hée made thereby neuer a deale the more holy or the more a Christian for this is the work of faith only yea rather vnlesse hée did first beléeue and were a Christian before all his works would not be worth a straw but rather very wicked and damnable sinnes And for this cause these two sayings bée true namely Good workes doe not make a good man but a good man doth make the workes to bee good And euill workes doe not make an euill man but an euill man doth make the workes to be euill so that it behooueth alwayes that the substance or person bee good first before all good works and that good works follow then by order and procéed from a good person as Christ himselfe witnesseth An euill tree doth not bring good fruit and a good tree doth not bring euill fruit For it is euidently knowne by experience that the fruit doth not beare the trée and that the trée doth not grow in the fruit but contrariwise the trées doe beare the fruits and the fruit doth grow in the trées Therefore as it is necessary that the trée bee first before the fruit and that the fruit doth not make the trées good or euill But contrarily such as the trée is such is the fruit so is it necessary that the person or man himselfe be either good or badde first before hee make a good or bad worke and that his workes make him neither good nor badde but the man himselfe maketh his owne workes good or badde Semblable héereunto may wée sée in all occupations An euill house or a good house doth not make an euill or a good Carpenter but a good or bad Carpenter maketh a good or badde house And so generally in all kindes of manuall occupations and sciences no péece of worke doth make the Artificer good or bad but such as the Artificer is such worke maketh he euen so fareth it in the case of mēs works Such as the person is either in faith or in vnbeléefe such is his work if either done in faith and so good or done in vnbeléefe so euill But contrariwise it is not so to wit such as the worke is such is the person made in faith or vnbeléefe for as workes doe not make a man to be a beléeuer so neither doe they make a man righteous But faith as it maketh man beléeuing and righteous so doth it make his works to be good For as much therefore as works doe not iustifie any man and that it behooueth man to be righteous before he worke any good worke it appeareth most manifestly that faith onely by the mere mercy of God through Christ Iesu in his word doth make worthy and sufficiently iustifie and saue the person and that a Christian man néedeth no worke nor law at all thereby to attaine saluation for that through faith hee is frée from all law and doth fréely worke all things that he worketh of his owne mere good will respecting therein neither profit nor saluation but only the good will of God for as much as he is now already fully replenished and made safe by the grace of God through his owne faith Euen so no good worke auaileth to righteousnesse and saluation to the vnbeléeuing person On the other side no euill worke maketh him euill or damnable but his owne vnbeléefe which both maketh the trée euill and withall maketh the workes euill and damnable whereupon in this that any person is made good or badde he doth not receiue this being good or badde by works but this his good or euill taketh beginning from the roote of faith or vnbeleefe as the wise man recordeth The beginning of sin is to fall from God which is in effect to be vnbeléeuing And Paul in the 11 to the Hebrewes It behooueth him that commeth to God to beleeue The same also speaketh Christ Either make the tree good and the fruit thereof good or make the tree euill and the fruit thereof euill as if he might say who so will make good fruits must begin at the trée first plant vpon a good stock so who so will make good works must begin not at the working but at the beléeuing which beléefe doth make the person good for nothing maketh the person good but faith nor any thing maketh him euill but vnbeléefe Indéed this is true that by works man is made good or euill in the iudgemēt of men but this is as much in effect as to doe it to vnderstand and let it be knowne who bee good or who bee euill whereof Christ speaketh in the seuenth of Matthew You shall know them by their fruits But this knowledge consisteth only in shew and outward appearance semblance wherein many are deceiued that presume to teach and prescribe wherby men may bee iustified in the meane time making not once so much mention of Faith at all masking still in their own mismaze alwayes deceiued and deceiuing others going forward from worse vnto worse blind guides of the blind wearying themselues with a multitude of works yet neuer attaining to true righteousnes of whom Paul writeth in the 1. to Tim. the 3. Chap. Hauing indeed an vtter shew of holines but denying the power thereof alwayes learning but neuer attaining to the knowledge of the truth Therefore behooueth him that will not wāder out of the way with these blind guides to enter into a déeper cōsideratiō thā the vtter shew of workes of lawes doctrines of workes but must rather with a quite contrary aspect pry into the person and note diligently the reason whereby man is iustified and here shall he finde that man is iustified and saued not by workes nor by the law but by the word of God that is