whome god gaue consolation saying there is in thy bosom conceaued two sundry nations two people shalbe deuided of thy belly That is thou knowes not which of them is the seede of the promesse the yongest haue I chosen to whome the eldest shall serue This is conforme to the sayinges of S. Paule Rom. the 9. Chap. But trust well she vnderstoode spiritually by faith that Iacob was the promised seede when shee procured and laboured so diligently that he should get the blessing of his father defrauded the eldest Esaw This was not knowē to Isaac for he wold not only that Esawe should succeede to the heritage but to haue gottē the blessing also which Iacob obtained by perswasion of his mother Neuerthelesse Esaw remained with the heritage in his fathers house and ceased not still to pursue Iacob who at last was compelled to fly for feare of his life And so euer the seede of the serpent pursues the chosing conforme to this beginning Let Abell dye and Cain liue But finally the seede of Iacob succeeded to the land of promission And inioyed the heritage Howbeit they were long troubled and afflicted in Egipt THE X. CHAP. 1 The wrong opinion of the Iewes of the promised seede 2 Wherin the vngodly place iustification 3 Sathan moues his members against the true professours of faith 4 Ieremie the Prophet of God resisted the whole Ecclesiasticall power of the Iewes 5 The head of the serpent troden downe by the death of Iesus Christ. 6 The article of iustification preached after the death of Christ. YE shall vnderstande that the Iewes had a fleshly opiniō of this promised seede for they vnderstood that the Messias which was promised to them should rule temporaly as Dauid did and establish his realme in great quietnes rest withal pleasure voluptuousnes as yee may vnderstand by the desire of the mother of the Sons of Zebedee Her Sons being with Christ and his Apostles were of the same opinion as testified the aunsweare of Christ saying to them yee knowe not what ye aske But the spirituall knowledge which the Fathers had was farre different therefrom Who vnderstoode in the spirit that the realme of Christ was spirituall and not temporall to the which they were led by faith By this yee shall vnderstande not only that the fleshely iudgement is deceaued in knowledge of this seede but also of the persecution of Sathan Euer perswading the wicked and vngodly which are his seede to persecute the womans seede of the promisse That is the chosen who according to the promisse of God obtaine victorie by faith in the bloud of Christ. For Sathan intending to destroye this article of iustification may not suffer the preaching thereof that is That by grace through faith and not of our owne rightuousnesse and workes We ar made safe please God are receaued into fauour with him and accepted as righteous and iust not of our merites or deseruinges but through the merits of Christ Iesu our Sauiour By the cōtrary the wicked trusts in their owne strength and merites And will haue their good works inuented by them selfe without the commandement of god a part of their saluation And who will not authorise the same they persecute of deadly hatred and must needes dye as Abell did So let Abell dye and Cain liue that is our law sayeth the vngodly In the Church of the Iewes our saide aduersarie ceased not to impung this article and perswade the wicked to persecute the godly and kill the prophets for preaching the same for defence of the which Ieremie the Prophet resisted the hole Ecclesiastical power authoritie of the Church of the Iewes that is the multitude of the wicked being a few number of the chosen that assisted to him as yee may reade Ieremie the 26 Chap. Not the les afterward hee was stoned to death for the same cause which is the reward of mā that is which mā giueth for the true preaching of this article So let Abell dye and Cain liue Finally the persecution of sathan our aduersary perswaded the death of christ his Apostles and martyres and their true successours all for this article But euer Christ got victorie and triumphed by his word only In so much as he got victorie of the deuill hell and death of the lawe sinne the world and the fleshe through his death and resurrection So by faith in his bloud al the Prophets Apostles martyres confessors with their bloud haue watered the Church and haue left a sure testimonie to vs for confirmation of this article that in the bloud of christ and not in their owne bloud workes or deedes they are made safe and haue gotten the realme of heauen conquest and purchased to them by Christ and not by them selfes nor their merites The which confession is the cause that the godly ar euer persecuted by the wicked So let Abell dye and Cain liue that is our lawe THE XI CHAP. 1 How sathan hath deceaued the worlde after Christ and wherewith he hath cled him 2 An euident argument showing them which this daye are