testifinge it in vs that he is our God our father to vs an almighty helper and deliuerer and that we are receyued in to his favour by the dethe and meretis of his sonne Iesus Christe our saviour vpon the which beliefe aÌd assuered persuasion we love him so ernestly agene that we ceasse not the occasion and tyme offrede to fulfill his plesures in doinge the workes of loue or charite to our neghbours Of this lively faithe Paule speaketh alwayes which by love is mighty in operacion ad Gala. 5. and mente no more deade faithe in this his senteÌce A man is iustified bi faithe theÌ he mente of a deade man wheÌ he alledged the prophete Abakuâsaing the rightwise shal liue of his faithe for dede faith geueth no life ¶ To be iustifyed orto be made rightwyse before God by this faithe is nothinge els but to be absolued frome sinne of God to be forgeuen orto haue no sinne imputed vnto him of God ¶ The rightwysnes which is allowed before God that cometh of faithe is sometimes in scripture called his mercie or fauour towerd vs in vs wherby he is moued for Christis bloudis sake to promise vs forgeuenes And sometimes it is takeÌ for his truthe faithfulnes in the performiÌge of his promise of this is he called iuste or rightwise faithful and true Vvâerfore the scripture comenly ioyneth these two wordes mercie Truthe or faithfulnes togither especially in the Psalmes as I noted in the argument of the. 89. Psalme and as Dauid praieth God in the. 31. Psal. to deliuer him for his rightwisnes sake that is for his mercies sake or for his truthes sake in the. 5. Psal. lorde ledemeforthe for thy rightwisnes sake The mercy wherby God is moued to promise vs his benefits goth before and his truthe in performinge feloweth nowe the maner of the scripture is to vse the one for the tother as the kingdome of heaueÌ for the gospel which gothe before is the knowlege of the waye to the kingdome and because of hearinge the worde cometh faith Ro. 10. therfore to heare in scripture is sometimes takeÌ for to beleue as Iohan in the. 6. Euery man that hath harde and is learned of my father cometh to me that is to saye euery man that beleueth on the father c. in the same ca. He that cometh to me shalnot hoÌger which saing the sentence folowing expoundeth thus He that beleueth in me shal neuer thirste or shal be euer satisfied here to come to Christe whiche foloweth faith in him is taken for to beleue in him aÌd sometime that at gothe before is taken for that at foloweth as maye apere wel to them that are excercised in readiÌg of holy scripture as the keye of knowleg and the gospel ar al one for that one comeh of the tother Farthermore Paule in the. 9. .10 ca. to the Ro. iÌ the. 3. to the Philip. declareth two maner of rightwisnesses one he calleth the rightwisnes of the lawe or our owne rightwisnes the tother the rightwisnes of god or of faithe the rightwisnes of the the law is that at is goteÌ bi workes of the lawe the rightwisnes of faithe is that wherby God of his mercie rekeneth vs righwise for our faythe 's sake Outwarde workes shewe vs rightwise before the worlde but faithe iustifieth vs before God Abrahams vtwarde dede in obainge God and going forth to offer his sonne Isaac Genesis 22. and Iames. 2. was a testimony of his faith and declared him rightwise before men aftâr the rightwisnes of the lawe but his faith iustified hiÌ before God longe before yer Isaac was borne Gene. 15. Also we ar iustified before God only in that we ar chosen in Christe before the wolrde was created Ephe. 1. Of the whiche election aÌd iustificaâââ our faithe when god geueth it vs certifieth our hartes aftirwarde wheÌ our faith brekethforth iÌ to good workes for trwe faith caÌnot be ydle than ar our workes a testimony before men of our faithe so that our faithe is a secrete and a suer persuaâion to our selfe of our election before God and our workes that procede of faithe ar a testimony of our faith to the worlde of the which vtward workes the worlde iugeth vs rightwise aâtir the rightwisnes of the law But here let men take hede leste they despise the rightwisnee of faithe âs heresie staÌde to the rightwisnes of their owne workes Of whoÌ thê° speaketh Paule Ro. 10. They ar ignoraÌt of the rightwisnes which is alowed before God go aboute to stableshe their owne rightwisnes wherfore they ar not vnder the righwisnes of God There Paule as I poynted you to before