to say by the promise of his grace and by faith that so the glory thereof may redound to the maiesty of God Who hath saued vs that beleeue not by the works of righteousnesse which wee haue done but according to his owne mercy through the word of his owne grace Wherby it remaineth easie to be knowne in what respect good works are to be reiected or embraced in what sense all the doctrines of men touching workes ought to be vnderstood for if workes be compared to righteousnesse and be practised by a peruerse Leuiathan and of that false perswasion to presume vpon the obtaining true iustification therby they do now enforce a necessity vnauoidable do vtterly extinguish liberty faith withall and so euen by this meanes are now no more good but méerely damnable for they be not now frée but blasphemous to the grace of God whose onely property is through faith to iustifie and saue which things workes doe affect to bring to passe not of any their ability but by a wicked foolehardinesse only issuing from our own grosse ignorance by reason whereof they doe violently rushe and intrude into the office of grace and the glory thereof For this cause
therefore wée doe not reiect good workes but rather doe most hartely embrace and teach them Neither doe wée condemne them in respect of themselues but in respect of the wicked addition giuen vnto them and peruerse opinion conceiued of them in thattayning of righteousnesse whereby it commeth to passe that they appeare good onely in shew being not good in déede and in truth thereby being themselues deceiued and deceiuing others also as rauening wolues clothed in shéepes skinnes And this Leuiathan and peruerse opinion in workes cannot possibly be reclaymed where pure faith wanteth nor is remoueable from these holy workemen before that Faith the vanquisher thereof come in place and beare dominion in the heart Nature is not of it selfe forcible enough to expell it no not so much as to take notice therof but estéemeth it in place of a most holy will wheras if custome preuaile take déep rooting in this peruersenesse of nature as is already brought to passe through wicked teachers it is an incurable disease and leadeth astray innumerable people into destruction vnrecouerable And therfore albeit it be a commendable thing to preach write gloriously of repentance confession and satisfaction yet if they surcease here and procéede no further euen to the instructing of faith such doctrine doubtlesse is deceiueable and deuilish For euen so Christ with his beloued Iohn did not only say Repent yee of your sinnes But added also the word of faith For the kingdō of heauē is at hand For the one part of Gods word ought not to be preached alone but both together must be taught both new and old must be deliuered out of this treasury aswel the voyce of the Law as the word of Grace The voyce of the Law must be vttered that the people may be terrified and framed to know their sinnes and thereby be turned to repentance and amendment of their former life But here forthwith must not stay be made for this were only to wound and not minister playster to lance and not to heale to kill and not to quicken to lead vnto hell gates and not to deliuer from thence to throw downe altogether and not raise vp Wherefore the word of grace also the word of promised forgiuenes ought likewise to be preached to instruct raise vp the faith without the which in vaine is the doctrine of the law of contrition of repentance of all other things also practised and preached Indéed there remaine as yet certaine preachers of Repentance and Grace but they doe not disclose the law and the promises of God in that liuely spirit force as others capacities may attaine to the true fountaines and spring head of Repentance and Grace For Repentance procéedeth from out the law of God but faith or Grace doth issue frō Gods promise As the Apostle witnesseth in the tenth to the Romans Faith commeth by hearing but hearing commeth of the word of Christ Wherefore it commeth to passe that man receiueth consolation and is raised vp through Faith of Gods promises who otherwise through the threatnings and terrours of Gods Law is brought low and throwne downe into the knowledge of himselfe Whereof the Psalmist in the xxix Psalme Mourning shall dwell vntill the euening and ioyfulnesse vntill the morning Let this suffice to haue béene spoken of works in generall and of those works also which a Christian man doth exercise towards his owne body Lastly wee will speak of those workes which the Christian doth employ to the vse of his neighbour For man doth not liue vnto himselfe only in this mortall body to worke in the same but to all men generally vpon the earth Nay rather man liueth only to other men and not to himselfe For to this end doth hee keepe his body in subiection that he may thereby more sincerely and fréely serue to the necessities of others As witnesseth Paul in the 14. to the Romans No man liueth to himselfe and no man dyeth to himselfe For he that liueth liueth vnto God and hee that dyeth dyeth vnto God. It is not possible therefore that in this life man should be idle and vnfruitfull towards his neighbours For of very necessity he must talke worke and bee conuersant amongst man Euen as Christ made to our likenesse in properties was found to bee as