Christians were nowe without fight victorie due triumph ouer sinne being obtained whē as rather it is a warfare and a continuall fight Where as therefore they do now sight and are in the campe it is no meruell if some flie away if some be wounded if some fal yea be euen slaine outright Warre is not made without perill and hurt if it be earnest warre As it becommeth Saincts This he addeth to his exhortation Christians are Saincts therefore must be pure not defiled with vncleannes couetousnes c. as a reason cause shewing why it lieth vpon Christians to take heede that they be not diffamed by these names For they are Saincts now it becommeth such to be chast bountiful ready to giue to teach and doe the same Thou seest here that Paul calleth Christians Saincts while they remain yet in this life are pressed with flesh blood from which nothing cōmeth but sinne which he doth vndoutedly not for their good workes but because of the sanctifying bloode of Christ as he witnesseth 1. Cor 6 But ye are washed but ye are sāctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus by the Spirit of our God Forasmuch therefore as we are Saincts it is meete that we should shew the same in our workes albeit we be as yet weake neuertheles we must daily endeuour to liue purely farre frō couetousnes to the praise glory of God the edifying of our neighbours euen that Heathen Neither filthines Al vnchast lewd words of bauderie Lewd vncleane and bawdy talke forbidden vncleannes lecherous matters he calleth filthines of which wordes aboundance is wont to be poured forth in Innes victailing houses in the time of eating drinking playing These the Grecians vsed very freely and accustomably more then others as their owne Poets other writers do sufficiently witnes But he especially reproueth here those lewde and wanton wordes which are spoken openly without shame which stirre vp wicked and vnchast thoughts and are cause of many offences especially being spoken amonge youth according to that saying 1. Cor. 15.33 Euill speakings corrupt good manners as the Apostle writeth to the Corinthians And if any Christians should be so careles of their tongue that such wordes should come from them such must be chastised of the Church and if they doe not amend they must not be suffered lest because of them the whole Church be ill reported of as though these things were either taught among Christiās or suffered to be vnpunished as it is wont to be among the Heathen Foolish talking prohibited Neither foolish talking Fables and other trifling speeches iests are called foolish talking which the Grecians also were wont to vse more then other nations being very witty to inuent such vaine speeches Of this sort are those tales which our women maidens are wont to tell spinning at the distaffe also the termes and verses of iuglers and such like fellowes and many common songes which are partly euen filthy partly containe other trifling and vaine things But especially it is vnseemely and vnconuenient for Christians to vse such foolish and trifling talke when they come togither to heare the word of God or to read and serch the Scriptures and yet notwithstanding almost euen such folly hapneth among them whē many come togither For albeit they begin with serious matters neuertheles they are meruelous easily brought vnto trifles from earnest and holy matters to ridiculous and vaine speeches wherewith both the time is spent in vaine and better things are neglected So haue they bene wont certaine yeares hitherto at euery feast of Easter in the tyme of preaching to tel some ridiculous tale to stirre vp the people from sleepe They did not vnlike at the feast of the natiuitie of Christ vsing songes or carrolls wherein they sayd they made discourses of the birth and infancie of Iesus howbeit ridiculous meeter and wordes mouing rather laughter then deuotion as they called it Also they soong many fained fables of the wise men whom they made 3. Kings of the passion of the Lord of the punishmēt of Dorothea many other all which were nothing but foolish talking vain inuētions altogither vnworthy of Christians To the nūber of these I might well adde those histories of Saincts which they call the legends and that flood of lies of miracles and pilgrimages to images and moniments of Saincts Masses and worshippings of Saincts indulgences and innumerable other not so much foolish as vngodly inuentions which in the assemblies of the Church were wont to be chiefly extolled in the pulpit which were so contrary to godlines that they deserue much rather to be called the wicked inuētions of Satan then foolish imaginations of mē For they did not as ridiculous lies are wont to do corrupt good maners onely of which Paule speaketh