A godlye and learned treatise wherin is proued the 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 therin ☞ Esay xliii ☞ I euen I am he only who for myn owne selfes sake doe awaye thyne offēces and forget thy synnes so that I wil neuer thynke vpon them ✚ To the reader IT was trulye and wiselie saied of the poete that one witnes whiche hathe seen the thinge with his eyes is more to be set bye then tene of reporte For in dede in thinges y e be subiect to senses as euerie sēse hathe certeine of thē peculiar to him and by some bye meanes cōmen with other so eche of them in things properly apperteyning to them performe their functions more suerly As most certeynlye iudgeth the smel of odors the eye of colors and the eare of voices thogh the eare also can iudge of colors by relation of others and the eye can perceaue the differēce of voices set out in geometrycall proportions or of musicians by wryting expressed For clearer is the water at the springe then farther of in the ryuer but wherunto serueth this Herunto gentle reader We see in these owre dayes in which after longe and horrible darknes of gods true knowledge which lighteneth euerye mā that commeth in to the worlde y e lyke to haue chaunced amonge vs betwene the worldlyngs and messengers of god whiche because they were not of the world could not be fauored in the worlde as dyd happen among y e Israelites when so euer god of his infinite mercye raised vnto them any prophete good prince or other promotor of hys glory For as then y e worlde lacked not that spoured forward on ther syde bothe emōg the commons thorow simplicitie and of the learned sorte by malice blinded so led god in his aray against the worlde learned for learned and simple againste y e simple man For by Christ they sayed y t the ruder sorte folowed him and not the princes and learned and yet we knowe that Nicodeme a price of y e pharisies resorted to hī and Gamaliel doctor of the lawe and Pauls schoole master drewe some what nye to him Ioseph the Centurion and y e Eunuche of Candia cloue to him and wer euerye one of them for their talētes setters oute of that fayth y t was preached in his name But in them we perceaue this difference as in y e seruaūtes of god at these days that amonge those that embrace the trueth some only knowe that theyr enemyes part is false some know y e trueth but not so throughly that thei se the foundation and groūd thereof which is graūted yet vnto sōe other Wherfore me semeth they maye not vnaptly be called the fyrst two hearing witnesses thother seinge For as they are seuerall giftes to perceaue y t error to holde the truthe and to knowe yt so maie the one be with owte the other as other distincte gyfts of god be But to my purpose where as the indeuors of them all tending to the instruction of others are thankfully to be accepted and the spirite to be extincted in none so what y e latter sort doeth to the same end diligently me semeth yt is worthye not to cōme owte to the hādes of manie but with some special note vnto the reader to make hym for his farther commoditie the more attent in reding it For though the saylable wyne nede no yue bough because it wil in tyme gett cheymen and well abyde theyre slowe commynge so yet seynge the late knowinge of the spiritual workes hinder most the reader and not itselfe as abydinge still good in ytselfe where as contrary wyse the seller and not the byer is hurt in euil wine thorow lacke of the yue bough me thinketh this prouerbe shold nothing feare me frō cōmending this boke vnto the except y t wheras y e only cause why I print it is y e increase of thy godly knowledge I cold in the same mynd be lothe of thy most profyte Wherfore as I hope thou knowest the doctrine wher of it is intyteled to be y e chefe pointe and in maner the whole some of oure relygion vtterly ransacking the kingdōe of y e deuil So yf I can iudge any thing therin yt is handled in such exacte sorte as to do the lyke fewe men wolde and fewer colde So that me semeth yt maye worthely be sayed diuers lerned men haue hetherto to oure greate comfort shot at this mark and some came nye y e wight but this hath hit the pricke I meane for clear vtteryng of the matter to our more perfite vnder standing and to the plaine and brefe dissoluing which both are geuen but vnto few of al such scruples as well that rise to the symple Christian in wayeng this doctrine as also that are otherwayes by the malycious suggestion and craft of the truthes subtil enemyes inuented and forged to be short he hath done the whol so distinctlie referringe al things to their peculier places by theyr difference playnely separated y t in him if in any man againe appeareth that rare vertue of which the wise man Socrates as his diuyne scholer plato sheweth set such store that when he met with such an one he wold make of him as of halfe a god I meane to distinct thinges which gifte he truly sayed was the principal waye to come in questyons to the fynding oute of truth In which vertu this autor not only passeth the olde wryters touching this mater which wrotte not so clearly as oure age of certeine articles because they were not so sore darkened as a lytle before oure tyme y t they shold so much nede to laboure in them but also surmoūteth the most part that hath learnedly wrytten at this dayes therof so that I maye in maner saye of him and them as a learned man sayed in comparing the two worthy philosophers Plato and Aristotel together that is to wit y t the one set forth of his profoūd knoweledge but lytle in manye elegant wordes the other much in fewe Wherfore gentyl reader if thou woldest gladly knowe the booke for the doctrynes sake double thy diligēce in reading yt attentli playeng as the good iudge wolde in matters criminall who if he gaue halfe an eare to an eare witnes would geue the whole to an eye witnes For as thou coldst not but profyte much thereby yf yt were but a meane woorke so must thou much more profit yt beinge as it is seyng a thing ons well don is twise done VALE The contentes of the boke ☞ The. 1. Chapter ☞ The autors intent in iustificacion ☞ The. 2. Chapter ☞ The significations description of the terme iustifieng ☞ The. 3.
