thankefull vnto god whome we knowe to be fauorable gentle kinde and mercyfull to the godly and to the wicked wrathfull and angrie This is the solutiō to the argumēt made in the beginning which proueth wherefore should we doo good if we be free from the law and freely iustified by the mercy of God through faith without our deseruinges Therefore choose you now if ye wilbe seruants to sinne or seruantes to righteousnesse Subiectes of the kingdome of Christ or of the kingdome of the deuill for wee are made free and iust by grace through faith that we shuld liue in righteousnes to Christ who hath dyed for all that they which liue liue not now to thē selues but to him which hath suffered death for them and hath risen againe from the same Keeping this order yee shall neuer cease to doo good works as occasion requireth THE XX. CHAP. 1 An answere to all scriptures which our aduersaries alledge for them against the iustification of faith 2 Wherfore works are commended in scriptures 3 An argument prouing that no workes iustifie NOw because there is some Scripturs which our aduersaries wold cause to bee seene either contrarie to the scriptures before rehearsed for probation of this article of iustification or els with them they would mixt this article so that faith not only iustifieth without works Therefore I will rehears some of the most principal of them And cause you vnderstand by the same scriptures they are neither contrarie to his article nor yet haue any entresse with faith in the making of a wicked man iust but followe faith as the due fruites thereof In the which the Christian man should liue as said is before In the Epistle of S. Iames the second Chap. It is said Bretheren what profite is it if a man say hee hath faith but hath no works may his faith saue him And again ye see saith hee that a man is iustified of workes and not of faith only Here the aduersaries of faith make a a great feast but they vnderstande this saying of the holy Apostle as they doo the other scriptures euer working with the Deuill to make the holy spirite contrarie to himselfe which is impossible But will yee vnderstand take heede and read the text ye shal see clearely that the Apostle speaketh of the historicall or idle faith that is dead without workes to the confusion of the wicked christians which haue no faith but in the mouth and not of the faith which maketh a man iust before God and obteineth remission of sinnes By the same examples and wordes that he rehearseth for he saith the deuill troweth beleeueth and dreadeth but the deuill can neuer beleeue that christ hath redeamed him and purchaste to him the mercy of god remissiō of sinnes and eternall life whiche is the faith to whome S. Paul ascriueth iustification only And also he reproued the euill Christian which sayeth hee hath faith and neglecteth the deedes of charitie in cloathing of the naked and feeding of the hungrie whiche deedes are the fruits of faith of the which S. P. speaketh Therefore there is no contrarietie in the Scriptures before rehearsed but concurrence And also the offering of Isaac as mention is made before was done aboue thirtie yeares after the iustification of Abraham to the forthshowing of his obediēce as the text proueth Gene. the 15. Chap. 22. Chap. In the which offring the scripture was fulfilled as saith S. Iames Abraham beleeued God and it was compted to him for righteousnes Here ye may see clearely S. Iames speaketh nothing of the iustification before god but of the iustificatiō before thy neighbour becaus of the examples authorities of the scriptures alledged by him which ar of works done in faith by the faithful long after their iustification For faith onely iustifieth before God as S. P. saieth without works And workes iustifie before man outwardly and declare a man iust before his neighbour in exercising the deedes of charitie which are approued before God and acceptable to him in them whiche are reconciliate by faith in the mercy of God and beareth witnesse that a man is iust Therefore yee who would alledge this authoritie of S. Iames to impung the articlcle of iustification which we confesse vnderstand not the Scripturs nor haue no foundatiō for you but ignorance babling of words They alledge an other text the 10. of the Actes of Cornelius whose prayers almes deedes past vp in the sight memory of god By the which words they would inferre his works made him iust or at the least prouoked God to call him to the faith which is all one thing For if we by our deedes may prouoke god to loue vs or to haue mercy vpon vs through our merits by the same reason we may make our selues iust And so we need no other sauiour but let Christs death be in vaine But my welbeloued bretheren yee shall vnderstād that God first loued vs prouoked vs to loue him wee being sinners vnworthie of loue yea enemies also as the Scriptures of god teach you Io. 1. ep and 4. Chapter and in his euangell the 3. Chap. and Rom. the 5. Chap. And therefore god first preueened vs with loue all goodnes and we not him And so shal ye vnderstād this text following of Corn. The text saith there was a man named Cornelius a captaine c. a deuout man one that feared god withall his houshold which gaue great almes to the people prayed god continually c. To whome the angell sent from god said thy almes and prayers are past vp in the sight of God c. Here yee see this mā was faithfull and iust by the first two proprieties by the which hee is commended which can not stand without faith That is deuout and fearing god Deuout is to say a true worshipper of god No mā truely cā worship God or please him but in faith becaus it is impossible to please god with out faith Cornelius worshipped God truelie and so pleased him therefore he was faithfull he feared and dread god by loue for that is the feare whereof the text speaketh Therefore Cornelius was faithfull because that loue can not be without faith The works which Cornelius wroght wer the fruites of faith and pleased god because god approued the same which hee had neuer allowed except they had bene done in faith For all which is not of faith is sinne Therefore yee must confesse that Cornelius was faithfull and iust before god or els ye must deny the scriptures which good forbid And then will yee say to what effect was Peter sent for to instruct him in the faith and teach him what he should doo if he was faithfull what faith was it he had To that I shall answer Cornelius had the same faith that Adam Noe and the fathers had for he beleeued the promised seede which was Christ knew not that he was come
men shall know you saith Christ to bee my Disciples Therefore howbeit Charitie be the most excellēt vertue and that the whole life of a perfite christiā is faith Charitie or faith working by Charitie Neuertheles Charity iustifieth not before god nor yet hath any mixtiō with faith in the making of the wicked iust but followeth faith as the due fruites thereof conforme to the order of scriptures before rehearsed and as also hereafter shalbe showen To impung this article they alledge this text If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commands By the which they would inferre that the keeping of the commands is in our owne power of free wil and that we fulfilling the same according to our power and strenght may thereby obteine the kingdom of heauen by our works The which is as agreable to the saying of Christ as blacke white is as yee shall clearely vnderstande by the Scriptures Christ being asked and inquired by the young man what he should doe or worke that he might haue eternall life answeared on this maner saying If thou will enter into life keepe the cōmands which ar they sayeth the young mā Iesus āswered thou shalt not kill thou shalt not cōmit adultery thou shalt not steale thou shalt speak no fals witnes thou shalt honour thy father and thy mother and thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Here yee see Christ teacheth the young man the workes of the second table which concerne our neighbour onely and speaketh no thing of the first table which perteineth properly to God and consisteth into faith Therefore by these wordes of Christ it may not be inferred that he sendeth any to the law to obtein perfectiō therin that is to say iustification or saluation but onely to let them know what the Law requireth of them and what they wer oblished to doe that they seing no remeady thereinto might seeke Christ who came in the world to call all vnto him and not to sende them to the Law for that was the office of Moyses What auailed Christs comming in the fleshe If hee would haue sent man to the Lawe to get saluation but Christ declareth plainely hereafter in the same texte that there was no perfection to be had in the deedes of the Lawe of mannes doing as appeareth by the answere made to the young man and precept giuen to him When the young man said he had obserued all the said deedes of the Law from his youth c. Howbeit hee made a lye Christ accused him not because it was not his office but said vnto him if thou wilt be perfite go thy waye and sell all that thou hast giue it to the poore and come and follow me But when the young man harde that saying he went away sorrowfull and left Christ because he had great possessions These wordes of Christ are no other thinge but the declaration of the fained man to let his hart be knowen which beleeued that through fulfilling of the outward deeds of the law he might be found iust before god And also to teache vs the duetie which we are bound to do to our neighbour For howbeit Christ hath freed vs from the thraldome and malediction of