man and conuersant amongst men as Baruch testifieth in his third Chapter And yet he néedeth none of all these to procure righteousnesse and saluation And therefore in all his works behooueth him to be so framed in minde and to direct his whole affection only to minister to the necessities of others to séeke the commodity of others in all his déeds hauing regard to nothing else than to the behoofe and profit of his neighbour For euen so the Apostle commandeth vs to worke with our hands that we may haue wherewith to reléeue the necessity of our brethren whereas otherwise he might haue said to haue wherwith to cherish our own bodies but let him giue saith he to him that is in néed For the property of true Christianity is to regard the state of his owne body to this end that through health well preseruing the same he may be able to labour to gaine riches and to employ them to the reléefe of the néedy That so the strōg member may helpe the weake member and that we may be the sonnes of God carefull and trauelling each for other bearing one anothers burthen and by this meanes fulfilling the law of Christ Behold here the true Christian life this is the natural liuely faith effectuall through loue that is to say when it breaketh forth into the worke of most frée seruice with ioy loue wherin he doth fréely and of his owne accord minister to others reknowledging it self fully satisfied with the abundance and riches of his own faith After the same maner when Paul had made euident to the Philippians how rich they were made through the faith of Christ in the which they had receiued plenteousnesse of all things he giueth vnto thē another lesson and saith If you haue receiued any consolation of Christ if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the holy ghost fulfil then my ioy that ye may be al of one mind be endued all with the like loue being alike minded thinking all one thing esteeming nothing of your selues through cōtention or vaine glory but striuing to excel ech other in humility euery one regarding not the things of his own but the necessities of others Loe here by this rule of the Apostle wée sée plainely the life of true Christians to consist in this that all their workes be directed to the commoditie of others for as much as euery person doth so much abound through his owne Faith that all other workes and all his whole life doth ouerflowe vnto him wherewith he may be able to minister vnto and profit our neighbour of a frée and voluntary good
will and beneuolence And to this effect hée exciteth vnto them Christ for an example saying Let the same minde be in you which was in Christ Iesu who when hee was in the shape of God thought it no robbery to be equall with god Neuerthelesse he made himselfe of no reputation taking vpon him the shape of a seruant and became like vnto men and was found in apparell as a man he humbled himselfe was made obedient euen vnto the death For this most holesome word of the Apostle haue they hidden in darkenesse from vs which were altogether ignorant in the spéeches of the Apostle namely The shape of God the shape of Seruant apparell and the likenesse of men and did apply the same preposterously to the natures of diuinity and humanity whereas Pauls meaning was that whereas Christ was fully beautified with the shape of God and abundantly flowing with the store of all good things so that he néeded not any worke nor any passion to make him righteous and saued for hée did absolutely possesse all those things eueÌ„ from the first beginning of himselfe yet was he not puft vp in pride with these nor was lift vp aboue vs nor did chalenge to himselfe a certaine power ouer vs albeit he might in his owne right haue claymed the same But contrariwise did so behaue himselfe in labour in workes in suffering and in doing that he might be like vnto other men both in apparell countenance none otherwise than as man euen as if he had néeded all these and had possessed no parcell of the shape of God all which neuerthelesse he vndertooke for our sakes to the end he might minister vnto our necessities and that all things might bée made ours which hee should bring to passe in this shape of a seruant Euen so a Christian man being ful and abounding through his faith like vnto Christ his head ought to be contented with this shape of God obtained through Faith sauing that he ought to increase the same Faith as I said before vntill it be made perfect for this is the life of man his righteousnesse and saluation both sauing the person making him acceptable and furnishing him with all things whatsoeuer Christ doth possesse as is before mentioned which also Paul in the first to the Galathians doth confirme saying But in this that I liue in the flesh I liue in the faith of the sonne of God. And although he be on this wise frée froÌ„ all workes yet in this freedome ought be neuerthelesse to make himselfe of no reputation and put on the shape of a seruant and to become like vnto men to be found in apparell as a man and to minister and to helpe and by al means possible to worke his neighbours commodity euen after the selfe same manner as he feeleth that God hath done and daily doth for him through Christ and this also he must doe Gratis without all respect sauing in respect of Gods good pleasure and euen after