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
forth and garnishe the same with right good workes Remembring the wordes of the lord Ihesus Christ who in his gospell saieth Not euerye one that saieth vnto me Lorde lorde shall entre in to the kyngdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Many shall saye to me in that daye Lorde lorde haue not we prophecied in thi name haue not we cast out deuels in thy name haue not we done manye mightye dedes in thy name And then wil I knowlege vnto them I neuer knew you departe froÌ„ me ye workers of iniquitie Therfore who so euer heareth of me these wordes and doth the same I wil lickeÌ„ him vnto a wise maÌ„ which buylte his house vpoÌ„ a rocke And a shower of rayne descended and the floudes came and the wyndes blew and beat vpon that house it fel not because it was grounded on the rock And euery one y t heareth of me these words and doth them not shalbe likened vnto a foolishe man which buylte his house vpon sand And a shower of rayne descended and the floudes caÌ„e the wyndes blew and beat vpon that house and it fell and greate was the fall of it Wherfore let vs applie all oure diligence with holie feruent praieâ— with true zeale and godlynes of oure mynde that we also as lyuinge stones beyng buylded vpoÌ„ Christ the sure rock of lyfe maye become a lyuinge house which maie endure fast in al assaultes of manifolde tentacions That we I saie beinge a spirituall habitacion and an holy priesthode maie bring and offre vp to our Redemer iustifier Iesu Christ spiritual acceptable sacrifices praise and thankes geuyng almes and oure own bodies yea oure selues fully wholly and all together Amen Amirrour or glasse wheryn al men may behold their own condemnacyon by the lawe of god With a remedy for the same The office of loue THe law is a doctrine that beddeth good and forbid deth euel as the commauÌ„demeÌ„tes specifie sayinge Loue thy Lorde god with all thyne hart with all thy soule and with all thy mynde This is the fyrst and great commaundment The second is lyke vnto that loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe In these two commaundementes hange al the lawe and the prophetes ¶ He that loueth god loueth his neyghbour If a man say I loue God and yet hateth his brother he is a liar He y t loueth not his brother whoÌ„ he hath sene how can he loue god whom he hath not sene He y t loueth his neighbour as him selfe kepeth al y e coÌ„maundementes of god what so euer ye wold that men should do to you euen so do you to theÌ„ For this is the lawe and y e Prophets He that loueth his neyghbour fulfylleth y t lawe All the lawe is fullfylled in one worde that is loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe ¶ He that loueth god kepeth all the commauÌ„dmentes He that loueth his neyghboure kepeth all the commaundmentes of god and he that loueth God loueth his neyghbour ergo he y t loueth God kepeth all his commaundmentes ¶ He that hath faith loueth god and kepeth the coÌ„maundmentes My father loueth you because ye loue me and beleue that I came from God He that hath the faith loueth god and he that loueth God kepeth all hys coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts ergo he that hathe the fayth kepeth all the commaundementes of God He that kepeth one commauÌ„dement of god kepeth all For without faith it is impossible to kepe any of the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes of GOD and he that hath the fayth kepeth all the commaundemeÌ„tes of god ergo he that kepeth one coÌ„maundement of god kepeth them all He that kepeth one commandemente of God he kepeth all ergo he that kepeth not al the coÌ„maundmentes of god kepeth not one of them The office of the lawe ¶ It is not in our power to kepe any of the commaundementes of god which wer geuen to shewe vs our synnes and byd thinges