the law he will that we worke the workes of charitie to the vtility of our neighbour and nothing draweth vs so much therefrom as auarice and couetousnes Therefore Christ opened the young mās couetous hart which hee would haue hidden as all hypocrites do and taught him if he would bee perfite to followe him in whome is all perfection And so this text maketh nothing for them which impunge this article of iustification but rather against them becaus the matter of which christ speaketh doth concerne the neighbour only and works to be wrought to his weale vtility which of necessitie followe the article of iustification as the fruits of faith done by the iustified mā who may or can finde no better workes to doo nor they which are commanded in the law of God The aduersaries of faith reading the scriptures where euer they finde mentiō made of works that part they collect not to the effect as it is spoken by the holy spirite but to the intēt they may impung thereby the holy spirit as cōtrarie to him selfe This proceedeth of the deuill to empoyson the article of iustificatiō that is to mixt the same with workes that hee may enter and obteine his place by the which hee may abolishe faith or at the least the perfite office thereof and diminishe the glorie of God But for eshewing of this yee who will knowe the perfite estate of a Christian man where euer yee finde mention made of faith in the scripture without any adiection thereto ye shall vnderstand it of perfite faith vnfained which without al workes either preceeding or following the same iustifieth And vpon this faith S.P. groundeth all his arguments to proue that faith onely iustifieth before God without the law or works which he euer excludeth as is proued by the scripturs before rehersed And where euer ye find mention made of works in the scripturs without any adiection ye shall vnderstand them of perfite workes wrought into faith of these workes S.P. maketh mentiō in all his ep after he hath set forth the article of iustification therefore the workes are but the witnessing of faith and the obedience which is required of the iust and faithfull man to the glorie of god profite of his neighbor by the which the iust obteineth witnessing of his faith as is proued clearly by S.P. to the Heb. the 11. ch where hee reakoned frō the iust faithfull Abell their works in speciall till he come to Gedeō Barac Sampson Iepthe Dauid Samuel the prophetes in general declaring thē all to haue done many great and excellēt workes into faith and yet ascribeth nothing to works but to faith onely showwing the workes to be the testimonie witnessing of their faith outwardly and no part of their iustification concluding in this maner the which by faith haue subdued and ouercome Realmes haue wrought righteousnesse obteyned and gotten the promisse haue stopped the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of fire and escaped the edge of the sworde c. Here is a cleare solutiō to all the obiectiōs of workes made by the aduersaries of faith for seing the ap saith it is impossible to please God without faith where then are the works which preceede faith and moue god to giue grace fauour which ye call de Congruo And then ye worke of your owne strength and power as yee say the workes which deserue remission of sinnes and euerlasting life yea not only sufficient to your selfe but also superaboundant to saue others which yee call De cōdigno opera supererogationis The scriptures are plaine against your false superstitions and sophisticall argumentes concluding that neither workes preceeding nor following faith haue entres in making of a wicked man iust nor yet
nor quietnes in their conscience with God because they reiect the mercy grace and peace of god the which ar the substāce of the estate of a christiā wherein the iust liueth by faith ar so necessary that they should euer be blowen in at the eares of the faithful by the ministers of the word Therefore where euer the Apost S. P. writed or preached howbeit there was no question of the law nor workes thereof hee neuer pretermitted in the beginning of his Ep. as the other Apost in like maner vsed to certifie the Christian congregation of the substance of this article saluting thē with grace and peace which is asmuch to say as the mercy of god by the which ye are made iust and accepted as righteous in the fauour of god the Father through faith in Iesus Christ our only Lord and Sauiour Rest quietnesse in your cōscience I desire to be with you and remaine with you continually that thereby ye may worke the fruites of faith by charitie or loue in righteousnes to the glorie of god and profite of your neighbour through Iesus Christ by whome we haue this mercy and grace and entres to the father and the same grace the which grace is giuē to vs by god in Iesus Christ that no fleshe should reioyce in his sight who hath giuen him selfe for our sinnes that he might deliuer vs out of this presēt wicked worlde according to the will of god the father according to the riches of his mercy the which hee hath aboundantly shed forth vpon vs by whose mercy we are made safe He hath called vs by his holy vocation not according to oure workes but according to his purpose and mercy the which hee hath giuen to vs by Iesus Christ. And S. Peter saith blessed bee god the father of our lord Iesus christ who according to his great mercy hath begotten vs of newe into a liuely hope by the rysing of our Lorde Iesus Christ from the death Therefore if wee bee borne and gotten of new by mercy It is not of workes nor of our deseruinges but freely giuen vs by the grace and mercy of God through faith in Iesu Christ. Nor we haue no righteousnesse of the law nor workes as is before clearely proued by the scriptures at length And the same S. P. testifieth in his owne body to bee true who wrought many excellét works of the law Neuertheles he reputeth all but filthines that he may winne Christ and be found in him not hauing his owne iustice or righteousnes which is of the law but that iustice which is of the faith of Iesu christ And seing the holy Ap. the chosen vessell of god might not obteine righteousnes in the law nor works but in the mercy of God through faith in the pretious bloud of Iesu Christ Alace what blindnes is in vs wicked and miserable sinners which will euer glory cry good works which we neuer do and will haue them mixt with this article of iustificatiō In so much that Christ after our iudgement is not sufficient to saue vs and make vs iust howbeit it be the cause wherfore he was made man for vs only Therefore let vs cōclude with the Ap. and the holy scripturs that by faith only in christ we ar made iust without the law workes thereof And after mā be made iust by faith and possesseth Christ in his hart knowing perfitely him to be his iustice and his life thē shall he not be idle but euē as the good tree shal bring forth good fruite because a man truely beleeuing hath the holy spirite and where he is hee suffereth not man to bee idle but doth moue and prouoke him to all godly exercises of good workes as the loue of god patience in troubles and afflictions calling vpō the name of god thankesgiuing to the forthshowing of charity and loue vnto all This is the order of a Christians life and the substance of good workes as hereafter followeth and as we haue also touched some thing in the beginning concerning the trouble and patience thereof THE XXII CHAP. 1 What workes should Christians doe 2 The life of man is a perpetuall battell 3 What is the law of the members and what the law of the spirite 4 What sacrifice we should offer to god what is required that our sacrifice be acceptable 5 Who followeth Christ who goeth before him who is equall with him BEcause good workes are the fruites of faith and necessarie must follow the same and proceede of the iustified man as the good fruits of the good tree without the whiche no Christian man may gette witnessing of his faith Therefore after the forthsetting of the article of iustification should euer mention be made of good workes and all faithfull taught to doe the same The which methode S. P. vseth in all his ep but specially in the Epist. to the Romans and Galath For being iustified by faith we are at peace with God by our Lord Iesus Christ. But then hastely riseth the battel and strife with the world and persecution because all which wil liue godly in Christ Iesus shal suffer persecution Then shalt thou begin to reioyce of thy trouble knowing surely that thou art the sonne of God because he chasteneth all sonnes whom he loueth This affliction whether it be in spirit or body bringeth pacience to thee which is the proufe of thy faith Then conceaue thou hope whose office is to confort thee that thou bee not ouercomme in thy affliction so then faith and hope being ioyned together the loue fauour and grace of god are by his holy spirite shed abroade in our hartes by the which we as valiant knightes passe to a new battell against the deuill the world and the fleshe of whome wee obteine victorie by faith and suffer not sinne to rule ouer vs. This methode to good workes teacheth the Apost Rom. the .5 and 6. Chapter exhorting vs that as wee of before gaue oure members to bee weapons of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne to the death that now wee being iustified by faith giue to god our members weapons and armour of righteousnesse vnto life For the rewarde of sinne is death but the grace of god is eternall life by our lord Iesu christ Then let vs surely beleeue hee who hath begunne the good worke in vs which is god shall performe the same to the daye of our Lord Iesus Christ. And so to begin good works is not to suffer sinne to rule in this mortall body that we obeye not the lustes concupiscence of the same The whole life of man is but a battell vpon the earth And who soeuer will pas fordward in the seruice of god hee must prepare him for tentation and trouble This battell S. P. had and as a knight of great experience taught vs the same how he fand a law in his mēbers repungning
