natures of thinges hearing witnesse to that same the darknesse of the sonne and the erthquake Therfore with a strong hert he called on him sayinge Remembre me Lorde when thou doeste come into thy kingdome What a great matter of Fayth was thys that he wold knowledge him which suffered lyke punyshment with him whiche shulde dye with him to be the Messias the forgiuer of sinne the giuer of lyfe euerlastinge and that shulde death being ouercome reygne a kingdome after this lyfe The Apostles before the tyme did thynke that the Romains being expulsed he shuld be an erthly kyng but this thefe declared that he which there suffered death with him after death shuld reygne Whereto Christ giuing euidence saide that he hys selfe shulde reygne that he was the gyuer of lyfe eternal giuing to him absolution and the Gospell of euerlastinge lyfe to kindle and confyrme his Fayth sayinge This daye thou shalte be with me in Paradise Wherwith this poore thefe being made strong and confyrmed did knowledge and confesse that he had lyfe euerlastinge giuen to him nat for his owne merite and deseruing but for this Lorde sake declaring as sone as he hadde this Fayth and comfort the newe obedience towarde God Marke therefore I praye you and se howe that thys Apostle hanginge on the tree did teache nat only those which were there preseÌ„t but also the church which was to come ¶ What a good spectacle is sette before vs wherby we may lerne that by Fayth frely we are saued by Christ nat excludinge for al that repentaunce and other good workes what are to be noted iâ— the thefe ¶ In the which thefe is to be noted repentance fayth inuocation confession and the office of a preacher Which forsoth are the chiefe and principall good workes and kinde of worshippinge that we caÌ„ do to God There is also an other marueilous godly lesson to be obserued and iÌ„ especial necessary in that thê good thefe rebuked with sharpe wordes that other thefe his felow which there was hanged with him defending the glorye of God what is to be onderstand by that thys these rebuked hys felowe bicause he spake blasphemously of God giuing vs example howe to rebuke and reprehend the teachers of wicked lerning contrary to the word of god with tyrantes and al such other which are full of blasphemy persecutinge and speakinge yll of Christ in his members The which preacher may well be likened to them in these oure latter dayes Wherefore let vs heare him diligently both considering the example and also folowynge of that same ¶ FOR as much therfore as our newe obedience is pleasante and acceptable to God as I haue shewed you althoughe that the lyfe euerlasting is giuen freely for Christ his sake yet he doeth recompence our labours dedes Oure good dedes are rewarded and troubles susteyned for his sake as he doeth testifie pour reward is great in heuen And natwithstanding that of iust merite thei deserue nat lyfe euerlasting yet they deserue other rewardes both corporal and spirituall For the Lorde entendinge to mainteine and preserue his church doth liberally giue and distribute many corporall benefites as mainteininge life with liuing competent giuinge also a ciuyl peace and traÌ„quillitie with other thinges necessary and profitable for thê lyfe We haue also nede of spiritual benefites as wisdom learning strength good successe to euery maÌ„ in his calling Therfore Christ said first seke the kiÌ„gdome of god and then al thinge shall be throwen to you Paull saith also that pitifulnesse and charite hath her promyses bothe in this present life and in that other to come Marke the .10 chap. He shal receiue an hundredfold more in this life but not without persecution The fourth precept saith that thou maist liue long on the yerth And Christ saith giue you and you shal receiue againe Math x. He that gyueth but a cup of water to one of these for the doctryne he shall nat lese his rewarde Euerye where in the Prophettes promyses of corporall and spiritual benefytê are coÌ„teyned These are goodly rewardes as Esay 33. speakinge of the good and vertuouse sorte Breade shal be giuen to them and they shal se their king florishe they shal lacke no foode their comonwelth shal prosper and be quiet Fayth worke Rewarde The widow Sarepton receiued into her house the prophet Ely when there was great scarsite of vitayles In the which dede fyrst the faith of the woman secondly her worke and thyrde her greate rewarde are to be noted and marked The Prophete commaunded her to giue to him some meat if she had any left addinge therto a promise as the historye declareth The woman gaue to him for to eate when she had nomore in her house for her selfe This woman wolde nat haue extended to so great liberalitie if she had nat ben of a stronge Faythe thinking fyrst that God must