called bishoppes to be the church malignant 3 An exhortation to them which enter in the church by the Popes authoritie aend of his power to make bishops 4 Wherein the wicked Iewes gloried and wherein the Pope his kingdome NOw our aduersary perceauing by the death of Christ that the promise made in Paradise was fulfilled and his head troaden down that is his power strēgth by the sheding of the bloud of Christ this article of iustificatiō laid so abroad the church of christ is so strongly edged with the same that all his imaginatiōs with the which he deceaued mankind had no place to peruert the perfite faith Then inuented he a new maner of habite which hee founde in the same church amongst the slouthfull ministers whome by processe of time seeing them idle not occupied in the reading teaching and preaching of the scriptures hee prouoked to inuent workes of their own conceite And also to abuse the holy sacramentes and good workes of God with vaine superstitions the which they call good workes And by this meanes he hath so drawen them from faith that they knowe not what the same is nor what Christ is but as it were a Theefe hanged vpon a gallous or gibbit innocētly or like another maner of prophane history of Hector or of the great Alexander And therefore hath prouoked them to pursue this Article more cruelly then euer it was pursued from the beginning of the worde Them selfes by worde confessinge the same with their mouth reading singing and of their maner dayly teaching and preaching the same And yet neuerthelesse dayly burning killing banishing the true faithful preachers of the said article confessours therof And so euer shall Abell dye and Cain liue that is our lawe say they Our said aduersarie that he should not be perceaued hath transformed him selfe in to an Angell of light
rewarde is not impute according to grace or mercy but according to debt But to him which worketh not that is confideth not in his own merites but beleeueth in him which iustifieth the wicked his faith is compted to him for righteousnesse according to the purpose of the mercy of God And that without workes For the probation and sure vnderstanding of this assertion yee shall reade the whole 4. Chap. Rom. the 15. of Gene. the 2.3 and 4. Galath and 2. to the Ephe. which wordes shalbe showen in this subsequent Chapter THE XVIII CHAP. 1 The cause wherefore God loueth vs. 2 Whereby commeth the heritage 3 The constance of Abraham in faith and his obedience 4 Iesus Christ payeth for vs that which the law requireth 5 Who spoileth Christ of his office BY grace yee are made safe by faith and not of your selues It is the gift of God not of workes that no man reioyse we are his handywork created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes the which god hath prepared that we should walke in them Verily these wordes are worthy to be written in letters of golde and euer imprented in the hart of man because they cōteine the whole somme of the Euāgell of Christ. And also exclude all the vaine sophisticall argumentes made contrarie this article of iustification because in this Epistle there is no question of the law as in the Epist to the Rom. and Galath But it is written to the gentiles being confirmed in the faith And also perseuering thereunto whome the Apostle certifieth of their iustificatiō in the first thre Chap. And then setteth forth to the end of the Epist. the workes of righteousnes in the which true Christians should liue according to their vocation vpon the which wordes I will make some short declaration according to the scriptures By grace ye are made safe That is by the grace mercy of God and aboundant loue he hath to mankinde because hee hath made vs hee would not wee should perishe For hee loueth his owne worke Hee saith I will not the death of a Sinner but that hee conuert and liue hee made vs that hee should loue vs for no mā hateth or inuyeth his own worke This grace we get by faith in Iesus christ the which is not our worke but the gift of God For wee are not of our selues able or sufficient as of our selues to thinke a good thought but all our abilitie is of god as the Apostle saith the seconde Epistle to the Corinth the thirde Chapter and Galath the third Chapter if the heritage bee of the lawe then it is not of the promisse but by the promisse god gaue it to Abraham Ismaell and Esaw which were the eldest Sonnes who succeeded not to the heritage but Isaac and Iacob whiche were heires of the promisse succeeded Wee are not made safe through workes that none should glorie because god will not haue vs reioysing in our selues in any parte of his giftes as the Apostle saith What hast thou that thou hast not receaued And if thou hast receaued it why reioysest thou more then thou haddest not receaued it Ye see works excluded forth of this Article that man hath no matter to glorie but to referre all the glorie vnto god