be of good comforte thou shalt be saued The lawe sayth make amendes for thy synnes The gospell sayth Christ hath made it for the. The lawe sayth the father of heuen is wroth with the. The gospel saith Christ hath pacifyed hym with his bloude The lawe saieth where is thy ryghtwysenesse goodnes and satisfaction The gospell sayeth Christ is thy ryghtwysenes thy goodnes and satisfaccion The lawe sayth thou art bounde and obliged to me to the deuel and to hell The gospel sayth christ hath delyuered the from them all ☞ Of faith FAyth is to beleue god lyke as Abraham beleued god and yt was imputed vnto him for ryghtwysenes ¶ He that beleueth God beleueth his word and who so beleueth it not beleueth not him also To beleue god is to beleue his worde and to recoūte it true that he sayeth He y t beleueth not goddes word he coūteth him false a lyer and beleueth not y t he maie will fulfill his worde and so he denyeth both the might of god and god hym selfe ¶ Fayth is the gyfte of god and not in our power Eeuery good thing is the gifte of god faith is good ergo fayth is the gifte of god The gyfte of god is not in our power fayth is the gyfte of god ergo faith is not in our power ¶ Without faith it is impossible to please God and that is done by fayth pleaseth him Al that commeth not of faith is synne for without fayth can no man please god Besydes that he that lacketh faith he trusteth not god he that trusteth not god trusteth not his worde he that trusteth not his word holdeth him false and a lyar he that holdeth him false and a lyar he beleueth not that he maye do that he promysed and so denyeth he that he is god And how can a man being of this facyon please hym No maner of way I suppose though he dyd al the dedes that euer dyd man or angell Ryght is the worde of god and al his works in fayth Lord thyne eyen loke to faith that is as moch to say as lord thou delyghtest in faith God loueth hym that beleueth in hym howe can they then displease him He that hath the faith is iust and good and a good tre bereth good frute ergo all y ◠is done in faith pleaseth GOD. Moreouer he that hath the faith beleueth god he that beleueth god beleueth his worde he that beleueth his worde woreth well that he is true and faythfull and maye not lye But knoweth that he both may and will fullfyl hys word How can he then displease him for thou cāst not do any greter honoure to god then to counte him true ¶ He that hath the fayth is certeyne that he pleaseth god For all that is done in fayth pleaseth god Fayth is a sure confidence of thinges which are hoped for and a certeinte of thinges whiche are not sene The sāe spirite certeneth our spirite y t we are y e children of god Moreouer he y e hath y e fayth wotteth well y t god wil fulfyl his worde ergo faith is a surenes A man is iustified by fayth Abraham beleued god and yt was imputed vnto hym for rghtwysenes we suppose therfore y e a man is iustified by faith without the dedes of the lawe He that worketh not but beleueth on hym that iustifieth y e vngodly his faith is counted to hym for rightwysenes The iust man lyueth by his faith We knowe that a man is not iustified by the dedes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesu Christ And we beleue in Iesu Christ that we may be iustifyed by the faith of Christ not by the dedes of the lawe Of the faith of Christ The faith of Christe is to beleue in him that is to beleue his worde and to beleue that he wyll helpe the in al thy nede and delyuer the from all euell Thou wilt aske me what worde I answere the gospell he y e beleueth ichrist shalbe saued He that beleueth the sone hath euerlastinge lyfe verely verely I saye to you he that beleueth in me hath euerlastyng life This I wryt vnto you that beleue on the name of the sonne of god y e ye may knowe how that ye haue eternal◠lyfe Thomas because thou hast sene me therefore beleueste thou happy are thei that haue not sene and yet haue beleued in me All the Propheres to hym beare wytnes that who so euer beeleueth in hym shall haue remissyon of theyr synnes What must I do y ◠I maie be saued the Apostles answered beleue in the Lorde Iesus Christe and thou shalt be saued If thou knowlege with thy mouth that Iesus is y e lorde And beleue with thyne harte that god raysed hym vp from death thou shalt be saued ¶ He that beleueth not in Christ shal bee condemned He that beleueth not shall be damned He that beleueth not the sōne shal neuer se lyfe but the ire of god abydeth hym The holy goost shall reproue the worlde of synne because they beleue not in me They that beleue in Iesu Christ are the sonnes of god Year al the sōnes of god because ye beleue in Ihesu Christ ¶ He that beleueth that Christ is the sōne of god is saued Peter sayde thou arte Christe the sonne of the lyuing god Ihesus answered and said vnto him