Chapter ☞ Who is the mediatour how he delyuereth vs. ☞ The. 4. Chapter ☞ That Christ taketh away our synnes and that so we are recōciled to god proued by the scripture ☞ The. 5. Chapter ☞ Christe beareth our synnes when his iustice is made oures which is don by faith on our side ☞ The. 6. Chapter ☞ That the maner of iustificacion is on our behalfe by faith ☞ The. 7. Chapter ☞ These sayenges we are iustifyed by the grace of god or by christes merites or by faith be all one ☞ The. 8. Chapter ☞ By fayth onelye are we iustified which terme onelye is not of mans braine inuented ☞ The. 9. Chapter ☞ Iustification is taken from al maner of works whether they be of the lawe or of grace ☞ The. 10. Chapter ☞ Faith iustifieth not in y t it is a worke but in that it trusteth to y t mercye of god through Christ ☞ The. 11. Chapter ☞ That no man is iustyfyed by works whether they go before or after iustificacion is proued by the nature of works ☞ The. 12. Chapter ☞ The nature of iustifycacyon argueth that faith and not works iustifie ☞ The. 13. Chapter ☞ Faith is not without workes but what place they haue in the churche and whence they spryng in vs. ☞ The. 14. Chapter ☞ That we doe not wel tyl god dwell in vs to worke good works in vs and how rightwysenes is ascribed to workes ☞ The. 15. Chapter ☞ How gods workes in vs are called ours but so y t we can challenge naught for them but for an other cause ☞ The. 16. Chapter ☞ The. 2. sortes of men that the Apostles had to do with which make them seme to varie in iustificacyon ☞ The. 17. Chapter ☞ The termes rewardes or merites examined by the scripture ☞ The. 18. Chapter ☞ The rule to measure good works that thei may be good indede and not of our good intent onelye ☞ The. 19. Chapter ☞ The exposition of the. 10. commaundementes which are the lymites of our good works ☞ The. 20. Chapter ☞ That y e lord requyreth naught els of vs but the workes of the. x. commaundementes ☞ The. 21. Chapter ☞ That the foresayd proprietes of good workes are requysite indede to workes is declared more playnlye by the scripture ☞ The. 22. Chapter ☞ The conclusion or peroration FINIS A godlye and learned treatise wherin is proued y e true iustificacion of a Christian manne to come frely of the mercy of god in Christ without the deseruyng of man by his merites and also how good workes oughte to bee done what be true good works in dede Wherunto is ioyned a cōference betwene the law and the gospel very profitable for al men to exercise themselues therein ☞ Esay xliii ☞ I euen I am he only who for myne owne selfes sake doe awaye thyne offēces and forget thy synnes so that I wyll neuer thynke vpon them The authors intent and purpose in thys matter of iustificacyon The. 1. Chapter PUrposing playnly brefely to speake of the true iustifying of a Christian mā and aswell of vpright true good workes as the maner and fourme therof I mynde not to tell what disputaciōs mē haue had of the same but what God who cannot lye hath vttered spoken therof in his worde This matter of iustificacion I thought to serue my turne First beecause that Iohn the Apostle and Euāgelist whom I now haue in hād doth in maner treate wholy therof Upon whom I was perswaded to make the better declaracion if I aforehande out of all the scripture set a short Summe of iustificacion and of good workes Secondly beecause that in oure fayth and religion there is nothyng wherof we may be ignorante with greater hurte or that with greater profit may be knowen perceaued and vnderstand then euen the maner of iustificacion and of good workes For iustificacion is the surest ground and establishment of our life wellfare Thirdly because this matter beyng els playne and euydent is now in our dayes thorow the many folde darke mystes ▪ of contencious men vtterly confused cleane tossed out of order For cōcerning iustificacion diuerse and sondrye men haue straunge and nyce opinions Some saye styl that the faythfull are iustifyed thorowe the onelye belefe in the Lorde Iesus Christ whiche is a trueth in dede Other there be that refuse condemne thys as an erroneous opynyon but with great arrogācye ascribe their iustificacyon vnto mens works Some referre iustificacion to faith and workes a lyke And some there be that vnto fayth ascrybe the begynnynge of iustificacion and the finishīge or perfourmaunce thereof vnto workes Yet haue I not recyted the myndes and opinions of all But forasmuche as there is such contencion among the learned the peoples consciences are therby vexed troubled and sore tēpted Wherefore to establishe the Christian verite and for an introduction into the holy and godlye gospell of Iohn I mynde to colleete gather together a shorte Summe of the iustificacion of a Christyan manne and concernyng good workes Nether will I here bring forth eny thinge at all which I do not declare and proue wyth sensible playne