as is before rehearsed And that man hath nothing to glorie into but in the crosse of Iesu Christ by whome wee should crucifie the worlde to vs. That is wee should esteeme all that is in the worlde wicked as the Apostle sayth to the Galathians the sixt Chapter Yee shall not meruell that our saluatioun is ascribed and attribute to the mercy of God through faith excluding all workes because the reasoun is here showen by the Apostle in these wordes For we are the handyworke of God created in Iesus Christ vnto good workes That is forsomuch as we liue haue life and vnderstanding and beleeue it is of God and not of our selues because hee is our maker Creator why should the earthen or clay pot extoll the self against the potter of whom it hath all which it hath or the branche against the tree of which it hath all the substāce to bring forth the fruite as Christ giueth the parable in the Euangell of Saint Iohn the 15. chapter the which yee shall reade that yee may vnderstande the wordes of Christ and similitude in the whiche the Father is declared to bee the Husbandman or the Labourer and Christ the wine tree vs christians to be the branches or the Bearers for the branche hath two offices the one is if it remaine with the tree fresh and greene it bringeth forth good fruite of the substance of the tree and not of thee self The other is if it wither bring forth no fruite it must be cut of brint Therfore if thou wilbe a christian and remaine in Christ by faith euer ioyned to him thou shalt bring forth good fruite of his substance and not of thyne of the which the glory perteineth to him and not to thee And if thou will be the withered branche that is wicked bring furth no fruite thou art prepared for the fire there to serue with the Deuill and his Angels And this is sure if thou wilt either glorie in thy works or yet that thou art thy own Sauiour or any part thereof as concerning this article of iustification But to remaine in Christ by faith and suffer him to worke in thee which thou doest whē thou workest the workes commanded in the Scriptures of God and attributs them to Christ to be his workes working in thee Then shall he make thy imperfection perfite that nether the deuil nor the law dare accuse them because they are the workes of Christ and for his sake receaued of the father by faith So their is heir no thing to the to glory of but to say with the Ap. He that wil glorie let him glorie in the lord c. This glory of works is excluded by the law of faith of the which law the Apost maketh mention saying The law of the spirite of life in Christ Iesu hath delyuered me frō the law of sinne death That is the mercy of god the gift of the holy spirit remission of sinnes euerlasting life purchased to vs through faith in Christ by the which we liue in ryghteousnes free frō sinne death so it is caled the law of faith which excludeth all glory of works because we receaue and giue no thing but glory and honour vnto god which is the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing In this we should liue in righteousnes worke the workes of god not become thrall again to sin death frō the which we ar freed freely without our merits or deseruings through faith in the bloud of Christ our Sauiour and aduocate Therefore let vs cōclud with the Apost establish for an infallible cōclusion mā to be made iust by faith without
iust no common weale might bee conserued and kept in rule and order but all would run to confusion Therefore are Princes and higher powers commanded of God to be obeyed as his good worke for they ar the ministers of God vnto good Neuerthelesse yee shall neuer finde man so iust in fulfilling this iustice but the lawe of nature shall accuse him that hee hath not done his whole duetie whiche the same requireth Neither the Prince to the Subiect nor the Subiect to the Prince nor equall to equall that is Neighbour to Neighboure The knowledge of this lawe of nature is borne with man prented in his harte with the finger of God And therefore let euery man consider his owne estate and hee shall perceaue that if god wil accuse him with this law he shall not be found iust because of the deedes of the law no flesh shalbe found iust before God Notwithstanding hee which doth the deedes of this law and is obedient thereto in doing and leauing vndone according to the external works is so reakoned iust before mā and liueth in the same and therefore hath the name of iustice The Ceremoniall Iustice is the obedience and fulfilling of the Statutes ordinances and traditions of man made by the bishop of Rome and other bishops Counsels Schoolemaisters and Householders for good rule and order and maners to bee kept in the church schooles and families This is a good work and necessarie to be had with these conditions that is that they be made not repugnāt to the law of god that through keping of them no man thinke him the