impossible for vs. Without grace it is impossible to kepe any of the commaundementes of god and grace is not in our power ergo it is not in our power to kepe any of y e commauÌ„dementes of god By the law commeth the knowledge of synne I knew not what synne ment but thorow the lawe I had not knowen what lust â—â—d ment excepte the lawe had sayde thou shalt not lust without the lawe synne was deed that is it moued me not neyther wyst I that it was synne which not with standinge was synne and forbydden by the lawe ¶ The lawe byddeth vs do that thinge which is impossible for vs. It biddeth vs kepe the commaundementes of god yet is it not in our power to kepe any of theÌ„ ergo it biddeth vs do y t is impossible for vs. Thou wylt say where to doeth God byd vs do y t is impossible for as I answere to make the knowe that thou arte but euel that there is no remedi to saue y e in thyne own haÌ„d that thou mayst seke remedy at some other for the lawe doth naught but condemne the. ¶ Of the Gospell Like as the condemned man is ioyful to heare of pardon for hys fault EueÌ„ so shalt thou heare for thye delyuerans the ioyfull nues of the gospell THe gospell is as moch to say in our tonge as good tydynges lyke as one of these are Christe is y e sauiour of the worlde Christ is our sauiour Christ died for vs. Christ dyed for our sines Christ bought vs with his bloud Christ washed vs with his bloud Christ offered himselfe for vs. Christ bare our synnes on his backe Christ came into this worlde to saue synners Christ came in to this worlde to take away our synnes Christ was the price that was gyuen for vs our synnes Christe was made debt our for vs. Christ paied our debte for he dyed for vs. Christ hath made satysfaction for vs our synnes Christ is our rightwisenes Christ is our satisfaccioÌ„ Christ is our redempcion Christ is our goodnes Christe hath pacified the father of heauen Christe is oures and al his Christe hath deliuered vs froÌ„ the law from the deuel and from hel The father of heuen hath forgeuen vs our synnes for Christes sake Or suche lyke whereyn is declared vnto vs the mercy of god ¶ The nature of the lawe and the gospell The lawe sheweth vs our synne The Gospel sheweth vs remedie for it The lawe sheweth vs our coÌ„demnacion The gospel shewet vs oure redeÌ„pcyon The lawe is the lawe of Ire The gospell is the word of grace The lawe is the worde of despayre The Gospel is the worde of comfort The law is the worde of vnrest The Gospell is the worde of peace ¶ A disputacion betwene the lawe and the gospel The lawe saith paye thy debt The gospell sayth Christ hathe payd it The lawe sayeth thou art a synner despayre and thou shalt be damned The gospel sayth thy synnes are forgeuen the
be of good comforte thou shalt be saued The lawe sayth make amendes for thy synnes The gospell sayth Christ hath made it for the. The lawe sayth the father of heuen is wroth with the. The gospel saith Christ hath pacifyed hym with his bloude The lawe saieth where is thy ryghtwysenesse goodnes and satisfaction The gospell sayeth Christ is thy ryghtwysenes thy goodnes and satisfaccion The lawe sayth thou art bounde and obliged to me to the deuel and to hell The gospel sayth christ hath delyuered the from them all ☞ Of faith FAyth is to beleue god lyke as Abraham beleued god and yt was imputed vnto him for ryghtwysenes ¶ He that beleueth God beleueth his word and who so beleueth it not beleueth not him also To beleue god is to beleue his worde and to recoūte it true that he sayeth He y t beleueth not goddes word he coūteth him false a lyer and beleueth not y t he maie will fulfill his worde and so he denyeth both the might of god and god hym selfe ¶ Fayth is the gyfte of god and not in our power Eeuery good thing is the gifte of god faith is good ergo fayth is the gifte of god The gyfte of god is not in