happy art thou Symon the sonne of Ionas for flesh bloud hath not opened to the that but my father that is in heauen We haue beleued and knowe that thou arte Christ the sōne of the lyuing god I beleue that thou arte Christ the sōne of god which shulde come into the worlde These thynges are wrytten that ye might beleue y t Iesus is christ the sonne of God and that ye in belyuing mighte haue lyfe I beleue y t Iesus is the sonne of god He that beleueth God beleueth the Gospel He y t beleueth god beleueth his worde whiche is y e gospel ergo he that beleueth god beleueth y e gospel As Christ is y e sauiour of the world Christ is our sauiour Christ boughte vs w t his bloud Christ washed vs w t his bloud Christ offered hymselfe for vs. Christ bare our synnes on his owne back c. He that beleueth not the gospel beleueth not god He that beleueth not goddes word beleueth not himself for the gospel is goddes worde ergo he y t beleueth not y e gospell beleueth not god himself cōsetquēly thei that beleue not y e aboue wryttē such other beleue not god He y t beleueth the gospel shalbe saued Go ye in to al the world preche the gospel vnto euery creature he y t beleueth is baptysed shal be saued but he that beleueth not shall be condemned A comparison betwene faith vnfaithfulnes or incredulite Faythe is the rote of al good Incredulyte is the rote of all euyll
prophet Ieremye hath the lorde geuen vs a right good counsail saide Let not y e wise man reioyce in his wisdome nether the strong man in his strength nor the riche man in his riches but who so wilreioice let him reioyce in this that he vnderstandeth knoweth me For I am the lorde y t do mercy equitie and rightuousnes vpon earth This counsaill dyd the godlie Apostle Paul folowe saieng God forbyd that I shulde reioyce saue onelye in the crosse of our lorde Iesus Christ wherby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world For in the gospell also the lorde said whan ye haue done all that is commaunded you saie we are vnprofitable seruauntes we haue not done that we ought to do Therfore the godlie praise y t grace of god not bragginge of their owne merites nether trusting eny thing at all vnto them but comforte them selues in the mercie of god Finally yf we now compare both the rightuousnesse namelie of faith and of workes the one against the other we maie easely perceaue that these beynge most vnlike maie not stand together For as concernyng the rightuousnes of workes the holie Apostle Paul hath spoken Thorow the workes of the lawe shall no fleshe be iustified before god But of y e rightuousnes of faith he saieth thus Al thei are iustified that beleue And in another place he saieth The rightuousnes of faith is imputed of grace or fauour but y e rightuousnes of works is not imputed of grace or fauour but of dewti And againe he saieth Israel which folowed y e law of rightuousnes coulde not attayne to y e law of rightuousnes But y e Heithen which folowed not rightuousnes haue ouertakeÌ„ rightuousnes euen the rightuousnes which coÌ„meth of faith And immediatly geueth he a reason of the fyrst pointe and addeth therto Wherefore Euen because thei sought it not by faith but as by the workes of the lawe for thei stombled at the stombling stone Therfore remayneth it stil true and certayne that the one rightuousnes ouerthroweth the other And therfore we that teach a manne to be iustified by faith in the lorde Iesus not by workes do not peruerte y e Christian faith as our aduersaries shamfully belye vs But thei rather do ouerthrowe it that by all meanes and waies mynishe y e honour of y e faith in Christ mainteinyng that the churche or congregacion of the faithfull ar by the workes merites of men absolued from synne delyuered from damnacion and obteyne the inheritauÌ„ce of eternall life Faith is not without works and what place works haue in the church and whence they spring in vs The. 13. Chapter WIth this disputation and talke concernyng Christ the lorde who iustifieth vs by faith not by works Or concernynge faith that iustifieth without workes Many w tout all doubte wil be sore offended thinking that I set nothing by good workes and that I leaue them no place of honour in the church For thei sai if good works helpe not a man to obtayne rightuousnes then are thei nothing worth nether necessary in the church And therfore is it in vayn that good workes are so oft and many tymes menciâ—â—â—d of in holie scripture The â—â—â—stles also of the lorde the holy prophetes lose but their labour in requiring vs to exercise and declare oure faith praisyng god our father in heauen with good workes Why is the holy Apostle Iames so ernest to teach that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith onely Yf faith onelye be sufficient to obteyne saluacion what els remayneth for vs to do but euen