holyer before god nor yet therefore to obteine remission of sinnes or to bee found righttuous before god Nor yet that the same may bind or oblish any mā to the obseruing of them vnder the paine of deadly sinne Neuerthelesse how well that euer ye obserue or keep them that is this law Ceremoniall ye shall not bee found iust there through before God becaus of the deedes of the lawe no flesh shalbe found iust before him The Iustice of the law morall or Moy. law which is the law of God exceedeth is far aboue the other two iustices It is the perfite obedience required of mā according to all the works and deeds of the same Not only in externall and outward deed but also with the inward affections and motions of the hart conforme to the commandement of the same saying Thou shalt loue thy lord god with all thy hart with all thy mind with all thy power and strength And thy neighbour as thy selfe This is no other thing but the law of nature prented in the hart of man in the beginning nowe made patent by the mouth of god to man to vtter his sin and make his corrupted nature more patent to him selfe And so is the lawe of nature and the lawe of Moyses ioyned together in a knot which is a doctrine teaching all men a perfite rule to know what he should do and what he should leaue vndone both to god and his neighbour The Iustice of the lawe is to fulfill the law That is to doo the perfite workes of the lawe as they are required from the bottome of the hart And as they are declared expounded by Christ and who soeuer transgresseth the same shall neuer be pronounced iust of the law But there was neuer man that fulfilled this lawe to the vttermost perfection thereof except onely Iesus Christ. Therefore in the lawe can we not finde our iustice because of the deedes of the lawe no fleshe shalbe made iust before God For the probation hereof wee will showe the aucthorities of the Scripture frō the beginning how the most holy fathers were trāsgressours of the law And therefore could neuer be made righteous by the same and if they which were most holy could not be foūd iust by the deeds of the law much lesse may the wicked be pronounced iust by the same Therefore wee must take this conclusion with the Apostle S. Paule All haue sinned haue neede or are destitute of the glorye of God And are made iust freely by grace through faith in the bloud of Iesus christ Adam first in the paradise transgressed the law and therefore the same accused him and condempned him and all his posteritie as rebels and transgressours of the same to the death Neuertheles the law remaineth still holy iust and good requiring the same holynesse Iustice and goodnesse of vs as testified S. P. Roma 7 And because wee doo not the same the lawe euer accused vs and pronounced vs rebelles and transgressours as our forefather Adam was Who might neuer be pronounced iust by the law becaus of the deeds of the law no flesh shal be made iust before god seeing all mē gotten by naturall propagatiō hath descended of Adam he is corrupted and rebel to the law as Adam was For he might get no better sonnes nor his nature was This corruption is so infixt in the nature of man that hee is neuer cleane purged thereof so long as this mortall body of sin the spirit remaineth together and this is the cause why wee fulfill not the lawe in the pure and cleane forme as the same requireth the deedes thereof to be done For this cause S.P. sayeth Nowe I worke not this euill but the sinne which dwelleth in me for I know ther dwelleth in me that is in my flesh no good for the good which I would that doo I not but the euill which I would not that doo I as Paule wold say so rebellous is my wicked nature to the affections of my spirit that the very things which I know good and would doo for weakenes may I not complete I would loue feare honor and thanke God with all my hart and all my strength and adheere to his promis in euery houre and all tribulation but by the wicked fleshe I am impedite to doo the same For howbeit I haue feare and loue begun into me yet are naturall securite and concupiscence impedimēts that they be not pure and perfite as the law requireth and albeit I haue faith begun in me which teacheth that God is true in al his promisses Yet natural dubitatiō and imbecillity causeth me frequently to doubt if God shall deliuer And so murmurs sometime the fleshe and loues not God withall the hart Here my hartes ye may learne at the Apost to know this corruption of nature For he giues the example in himselfe and in no other teaching euery one of vs to iudge our selfe and not our neighbour This corruptiō of nature is called originall sinne which is the wanting of originall iustice that should haue beene in man according to his first creation This corruption of nature followed the fall of Adam in all men that the nature of mā may not truely obey the lawe of god nor fulfill the same for the inherent faultes and concupiscence in the hart of man engendred of