our power fayth is the gyfte of god ergo faith is not in our power ¶ Without faith it is impossible to please God and that is done by fayth pleaseth him Al that commeth not of faith is synne for without fayth can no man please god Besydes that he that lacketh faith he trusteth not god he that trusteth not god trusteth not his worde he that trusteth not his word holdeth him false and a lyar he that holdeth him false and a lyar he beleueth not that he maye do that he promysed and so denyeth he that he is god And how can a man being of this facyon please hym No maner of way I suppose though he dyd al the dedes that euer dyd man or angell Ryght is the worde of god and al his works in fayth Lord thyne eyen loke to faith that is as moch to say as lord thou delyghtest in faith God loueth hym that beleueth in hym howe can they then displease him He that hath the faith is iust and good and a good tre bereth good frute ergo all y ◠is done in faith pleaseth GOD. Moreouer he that hath the faith beleueth god he that beleueth god beleueth his worde he that beleueth his worde woreth well that he is true and faythfull and maye not lye But knoweth that he both may and will fullfyl hys word How can he then displease him for thou cāst not do any greter honoure to god then to counte him true ¶ He that hath the fayth is certeyne that he pleaseth god For all that is done in fayth pleaseth god Fayth is a sure confidence of thinges which are hoped for and a certeinte of thinges whiche are not sene The sāe spirite certeneth our spirite y t we are y e children of god Moreouer he y e hath y e fayth wotteth well y t god wil fulfyl his worde ergo faith is a surenes A man is iustified by fayth Abraham beleued god and yt was imputed vnto hym for rghtwysenes we suppose therfore y e a man is iustified by faith without the dedes of the lawe He that worketh not but beleueth on hym that iustifieth y e vngodly his faith is counted to hym for rightwysenes The iust man lyueth by his faith We knowe that a man is not iustified by the dedes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesu Christ And we beleue in Iesu Christ that we may be iustifyed by the faith of Christ not by the dedes of the lawe Of the faith of Christ The faith of Christe is to beleue in him that is to beleue his worde and to beleue that he wyll helpe the in al thy nede and delyuer the from all euell Thou wilt aske me what worde I answere the gospell he y e beleueth ichrist shalbe saued He that beleueth the sone hath euerlastinge lyfe verely verely I saye to you he that beleueth in me hath euerlastyng life This I wryt vnto you that beleue on the name of the sonne of god y e ye may knowe how that ye haue eternal◠lyfe Thomas because thou hast sene me therefore beleueste thou happy are thei that haue not sene and yet haue beleued in me All the Propheres to hym beare wytnes that who so euer beeleueth in hym shall haue remissyon of theyr synnes What must I do y ◠I maie be saued the Apostles answered beleue in the Lorde Iesus Christe and thou shalt be saued If thou knowlege with thy mouth that Iesus is y e lorde And beleue with thyne harte that god raysed hym vp from death thou shalt be saued ¶ He that beleueth not in Christ shal bee condemned He that beleueth not shall be damned He that beleueth not the sōne shal neuer se lyfe but the ire of god abydeth hym The holy goost shall reproue the worlde of synne because they beleue not in me They that beleue in Iesu Christ are the sonnes of god Year al the sōnes of god because ye beleue in Ihesu Christ ¶ He that beleueth that Christ is the sōne of god is saued Peter sayde thou arte Christe the sonne of the lyuing god Ihesus answered and said vnto him happy art thou Symon the sonne of Ionas for flesh bloud hath not opened to the that but my father that is in heauen We haue beleued and knowe that