especially here but they did wholy ouerthrow faith and put out of place the word of God so that they did not only not beseme Saincts but did plainly abolish all Sainctes Those former therefore were fables and tales of men which are not beleeued neither esteemed any thing of but rather laught at although in the mean season they corrupt good maners withdraw Christians from serious matters and make them slack and slothful But these latter are deuilish fables which are beleeued for a truth and counted for serious yea and heauenly matters when as notwithstanding they be nothing els but fained deuises of Satan whereby he with his angells deludeth and mocketh vs. Neither iesting Hereby he vnderstandeth all pleasaunt speeches which they whom they call iesters are wont to vse to make men mery which by pleasaunt discourses and mery tearmes doe moue laughter stirre vp mens minds to mirth cheerefulnes which is wont to be vsuall in ciuill bankers and when ciuill companions meete togither This iesting the Heathen counted for a vertue especially Aristotle Iesting neither allowed nor vsed among Christians But Paul among Christians giueth it place among vices For Christians haue other speeches wherby they may recreat and cheere them selues in Christ which also do bring some profit with them although it easily hapneth that many Christians do offend oftentimes herein But they that are true Christians doe neuer praise it neither doe suffer that any should giue him selfe to this iesting and study to exceede therein but they reproue and prohibit him especially in the Church in the time of preaching and teaching For Christ hath witnessed Matth. 12.36 that we shall in the last day giue an account of euery idle worde It is meete in deede that Christians be an elegant amiable people but therewithall graue that there may be seene in them a seuere gentlenes and a gentle seueritie as the life of Christ is described vnto vs in the Gospells Things which are not comely but rather giuing of thankes This comprehendeth all idle words which want a proper name
the babe swadled and layd in a maunger 13. And straight way there was with the Angella multitude of heauenly souldiers praysing God and saying 14. Glorie be to God on high and peace in earth and towards men goodwill The summe of this text 1 WHereas the Euangelist here describeth the time and place of the natiuitie of Christ first herein is required faith of vs to witte that we beleue this to be the same Christ of whom these things be recorded Moreouer the house and stocke of Dauid is here notified and shewed forth whereof our Messias should rise 2 The shepeheardes which are here mentioned are the firste frutes of those Iewes which come vnto Christ as the Wisemen from the East are the first frutes of the Gentiles and the innocent infants of all them which must beare the crosse for Christes sake 3 Whereas the Angel of the Lord appeareth to the shepeheards in great glory it signifieth that the Gospell commeth vnto men with the glory of God First in deede it maketh vs afraide for it condemneth our darkenes and whatsoeuer is in vs vntill we heare the comfort which is here declared vnto the shepeheards in these comfortable wordes Be not afraide behold I bring you tidinges of great ioy which shall be to all people because vnto you is borne this day a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. 4 Moreouer whereas one Angell first preacheth vnto the shepeheards that noteth to vs the Prince of all preachers Christ him selfe Secondly whereas many Angells are gathered together it signifieth the multitude of preachers who all say with one mouth Glorye be to God and peace vnto men 5 The frute and profit wherefore Christ tooke flesh vpon him is here expressed to be Euangelicall peace good will to men wherof the hymne of the Angells maketh mention Glory be to God on high and in earth peace good will towards men The exposition of the text YE haue often tymes heard this history before and must heare it still both this yeare and euery yeare though to sluggish drousie Christians that are soone weary and cloyed with good things the same peraduenture may seeme tedious But to them that are endued with true faith it alwaies commeth againe as newe For the holy Ghost can speake so diuersly of one thing that to them which be his it alwayes seemeth newe Moreouer we might speake at large of this historie for it is very full of matter if we shoulde not want tyme and if it were not perillous least we shoulde somewhere straye from the purpose Neuertheles we will entreate somewhat thereof as God shall permit Ye haue already heard in the text how the Angell him selfe expresseth all this history giuing vs to vnderstand that the same is published for our