the disciples the which neither wee nor our Fathers might beare but by the mercy of Iesus Christ we beleeue to be made safe as they were And S. August in the 157. Epist. saith Therefore if the fathers being vnable to beare the yoke of the old lawe beleeued them to be made safe by the mercy of our lord Iesu Christ It is manifest that the same mercy or grace made the old fathers to liue iust by faith Now ye may see clearely that the old fathers were all made safe through the mercy of God without all the deedes of the law Then how will you make your selfe safe with workes which neuer did so good workes as the fathers So there can bee no better conclusion to exclude your workes in the article of iustificatiō then S. P. maketh saying that a man is made iust by faith without the deedes of the law Therefore faith onely iustifieth before god Ye shall vnderstand that it is all one thing to say faith onely iustifieth And to saye faith without workes iustifieth As by example if one saye the goodman is in the house alone or he is in the house without anybody with him This is all one maner of speaking The scripture saith mā is made iust by faith without the workes of the law Therefore we may well say that faith onely iustifieth For confirmation hereof yee shall reade the 2. Chapter to the Hebre. before rehearsed in the which yee shall finde the histories briefly repeated by the Apost testifiing the fathers to bee made safe by faith referring nothing to workes except onely that the workes beare a outwarde testimonie of the faith Abell by faith or in faith offered to god a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain did by the which hee obteined witnesse that hee was iust god bearing witnesse of the offerings and by the same hitherto speaketh being dead God looketh first to the hart of man before hee looke to his workes as testifieth the voyce of God saying I iudge not after the sight of man For hee seeth the thing whiche appeareth outwardly But I beholde the hart That is the man is first made iust by faith And accepted in the fauour of God as Abell was And then his workes are acceptable and please God because they are wrought in faith That it is the mind of the Apost S. P. to exclude all workes either going before or following faith to bee of the substance of the Article of iustification proued clearely the arguments and matters of his Epist. Specially to the Rom. Galath Hebre. In the which he laboureth so diligently that all the Sophistes and workers that are Iustifiers of themselfes may not get a corner to hyde them into from his conclusions without they deny Christ and his office At the least in effect as they doo after their maner But the wisedome of god and his holy spirite deceaueth them for when they wrest and throwe the scriptures to their minde in one place they are compelled in another place of the same Scripture to confesse them selfes Lyers In the Epistle to the Rom. from the beginning to the 12. chap. and in the Epistle to the Galath to the 5. Chap. with all laboure and diligence he setteth forth the iustice of god to bee through faith in Iesu Christ without all workes of the lawe And when he hath established the same Article of iustification Then setteth he forth the workes of righteousnes in the which a christian mā shal liue becaus the iust shal liue in faith This order ye may see in the saide Epistles and in the Epist. to the Hebre. hee declareth the office of Christ his priesthood and sacrifice and giueth faith her place the 11. Chap. All his laboure was to exclude the mixtion which now these fained workers would haue ioyned in with faith and the benefite of Christ which is no other thing but the worke of the deuil our aduersary to make the death of christ in vaine as the Apost sayth Therefore if iustice be of the law or by the law christs death is in vaine But thinke not that I intende through these assertions to exclude good works No god forbid for good workes are the gift of god and his good creatures And ought and should be done of a christian as shalbe showen hereafter at length in their place But in this article of iustification yee must either exclude all workes or els exclude Christ from you and make your selfes iust the which is impossible to do because we are wicked and can do no good at all which can be of value before God or pacifie his wrath except Christ first make our peace For that is his office for the which he came in the world and suffered death So if yee will not exclude Christ exclude your workes For in this case there is no concurrence more then there is betweene darknes light For what participation hath righteousnesse with iniquitie or what fellowship hath light with darknesse The definition of this Iustice is made plaine by S. P. Ro. the 3. Chap. which I exhort you to reade consider