chosen me but I haue chosen you y t ye go bring furth fruit and that your fruit remayn And in the same Cha. I am a vine ye the braunches wythoute me can ye do nothinge With vs therfore so goeth it In AdaÌ„ are we al as it wer wild crabtres â–ª of which God choseth whoÌ„ he wyll plucketh theim out of Adam planteth them in the gardeÌ„ of his mercy stocketh theÌ„ graffeth the spirit of Christ in them which bryngeth forth the fruit of the wil of God which fruit testifieth that God hath blessed vs in Christ. Note this also y t as long as we lyue we are yet partlye carnal fleshly not withstandyng y t we are in Christ though it be not imputed vnto vs for Christes sake for ther abydeth remaineth in vs yet of the old AdaÌ„ as it wer the stock of the crabtre euer a mong wheÌ„ occasion is gyueÌ„ him shoteth forth his braunches leues bud blosom fruit Against whom we must fyghte subdue him chaunge all hys nature by a lytle w t prayer fasting watchinge with vertuous meditacion holy workes vntyl we be altogether spirit The kingdom of heauen sayth Christe is lyke leauen which a womaÌ„ taketh hideth in .iii. peckes of meale till al be leuened The leuen is the spirit we the meale whiche must be seasoned with the spirite a litle a lytle tyl we be throughout spiritual Whiche shal reward euery man accordinge to his dede y t is accordinge as the dedes are so shal euery mans reward be the dedes declare what we are as the fruit the tree according to the frut shal the tree be pray sed The reward is gyuen of the mercy truth of God by the deseruing merytes of Christ. Wosoeuer repeÌ„teth beleueth the Gospel and putteth his trust in Christ merites y e same is heyre w t Christ of eternal lyfe for assuraunce wher of y e spirit of God is poured into his hert as an ernest which louseth him from the boÌ„ des of sathan giueth him lust streÌ„gth euery day more and more according as he is diligeÌ„t to axe of God for Christes sake And eternall lyfe foloeth good lyuing I suppose sayeth Paule in the same Epistle y t the offlictions of thys worlde are not worthy of the glorye whyche shalbe showed on vs y t is to say that which we here suffer can neuer deserue y e rewarde which ther shalbe giueÌ„ vs. Moreouer if y e â–ª reward shuld depend hang of y e wor kes no maÌ„ shuld be saued Forasmuch as oure beste deades compared to the lawe are damnable synne By y e deades of the lawe is no fleshe iustified as it is writteÌ„ in the third Chap to the Rom. The lawe iustifieth not but vttereth the sinne only and compelleth and dryueth the penitent or repentinge synner to fle vnto the seyn tory of mercy in the bloude of Christe Al so repeÌ„te we neuer so much be we neuer so well willinge vnto the lawe of God yet are we so weake and the snares and occasions so innumerable that wee falle daily and hourely So that we could not but dispere if the rewarde hanged of the worke Whosoeuer ascribeth eternal life vnto the deseruinge merite of workes must falle in one of two inconuenieÌ„ces either must he be a blynde pharise not seinge that the lawe is spiritual and he car nall and loke and reiose in the outwarde shynynge of hys deades despysynge the weake and in respect of theÌ„ Iustify him selfe Or else if he se howe that the lawe is spirituall and he vnable to ascâ—nde vnto that whiche the lawe requirethe he must nedes dispayre Let euery Christen man therfore reioyse in Christ oure hope trust rightuousnes in whom we are lo ued chosen accept vnto the enheritauÌ„ce of eternal lyfe nether presumynge in our perfectnes nether dispering in our weak nes The perfecter a man is the clerer is his syght and seyth a thousande thinges whiche desplease him and also perfectenes that can not be obtayned in this lyfe And therfore desyreth to be with Christ where is no more synne Let him that is weake and can not do y t he woulde fayne do not despeare but turne to hym that is stronge hath promysed to geue strength to all that axe of hym in Christes name and complaine to God and desire hym to fulfyll his promises and to God coÌ„mitte him selfe And he shall of his mercye and trueth strength hym and make him feale â–ª wythe what loue he is beloued for Christes sake thought he be neuer so weake THey are not rightuous before God which heare the lawe but they which do the lawe shalbe iu stified Ro. ii This text is playn ner than that it neadeth to be expounded In this chapiter before Paull proueth that the law natural holpe not the Gentiles For the law of God was writen in the hertes of Gentiles as it appereth by the lawes statutes ordinaunces whych thei made in their