cause and that the frute thereof doth redounde and appertaine to vs onely and is wrought to our saluation And therefore the Angell speaking to the shepeheards sayth in these wordes Be not afraide behold I bringe you tydings of great ioy which shall be vnto all people that is that vnto you is borne this day in the city of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lorde Christ came not for his owne cause but to worke our saluation Here is declared first that his natiuitie doth pertaine vnto vs when he sayth vnto you is borne a Sauiour For the Lord Christ came not for his owne cause onely but that he might helpe and succour vs. Wherefore let vs most diligently endeuour that we beleue the Angell and we shall enioy the whole benefit I haue heretofore oftentymes sayd that the Gospell preacheth nothing else but faith that the Angell also here doth and this must all preachers doe otherwise they be not true ministers For the Angell was here a beginning and example to all preachers Now we must in this place speake of a double natiuitie namely of our owne and of Christes But before I begin to entreat hereof I will handle the historye briefly that ye may lay it vp in your hart and may be partakers of the ioy which the Angell here bringeth First therefore the Euangelist sayth And it came to passe in those dayes that there came a decree from Augustus Caesar that all the world should be taxed This first taxing was made when Cyrenius was gouernour of Syria Therefore went all to be taxed euery man to his owne citie The time of the comming of the Messias foretold by the Patriarch Iacob Gen. 49.10 Ye know right wel that the Iewes had a promise made of the Patriarch Iacob that a Prince lawgiuer or ruler of the house of Iuda should not be wanting in Iudea vntil the Messias which was promised them did come For the wordes of Iacob to Iuda are playne after this sort The scepter shall not depart from Iuda a lawgiuer from betwene his feete vntill Silo come Now at this time the case was so that the Romanes possessed Iudea and had set a Liuetenant ouer it whom the Euangelist here calleth Cyrenius The Iewes before for a long tyme had vsed priestes for Kinges when as the Machabees had obtayned the kingdom so that the dominion of the house of Iuda was already taken away and suppressed neither was there any Prince or ruler of the stocke and blood of Iuda gouernour ouer the people But that Christ or the Messias shoulde nowe come that was a great signe that the prophecie at that tyme especially might be fulfilled Wherefore the Euangelist sayth here that at the tyme when Christ was borne Augustus Cesar had set a Liuetenaunt ouer Iudea vnder whom the Iewes should offer them selues to be taxed As if he sayd Euen at that tyme at which he should be borne he is borne All that liued vnder the Romane Emperour were compelled to pay taxe for a testimonie that they were subiect vnto him This the Iewes knew but they did not vnderstand the Prophecie Iacob had sayd thus The scepter shal not depart from Iuda and a lawgiuer from betwene his feete vntill Silo come That is a Prince and ruler of the stocke of Iuda shall not be wanting in Iudea vntil Christ come Iacob did sufficiently shewe in these wordes The Iewes misinterpret the prophecie of Iacob concerning the cōming of the Messias that he should be wanting at the comming of Christ Moreouer whereas they vnderstood it so as though such a Silo shoulde come as shoulde beare rule with the sword it is a false vnderstanding thereof neither can it be gathered out of that text For he sayth thus that at the comming of Christ the temporall kingdome of the Iewes shoulde ende So Luke also here sheweth that very time when it behoued this to be done It followeth moreouer in the text And Ioseph also went vp from Galile out of a citie called Nazareth into Iudea vnto the citie of Dauid which is called Bethlehem because he was of the house and linage of Dauid to be taxed with Marie that was giuen him to wife which was vvith
crucified but Peter admonisheth him to be of a good there and setteth before him the precept of charitie saying Maister pitie thy selfe there againe he doth earnestly and sharpely blame and rebuke his admonisher and sayth Get thee behinde me Satan thou vnderstandest not the thinges that are of God but the thinges that are of men And in a summe he is most impatient of all lawes wherewith they deale with him he will be most free from all commaundements and acknowledged to be the Lord of them He alway giueth such aunswers as with which he represseth the exactors neither wil he keepe any law as though he were compelled to do it Contrariwise when he doth any thinge of his owne accorde then no law is so litle or so light whereunto he doth not willingly obey and doth much more then it requireth Wherefore there can none be founde more gentle and seruiceable then he if he be vrged with the controlement or exaction of none Moreouer he doth so farre humble him selfe Christ humble and seruiceable Matth. 