Fayth maketh God and mā good frendes Incredulite maketh thē foes Faith bringeth god mā together Incredulite sundreth thē Al that faith doth pleasyth god Al that incredulyte doth displeaseth god Faythe onely maketh a man good and ryghtwyse Incredulite only maketh hym vniust and euyl Faithe maketh a man a mēbre of Christ Incredulite maketh him a mēbre of y e deuyl Fayth maketh a mā y e inherytour of heuē Incredulite maketh him inheritour of hell Faith maketh a man the seruaunt of god Incredulite maketh hym the seruaunte of the deuyll Faith sheweth vs god to be a swete father Incredulite sheweth hym a terrible iudge Faith holdth stiffe by the worde of god Incredulite wauereth here and there Fayth counteth holdeth god to be true Incredulyte holdeth hym false a lyar Faith knoweth god Incredulite knoweth hym not Fayth loueth both god and here neyghboure Incredulite loueth nether nother Faith only saueth vs. Incredulite onelye condemneth vs. Faith extolleth god and his deds Incredulite extolleth herself and her owne dedes Of hope HOpe is a trustye lokinge after the thinge that is promysed vs to come as we hope after euerlasting ioy which christ hath promysed vnto all that beeleue in him We shulde put our hope and trust in god alonly It is good to trust in god and not in man He y t trusteth in his owne harte is a fole It is good to truste in god and not in prynces They shalbe lyke vnto the images they make all that truste in thē He y t trusteth i his own thoughts doth vngodly Cursed be he that trusteth in man Byd the rych mē of this world that they trust not in theyr vnstable ryches but that they trust in the lyuyng god It is harde for them that truste in money to entre in to the kingdome of heauen Moreouer we shulde trust in him onely that may help vs God only may helpe vs ergo we shuld truste in hym onely wel is them that trust in god and wo is them that trust not in him Wel is the man that trusteth in god for god shal be his truste He y t trusteth in hym shall vnder stonde the verytye They shall al reioyce that trust in god they shal euer be glade and he will defende them Of charite CHarite is the loue of thy neyghboure The rule of charite is this do as thou woldest be done to For charitie holdeth al a lyfe y e ryche and the poore the frende and the foe the thankefull vnthankefull the kynseman and straunger ¶ A comparison bitwene fayth hope and charite Fayth cometh of the worde of God hope cometh of faith charite spryngeth of them bothe Faythe beleueth the worde Hope trusteth after that is promysed by the word Charite doth good vnto her neyghbour thorow the loue that it hath to god Faith loketh to god his word Hope loketh vnto his gyfte reward Charite loketh on her neighboures profyte Faith receaueth god Hope receiueth his reward Charite loueth her neyghbour w t a glad harte that w tout any respecte of rewarde Fayth pertayneth to god onely hope to his reward charite to her neyghbour Of workes NO maner of works make vs rightwise we beleue y t a mā shall be iustifyed wythout workes No man is iustifyed by y e dedes of the law but by y e fayth of Iesu Christ and we beleue in Iesu Christ that we may be iustified by the faith of Christe not by the dedes of the lawe If rightwysenes came by the lawe then dyed Christ in vaine That no mā is iustified by the lawe it is manifest for a rightwise mā lyueth by his faythe but the lawe is not of faythe Moreouer syth Christe the maker of heuen and erth and all that is therin behoued to dye for vs we are compelled to graūt that we were so far drowned and sūke in sinne that nether our deds nor al the treasures that euer god made or mighte make might haue holpen vs out of them ergo no dedes nor woorkes maye make vs rightwyse No workes make no vnrightwise For yf am works made vs vnrightwise then the cōtrary workes shuld make vs rightwyse But it is proued that no workes can make vs ryghtwyse ergo no workes make vs vnrightwise ¶ Workes make vs neyther good nor euyll It is proued that no workes neyther make vs rightwyse nor vnrightwyse ergo no works make vs neyther good nor euyll For rightwise and good ar one thing vnrightwise euil likewise one ¶ Good workes make not a good man nor euel workes an euyl mā but a good man maketh good workes and an euyl man euyl workes Good frute maketh not the tre good nor euel frute the euell tre but a good tre bereth good frute an euell tre euill frute A good mā can not do euell workes nor an euel man good workes for a good tre can not bear euil frute nor an euel tre good frute A man is good ere he do good workes and euel ere he doe euill for tre y e is good er he beare good frute euill ere it bere euel frute ☞ Euery man is eyther good or euil and his workes like wyse Euery tree is eyther good or euel either