cities yet kept they theÌ„ not The great kepe the smale vnder for their owne profit with the violeÌ„ce of the lawe Euery man praiseth the law as faâ— furth as it is profitable and pleasauÌ„t vn to himselfe But when his owne appetites should be refrained then grudgeth he agaynst the lawe Moreouer he proueth that no knowledge holpe y e gentyles For thoughe the larned men as the philosophers came to the knowledge of God bi the creatures of the worlde yet had they no power to worshippe God In thys seconde Chapt. proueth he that the Iewes though they had the lawe written yet it holpe theÌ„ not they coulde not kepe it but were ydolaters and were also murtherers adulters and what so euer the lawe forbade He concludeth therfore that the Iewe is as well damned as the gentyle If hearinge of y e lawe onely myght haue iustified then had the â–ª Iewes ben rightuous But it is required that a man do the lawe if he wyll be rightuous Which because the Iewe did not he is no lesse dam ned theÌ„ the gentyle The publishinge and declarinnge of the lawe doth but vtter a mans synne and gyueth nether strength nor healpe to fulfyll the lawe The lawe killeth thy coÌ„sciens geueth y e no lust to fulfyl the lawe Faith in Christ geueth luste power to do y e lawe Now is it true that he whych doeth y e lawe is rightuous but y t doth no maÌ„ saue he that beleueth putteth hys truste in Christe IF any mans worke that he hath bylde vpon abyde he shall receyue a rewarde i. Corint ii The circuÌ„staunce of the same Chapter that is to wete that whyche goeth before and that whiche foloweth declareth playnly what is mente Paule talketh of lerning doctrine or peachinge He sayeth that he him selfe hath layd the fundacion which is Iesus Christ and that no maÌ„ can laye any other
are conceiued and borne vnder the power of the Deuyl and are his possessyon and kyngdome his captiues and bondmen and led at his wyll and he holdeth oure herâ—es so that it is impossible for vs to coÌ„sent to the wyl of God much more is it impossible for a man to fulfyll the law of his owne strength and power seyng that we are by byrth and of nature the heyres of eternal damnation As saith s. Paule Ephe ii We saythe he are by nature the chyldren of wrathe Whyche thyng the lawe doth but vtter onely and helpeth vs not yea she requireth impossi ble thynges of vs The law when it com maundeth that thou shalt not lust geueth the not power so to do but damneth the because thou canst not so do IF thou wylt therfore bee at peace wyth God loue hym thou muste turne to the promyses of God and to the Gospel whiche is called of Paule in the place before rehersed and to the Corin. the ministration of rightuous nes and of the spirit For fayth bryngeth pardon and forgeuenes freely purchased by Christes bloude and bringeth also the spiryte the spyrite loseth the bondes of the deuyll and setteth vs at lybertye For where the spirit of the Lorde is ther is lybertye sayeth Paule in the same place to the Corinthians that is to saye ther the herte is free and hath power to loue the wyll of God and ther the hert mourneth that he caÌ„ not loue ynough Now is that conseÌ„t of the hert vnto the lawe of God eternal lyfe yee though ther be no power yet in the membres to fulfyll it Let euery man therfore accordyng to Pauls councel in the. vi Cha. to the Ephe. arme hymselfe wyth the armour of God that is to vnderstaÌ„de with Goddes promyses and aboue al thyng sayeth he take vnto you the shylde of fayth wherwith ye maye be able to quenche all the fyry dartes of the wicked that ye maye be able to resiste in the euell daye of temptacyon and namely at the houre of death Se therfore thou haue Goddes promy ses in thyn hert and that thou beleue theÌ„ without wauerynge when temptacyon aryseth the deuel layth the law and thy dedes agaynst the answer hym with the promyses and turne to God and confesse thy selfe to hym and saye it is euen so or els howe coulde he be mercyfull but remembre that he is the God of mercy and of trueth and can not but fulfyl his promyses Also remembre that his sonnes bloude is stronger then al the synnes and wyckednesses of the whole worlde and therwyth quyet thy selfe and ther vnto commyt ' thy selfe and blesse thy selfe in all temptacyon namely at the houre of death with that holy candel Or els perishest thou though thou hast a thousande holy candels about the a hundred tonne of holy water a shipfull of pardons aclothsacke ful of freers coates and al the ceremonies in the world and all the good workes deseruinges and merytes of all men in the world be they or were they