be obeyed and the Prophete succoured and so did loke after the rewarde and benefite promised of God Therfore she receiued a reward of faith and charitie For her house was maynteyned and fed from heuen by the power of the Lorde tyl that vittayles were better chepe and waxed more plenty Her childe which was dead was restored to lyfe agayne by the which great miracle her Fayth was made strong and stedfast and the yonge man called vnto vertue Whom Epiphomius doeth write to be Ionas the Prophete Ionas which afterwarde preached to the king of Assirians in Niniue promoting and settyng forthe the worde of God Likewise at all tymes godly and vertuouse men haue receyued nat onely spirituall benefites but also many corporall to the preseruation of the church some this gift some that Paul as it pleaseth the Lorde to gyue The lord preserued Paul froÌ„ al daungers prouiding for him both house meate and al to her thinges necessary so longe as it pleased him that he shulde serue him in his ministery and office So Paull to the Corinthians writethe concerninge the plage of pestelence saying that god punished theÌ„ with that plage for theyr offences and if they wolde repente be sayde that then the plage wolde ceasse Suche lyke are the wordes of Zachary Be you conuerted to me and I wyll turne my face to you that is as much to say as I wyl swage and mitigate youre calamities and plages if you wyll repent nat meaning of one worke only to be done as though it were satisfactioÌ„ but of the true conuersion and fruite and declaring that same By these examples rehrrsed you maye perceyue after what fashion this newe obedience is acceptable to God and what kinde of rewardes it hath There be many thinges that may kindle a mannes herte to well doynge There is no greater â—lage then â—lyndnesse â—nd synne Fyrste the commaundement of God Secondly Faythe is cleane extinguished if you do neglect this newe obedience that is to say if newe workes folow nat this Fayth The thyrde is considering that
of a moral lawe and of the maners of a cyuyl lyfe ¶ FOR the cyuyll lyfe doeth require but an externe and an outewarde dyscyplyne onely that we myght outwardlye appeare honeste and iuste Ciuyll lyfe what doeth the lawe oâ— god requirâ— But the lawe of God doeth requyre a perfect obedyence bothe an inwarde and an outward as wel a spirituall obedience to appeare iuste before God as a corporall in the outward obedience of the lawes where to beareth witnes the commaundement Thou shalte loue the Lorde thy God with al thy hert And so Chryst his selfe in Mathewe .v. cap. doethe expounde the lawe ¶ FOR as muche therefore as the nature of man beynge infected and corrupted by the naturall corruption and dysease of sinne whiche dyd sprynge from Adam can nat possyble perfourme a perfecte obedience the lawe declarethe the wrathe of God against synne accusinge and condempnynge al men Chryste only excepte whiche hathe delyuered vs frome the malediction and curse of the lawe He hathe delyuered nat onely the Iewes and al other whiche lyued after the lawe was gyuen forthe but also the fathers whiche were before Moyses Wherfore it doeth folowe that these fathers The fathers before Moyses were saued by theyr truste to the promyse which were before Moyses were vnder a lawe And so beyng accused and brought into greate feare hadde vtterly peryshed yf they hadde nat styckt and clouen faste to the promyses of Chryste For whose sake they knewe well they shuld be deliuered from sinne and death These wordly politike and cyuyl wise men peraduenture wyl deride and make a mocke at that we do say that the law of God doeth requyre a perfecte and an absolute obedience and that we do saye that no man can satisfie and perfourme al that the lawe doeth requyre of vs bycause that naturally the greate blyndenesse ignoraunce and contempt of God is so roted in vs whiche doeth seme and appere to the Philosophers and to them whiche do vse theyr iudgementes after the wordlye fashyon nothynge els but foly and madnes But howe so euer they do take it I do assure you that the Prophettes and Apostles mente none otherwyse than I haue declared to you Therfore the Prophettes wyl that men do know the greatnesse of sinne bycause they do nat knowe God in dede as they oughte to do no nor glorifie him as witnesseth Paul This ignoraunce and contempte of God is the sinne which the Prophettes and Apostles do shewe and teache to be the cause of al our calamities and miseries The ignoraunce of God is the roote of all mischiefe wherewith thys weake and feble nature is opressed they do teach I say that we shulde seke the true iustyce and delyuerance from sinne and death frely gyuen by Chryste As touchyng al other thinges of the lawe that I might nowe speake of I do referre and send