worde by worde conceaue and prent them well in your harts then shall ye be able to contend and fight valiātly against sathā and his sophistes of whom yee shall haue victorie by faith which is our victorie that ouercōmeth the world The iustice of god is by the faith of Iesu Christ In all and vpon all which beleeue in him there is no distinctiō or exception All haue sinned and haue need or are destitute of the glorie of god But they are made iust by his mercy freely without the workes by the redemption which is in Christ Iesu whome god hath proponed or layd before a sacrifice or satisfactiō by faith in his bloud to the forthshowing of his iustice for remissiō of the sinnes by past the which god hath suffered to the forthshowing of his righteousnes at this time that hee may be iust and iustifie him which is of the faith of Iesu Christ. Where thē is thy glorie or vanting it is excluded by what law of works No but by the law of faith Therfore we beleeue surely a man to be made iust by faith without the deedes of the law Now I pray you tell me what plainer words may be spokē or termes inuēted to exclude all our works merites or power to be participant with god in this article of iustification They are as plaine and cleare as the sonne in midday Neuerthelesse because the wordes are so pretious and necessarie aboue all things to be imprented and continually keeped in the hart of man I will make some declaration of euery part and particle of this definition And proue by authoritie of scripture this iustice of god by the which a man is made iust to be without all works or power of mā only by faith in the mercy of god Of this Iustice Dau. speaketh saying lead me in thy iustice O lord because
all to himself saying Come vnto me all yee which labour and are laden with sinne and I shall refresh you And Peter saith there is no saluation but in Iesu Christ Nor no other name giuen vnder heauen by the which mā may obteine saluation Therfore sithēs no other may saue but he we should put all our trust hope in him and in his mercy only and neither in the law nor works for to all them which thinke they may bee safe by workes or made iust Christes death is in vaine or if there had beene giuen a lawe whiche might haue giuen life then righteousnes surely had beene of the law but it is manifest that by the law no mā is made iust before god because the iust shall liue by faith What wordes may bee more plaine then those are to exclude workes foorth of this article Now sithens the scripture teacheth vs so plainely that Christ is our Iustice our Sauiour and Redeamer satisfaction for our sinnes the ende and consommation of the lawe and hath freed vs from the lawe sinne and death and from the kingdome of Sathan our aduersarie and bought vs to the kingdome of righteousnesse without our merites or deseruinges Why will wee vsurpe his office to our selues and spoile Christ of his glorie or be come thrall againe to that thing from the which Christ hath freed vs. The which we do if we wilbe participāt with Christ in the making of our selues iust or mixt any workes with the article of iustication THE XIX CHAP. 1 As the good tree beareth good fruite so the good man worketh good workes 2 But as the fruit maketh not the tree good So workes make not the man iust 3 For as the tree is before the fruite So the mā is iust before the work be good 4 The cause why wee should worke good workes 5 The Captaines in the kingdome of christ his subiectes and reward and of his aduersarie Sathan THis faith which only iustifieth and giueth life is not idle nor remaineth alone Neuertheles it alone iustifieth And then it workes by charitie For vnfained faith may no more abyde Idle from working in loue then the good tree may from bringing foorth her fruite in due time and yet the fruite is not the cause of the tree nor maketh the tree good but the tree is the cause of the fruite and the good tree bringeth foorth good fruite by the which it is knowen goode Euen so it is of the faithfull man the workes make him not faithfull nor iust nor yet are the cause thereof But the faithfull and iust man bringeth forth and maketh good works to the honor glorie of God profit of his neighbour which beare witnesse of his inward faith and testifie him to be iust before man Therefore yee must be iust and good or euer yee worke good workes for Christ sayeth may yee gather grapes of thornes or figges of thrisles no no it is contrary theire nature Euen so it is with man till hee be made iust by faith as it is before writtin Hee may neuer doe a good worke but what euer hee doeth is sinne for al which is not of faith is sinne and christ sayeth to the Pharisies how can yee speake good while yee ar yet euill Therefore or euer we speak good or do good we must be made good that by the mercy of god through faith in christ without al our deseruings Then shal we worke al good works in