20.28 that he washeth the feete of Iudas which betrayed him according as he him selfe speaketh of him selfe I came not to be serued but to serue others c. which is manifest to them that consider his life howe he walked abroade in Iudea Samaria Galile and in the night stept on the ground fasted forty dayes and tooke no rest at all but patiently sustained so much labour that they feared lest he should be rauished in minde or finally bringe some hurt to his body He doth all thinges that he can but that he refuseth to be compelled and suffereth no lawes to be prescribed vnto him which if any set before him he most stoutely resisteth and striueth against them So he is both of a most stoute and of a most milde spirit Christ both of a most stout and also of a most mild spirit neyther is there any more stoute nor more seruiceable then he whoe can abide to doe none of those thinges that are exacted of him and neuertheles doth all thinges euen most aboundantly and as it were ouerfloweth with a floud of good workes and watereth all thinges no man commaunding him or by way of controlement exacting and requiring any thinge of him but he beinge permitted to doe voluntarily and of his owne accord These thinges are done for our example that we may learne what a true Christian man is after the spirit lest we iudge him according to the lawe and according to our owne wisedom and vnderstanding For Christ is therefore our Lorde that he may make such men of vs as he is him selfe And as he can not suffer him selfe to be tied and bound with lawes but will be Lorde of lawes yea and of all thinges so also ought not the conscience of a Christiā to suffer them For we are so much made free by Christ The conscience of a Christian must not be bound with lawes that our conscience may know nothing cōcerning any law whose iudgement controlement it may abide to suffer Neither ought we any otherwise to be affected according to the state of the inward conscience then if no lawe had bene giuen or made yea as if neither x. cōmaundements nor one either of God or of Bishop or of Cesar were giuē to vs that we may plainly say I know nothing of any law neyther wil I know any thing For in that state and condition wherein we Christians are our workes the workes of all men doe cease yea and all lawes also For where there is no worke neither can there be any law requiring a worke and saying this thing was to be done of thee this to be left vndone But we through Christ are wholly free from all workes and righteous by meere grace and mercy whereby we liue onely before God And this is our treasure whereby we are Christians and liue and stand before God For how we ought to liue in outward conuersation to wit in fleshe and blood before the world it doth nothing pertaine vnto this place A Christian must not suffer his cōscience to be held captiue of any lawe Wherefore a Christian must learne so to rule his conscience that he suffer it not to be held captiue or entangled with any law But whosoeuer will bind and hold it with any law let him stoutly and boldely striue there against and doe as he seeth Christ doe here and else where where he vseth so great stoutnes and earnestnes of minde that no Moses or Exactor of the lawe can preuaile any thinge with him although otherwise he be most humble most sweete and gentle of all men Howbeit this art is aboue measure high and excellent which none but he vnderstandeth whereof he is the Maister who knoweth howe to appease all lawes and teachers of lawes We of our selues are not able to pacifie and appease the lawe We are not able to doe so For the Deuill mightely assaileth vs and as often as he setteth vpon the conscience of man he driueth him to that point that he entreth disputation with him what he hath done or not done Then such a disputation beginneth as wherein is debated of our sinne and righteousnes euen then man is brought into a daungerous case and into the myre where be sticketh neither can he escape or rid him self out but is forthwith deeper and deeper plunged in For he is laden with a heauy burden which he is not able to beare wherefore he walketh musing gnawing consuming his minde neither can he get any quietnes thereof Which I doe plainely feele in my selfe neither can I wrastle out and deliuer my selfe by any trauell although I labour alwayes assaying all meanes to escape out of this goulfe that I may aunswere the lawe and obtaine so much that it may keepe silence and say now at length