ne uer so holy Goddes worde onely lasteth for euer and that whiche he hath sworne doth abyde when all other thynges peryshe So longe as thou findest any con sent in thyne hert vnto y e lawe of God y t it is righteous and good and also disple sure that thou canst not fulfyl it dispayr not nether dout but that Gods sprite is in the that thou art choseÌ„ for Christes sake to the enheritaunce of eternall lyfe And agayne Ro. iii. We suppose that a manne is iustified thorow fayth without the dedes of the lawe And lykewyse Ro. iii. We saye that faith was rekened to Abraham for righteousnes Item Ro. v. Seyng that wee are iustified thorow fayth wee are at one with God IteÌ„ Ro. x. With the herte doth a man beleue to be made ryghteous Item Gal. iii. Receyued ye the spirit by the dedes of the lawe or by hearyng of the fayth He whiche ministreth the spirit vnto you and workeh miracles amonge you doeth he it by the deades of the Lawe or by hearynge of faythe Euen as Abraham beleued God and it was tekened to him for ryghteous nes UnderstaÌ„de therfore sayeth he that the chyldren of AbrahaÌ„ For the scripture sawe before that God woulde iustifi the heythen or gentyls by fayth and shewed before glad tydynges vnto Abraham in thy sede shal al nacious be blessed Wher fore they which are of fayth shalbe blessed that is to saye made ryghteous with the righteous Abraham For as many as are of the dedes of the law are vnder the curse For it is written sayth he curssed is euerye man that contynueth not in all thynges whiche are written in the boke of the lawe to fulfil them Item Gal. ii where he resisteth Peter in the face he sayeth We whiche are Iewes by nacion and not synners of the gentyls knowe that a man is not iustified by the dedes of the lawe but by the fayth of Iesus Christ and haue therfore beleued on Iesus Christe that we myght be iustfied by the faith of Christ and not by the dedes of the lawe for by the dedes of the lawe shall no fleshe be iustified Item in y e same place he sayth Toutchyng that Inow lyue I leue in y e fayth of the sonne of God whiche loued me and gaue hym â—elfe for me I despyse not the grace of God For yf ryghteousnes com by the lawe then is Christe dead in vayne And of such lyke ensamples are al the epistles of Paul full Marke how Paule laboureth with hym selfe to expresse the exceadyng mysteryes of fayth in the epistle to the Ephesians and in the Gpistle to the Collossians By this and many such like textes are we sure that the forgeuenes of sinnes and iustifienge is appropriate vnto faith onely with out the adding of the workes Take for the also the lykenes that Christ maketh Mat. vii A good tree bringeth forth good fruite And a bad tre bringeth forth bad fruit Ther seyst thou that y e fruite maketh not the tre good but the tre the fruit and that the tree must afore hande bee good or be made good eâ— it can bryng forth good fruite As he also sayeth Mat. xii ether make the tree good and his fruyte good also et her make the tree bad and his fruit bad also How can ye speake well whyle ye youre selues are euill So lykewyse is this true and nothinge more true that a man before all good workes must fyrst be good and that it is impossible that workes should make hym good yf he were not good before eâ— he dyd good workes For this is Christes prynciple and as we saye a general rule Howe can ye speake well whyle ye are euel So lykewise howe can ye do good whyle ye are euel Thys is therfore a playne and a sure couclusion not to be dowted of that ther must be firste in the hert of a man before he doeth any good workes greater
For what other thinge is their imaginacion whiche thei cal faith then a dreamyng of y e faith and an opinioÌ„ of their owne imaginacion wrought wout the grace of God These must nedes be worse at the later ende theÌ„ at the beginning These ar y e old vessels y t rente when newe wyne is powred into them that is they heare Gods worde but hold it not and therfor waxe worse then they wer before But the right faith sprin geth not of maÌ„s faÌ„tasy nother is it in any mans power to obtayne it but is altogether the pure gift of god poured in to vs frâ—lye with out all maner doynge of vs â–ª without deseruinge and merites yee and without seekinge for of vs. And it is as Paule saith ii Eph. euen gods gift and grace purchased thorow Christ Thet for is it mighty in operation full of vertue and euer workynge whiche also renueth a man and begetteth him agayn altereth hym altogether in to a newe nature and conuersacioÌ„ so that a man feleth his hert altogether altered and chaunged