make ye the tre good the frute good also or els mak the tre euel and the frute of it lykewise euyll For all frute trees are eyther good or euell Eyther make ye the tre good and the frute good also or els make y e tre euel and y e frute of it likewise euil A good man is knowen by his workes for a good man doth good works an euell euel workes ye shal knowe thē by their fruyte for a good tre bereth good frute an euel tre euel frute A man is lykened to the tre and his workes to the frute of y e tre Beware of the false prophets which cōe to you in shepes clothes but inwardelye they are rauenyng wolues ye shal knowe them by theyr frutes None of our workes nether saue vs nor condemne vs. It is proued that no workes make vs nother rightwyse nor vnrightwyse good nor euil but first we ar good ere we do good works and euell ere we do euell workes ergo no workes neyther saue vs nor cōdemne vs. Thou wilt say then maketh it no mater what we do I answer yes For if thou do euel it is a sure argument y t thou art euil and wantest the faith If thou do good it is an argumente that y u art good and hast y e faith for a good tre bereth good frute an euil tre euel frute yet good frute maketh not y e tre good nor euell frute the tre euyll so the mā is good ere he do good dedes euel ere he do euel dedes The man is the tre his workes are the frute faith maketh the good tre Incredulite the euel
prophet Ieremye hath the lorde geuen vs a right good counsail saide Let not y e wise man reioyce in his wisdome nether the strong man in his strength nor the riche man in his riches but who so wilreioice let him reioyce in this that he vnderstandeth knoweth me For I am the lorde y t do mercy equitie and rightuousnes vpon earth This counsaill dyd the godlie Apostle Paul folowe saieng God forbyd that I shulde reioyce saue onelye in the crosse of our lorde Iesus Christ wherby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world For in the gospell also the lorde said whan ye haue done all that is commaunded you saie we are vnprofitable seruauntes we haue not done that we ought to do Therfore the godlie praise y t grace of god not bragginge of their owne merites nether trusting eny thing at all vnto them but comforte them selues in the mercie of god Finally yf we now compare both the rightuousnesse namelie of faith and of workes the one against the other we maie easely perceaue that these beynge most vnlike maie not stand together For as concernyng the rightuousnes of workes the holie Apostle Paul hath spoken Thorow the workes of the lawe shall no fleshe be iustified before god But of y e rightuousnes of faith he saieth thus Al thei are iustified that beleue And in another place he saieth The rightuousnes of faith is imputed of grace or fauour but y e rightuousnes of works is not imputed of grace or fauour but of dewti And againe he saieth Israel which folowed y e law of rightuousnes coulde not attayne to y e law of rightuousnes But y e Heithen which folowed not rightuousnes haue ouertakeÌ„ rightuousnes euen the rightuousnes which coÌ„meth of faith And immediatly geueth he a reason of the fyrst pointe and addeth therto Wherefore Euen because thei sought it not by faith but as by the workes of the lawe for thei stombled at the stombling stone Therfore remayneth it stil true and certayne that the one rightuousnes ouerthroweth the other And therfore we that teach a manne to be iustified by faith in the lorde Iesus not by workes do not peruerte y e Christian faith as our aduersaries shamfully belye vs But thei rather do ouerthrowe it that by all meanes and waies mynishe y e honour of y e faith in Christ mainteinyng that the churche or congregacion of the faithfull ar by the workes merites of men absolued from synne delyuered from damnacion and obteyne the inheritauÌ„ce of eternall life Faith is not without works and what place works haue in the church and whence they spring in vs The. 13. Chapter WIth this disputation and talke concernyng Christ the lorde who iustifieth vs by faith not by works Or concernynge faith that iustifieth without workes Many w tout all doubte wil be sore offended thinking that I set nothing by good workes and that I leaue them no place of honour in the church For thei sai if good works helpe not a man to obtayne rightuousnes then are thei nothing worth nether necessary in the church And therfore is it in vayn that good workes are so oft and many tymes menciâ—â—â—d of in holie scripture The â—â—â—stles also of the lorde the holy prophetes lose but their labour in requiring vs to exercise and declare oure faith praisyng god our father in heauen with good workes Why is the holy Apostle Iames so ernest to teach that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith onely