to eat and drynke and then to saie vnto god the iudge I haue beleued thy gospel therfore saue thy seruaunt Thus is banished all vertue good lyfe and Godlynes And thus men exercise and applie them selues nomore to innoceÌ„cie of life and good maners Thei that after this sorte take the mater so euell and coÌ„playne vnderstaÌ„d nether the strength of faith nor â—â—e true order of good workes Aâ—â— as for vs we do not hold that faith is without good workes whaÌ„ we saie after the Apostle that faith iustifieth with out good workes But we knowlege and confesse that faith iustifieth with his owne strength not with y e helpe additioÌ„ of works For Christ is mightie ynough of himselfe and of his owne power to iustifie the faithfull beleuers nether nedeth he enye supplie or filling vp of our workes Faith also is not without good workes nether are Christian meÌ„s works therfore in vaine or vnprofitable because thei do not iustifie For thei haue neuertheles a very honourable place and rowme in the holie church And whaÌ„ it is sayde in y e scripture as it is oft y t they iustifie it is so spokeÌ„ of them for speciall causes Which thing to y e intent it maie y e better more perfectly be vnderstaÌ„d I will make somwhat deper rehersall of good workes bringe theÌ„ forth out of their owne fountayne and original declaring their certayne and vndoubted boundes wherby all their nature propertie maie perfectly be knowne Vpon y e name or terme I do not much passe for as euery man knoweth there be euil and vnprofitable workes workes of iniquitie wickednes y e doers wherof are called the workers of wickednes The same workes also are called the workes of the fleshe and the workes of darknes Agayne there be good workes contrarie to the other which the scripture calleth the works of repeÌ„taunce the frutes of the sprete and of light such are the offices and dueties of frendship a loue which wer coÌ„meÌ„ded iÌ„ Tabitha of whom it is said that she was full of good workes Now whaÌ„ we descrybe them we saie thei be such as are done by those that ar borne a new or regenerate out of the good sprete of god by faith acording to gods word to the praise and honour of god to the honest bewtifulnes of life and finallie to the profite coÌ„moditie of y e neighbour These are shorte wordes and therefore peraduenture vnto some thei be y e darker and more hard to vnderstande But yf the grace of god shewe vs light thei shal by the declaracion folowinge be playnlie and easelie perceaued No other fountayne of good workes can I shewe then onelie god himselfe For the prophet saith All men are lyars onelie god is true And the lorde saieth in y e gospel There is no man good but onelie god Therfore is it necessary y t good workes springe not of man who is a lyar wicked and naught but of god himselfe of whom proceadeth all that good is Neuertheles it behoueth such men as by the sprete of god and faith in the lorde Iesus are regenerate that thei hence forth work not their owne namelie carnall workes but the workes of god For the works of those that be regenerate growe and spryng of gods good sprete dwelling with in them which
e same maner of speche whan he saieth ther is no power but of god Item in y e first epistle to the Corinthiās Euen so knoweth no mā what is in god but the sprite of god And againe I shewed not my selfe forth amonge you that I knewe eny thing saue only Iesus christ that was crucified These and such like sentences innumerable in the scripture signifie nothing els then yf thou shuldest saie This onelie poynte shal open you the entraunce vnto me agayne yf ye bring your yongeste brother with you Oure eyes see but onlie Manna and nothing els Onelie that which y e lorde committeth vnto me maie I doe and speake This onelie requyreth the lorde of the y t thou loue him All power is onely of god Onelie gods sprite knoweth the thinges that are in god I haue compted my selfe to knowe onely Christ that was crucified Seynge thē it is thus vndoubtedlie and no man can denye it to be most euidently spoken also of Christ and Paul namely that no man is made lyuing iust or rightuous but by faith It is much to be wōdred that certayne famous men which will be reputed to be syngularly lerned braule chyde so vehemētlie against vs for that we saie we are iustified onelye by faith For Christ and Paul haue spoken so afore Why goe thei not to rebuke thē yf thei thinke them to haue failed therein We speake but as we haue learned out of thē the sense meaning of oure doctrine we finde in them For very childish is it y t thei obiecte Namely that this word onelie or alone is not added of them For this is euen one thing as yf a scholar wolde thinke the scholmaster had not geuen him leue to go forth whan he had asked him Syr geue ye me leue to go And he made him answere I geue And dyd not