testimonies of gods scripture yea and as touchinge iustificacion and good workes I wil collecte conferre together nothing els but the most euident witnesses of the scripture So that without the order and homelie vnpainted oracion ther shalbe nothig mine nether wil I compte any thinge mine own but trye proue altogether by gods word And doutles in the most waightie maters of our Religion we ought euen so to vse our selfes ¶ Afore al things it shalbe nedefull to sette forth a sure description exposicion and significacion of this terme iustifieng The. 2. Chapter TO iustifie or this terme Iustifie is in the scripture taken sondrie waies For somtyme it signifieth to ascribe honour and right vnto god to yelde vnto him stowtlie boldly to confesse that he onelie is rightuous but we oure selues synners and vniust Thus is it red And all the people and the publicanes that heard him iustified god and were baptised the baptisine of Ihon. More ouer it signifieth asmuch as to defende and spare himself and to set forth himselfe for iust and ryghteous For so the Lorde vseth it whan he rebuketh y e Pharisees Luke 16. saying vnto thē Ye are they that iustifie youreselues beefore men but god knoweth your hartes Notwithstanding in this our present matter I vse thys terme Iustifie as the custome is in causes iudicial and belonging to the law And so doeth it betoken asmuche as to pronounce hym iust and righteous that is to discharge from punyshment and by sentence to cleare and quite him free whiche is accused and required to haue execucion Againe contrary vnto thys doth the scripture now set that whyche is called to pollute or stayne that is by sentence to pronounce one defiled vngodly vnrighteous and worthye to bee plaged and so to geue hym
the law in asmuche as he becāe a curse for vs that the blessinge of Abrahā might come among the Gentiles in Christ Iesu Now let the thirde witnesse come forth euen Ihon the sonne of thonder and dearlie beloued disciple of the Lord who in hys Epistle sayeth wyth expresse wordes after thys maner the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all sinne And afterwarde he saieth and if any mā synne we haue an aduocate with god euen Iesus Chryst the righteous and he it is that obteineth grace for our sines not for oure onely but also for the synnes of the whole worlde If all trueth nowe shal stand in the mouth of two or three then wil no man I trust from hence forth denye that Iesus Chryste is our righteousnes that we are iustified by the bloud of Iesus Chryste that the death of y e lorde Iesus Chryst is it by meanes whereof synners are delyuered from death that our synnes are pardoned and forgeuen vs for Chrysts sake and that in him we are reconcyled with God the father who for the ryghtuousnesse sake of his anoynted whyche he hath geuen vs doeth compte vs ryghtuous beyng of oure selues voyde of all ryghtuousnes Vnto these very playne testymonyes commeth thys also that descended from the excellent glory out of heauen euen the sētence of god vpon the Lorde Iesus whan he went vp from the Baptyme wyth these wordes Thys is my deare sonne in whom I delyte and in whom I am pacyfyed And Paule to the Colossyans sayeth for it pleased the father y t in hym shoulde dwell al fulnes and by hym to reconcyle al thīgs vnto himselfe and to set at peace by hym thorow the bloud of his crosse both thynges in heauen and thynges in earth c. To this agreeth also that which he saith to the Ephesians with these wordes He namely the father of oure lorde Iesu Christ ordeyned vs before thorow Iesus Christ to be heires vnto himselfe acordinge to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherwith he hath made vs accepted thorow the beloued By whom we haue redempcion thorow his bloud euen the forgyuenes of synnes acording to the riches of his grace c. Out of al this I conclude that a Christian man is iustified thorow Christ and reconcyled with god the father euen by him who with his bloud hath clensed vs from synne delyuered vs from y e power of the deuel of darknes restored vs vnto life with his owne death and made vs heires with him in eternall life And for al this now yet doth not the scripture speake against itself sayīg A Christian man is iustified by y e grace of god for Christ the anoynted of the lorde is the free gifte of god and the fulnesse of all grace for asmuche as Ihon saieth We al takynge out of the fulnes of Christ haue receaued grace for grace For the lawe was geuen by Moses but grace and trueth commeth by Iesus Christ who is full of grace and veritie Christ beareth our synnes and by his stripes we are healed when his iustice is made ours which is done by fayth on our side The. 5. Chapter THis hitherto haue I spoken in generall concernīg the maner of iustificaciō that is howe and after 〈…〉 what sort the sentence of damnacyon geuen of god vpō al mankynd is hyndered