length ¶ Against the iustification of workes FRom Adam euen as from the roote synne hath spred ouer all The braunches that be of his stocke through that his gréeuous fall Such is the poyson that from him all mankynde hath receiued That since we all be borne in synne and so in synne conceiued Therewith came all our myserye therewith did enter in Death both of body and of soule the iust reward of synne Then entred hate and ignorance of God and all distrust Of heauenly grace and righteousnes thus Man was spoyled furst And so became the childe of wrath once loued entirelye O Adam if thou hadst remaynde in that féelicitie Then honger cold nor yet disease had neuer man assailde Then Sathans power syn death nor hell had neuer so preuailde But fithe the Diuell such wickednes into the world hath brought And so betwixt God and mankynde such enmitie hath wrought Of our religion greatest poynt truly to learne is this How man to perfect righteousnes agayne restored is And how Gods fauour is obtaynd from whence we were exilde The meane we seeke to vnderstand how man is reconcilde Your Romish church doth falsely teach in workes of men to trust And righteousnes in vaine to seeke through merites of the iust But Scripture teacheth contrarie that righteousnes is none Whereby man can be iustefyed in workes that here be done But rightuousnes that shall auayle and euer more remayne By faith in Iesu Christ his death alone we do obtayne Before God he is iustefyed whom God for iust doth take And doth acquite as Innocent euen for his mercies sake This Iustification then is wrought when God doth synne forgeue And doth impute Christs righteousnes to such as doo beleue When man to grace God first did call his mercye for to show What worke of mā did once him moue such mercie to bestow He chose vs of his own accord not as he did foresée The worthynes of any worke that afterward should be The tree thus beyng all corrupt what good fruite can it bring What water cleare once can proceede from foule and filthie spring Euen such is man with al his thoughts his wordes and workes he hath All is corrupt and doth deserue of God nothing but wrath If any thing be worthy praise if any worke be good By grace the same is wrought in vs the praise is due to God. The natural strength of mans frée wil whereof so much you boast Not one good worke can worke in vs that fréedome now is lost When man was create then he had the power of free will To stand in grace and had the choise so to continue still But so his will he did abuse he lost him selfe withall That ryse he could not by his strength his wil he made it thrall Therefore what Sathan moueth to we do it readilye As captiues all he doth vs leade Christ onely maketh frée His holy spirite doth geue the grace all godly workes to chuse It is his onely gift also that synne we do refuse Were it not to great iniurye the inheritance to clayme Of landes or goods that were but lent a while to vse the same No lesse trespasse it is to God to challenge as our right The power to worke a godly worke which is his onely gift Then seyng no good worke we haue what righteousnes can be What merit wher nothing doth raign but great iniquitie Yea though we be regenerate and borne in Christ agayne No worke yet here so perfect is Gods fauour to obtayne Our righteousnes all stayned is whose hart is pure within Who lyueth here so innocent that dayly doth not synne The starres that be in firmament are not pure in Gods sight The Sun and Moone comparde to him at all they giue no light Then Man that is corruption how can he iustefye Hym selfe when God as iudge shal sit hys righteousnes to trye But when we haue done what we can euen then both more and lesse Vnprofitable seruantes all our selues let vs confesse Our dutie for we haue but done nothing here can be founde Of supererogation in workes that doth abounde If any thing we do besides that God doth not require It is but synne and doth deserue nothing but wrath and ire A frée gift is our rightuousnes obtayned all by grace Least any man should boast him selfe our workes here haue no place For where to workes reward is due there grace is none at all The worke once done the workman may by right for wages call Thus make you God in debt to man if that without delaye The hyre that we haue labourd for he do not trulye paye But those that in the vineyard wrought a penny did receaue Not as their labours did exceede but as the Lord it gaue So our inheritance in heauen by promise frée we haue Mercye doth measure all reward no merites can it craue Their rightuousnes who leaneth to Christes righteousnes doth leese All