al them whiche are studious and desyrous to knowe them vnto the boke of common places of the scripture whiche I dydde wryte and gather togyther Wherfore nowe I wyll speake of thys vocable Gospell ¶ Gospell THE GOSPEL DOTH preache repentaunce The promyse of the Gospell is nat to be ioyned with the promise of the lawe promisynge forgyuenesse of sinne and lyfe euerlastynge The whiche promyse we must be ware that we do nat ioint with the law For thoughe the lawe hathe certayne promises annexed to it yet they do differ and varye muche from the promyses whiche are peculyer and proper only to the Gospel for the promises of the lawe are promysed condicionallye requiring a perfecte obedience as witnesseth the fyrste precepte The Lorde sayenge I wyl be good to theÌ„â—hat loue me with al theyr herte Where as the promyse conteyned in the Gospell doethe declare to vs the remission of sinne our iustification and lyfe euerlastynge freely withoute any condicion of our merites and worthynes but for Christ sake only No mannes voyce or tonge can declare this great benefyte which the Lord thorow his sonne Iesu Christ doeth bestowe on vs that is to say that the greate blotte of sinne by hâ—s bloude scraped and rasshed forthe and deathe vtterly vanquisshed we maye haue the fruition of the syght of the Godhed in euerlasting life iustyce and gladde ioyfulnes The promyse of thys benefyte by no man but from heauen is declared to vs as Iohn sayeth The sonne whiche is in the bosom of the father he hathe declared and made manyfest to vs. An other dyfference of the Gospel and of the lawe And although that there is a certayn knowlege of the lawe in vs euen from oure byrthe it is nat so with the knowledge of the Gospell for the knowledge therof we haue nat naturally Mannes reason of it selfe being nat able to perceyue and knowe the wyl of God that God wyll sende hys sonne downe to be oblatyon and sacrifice for the churche and forgyue sinne frelye without the deseruynge of our merites Thys is farre frome mannes vnderstandynge Therefore the wordes of the lawe and the promise of the Gospel must be dyuers and sundry wayes taken and perceiued In the writinges of Phocillides and Hesidus o with such other lyke wryters a man shal fynde many sayinges of the lawes but as touchyng the promise of the free forgiuenes of sinne and of the sonne of god it is neuer to be founde amonge them Whiche in theyr writinges dyd imitate and folowe the iudgemente and naturall reason of man onely Moreouer for as muche as a certaine knowledge of the lawe is natural to vs ye from our fyrst byrthe and natiuitie our owne myndes and conscience accuseth sinne in vs what doeth our owne conscience â—udge oure synne thynkynge and be leuyng no thyng els but that God wyl punyshe and also cast forth of his syght those men which be vniust and synners This is the iudgement whiche the lawe doethe gyue beinge bothe a iuste and a ryghte iudgemente accordynge to the mynde of the lawe Agaynst the whiche heuye sentence of the lawe in the tyme of knowledgynge thy sinne and repentaunce thou must obiect agayne and lay for the the most lyberal and fre promise of mercy whiche ought to be preferred before the lawe As by example when Adam after hys offence Adam was accused he coulde thynke none other thyng in him selfe but that which was the lawe that he shulde peryshe bicause he obeyed nat the Lorde But streyght way the Lorde natwithstandynge that he hadde made him subiecte for his disobedience vnto the deathe of the body whiche was before immortal and to other miserable calamities The promyse giuen to Adam yet God gaue to hym a comfortable voyce promysynge deliuerance from sinne and death and the restoring agayne of mankynde sayenge that the sede of a woman shulde breake the head of the Serpent The whiche voyce spoken and declared by God streyght way the son of God mouynge and styrrynge the hert of Adam dyd poure into hym a newe lyfe and lyghte At that
sayinge The law causeth angre and wrath that is to saye the lawe driueth into thy stomake and herte horrible terrors and feare suche as the psalmyst descrybeth And Ezechias also sayenge Lyke as a Lyon hathe crusshed togyther and broken all to pouder my bones These tormentes excepte that faythe doeth comforte and gentylly lyft vp the mindes of men lokinge and beholdynge onely the promises of Christ and so as it were holdethe Christ fast shulde brynge them into vtter dystruction and euerlastynge death These battayles Coâ—trition or sorowfulnes without faythe dryueth into desperatyoâ— howe huge and greate they be we maye learne in the psalmes beholdynge howe great a battayle Dauyd stroke with him self when he cryed Lorde do thou nat correct me nor rebuke thou me in thy furye Haue mercye and compassion on me There is