expreslie saie after the cōmen maner Yea. For either of both the saiēges geueth one vnderstāding Euen so whā thou saiest we knowe that no mā is iustified but by faith Or we knowe that a mā is iustified onelie by faith The saienges are all one meane one thing And whā it is saied that a man is iustified by faith not by workes is it not euen asmuch as to geue euident testimonye that a mā is iustified onelie by faith The Apostle saieth they are made rightuous frelie or for naught by his grace But howe can eny thinge be don frelie or for naught that is done for rewarde or worker Doubtles yf we be iustified frelie thorow the grace of Christ then is it not done by workes For in the xi chapter also saieth this Apostle Yf it be of grace thē is it not now of workes for els grace then is nomore grace but yf it be of workes then is it now no grace for els were deseruing then nomore deseruyng Therfore in the most assured trueth we knowledge be stedfastly persuaded that a Christian man is iustified by the helpe and mynistracion of onelie faith Faith standeth or leaueth vpon the grace of god and not vpon mans strength But vnto god it ascribeth altogether as I wil shortlie declare hereafter at large ¶ Iustificacion is taken not onelie from workes of the law but also from all maner of workes as frō faith in y t it is a work The. 9. Chapter IN y e fore recyted cap. cōcludth the holy Apostle the whole mater of iustificacion thus We holde therfore that a mā is iustified by faith without the workes of y e lawe And in y e fourth chapt he declareth euidently that rightuousnes is imputed vnto vs by faith not by workes meanynge not onlie the workes of the lawe but all maner of workes acordinge as he saieth also to the Ephesians By grace are ye saued thorow faith that not of youre selues It is the gift of god and commeth not of workes least eny man shulde boast himselfe For we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesu vnto good works which god ordeyned y t we shulde walke in them By grace saieth he are ye preserued or saued assuredly iustified thorow faith For faith apprehendeth laieth sure holde vpon grace And to the intēt that no body here shuld ascribe aught to the strength of man he addeth And that not of youre selues For nether grace nor faith commeth of you What then vpō y t he addeth immediatly It is the gift of god vndoubtedly that we are iustified and also that we beleue Yea he setteth yet one thing to it Not of works lest eny man shulde boast himselfe For in the prophet Ieremy also the lorde will not that eny man glory or reioyse saue onelie in his mercy Yet ther folowth a cause We ar his woorkemanship c. Why wold erth claye then lifte vp it selfe against the potter of whom he hath what he is hath And so this place doth euidently ascribe iustificacion vnto faith taketh it from workes ¶ Faith iustifieth not in y t it is a worke but in that it trusteth to the mercie of god thorow Christe The 10. Chapter ALl this shalbe yet more playn and more perfectly vnderstand and known whan I shall shewe that this iustifieng faith holdeth and beleueth y t we are accepted vnto the lord not for our selues or for our own works but for Christes sake That is faith trusteth not vnto workes or deseruinges but to the promes of god and to the merites of Christ our lord Therfore whan Paul saieth to the Romaines that Christ our lord is of god set forth vnto the world to be y e mercy seate or reconcyler thorow faith in his bloud he teacheth and declareth euidently y t faith trusteth vnto y e bloud that is vnto the death merites and redempcion of Iesus Christ And treating largelie and perfectly of this mater in the fourth chapter he wryteth thus Neuertheles it is not written onelie for him namelie Abraham that it was rekened vnto him for righteousnes But also for vs to whō it shalbe so cōpted yf we likewise beleue on him that raised vp Iesus our lorde from the dead which was delyuered vp for oure synnes raised againe for our iustificaciō With these wordes he sheweth vs two thinges The one that faith is compted vnto vs for rightuousnes The other that y e same faith leaneth and trusteth vpon the lorde Iesus Christ who dyed for vs and was raised vp agayne That is faithfull beleuers cōpte themselues rightuous and iustified because thei vnderstand by faith that Christ dyed for them to take a waie their synnes And that he was afterward raised vp agayne to make them lyuinge for whom he had payed the rawnsome and reconcyled them And in the tenth chapter of this epistle whan Paul holdeth and compareth the rightuousnes of the lawe and the rightuousnes of faith together the one against the other he declareth playnlie that the rightuousnes of the lawe trusteth vnto workes but y e rightuousnes of faith