thou arte Christ the sōne of the lyuing god I beleue that thou arte Christ the sōne of god which shulde come into the worlde These thynges are wrytten that ye might beleue y t Iesus is christ the sonne of God and that ye in belyuing mighte haue lyfe I beleue y t Iesus is the sonne of god He that beleueth God beleueth the Gospel He y t beleueth god beleueth his worde whiche is y e gospel ergo he that beleueth god beleueth y e gospel As Christ is y e sauiour of the world Christ is our sauiour Christ boughte vs w t his bloud Christ washed vs w t his bloud Christ offered hymselfe for vs. Christ bare our synnes on his owne back c. He that beleueth not the gospel beleueth not god He that beleueth not goddes word beleueth not himself for the gospel is goddes worde ergo he y t beleueth not y e gospell beleueth not god himself cōsetquēly thei that beleue not y e aboue wryttē such other beleue not god He y t beleueth the gospel shalbe saued Go ye in to al the world preche the gospel vnto euery creature he y t beleueth is baptysed shal be saued but he that beleueth not shall be condemned A comparison betwene faith vnfaithfulnes or incredulite Faythe is the rote of al good Incredulyte is the rote of all euyll
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
so it remayned here styl tyll Moses the prophetes dyd leaue it in outewarde wrytynge to the peoples further erudicion For as saynt Paule saith Al they eate froÌ„ the fyrste beginnynge of one spiritual meate and draÌ„ke of one spiritual drinke the harde Rocke folowing theÌ„ which was Iesus Christ And this is an euydent token that one Gospell hath reygned among the people of God syns the worldes begynnynge Wil. But nowe tell me what shal become of them which haue not of all this longe season in the true feare of god regarded his holsome and swete promises Gylles As they haue in theyr vnthankfulnes here beÌ„ left to them selues to worke all vngodlynes haue departed hence with a desperate conscience so shal they at the later day bee condemned vnto eternall fyre with the deuyl al his aungels Wil Our mercyful redemer defend vs from that maledicâ—ion But what shal most spedeli bring me to the Gospel of helth Gil. The meke knowledge of thy selfe that thou art of nature the synful sone of Adam iustlye condemned in his transgression beesydes thine owne wicked doinges so loste for euer were not the resurrectioÌ„ which thou hast in Iesus christ Willi. Shew me by what meane I may come to that knowlege Gile Seke first vnto the law which the lord Iesus taught by Moyses Willi. What is the lawer Gil. The lawe is a godly Myrrour or glasse giuen vnto vs synners that we therin shuld se know our synnes what we are what imperfection is in vs. WiliaÌ„ Doth the law then make vs rightuouse and good Gilles No more thaÌ„ the glasse makth him faire that lokth therin For the Lawe demaundeth of vs rightuousnes but it gyueth vs no power to do that whych yt commaundeth William What helpeth than the knowledge of y e Lawe am I than therby made free from my synne Gilles No yt maketh no man quyte of his synne but it gyueth an occasioÌ„ to ronne and call for helpe of Iesus Christ our lord that he wold do that thynge which is impossyble to the lawe y t is to make vs pure and cleane The glasse doth nether washe nor make fayre any mannes face but it gyueth occasion eyther to seke for water or els some other thynge that maye make it fayre and cleane Thus our sores once knowne by y e lawe and the daungers perylles of the same considered we are dryuen of necessite to seke remedy in the gospel Willi. What is the Gospel Gil. It is the power of god whiche saueth al men that beleue in it It promiseth vs a mercyfull god it declareth vnto vs forgyuenes of our synnes and lyfe euerlastyng through Iesus christ our sauiour Willi. Doth the Gospel make vs rightuous Gil. Yea