no man among the deade creatures that can remembre the nor yet in Hell anye that can prayse thy name Caste me nat amonge the dampned creatures whiche do burne in horrible and euerlastynge hatred of the and curse yt. Let me nat be throwen into the company of thyne enemyes And also psalme 41. O my soule why art thou sadde and heuy why doest thou thus trouble me Trust and putte thy confidence in the Lorde for yet I wyll laude and prayse hym ⧠OF suche kynde of fyght and battayle Paull doeth speake The lawe doeth feare the conscience nat of swines flesshe onely and suche other lyke rytes and obseruations He cryeth out aloude sayinge All men are vnder sinne In the whiche wordes he preacheth feare vnto vs. But afterward he doth shew Christ sayenge that we are iustified freelye by faythe And that we maye perceyue and vnderstande that he speakethe nat of an ydle thought or cogitation of the mind but of a stronge fayth Faythe which doth fyght with the fearefull tormentes of our conscience he doeth saye furthermore Beynge iustified by faythe we haue peace and attoÌ„ment and fre passage vnto god ¶ For as muche then as thys sentence of Paull doethe agree so well with the teachynges and preachynges of the Prophetes What frowardnes is it to gyue to Paull an other cleane contrarye vnderstandynge or sence ⧠Furthermore I do saye that for as muche as thys sentence by me rehersed concernynge the conuersion or renewynge of man and of our iustification is so playne and manyfest the vse whereof is here in thys worlde while we be in thys lyfe beynge the fyrme stedfast and immutable sentence and mynde of the Gospell declared and made open to oure fathers I can nat tel wel whether the great bliÌ„dnes of Chryst his aduersaryes is more to be bewayled and lamented than the frowarde croked and way warde stobbornesse of them is to be most beynyouslye of all men detested and abhorred in that they do reprehende naye vtterlye condempne thys good trewe and ryght interpretation ¶ AND here I do most hertely desire and praye all vertuous and charytable men diligentlye to expende and marke what on bothe partes may be sayde and alledged Our aduersaryes do confesse that there must nedes be terrors and tormentes of the minde but as concerning faythe they be of a contrarye opinion They be contente also and confesse the hystorycall knowledge of Chryste but as touchynge the remyssyon of sinne An obiectyon of the aduersaries they do bydde and commaund that men shuld nat haue to much confidence but rather to doubte And yf perchaunce a man doth obteyn the remission of sinne saye they it is nat for faythe sake but for thy merites By the whiche wordes they do vtterlye extyncte and abolysshe the lyghte and comforte of the Gospell whiche teacheth vs that for Christe the benefyte of remyssion of sinne is obteyned Being therto to make vs the more certayne and sure added a promyse where God commaundethe vs bothe to giue trust and also to cleane stedfastlye therto as men thorowly persuaded that that same promise doeth perteine to vs. That this is the true and sincere meanynge thorowe out all the Gospel wyl we or nyll we we must nedes graunte For Paull hys selfe doeth refute and reproue that foule erronyouse opinion of dubytatyon or doubtynge whether thy sinne be forgiuen the ye or nay ¶ The promyse muste be receyued by faythe saying that the promise is none other way to be receyued but by faythe RomÌ„ iiii cap. And therfore by faythe frely saieth he that the promise may be made fyrme and out of all doubt He commaundeth also that we shulde gyue and ascrybe to God only the praise and commendation of all â—eritie and truthe Lykewise as Abraham dyd nat doubte with any mystrust and Iohn 1. the .5 cap. Who that doethe beleue in the sonne of God bearethe wytnesse in hym selfe who that doeth nat beleue God he maketh God a lyer c Ergo when we do saye that by faythe the benefytes of Chryst are obteined we must nedes vnderstande that we haue them for Christe hys sake To the whiche promyse of God there is no remedy but we must gyue oure whole assent and consent and ful belefe that god for his sonnes sake wyll perfourme all that he hath promised Wherfore fayth doeth nat signifie onely the knowledge of Chryste hystorycally that is to saye that Chryste was borne of a vyrgyn immaculate that he lyued here in earthe moste poorely that he preached that he fasted and prayed that he was betrayed to the preestes of the Iewes that he suffered most sharpe and bytter passion and death that he did rise agayne the thirde daye from deathe to lyfe and such other lyke thynges as are conteyned in the history But faythe doeth signifie also a strong and stedfast confydence and trust in the mercy of God promised to vs for Chryste hys owne sake to vs I saâ— consentinge