the kingdome of Christ as his faithfull subiects There is two kingdomes two kinde of subiects which are direct contrary to other because there princes ar as cōtrary as ar light darkenes That is to say the kingdome of Christ and the kingdom of the Deuil To the kingdom of the Deuil mā is of his owne nature a perfite subiect the sonne of ire wrath To the kingdome of Christ man is made subiect through his second birth or regeneration which is by Baptisme in the bloud of Christ. To this kingdome man is bought neither with gold nor siluer but with the precious bloud of the sonne of God Christ Iesus and so is made seruaunt to righteousnes to serue vnto life Therefore who is made iust by faith through the mercy of god and merites of Christ Iesus must in faith which is not idle but euer working in loue serue Christ and embrace him in his hart Then shall he remaine in Christ Christ in him by the which ioyning through faith sinne shall haue no dominion nor shall not rule as a prince howbeit the dregges remaine in vs. They shall not be imputed to vs if we perseuere in faith as our forefather Abr. did euer working by loue and charitie And this is the cause why we shuld work good workes because wee are bought to the kingdome of Christ in the which rule as valiant Captaines faith hope charity working euer righteousnes vnto life The kingdome of the Deuill hath thre valiant Captaines which gouerne the same that is incredulitie dispaire and enuye euer working sinne and vnrighteousnes vnto death because the reward of sinne is death In this kingdome sinne ruleth as a prince hauing dominiō therefore if ye will serue sinne and obeye the same ye are seruants to that thing which ye obeye whither it be of sin vnto death or righteousnes vnto life But Christ hath redeamed vs and bought vs from this Realme that euen as Christ hath risen from death to the glorie of the Father right so we should liue in a new life and let not sin haue more dominion ouer vs. There is no mā so foolish who wil thinke he being deliuered of a vile prisō by the grace and mercy of a great Prince and brought to serue in his hall so made tēder to the prince that he is made participant of his sonnes heritage will say I will passe againe to prison because he is not a part of his owne deliuerance Verily it is euē so of their sayings which say I wil do no good becaus christ hath deliuered me And being deliuered I will sin and follow all libertie of flesh Wherfore should I do any good workes sithens Christ hath redeamed me without my deseruings My hartes ye which obiect these sayinges reade the scriptures and yee shall finde another lesson taught you And attend vpon your Schoolemaister which is the holy spirite who shall teach you the right waye that yee passe neither to the right hād nor to the wrōg but the right kingly way That is to confesse and euer haue prented in your hartes that by faith onely of the mercy and grace of god yee are made safe And then followe the example of our Lorde Iesus Christ giuing your whole studie and cure to loue charitie and all maner of righteous liuing to the glorie of god profit of your neighbour Not that there through ye ar made safe but that ye may be found
works by the which they should seeke iustificatiō neglecting true faith Whiche pestilent workes so hath abolished the effect of perfite faith that they which are called bishops vnderstand nothing thereof but pursue all them which truely preache or defende the same by the which they showe them selues the Church malignant For the chosen neuer pursue but euer is pursued The sommarie of the twelfth Chapter IVstice in generall is an outward obedience or honestie which a man may performe of his owne power And is deuided in the iustice of man that is which cōmeth of the law which mā maketh And in the iustice of the law of god The iustice of man is deuided in politick and Ceremoniall Politicke iustice is an obedience which the inferiour estate giueth to their superiour which should be keept because it is the command of God that princes be obeyed Ceremoniall iustice is the obseruing of statutes and traditions commanded by the Bishope of Rome counsels or Shoolemaisters which ar to be keept so that they repung not to the law of god nor yet that by thē men seeke remission of sinns The iustice of the Law of God is to fulfill the same as it requireth that is to loue feare serue and honour god with all thy harte and strenght thereof Which because no creature in earth doeth there is no man iustified by the workes of the Law for in all man Iesus Christ excepted is found sinne as proue the examples of Abraham Moyses Noe and vthers most holie fathers in whom all sinne was found For by the transgression of Adam all his posteritie became rebels to the Lawe And are compelled to pray with Dauid Enter not in iudgement with thy seruaunt O Lord for in thy sight no liuing creature shalbe found