bringeth in Moses Leuiti 18. in Deutero 30. describinge these two rightwisnes as one coÌtrarie to the tother of the whiche descripcioÌ I wil not here tarye rede the places aÌd Paules pistle to the Ro. to the Gala. vnderstande it if god wil geue it yowe This is therfore Paules sentence to the Romans in the thirde chapter Vve suppose that a man is iustified by faithe with oute the workes of the lawe vnderstanding it of iustificacion and of that rightwisnes that is of liuely faith aÌd alowed before God as I haue declared it before And for the probacioÌ of this sentence the Prophetes Christe his awne selfe and his Apostles spente al their labours and liues aÌd especially Paule labouring above al other to confirme it as it apereth in his pistles and especially in his pistle to the Romans Vvheryn he layed this sentence of the iustifyinge by faith at the beginninge as his principal proposition and chefe foundation grounded of the testimonie of Abakuâ the Prophete Agenste the which proposicion the Iwe whiche sought for the rightwisnes of workes as nowe do the false Christen a non obiected saing as you do nowe If faith oÌly iustifieth wherfore the is the lawe with so many good workes coÌmaunded vs to fulfil it Paule answerthe By the lawe come men in to the knowledge of their sinnes And because ye shulde vnderstand that by the lawe he meÌte the moral lawe not the ceremonial He gaue exaÌple iÌ the. 7. ca. of the moral law saiÌg I had not known that coÌcupisceÌse had beÌ sinne except the law had saide Thou shalnot luste And nowe therfore saith he Rom. 3. the rightwisnes of God is made manifeste with oute the lawe by the Gospel frome faith to faithe which rightwisnes was sometime preached of the Prophetes and proued by the testimony of the lawe And nowe aâ men iustified frely by Goddis mercy and by the redempcion that is in Jesu Christe thorowe faith in his bloude c. Ro. 3. Then agene obiecteth the Iwe as nowe dothe the ChristeÌ in the beginniÌge of the 4. ca. Vvhat theÌ shal we saye to AbrahaÌ our father aftir the flesshe what gote he bi his workes Vvas he not iustified bi them If Abraham saith Paule were iustified by his workes so hath he
goddis worde daily that ar sente inspired with his spirit ⪠all thought they be but simple prestes in your eyes nether pope nor bishopa occupye their mindis in his lawe daye night exercise these keyes besely turning theÌ in mennis hartis whetting the worde of god vpon them aÌd as Paule exhorteth his Timothe preaching his worde are ferueÌt in ceason or oute of ceason improue rebuke exhorte with al longe sufferiÌge 2. Tim. 4. These men I saye that thus preache and teache coÌtinually goddis worde and declare it puerly haue the keyes of the kingdome of heueÌ these lose wheÌ they open sinners hartis into repeÌtaunce faithe they binde when they preach the lawe holde still siche as beleue not their wordis but resist and persecute them And you M. priour aÌd as many as nether canne nor wil preache but persecute them that God sendeth with these keyes you I saye whether ye be Pope Cardinal Bishope abbot priour or preste nether lose nor binde nor yet have you Christis keyes but only those rustye tradicions aÌd lawes of men to shitt up the kingdome of heuen to take awaye the knowlege of Christe with vngodly inhibicions lighteningis and thundering of excoÌmunicacions threateningis persecucions impresoningis scourgingis and burningis nothinge feariÌge that terrible thondre clappe of Christis owne mouthe daily thondringe ouer you headis cryinge Matt. 23. Wo be to you scribes and Pharisays hipocrits for you shittup the kiÌgdome of heauen before men and nether your selfe enteriÌ nor yet suffer you siche as wolde come therto to enteriÌ And yet feare you not this terrible threateniÌge of euerlastinge daÌnacion hanging ouer your headis These ar your counterfetted keyes and false pestelent persuasions to driue the peple frome the knowlege of Goddis worde and their saluacioÌ which worde is the keye aÌd highe waye to the kingdome of heuen ye saye it is harde and derke for the laye peple but wo be to you saith I saye ca. 5. that tel theÌ the light to be derkenes you saye that the scripture in englisshe wolde make sedicion brede errours hereseys emonge the laye men aÌd so to be euil for theÌ but wo be to you saith I saie that saye that thiÌge which is good to be euill ye saye the letter slaythe is vnsaâerie and bitter for them but wo be to you saith I saie agene that saye that which is swete to be bitter Thus is the holye cleare good aÌd swete gospel of Christe belyed shamefully and blasphemed of you If it be bitter and vnsauory it is ãâã sauour it is âouârd and derke to you that perisshe saith Paule 2. Corin. 