whē we cast frō vs all our wisedome righteousnesse holines and redemption and receaue them frō Christ who is made to vs by god our wisdome iustice holynesse and redemption And confesse vs to haue nothing of our selues but euill and all our goodnes to be from god as S. Iames saith in his Ep. the 1. Ch. This our crosse is no other thing but the troubles and afflictions both spirituall corporall that we haue in this presēt life the which are the probatiōs exercises of our faith whereby the same is tryed searched by our heauenly father to our weale And testifie vs to be the sonnes of god and not bastardes And therefore we should gladly accept the same with thankes giuing from the bottome of our hart thinking them to come to vs for the best and that we are the beloued of god So accepting them And then in the greatest troubles and afflictions raise vp our hartes with faith hope beleeuing surely our good god to be so faithfull and true that he wil not suffer vs to be ouercome or confoūded tēpted aboue that we be able but will euen giue the issue with the tentatiō that we may bee able to beare it because our weak and fragill nature is knowē to him He will haue cōpassion vpō vs for Christs sake by whome wee are reconciliate to his fauour So let vs not go astray but follow Christs footesteppes That is to suffer all thinges patiently and thinke that we haue deserued more for our sinnes Also remembring that Christ our sauiour hath suffered ten thousand times more for vs. On this maner we followe Christs footsteppes who hath borne our sinnes in his body vpon the crosse that being dead frō sinne we shuld liue in righteousnes My harts ye which are aduersaries to the article of iustificatiō learn to read the scripturs with effect to the perfite vnderstanding thereof and thē ye shal obteine knowledge to begin to do good workes in faith pleasant and acceptable to god Since we haue made mention of three kinde of personnes that is of them which goe before Christ of them which goe astray from Christ and of them which follow Christs footesteppes It is necessarie to let them bee knowen by them selues that the true and faithfull may be knowē by their deedes They which confide in their owne workes merites and deseruings thinking therethrough to obteine the kingdome of heauen and satisfie for their owne sinnes Not onely for them selues but also of the superaboundāce of their merits for others of the which they make marchādise These are they which goe before Christ and are called Antichristes or contrarie to Christ because they vsurpe his office and wilbe Iustifiers of them selues and others They which thinke faith not sufficient to iustifie without workes but will haue their own good deedes ioyned to helpe Christ in their iustification These are they which go astray frō Christ wilbe equall with him in their owne iustification for none of these hath Christ suffered death Therefore hee shall abstract frō these two kindes his wisedome righteousnes holines and redemption and shall suffer them to contend with the law in the latter iudgement whose workes being accused and the puritie and cleanes required according to the perfection of the lawe all their noble workes and deedes of good zeale and intention shalbee found abomination in the sight of God how excellent or shining that euer they be before men to whome it shalbe said Passe your waye from mee ye workers of iniquitie Lucifer was throwen downe out of the heauen because hee would haue made him equall with god Adam forth of paradise becaus he pretēded to know more then was giuen him in commandemēt to know c. The Pharisie of whom Christ maketh mention pretended no other thinge but a great rewarde for his good workes The same thing pretende all they which impūg this article of iustificatiō for will ye compare their sayings and doinges it is the same selfe thing but of another arrayemēt Neuertheles they are as like as a egge is like another And so they are not of Christes little flocke which hee hath chosen and follow him The thrid kind of personnes are they which putte all their trust hope and confidence in Christe take his crosse vpon their backes and dayly followe Christ in his footsteppes neither declining to the right hande nor to the left that is grounded in faith euer working by charitie absteining frō euill and doing good works in the which they put no confidence but thinke when they haue done all whiche is commanded them to doo neuertheles they think them selues but vnprofitable seruants they lay their sinns vpō Christes backe and follow him by faith ascribing all their wisedome iustice holynesse and redemption to Christ and nothing to them selues nor their merites because they are sinners and through the dregges of sinne left in them of the old corrupted man their workes are not perfite according to the perfection which the law requireth Therefore they may not stande in iudgement with them of their owne power and strēgth but beleeue the same workes through faith in Christ to bee accepted as obedience to the lawe and through Christs merites made perfite These are they to whome it shalbee saide Come vnto mee yee blessed of my Father and possesse the Kingdome of Heauen prepared vnto you from the beginning of the Worlde Against the whiche the Lawe hath no place to accuse nor condemne their workes of any imperfection because they are Christs workes made by him perfite through faith in his bloud THE XXIII CHAP. 1 What the reason of man perswadeth to be done in the matter of religion 2 Argumentes against good zeale and good intention 3 The papisticall church this day is worse thē the externall church of the Iewes in the dayes of the Prophets Christ. 4 What fruite bringeth the good zeale of man THe blinde reason witte and vnderstanding of man which is but the desires and appetites of the fleshly man is the cause why wee misknowe the good and perfite order to doe good workes taught vs in the scriptures neglecting the worde of god following our own will which teacheth vs good zeale and good intention This our reason affirmeth good and thinketh that God shall approue the same according to our desire whiche is but flesh I meane of the whole man and all that is in him But the spirit and word of god teacheth vs to walke in the spirite not to performe the desires and lustes of the fleshe For the flesh euer contendeth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh Therefore we are commanded to fight valiantly against the desires of the fleshe and to absteine from the lustes and appetites thereof and to followe the will of God which is to walke in the spirite and clothe vs with Christe Iesus This order the Apostle teacheth Galath
riches inquire not the cause for that perteineth not to thy vocation Hee is thy head whom thou shouldst obey Trangresse not his Lawes Be not a reuenger of thy owne cause For that is asmuch as to vsurpe his office So thou walkest not aright in thy vocation Looke not to his faultes or vices but to thy owne disobey him not howbeit he bee euill and doe the wrong which becōmeth him not of his office grudge not thereat but pray for him and commit thy cause to god Be not a perturber of the common weale but liue with thy neighbour at rest and quietnesse euery one supporting others as members of one body forgiuing gladly and freely one an other If there be any complaint amongest you euen as the Lorde hath forgiuen you Be sweete meeke bening humble and patient one with another as it becommeth the saintes and welbeloued of god hauing compassion one of another Aboue all these haue loue and charitie which is the bond of perfection For charitie coupleth togegether many members in one body This are yee taught by the Apostle Coloss. the 3. chap. and in other places before rehearsed Here yee finde aboundance of works commanded you to doe by God neede to seeke no others There is none which can work these good workes but the faithfull From doing of the which the faithfull and iustified man can not cease but euer worketh as he findeth occasion according to his vocation hee looketh euer to his owne faults and sinns not to his neighbours But if he perceaue any fault or vice in his neighbour hee lamenteth the same and considered greater vices to be in him selfe And therefore hath compassion of his neighbour and neither blasphemeth bak biteth or dishonoreth him but counselleth and conforteth him as his owne body of brotherly loue and affection Yee children obey your parents with great humilitie loue feare and honour them for that is the command of God the first which hath promis as concerning thy neighbour that it may be well to the that thou liue long vpon earth This obediēce honour consisteth not in wordes onely nor in salutations but also in ministring all thinges necessarie vnto them Remembring as they ministred vnto you in your tender feeble and poore youthheade Euen so do yee to them in their feeble impotent poore age * Neglecting this good work vndone yee can doe no good worke that can please God There is no colour of godlines may excuse you frō this good worke Howbeit your wicked and vngodly pastors haue taught you to found a soule masse with your substance and suffer father and