how thei that were condemned be delyuered and reconcyled agayne with god thorowe Chryste But yet haue I spoken nothīg of the lawe howe the righteousnes of Chryst is become oures or how we be partakers of this redempcyon For there be many whych vnderstanding Chryste to be a medyatour doe not yet beleue that he is also their mediatoure with god the father And so the strēgth and vertue of the Mediacyon doeth not profyte them Hereby maye we perceaue that the maner of iustyficacyon is not fullie fynished and perfourmed whā we haue gottē onelie some knowlege of the mediator and intercessor vnlesse we also knowe be suere thorow faith that Christ is our mediator yea in euery poynt ours all together y t therfore al his giftes goodes ar our owne Therfore hereafter haue I noted specially how the Reconciliacion and iustificaciō wrought by Iesus Christ is become ours And what it is y t maketh vs partakers of the redempcion or rightuousnes of Christ so that now the Lorde Iesus hath not onelie suffred death but dyed euen for vs washed awai our sinnes with his bloud iustified vs and made vs rightuous Yea so hath he iustified vs that we now beyng absolued from our sinnes and delyuered from damnacion are assuredlie become inheritours of al the goodes of Christ namelie of true rightuousnes and eternall life Her I speake openly playnlie and symplie We are become partakers of Christ by ōly faith that is by trust and belefe on y e lorde Iesus Christ And euen therfore is it that the prophetes and Apostles haue sayde so euidently that men are iustified by faith Item that Christ iustifieth thorow faith For such saienges expresse this meanynge and vnderstandyng namely that Christ geueth vnto vs his owne rightuousnes that is he forgeueth vs oure synnes he delyuereth vs frō damnacion and maketh vs partakers of eternall life Not for eny worke or deseruyng of vs but of his owne pure grace merite thorow faith In whō we holde beleue vs to be accepted not for ours elfes or for our owne works but for Christes sake Whom the father of al grace and mercy hath geuen vs for a pledge and assuraūce y t we shal lyue in his name That the maner of reconciliacion through christe is on oure syde by faith The 6. Chapter IT is not my desyre to be credited herin vnlesse I defende with very playne and euident scriptures y t which I haue taken in hand Now haue I sayed that Christ iustifieth vs by faith that is thorow stedfast belefe is the rightuousnes of Christ geuen vnto vs. This dyd the prophet Esaye establishe before w t sensible wordes sayēge my rightuous seruaunt namely Christ y e lorde shal with his knowlege or with the knowlege of him iustifie the multitude Beholde how he saieth my rightuous seruaunt shal iustifie the multitude church or congregacion and that thorow y e knowlege of him Now is it certayne and sure that the knowlege of him signifieth the knowlege of Christ euen y e science no doubte wherby true faith knoweth him cōfesseth him and poynteth vnto him This is therfore the prophet Esays doctryne or rather gods that Christ thorow faith iustifieth those that bee his After Esaye doth the prophet Abacuc speake sayīge The iust and rightuous shal lyue in his faith and beleffe Which sentence holie S. Paul vsed not onelye one tyme to proue by this testimonye as with it which is most euident y e all beleuers are iustified made lyuing by faith S. Ihon also
speaking of the lord in his gospel sayeth thus He came among his owne his owne receaued him not But as many as receaued him to them gaue he power to be the sonnes of god euen them that beleued on his name Loe now what could more sensibly haue bene spoke As many as receaue Christ are gods children but thei that beleue receaue Christ therfore thorow beliefe become we vndoubtedlie the children of god iust and rightuous blessed and saued And in the gospell of Ihō saieth our lord Iesus Christ himselfe Verely verelie I saie vnto you He that heareth my word and beleueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shal not come in to damnaciō but is escaped from death vnto life And agayne This is the will of him which sent me that who soeuer seyth the sonne and beleueth on him haue euerlasting life and I wil raise him vp at the last dai Herof commeth it also that this Apostle in his epistle saieth very euidētly yf we receaue the witnes of men the witnesse of god is greater For this is y e witnesse of god whiche he hath testified of his sonne Who so beleueth on the sonne of god hath gods witnesse in him But who so beleueth not hath made him a lyar because he hath not beleued the witnes which god hath testified in his sonne And this is y e testimonye that god hath geuen vs eternal life and this life is in his sonne Whoso hath the sonne of god hath life He that hath not y e sōne of god hath not life Here we se clearlie y t the sonne of god is had and possessed