and agreinge to the promise of God Such a fayth Paull doeth require of vs as beleueth with herte and mynde all the articles of the Crede whiche is oure belefe that they be true that is to say that for the sonne of God hys owne sake whiche dyd suffer and ryse agayne for oure sakes we haue the remission of oure sinne gyuen to vs frelye For vnto thys artycle all other artycles which by ordre are set before in the Crede The fynall cause of our belefe are to be referred as vnto the fynall cause of oure belefe ¶ Wherfore the contrary parte rehersynge in their dayly deuotyon and prayers thys artycle of oure belefe I do beleue the remission of sinne doeth shewe and declare howe theyr owne selfes doeth nat consent and allowe that thing whiche they do pronounce and speake with theyr owne tonges in theyr prayers In that they commaunde to doubte of the remission of sinne theyr owne lyppes declaringe the contrary that we shulde nat doubt but that we haue remission of oure sinne I do knowe diuers men whiche by the comfort only which they haue receyued of thys artycle conteyned in our Crede haue clene caste
tyranny of the Deuyll and extreame death Therfore when that lyfe euerlastinst is begon in vs then we do obaye the Lawe and kepe the commaundementes as it is wrytten I wyl poure forthe on the house of Dauid the spirite of Grace and of prayer ¶ IF I hadde in me all Fayth The thy tâ— obiectyon â–ª and nat loue I am nothinge Which is thus to be answered as before is sayd I coÌ„fesse that loue is necessary but the loue of God can nat be nor be acceptable except fyrst by Fayth we do receyue remissyon of sinne imputation of iustice Euery man maye inuente and deuyse of theyr owne braine a loue of God but the very loue of god which is a perfect loue must be referred to the wrasteling of the minde and to the true motions in our inuocations and perylles Some men there be whiche do doubte whether God doethe passe or regarde mannes necessitie and causes whether that eyther prosperitie or aduersitie doeth chaunce and happen by fortune withoute any prouision and gouernance of God or nay Some men feling and perceyuyng in them selfe the angre and wrath of God doeth in theyr afflictioÌ„s trobles fal down dispairiÌ„ge rayling against the iugement of God Of these great stormes and bytter shures of the mynde preacheth the heauenly voyce comforting the mindes of meÌ„ in the middes of the great waues sourges of theyr troubles with the promise of the Gospel When the mynde of man doth comfort and lyft vp him selfe with this Fayth kowledginge the mercye of god then foldweth loue It is necessary therfore that Faythe doethe go before whiche askethe remyssyon of synne The whiche feyth dothe not leane and depende of our worthynesse or deseruinges Therfore thoughe that loue dothe folowe it is not consequente that for that loue we be iustified but for Christ sake only Men commonly do expounde this word loue of the loue of god and of our neyghbour therfore I haue answered as touchynge the loue of god But Paule in this place speaketh not of the loue of god but of the loue of our neighbour which much lesse can meryte remission of sinne Forgiue and thou shalt be forgiuen Ergo. The fourt obiection By our forgiuenesse remission to other we merite to vs our iustification These wordes be exhortynge to repentaunce as be many suche lyke in the prophettê as Esai the .i. Cap. Cease and leaue you of from doyng euil and lerne to doo good Then shall your synnes be wyped from you The fyrste part of this is a precepte of repentance The second part conteyneth a promise Precept Christ doth not say you shal obtein pardon for your pardon but he commaundeth only that we do pardon and forgiue our neighbour Promise Afterward he doth giue vs knowledge of a promyse which promyse is dependinge of an other thynge than of the worthynesse of our workes what a trouble and vexacion wold it be to our consciences if we shuld thyncke that the pardon of god shoulde depende on the purenes and worthy dignitee of our forgiuenesse pardon to other whiche haue offended vs For be they neuer so well made frendes those which were at variaunce yet remayneth some scarre grudge of the old displeasure Therfore it is necessary some other cause waye of remission of our sin to be sought and so to kepe the true sence and mynde of the Gospel concerning the free forgiuenes of sinne There is also such an other saienge in Daniel The fyrst part whereof perteynethe to pennance or repentance as this Loue and enbrace iustyce helpe the miserable wroÌ„gfully oppressed and defend the church against tyrantes and persecutours The seconde part conteyneth the promise as this And thy sinnes shal be forgiuen thou shalt be heled and made whole of thy infyrmities Repentaunce must