and fare otherwyse desposed theÌ„ before and hath power to loue that which before he could not but hate and delyteth in that whiche before he coulde not loue And it setteth the soule at libertie and maketh hyr free to folowe the will of God and is to the soule euen-as healthe is vnto the bodye of a man that is pyned and waysted awaye with a longe sokinge disease The legges can not beare hym he can not lyft vp his handes to helpe hymself his tayst is corrupt suger is bitter in his mouth his stomake abhoreth longinge after sibbersruse at the whyche a whole stomake is ready to cast hys gorge When health commeth she chaungeth and altereth him cleane geueth him strength in all his mem bers and luste to do of hys owne accorde that whiche before the coulde not do nether could not sustre that any man exhorted him to do and hath now lust in whol som thynges and his meÌ„bres are fre and at libertye and haue power to do of their owne accorde all thinges whiche belonge to an whole man to do whiche afore thâ—â— had no power to do but were in captiuitie and bondage So lykewise in al thing doth right fayth to the soule The sprite of God a coÌ„panieth faith and bringeth with her lyght where with a man be holdeth hym felfe in the law of God and seyth hys myserable hondage and captiuitie and humbleth hymselfe and abhorreth himself she bringeth gods promyses of all good thynges in Christe God worketh with his worde and in his worde And whan his word is preached fayth worketh her selfe in y e hertes of the electe and as fayth entreth and the word of God is beleued the power of God loseth the hert from the captiuitie and bon dage vnder synne and knitteâ—h and coup leth him to God and to the wyll of God altereth hym aud chaungeth hym cleane fassioneth and forgeth him a nâ—w geueth hym power to loue and to do that which before was vnpossyble for hym ether to loue or do and turnneth hym in to a new nature so that he loueth that whiche he before hated and hateth that whyche he before loued and is cleane altered and chaunged and contrary disposed and is knyt and coupled fast to Gods wyll and naturally bringeth furth good workes that is to saye that which God commauÌ„ deth to do and not â–ª thynges of his owne ymagination And y t doth he of his owne accorde as a tre bryngeth forth frute of hyr accorde And as thou neadest not to byd a tre to hrynge forth frute so is ther no lawe put vnto hym that beleueth and is iustified thorow faith as saith Paul in the fyrste epistle to Timothe the fyrste Chapter Neither is it nedfull For the lawe of God is writen and grauen in his herte and his pleasure is therin And as without coÌ„maundemeÌ„t and of his owne nature he eateth drynketh setteth heareth talketh and goethe euen so of his owne nature with out coaccion or com pulsioÌ„ of y e lawe bryngeth he forth good workes And as an whole man when he is a thurste taryeth but for drinke and whan he hungreth abydeh but for meate and then drinketh and eateth naturally euen so is the faythfull euer a thrust and an hongred after the wyll of God and tarieth but for occasion And whan soeuer an occasion is geuen he worketh na turally the wyl of God For this blessing is geueÌ„ to all them that trust in Christes bloude that they thyrst and honger to do Gods wyll He that hath not this fayth is but an vnprofytable babler of fayeth and workes and woteth nether what he bableth nor what he meaneth or where vnto his wordes pertayne For be seleth not the power of faith nor the workynge of the spirite in his herte but interpreteth the scriptures which speake of faith and workes after hys owne blynde â—â—aâ—one and folish â—aÌ„taâ—ies and not of any feling that he hath in his herte as a man râ—hâ—rseth a tale of an other mans mouth and woteth not â–ª whether it bee so or not as he saith nor hath any experieÌ„ce of y e thynge it selfe Now doth the scrip ure asscribe both faith and workes not to vs but to God only to whome they belonge only and to whom they are appropriat whoâ—e gyfte they are and the proper worâ—ke of hys spirite Is it not a frâ—warâ— and peruerse blyndnes thei teath how a man can do nothynge of hys owne selfe yet presumptuously take vpon them the gre atest hyest worke of God euen to make fayth in theÌ„ selues of their owne power and of their own false imaginaâ—y on and thoughtes Therfore I say we must â—ispayre of oure selfes and praye God as Christes Apostels dyd do geue vs fayth and to encrease our fayth WheÌ„ we haue that wee nede none other thynge more For she bryngeth the spirite with her and he not only teacheth vs all