2. 4. It had beÌ better for you to haue obayed the counsel of Eamaliel Actâ 5. then thus so manifestly repugned faught agenst God but you ar so blinded with your owne malice that you se not how syth you inhibyted the proââârs ayd the worde of God to be taught and ãâ¦ã laye men aÌd persecuted it the more it ãâã âethe it groâeth it spreadeth it thrusteth you downe declareth you openly to be the very Pharisâââs scribes âipocritis and euen the very Antichristis that ãâã and his apostles prophecied to ãâ¦ã dares Repente repente you therfore and conuerted to God aske grace and mercie that he wolde illumine your hartis aÌd lose you with the âeyes of the knowlege of his holy morde and ãâã your wittis oute of this blinde ignoraunce and vnbeliefe Amen ¶ But yet ãâã if your learniÌge be so encreased sith ãâ¦ã that you chased me a waie with these your ãâã that you canne make me this obiection ãâ¦ã Park in the second chapter and Luce in the ãâ¦ã only God that forgeueth sinnes and so the Apostles forgeue theÌ not TheÌ I answere you ãâ¦ã many thiÌgis pertayning only to god ãâ¦ã of his infinite goodnes geueth vnto vs ãâã calleth theÌ owrs The keyes which ar the worde ar his âd yet he calleth the worde owrs and many ãâã that were wrought with the same worde as ãâ¦ã where he said to the Apostles Heâlââhe âik mak clene the leprose raise the dede castout deuels which al were his workis yet he gaue them powr to do his workis The worde where with they did these miracles was his worde and yet he called it theirs saing Vvâo so euer receyue not you nother wil heare your wordes c. ye and euen our owne good workis as we beleue it is he that worketh them in vs as testifieth Isaie the. 26 and yet is he contente of his liberalite that we bare the name of them and be called our workis But he rewardeth his deadis in vs saith Augustin If this solucioÌ satisfieth you not then remitte I you vnto a like maner af speach Ieremie 15. Vvâere God had Jeremie caste oute the Jwes frome his presens saing Eijce illos a facie mea And yet god casted them oute his owne selfe and euen so in like autorite he saide to the Apostles Vhose sinnes so euer you forgeue they ar forgeuen c. For aftir the familiare phrase and vehemence of the Hebrewe speach as the professours of that toÌge affirme VvheÌ God bad Jeremie caste them forthe he wolde nothing els but that he shulde tell and preache them to be caste forth ledde into captiuite if they amended not their liuinge so when he said to thapostles Vvhose sinnes so euer you forgeue c. He ment that to whom so euer you preache and tel theÌ their sinnes to be forgeuen if they beleue in me aÌd chaunge their lyfe theyr sinnes ar forgeuen For as at Jeremies preachinge the vngodly were castoute so at Thapostels preachinge the penitent beleuers haue their sinnes forgeuen And the vnbeleuers ar holden captiue in their sinnes ⧠¶ M. Priour of Newnhams seconde opinion NOwe as touchinge your seconde opinion whiche you saie that I helde That faith withoute workes is sufficient verely I neuer saide so but I might saie that by faith withoute workes a man is iustified Whiche is Paules sainge in the thirde cap. to the RomaÌs and this sentence I beleue as true with Paule and holde it for noÌ opinion And for a declaracioÌ of this Paules senteÌce I wil firste tel you what is faithe what it is to be iustified before god aÌd what is the rightwisnes of faithe Firste ye shal knowe that the Apostle defineth faith in the. 11. ca. to the Hebrews saing that faithe is the very suer substancial beliefe of him whiche is the same thinge that we hope fore that is to saie faith is an infallible vndouted certaintye in our hartes wherby we beleue and truste in the inuisible God and to opene this definicion yet more plainely Faithe is that same coÌstante and faste persuasion in our hartes assuerde vs by the holygoste certifyinge vs of the goodnes of God and of his promises towerde vs by the which persuasion we beleue verely his wordes and ar assuerde in our hartes the holy goste