nedes be and yet our forgiuenes and pardon must be frely giuen and receyued by Faythe For if the promise shulde be none otherwise a promise than we are worthy depending on oure worthynes then it shulde be made voide and no promise as Rom. viii ¶ Loue is the pryncipall and chifest of all vertuse Ergo. The fyft obiectyon for loue we are reputed iuste I doo denie plainly the consequent the reason is manifest for it wold folowe muche better if you wolde saye Loue is the chefest and godliest of al vertuse Ergo. Bycause we canne not perfourme that loue as we ought to do we are nothing iustified for that vertue If we had the vertues whiche the lawe of god doth require and were without syn then we might be sayde well to be iuste for loue other vertues but bycause of our wekenesse and gret infirmite is far from that parfection of the law not begynnyng in loue as we ought to do therfore the gospel setteth forth an other iustice teaching vs not for our owne vertuse but for some other thyng that is not in vs that is for our mediatours sake the sonne of god to be reputed iust but vnder a condition that by feithe we do assure our selfe that god is merciful to vs for his sonne sake It foloweth that we be by imputation that is to saye bycause it pleaseth hym to impute it to vs of his only goodnes and fauour beinge made iuste nat for oure owne vertues though we seme to haue some beginniÌ„g of them in vs. But if a man wyll demaund and knowe the difference of vertues marke well Fayth Hope Faythe receyuethe in this life remission of sinne Hope is a lokinge and a trusting in dede after that thinge whiche is promised that is oure cleane deliuerance whiche is to come Fayth is a consent wherwith the wyll of man wylleth and receyueth the promise so beinge made quiet and at rest wel setteled in his minde for the mediator the sonne of God his sake And when the wyl is so contented then the hert is at rest and wel pleased receyuyng comfort and gladnes which is the beginniÌ„g of a newe life These motions foloweth Hope and Loue. ¶ Bycause that Faythe doeth make vs certayne that God is merciful to vs we do call and loke for the other benefytes promised to vs. Loue. And so loue doth ryse bicause we do knowledge that God is nat ydle as the folyshe reason of man doeth feyne and that he is our frende and no enmye to vs as the Lawe doeth declare And that he is a merciful father taking pitie of our great affliction calamitie coueting to deliuer vs. Bearing thereto his selfe witnes by an other sayinge I do liue and wil nat the death of a sinner By this way we knowledginge that we are receyued into Grace and our inuocations harde and granted to vs of god We do submit our selfes vnto him and so is kyndeled in vs a certayne reuerent loue and desyre to him ward preferring God before all other thinges Whiche loue in this lyfe is nat brenninge as it ought to be but very weake and colde ¶ They do
lay for them this word and vocable Rewarde sayinge The lyfe euerlasting is called a rewarde Ergo The syxte obiection good workes do deserue lyfe euerlasting I wil nat seke any crafty interpretation of this vocable rewarde but the thing and matter it selfe must be substicially mayed and pondered ¶ The psalmist sayeth Enter nat into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight no liuing creature shal be iustified Also what man doth knowe and vnder stand our offences which declareth that by our vertues we canne nat merite lyfe euerlasting making them to be the price and rewarde of the same lyfe Before I gathered togyther many testimonyes whiche do teache vs that in those men whiche be regenerated a newe by the spirite of God there doeth remayne synne which testimonies in this place we must lay before our eyes And let euery man examine his owne conscience whether he had rather that lyfe eternal shulde be giuen to him for Christe sake or to be payed to him as a rewarde for his merites Thou wolde peraduenture say to me ¶ If so be that lyfe eternal shulde be giueÌ„ to him for Christ sake theÌ„ men wold nat care muche howe lytle good dedes they did Wherto I answere That contrarywise desperation doth cause greate negligence in doinge well And verely they must nedes dispayre which do ymagin that lyfe euerlastinge is giuen after our deseruynge ¶ The which daungerous peryl our fathers were wel ware of Therfore Augustine and Bernarde agreinge to the Apostle his wrytyng sayde that frely for Christ sake is giuen lyfe euerlasting to him that beleueth and as Paul forther more doth testyfy with these wordes The gyft of God is lyfe euerlastinge thorowe Christ Iesu our Lorde Thys is no vncertayne gyfte the Lorde commaundinge that we do beleue and that we shall receyue lyfe euerlastinge for Christ sake alone as Iohn the .vi. chap. This is