iustified by the name of the lorde Iesus and by the sprete of god thei ascrybe their vertue rightuousnes vnto god and vnto gods sprete by whom thei knowe thei are sanctified and that they now maie do and perfourme holie and good workes And also thei fele in their sanctified flesh namelie in themselues there remayneth worketh thorow out their whole life so greate weaknes and feblenes that thei dare not ascrybe eny iustificacion not vnto the workes that ar done by faith in holynesse Herof might I bring forth many recordes Yet will I alledge onelie two First thē let Iob the most faithful seruaunt of god come forth For him hath the godlie sentence cōmended and praised vnto vs that he was a perfecte iust man such one as feared god and eschued euil and that there was none lyke him vpon erth And yet the same man being with so excellent a titell of rightuousnes commended vnto vs doth saie If I wil iustifie myselfe myne owne mouth shal condemne me Yf I will put forth myselfe for a perfecte mā he shal proue me a wicked doer And agayn Yf I haue done wickedly wo vnto me And though I haue dōe rightuouslie yet dare I not lifte vp my head Therfore is it certayne that this most holy and iust man dyd ascribe nothing to the frutes of his owne rightuousnes but trusted onely vpon y e mercy of god Now let the other witnes come forth euen Paul y e Apostel who saieth with sensible wordes I delyte in the lawe of god after the inwarde man But in my membre I se another law which rebellein against the law of my mynde and subdueth me to the lawe of synne which is in my membres The holie Apostle speaking of himselfe and of all such as be regenerate testifieth that in them abyde stil y t remnauntes of the fleshe by the nature power and force wherof it cōmeth to pas thorow out the wholle life of man that thei also do the thing which they thēselues wolde not And therfore are thei neuer able to attayne and come to true perfectnes so long as thei lyue vpon erth and in this flesh For asmuch then as it is so euery man seith wel that iustificacion is not to be imputed vnto the workes of faith or of such as be regenerate consydering that it must be athinge most pure and thorowly perfecte wherby god is pacified and pleased with vs. Yea the scripture geueth euident witnesse that euē Abraham the father of all faithfull beleuers was not iustified by the workes of faith Herof then maie we be bolde to conclude that we also by no workes of faith are iustified For thus Paul argueth yf Abrahā were iustified by workes thē hath he wherof to reioyce but not with god But what saieth y e scripture Abraham beleued god and it was compted vnto him for rightuousnes To him that goeth aboute with workes is the rewarde not rekened of grace but of duetie To him that goeth not aboute with workes but beleueth on him that iustifieth y e vngodly is his faith cōpted for rightuousnes Where as we now by the ensāple of Abrahā do cōclude y t we must be iustified in such like pure maner as he was we speke it not of our owne ymaginaciō but out of the wordes of S. Paul that saieth Neuertheles it is not written onelie for him that it was rekened vnto him for righteousnes but also for vs to whom it shalbe so compted yf we likewise beleue on him that raised vp Iesus oure lorde from the deed ¶ The nature of iustification argueth that faith not workes iustifie The. 12. Chapter NOw like as out of the nature propertie of faith and workes I haue shewed that faith and not works doth iustifie So wil I now declare and proue the same by y e nature of iustificacion The right propertie natural vertue and power of iustificaciō is to pacifie to stil and quiete the cōscience which heretofore by the remembring and considering of synne and damnacion was vexed and troubled For Paul saieth Because therfore that we be iustified made rightuous by faith we haue peace with god thorow oure lorde Iesus Christ As for mens workes thei are neuer able so to comforte and pacifie an vnquyete conscience For who hath at eny tyme persuaded himselfe y t he with his owne workes hath satisfied the lawe of god and is therfore absolued discharged of his synnes delyuered from damnacion and become rightuous vndefyled Specially seyēg that Salomō the wisest among al mē hath saide Who can saie My herte is cleane I am innocent frō synne Wherfore yf oure workes quiete not the conscience then do not thei in eny wise iustifie a mā But faith iustifieth and perfectly stilleth the conscience And therfore it iustifieth For the lord hath saide in the gospell Who so euer drynketh of this water wherby vndoubtedly he dyd meane outward thinges and al mans help shal thyrst againe But who soeuer drynketh of the water that I geue him shall neuer be more a thyrst but the water that I shal geue him shalbe in him a well of water springing vp in to euerlasting life And againe I am y e bred of life He that cōmeth to me