workes reiecte the Publicane by faith the Lord did please And Abraham his righteousnes by fayth he dyd obtayne Because to God his promise made constant he did remayne So fréely are we iustefied by Christes redemption Through faith sure fixed in his bloud we haue remission As Iacob did his father please the garment hauing on That was his brothers and thereby the blessing gat anon So in Gods presence when we shall at any tyme appeare Christes righteousnes the garment that we must onely weare The swéete sauour that Isaac felt our faith doth signifie The smell whereof so pleaseth God it doth vs iustefye Faith is the hand wherwith we reach forgeuenes of our synne For this we say our righteousnes onely doth stand therein Fayth onely therefore and no workes doth synners iustefye Because Christes righteousnes to vs alone it doth applye Faith it doth purifye the hart then God doth vs accept From Faith if they do not procéede all workes he doth reiect Abell therefore God dyd regarde his offryng he dyd chuse But Cain and his sacrifice as wycked dyd refuse Yet meane we not of such a Faith as fruite hath none at all For that which dead is without works true Faith we cannot call But Faith which is effectuall whereby the iust doth lyue As fire his heate alway doth yeld so good fruite doth it gyue As tyme doth serue and néede require so Faith doth worke withall Therefore good workes through onely Faith are not destroyd at all The company of godly workes Faith euermore doth loue But when our Faith doth iustefy then workes we do remoue For vnto Faith is promised all our saluation Which to obtaine no works can help but power of Fayth alone But here the slaūderous tong doth say good workes we néede not
mortall men thus haue you chaunged cleane But whereof be theyr Images of God they can be none For he doth lyue euen of hym selfe and geueth lyfe alone The Image hath no lyfe nor breath nor cannot moue at all It cannot once get vp agayne if that it chaunce to fall Moreouer God is infinite and measurde cannot bée His breadth his length how can you shew in mettall stone or trée No carnall substance is in God such thought haue not in mynde God is a spirit and who can an Image thereof finde No liknes then there is of God in image wrought by arte In substance nor in outward fourme nor any other part Therfore accursed is the worke reprochefull vnto God Wherby the Godhead you compare vnto a péece of wood Yet here my meaning is not suche percisely to refuse All Images of creatures or none at all to vse For caruing and eke painting are good giftes we not denye In similitudes of creatures to vse them lawfullye As Birdes or beastes and of such lyke as here our eyes do see Pictures of men some vse they haue if story written bee Except some pleasure to the sight els profit bring they none If that the storye be not shewed but Images alone Of Iesu Christ though man he were great daunger is therein To carue or paynt similitude so proue we are to synne For humayne body to suche end our sauiour did not take That Caruers should lisentiously such Image therof make But hauing wrought saluation the same he tooke away Into the heauen out of our sight vntill the iudgement day His owne Disciples did depende so carnallye vpon Christes bodye when it present was He did depart anon It was not then expedient his body here to bee What helpe to faith with carnall eyes his image now to sée Image at all vnto our God we are forbid to frame To Christ who is both God and man how may we do the same Yet be they not his images for monstrous then he were For of a thousand not one lyke another doth appeare What great offence and what abuse through Images haue béene Experience doth teache to well our eyes they haue it séene The Paynters did to much reproche vnto the Saintes of God To paynte them so lassiuiouslye vpon a stocke of wood Or if they were playne on the wall all did with gold so glitter They lookt lyke wanton Paramours I could iudge them no better The blessed Virgin in her lyfe both Peter and the rest Had they such precious garments then wherwith they now be drest These pearles and rings they vsed not they liued soberlye But Papists thinke no shame hereof to vphold Idolatrye Ful wel they know these things intise when all doth shyne so bright The foolish people thinke it is a comlye pleasant sight For this they séeke for cunning men the Image to set forth The offerings els for which they gape they would be nothing worth Thus of good creatures they are made snares to catche men in Intrapted haue they many one since first they did begyn Therfore an Image may not stand in temples where we