the wyll of the father that all men which beleueth in the son shal haue lyfe euerlasting This Fayth doeth nat consist without repentance but it doth consyder and beholde both partes of the sayinge of Christe whiche is I lyue I wyl nat the death of a sinner but I wyl that he repenteth and haue lyfe But by which way by the sonne as he sayethe this is the wyl of the father that al men that beleueth in the sonne shal be saued and haue lyfe euerlastinge ¶ Wherfore natwithstanding that repentaunce is requyred at our hande we maye nat thynke that the condicion of oure worthynes is to be admitted ⧠But clene contrary repentance and trust of our owne merites are repugnaÌ„t and of contrary effectes and ende as it is written He that reioyseth let hym reioyse in the Lorde Thou wylt say to me agayne Wherfore is it called a rewarde I say that although that lyfe euerlasting is gyuen frely for Christ sake yea after that it is gyuen it doth recompence our labours and troubles I wyl make the to vnderstande it more playnly This is the maner of speakyng of the Lawe He shall gyue to euery man after his workes Also theyr rewarde shal be plentiful in Heuen The scripture speketh after the maner of the Lawe concerning iustice as though it shulde be of our worthynes and likewise of Faith as though it were our vertues saying the rewarde is gyuen to our vertues But for all that the Gospel teacheth vs that we are nat iust for our worthynes but by free acceptation and that by fayth the benefytes of Christ are to be receiued nat for the worthynes of fayth bycause it is a vertue but bycause it doth depende of an other which is Christ This is the most ryght and playne aunswere that can be made without any Sophisticall cauilation ¶ I wyll to these obiections of our aduersaries adde and ioyne certayne of theyr croked and sophistical argumeÌ„tes whiche beinge opened and made playne shal gyue much lyght to this disputatioÌ„ and matter that we haue in hande ¶ The fyrst argument of the Sophisters Iustice is an obedience to the hole law Oure good workes be obedience to the whole lawe Ergo. By good workes we be iustified Oure good workes are no perfecte obedience ¶ The seconde part of this argumente called the minor is to be denyed for our good workes are nat a perfect obedieÌ„ce vnto the law for as much as the nature of man is repugnant to the lawe of god As to the fyrst parte called the Maior I say that is true if we speake of iustice of the lawe For the iustice of the lawe is obedience to the hole lawe But bicause we can nat perfourme this perfect obedience and iustice to the whole lawe therfore the Gospel doth offer to vs free iustice ascribinge to vs frely of his goodnes that which we can nat perfourme of our selfe As Paul doeth declare by thys worde and vocable imputation The which obiectioÌ„ is very profitable shewynge the difference of the iustice which is of the lawe and of that iustice which is of the Gospel It doth teache vs also that this word iustice is taken somtyme one way sometyme an other ¶ Wherin the maysters of the sentence haue ben so foule begiled which lerniÌ„ge in Aristotle that iustice doth signifie an vniuersal obedience The iustyce of Aristotle do dream that it is alwaye to be taken in that signification in the writinges of the Prophettes and Apostles which is false as it is written in the Psalme In thy iustice they shall reioise and be glad nat meaning the vertues which Aristotle did wryte of but respectiuely saying Thy iustice that is to say The iustice which thou doest impute to them nat of theyr deseruing but for thy mercy making them iust and accepted The iustice of the lawe doth signifie obedience as thus I haue done iudgement and rightwisnes But the iustice wherof the Gospell speaketh properly doth signifie respectiuely The iustyce of the gospell the imputation or giuing of iustice to vs whiche we haue nat of our selfe a free acceptation and receyuing to lyfe euerlasting wherto is ioyned the free gift of the holy Ghost So when thou doest heare thê sayinge to be iustified remember the maner of speakinge of the Hebrewes wherby is signified that thou art reputed pronounced iust or els made quite of thine accusation and vnrightwisnes A iust man doth signifie that man which is accepted of god to lyfe eternal A iust man As the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians .v. chap. He made him which knewe no sin to be sin that by him we might be made the iustice of God which is as much to say that Christ was made gyltie for our sakes that we might be acceptable and pleasant for his sake This is grammatycally after the meanyng of the bare wordes For this worde iustice is sometyme taken for the obedience of the law sometyme it is taken for imputatioÌ„ of iustice being very expedient and necessary that euery man shulde marke well the difference therof ¶