thou hast done so much wherewith I am constrayned to be content But all endeuour and study is in vayne for such a deepe pit and daungerous goulfe it is out of which no man is able to escape although he ioyne the helpes of all men to him self as they can beare me witnes which haue made triall hereof and doe as yet daily trie it The cause is our nature which will haue to doe with workes and lawes and heare what they say and followe them that say Why doth he eate with Publicanes and sinners if he did eate and drinke with vs he should do wel Also why do thy Disciples plucke the eares of corne on the Sabbath day c. with whom it will haue to do so long til the law sayth now thou art righteous For it can attaine to no higher vnderstanding then that the doctrine of the law is the chiefest doctrine and that the righteousnes thereof is the best life before God In it it continually remaineth so captiue yea and bound neither can it by any meanes deliuer it self out of this prison being not able to pacifie and appease the law that it
requiring him selfe to be counted for a rule whereunto the rest ought to apply and order them selues An old Interpreter translateth it modestie which if thou vnderstand it aright and not for the onely moderation temperancie of meate and apparell as it is wont commonly to be taken is not altogither vnfitly translated namely if thou vnderstand it to be a vertue whereby one thinking modestly of him self endeuoureth to order and apply him selfe vnto all according to the capacitie and abilitie of euery one ready to permit to take in good part to obey to giue place to doe to omit to suffer all thinges as he shall see it will profit his neighbour albeit he must suffer hinderance and losse of his substance name and body thereby That these thinges may be made more playne it shall be good to declare them by examples An example of a patient minde in Paule Paule 1. Cor. 9 writeth thus of him self Vnto the Iewes I become as a Iew that I may winne the Iewes to them that are vnder the lawe as though I were vnder the lawe to them that are without lawe as though I were without lawe when I am not without lawe as pertaining to God but am in the lavve through Christ I am made all thinges to all men that I might by all meanes saue some Behold thou seest here the patient pliant minde rightly obseruing those things which are here commaunded For those things that he writeth of him selfe haue this meaning Sometimes he did eate drinke and doe all thinges as a Iewe albeit it was not necessary that he should so doe sometimes he did eate and drinke with the Gentiles and did all thinges as free from the lawe For onely faith in God and loue toward our neighbour are necessarily required all other thinges are free so that we may freely obserue them for one mans sake omit them for an other mans sake as we shall perceiue it to be profitable to euery one Now it is contrary to this modestie or meekenes if one hauing an impatient mind trusteth to his owne wit An impatient minde what it doth and contendeth that one thing among the rest is necessary which thou must either omit or obserue and so applying him selfe vnto none but contending to haue all other to apply them selues vnto him he neglecteth peruerteth the softnes meekenes which is here taught yea the libertie of faith also such some of the Iewes were vnto whom we must giue no place euen as Paule yeelded not vnto them We see the same example commonly in Christ but specially Matth. 12 Mar. 2. where we reade that he suffered his Disciples to breake the Sabbath he him selfe also when the case so required did breake it when it was otherwise he did keepe it whereof he gaue this reason The Sonne of man is Lord euen of the Sabbath Which is as much to say as the Sabbath is free that thou mayst breake it for one mans sake and commoditie and for the sake and commoditie of an other thou mayst keepe it So Paule caused Timothe to be circumcised because of the Iewes for that they thought that it was of importance to their saluation againe he would not haue Titus circumcised because certain Iewes did vniustly vrge it so that the circumcision of Titus would haue bene rather a confirmation of errour vnto them then haue profited them any thing Paule therefore would keepe circumcision free that he might sometime vse it and sometime not vse it as he should perceiue it to be commodious and profitable to euery one How the ordinaunces decrees of men must be obserued or not obserued So to come to other matters when the Pope commaundeth to make confession to fast to abstaine from or vse this or that kind of meate c and exacteth these thinges as necessary to saluation they are to be vtterly contemned and those thinges that are contrary