thorow faith and in the sonne assuredlye rightuousnesse all good things and eternal life Therfore must it nedes be true that we are iustified by faith Now saieth y e Apostel Paul also very distinctlie The rightuousnes of god is declared without the lawe for asmuch as it is allowed by y e testimonie of y e lawe of y e prophets The rightuousnes of God commeth by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto al and vpō al them y t beleue And in the tenth chapter Christe is y e end or fulfilling of y e lawe to iustifie al y t beleue Finally while Paul Silas laye at Philippis in prison for Christes name sake and the keper of the prison asked good syrs what must I do to be saued Thei answered him Beleue in the Lord Iesus Christ so shalt both y u and thy housholde be saued By this now I suppose it euidentlie ynough proued that we be iustified by faith Namely that vnto vs thorow faith is geuē rightuousnes with the merites of Christ Thes sayings we are iustified by the grace of god or by Christs merites or by fayth varie not The. 7. Chapter NEther can I thynke that eny man which is but a litle exercised in holie scripture wil stomble or be offended at such kynd and maner of speche We are iustified thorow the grace of god or horow the merites of Christ we are iustified by faith on the lorde Iesus as though thei eny where dyd not agree or ascrybed Iustificacion to vnlike thinges For thei are all one in effecte ascrybing iustificacion to the onelie mercie of god to whom onelye the prophetes and Apostles directed all their vnderstandinge meditacion These as oft as thei loked behind thē to the fountaine and well spring of iustificacion saide that men are iustified thorow the grace of god But whan thei had pondered considered the mercy pledge him by whō we are iustified thei sayd We ar made rightuous by Christ And whan thei called to remembraūce it wherby we become partakers of grace and of Christ thei saide that we are iustified by faith Nether were thei for all this careful that their sayenges shuld not agree together and serue the mater As some curious bodies do sharplie dispute Namelie whether faith be rightuousnes or an instrument and meane to becōe partakers of rightuousnes whether it be an instrument to receaue or a thing where thorow rightuousnes is poured in as thorow a tonnell Or whether it be the rightuousnes itselfe c. After this sorte is mans vnderstanding occupied but what auayleth it vnto true godlines The holie Apostles who alwaie studied simplicitie with playnesse they distinctly expresse and declare that god the grace of god Christ and faith iustifieth Itē that by grace by christ and by faith we ar iustified Which symplicitie I myndinge to folowe leaue such subtile curiositie vnto others By faith onely are we iustified which terme onely is not of mans braine inuented The 8. Chapter ANd where as I haue allready added there vnto We are iustified onelie by faith for Christes sake not for our workes the sāe haue I not lēt of myne own but taken it out of the holie scripture For the sonne of god Iesus Christ saieth in the gospell Excepte ye eate the flesh of y e sonne of man and drinke his bloude ye haue no life in you Lo the ōly eating of the flesh and drinking of the bloude of Christ maketh vs lyuinge nether is there eny thingels in y e whole world that geueth life Now what it is to eate the flesh of Christ he declareth immediatlie in y e same chap. sayeng Verelie verely I saie vnto you Who so beleueth on me hath euerlasting life Item He that cōmeth vnto me shal not hōger And he that beleueth on me shal neuer be a thirst Here shuld he haue saide He that drynketh me shal neuer thirste but in the place of this word drinke he hath set beleue Therfore to eate and drynke here is nothing els but to beleue So then yf we beleue not that the sonne of god was gyuen for vs vnto death we can neuer lyue Ergo faith it is that maketh lyuinge With this euangelist agreeth Paul also saiēg we know that a man is not iustified by the dedes of the lawe but by y e faith of Iesus Christ And we haue beleued on Iesus Christ y t we might be iustified by the fayth of Christ and not by the workes of the lawe For in that he saieth A man can not be iustified but by the faith of Christ what geueth he with this sayenge els to vnderstand but that a man must be iustified by the onelie faith of Christ or in Christ For in Gene. Ioseph saide vnto his brethren loke that ye se not my face except your yōgest brother be with you And in the boke of Numerus the people complayned whyninge against god and saienge Oure eyes se nothing but this Manna And in the same boke saieth Balaam Must not I kepe that and speake it which the lord hath put in my mouth In Deuteronomy saieth Moses also And now Israel what doth y e lorde thy god requyre of the but to feare the lord thy god and to walke in all his waies And Paul himselfe to the Romaynes vseth y