pray Of true religion they haue bene alway the great decay Yea no religion can there be where Images be plast The feare of God they take awaye and bring contempt at last Yea of the Heathen some ther were that could not them abyde But as vayn workes of Craftes men they did them oft deryde Socrates he did more esteme a Dog by nature wrought Then Image made which he despisde euen as a thing of nought A Dog rather would he worship then Image wanting breath Wherfore at length the people did put him to cruell death When Dionisius went into the temple of hys God Iupiter where ritchly deckt his gorgeous Image stood The Idoll he despised so he dyd commaund anon His golden garment to take of and gaue a woollen one Saying that gold in sommer tyme to heauy was to beare And in the wynter season so to cold it was to weare He tooke also from Images great dishes wrought of gold Which fastned were within their hands their offeringes for to hold And sayd he tooke nothing but that the Gods dyd fréely geue So mocking them of all their gold he dyd them thus bereue Though some in churches would them haue no honor being done Yet where it standeth so in sight the Image tempteth soone As paynted Harlots they allure their pleasant lookes entise If that they stand there any while more euyll wyll aryse Herein few can them selues refrayne so corrupt we be all Without intising prone we are into such vice to fall Therfore the Fathers would not haue an Image any where In churches where the seruice was nor Picture paynted there Full well they did the euyll foresée that shortlie after came Idolatry would take her leaue if we would do the same But for excuse this is alledgde that Images alone They haue set vp within theyr church but Idols they haue none But though an Idoll and Image do differ in outward sounde Yet all one thing to signifie in Scripture they are founde The one a Gréeke word wel is known the other Latine is Great difference who els do make therin they iudge amisse Then may we cal them Idols playne terme you them what you will Such as long tyme the Heathen vsde and such as you vse still What Idoll worship hath bene done by Infidels before But to your Idols you your selues haue done asmuch or more Temples they builded for their vse and chappels in likewise They made them shrynes and alters there for dayly Sacrifice They bowde their knees and fel down flat they kist them reuerently Their goodes they offred and withall incense aboundantly They prayde deuoutly vnto them for all kynde of disease With floures and garlands they were trymd the better them to please They had also to honour them their candels burning bright Which far would haue delyted them if they had had their sight But this discomfort Idols haue and greater they haue none They be al blinde and see asmuch at midnight as at one These heathnish works compard with yours wher do they disagrée Your selues how cā you then discharge of lyke Idolatrye Agayne their Idoles to adore some of them do denye They worship God or els the Saintes whom they do signifie But God wyll not be worshipped by Image made with hand In spirit and truth do worship him for so he doth commaund Nor workship to the Saintes of God in no wyse may be done All glory worship and honour is due to God alone They are they say but stocks stones we know as well as you Thinke not then that we are so mad to them our knées to bow For that you know them so to be and yet offend herein This knowledge doth
haue It is lost labour to lyue well sithe workes no man can saue But faithful works they haue this end to glorify our God When other seyng them so shine his prayse doth spread abrode The Sun the Moone and eke the stars they all created are The glory of God throughout the world here dayly to declare Then might the loue of God alone moue vs continually To shew forth fruites of godly workes his name to gloryfy Besides the helpe the nedy haue by workes commaunded here Our faith by such hir fruites is known and lyuing doth appeare For Faith doth shew obedience in outward righteousnes Els dead it is and counterfet the faith that we professe We are now saued from our foes from daunger and distres To serue the Lord without all feare in perfect holynes Darkenes we are no longer now but cleare light in the Lord In newnes of a godly lyfe to walke with one accorde These may persuade vnto good workes though not to trust therein Our calling vnto grace doth moue a new lyfe to begin And least we should faynt by the way or thinke our labour vayne Vnto good workes is promised reward of heauenly gayne Not for the worke of his reward nor yet for our desart