haue shutte vp this worde frome the pore and handye craftê men as though they had no souls permitting it to ryche and great landed men wherin is a great point and pece of theyr leger demayne and craftye iuggeling to be noted They do shut and locke it vp frome the pore bicause they be alway most redy to receiue it they do giue and grant it to the rych nat that it shuld be set forth the more fruitfully by them but for .ii. other causes whiche they do kepe close within theyr owne bosomes to them selfe that one is knowing that the most part of the ryche sort ar so choked vppe with this worlde and the care therof that they passe nat for it which maketh well for theyr purpose that other cause is if any of the ryche do receyue the word thankfully knowleging the benefites of God yet they wyl be afrayed to professe it openly for daunger they shulde be entrapped with the losse both of theyr bodies and goodes ¶ These be the practices of the prelates of Antechrist hê church to suppresse and put downe the worde of God that Sathan his kingdome myght florishe God therfore declaringe his manifolde benefytes and vnspeakable loue toward this realme in the stede place of that noble kyng deceased nowe restynge in the bosom of Abraham hath sent downe to vs a lytle Dauyd to breake greate Golyath his heade with the stone of the worde of God to ouerthrow on the heades of the inhabyters hygh and proude Babilon nat leauing one stone or stycke standing but to burne it al to pouder with brymstone and wyld fyer And in the stede therof to buylde vp a newe the temple of God to sette forthe the righte honor and glory of God that we appere nat vnthaÌ„kfull to him for the preseruation of thys our yonge vyrgyn kyng from the handes of his mortall enemyes which lokinge and gaping for a day which shulde haue ben to vs blacker then any pytche more bytter then any gall were most luckely we may say deceyued made frustrate of theyr hope ¶ We nede make none other rekenynge but that his grace was deliuered plucked out by the myghty and strong hand of God forthe from betwene the iawes and sharpe tethe of the Lyon at the houre when his cruel enemies were taken and dystroyed beinge as greate a myracle wrought by God in his grace as was the deliuerance of the chyldren of Israel in the reade Sea from the tyranny of Pharao The lorde requyreth againe for his manifolde kyndnes no golde nor siluer nor any other kynde of wordly treasure but a thankful hert a knowledge of hys godly wyl open confessinge of his benefytes before al the worlde ☞ The lorde rebuked the chyldren of Israel for theyr vnkiÌ„dnes in forgetting and nat hauinge in mynde theyr deliuerance from the captiuitie in Egypt and from the tyranny of Pharao ¶ Your good lordship can do no better seruice to the lorde than to se his moste blessed worde Truste nat â—â—togyther â—o the Byshoppes most purely with al sinceritie sette forthe in his owne nature and kynde It is youre grace his offyce and duety to se that it be done in dede for as muche as it hath pleased God to cal you to so hyghe administration and gouernance This is one of the tytles perteyninge to the crowne of England the defence of our fayth whiche consysteth in seynge the worde of God ryghtly ministred and truly broken vnto al the kyng his grace his highnes most louing subiectes as your grace alway hathe declared your selfe most earnestly affectioned thereunto and so to procede to the honor and glory of God Then shal SathaÌ„ be banyshed with his adherentes and coÌ„missioners forth of this realme ¶ Then shal the worde of God florishe and bryng forth goodly fruyt that is to say the ryghte knowledge of god and of his benefytes a perfect loue and feare to offende his heuenly maiestie with godly liuing accordyng to his wyl and pleasure Then wyll he lette his worde be amonge vs to the comfort of our soules and honeste conuersation of oure lyfe This worde is the way the truthe and the lyfe who that doth nat go this way goeth forth of the way and is deceyued Who that teacheth any other doctryne teacheth nat the truth but false doctrin and lies who that seketh any other life can nat mysse but fynde most terryble death Let vs therfore kepe this truthe and we shall nat erre in opinions lette vs kepe this waye and we shall nat be deceyued of oure iurney Let vs seke after this lyfe and we shall nat fayle but fynde it to the only honor and glory of the lorde who be praysed for euer worlde without ende AMEN Domine saluum fac Regem ⧠Imprinted at London in Flete strete at the Signe of the George next to Saynt Dunstones church by VVilliam Powell In the yere of of our Lorde God M. CCCCC XLVIII the XI daye of October ¶ Cum priuilegio ad imprimen dum solum