes coÌ„maundementes / in the loue of goddes worde / of the whiche the chyldreÌ„ may learne what is the true worshyppe of god howe they shall truely honoure and worshyppe god / what is true vertue and holynes / what workes please god beste what please him nat / it pertayneth to the parentes to teache their chyldren to loue vertu / and to hate vyce / to walke in vertu go forwardes encrease in vertu euery daye also to gyue to their chyldren holy examples of lyuynge / that the children maye se in the parentes no fylthynes / vnclennes / nor euylnes to folowe And also the chyldren may nat all togyther be without correction / but the rod must be had somtimes to correcte the wantonnes of children and there negligence to make them obediente to holsome admonitions and teachynges nor yet the rode of correctnon may nat be vsed to muche / leaste by to muche betynge the children be dulled and care nat for betynge Therfore chyldren must be ordered somtyme by fayre meanes / somtyme by correctyon And it chaunceth oftymes that a man shal do more amongest chyldreÌ„ with an apple then with a rod / so it becommeth the parentes to brynge vp theyr children in learnynge and in correction of the lorde / yf they can by them selfe / yf they can nat or wyl nat take the payne / then let theÌ„ put theyr chyldren to good scolemaysters that can and wyll brynge them vp vertuously in good learnynge and in correction as nede shall require to correcte theyr waÌ„tonnes or neglygence The cause and the fountayne of all euyl is that chyldren and the youth are nat wel brought vp in learnynge and sufficient chastmente / chyldren are brought vp in to muche tendernes / sofnes / slouggyshenes / ydlenes / wantonnes / pryde of mynde / and elecion of harte / and in arrogaÌ„cy / they are taught nat to know god but them selfes / to know them selues nat euyll the chyldren of ire and of darkenes by nature / but ot be gentylmeÌ„ lordes to be preferred before other / and to ê“ferre them selues before other / and to contemne other Children are nat brought vp in the learnynge of the lorde / as in the readynge of the holy scripture / in the knowledge of god and of our lorde Iesus Christ / but if they be brought vp in learning they are for the moste parte brought vp in prophane learnynge and in the readynge of prophane authors / of the whiche they maye learne eloquence and worldely wysdome for the ende prophane authors do serue / and nat to reache Christian fayth or maners / and as chyldren be brought vp in prophane learnynge and of them lernes prophane maners / so they walke in prophane maners and conditions / and so contynewe shewe in theyr leuynge prophan maners and conditions / and be so affected as the gentyle authors be that they haue red / and forme theyr iudgemeÌ„tes after theÌ„ examples there be to many Therfore let chyldren learne eloquence worldly wisedome of gentile authors if they wyl / and a christian fayth and godly maners to order theyr lyuynge accordynge to the doctryne of Christ and of the holy scripture which alone teacheth fayth / true iudgementes good maners I wyll nat speake of them that be so brought vp in learnynge / that nat onely they do nat rede the holy scriptures / but rather teache other to be ware of holye scriptures / nat to loke on them / nat to study them / as thynges vnmete to loke on for chyldren I wyll nat saye that to contemne dispise and set holy scripture at nought / or to regarde it nat so much as a prophane author / ye to haue a naturall hatred agaynste it / in so muche that they wyl nat ones vouchesafe to rede it theÌ„self nor yet suffer other to rede it / and this euyl bryngyng vp hath bene the cause / why so many be so loth to receyue holy scripture / and why they be so euyl affected in iudgementes towardes the holy scripture that as yet scarse they can bere one to haue the newe Testamente in Englyshe to rede it / to theyr comforte and edyfyeng / and may nat here the trueth to be preached to them suche hath bene theyr euyll bryngynge vp and the smel of the liqoure that was fyrst put in their newe Botelles Therfore loke diligentely ye fathers and mothers what liquor ye put in the newe Bottels / that is in your chyldren in their youthe for they wyll smell of the same liquor in theyr age Therfore yf you wyll haue them good / holy / vertuouse obediente to you / loke they be brought vp in the lernyng of holy scripture which alone teacheth all goodnes / true holynes / true vertue / and due obedyence to God and his commaundemeÌ„tes to father and mother and to all other accordynge I wyll nat speake of Gentylmennes childreÌ„ that be brought vp in ydelnes wantonnes / in / playe / in pastyme / in huntynge and haukyng / rydynge / in kepyng of horses and dogges / in syngyng daunsynge / lepynge / riottynge and reuellynge / in hearynge vnclenly songes or balettes / other wayes called mery soÌ„ges mete for a gentylman as who shulde say the offyce of Gentylmen or noble men is nothynge elles but to hunt and hauke / to be idle / to take pastyme and pleasure as who shulde say theyr landes possessyons was gyuen for that ende Let theÌ„ rede the scriptures and they shal fynde that they be appoynted to other offices whiche requireth great labous paynes / and great