thynges but worketh theÌ„ also myghtily in vs and carieth vs thorow aduerâ—ite perse cutioÌ„ death and hel vnto heauen euer lastyng lyfe MArke diligentlie therfore seynge wee are come to answere The scripture because of suche dreames and fayned faythes sake vseth such maner of speakinges of workes not y t a man shoulde ther by be made good to God warde or iustified but to de clare vnto other and to take of other the difference betwene falce fained faith and ryght faith for where ryght faith is ther bryngeth she forth good workes yf there folowe not good workes it is no doubte but a dreame and an opinion or fayned fayth Wher for loke as A fruite maketh not the tre good but declareth and testifi eth outwardly that the tre is good as Christe sayeth euery tre is knowen by his fruite euen so shal ye knowe the right faith by hyr fruite Take for an ensample Mary that annoynted Christes fete Luke vii When Symon whiche bad Christe to his house had condempned
for Christes sake and y e Gospels forsaketh house brethern or systers etc. He shall receyue an huÌ„drede folde houses bretherne etc That is spiritually For Christ shalbe all thinges vn to the. The angels all Christen and who so euer doth the will of the father shalbe father mother syster and brother vnto the and all theirs shal be thyne And God shall take the cure of the and minister all thinges vnto the â–ª as longe as thou â—ekyft but his honour only More ouer if thou were Lorde ouer all the world yea of ten worldes before thou knewiste God yet was not thine appetite quenched thou thurstedeste for more But if thou seke his honoure only then shall he slake thy thurste and thou shalt haue all that thou desyrest and shal be conâ—eÌ„te if thou dwel amonge infydeles and amonge the moste eruelest nacion of the worlde yet shall he be a father vnto the and shal defende the as he dyd Abraham Isaac and Iacob and all sayntes whos lyues thou readest in the scripture For all that are past and gone before are but ensamples to streÌ„gth oure fayth truste in the worde of God It is the same God and hath sworne to vs all that he sware vnto them and is as true as euer he was and therfore can not but fulfyll hys promyses to vs as well as he dyd to them if we beleue as thi did The hour shal come when al they that are in the garues shall heare hys voyce that is to saye Christes voyce and shall come forth they that haue done good in to the resurcection of lyfe and they that haue done euill in to the resurrection of damnacion Jhon v. Thys al lyke textes declare what foloweth good workes that our dedes shal testifie wyth vs or agaynste vs at that daye and putteth vs in remembrauÌ„ce to be diligente and ferueÌ„te in doinge good Here by mayste thou not vnderstande that we obtayne the fauour of God and the enheritaunce of life thorowe the meri tes of good workes as hirelinges theyr wages For then shouldest thou robbe Christ of whose fulnes we haue receiued fauoure for fauoure as affirmeth also Paule Ephe. i. he loued vs in his beloued by whome we haue sayeth Paule redeÌ„cion thorowe his bloude and forgeuenes of sinnes The forgeuenes of sinnes then is oure redemcion in Christe â–ª and not the rewarde of workes In whom sayth he in the same place he chose vs before the makynge of the worlde that is longe before we dyd good workes Thorow fayth in Christ are we Also the sonnes of God as thou readest Jo. i. in that they beleued on his name he gaue theÌ„ powere to be the soÌ„nes of God God with al his fulnes and ryches dwel leth in Christ and out of Christ must we feach all thinges Thou readest also Jo. iii. he that beleueth on the soÌ„ne hath eternall lyfe And he that beleueth not shal se no lyfe but the wrath of God abideth vpon him Here seeste thou y t the wrath and vengeaunce of God possesseth euery man tyll fayth come Faith and truste in Christe expelleth the wrath of God and bringeth fauoure the spirite power to do good and the euerlasting lyfe Moreouer vntyll Christe haue geuen the light thou knowest not where in standeth the goodnes of thy workes and tyl his spirit hath loosed thyne herte thou canste not coÌ„sente vnto good workes All that is good in vs both wyl and workes cometh of the fauoure of God thorow Christ to whom be the laude and thankes Amen IF any man wyll do hys wyll he meaneth the wyll of the doctryne whether it be of God or whether I speak of myselfe Jo. vii This text meaneth not y t any man of his owne strength power and fre wil as they call it can do the wyl of God before he hath receyued y e spirite and strength of Christ thorow faith But here is