wherof to reioyse but not before God And euen here is Iames question soluted Iaco. 2. sayng Abraham our father was he not iustified by his dedes when he wolde haue offred his sonne Isaac yes verely as here saith Paule he had to reioyse before men but not before God that is to saye he had that dede which iustified him aÌd declared him iuste vtwardly before men with the rightwisnes of the lawe for his obedience but as concerninge the rightwisnes of ãâã before God saith Paule AbrahaÌ beleued in God and it was rekened him for rightwisnes This is Paules firste argument to proue his principal proposicion which argument he taketh of the example of Abraham father of the peple of God In whom the forme of rightwismakinge was firste declared and setforthe for our example The seconde argumente Paule deduceth of the diffinicioÌ of thâs worde Vvas Rekened which standeth in the sayd autorite of Genesâs 15. and it signifieth a rekeninge a fre forgeuenes of a dutye which the dettour is not able to paye sainge To hiÌ that worketh is the rewarde not rekened of fauoure but of dutye And to him that worketh not but beleueth on hiÌ that iustifieth the vngodly Faith is rekened for rightwisnes faithe sayth he aÌd not workes euen as Dauid sayth Blessed is that man to whome the lorde rekeneth not his sinne he sayd not blessed is he that worketh but he to whoÌ God rekeneth not sinne that is to saye althoughe he be a sinner and not able to come oute of dette yet wil not God of his mercy reken it vnto hym ne laye it to his charge for that the penitent sinner beleueth that Christe made satisfaction for him aÌd payd the raunsome for it with his preciouse bloude And vpon this fre forgeuenes he sealed him a quitaunce with the seale of circumcision which was a tokeÌ to hiÌ that he was iustified by his faith But we haue nowe a more suer aÌd liuelyer token of our right wismakinge by faithe for god hath confirmed vs in Christe he hath anoynted vs he hath coÌsegned vs vnto him and geuen vs his holygost for an erneste of his promise to be iustified by faith 2. Cor. 1 and Ephe. 1. thus sayng Aftir that you harde the Gospel which is the worde of truth wheryn ye beleued ye were scaled with the holy spirit whiche is to vs as an ernest peny to be assuerde of our promised heretage whiche is purchesed vs by redempcion into the prayse of the glorie of God Mo argumentes Paule maketh in the same 4. cap. to the Romans for the probacion of his sentence espye them oute if you can and desyer God to geue you vnderstandinge Also ye shal knowe that Christe came not as a lawyer like Moses but he was the very redemer and reconcyler of the beleuers thorow his bloude into his fathers fauour and grace The lawe was geuen by Moses but remission of sinnes and the holygoste is geuen by Christe Iohan 1. ye that vnto all vpon al that beleue Ro. 1 Oh what consolacion is in this one place set forthe for feared and troubled conscienses suerly no tonge can expresse it for althoughe we wante good workes as we wante al for there is not one that doth good but we ar al sinners yet let vs beleue that for Christes sake we are receyued frely into our fathers grace This rightwisnes is set forth of his mercie for vs with oute the workes of the lawe wherfore suerly it were grete blasphemie agenst Christe and no lesse defilinge of his mercie seâte not to receyue the merites of his passion that is to saye the rightwisnes by faithe but to turne it into our sinful workes If âny man ⪠be he neuer so holy shuldbe iustified by his workes then had âhriste saith Paule to the Galat. in the secoÌd chapter dyed in vaine for that same man let vs therfore receyue Christes rightwisnes nowe offred vs let vs truste to his rightwisnes and merets not to our owne nor yet to eny others for al our rightwisnesses saith I saie iÌ the. 64. chapter ar as the spotted and foure clothes of a menstruose It is verely â grete blasphemie to refuse this suer and fre forgeuenes in Christes bloude ye aÌd a damâable thinge to ãâ¦ã it as heresie and to seke for workes of our owne muencion vpon this hope and beliefe to deserue heuen and to be iustified by them For this article to âe knowne Paule swet so sore in his pistles and laboured in hâs preachinâe But yet let not blinde carnal reason make this obiection agenste him saing If faithe withoute workes iustifieth then nede we not to do eny good workes Not so ãâã for by faithe therfore ar we iustified to