shal not honger And he that beleueth on me shal neuer thyrst Here thou seist y t faith which preasseth on forth directly vpon y e lorde Iesus doth satisfie vs. For faith vnderstādeth y t Christ him selfe is the right fulnes plentiful sufficiēcie of heauēly goods and that euen he gaue himselfe whollye for vs and in all thinges became our owne so y t now from hence forth an oppressed afflicted cōscience maie rest vpon himfor in christ the sonne of god full of grace trueth there is nether blemishe nor weaknesse But in works yea of most holie mē ther is alwaie found feblenes and imperfection And yf we wold now beholde the propertie nature of him before whose iudgmēt seate we shal stande we shulde playnly fynd y t we are iustified by y e mynistraciō help of faith not of workes For vndoubtedly y e highest most rightuous of al hath respect ōly to such as are hūble of contrite hertes those assuredlie he iustifieth But such as are proud glorie ī their own merits those he condemneth and turneth himself from thē Here vnto serueth y e parable or symilitude out of the gospel concernyng the two that wente vp together in to the temple to praie Of whō the one boasted of his good workes told what thei were trusted vnto thē set out himself for a rightuous and good man As for the other he trusted in the onelye mercy of god nothing at all in his owne merites but cryed O god be mercyfull vnto me synner This man wente downe out of the temple iustified but y t other being wrapt and snared in synne failed of his hope Therfore in the
sprete as the sappe of life geueth strength to the trees that thei maie bring forth frute Euē so makth he multituds of sondrie vertues to springe and growe oute of man As the lorde himselfe testifieth and saieth I am the vyne ye are y e braunches Like as y e braunche can not bring forth frute of it selfe excepte it abyde in the vyne Euē so cā not ye also vnlesse ye abyde in me Whoso abydeth in me and I in him y t same bringeth much frute for without me cā ye do nothing And thus I sai y e good works that be done are done by faith For faith is a gift of god wherby we receaue Christ are iustified made lyuynge for asmuch as the scripture saieth The iust shal lyue by his faith And in another place Christ dwelleth in your hertes thorow faith And as gayne Now lyue not I saieth Paul but Christ lyueth in me for that I lyue in the flesh I lyue in the faith of y e sonne of god who loued me gaue himselfe for me Lyuinge workes thē doth he vndoubtedly euen thorow him by whom he himselfe became alyue And he that is iustified doth also works of rightuousnes assuredly euen thorow him by whom he is become righteous Which is thus much to say the iust worketh righteousnes thorow Christ and rightuosnes comprehēdeth the wholle summe of all vertues And therfore y t onelie god remayneth still the fountayne and originall of all good workes Hereto serueth it also that vnto god who in the regenerate worketh by his sprete in faith holie scripture ascribeth y e workes of those y t be regenerate ¶ That god is the worker of good works in vs and that we do not wel til he dwell in vs is shewed out of scripture and how rightuousnes is ascribed to workes The. 14. Chapter THis wil I now euidently declare with playne testimonies taken out of the lawe of god out of the holie prophetes out of the most holie gospell and of the electe Apostles of Ihesus Christ For thus saieth Moses The lord shal blesse the. And the lorde thy god wil circumcise thine hert and the hert of thy sede that y u maiest loue the lorde thy god with all thine hert and all thy soule that thou maiest lyue The prophete Esaie saieth Lorde vnto vs thou shalt prouyde peace for thou also workest al our workes and deuyces In the gospell of Ihon oure Sauiour saieth thus Who so doth the trueth commeth to the light that his workes maie be knowne because thei are done in or by god And agayne Who so abydeth in me I in him y e same bringeth forth muche frute for without me ye can do nothing Item the holy Apostle Paul to the Philippians saieth To you it is geuen not onely to beleue in Christ but also to suffre for his sake And yet more playnlie It is god that worketh in you both the will and the dede acording to the good purpose of hys mynde or because he hath delyte vnto you Thus sayet also S. Iames one of the. xii Apostles Euery good gift and euery perfecte gift commeth downe from aboue euen frō the father of lightes Yea all partes of the worke doth the holie Apostle Peter ascrybe vnto god saiēg The god of all grace which hath called vs to his eternall glorie by or in Christ Iesu shal his owne selfe after that ye haue suffred a litle afflictiō make you perfecte setle strength stablish you For as the Apostle Paul saieth agayne we are not sufficient of ourselues to thinke any good thyng as of our selues