and lacke the prayse that is of valoure before God but are iustified frely by his grace thorow the redemption that is in Christ Iesu whom God hath made an seate of mercy thorow faith in his bloud to shewe the righteuesnes which before hym is of valoure in that he forgeueth the synnes that are passhed which God did sofre to sheue at this tyme the righteuesnes that is alowed of hym that he myght be counted iuste and an iustifiar of hym that beleuith on Iesus Christ Where is then thy reioysinge it is excludet By what lawe by the lawe of workes naye but by the lawe of faith We suppose therfore that an man is iustified by faith without the deades of the lawe Ys he God of the iewes only ys he not the God also of the gentyls he is no dout God also of the gentyls for it is God only which iustified circumcision which of faith and vncircumcisioÌ„ thorow faith ¶ Yf Abraham were iustified by deades then hath he wherin to reioyce but not with God For what saith the scripture Abraham beleued God and it was counted vnto hym for righteuesnes ¶ To hym that worketh the rewarde is not reckened of fauour but of duety To hym that worketh not but beleueth on hym that iustified the vngodly is faith reckened for righteuesnes Euen as Dauid describeth the blessed fulnes of an man vnto whom God ascribeth righteuesnes without deades Blessed are they whose vnrighteuesnes is forgeuen and whose synnes are couered blessed is that man to whom the lorde imputeth not synne Cam this blessednes then apon the circumcised or apon the vncircuÌ„cised we saye verely howe yat faith was reckened to AbrahaÌ„ for righteuesnes Howe was it reckened In the time of circumcicision or in the time before he was circumcised Not in the time of circumcision but when he was yet vncircumcised And he receaued the signe of circumcision as an seale of that righteuesnes which is by faith which faith he had yet beynge vncircumcised That he shulde be the father of all them that beleue thougt they be not circumcised that righteuesnes myght be imputed to them also Abraham was made stronge in the faith and gaue honour to God and stedfastly beleued that he which had made the promes was able also to make it good and therfore was it reckened to hym for righteuesnes It is not written for hym only that it was reckened to hyme for righteuesnes but also for vs to whom it shal be counted for righteuesnes so we beleue on hym that reysed vppe Iesus the lorde froÌ„ deeth As saith Paul be cause that we are iustified by faith we are at peace with God thorow oure lorde Iesus Christ The GeÌ„tils which foloweth not righteuesnes haue ouer takeÌ„ righteuesnes I meane ye righteuesnes which coÌ„meth of faith But Israel which foloweth the lawe of righteuesnes coulde not attayne vnto y e lawe of righteuesnes And wherfore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the workes of the lawe For they haue stombled at the stomblinge stone As it is writteÌ„ Beholde I put in SyoÌ„ an stomblinge stone and an rocke on which shal men faule none that beleue on hym shal be ashamed I beare Israel recorde sayth Paul that they haue an feruent mynde to God warde but not accordinge to knouledge For they are ignoraunt of the righteuesnes which is aloued before God aÌ„d goo about to stablisshe their aune righteuesnes And therfore are not obedient vnto the righteuesnes which is of value before God For Christ is the ende of the lawe to iustifie all that beleue aÌ„d in y e same chap. saith he The beleue of y e herte iustified And in an other place We knowe y t no man is iustified by the deades of lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ and we haue beleuet on Iesus Christ that we myght be iustified by y e faith of Christ and noth by the deades of the lawe Abraham beleued God and it was counted vnto hym for righteuesnes vnderstonde therfore that they which are of faith are the childerne of Abraham The scripture sawe afore honde that God wolde iustifie the gentils thorow the mouthes of lyons quenched the violence â—f fyre eschaped the edge of the swearde of weake were made stronge woxet valient in fyght turned to flyght the armees of the alientis The wemen receaued their deed to lyfe agayne wother were racked and wolde not be deliuered y t they myght receaue a better resurrectioÌ„ Wother tasied of mochingis and scourgyndis moreower of bondes and presonment were stoned were heawen a sunder were tempted were slayne with sweardes walked vppe and doune in shepes skynnes in gotes skynnes in nede tribulacion and vexation which the worlde was not worthy of They wandred in wildernes in mountaynes in dens and cayes of the erth And these all thoroue faith obteyned good reporte and receaued not the promes God prouidinge an better thinge for vs that they without vs shulde not be made perfect Belowed bethren it is writteÌ„ The eyes of the