mother to begge their breade This is a deuilish doctrine to conuert the good worke of god into Idolatry The Scribes and Pharisies their forefathers taught the same as testifie the wordes of Christ. Yee seruauntes obey your carnall Lords and maisters with feare and trimbling with simplenesse of hart as it were vnto Christ not in eyes seruice as it wer to please men but as seruants of Christ doing the will of God not onely to them which are good and well instructed in maners but also to the wicked and euill What euer yee doe worke the same with your harte as it were to the lord and not to man knowing surely ye shall receaue from the lord the reward of the heritage Therefore serue the Lord Iesus Christ. Be not flatterers nor lyers backbiters nor detracters serue not your maisters onely in their presence but also in their absence without deceat or dissimulatiō Take thought of the thinges giuen you in charge and obey their will euen as to God who looketh vpon your inward mindes Pretend not to be equall with your Lord or maister because yee are both of one Christian religion but serue him the better haue loue and charitie with your equall fellowe seruantes as all members of one body exercising you in all good workes according to your vocation in the Christian religion Now yee see that we which professe the true faith of Iesus Christ and ascribeth the iustification of man before god onely to faith without all workes merits or deseruinges on our parte that we are not the destroyeres of good workes but the mainteiners defenders and foorthsetters of the same as the fruites of faith as I haue before at lenght showed Therefore I exhort you which blaspheme vs saying we would destroy all good workes because we affirme with the scriptures of god faith onely to iustifie before god to remord your conscience and reade the Scriptures with an humble hart and spirit which shall teach you the right way by the grace of the holy spirit who will lead you in all veritie And then I doubt not but yee shall aggrie with vs and contemne and despise the vaine superstitious workes not commaunded in the Scripture but inuented of mans vaine cōceate as we doe And altogether as it becommeth the faithfull members of Iesus Christ worke the workes of God which are commanded vs in his holy scriptures Euery one according to his vocation proceeding of loue furth of a cleane pure hart of a good conscience and of faith vnfained which worketh by charitie to the profite of thy neighbour and glorie of god To whom be all praise honour and glory for euer and euer Amen TO THE READER IF it please thee good reader of these plesant floures amongst the which thou hast walked at large again to take a taste or smelling Thou shalt read these short abbreuiations subsequent Exhorting thee that where any obscuritie appeareth that thou make recourse vnto the preceeding places where euery thing is manifestly expressed Thou shalt doe well if earnestlie thou shalt pray that Lord onely to whom the haruest perteineth that it would please him send true workemen thereto To the manifestation of his owne glorie before his congregation by Iesus Christ whose omnipotent spirite satiate the harts of them which thirst ryghteousnesse Amen THE SOMMARIE OF the first Chap. OVr whole study should be to adhear vnto god rūning to him in the time of tribulation as doeth the wild hart in the birning heate to the could riuer with sure hope of deliuerance by him allone Not inquiring his name That is the maner how hee shall deliuer vs. The sommarie of the second Chapter BY faith haue we knowledge of god whom we should seeke in his scriptures and receaue him as he is offered to vs thereinto that is a defēder protector refuge and father inquiring no further speculation of him For Philip desiring to see the Father Answeared Christ Who hath seene mee hath seene the Father Meaning that the loue goodnes and mercy which God the Father beareth vnto mankinde hee had expressed in doctrine and workes And also should show a most singular token of loue giuing his owne life for his Ennemies And therefore would all men come to him to whome the Father hath giuen all power The sommarie of the third Chapter TRibulations are profitable to the faithfull for
Workes iustifie before men onely Heb. 11. Cornelius had faith and thereby wroght good workes Heb. 11. What faith Cornelius had wherefor was Peter sent vnto him Esa. 65. Math. vlt. Mar. 16. Luc. 24. Sophistes would make the holy spirit speaking in S.P. contrarie to him selfe Psal. 49. Note The nature of loue * Why Charitie is called the chiefest Collos. 3. Io. 15. Math. 19. Luc. 18. * The wordes of Christ vttered the hipocrisie of the young man How the wicked doo read the scripturs Rom. 14. Marke diligently Tit. 3 The workes of Iustice is excluded in the cause of iustification The wicked aduance theÌ„ of works which they neuer doe Rom. 10. â—ue 16. Esa. 55 56 57. 58. Zach. 1. God neuer was nor wilbe pleased with works of mans inuention Workes which of them self are good done without faith are abomination before god Math. 7. Note well Luc. 17. Esay 48. * Hypocrites are neuer at rest in their conscience A repetition of the article of iustification and substance thereof The salutation of the Apost Rom. 1. Rom. 5. 1. Cor. 1. Galath 1. Ephe. 1. 2. 2. Timoth. 1. 1. Pet. 1. Philip. 3. * Paule wrought many excellent good workes but reputeth them nothing The entresse to good workes The method of S.P. in wreting Ro. 5. 2. Tim 3. Prou. 3. Heb. 12. Apo. 3. Rom. 5. 1. Io. 5. The reward of sinne is death Ro. 6. Philip. 1. The beninning of good workes Iob. 7. Whosoeuer serueth the lord must prepare him self for trouble Rom. 7. * The repungning of the flesh Ro. 8. Rom. â— Rom. 12. Colloss 3. Io. 6. The will of God Ro. 6. To bee crucified with Christ. The sacrifice pleasant to God Psal. 50. Psal. 4. The old man Collos. 3. * That is loue and extoll his magnificence in all kinde of godlie life Ephe. 4. Esa. 1 Mat. 16 Marc. 8. Luc. 14. 1. Pet. 2. Who followeth Christ. 1. Cor. 1. The cros of the faithfull Heb 1. â— Rom. 8. Psal. 30. 70. God will not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that we may susteine 1. Cor. 10. Esay 53. 1. Pet. 2. * Who goeth before Christ. * Who goeth astray froÌ„ Christ. Luc. 16. Math. 7. The punishment of pride Luc. â—8 To follow Christ. Math. 27. All men depeÌ„ding vpon his own reason is deceaued The coÌ„futation of good zeale good inteÌ„tion Gen. 6. Gen. 8. Psal. 43. Deutr. 12. Ier. 11. * The coÌ„mandement of god contrarie our good zeale Psal. 115. Esa. 55. Mich. 6. All which man shold doe is conteined in the scriptures Psal. 93. Who doth workes not commaÌ„ded by God in his scriptures incurris his malediction Ier. 15. â—9 4. Reg. 21 2. Cro. 33. The fruits of good zeale Ier. 2. The wordes of Ieremie ar true this day 〈◊〉 â—2 11. Exod. 20. Leuit. 26. Deu. 5. Psal. 80.96 113. * Strange worshipping of God is not conteined in the scriptures Good workes Esa. 58. Ier. 7. 26 Ezech. 18. Psal 33. 1. Pet. 3. Tac. 1. Io. 1. Luc. 3. The vocation and office of men of warre Io. 6. Faith is the worke of God Io. 6. There is no perfection but in Christ. 1. Cor. 3. * Christ is the head and foundation of our felicitie vpon whom we should build good workes Coloss. 3. Math. 11 * Wherefore Christs yoke is easie and his burdeÌ„ light Of generall and speciall vocations Immediate vocation Mediate vocation Vocation generall * Charitie is the baÌ„d of peace 1. Cor. 12. Ephe. 4. 5. * Why the faithfull are called one body 1. Cor 3 Ephe. 2. Act. 9.14 20. Rom. 5. 1. Cor. 12. Math. 38. Mar. 16. Iob. 33. Act. 10. Ia. 2. Gal 2. Galath 3 1. Pet. â—â— Al faithful are kinges and priests Note well Ephe. 5. * Euery member should serue in his owne vocation Rom. 12. Ro. 13. * Loue is euer debt Men shuld seeke no knowledge but it which is profitable The diuision of the estaits of men The office of kinges and magistrates The king should loue his subiects Pro. 1. Psal. 110. * No man may know god but by his word The king should haue knowledge of gods law Deu. 17. Iosu. 1. Psal. 1. 3. Reg. 3. Iaco. 1. Psal. 19. Sap. 1. 1. Pet. 5. Luc. 1. The king should set forth the true and destroy the false religion of god in his kingdome Deut. 17. Psal. 2. Deut. 4. * To seeke wisedome other wayes but in gods scripturs is foolishnes 1. Cor. 1. Zach. 7. 7. Esay 1. Psal. 81. Exod. 28. Leuit. 19. Deut. 16. Exod. 18. Io. 10. * Iudges should be honoured because they are participant in power with god Deut. 1 Psal. 11. Esay 40. 1. Pet. 1. Iac. 1. Whereof shall iudges be accused whereof not * A iudge of corrupted life caÌ„ neuer minister iustice equallie * Subiects follow the vices of their superiour magistrates * God coÌ„monly punished the wicked by them which are more wicked Ier. 7. Marke diligently 1. Reg. 15 1. Reg. 15. 2. Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 2. 1. Tim 6. The bloud of the flocke perished for fault of spiritual food shalbe required at the bishope Ezech. 3. The coÌ„plaint of Chrisostom * Without a bishope preache truelie he can do no good worke before god * The legacie Paull vnto bishops That is sorrow eterne daÌ„nation abideth you 1. Cor. 3. 1. Timoth 6 Tit. 2. 2. Timoth. 2 Malach. 2. Sap. 11. 1. Reg. 2 3. Reg. 2. 1. Reg. 2. * The punishment of Dauid perteineth to bishops aswell as to princes Ephe. 5 Collos. 3. 1. Pet. 3. 1. Cor. 7. Coloss. 3. 1. Pet. 3. 1. Tim. 1. Tim. 5. Psal. 77. Deut. 6. Coloss. 3.4 Ephe. 6. * Right Prayer * The vnfaithles worke no good workes Ro. 14. * The life of the fathers should be cleane because it is a mirrour to the sonnes 1. Tim. 3. Marke diligently Deut. 8. Math. 4. The faithfull lameÌ„t the faults of others