Yf faith onelye be sufficient to obteyne saluacion what els remayneth for vs to do but euen to eat and drynke and then to saie vnto god the iudge I haue beleued thy gospel therfore saue thy seruaunt Thus is banished all vertue good lyfe and Godlynes And thus men exercise and applie them selues nomore to innoceÌ„cie of life and good maners Thei that after this sorte take the mater so euell and coÌ„playne vnderstaÌ„d nether the strength of faith nor â—â—e true order of good workes Aâ—â— as for vs we do not hold that faith is without good workes whaÌ„ we saie after the Apostle that faith iustifieth with out good workes But we knowlege and confesse that faith iustifieth with his owne strength not with y e helpe additioÌ„ of works For Christ is mightie ynough of himselfe and of his owne power to iustifie the faithfull beleuers nether nedeth he enye supplie or filling vp of our workes Faith also is not without good workes nether are Christian meÌ„s works therfore in vaine or vnprofitable because thei do not iustifie For thei haue neuertheles a very honourable place and rowme in the holie church And whaÌ„ it is sayde in y e scripture as it is oft y t they iustifie it is so spokeÌ„ of them for speciall causes Which thing to y e intent it maie y e better more perfectly be vnderstaÌ„d I will make somwhat deper rehersall of good workes bringe theÌ„ forth out of their owne fountayne and original declaring their certayne and vndoubted boundes wherby all their nature propertie maie perfectly be knowne Vpon y e name or terme I do not much passe for as euery man knoweth there be euil and vnprofitable workes workes of iniquitie wickednes y e doers wherof are called the workers of wickednes The same workes also are called the workes of the fleshe and the workes of darknes Agayne there be good workes contrarie to the other which the scripture calleth the works of repeÌ„taunce the frutes of the sprete and of light such are the offices and dueties of frendship a loue which wer coÌ„meÌ„ded iÌ„ Tabitha of whom it is said that she was full of good workes Now whaÌ„ we descrybe them we saie thei be such as are done by those that ar borne a new or regenerate out of the good sprete of god by faith acording to gods word to the praise and honour of god to the honest bewtifulnes of life and finallie to the profite coÌ„moditie of y e neighbour These are shorte wordes and therefore peraduenture vnto some thei be y e darker and more hard to vnderstande But yf the grace of god shewe vs light thei shal by the declaracion folowinge be playnlie and easelie perceaued No other fountayne of good workes can I shewe then onelie god himselfe For the prophet saith All men are lyars onelie god is true And the lorde saieth in y e gospel There is no man good but onelie god Therfore is it necessary y t good workes springe not of man who is a lyar wicked and naught but of god himselfe of whom proceadeth all that good is Neuertheles it behoueth such men as by the sprete of god and faith in the lorde Iesus are regenerate that thei hence forth work not their owne namelie carnall workes but the workes of god For the works of those that be regenerate growe and spryng of gods good sprete dwelling with in them which
sprete as the sappe of life geueth strength to the trees that thei maie bring forth frute Euē so makth he multituds of sondrie vertues to springe and growe oute of man As the lorde himselfe testifieth and saieth I am the vyne ye are y e braunches Like as y e braunche can not bring forth frute of it selfe excepte it abyde in the vyne Euē so cā not ye also vnlesse ye abyde in me Whoso abydeth in me and I in him y t same bringeth much frute for without me cā ye do nothing And thus I sai y e good works that be done are done by faith For faith is a gift of god wherby we receaue Christ are iustified made lyuynge for asmuch as the scripture saieth The iust shal lyue by his faith And in another place Christ dwelleth in your hertes thorow faith And as gayne Now lyue not I saieth Paul but Christ lyueth in me for that I lyue in the flesh I lyue in the faith of y e sonne of god who loued me gaue himselfe for me Lyuinge workes thē doth he vndoubtedly euen thorow him by whom he himselfe became alyue And he that is iustified doth also works of rightuousnes assuredly euen thorow him by whom he is become righteous Which is thus much to say the iust worketh righteousnes thorow Christ and rightuosnes comprehēdeth the wholle summe of all vertues And therfore y t onelie god remayneth still the fountayne and originall of all good workes Hereto serueth it also that vnto god who in the regenerate worketh by his sprete in faith holie scripture ascribeth y e workes of those y t be regenerate ¶ That god is the worker of good works