but if we be able vnto any thyng the same commeth of god Wherfore god abideth still the onely fountaine of good workes euen he it is that worketh al good thynges in vs al. By this then that I haue broghte forth herein out of holy scripture concerning y e true occasion of good workes it is farthermore easye to be considered how the scripture ascribeth righteousnes vnto workes seyng that it is rendered vnto the grace of god whan it is ascribed vnto faith and beyng ascrybed vnto workes it is ascribed to the same grace of god For gods grace it is and therfore god hymselfe y t in vs workth good works and so is it the more conuenient y t iustificacion be rather imputed to the grace of god and vnto Christ which worketh by vs. Herevnto had holy Augustine respect who in y e boke de gratia et libero arbitrio ca. 8. writeth thus if eternall lif for recōpēce be geuē vnto good works as y e scrypture openlie saieth for god shal geue vnto euery one acordīg to his dedes how is grace y e eternal life Yf grace bee not ascribed vnto workes but geuen frelie as y e Apostle wryteth To him y t goeth about w t works is y t reward geuen not of grace or fauour but of dewtie agayne The rēnaūt saieth he are saued thorow y e electiō of grace And immediatly he addeth thervnto if it cōe of grace thē it is not of works els shold grace be no grace How thē is grace eternal life beīg takē out of works Or did not y t holy apostle nāe eternal life to be grace Yea he named it so which cā in no wise be denied Nether requireth it one of a sharpe vnderstanding but onelie a diligent hearer For whan he had sayde the rewarde or stipend of synne is death he added straight ther vnto But the grace of god is eternall life in Christ Iesu our lorde Therfore me thinketh this question can in no wyse be resolued vnlesse we vnderstād that our good works to the which eternal life is ascrybed belōg also vnto the grace of god because the lord Iesus saith w tout me ye can do nothing And whan the Apostle had saide By grace are ye saued thorow faith he addeth therto And that not of yourselues it is the gift of god commeth not of workes lest eny man boast himselfe This wryteth holye Augustine How the workes that god worketh in vs are called owres but so that we can not bragge of thē or challenge awt for them but must referre that to another cause The. 15. Chapter HEre vnto must adde also that good works though in very dede thei be properlie gods and y e frutes of faith and of the sprete yet are thei called and be oures that is to saie workes of faithful beleuers Partly because god worketh them by vs vseth our mynistracion to fynishe them Partli because that thorow faith we be childrē of god and therfore ar becōe brethren heires annexed w t Christ For by menes of this inheritaunce al the woorkes and giftes of god begynne to be ours not as straunge but as speciallye our own The scripture also ascribeth the same vnto vs as vnto children and to those that bē born free forasmuche as our sauioure in the gospell
And euery one that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe like as he also is pure Therfore euē this our purifiēg which is done by our care and diligēce hath also the name of sanctifieng not because of it selfe but for the fyrst purifieng sake that goeth before which yf it go not before then is our sanctifienge nothinge worth Againe yf the same go before then must this also folow after For right well trulie saieth S. Iames the Apostle Faith yf it haue no workes is deed in it selfe In it selfe or for it selfe I saie that is It alone and fruteful with no good woorkes For as the body w tout y e sprite is deed so faith also w tout works is deed Doubtles a lyuing body doeth worketh somewhat and serueth many likewise faith by deutie offices of loue must be profitable cōmodious vnto many Now yf faith do good to no man with godlie workes thē is it an emptie ymaginacion vayne name As also the sanctifieng of mā yf it do not breake forth shew it selfe in holy words and workes assuredly it is to be reputed false feyned and full of ypocrisie Besydes this all that belongeth vnto true holynes in y t our sāctifieng which appeareth in our workes must be referred to the sanctifiēg done by the bloud of christ to the which most properlye apperteyneth the honour of sāctificaciō Wherfore whan thou seist in holy scripture that rightuousnes is ascribed vnto our workes remēbre it is done for such causes as I hitherto haue shewed For the sprete of the Apostles cānot be against himself ¶ The. 2. sorts of mē that the Apostls had to do w t for iustificacion which make thē seme to varie in assignyng the cause of iustificacion with their reconciliacion The. 16. Chapter AND knowē it is that the Apostles of the lorde dyd stryue with two sortes of people the one sorte ascrybed rightuousnes and