thentente we shuld ⪠do good workes neuer ceasse and therfore Paule after that he had sufficiently proued his conclusion dyd serro in the. 12. ãâ¦ã to the ãâ¦ã good workes then euer we ar able to do ãâã worâes in their place and faith in hir place for if the workes ar not done of faith then are they sinne Rom. xiiij ¶ Nowe master prior because you or not gretly acqueynted with Paules doctrine althoughe he be your patrone and paynted at your gates because his argumeÌts ar to highe for them that neuer felt faith nor yet tasted the fealinge of the spirite of faith iâ the schole of the crosse I wil desceÌde with yowe into a more sensible demonstracion to proue Paules sainges trwe to daÌne your opinioÌ Paule as he was going to persecute Christes chirche was smiten downe a murderer and rose agene a iustified man which yet had done no good workes but only beleued in Iesu Christ that smit him downe and spake vnto him ergo faith only iustified The yonge innocent newe Christined and departed I thinke you wil graunte is iustified but not bi his workes ergo The thefe that hanged by Christe was iustified vpon the crosse but not for eny workes that he ther did ergo for his faith only Wherfore sir me thinke ye were to hastye to iuge me a Lutherane and an heretique for affirming or holding eny saing of holy scripture which I knowe wel you vnderstand not aÌd to impute vnto me that whiche I neuer said and so preuely to accuse me where vpon to avoyde the cruel tiraÌnye of my lorde your reuerent spiritual father with his adherentes that yet fight agenste the lorde and his anoynted I was constrâyned to lese al that I had and to flee Syr stande yowe to your glisteringe good workes and glorâouse merets beleuinge to be iustified and forgeueÌ for them not in Christes dethe and truste you to them if you wil âor as for me which am an heretique and a Lutherâne in your opinion I shall by Goddis grace feaâe with Iobe al my deades praye with Dauid O lorde I beseche the entre not into iugemeÌt with thy seruaunte but saue me deliuer me for thy rightwisnes sake not for mine
only haue not I Barnabas powr this to âb Here is it playne that Cephas which is called Peter with other Apostles led aboute their wiues with them WhoÌ paule aftir the maner of the scripture calleth their sisters as did AbrahaÌ Ge. 12. 20. Isaai 2. 6. SolomoÌ Can. 4. for that they were of like faith aÌd professioÌ in Christes religioÌ with their housboÌdes ââhy shulde not the man be associated with his wyfe whom God commaundeth to forsake father and mother and to âleue to his wyfe And Christe coÌmaundeth also that whoÌ God ioyneth let not man separat Thinke you that the Apostles regarded these commaundementes of God so lighte as to leue their owne wyues one flesshe bloude with theÌ knit to gither with so faste a bonde that only deth muste departe them The wyfe saith Paule 1. Coriâ â hath not powr ouer hir owne body but hir housbande likwise the man hath not powr ouer his owne body but the wife withdrawe not your selues one from a nother except it be with a coÌmune consent of bothe aÌd that but for a time he saith not for euer bothe to go into religion but for a tyme to geue your selues to fastinge and prayer aÌd afterwarde come agene vnto the same thiÌg leste sathan tempte you for your incontineÌcie The Apostles for a suerty had chaste matrimony in an higher reuerence honoure then you thinke thei had and abhorred it not as vnpure aÌd prophane as the forbiders therof do and as dyd like heretiques ¶ That a preâe whiche haue not the gifte of chastite ought to haue his owne wyfe it is manifeste by the Apostle 1. Cor. â saing To avoyed fornicacion let euery man haue his wyfe here he excepteth nomaÌ no not a preste if a preste be a man let him haue his wyfe saith he and not a concubine or a nother mannis wife and let euery woman haue hir housboÌde He excepteth nether noÌne nor eny other religiouse But here you wil saie that thei haue vowed chastite And I saye it is chastite man aÌd woman to live to gither in chaste matrimony desieringe no nother And if you saie that theâ haue vowed to lyue withoute the desyer of the felawshipe coÌpany of maÌ for one to desyer a nother in mynde is sinne except they be man wife which you cal virginal chastete then saye I agene that they haue vowed that thinge that lyeth not in their powr aÌd so performe they it neuer They that vowe