in vs and that we do not wel til he dwell in vs is shewed out of scripture and how rightuousnes is ascribed to workes The. 14. Chapter THis wil I now euidently declare with playne testimonies taken out of the lawe of god out of the holie prophetes out of the most holie gospell and of the electe Apostles of Ihesus Christ For thus saieth Moses The lord shal blesse the. And the lorde thy god wil circumcise thine hert and the hert of thy sede that y u maiest loue the lorde thy god with all thine hert and all thy soule that thou maiest lyue The prophete Esaie saieth Lorde vnto vs thou shalt prouyde peace for thou also workest al our workes and deuyces In the gospell of Ihon oure Sauiour saieth thus Who so doth the trueth commeth to the light that his workes maie be knowne because thei are done in or by god And agayne Who so abydeth in me I in him y e same bringeth forth muche frute for without me ye can do nothing Item the holy Apostle Paul to the Philippians saieth To you it is geuen not onely to beleue in Christ but also to suffre for his sake And yet more playnlie It is god that worketh in you both the will and the dede acording to the good purpose of hys mynde or because he hath delyte vnto you Thus sayet also S. Iames one of the. xii Apostles Euery good gift and euery perfecte gift commeth downe from aboue euen frō the father of lightes Yea all partes of the worke doth the holie Apostle Peter ascrybe vnto god saiēg The god of all grace which hath called vs to his eternall glorie by or in Christ Iesu shal his owne selfe after that ye haue suffred a litle afflictiō make you perfecte setle strength stablish you For as the Apostle Paul saieth agayne we are not sufficient of ourselues to thinke any good thyng as of our selues but if we be able vnto any thyng the same commeth of god Wherfore god abideth still the onely fountaine of good workes euen he it is that worketh al good thynges in vs al. By this then that I haue broghte forth herein out of holy scripture concerning y e true occasion of good workes it is farthermore easye to be considered how the scripture ascribeth righteousnes vnto workes seyng that it is rendered vnto the grace of god whan it is ascribed vnto faith and beyng ascrybed vnto workes it is ascribed to the same grace of god For gods grace it is and therfore god hymselfe y t in vs workth good works and so is it the more conuenient y t iustificacion be rather imputed to the grace of god and vnto Christ which worketh by vs. Herevnto had holy Augustine respect who in y e boke de gratia et libero arbitrio ca. 8. writeth thus if eternall lif for recōpēce be geuē vnto good works as y e scrypture openlie saieth for god shal geue vnto euery one acordīg to his dedes how is grace y e eternal life Yf grace bee not ascribed vnto workes but geuen frelie as y e Apostle wryteth To him y t goeth about w t works is y t reward geuen not of grace or fauour but of dewtie agayne The rēnaūt saieth he are saued thorow y e electiō of grace And immediatly he addeth thervnto if it cōe of grace thē it is not of works els shold grace be no grace How thē is grace eternal life beīg takē out of works Or did not y t holy apostle nāe eternal life to be grace Yea he named it so which cā in no wise be denied Nether requireth it one of a sharpe vnderstanding but onelie a diligent hearer For whan he had sayde the rewarde or stipend of synne is death he added straight ther vnto But the grace of god is eternall life in Christ Iesu our lorde Therfore me thinketh this question can in no wyse be resolued vnlesse we vnderstād that our good works to the which eternal life is ascrybed belōg also vnto the grace of god because the lord Iesus saith w tout me ye can do nothing And whan the Apostle had saide By grace are ye saued thorow faith he addeth therto And that not of yourselues it is the gift of god commeth not of workes lest eny man boast himselfe This wryteth holye Augustine How the workes that god worketh in vs are called owres but so that we can not bragge of thē or challenge awt for them but must referre that to another cause The. 15. Chapter HEre vnto must adde also that good works though in very dede thei be properlie gods and y e frutes of faith and of the sprete yet are thei called and be oures that is to saie workes of faithful beleuers Partly because god worketh them by vs vseth our mynistracion to fynishe them Partli because that thorow faith we be childrē of god and therfore ar becōe brethren heires annexed w t Christ For by menes of this inheritaunce al the woorkes and giftes of god begynne to be ours not as straunge but as speciallye our own The scripture also ascribeth the same vnto vs as vnto children and to those that bē born free forasmuche as our sauioure in the gospell