But doth proceede of mere good wyll not due in any part For as good workes they be his gift when God doth them regarde So doth he crowne his own in vs when he doth them rewarde To vs nothing belongeth but shame and confusion To thee O Lord the praise is due of our saluation Therefore as we be poore in dede and destitute of grace Euen so let vs confesse the same in truth before his face Who craueth almes beyng ritch of siluer hauing store All beggers shew their poore estate thereby to moue the more So if we come as ritch in workes to God how can we speede Such beggers proude he doth refuse to helpe in tyme of neede The trée doth lift it selfe aloft that hath least fruite theron But where great plenty groweth most it boweth down anon So are we proude and yet but poore no goodnes we haue here Though we lyue well yet euermore let vs fall downe in feare And so not in our rightuousnes but for his mercies sake To God in tyme of troubles great our prayers we will make As vnto godly workes in Christ we all be created So let vs warely walke therein as God hath ordayned Forsaking all our former synnes renude in hart and mynde Least vnto Christ our Sauiour we shew our selues vnkynde Who by his death dyd vs redeeme not to our selues to lyue But vnto him his lyfe for vs that did so fréely gyue O God be mercyfull to vs and blesse vs plenteously The brightnes of thy countenance shew vs continually That we on earth thy waies mai learn and euer thinke thereon And that all nations here may know thy sauing health alone FINIS ê™ Grig Scot. Esay i. e Roma i. e. Mantua in Roma ex primo lib. Syluarum Apoc. 18. a Apoc. 18. a 14. b Gala. iij. a Rom. xj b Deu. 29. a Deu. xix b 2. Cor. 13. a Iohn 8. b Euseb ecclesi hist lib. 7. ca. 14 Hieron in Iere. ca. 10 Genes 31. c Wisd 14. b Euseb ecclesi hist lib. 3. ca. 31 Wisd 14. b Euse lib. 7. cap. 14. Exod. 33. e. Deut. iiij c Deut. 7. d. Act. xvij â— Exod. 33. d Iohn i. b. Iob. 10. â— Roma 1. c. Exod. 33. d Esai 46. b Dani. 14. a Act. xvij f. Wisd xv.c. Abac. 2. d Wisd 13. d Barn. 6. c 2. Par. 2. b Iob. 11. b Iohn 4. c Athana contra GentiuÌ„ Esa. xlvi b Wis xiiii a Actes 17. f Actes i. b. Iohn 16. c Luk. 24. g Iohn 16. a Ioh. 20. g. Esai 46. b Deut. 4. c. Barn. 6. a Iere. iij. a. Wisd xv a Wisd 14. b Epiphanius in an Epistle to Iohn byshop of Ierusalem Lactant. lib. 2. de origine erroris c. 19 Aug. lib. lib. de 4. de ciuitate dei Augu. in lib. de vera religione Barn. 6. â— Ambr. in lib. 2. de virginibus Barn. 6. a Augus in episto ad Deogratias 14. Wisd xv a Exod. 32. c S. HieroÌ„ Epiphanius c. In the definition of the second Nicene councell anno 781 S. Ierome translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simulachris 1. Iohn 5. so in suÌ„dry other places Erasmus in his anno tacions vpoÌ„ the i Cor 8 Actes xix e Acte xvij e Apocal. ix d Baruc. 6. a Dani. iiij a 3 King 11 b Wisd xiii d xiiij a Baru vi b Baru 6. b Apoc. 9. d Roma ij a In the definition of the seconde Nicene councell Iohn 4. a Augu. in lib. de vera religione cap 55. Baruc. 2. d Esai xlij b Luke 12. l. Actes 19. f As of Iupiter Apollo Mercurie c Exod. 32. a Exod. 32. e 1. Cor. 10. a Augu. in Psal. 113. Gregorius the second Iohn v f 2. Tim 3 d Roma j c Psalm xix Deut. 17. c Wisd 14. a Galat. 3 a Iere. 10. a Abacu ij v Baru 6 a Esay 56 d Rom. x. d Augu. in Psal. 113. Athanasius coÌ„tra Gentiles Abacu ij d Apoca. 9. d Baru vj. e wisd xiij d 14. b Deut. 17. d wisd 14. â— Rom â— b Iohn iij. b. 1. Ioh. 4. b Psa xiviij Heb. ix c d Heb x b c Apo. xiij b Hebre x a Hebre ix f. Heb vij d Hebre. ix â— Hebr. vij d Hebre. v. a wisdo ij d Hebr. ix g Theodoretus in Psal. 110. Heb xiii c Phi iiii d Psa xlix d Rom xij a Eph iiii e Malac l d Apo viii a Psa exli a i Pet ii b Apocal i b Hebr. ix b Esai liij b Iohn x. c Hebr. ix g Hebr. ix e Heb. ix b Hebr ix v. x b Hebr. 10. â— Hebr x c ix d Iohn ix c Hebr. 10. c Hebre. i c Iohnl x. c i Pet ii Esay liij b Hebre x â— Hebre x a Hebr ix b Hebr vii â— About the yere of our Lord. 1226 Roma i. â— Rom. xv â— ii Pet i d Mat. 26 c Mar 14 c Luk xxij b i Cor xi f i Cor xi f Iohn 16. b Galat. j. d Augus in episto 22. ad Bonifacium Iohn vi f Iohn vi f Gelasius coÌ„tra Eutichen Augu. in Psal. 98. August tract in Iohan. 50. Augu. ad DardanuÌ„â— epist. 67 Phil iii d Colo iii a Luke 22. b Luk. xxij b Ieronimê° in episto ad Cor. 11. Psal. lviij Gene. 31. c Mat. 26 b Hebre. 8. d 9. d Hebr. 10. e Hebr ix d 1 King 1 â— Psal. 51. d Baruc 3 â— Psal. 50 â— Psa 145. d Mat 26 d Esay 65. d Mar. 11. c Heb. iiij d Math. 7. b Chrisost de precatione Ieres 17. e Esai 49. b Apoc. 17. a ij d Dani. 9. c Esay 43. a Baru 2 d Iere 11 c Ierem. ii c