for it promyseth vs that Iesus Christ is our owne that he dyed for our synnes and dyd ryse againe for our ryghtuousnes Yf we haue Christ than haue we forgeuenes of our sines euerlastynge lyfe Willi. Doth the gospel than teache none other saluacion but that which is in Christ Gilles No surely He alone is the LaÌ„be that taketh awaye the lynnes of y e worlde The false worshippers seke him in outwarde thynges neuer fynde hym but seke thou hym in sprete and veritie thou shalte haue hym presente WilliaÌ„ By this your hole protestacion it shulde seme vnto me that I am ordeyned of god to this ende fyrste to a knowledge my selfe a wicked sinner than to aryse froÌ„ it through true repentaunce and so to leade a newe lyfe after the Gospel tyll such tyme as my eternall Father shal with saue to cal me from this corruptible maÌ„sioÌ„ this foreÌ„ laÌ„d this vale of misery thys castel of synne this habitacion of death into y â— eternal heritage of his soÌ„ne Iesus Christ To whom with the holy gost be euerlasting praise honoure and glorye worlde wythoute ende Amen Luke 7. Luke 16. Deu. 25. Esay 5. Pro. 17. Math. 12. Iustificacion Iustificacion is remission redeÌ„pcion Actes 13. Roma 4. Psal 32. Esay 53. The forme fashioÌ„ and maner of y e mediacyon and iustificacion Before god is no man iustified Psal 5. Psa 14. 53. Roma 3. Psal 143. Psal 130. Iob. 9. Esa 53. Iohn 1. 1. Peter 2. Roma 8. 2. Cor. 9. Roma 3. Gal. 3. Iohn 1. Iohn 2 Math. 3. Colos 1. Ephe. 1. Iohn 1. Howe we be made partakers of the rightuousnes of Chryst By faith are we iustified not by bare knowledge but by sted fast belefe in Christe Esa 53. Abac. 2. Tim. 1. Gala. 3. Hebr. 10 Iohn 1. Iohn 5. Iohn 6. 1. Iohn 5. Roma 3. Roma 10. Acte 16. Sharpe disputacions of this mater Iohn 6. Gala. 2. Gene. 43. Num. 11. Nume 23. Deut. 10. Roma 13. 1. Cor. 2. Roma 3. Roma 3. Ephe. 2. Iere. 9. Esa 65. Roma 3. Roma 10. Esai 28. Philip. 3. Gala. 3. Roma 5. Ephe. 1. Rom. 10. Psal 19. Iohn 1. Roma 8. Ephe. 2. Deu. 27. Gala. 3. Roma 2. Gala. 2. Gala. 3. Workes of fayth and grace Abac. 2. Rom. 1. Hebr. 10 a. 3. The vngodly and ipocrites Pro. 15. 21 Iob. 8. 1. Cor. 6. The holy regenerate Iob. 1. Iob. 9. Iob. 10. Roma 7. Abraham Roma 4. Roma 4 Roma 5. Pro. 20. Iohn 4 Iohn 6. Holy men do not glory in works but in the mercy of y e Lorde Luke 18. Ieremi 9. Gala. 6. Luke 17. The righte ousnes of fayth and workes agree not to gether Roma 3. Gala. 2. Roma 4. Rom. 9. Iacob 2. Answere Good workes Psal 116. Math. 19. Iohn 15. â—hac 2. Ephe. 3. Gala. 2. Deu. 30. Isa 26. Iohn 3. Iohn 15. Phil. 1. Phil. 2. Iacob 1. 1. Pet. 5. 2. Cor. 3. Augustinus Roma 11. 1. Cor. 4. Ciprian Augustinus Roma 5. 1 Pet 1 Heb 10 1 Iohn 1 Iohn 17. 1. Pete 1 1 Thes 4 Titu 1. 2. Pete 1 â–ª Augustinus De gra et lib. arbi cap. 7. 1. Reg. 15. Eph. 2. Zach. 7. Zach. 8. Mat 13 â— Cor. 10. Deut. 6. Mat. 22. 1 Iohn 4. Let euery man examyne hys conscience by this rule Math. 7. Rom. 13. Gala. 5. Ro. 13. Gal 5. 1. Ioh. 4. Iohn 16. Heb. 11. Rom. 3. Rom. 7. The law is a scholemaster to brig vs to christ Iohn 4. Luke 2. Rom. 5. Rom. 4. 1. Pet. 1. Apoca. 1. He. 7. 9. 1. Pet. 2. 1. Tim. 1. Gala. 5 1. Ioh. 2 1. Tim. 2. Gene. 5. Thes 5. 1. Cor. 1. Gene. 15. 1 Iohn 5. Iaco. 1. Rom. 14. Heb. 11. Heb. 11. Rom. 8. Gene. 15. Roma 3 Rom. 4. Aba 10. Gal. 2. 1 Iohn 4. Iohn 20. Act. 10. Act. 16. Rom. 10 Mar. 16 Iohn 2. Gala. 3. Mark 16 Iohn 6 Iohn 11 Iohn 1 Acte 8. Iohn 4 Apo. 1. He. 7. 8. 1. Pet. 2 Mar. 16. Psal 117 Psal 113 Hiere 17 Mar 10 Hiere 17 Sapi 3. Psal 5 Gala 2 Gala 3 Nota. Mat 7 By the fruite the tree is knowen Iohn 3. Heb. 11. Gala 4 Apo. 14. Rom. 1. Iohn 14. Gene. 3. Gene. 22. Psal 131 1. Pet. 1 Luke 1. Mat. 22. Luke 4. Ge. iiii Gene 21 Exo. â— 2. Reg. 13 3. Re. 18 Math. 10. Act. 8. Rom. 1. Roma 1. 2. Cor. 12. Apo. 14. Iohn 1. 1. Cor. 10. Roma 1. Mat. 22 Luke 3. The. 3. 1. Cor. 15. Iohn 2.