trusteth vnto Christ For faith saieth thus The worde is nere vnto the euen in thy mouth and in thine hart Then addeth he therto This is y e word of faith which we preach namelye yf thou confesse Iesus with thy mouth that he is the lorde and beleuest in thine hart that god raised him vp from the deed thou shalt be saued For to beleue with the hart iustifieth and to coÌ„fesse with the mouth saueth For y e scripture saieth Who soeuer beleueth on him shall not be confunded Therfore is it no maruaill that this Apostle wryting to y e PhilippiaÌ„s reputeth al thinges but losse for the excelleÌ„cy of y â— knowlege of Iesus Christ and iudgeth them but vyle desyringe to wynne Christ and to be fouÌ„d in him not to haue his owne rightuousnesse of the lawe but rather that rightuousnes which commeth by the faith of Iesus Christ Which thiÌ„ges afterwarde immediatlye he setteth in y e true knowledge of Christes death and resurrection Here vnto I suppose serueth specially the very playne argumente of this Apostle whan he saieth Yf the inheritaunce shuld come by the lawe theÌ„ were it not geuen by promes But god gaue it frelie vnto AbrahaÌ„ by promes The worde of promes is this In thy sede c. For the saluacion setteth he vpon one onelie and not in many Now yf the inheritauÌ„ce and blessinge were set in many then shuld it be geueÌ„ for y e workes sake But we all are blessed and saued in one and by one For as the curse by the synne of one reached ouer all men vnto condemnacion Euen so by the rightuousnes of one reacheth the gifte or blessing vpon al men to y e iustificacion of life For asmuch now as the blessing rightuousnes and redempcion is in the worde of trueth ascribed onlie vnto christ and seeinge our faith is directed straight vpon him euery faithful beleuer doth well vnderstande y e he is accepted vnto god thorow Christ not for his own self or for his workes sake For god dyd chose and ordeyne vs before because he wolde accepte vs for his owne children thorow Ihesus Christ in him selfe acording to y e good pleasure of him selfe to the praise of the 〈…〉 of his grace wherby he hath accepted vs in y e beloued in whom we haue redeÌ„pcion thorow his bloud namely y e forgeuenes of synnes oute of the riches of his grace which he hath poured vpon vs. Herevnto also belongeth it that the Apostle saieth fayth commeth by hearynge and hearyng coÌ„meth by the word of god For immediatlye therevpon doth the holy Apostle Paul adde out of the Psalme Verelye their sounde went out into all landes and their wordes vnto the endes of the world With all these most stronge testimonies of the scrypture I haue vndoutedly gotten the iustifying faith confidence trust that we are reconciled and accepted vnto god not by means of our selues or our own workes either of the lawâ—â— of grace but for Christ and â—â— merites sake For faith standing fast trusteth and leaneth vpon y e true promes of god euen vpon the lord christ and not vpon any of our workes Therfore is iustificacioÌ„ referred vnto faith because that what soeuer belongeth to saluacion and rightuousnes faith ascribeth it al to y e grace of god in Christe And thus by the nature of iustifyinge faith I haue shewed that onely fayth iustifieth now will I also declare out of the nature or propertie of mens workes that they doe not iustifie That no man is iustified by works is proued by the nature of works whether thei bee before or after iustificacion The. 11. Chapter WHat the workes of mans nature be namelie y e workes that are done by such as are not yet regenerate the lord him selfe in the gospell declareth saieth That whiche is borne of flesh is flesh Paul also speaking of the flesh saith To be fleshlie mynded or the mynde and wil of the fleshe is death enemitie against god for it naÌ„elie the fleshe and y e inclinacion of the fleshe is not obedient to y e lawe of god nether can be For we all by nature are children of wrath Now is euery one cursed that abydeth not in all thinges which are writteÌ„ in the boke of the lawe So farre therfore ar oure owne naturall woorkes froÌ„ iustifieng eny man that they rather condemne Moreouer of the workes of the lawe hath Paul the electe vessell spokeÌ„ thus we know that whatsoeuer the law saieth it saieth it vnto such as are vnder y e lawe that al mouthes maye be stopte and that al the wholle world maie be detter vnto god because that by the dedes of the lawe no fleshe is iustified in his sight He saieth also els where I refuse not the grace of god For yf rightuousnes come by the lawe then dyed Christ in vayne And yet more playnlie Yf there had bene mynistred a law which coulde haue geuen life then no doubte rightuousnes shuld come by the lawe But the scripture hath shut vp all vnder synne that by faith in Iesus Christ the promes might be geuen to those that beleue Now come we to the