this manner must hée thinke vnfainedly Behold my good God hath giuen vnto mee most vnworthy and damned caitife beyond all desert of his méere and frée mercy in Christ Iesu all the treasures of righteousnesse and saluation so that henceforth I shall not stand in want of any thing at all but of Fayth which may firmely beléeue in Christ Wherefore to this so louing a father who hath ouerwhelmed mée with these his inestimable riches why should not I frankely ioyfully with all my heart and with all my most louing and willing soule yeelde all seruice whatsoeuer I doe know to bee well pleasing and is acceptable in his eyes Wherfore I will giue my selfe wholly a certain Christ vnto my neighbour euen as Christ gaue himselfe vnto me and will doe nothing in this transitory life but that which I shall perceiue to be necessary commodious and profitable for my neighbour in as much as I am sufficiently enough enriched with all good things in Christ through Faith. Lo here out of Faith floweth Loue reioycing in the Lord and out of Loue floweth likewise a chéerefull liberall and frée heart to minister to the necessity of thy neighbour frankely of thy owne accord so that here now is no consideration had of gratitude or ingratitude of praise or dispraise of vantage or of losse For neither doth hee apply hereunto to winne the fauour of men nor maketh any difference betwixt friends or foes nor respecteth the thankefull or vnthankfull but most frankely and with most gladsome cheare doth yéelde himselfe wholy and all that he possesseth without regard whether he lose the same in the vnthankfull or employ it on the deseruing For euen so his father doth disposing all things to all abundantly and most freely making his sun to shine vpon the good and the wicked In like manner the sonne doth work and suffer nothing but of a frée and chearfull ioy wherewith through Christ hee is delighted in God the giuer of so great and inestimable treasures You sée therefore if wee acknowledge all those things which are giuen vnto vs of greatest and highest price as Peter saith the forthwith loue is poured abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost whereby we are frée chearfull omnipotent doers workers and conquerour of all tribulation seruants of our neighbours yet Lords of all things notwithstanding But such as doe not know the gifts giuen vnto them through Christ to them Christ is borne in vaine such wander in the way of works and shall neuer attaine to the taste and féeling of those things Therefore as our neighbour is pressed downe with necessity and wanteth of our store abundance euen so were we ouerwhelmed with necessity in the sight of God and néeded altogether his mercy Wherefore as our heauenly father did succour vs in Christ Iesu fréely euen so ought wee help our neighbour fréely by our body and by our workes and euery of vs must be made a certaine Christ each to other that wée may bee made debtours of Christ and that Christ may bee one and the same in all that is to say that wée may be true Christians Who is able therefore to comprehend the riches and glory of a Christian life which is able to doe all things possesseth all things and néedeth nothing an Empresse and Conqueresse of sinne death and hell and withall an handmaid neuerthelesse seruiceable and profitable to all but the more is the pity This Christian Iustification is at this day altogether vnknowne in the whole world neither is it preached nor procured in so much that we are our selues ignorant of â—â—eir name and for what cause we bee â—â—â—éemed and called Christians True 〈…〉 wee haue receiued our denominatioâ—â— of Christ not being absent from vs 〈◊〉 dwelling within vs That â—s to say whiles we beléeue in him and â—e ioyntly and mutually a certaine Christ eche to other applying our selues to our neighbours euen as Christ hath giuen himselfe to
vs. But in these our dayes we are taught by mens doctrines to séeke after nought else but deseruings and merites and the things which are our own haue made of Christ nought else but a sharp Lawmaker much more austere than Moses was Semblably the blessed virgin Mary did exhibite her selfe a singular president of the Faith aboue al others whiles after the manner of all other women she was purified according to Moses Law as it is set down in the 2 of Luke whereas being notwithstanding not bound to any such law nor néeded to be purified in any such wise yet she yéelded her selfe to the law of her own accord and of a frée loue vnto the law being made like vnto other women lest shée might seeme to offe◠〈◊〉 or despise them She was not therefore made righteous for that worke but being righteous before shee did this déed surely and without coactioÌ„ In like maner ought our workes to be put in vre not to the â—â—nd to be iustified by them for as much as being iustified first by Faith it behooueth vs to worke all things fréely and cheerefully for our neighbours sake So also Paul did circumcise his scholler Timothy not because Timothy néeded to be circumcised vnto righteousnesse but left hee might offend or despise the Iewes that were weake in Faith and which as yet were not capable of the fréedome of Faith. But contrariwise when as the Iewes did vrge a necessity to be circuÌ„cised to righteousnes setting at naught the fréedome of Faith