lorde beholdeth faith that is to saye The lorde taketh pleasure of faith and faueours them in whom he findeth faith aÌ„d imputed not their synnes vnto them for the pleasure which he hath of their faith he loket not to their synnes but he loketh to their faith as saith y e scripture Dearly beloued this faith where of I speake is not fayned faith nether deed faith nether infruteful faith which taketh name after y e opinioÌ„ of meÌ„ but it is perfect faith quycke lyuinge faith which worketh y e pleasure of God froÌ„ y e herte of poore lowe This faith is not had be y e deuils nether by wicked vngodly meÌ„ but by y e saynctes of God yee the childerne and heyres of God Whom he had called vnto the supper of lyfe Nether mo the man which had this faith consent to do any thinge agaynst ye lawe of God for his herte is so vppe lyfted thorowe lowe y t he foryettes his awne profit and pleasure and continually seketh the pleasure of God aÌ„d the profit of his brethreÌ„ This faith is callit the faith of the Gospell and it is an sure confidence or trust in God that he is faithful and wil without any dout fulfil they thinges which he of his greate mercy hath promised vnto vs in Christ Ensample we haue of faithful Abraham whois faith was couÌ„ted vnto hym for righteuesnes And his faith was an sure confidence or trust in the promes of God as saith Paul Abraham coÌ„trary to hope beleued in hope that he shulde be the father of many nacions accordinge to that which was spoken So shal thy seed be and he faynted not in the faith nor yet consideret hys aune body which was nowe deed euen when he was almost an hondred yeare olde Nether coÌ„sidered he the barenes of Sara He staâ—kered not at the promes of God
thorowe vnbelefe but was made stronge in the faith and gaue honour to God and stedfastly beleued that he which hath made the promes was able also to make it good and therfore was it reckened to hym for righteuesnes It is not written for hym only that it was reckened to hym for righteuesnes but also for vs to whom it shal be counted for righteuesnes so we beleue on hym that reysed vppe Iesus oure lorde from deeth Here Paul shewet what faith was in oure father Abraham we shulde beleue in hope contrary to hope as did Abraham which contrary the hope of his natural strength or powere belewed in the strength and powere of God infulfilliÌ„ge his promes So shulde we beleue surly to obteyne they thinges which God hath promised to vs thought they be vnpoâ—sible to vs to obteyne them after oure naturall weake powere God hath promised to vs eternall life which is vnpossible to vs to obteyne after oure weake naturall powere because we are synners yet thougt it be vnpossible to vs to obteyne it of oure sylfes because we are sinful It is not vnpossible to God to geue it to vs accordinge to his promes Therfore let vs with Abraham beleue in hope aboue hope in Gods righteuesnes aboue oure vnrighteuesnes In gods trueth aboue oure lyes In Gods mercy aboue oure synfulnes In Gods power aboue oure weaknes Let vs haue faith with Abraham in gods promyses And we shall reioy with Abraham in receawinge of thesame thynges promysed This faith is not knoweÌ„ of the worlde nether be y e naturall man it for it is an super naturall gyfte geuen vnto man frely by god As saith Paul ye are made saue by faueoure throwe faith and that not of youre sylfes for it is the gyfte of god and commeth not of workes lest any man shulde bost hym sylfe Belowed brethern sen ye mo not haue this faith of youre sylfes but it is an excelleÌ„t gyfte of god mother of all godly virtue which he of his kyndnes mercy geweth vnto you frely Therfore crye with the Apostles vnto y e lorde to increase youre faith And with the man which hath the possessed sonne which sayde o lorde i beleue sucker myne vnbelefe That god seen ge youre powerte in the sprite and takynge heed to youre peteous complayne mo graunt youre peticion and make you rych by his precious gyfte of faith And not only seke ye youre awne health but the health of youre brethern prayeÌ„ge to god to sent faith on the erthaâ—d plant it in all quarters y t all nacion maye prayse god which only hath immortalite and duellit in light that no man maye attayne whom newere man sawe nether cane se vnto whom be honour and rule euerelastinge Amen ¶ Of vnfaithfulnes DEarly belowed brethern vnfaithfulnes is the mother of allwice aÌ„d synne for it bryngeth forth all kynde of synne euil Lyke wise as euil frute coÌ„meth of an euil tree So of vnfaithfulnes commeth no thynge but euil As aduoâ—rie fornication vnclemes wantaÌ„nes ydolatrie witchecraft hatred zele wraâ—th stryfe sedition partetakinges enuyinge murther dronckennes glottony and soche lyke â–ª As saith oure saueoure an euil man out of the euil treasure of his hert bryngeth forth euil thynges This euil treasure is vnfaithfulnes