workes of faith or of grace which be called good works works of rightuousnes These saie thei these iustifie Answere Yf thei be good workes workes of rightuousnes then must thei nedes be wrought by good and rightuous people Wherout it foloweth that the workes go after rightuousnes and not before iustificacion for thei are done by those that be rightuous or iustified Whefore yf thei first folowe after then make thei no maÌ„ rightuous but faith it is that iustifieth And such as be rightuous theÌ„selues do worke rightuousnes or y t works of rightuousnes For it is written The rightuous shal liue by his faith And agayne who so applyeth himselfe vnto rightuousnes the same is rightuous iust Thus is faith the grouÌ„d and iust occasioÌ„ of vertue goeth before the workes of rightuousnes of faith and of grace nether is it first made out of workes Yf thou be not satisfied here with theÌ„ let vs set this coÌ„sideracion before vs not after y e things but after the personnes Thus Thei that work or do the dedes be either vngodly wicked people ypocrytes or els thei be godly rightuous and holie frendes of god No man by the grace of god will ascribe iustificacion to the workes of the vngodly and ypocrites for asmuch as it is written The lorde hateth the sacrifices of the vngodly And agayne The ypocryts hope shall come to naught his confidence shalbe destroyed his trust shal be a spyders webbe he shal leane vpoÌ„ his house but it shal not staÌ„d he shall hold him fast by it but yet shal it not endure And before him namelye beefore GOD maie no ypocryte stand As for y e godlie of whom it is written Ye are whasheÌ„ ye are sanctified ye are
tre such a tre such frute such a mā such works For all that is done in fayth pleaseth god are good workes And al that is done w tout faith dispeaseth god and are euyll workes Who so euer beleueth or thynketh to be saued by his works denieth that Christe is his sauiour For how is he thy sauioure if y u myghtest saue thyselfe by thy workes or wherto shuld he dye for the if any workes might haue saued the Verely thou shuldest haue dyed perpetually yf Christ to delyuer the had not dyed for y e and chaūged thy perpetual death in to his owne deth For thou madest the faute and he suffered the payne that for the loue he had to the or euer y u wast borne when thou haddest done nether good nor euel Nowe syth he hath paid thy debte y u nedest not no thou canste not but shuldest be damned if his bloude were not But syth he was punished for y e thou shalt not be punished if thou trust in him Fynallye he hath delyuered the from thy condemnacion and al euel and desyreth naught els of the but y t thou wilt aknowledge what he hath done for the and beare it in minde and y t thou woldest helpe other for his sake bothe in worde and dede euen as he hath holpen the for naughte and without rewarde O how redy wolde we be to helpe other if we knewe his goodnes and gentelnes towardes vs. He is good a gentle lord for he geueth vs frely Let vs besech you y t ar Christians to folowe his fotesteppes whōal the world ought to prayse and worship Amen ¶ He that thynketh to bee saued by his workes calleth him selfe Christe For he calleth him selfe his sauioure which pertayneth to christ only What is a sauiour but he y t saueth he sayth I saue my self which is as moch to say as I am Christ for Christ only is the sauyoure of the worlde We shulde do no good workes for y e entent to get the inheritaūce of heuen or remissyon of synne For who so euer beleueth to get the enheritaunce of heuen or remission of synne thorowe works he beleueth not to get y t for Christes sake And thei that beleue not that theyr synnes ar forgeuen thē and y t they shal be saued for Christes sake they beleue not the gospel For the Gospell sayth you shalbe saued for Christes sake synnes are forgyuen for Christes sake He y t beleueth not y e gospel beleueth not god So it foloweth that thei which beleue to be saued by their workes or to get remissiō of their synnes by their owne dedes beleue not god but recount him as a lyer and so vtterly deny hym to be god Thou wilt saye shall we then do no good dedes I saye not so but I say we shulde do no good workes for the entent to gette the inheritaunce of heuen or remissyon of synne For if we beleue to gette vs heuen thorow good workes thē we beleue not to get it thorowe the promise of god if we thynke to get remissyon of our sinne so the we beleue not that they are forgeuen vs for Christe and so we counte God a lyar For god sayth you shal haue the inheritaunce of heuen for my sonnes sake thy synnes are forgeuen the for my sonnes sake you say it is not so but I wyl wynne it thorow my workes So I condemne not good dedes But I cōdemne y e false truste in any works For al the works that a mā putteth confidence in are ther with povsoned and become euyll ¶ To god onely geue the glorye A