this chastite therfore let them loke before they leape God at the firste creacion griffed in to man and woman as he hath done into all creatures a certayn secrete natural properte to begete to conceyue to bringe forth a nother in like kinde that lawfully with honour Whiche natural ordinaunce and property it lyeth not in man to altere and to change nor yet to put awaye frome his harte the natural love and desyer to the tother kinde whom God created to be his felawe helper vnto this naturall effecte Nomore then it lyeth in the libertye of the liuelye tre wel planted to ceasse frome bringing forth hir frutes in hir time except God altereth this his natural ordinaunce bi some singler gifte For it is nother vowe nor mannis tradicioÌ that maye alter nature But yet many haue striued to put awaye coÌcupiscens withoute matrimonye and to obâayne a gifte of chastite by their owne workes and enforcements febleyng their bodis but the more they strived agenste nature the lesse they preuayled the more burninge they suffredâ and why because thei despised the remedy coÌmaunded by gods worde to be receyued wente aboute to heale their decease with their owne workes and inuencions God ordined chaste matrimony as an holy and honeste remedie for this natural burninge and vnlawful luste coÌmaunding by his Apostle 1. Corint 7. that if thei cannot be continent chaste let them marye For it is beter to mary theÌ to burne But your chirche militaÌte beleueth it beter to burne in al maner of filthy coÌcupiscens and luste ye to liue in opeÌ adultery and sinne then to marye And therfore vnder the pretence of the setting vp and extolling of their inordinat ordres haue thei so obscured the glory of honourable matrimonye whoÌ they haue set in siche despight aÌd opprobrie reputing it so vnpure and vnclene that it maye not be cowpled with their holy ordres ne celebrated in certaine of their state holy times of the yeare withoute their dispensacioÌ They thought thorow the forbinding of matrimony their prestes to haue institute in their chirche a more pure and cleaner state of perfectioÌ theÌ euer God ordened but to what a chaste ende theyr holy porpose is come euery man maie se for al the wealthe speke euel and shame of them euery maÌ abhorre them for their pryde and vnclene liuinge But wherfore dyd your Chirche militant forbide their prestes to marye Because they were suer to haue more avauntage by their adultery and horedome then euer they shuld haue by their chaste matrimonye For if they had wiues then shuld not the Bishopes Cancelers Commissares Scribes and somners be fed so fat with their adultery and sinne as they are If the prestes had wiues then shuld they haue a beter name aÌd fame then shuld the yoke aÌd âares of matrimony abate their pride and encrese in them vertue and mekenes But paraventure they wil saie that the troublous sorowes aÌd harefull state of matrimony shulde hindre them frome preaching and teaching their parochians naye verely for nothing hath letted them more frome that office then their welthy ydle and vnchast liuing and riches and nothing shuld forther it more then to haue experience of the crosse trouble nothiÌg more hindreth the worde then the preather therof to haue an euel name aÌd the moste parte of them never preached nor taughte their flok nor never shall and emonge these fewe that preache because they have no wiues they destroye more with their evell example of liuinge then euer they edified with their preachinge which sclaunderouse enormite might be reformed if they wolde receyue that honourable aÌd holy remedie of chaste matrimony ordined of god for them Vvedlok saith the Apostle Hebre. in the. 13. cap. is honourable for all men he excepted none and the chambre bed vndefiled but heremongers adulterers god wil iuge If it be honourable for al men how shulde it dishonour prestes that lyue in perpetual burninge and desier of other mennis wiues seruaÌtes and doughters Vvhy maye not chaste matrimony agre withe your holy ordres Is one sacrament iniuriouse harmeful or dishoneste to a nother Al your chirche militaÌt with their schole doctours saye and affirme that the sacrameÌtes geue grace to the receyuers of them and how then hapeneth it that the holy ordrede prestes maye not receyue the grace of matrimony But as I saied before with oute doute these forbyders of holy matrimony ar of the secte of those