ment y t which is spoken in the third of Jhon when Nicodemus maruayled howe it were possyble that a man shoulde be borne agayne Christ answered that which is borne of the fleshe is fleshe that whyche is borne of the spirite is spirite as who shoulde saye he that hath y e spirite thorow faith and is borne agayne and made a new in Christ vnderstandeth the thynges of the spirite and what he that is spiritual mea neth But he that is fleshe and as Paule sayeth i. Cor. ii a natural man and led of his blynde reason onely can neuer asceÌ„de to the capacite of the spirite And he geueth and ensample sayenge The wynd bloweth where he listeth and thou herest his voyce and wottest not whence he coÌ„eth nor whyder he wyll So is euery maÌ„ that is borne of the spirite he that speaketh of y e spirite can neuer be vnderstaÌ„de of the naturall man whiche is but fleshe and sauereth no more then thinges of the fleshe So here meaneth Christ if any maÌ„ haue the spirite and consenteth vnto the wyll of God the same at ones wotteth what I meane IF ye vnderstande thes thynges happie are ye if ye do them John xiii A christen mans herte is with the wil of God wyth the law and commaundementes of God and hoÌ„greth and thursteth after strength to fulfyl theÌ„ and morneth daye and nyght desyringe God accordinge to hys promyses for to geue him power to fulfyl the wil of God with loue luste then testifieth his deade that he is blessed that the spirite whiche blesseth vs in Christ is in hym and ministreth such strength The outwarde dede testifieth what is with in vs as thou rea dest John v. The deades whiche I do testifyeth of me sayth Christ. And John xiii hereby shal al men knowe that ye are my disciples if ye loue one an other And John xiiii he that hath my commaundemeÌ„tes and keapeth theÌ„ the same it is that loueth me And agayne he that loueth me kepeth my coÌ„maundementes and he that loueth me not kepeth not my commauÌ„dementes the outwarde deade testifiynge of the inwarde herte And John xv Yf ye shal kepe my coÌ„maundementes ye shal coÌ„tinue in my loue as I kepe my fathers commaundemente â–ª and continue in hys loue That is as ye se the loue y t I haue to my father in that I kepe his commauÌ„ dementes so shall ye se the loue that yee haue to me in that ye kepe my commaundementes Thou mayst not thinke that oure deades blesse vs fyrst and that wee preuent God and his grace in Christe as thought we in oure naturall gyftes and beinge as we were borne in Adam loked on the lawe of God and of oure owne streÌ„gth fulfylled it so became ryghtuos theÌ„ with that rightuousnes obtained y e fauour of God As philosophers writ of rightuousnes as the rytuousnes of teÌ„poral law is wher y e lawe is satisfied w t y e ypocrisie of the outward dede For con trary to y e readest thou Ye haue not
disputer a brauler a boute wordes and hath no fealinge in his herte Thought thou coÌ„seÌ„te to the lawe that it is good rightuous and holy soroweste and repentest because thou haste broken it mornest because thou hast no strength to fulfyll it yet art not thou there by at one with God Yea thou shouldest shortli despayre and blaspheme God if the promises of forgeuenes and helpe were not there bi and faith in thine herte to beleue them Faith therfore seteth y â— at one with God Fayth praieth alwaye For she hath alwaye hyr infirmites and weaknesses before hir eyes and also Gods promises for whiche she alwaye longeth and in all places But blinde vnbelefe prayeth not alwaye nor in al places but in the church only and that in such a church where it is not lawfull to preach godes promises nether to teach men to trust therin Faith wheÌ„ she prayeth setteth not hyr good dea des before hyr sainge Lorde for my good deades do thys or that Nor bergeneth with God sayinge Lord graunte me this or do thys or that and I wyll do thys or that for the as mumble so much dayli go so ferre or fast thys or that fast enter in thys religion or y t with such other poyntes of infidelite yea rather ydolatry But shee setteth hyr infirmyties and hyr lacke before hyr face and Gods promises sayinge Lorde for thi mercye trueth which thou haste sworne be mercyfull vnto me out of thys pryson out of thys hel And lose the bondes of Satan and gyue me power to gloryfye thy name Fayth therfore iustifieth in y e herte and before God and the deades iustifie outwardly before the world that is testifie onli before men what we are inwardly before God Whosoeuer loketh in the perfect lawe of libertye and continueth ther in Yf he be not a forget full hearer but a doer of the worke he shalbe