iust The sommary of the xiij chap. SEing thē our forefathers were not iust by the law nor workes thereof of necessitie must we seeke the iustice of another that is of Iesus Christ which the law may not accuse In whom if we beleeue we ar receaued in the fauour of god accepted as iust without our merits or deseruinges But here obiecte the wicked as their vse is when any thing transcendeth their capacitie in vnderstanding these questiones First wherefore gaue God the Law if man may not fulfill the same Secōdly wherefore shuld we work good works seing by them we are not made iust thirdly whereby were the fathers made iust The sommary of the 14. Chap. FOr vnderstanding of the first question man should learne to know god as hee is declared in the Scripture That is to know him creator and maker of all which also made all his creatures in their first creation good and perfite who not onely gaue a law to man but also to the rest of his creatures as to beasts Sunne Moone sea and elements That thereby he might be glorified knowē Lord. And so to man hee gaue a Lawe to the effect he should know his maker and obey him Which Law when Adam transgressed he lost his perfection and righteousnesse And so the cause why mā may not fulfil the law is that the law remaineth in the owne perfection in the which it was first created by god but mā by his disobedience and foolishnesse fell from his perfectiō And therefore should he accuse him selfe and not god that he may not fulfill the law which is perfite The sommary of the 15. Chap. IN Adam after his transgression remained a litle of that knowledge and power with the which he was indewed by god from him it descēded in his posteritie whereby man may worke the outward workes of the Lawe But the whole obedience thereto giueth no mā For these wordes proue all man Iesus Christ excepted to be sinners by the law Of the deedes of the law shall no fleshe be iustified before god Which wordes Sophistes would abolish saying Paull speaketh of the Ceremoniall law and not of the morall or law of nature but the plaine wordes of Paull proue them to be lyers He sayeth The law speaketh to all which are vnder the Law And all men is vnder the law morall And therefore Paull speaketh of the lawe morall which condemneth al man Iesus Christ excepted The sommarie of the 16 Chap. THe iustice which is acceptable before god hath diuerse names first it is called the iustice of god becaus it proceedeth onely of the mercy of god secōdly it is called the iustice of faith because faith is the instrumēt whereby we apprehēd the mercy of god And last it is called iustice becaus by faith in christ it is giuē vs freely without our deseruings but euē as the dry earth receaueth the raine but all deseruinges of the self So receaue we the iustice which is of value before god without all our workes but yet we must suffer god to worke in vs. And this iustice is plainly reuealed in the euāgel frō faith to faith That is wee should continue in this faith all our life For the iust liue by faith euer trusting to obteine that which is promissed whiche is eternall life promissed to vs by Iesus Christ. The sommarie of the 17. Chap. THe faith of the fathers before Christs comming in the flesh and ours in the new testament was and is one thing For they beleeued them to stande in the fauour of god by reason of that promissed seede which was to come whome wee beleeue is come already and hath fulfilled all which was spoken of him in the law and prophets By this faith were the fathers made safe without all their works as testifieth Peter And where our aduersaries aske them what auailed workes We answere that works are an outward testimony to faith by which only man is first made iust therafter his works pleas God because the persone is acceptable And so no godly man forbiddeth good workes but of necessitie must they bee excluded from the iustification of man For Paull saith if iustice bee of the lawe Christs death is in vaine For albeit iustice sometime be ascribeth to man that is not because it proceedeth of man but because it is giuen to man freely by god like as our faith is called the faith of Iesus Christ because by him we are repute iust for he is made to vs from god wisedome iustice holynes and redemption And so all the scripture testifieth vs to bee made iust freely by the mercy of God that all glory may be giuē to him And therefore who maked workes a part of their owne iustification spoile god of his glorie The sommarie of the 18. Chap. GOD loueth vs because wee are his own handywork created vnto good works in christ Iesus In whom we remaine as branches in the wine roote bringing forth good fruites not of our owne strenght but of the power of the spirite of Iesus christ remaining in vs by true faith which works the law may not cōdemne becaus they are the works of Iesus christ and not ours And so the glorie of works is