which bryngeth forth all kynde of euil and synne be which cause it is only before God reckened synne as saith oure saueoure The holy goost wheÌ„ he shal come shal rebuke y e worlde of synne be cause they beleue not on me And it maketh an man worthy of eternall damnation as it is writen Whosoeuer beleueth not shal be dampâ—ct And in a nother place Héth at beleueth not is condeÌ„pned already This vnfaithfulnes maketh god to hat vs as saith the scripture The wraeth of God commeth apon the chyldren of vnbelefe And in a nother place saith Ihon the baptiser He that beleueth not the sonne shall not se lyfe but the wraeth of God abydeth on hym Vnfaithfulnes is no other thynge but lackynge of faith euen as darknes is but the lackynge of lyght So the vnfaithful lacketh faith aÌ„d be y e same cause al that coÌ„meth of faith as hope lowe ioy peace longe sofferynge geÌ„tlenes goodnes kepynge of promes meknes teÌ„peraunce ce And in steade of them is full of allwice as vane presumption hatred dispare and all abhomination Nether is it possible to hym to lowe god or his brethreÌ„ nor to do any thynge pleasesynge to god For whatsoeuer coÌ„meth not of faith y e same is synne For he is by nature euil and perceaueth not y e thynges of y e sprite of God for they are but folishnes vnto hym He is blynde and knoweth not where hence he goo but is led by y e power of darknes Of y e vnfaithful saith Paul Yf oure gospell yet be hid it is hid amonge theÌ„ y t are lost in whom the God of this worlde hath blynded y e myndes of theÌ„ which beleue not lest shulde shyne vnto theÌ„ y e light of y e glorious gospell of christe which is y e ymage of God and in a nother place The vnfaithfull is lyke y e wawes of the see tost of the wynde and caried wyth violence nether let that man thynke that he shal receaue any thynge of God A wauerynge mynded man is vnstable in all his wayes Belowed brethern this i saye not to youre rebuke but to theyrs whosoeuer lacketh faith which shal be knowen and iudget of the faithful by they re frutes As saith oure saueoure Ye shal knowe them by they re frutes Herefor study and labour that ye be not found vnfrutefull but that youre vnfayned faith mo be knowen by her frutes and youre brethern mo see her frutes and glorify youre father which is in heuen For there is many of whom alace with sorowe i coÌ„playne That confesse that they knowe God but with deades they denie hym and are abhominable and disobedyent and vnto all good workes discommendable They do shayme so moch as is in theÌ„ to oure moste holy faith They seke in all thynges the libertie of the flesshe and not the prayse of the lorde nor the health of there brethern and do dishonour the gospell of God This i saye that ye knowoÌ„de soch fautes in others awoyde them from youre sylfes and behaue youre sylfis as it becommeth saynctes And beare youre frute in holynes As saith Paul Ye which beleue in god be studious â—goo forwarde in good workes This thyngis are good and profitable vnto men Folisshe questions and genealogies and braulingis and stryfe aboute the lawe awoyde for they are vnprofitable and superfluus A man that is the auctor of sectes after the first and the second amonition awoyde remembrynge that he that is soche is peruerted and synneth euen damned by his awne iudgement Of these thyngis i wolde ye were
sonne of â—an be asshamed when he cometh in the â—lorie of his father with his holy Angels Also none that layeth his honde to the plowe and loketh backe is mere for the kingdome of heuen ¶ Neuerthelesse yet yf any man haue resisted ignorauntly as did Paul let hym loke vnto the trueth which Paul wrate after he come to knouledge Also yf any man clene agenst his herte but ouercome with the weaknes of the flesshe for feare of persecution haue denied as did Peter or haue delyuered his boke to the tyrauntes or put it awaye secretlye ¶ Let hym yf he repente come agayne and take better holde and not dispare or take it for a signe that God hath forsaken hym For God oft tymes taketh his strength eueÌ„ from his very electe when they other trust in theyr awne strength or are negligente to call to hym for his strength And that doeth he to reach them and to make them feale that in the fyre of tribulation foâ— his wordes sake no thynge canne endure and abyde false his worde and that strength only which he hath premysed For which streÌ„gth he wil haue vs to praye vnto hym nyght aÌ„d daye with all instaunce Which also is able to do excedinge aboundaÌ„tly aboue all that ye are or thynke accordynge to y e power that worketh in vs vnto whom be prayse in the congregation by Iesus Christe thorowe out all generation for euer Amen Of the mortification of the fleshe BY one maÌ„ synne entred in the worlde aÌ„d deeth by the meanes of synne and so deeth went ouer all men in so moch that all men synned