his first rebellion and corrupting of hys nature we are all gilty of that as he was and then also gilty of our sinnes proceeding of that rebellion wherefore we may well be worse then he but no better Thinke well he confessed him iustly punished thought he deserued more punishment than euer was put vpon him Taking euer consolatiō of the sweet promises of god in the which he beleeued and in all his troubles conforted him with hope to be deliuered of them as all faithfull doe And to be restored to the glorie hee was eiect frō for his owin foolishnes without al merits or deseruings of himself which ware nothing in him and muchles in vs. There hath beene no difference betweene the expulsion of ADAM forth of paradise and Lucifer out of the heauin if the promisse had not beene made to ADAM Through faith in the which promis he euer hoped victory against the deuill who had deceaued him that by power and strength of the promissed seed not through any power or might of him self Euin so should we do cōfiding in the promisses of god and the merites of the promissed seed Christ Iesu to be deliuered of the tyrannie of the Deuill the calamities and trubles of thys miserable world THE VI. CHAP. 1 Wherfore we should reioyce in tribulation 2 Vnder what pretext the wicked pursues the iust 3 Whereby ryseth the dishonoring of God 4 The diuersitie of opinions touching the article of iustification and who are iust before God 5 What is the substance of iustification and why the article therof should be holden in memorie TO the faithful these bodily afflictions and troubles are marueilous necessarie for by them the faith is tryed and made more pretious thē gold which is purified by the fire for by many troubles it is needefull to vs to enter in the realme of heauen by firme and constāt perseuering in faith as sayth S. P. And also it behoued Christ to suffer so to enter into his glory that is not for him selfe but for vs. Therfore the godly men in theyre troubles and afflictions take great consolation and confort And anchors them vpon God alone by faith to whome they can come no other way thinke them no better nor greater then their maister christ but should take both confort consolatiō of his word saying seeing the world hath persecuted mee they shal persecute you also This persecution is a communiō with the passions of Christ in the which wee haue great matter to reioyce so we suffer not as homicides theefes or euill doers but for Christs sake and his word as S. Pet. sayth in his first Epist. the 4. Chapter But in this matter take no care what the world iudge of thee but to thy owne conscience and the scriptures of god for the iudgemente of the world pronuncis cōtrarie to the word of god calling them which professes the same Heretikes seditious men and perturbers of common weales Therfore they thinke they punish iustly in birning slaying banishing and confisking of landes and goodes And howbeit the faithfull suffer all patiently and vndeserued yet they say they suffer iustly as traitors heretickes homicides perturbers of common weales and euill doers Let these sayinges not moue the faithfull brother but confort thee with thy Maister Christ who was called by the aduersaires of veritie a seducer of the people a drūkard a deuourer or glutton an open sinner conuersant amongest them an authorizare of their sins His Apostles were called heretikes and their doctrine heresie The Prophets were called perturbers of common weales and traitors to their countrie prophesing cōtrary the common weale and libertie of the realme as ye may reade of Elias and Ieremie in diuers places of his prophesie Which Scriptures I praye you reade and ye shall perceaue no difference betwene the blasphemations of the Prophetes of Christ himselfe and his Apostles and the faithfull in these dayes for all was and is done by the wicked vnder colour of holynes Herefore let vs seek refuge at our god and sticke fast to his word who can nether deceaue nor be deceaued for the world is full of deceit iudgeth euer the wrong part of the which vniust iudgement cōmeth all the diuersity of opiniōs and sittes ruling this day in the church of Christ to the dishonoring of the name of god deminishing of his glory and no little perturbation of common weales the cause hereof is the neglecting of faith taking frō the same her due office which is to iustifie only by her selfe without the deedes or workes of the law that is mā of wicked is made iust by the mercy of God through faith in the bloud of Iesu Christ without the deedes or workes of the law This I dare affirme because the scriptures of god testified the same to be true as herafter shalbe declared at lēgth Here ryseth the contention for some brags and boastes them to haue faith haue no works others reioysing them to haue faith attribute and giue the iustification to works others haue workes and looke nothing to faith as hipocrites others again there are the which haue nether faith nor works as the plaine wicked vngodly My welbeloued brethren let vs auctorise neither of these persons For all they impung this article of iustification Against the first speakes S. Iames in his Epist. Against the next Saint Paule speakes in his Epist. to the Roma Galath and diuers other places And against the other two kindes of men the hole scriptures speakes By these cōsideratiōs moued I thought necessarie for my owne eruditiō your confort my welbeloued brethren to declare forth show my beliefe cōcerning the article of iustification as the scriptures teache mee hauing no respect to mās opinion that thereby we may haue consolation through our mutuall faith And be more ready to giue coumpt and reakoning to all which aske of vs any question of our faith Alwayes in this and all other thinges submitting my selfe to the scriptures of god and aucthoritie of the faithful church of christ which is gouerned ruled keeped and defended from all spot of heresie by the holy spirit who moues this ardent thirst in our soule to seeke Christ the fontaine of liuing watter loue charity in our harts to Christ our brothers saluation as our owne The fondatiō and grondstone hereto is faith and the shielde or buckler to defende vs with against the firy dartes of Sathan at the which he euer shoots becaus it is our victorie against him and gets dominion of the world but if he finde vs destitute or disarmed of our shield he shal wound vs so that hee may safely or lightly take vs captiue to his realme therfore this our faith shold neuer be idle but euer working by loue that is to bee euer cled with our shield being vigilant walkfull because our said aduersarie Sathan is euer
going about vs as it were a roaring lion seking for the pray to deuour or swolow Against whom we shold resist stoutly into faith taking in our hand the sword of the spirit which is the word of god with the rest of the armour perteyninge to a christian knight specified by S. P. Ephe. the 6. Chapter The substance of the article of iustification is to cleaue and stick fast by our God knowing him our Maker and Creator and to beleeue firmly and vndoubtedly that wee are not righteous nor iust of our selfs nor yet by our workes which are lesse nor wee but by the helpe of another the onely begotten Sonne of God Christ Iesu who hath deliuered and redeemed vs from Death the Deuill and finne And hath giuen to vs eternall life as hereafter at length shalbe declared Aboue all thing the saide article is to be holden in memorie recent among the faithfull And at euery tyme houre driuen and inculcat in their eares as it were a trumpet without the which faith which is the fondation of the christian religion and Church of Christ is made so darke and mistie that no place shalbe founde where vpon to build the the perfite workes of faith THE VII CHAP. 1 What obtained Adam and Eue seeking wisdome contrarie Gods commandement and what they which seekes iustification other wayes then teacheth the scriptures 2 Whereby is the wicked man made iust 3 Where may Sathā enter and where not 4 What wrought the lawe into Adam and the office thereof vnto vs. THe ground stone and sure firme rock whereupon all godly workes and vertues are builded our said aduersarie Sathan vexed in the paradise when in the beginning he perswaded entised our forefather Adam and Eue to leaue their faith into God their Maker and Creator and consent to his false perswasiō which was that through their owne wisedome strength and power they might be made equall and like vnto god who gaue them life promised the same euer to endure with all pleasures commodities in paradise The Deuill perceauing the woman voide and without faith loue and feare of God said howbeit ye eat of the fruicts of this trie ye shall not die the death ye know not wherefore God hath forbiddē you to eate of the same but I shall show you the cause God knoweth that in what soeuer daye yee shall eate of the fruict of this trie your eyes shall be opened and ye shall be like Gods knowing good euill This same persuasion hath all the wicked which perswades man to trust to his owne workes merites power and strength therby to be made iust and to get greate rewarde of god for doing of workes not commanded by God but inuented by mās vaine conceat thinking that God shallbe pleased therewith But surely euen as our forefather was deceaued so shall we be if we consent thairto Heerefore giue trust to no thing in this case or matter but to God and his word keeping euer faith pure and clean without all mixtiō of works in the making of a wicked mā iust And then our aduersarie shall get no place to enter to deceaue