to these are most freely to be done but if he should not commaund them as necessary if any man might be holpen or edified in any thinge by the obseruation of them surely they were to be obserued but freely and of loue onely as also they are to be omitted if the omitting of them may be profitable to any The reason of this libertie is this The Sonne of man is Lord of the Sabbath if of the Sabbath howe much more of the traditions of men Whatsoeuer thou shalt obserue vpon this libertie it can not hurt any but to obserue them of necessitie it extinguisheth faith and the Gospell Likewise if one liue as yet in a Monasterie if he obserue the vowes and ordinaunces of that life vpon Christian libertie and of loue to his brethren that he may edifie them and of no necessitie neither with the hinderance of his owne or other mens saluation he shall doe godly for he is free but if those thinges be straitly required as necessary to saluation then before thou suffer thy selfe to be brought into this errour Monasteries shauings hoods vowes rules ordinaunces and all such like must be left and the contrary must be done to witnes that onely faith and loue are necessary for a Christian and that all other thinges are free so that he may eyther omit or doe them for the edifying and cause of them with whom he liueth Whatsoeuer thou shalt obserue vpon libertie and of loue is godly but if thou obserue any thing of necessitie it is vngodly The same is to be sayd of all other ordinaunces and decrees of men which are wont to be obserued in Monasteries that whatsoeuer doth not disagree with the worde of God thou mayst being free eyther obserue or omit it according as thou shalt knowe it to be profitable and acceptable to them with whom thou art conuersant but if they be required as necessary reiect them all vtterly and tread them vnder thy feete Hereupon thou now seest what a deuilish thing the Papacie Monasteries be For whatsoeuer things be fre to be permitted to free loue onely they make them necessary Christian liberty turned of the Papistes into meere necessitie and say the keeping of them is of importance to saluation wherby truely as much as is in them they togither peruert and extinguish the Gospell and faith I passe ouer with silence that they hereupon set and sell the care of the bellie in steede of the seruice of God For how many among them at this day do for Gods cause not rather for the bellies sake take vpon them to be Monkes or Clerkes do frequent the quier sing pray say Masse or doe any such thinge wherein they counterfait and corrupt the true worship seruice of God The common subuersion of all Monasteries were the best reformation of all these thinges from which so much discommoditie and no whit of profite may be looked for Before one Monasterie could be perswaded concerning true Christian libertie infinite thousands of soules in others should perish
they are void of faith whereby it moueth them to seeke helpe some other where and not to presume of their owne strength to satisfie it For it requireth a ready will and hartes of sonnes which alone can satisfie it it vtterly refuseth seruaunts and them that be vnwilling But these of Cains broode doe not onely of their owne accord confesse that they want this faith which maketh the sonnes of God but also they persecute it they feele and know also ful wel how vnwillingly they beare the lawe and had rather to be free from it neuertheles they thinke that they shal become righteous by these their vnwilling and constrained workes They will continue seruaunts will not be chaunged into sonnes and yet they would enioy the goods of a straunge father They do all thinges cleane out of order wheras by the law they ought to learne that they are seruaunts and vnwilling to doe that which is good and therefore should by faith aspire to the state of sonnes notwithstanding they goe so farre that they seeke to satisfie and fulfill it by their owne works onely And thereby they doe altogither hinder the ende of the law and striue against faith and grace whereunto if they were not blind the law would direct and driue them And so they continue alwayes a blinde blockish and miserable people These thinges Paule teacheth Rom. 3. and 7. and doth freely pronounce that no man is iustified before God by the works of the lawe No man is iustified by the lawe adding no other cause hereof then this for that the knowledge of sinne only commeth by the law If thou wilt know howe this commeth to passe consider well some one of Cains brood and thou shalt by and by see it verified First he worketh his workes according to the lawe with great griefe and labour and yet he therewith confesseth that he is vncertaine whether he be the sonne of God and holy