dialogue wherin is brefely declared the longe continuaunce of y e Gospel taught as well to the vngodly as to the godly The cause of the destruction of the wicked And also the office of the lawe and the gospel William ¶ For asmuche as God hath constituted me a creature resonable and endued me w t an vnderstanding I am naturallye desyrous to knowe what end I am created to Gyles Thā shal it be necessarie for you to haue faith For he that shal haue to do with God or with godlynes muste fyrste of al beleue after y e holy scriptures William Than tel me what faith is by those holy scriptures Giles After y e saienge of saincte Paule it is a sure certaynie of godly thinges which we trust vnto a grounded euydence in the spirite of heauenlye causes that neuer were sene w t the eye Wil. What suppose ye most necessari to direct me into this faith Gi. The eternal Testament or gospel of Iesu Christe For that is the power of God vnto saluacion to al them that beleue Wil. Whan was this gospell fyrste taught Gil. Soone after the worldes begyunynge whan Adam had once offended leste that he shuld haue fallen in vtter despaire so haue bene loste for euer more Will. And hath the Gospel contynued euer syns to the cōforte of man Gil. Yea trulie and oft sins that time hath ben confirmed by more earneste promises from age to age tyll the meke Lambe came which tok awaye the synnes of the worlde through the shedyng of his most innocent bloud For the scripture saith that his mercye was plentuous from kyndred to kiudred to them that feared the Lorde Wil. Hath all men ben called to grace by that gospell of saluacion Gil. Yea doubtles haue thei yet haue thei not all thankfully receyued it So wel was it tought of our fyrst father Adam to Cayn as to Abel Sowel dyd Noe preache it to Cham as vnto Sem and Iaphet So well dyd Abraham shewe yt to Ismael as vnto Isaac So well Moyses to Pharao as to y e people of Israel Dauid to Ammon and Absolon as to Salomon Nathan Helyas to Achab and Iesabel as to the moste faithfull beleuers No lesse dyd Christe open therof to Iudas then to Peter Iames and Ihon. And so forth to the other Apostles and true preachers to this present daye So that none can excuse thē selfes Wyl Howe commeth it than to passe that so many are lost and styll yet dothe dalye perishe through their conuersacion and lycencious lyuyng Gyl No faute can be ascribed to the gospel but to their vnthankful receiuing of the fruites therof so frelye offred them The disdaynfull spurnyng asyde of that necessary health in christ is cause of their decaye and not the set ordynaunce of god which willeth all men to be saued Wil. If Adā thus receyued this Gospel and so taught it to his posterite it hath cōtinued much longer than I supposed Gil. The Gospel is as the lord is euerlasting For as witnesseth the apostle saint Iohn In the beginning was the worde the worde was with god and god was the worde Wil. Than was not Mathew with the other Euangelistes the fyrste wryter therof Gil. No god did wryte it firste in the natural herte of man and
ouer to be punished For it is red thus If there be a strife betwene men they shall come to the law and let y e iudges geue sentence betwene them and iustifie the rightuous and condemne the vngodly What canne thys be els but euen asmuche as to saye Let them discharge and quite free the rightuous iudge the vnrightuous to be punished For Esaye in the fift Chapter saieth yet more playnlye thus they iustifie the vngodly for rewards sake but condemne the iust cause of the ryghteous Which is euen asmuch to say as the righteous doe not they de clare to be righteous neyther delyuer they hym from the vilanye and wrong of the vniust but take rewardes and giftes and leaue him to the wilfulnes of violent oppressours Here vnto serueth it that is writte in the prouerbes of Salomon the 17. chapter The lorde hateth aswel him that iustifieth the vngodlie as him that cōdemneth the innocēt Item that out of the. 12. of Matthew Out of thy wordes thou shalt be iustified and out of thy wordes thou shalte be condemned Of the worde Iustifie cōmeth the worde iustificacion or iustifieng And the same is a iudicial terme in the scripture For iustificacion is the declaracion of the iudge who pronounceth sentence for the accused that is dischargeth and quyteth him free from y e accusaciō and threatned punishment Iustificaciō therfore is nothing els but a discharge delyueraunce and restitucion from death to life Herof is rightuousnes called a discharge and pardon frō synne And they be the rightuous whose synnes are forgeuen and which beyng a quyted frō death are become hieres of eternal life The Apostle Paul therfore more then in one place doth expounde Iustificaciō by y e name of redēpcion remission of synnes For y e which cause he setteth them both together y t one maie be vnderstāded bi āother For in y t Acts of y e