saluacion to their own good works which were done after the mesure and rule of gods lawe therfore they despyced Christ For while thei wēte about to stablish mainteyne and set vp their owne rightuousnes thei were not obedient to y e rightuousnes of god Against the vngodlie opyniō of these dyd the holie Apostles teach and specially S. Paul that rightuousnes and life is obteyned by faith in the lorde Iesus and not by our workes The same Paul saieth to the Galathians I refuse not the grace of god For yf rightuousnes come by the law then dyed christ in vayne And agayne Christ profiteth you nothing And ye are gone quyte from Christ and are fallen frō grace yf ye wil be iustified by the lawe Against such also was kepte at Hierusalem the Counsail that Luke maketh mencion of in the Actes of the Apostles There were agayne certayne other light euell disposed people that abused suche doctryne of the Apostles to the libertye and sensualitie of the flesh thinking it sufficient to saluacion whan they beasted themselues of faith although there were no good workes found in them Therfore against those as against the very pestilence and decaye of true Religion and gods seruice dyd the same Apostles also stryue and taught that the Christian fayth was not a vayne opyniō or frutelesse knowledge but a lyuelie stronge confidence most fruteful in good works For Paul writing against these saieth vnto Titus Thei saie thei knowe god but w t their dedes thei deny him seinge they are abominable and disobedient vnapte vnto euery good worke And Peter the Apostle rebuketh such dissemblers but som what more darkly whā he saieth Herevnto geue all diligence that in your faith ye mynistre vertue in vertue knowlege in knowlege tēperaūce in tēperaūce paciēce in paciēce godlynes in godlines brotherlye kyndnes in brotherly kindnes loue For yf these thinges be amonge you be plenteous thei wil make you y t ye nether shalbe ydle nor vnfrutefull in the knowledge of our lord Iesus christ But he y t lacketh these thinges is blind and gropeth for the waie with his hands and hath forgottē that he was pourged frō his olde synnes It is manifest also vnto euery man that Ihon and Iames y e holy Apostles of Christ wrote herof S. Iames most ernestlye defēding that Abrahā was not iustified by onelie faith that is by a vayne opynion but by workes vndoubtedlie euen by true faith And yet with those and such lyke exhortacions wold not the faithfull Apostles of Christ mynishe his grace and merites magnifie the merites of man but rather w tstand the filthynes of such as neuer rightly knew nor lerned the faithe of Christ made yet their boast ther of to the greate offence and hinderaunce of y e weake For yf thei trulie had knowne it they had vndoubtedliled a more sober life Therfore whan the Apostles are ernesti prouoking vnto good workes they prouoke vnto y e true faith in Christ which is mightie in operacion worketh by loue And yet neuertheles thei ascribe al thinges to the grace of God yea euen the same workes which they requyre of the faithfull And that I here teach the true vpright doctryne of faithe all they shall affirme that haue but a litle searched tried and red the scriptures of the Apostles Augustine also a true faithfull teacher of the Christian church shall testifie that I haue here inuented no new thing For in his boke of grace and fre will the seuenth chapter he wryteth thus Such as haue not vnderstand what the Apostle saieth we holde that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of y e law Haue thought him to affirme that faith is sufficiēt to a mā althoughe he lyue euyll and haue no workes which thing god forbyd the electe vessell shulde so meane who yet in another place whan he hath saide in Christ Iesu auayleth nether circūcision nor vncircūcision he addeth immediatlye therto But faith whiche worketh by loue Euen this is the same faith that separateth gods beleuers from vncleane deuels For thei also as the Apostle Iames saieth beleue and tremble but no good thinge do thei Therfore haue they not that faith out of the which y e iust lyueth namely which worketh by loue that god maye geue him lyfe acordinge to his workes But for asmuch as good dedes are of god of whō we haue not onelie faith but also loue therfore the same teacher of the heithen named eternall lyfe it selfe grace This haue I alledged out of Augustine hetherto haue I opened declared how the scripture ascribeth rightuousnes vnto good workes and that y e same doctryne is not against y e Apostles teaching and iudgmēt which ascribeth rightuousnes vnto faith in Christ Iesus But for asmuch as vpon this mater of y e rightuousnes of workes there hangeth the questiō concernyng y e merites of good workes I wil adde herevnto a lytle touching the rewarde and merite of good workes chefelie to the intēt that no