happye in his deade Iames. i. The lawe of liberte y t is which requireth a fre herte or if thou fulfyl it declareth a free herte lowesed from the bondes of satan The preachinge of the lawe maketh no man free but byndeth For it is the keye that byndeth all consciences vnto eternall damnacion when it is preached as the promyses or Gospel is the keye that lowseth all consciences that repente when they are bouÌ„d thorow preachinge of the lawe He shalbe happye in his deade that is by his deade shall he knowe that he is happye and blessed of God which hath geuen him a good herte and power to fulfyl the law By hearing the lawe thou shalt not knowe that thou art blessed but if thou do it it declareth that thou art happie and blessed WAs not Abraham iustified of his deades wheÌ„ he offered his â—onne â–ª Isaac vpon the altar Iames. iii. his deade iustifyed hym before the worlde that is it declared and vttered the fayth whiche boeth iustifyeth hym before God and wrought that wonderfull worke as Iames also affermeth Was not Raab the harlot iustified wheÌ„ she receyued the messengers and sent theÌ„ out an other waye Iam. iii. that is lyke wise outwardli but before God she was iustified by fayth whyche wrought that outward deade as thou mayst se Iosue ii She had herde what God had done in Egipte in the redd see in the deserte and vnto the two kinges of the Amorreans Sion and Og. And she confessed seynge youre Lord God he is God in heauen a boue and in erth beneth She also beleued that God as he had promised the chil derne of Israel would gâ—ue theÌ„ the lande where in she dwelt and coÌ„sented ther vn to submytted hyr selfe vnto the will of God and holpe God as mouch as in hir was and saued his spies messingers The other feared that which she beleued but resysted â–ª God wyth all there myght and had no power to submitte them selfe vnto the will of God And therfore perished they and she was saued and that tho rowe fayth as we reade Hebre. xi where thou maist se how the holy fathers were saued thorou faith how faith wrought in them Fayth is the goodnes of all the deades that are done with in the lawe of God and maketh theÌ„ good and glorious seme they neuer so vile and vn beleuefe maketh them damnable seme they neuer so gloryous AS pertaninge to that whiche Iames in thys iii. Chapter fayeth What a vayleth thoughe a man say that he hath fayth if he haue no deades can fayth saue him agayne Fayth without deades is dead in it selfe And the deuils beleue and tremble And as the body without the spirite is deade euen so fayth without deades is deade It is manifeste cleare that he meaneth not of that fayth wher of Peter Paul speke in their epistles IhoÌ„ in his Gospel and fyrst Epistle Christ in the Gospel when he sayth thy faithe hath made the safe be it to the accordyng to thy fayth or great is thy faith c and of which Iames himselfe speaketh .i. Cha. saying Of hys owne wyl begat he vs wyth y e word of life y t is in beleuing y e promises wher in is lyfe at we made the soÌ„nes of God Whych thinge I also thys wise proue Paule sayeth howe shall or can they beleue wyth out apreacher Now I praye you when was it hearde that God sent any man to preach vnto y e diuyls or that he made theÌ„ any good promes He threat neth them oft but neuer sent embassadours to preach any atonement betewene hym and them Take an ensample that thou mayst vnderstand Let there be two pore men both destitude of raymente in a winter the one stronge that he fealeth no grefe the other greuously mornynge for payne of the colde I then come by and moued wyth pitye and compassyon saye vnto hym that fealeth hys dysease come to suche a place and I will gyue the raymente sufficyente He beleueth cometh and obtayneth that whyche I haue promysed That other seeth al this and knoweth it but is partaker of naught For he hath no faith and y t is because ther is no promise made him So is it of the deuils The deuils haue no fayth For fayeth is but ernest beleuinge of Gods promises Now are ther no promises made vnto y e diuyls but â—ore thretninges The old Phi losophers knewe that ther was one God but yet had no faith for thei had no pow er to seke his wyl nether to worship him The turkes and the saresons know that haue no power to worship God in spirit to seke his pleasure to submit theÌ„ vnto his wyl Thei made an Idoll of God as we do for y e most part worshipped him euery maÌ„ after his own imaginacioÌ„ for a sundry purpose What we wyll haue done that must God do and to do oure wyll worshippe we hym and praye vnto hym but what God wyll haue done that