Yea he condemneth and curseth this faith as the most pernitious arrogancie and errour of all other and will continue in his douting vntil he be made certaine by his workes Here thou seest plainly that such a man is not good or righteous seeing that he wanteth this faith and beleefe that he is counted acceptable before God and his sonne yea he is an enemie of this faith and therefore of righteousnes also Wherefore neither can his workes be counted good although they pretend a faire shew of fulfilling the lawe And thus is it easie to vnderstand that which Paule sayth that no man is iustified before God by the workes of the lawe For the worker must be iustified before God before he worketh any good thing although before men which esteeme a man by outward thinges and not by the mind they are counted righteous which apply them selues to the doing of good workes For men iudge the worker by the works God iudgeth the workes by the worker Nowe the first precept requireth that we acknowledge worship one God that is that we trust and rest in him alone which in deede is the true faith whereby we become the sonnes of God But how easie is it by this precept to know that sinne is both in him of Cains brood in thy selfe inasmuch as both of you want such a faith euen by your owne nature which thou couldest not know but by meanes of this law And this is that which Paul meaneth when he sayth That by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 3.20 Now thou canst be deliuered from this euill of infidelitie neither by thyne owne power nor by the power of the lawe wherefore all thy workes whereby thou goest about to satisfie the lawe can be nothing but workes of the lawe of farre lesse importance then that they are able to iustifie thee before God who counteth them only righteous which truly beleeue in him for they onely acknowledge him the true God are his sonnes and doe truely fulfill the law But if thou shouldest euen kill thy selfe with workes yet is it so farre of that thy hart can obtaine this faith thereby that thy workes are euen a hinderance that thou canst not knowe it yea they are a cause that thou doost persecute it Hereupon it is that he that studieth to fulfill the law without faith is afflicted for the deuils sake and not for Gods sake and continueth a persecutour both of faith and of the lawe vntill he come to him selfe and doth plainly ceasse to trust in him selfe and in his owne workes doth giue this glory vnto God who iustifieth the vngodly acknowledgeth him selfe to be nothing and figheth for God his grace whereof he doth now know being taught by the law that he hath neede Then faith and grace come and fil him being emptie satisfie him being hungry by and by follow good workes which are truely good Neither are they now the workes of the law but of the spirit of faith and grace and they are called in the Scriptures the workes of God which he worketh in vs. For whatsoeuer we do of our owne power strength All that we doe of our selues being not assisted by the grace of God is euill and is not wrought in vs by his grace without dout it is a worke of the law and auaileth nothing to iustification but is both euill and hated of God because of the infidelitie wherein it is done Againe whatsoeuer he of Cains brood worketh he doth nothing from his hart nothing freely and with a willing mind except he be as it were hyred with some reward or be commaunded to doe some such thinge whereunto he ought otherwise to be ready of him selfe Euen as an euill and vnthriftie seruaunt suffereth him selfe to be brought to no worke vnles he be hyred with a reward or commaunded whereunto he ought otherwise to be willing of himselfe Nowe how vnpleasaunt is it to a man to haue such seruaunts But they of Cains brood be plainly such they would do no good worke at all if they were not either compelled by the feare of hell or allured by the hope of present good thinges Whereby againe thou seest that these haue no mind to the law they gape only for gaine or are moued with feare whereby they bewray them selues that they doe rather hate the law from their hart and had leuer that there were no law at all Wherefore it is plainly manifest that they are not good and consequently that neither their workes be good for how should euill men worke good workes Moreouer those their workes which in apparance shew seeme to be good are either wrested from them by feare or are bought with promises An euill hart can doe nothing that is good But this naughtines of the hart vnwillingnes to doe good the lawe bewrayeth when it teacheth that God doth not greatly esteeme what the hand doth but what the hart doth which seeing it hateth the law that is good who wil deny it to be most euill Surely it