vs. Ye shall vnderstande that Adam knew good and euill before the eating of the aple for that teached him the law of nature and the other great wisedome hee was cloathed with as yee may reade in Eccles. the 17. Chap. saying god created them with the spirit of knowledge and with wisedome and vnderstanding hee fulfilled the harts of them and shew vnto them good and euill His iudgementes iustice also he shew to thē What thē was the knowledge Adā got of the eating of the aple onely that he had offended his good god trāsgressed his law the which shew to him his offences and sin By this knowledge he vnderstood that hee was fallen frō the good state in which he was created shuld haue remained if he had obeyed the law of his god into the miserable estate of sin for he had neuer knowen what the trangression of the lawe had bene if he had not sinned The law before taught him what he should doo leaue vndone what was good what was euill and after he sinned the lawe vttered the same to him broght him in knowledge thereof for it can do no other thing to the sinner but trouble his minde and bring vpon him great feare and dread This proues the sayings of god to ADAM inquiring who hath showen vnto thee that thou was naked but that thou hast eaten of the tree of the which I commauded thou shouldest not eat This hatred and enimity is old which Sathan hath moued cōtrary mankind had the beginning at the first creation of man of malice cōceaued to bring man in the same rebellion he was in This persecution of sathan shal endure to the latter iudgement therefore let vs bee walke full and diligent euer armed with our shield faith the word of god euer printed in our hartes taking no care of wordly troubles hoping hastely to be deliuered therfrō cōsidering we haue no permanēt Citie here but as Pilgrimes trauailing to and fro beholding and looking for that heauinly citie and place prepared to vs from the beginning of the world THE VIII CHAP. 1 Wherefore Cain slew Abell howe long god suffered the article of iustification to be pursued by the seede of Cain 2 What paine hee tooke at last and howe Sathan reserued his seede 3 Whereof sprang the Idolatrie whiche abounded betweene the dayes of Noe and Abraham and vnder what pretext it was defended SHortly hereafter the said aduersarie a man killer and lyer perswaded entised the one brother to slaye the other of malice without any cause but that the one brother Abell being iust godly offered into faith a more pleasant and acceptable sacrifice vnto God then the other Cain who was wicked and an hipocrit whose sacrifice pleased not god becaus the person was not acceptable to him Therefore god looked to Abell and to his workes vnto Cain and his workes he looked not There followed against the saide article the perpetuall persecution of Sathan intolerable by the sonnes of Cain while God wes compelled prouoked of his ryghteous iudgement to drowne the whole worlde once to purge the same from sin reseruing defending through his mercy onely the perauthor of faith and righteousnesse Noe. Neuerthelesse Sathan keped his seed in the third sonne of Noe Cham as testifies the historie After this the whole world rysing in a madnes fury impugning this article of iustificatiō finding inuenting innumerable Idols and religions with the which they pretēded to please God with their owne works and inuentions euerie one making to him selfe a particular or peculiare god or gods The which is no other thing but to think that without the help of Christ of their owne power works Inuentions they may redeeme them selues from sin all euils and please
That is in forme of holynes He hath entred in the church in wonderfull subteltie for hee hath cled him with the most honest and shining works inuented this day by mens wit or reason Yea with the same works commanded also by God and by them maintaineth defended him selfe wholy yea verylie he had cled him with the blessed sacramēt of the body and bloud of christ for hee can well disguise him in workes with pride vaine glorie hipocrisie diffidēce dispaire Idle faith as to beleeue the historie onely presumption of the owne merites c. But in perfite faith which is the groundstone of this article of iustification he can neuer enter Therefore vnder colour of holines he hath caused and dayly causeth the prelates of the Church as they call them who should of their vocation haue to the shedding of their bloud defended this Article pursue the same most cruelly with all tormentes inuented by mans wit vnder the false pretence of good workes hauing no respect to faith And so shall Abell dye and Cain liue Ye shall vnderstand that the oft repeating of the death of Abell and the life of Cain is no vaine storie nor purpose but the true similitude of the Church of christ which first watered with the bloud of Abel remaineth example to this houre and shal to the seconde cōming of Christ to the latter iudgemēt In the which two persons is set forth to vs the perfite knowledge of the Church which consistes in the godly and vngodly And euer the perfite and iust Churche is pursued with the wicked neuer pursueth by which the disciples and seruauntes of Christ are knowen as testifie the holy scriptures I exhort you which are aduersaries to this article of iustification consider with your selfe if euer ye red the history in canonical scriptures or prophane histories that euer the true and perfite church frō the beginning of the world to this houre persecuted any but euer was persecuted and the godly glad thereof Herefore the forme order of this tyrannicall persecutiō vsed this day by them hauing the ecclesiasticall power in their handes against the faithfull professours of this article I iudge to be of the deuill and may say truely to them as Christ saide to the Scribes Pharisies all the bloud which is shed from the bloud of Zacha. whome they slew betwene the altare the temple shall come vpon these cruell tirantes which impunge this Article and slaye the faithfull professours thereof Against these sayings the aduersaries of faith and veritie crye The canon Lawe the aucthoritie of the Church the long consuetude the examples of the Fathers the Bishop of Romes aucthoritie the generall Counsels Heresie Heresie So there is no remeady but let Abel dye and Cain liue that is our lawe My hartes yee which haue entered in the Church of Christ by the bishoppe of Romes law and aucthoritie with his faire bulles your shauen crounes smaring you with oyle or chreame and cloathing you with all Ceremonies commanded in your law If yee thinke you therethrough the successours of the Apostles and Fathers of the church ye are greatly deceaued for that is but a politike successiō or ceremonial The successiō of the Church is farre otherwyse the which requireth you to haue knowledge in the scriptures of God to preache and teache the same with the other qualities cōditions cōteined in the scriptures as hereafter shalbe showē in the speciall vocations of the which if ye be expert and your vocation lawefull according to the worde of god doubtles ye are the successors of the apostles haue the same auctority they had committed to them by Christ. And if ye want the saide conditions and qualities Yee are but reauing wolfes clede with shepe skinnes what authoritie that euer the bishop of Rome giue you For it is no more in his power to make a Bishop of him which can not preache nor hath the knowledge to rule the flocke committed to his care according to the word of god then it is in his power to make an asse to speake or bee man or yet cause a blinde man to see Therefore I pray you learne the scriptures that ye may walke in your vocation right for of your succession yee haue no more matter to glorie then the Iewes had to glorie against Christ calling them the sonnes of Abraham whom he called the Sonnes of the deuill They gloried in the carnall succession and ye glory in the politike or Ceremoniall succession And all is one thing God sende you knowledge and vnderstāding of his worde that yee may cease from your tyrannie and the true faithfull may liue in rest and quietnes THE XII CHAP. 1 The diuision of iustice in generall with the definition of euery part thereof 2 The cause that no man is iust by the law 3 Scriptures and examples prouing all me except Iesus Christ to be sinners LEt vs passe forewarde in the discussing of this Article of iustification for knowledge of the which necessarie it is to showe what iustice is of man what of the lawe either of God or man which being shortly discussed wee shall the more easily come to the knowledge of our christiā iustificatio which is a thing farre aboue all law either of god or man for it is the iustice by the which a wicked man is made iust through faith in the bloud of Iesus Christ without the works of the lawe because of the deedes of the law no flesh shalbe made iust before god as the apostle saith This is asmuch to say as because no man fulfilleth the law nor doth the deedes and workes of the same in the pure and cleane estate as the lawe required them to bee done according to the puritie of the same Therfore the law can pronunce none iust before god This worde iustice or rightuousnesse generally by the philosophers is takē cōmonly for the obedience and outwarde honesty according to all vertues of morall maners the which a man may doo and performe of his owne power and strēgth This is called an vniuersall or general Iustice after the philosophicall definition the same S. Pau. called the righttuousnesse of the law or workes because the Transgressours of this iustice are punished as wicked and vnrighteous For whome the Lawe is made and ordinate as Saint Paule sayeth 1. Timoth. the first Chap. for the iust needeth no law These morall maners and discipline is the most excellent rayment or habite wherewith man may bee cled Neuerthelesse they can not make a man iust before God nor is not the Iustice which we speak of here in this treatise The Politike or Ciuill Iustice is the obediēce which euery Subiect and Inferiour estate of mā giueth to their prince and Superiour in all the worlde The which proceedeth of the lawe of nature and is a good worke without the which obedience to the punishmēt of the wicked and defence of the