Dearly beloweth bretherne it is not vnknowen to you the serâ—â—tute the bondage aÌ„d the â—hialdom where vnder we were some tyme to synne Ye were ons the seruauntes of synne Ye were one darknes But thorowe the greate mercy of almyghty God we are delyuered there from by his sonne Iesus Christ So that we are deliuered froÌ„ synne and made the seruauntes ef righteuesnes but not so perfitly that ther is no sâ—nne in vs. We are deliuered thorow faith froÌ„ the wrath of God and from the vengeaunce and curse of the lawe and from the eternal deeth we haue obteyned forgyuiÌ„g of all oure synnes so that they shal not be imputeth to vs on that daye when the lorde shal come And in the sprite we are made perfect and borne a newe vnto God so that we are no seruauntes but soÌ„nes doughters But yet in oure flesshe there is sâ—me synne yee an wicked seed is sowen in oure flesshe and is so roted that it maye not be cleanly taken awaye in this present lyfe Of the which saith Ihon. Yf we shall saye that we haue no synne we deceaue oure sylfes and the trueth is not in vs. For in many thynges we synne all When we haue done all they thynges which are commanded vnto vs we are yet vnprofitable seruauntes we haue done but that which was oure duety to do This synne is this concupiscence this lust and euyl desyre which we haue in vs contraryous to the lawe of God And this concupiscence is verely synne because it is forbydden in the lawe of God which saith thou shall not concupisce or desyre And be cause it is contraryous to God and to his pleasure and will for there maye no thynge be contraryous to God but euyl and synneful thynge and this concupiscence or euyl desyre thought it be euyll and sinnefull yet we maye not awoyde it so longe we are here in the fleshe For as saith Paul the fleshe lusteth contrary to the sprite and the sprite contrary to the fleshe Theyr ar contrary one to the other so that 〈◊〉 canne not do that what ye wolde This bâ—tayl is euen in an righteous and iustified man which hath the sprite of God For the fleshe lusteth continualy agenst the sprite 〈◊〉 that an maye not do that which he woldâ— that is that he myghâ— holely and perfâ—ue hym to the seruice of God but he mayâ— not for the fleshe lusteth contrary to the sprâ—te and wyll not nor canne not be obedienâ— to the lawe of this same saith Paul The laâ—we is spirituall but I am carnall solde vnder synne because I woâ—e not what I do Here Pa. knowledgeth hym sylfe to hauâ— an carnall concupiscence or desyre in hym and thereby knowledgeth hym subdued to synne For he saith I am carnall solde vnder synne The lawe he saith also is holy aÌ„d good yee y e lawe is spiritual but I am caâ—nall solde vnder synne And when Ierâ—me my sylfe to do and fulfil that holy and spirituall lawe I fynde in me an contrariousnes to it and maye not fulfill it Whereby I knowe that I am carnall and â—â—ldâ— that is subdued vnder synne for in the flâ—she he serued the lawe of synne In my fleshe saith he I serue the lawe of synne Bâ— thought he was subdued to the lawe of syâ—ne in the fleshe yet he was fre in the sprite I serue the lawe of God saith he in the sprite And in the sprite he fought continualy agenst the synne in the fleshe and wolde alwayes haue had it awaye And because he 〈◊〉 no meanes culde get it awaye he coÌ„playneth sayenge what I wolde that do I not but what I hat that do I. As he wolde saye I wolde the flesh lusteth not agenst the sprite And this concupiscence I â—at because it is euyll and yet I maye not be fre froÌ„ it TheÌ„ it foloweth Yf I do that which I wolde not I confesse to the lawe â—hat it is good So then nowe it is not I that do it but synne that dwelleth in me As he wolde saye Yf synne to the which I consent not in the sprite but hattes wolde haue it awaye abydeth in the fleshe yee worketh and lusteth agenst the lawe And I in the sprite consent to the lawe and graunteth is good and wolde fulfill it and haue awaye that synne out of the fleshe which is contrarious to the lawe thought I maye not get it awaye yet I synne not nor transsgresses not the lawe in the sprite but the synne that dwelleth in the fleshe doeth it ¶ Then it foloweth To will is present with me but I canne fynde no meanes to performe that which is good That is to saye I wolde this euyl lust and synne in the fleshe were awaye so that then were no thynge in me contrarious to the holy lawe of God but I can not get it awaye I hat it and yet it abydeth fast roteâ— in the fleshe It foloweth I fynde then by the lawe that when I wolde do good euyl is present with me Here Paul shewed that y e lawe gaue hym knouledge of synne for he had not knowen that this lust or concupiscence had bene synne excepte the lawe had said thou shall not lust or concupisce 〈◊〉 desyre Therfore he saith I fynde by the lawe that euyl that is to saye synne is