Apostles he saieth Be it knowē vnto you therfore ye men brethren y t thorow this mā namely Christ is preached vnto you forgeuenes of synnes and that by him all that beleue are iustified frō al things frō which you could not be iustified by the lawe of Moses And to y e Romanes he saieth euen as Dauid also descrybeth the saluacion of that man vnto whom god imputeth righte ousnes wythout workes Blessed are they saieth he whose vnrighteousnesses are forgeuen and whose synnes are couered Blessed is that man vnto whom the Lorde wyll not impute synne Behold now how he ioyneth and knytteth iustificacion blessedfulnes or saluacion and remyssyon of synnes together So doeth Esaye also in maner wyth more playne wordes in the. 53. Chapter saying my ryghtuous seruaunte shall with his knowledge or with the knowledge of him iustifie the multitude for he shall beare away theyr synnes For thys last he shal beare away their sinnes doeth in maner expound that whych goeth beforewyth hys knowledge or wyth the knowledge of hym shal he iustifie and deliuer the multitude Thus he declareth that iustificacyon is nothyng els but remyssion of sinnes For whan the lorde taketh away our wyckednes he iustifieth vs. To iustifye therefore and to beare synne away to delyuer frō synne or to forgeue synne is all one matter So that we lack now no more but to say iustyfycacion is the remission of synnes the discharge from damnacyon the deliuerance I saye and forgeuenes of synne yea euen the receauing vp of a sinner into the grace of god and inherytaunce of lyfe Wherfore whan the questyon is asked concernyng the true iustificacyon of man vndoubtedly it is demaunded what that maye be for whose sake or by whō sinners are discharged frō the threatned and deserued death or by whose meanes our synnes are forgeuen vs. Or Wherein is the worlde reconcyled with god And so in thes poynts consisteth the whole knowledge of our iustificacion that whan we haue knowne the mediatour redemer the fourm and maner of the redempcion y e fashion and meane also wherby the delyueraunce cōmeth vnto vs is geuen vs the iustificacion of a Christian mā may lykewise be vnderstande ¶ Uvhat is to be held of y e mediator as who he is and the maner of iustificacion as howe he delyuereth vs. The. 3. Chapter BUt to the intēt y ◠no darke nor doubtfull thing remayne in eny mans mynde I wil first declare what is to be holden of the Mediator or intercessor what the maner of iustificacion is All this wil I set forth before mens eyes y t euery one maie vewe se it Namelie y ◠Christ Iesus is y ◠same for whose sake the father is pacified and contented In such forte y t he imputeth not sinne vnto vs but cōpteth vs righruous iust For Christ hath take our synnes vpon him selfe satisfied for them with his innocent death hath geuen vs his owne rightuousnes Then wil I shewe how we becōe partakers of this rightuousnes For in this mater must speciall respect be had to these two poyntes Namely who is y e mediator redemer of y e damned how he hath delyuered thē y t is after what sorte we become pertakers of the redempcion and iustificacion or how the deliuerance extendeth to our commodite and welfare To speake of the fyrst imagen thou nowe by thy self that god the righteous iudge of all sitteth vpon hys iudycyall Throne before whō stand al mē and before accused as vngodlye and vnfaythfull stayned and defyled wyth al vyces and are conuicte of the same by meāes wherof the sentence of condemnacion is called for and required The men haue vtterly nothing wherby to excuse themselues nether is there aught els to loke for but that they altogether shalbe caried forth and hurled awaye to damnacyon and eternall death Neuertheles in thys greatest and final daunger there appeareth to the most woofull mankynde an exceadyng great hope namelye the eternall sonne of god who to be arbiter mediatoure betwene god and man and to delyuer thē from destruction that were condemned vnto death tooke oure fleshe vpon hym and became very man to the entente that he beynge tormented and sufferynge death might also lade our sinnes vpon hym and wyth hys innocent death to take away our gyltines purginge our sinnes with his bloud and making vs heires of eternall lyfe Wyth thys ensample I think it euidently inough vttered and declared what the mediatour is and what is iustificacion I suppose also euery man doeth well perceaue and vnderstande that Chryst the mediatour and the in carnacyon wyth the crosse of the Lord Iesu is euē the same right principall poynt and only cause wherby we are iustified made rightuous But here might an vnreasonable and vnequal hearer or reader crye against me and saie Thou shuldst byde by thy promes bringinge forth gods scripture and not ymagined ensamples For at the first thou diddest promes a pure and syncere conference
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