the disciples the which neither wee nor our Fathers might beare but by the mercy of Iesus Christ we beleeue to be made safe as they were And S. August in the 157. Epist. saith Therefore if the fathers being vnable to beare the yoke of the old lawe beleeued them to be made safe by the mercy of our lord Iesu Christ It is manifest that the same mercy or grace made the old fathers to liue iust by faith Now ye may see clearely that the old fathers were all made safe through the mercy of God without all the deedes of the law Then how will you make your selfe safe with workes which neuer did so good workes as the fathers So there can bee no better conclusion to exclude your workes in the article of iustificatiō then S. P. maketh saying that a man is made iust by faith without the deedes of the law Therefore faith onely iustifieth before god Ye shall vnderstand that it is all one thing to say faith onely iustifieth And to saye faith without workes iustifieth As by example if one saye the goodman is in the house alone or he is in the house without anybody with him This is all one maner of speaking The scripture saith mā is made iust by faith without the workes of the law Therefore we may well say that faith onely iustifieth For confirmation hereof yee shall reade the 2. Chapter to the Hebre. before rehearsed in the which yee shall finde the histories briefly repeated by the Apost testifiing the fathers to bee made safe by faith referring nothing to workes except onely that the workes beare a outwarde testimonie of the faith Abell by faith or in faith offered to god a more acceptable sacrifice then Cain did by the which hee obteined witnesse that hee was iust god bearing witnesse of the offerings and by the same hitherto speaketh being dead God looketh first to the hart of man before hee looke to his workes as testifieth the voyce of God saying I iudge not after the sight of man For hee seeth the thing whiche appeareth outwardly But I beholde the hart That is the man is first made iust by faith And accepted in the fauour of God as Abell was And then his workes are acceptable and please God because they are wrought in faith That it is the mind of the Apost S. P. to exclude all workes either going before or following faith to bee of the substance of the Article of iustification proued clearely the arguments and matters of his Epist. Specially to the Rom. Galath Hebre. In the which he laboureth so diligently that all the Sophistes and workers that are Iustifiers of themselfes may not get a corner to hyde them into from his conclusions without they deny Christ and his office At the least in effect as they doo after their maner But the wisedome of god and his holy spirite deceaueth them for when they wrest and throwe the scriptures to their minde in one place they are compelled in another place of the same Scripture to confesse them selfes Lyers In the Epistle to the Rom. from the beginning to the 12. chap. and in the Epistle to the Galath to the 5. Chap. with all laboure and diligence he setteth forth the iustice of god to bee through faith in Iesu Christ without all workes of the lawe And when he hath established the same Article of iustification Then setteth he forth the workes of righteousnes in the which a christian mā shal liue becaus the iust shal liue in faith This order ye may see in the saide Epistles and in the Epist. to the Hebre. hee declareth the office of Christ his priesthood and sacrifice and giueth faith her place the 11. Chap. All his laboure was to exclude the mixtion which now these fained workers would haue ioyned in with faith and the benefite of Christ which is no other thing but the worke of the deuil our aduersary to make the death of christ in vaine as the Apost sayth Therefore if iustice be of the law or by the law christs death is in vaine But thinke not that I intende through these assertions to exclude good works No god forbid for good workes are the gift of god and his good creatures And ought and should be done of a christian as shalbe showen hereafter at length in their place But in this article of iustification yee must either exclude all workes or els exclude Christ from you and make your selfes iust the which is impossible to do because we are wicked and can do no good at all which can be of value before God or pacifie his wrath except Christ first make our peace For that is his office for the which he came in the world and suffered death So if yee will not exclude Christ exclude your workes For in this case there is no concurrence more then there is betweene darknes light For what participation hath righteousnesse with iniquitie or what fellowship hath light with darknesse The definition of this Iustice is made plaine by S. P. Ro. the 3. Chap. which I exhort you to reade consider worde by worde conceaue and prent them well in your harts then shall ye be able to contend and fight valiātly against sathā and his sophistes of whom yee shall haue victorie by faith which is our victorie that ouercōmeth the world The iustice of god is by the faith of Iesu Christ In all and vpon all which beleeue in him there is no distinctiō or exception All haue sinned and haue need or are destitute of the glorie of god But they are made iust by his mercy freely without the workes by the redemption which is in Christ Iesu whome god hath proponed or layd before a sacrifice or satisfactiō by faith in his bloud to the forthshowing of his iustice for remissiō of the sinnes by past the which god hath suffered to the forthshowing of his righteousnes at this time that hee may be iust and iustifie him which is of the faith of Iesu Christ. Where thē is thy glorie or vanting it is excluded by what law of works No but by the law of faith Therfore we beleeue surely a man to be made iust by faith without the deedes of the law Now I pray you tell me what plainer words may be spokē or termes inuēted to exclude all our works merites or power to be participant with god in this article of iustification They are as plaine and cleare as the sonne in midday Neuerthelesse because the wordes are so pretious and necessarie aboue all things to be imprented and continually keeped in the hart of man I will make some declaration of euery part and particle of this definition And proue by authoritie of scripture this iustice of god by the which a man is made iust to be without all works or power of mā only by faith in the mercy of god Of this Iustice Dau. speaketh saying lead me in thy iustice O lord because
rewarde is not impute according to grace or mercy but according to debt But to him which worketh not that is confideth not in his own merites but beleeueth in him which iustifieth the wicked his faith is compted to him for righteousnesse according to the purpose of the mercy of God And that without workes For the probation and sure vnderstanding of this assertion yee shall reade the whole 4. Chap. Rom. the 15. of Gene. the 2.3 and 4. Galath and 2. to the Ephe. which wordes shalbe showen in this subsequent Chapter THE XVIII CHAP. 1 The cause wherefore God loueth vs. 2 Whereby commeth the heritage 3 The constance of Abraham in faith and his obedience 4 Iesus Christ payeth for vs that which the law requireth 5 Who spoileth Christ of his office BY grace yee are made safe by faith and not of your selues It is the gift of God not of workes that no man reioyse we are his handywork created in Christ Iesu vnto good workes the which god hath prepared that we should walke in them Verily these wordes are worthy to be written in letters of golde and euer imprented in the hart of man because they cōteine the whole somme of the Euāgell of Christ. And also exclude all the vaine sophisticall argumentes made contrarie this article of iustification because in this Epistle there is no question of the law as in the Epist to the Rom. and Galath But it is written to the gentiles being confirmed in the faith And also perseuering thereunto whome the Apostle certifieth of their iustificatiō in the first thre Chap. And then setteth forth to the end of the Epist. the workes of righteousnes in the which true Christians should liue according to their vocation vpon the which wordes I will make some short declaration according to the scriptures By grace ye are made safe That is by the grace mercy of God and aboundant loue he hath to mankinde because hee hath made vs hee would not wee should perishe For hee loueth his owne worke Hee saith I will not the death of a Sinner but that hee conuert and liue hee made vs that hee should loue vs for no mā hateth or inuyeth his own worke This grace we get by faith in Iesus christ the which is not our worke but the gift of God For wee are not of our selues able or sufficient as of our selues to thinke a good thought but all our abilitie is of god as the Apostle saith the seconde Epistle to the Corinth the thirde Chapter and Galath the third Chapter if the heritage bee of the lawe then it is not of the promisse but by the promisse god gaue it to Abraham Ismaell and