hee did withstand them and would not permit Titus to bee circumcised Galath 3. for as he would not willingly offend or contemne the imbecillitie or weakenesse of others in the Faith applying himselfe to their capacity for a time so likewise would hee not giue place to the will of stiffenecked Insticiaries when the liberty of Faith was like to suffer reproch or be despised kéeping the midway bearing with the weake for a season and alwayes setting himselfe against the indurate to the end he might conuert all in generality to embrace the liberty of Faith. With like affection must our workes bee employed that we tolerate the weaklings in Faith as the Apostle teacheth in the 14. to the Romanes but that with courage wée resist the inflexible vrgers of workes of the which wee will treate more at large hereafter Likewise Christ in the 17. of Mathew when tribute was demanded of his Disciples asked the question of Saint Peter whether the children of the Kingdome were exempt from paying Tribute and Peter affirming that they were did command him notwithstanding to goe to the Sea speaking these words Lest we giue them cause of offence goe and the Fish that first commeth to thy hands take and opening his mouth thou shalt finde a groate take the same and giue it for thee and me This example is very much auayleable for our purpose In the which Christ doth call himselfe and his Disciples frée and Kings sonnes which stand in néede of nothing and yet of his owne accord submitteth himselfe and payeth Tribute Therefore by how much this worke of Christ was necessary to Christ and profitable vnto righteousnesse and saluation euen so much are all the workes of his elect and faithfull auaileable to righteousnesse whereas they be all following after righteousnesse and freely performed onely to the necessity and example of others Of the same condition are the workes prescribed by Paul in the thirtéenth Chapter to the Romanes and in the third to Timothy That men should bee subiect to the higher powers and prepared to all good workes not because they should bee iustified thereby where as they bee righteous already through Faith but that by these they might both bée subiect to others and to the higher powers add of a frée loue yéelde humbly obedience to their will in the fréedome of the spirit Of this same sort ought the workes of all Colledges Monasteries and Priestes haue béene employed that euery of them might haue performed the workes of their profession and estate to this end that by these euery of them might exercise not righteousnes but the taming of his owne body yéelding thereby example to others who haue themselues also néede to chastise their owne bodyes Then also that they might expresse humble obedience to others applying themselues to their commandement of a frée loue hauing neuerthelesse a speciall regard alwaies to this onely to witte that through vaine confidence none of them presume to be iustified to merite or to be saued by them which thing is the proper and peculiar office oâ— Faith onely as I haue often said before Therefore who so were furnished witâ— this doctrine might easily without danger wade in these infinite impositions anâ— traditions of the Pope of Bishops oâ— Monâ—keries of Churches of Princes anâ— Magistrates the which some foolish pastors doe so obtrude vpon vs as though they were of an vnauoydable necessitie to bee performed for the obtaining of righteousnesse and saluation calling them commonly the iniunctions of the Church being in déede nothing lesse For a Christian man may debaâ—e with himselfe on this wise I will fast I will pray I will apply my selfe to all whatsoeuer is commanded by men not because I need to doe any of these to procure righteousnesse or saluation by them but because I will expresse mine obedience herein to the Pope to the Bishops to the Potentate and to the Magistrate or to my neighbour for example sake for this cause I will doe and suffer all things euen as Christ did worke and suffer many greater things for my sake whereof he needed not to doe any one being made for my sake subiect vnto the law when as in deede he was not vnder the law And although these things be exacted of me through the tyrannous force and iniurious tyranny of the Magistrates yet shall they be no preiudice to me so loÌ„g as they be not against the glory of God. The premisses considered it is an easie matter for any man to iudge certainly betwixt the difference of all works and al lawes know skilfully who be blind and witlesse Preachers who be true faithfull pastors For whatsoeuer worke bée not directed to this only marke namely to be employed to the chastismeÌ„t of the body or to the dutiful coÌ„sideration of the neighbor so that it enforce not any thing directly against Gods glory surely the work is neither good nor Christianlike And this is the cause that I feare me much very few Colledges at all any Monasteries Altars or any Ecclesiastical exercises at this day be not truly Christian that also as well those proper peculiar fastings as the petty prayers to certain Saints be not ChristiaÌ„ I feare me much I say that in al these things regard is had of nought else but that which appertayneth to our selues whiles we be thus minded that by meanes of these exercises our sins are cleansed saluatioÌ„ obtained