Esaw which were the eldest Sonnes who succeeded not to the heritage but Isaac and Iacob whiche were heires of the promisse succeeded Wee are not made safe through workes that none should glorie because god will not haue vs reioysing in our selues in any parte of his giftes as the Apostle saith What hast thou that thou hast not receaued And if thou hast receaued it why reioysest thou more then thou haddest not receaued it Ye see works excluded forth of this Article that man hath no matter to glorie but to referre all the glorie vnto god as is before rehearsed And that man hath nothing to glorie into but in the crosse of Iesu Christ by whome wee should crucifie the worlde to vs. That is wee should esteeme all that is in the worlde wicked as the Apostle sayth to the Galathians the sixt Chapter Yee shall not meruell that our saluatioun is ascribed and attribute to the mercy of God through faith excluding all workes because the reasoun is here showen by the Apostle in these wordes For we are the handyworke of God created in Iesus Christ vnto good workes That is forsomuch as we liue haue life and vnderstanding and beleeue it is of God and not of our selues because hee is our maker Creator why should the earthen or clay pot extoll the self against the potter of whom it hath all which it hath or the branche against the tree of which it hath all the substāce to bring forth the fruite as Christ giueth the parable in the Euangell of Saint Iohn the 15. chapter the which yee shall reade that yee may vnderstande the wordes of Christ and similitude in the whiche the Father is declared to bee the Husbandman or the Labourer and Christ the wine tree vs christians to be the branches or the Bearers for the branche hath two offices the one is if it remaine with the tree fresh and greene it bringeth forth good fruite of the substance of the tree and not of thee self The other is if it wither bring forth no fruite it must be cut of brint Therfore if thou wilbe a christian and remaine in Christ by faith euer ioyned to him thou shalt bring forth good fruite of his substance and not of thyne of the which the glory perteineth to him and not to thee And if thou will be the withered branche that is wicked bring furth no fruite thou art prepared for the fire there to serue with the Deuill and his Angels And this is sure if thou wilt either glorie in thy works or yet that thou art thy own Sauiour or any part thereof as concerning this article of iustification But to remaine in Christ by faith and suffer him to worke in thee which thou doest whē thou workest the workes commanded in the Scriptures of God and attributs them to Christ to be his workes working in thee Then shall he make thy imperfection perfite that nether the deuil nor the law dare accuse them because they are the workes of Christ and for his sake receaued of the father by faith So their is heir no thing to the to glory of but to say with the Ap. He that wil glorie let him glorie in the lord c. This glory of works is excluded by the law of faith of the which law the Apost maketh mention saying The law of the spirite of life in Christ Iesu hath delyuered me frō the law of sinne death That is the mercy of god the gift of the holy spirit remission of sinnes euerlasting life purchased to vs through faith in Christ by the which we liue in ryghteousnes free frō sinne death so it is caled the law of faith which excludeth all glory of works because we receaue and giue no thing but glory and honour vnto god which is the sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing In this we should liue in righteousnes worke the workes of god not become thrall again to sin death frō the which we ar freed freely without our merits or deseruings through faith in the bloud of Christ our Sauiour and aduocate Therefore let vs cōclud with the Apost establish for an infallible cōclusion mā to be made iust by faith without
the deds of the law as proue the Scriptures before rehearsed and by the example of Abra. who had no mix tiō of works in his iustification The which we must affirme to be trew because the Scriptures affirme the same and testifie him to be iustified by imputation through faith because hee beleeued god and gaue sure trust to his promis howbeit the same appeared not possible as indeed it was to the iudgment of man Neuertheles hee doubted not in his faith but beleeued hope against hope therefore it was cōpted to him for righteousnes not onely to him but of the same maner to vs which beleeue and are sonnes to Abrahā by faith And trust wel Abraham did many noble and heroicall works of the law of nature but none of these works were participāt of his iustificatiō before god but only beare witnes to his faith and obedience to god in his righteousnes as shalbe showē hereafter The most excellent work amongst the Iewes was circumcisiō which was giuen to Abra. cōmāded to be vsed in all his posteritie for the signe tokē of the bād and couenant betwene God and him The which was long after the iustification of Abraham as ye may read Gen. the 17. chap. And the Apost sayeth Abrahā receaued the signe of Circūcision the seale of the Iustice of faith c. Therfore this work made him not iust nor yet had any parte of his iustification Neuertheles God reahearsed to him at that time the promisse saying Abraham walke before me and be perfite and I shall put my couenant between me and thee shall multiplie thy seede exceedinglie thou shalbe the father of many nations And after this God tempted Abraham That is searched or espyed out his faith commaunding him to take his sonne Isaac whome he loued and offer him in a sacrifice c. Consider this cōmaund ye shall perceaue it a great tētation of the faith of Abraham and conferre the same with the Scriptures going before where God gaue commaund to him that he should put away his sonne Ismael For the seed of the promis should be fulfilled in Isaac Neuertheles the faith of Abraham was so firme and constant that he rather hoped and surely beleued that god was to raise Isaac from death to life then that his word should be fals or of none effecte And therefore god said vnto him and confirmed the same with an othe saying Because thou hast done this thing and hast not spared thy onely begotten sonne I shall blis thee and multiply thy seede as the starres of the heauen and sand of the sea shore because thou hast obeyed my woice and charge Heir yee see and find the promisse repeated again which was made to him long before But it is not saide here That because Abraham did this worke it was cōpted to him for righteousnes but that hee was cōmended by the mouth of god for his obedience and perseuerance in faith for the faithful shuld liue by faith daylie perseuering increasing day by day more more perfite which is from faith to faith giuing euer thanks praise vnto god and obeying his command Yee shall take this conclusion that no man can be called iust which liueth wickedly but hee which is godly and liueth well is called iust Neuertheles his good life or workes haue no participation of this Article Because they are excluded by the Apostle in the wordes before rehearsed for a conclusion that man is made iust before God by faith without the deedes of the lawe vpon the whiche wordes S. Augustine saith These wordes are not to bee vnderstande so that a man receauing the faith if he liue afterwarde wickedly shalbe called iust but hee is made iust without all his workes that he may liue in righteousnes and work well Christ is the end of the law vnto righteousnes to all that beleeue that is christ is the cōsummation and fulfilling of the lawe and that iustice whiche the lawe requireth and all they which beleeue in him are iust by imputation through faith And for his sake are repute and accepted as iust This is the Iustice of faith of the which the Apostle speaketh Rom. the 10. Chapter Therefore if yee wilbee iust seeke Christ and not the law nor your inuented workes whiche are lesse then the lawe Let him bee the mark whereat ye shoote and let him neuer passe foorth of your harte whereto seeke yee that thing which already hath taken an end Is it not writtē in the euangell of S. Luc. the 16. Chap. The law and the Prophetes are vnto the time of Iohne frō the which time the kingdome of God is preached and foorthshowen c. And S. Io. in the 1. chap. of his Euangell saith The law is giuen by Moys but grace and veritie ar giuē by Iesus Christ. These two words are expounded by S.P. Grace that is the mercy of god whereby we ar made safe through faith in Christ and not of works Verity is the fulfilling of the promisses of god for the which Christ was made seruant to circumcision for the veritie of god to confirme the promisses of the fathers here ye see christ will haue no mixtiō with the law nor works therof In this article of iustificatiō because the law is as contrarie to the office of Christ as darknes to light and is as farre differēt as heauen and earth for the office of the law is to accuse the wicked feare them and cōdemne them as trāsgressours of the same The office of Christ is to preache mercy remission of sinnes freely in his bloude through faith giue consolation and to saue sinners for hee came not in to this world to call them which ar iust or think them selues iust but to call sinners to repentance The office of Christ Iohn the baptist declareth saying behold the lambe of God behold him which taketh away the sinnes of the world It is not I sayeth Ihon nor the Law repentance or workes of repentance which I preache that taketh away your sinnes but it is Christ that innocent lambe of god to whome I send you And also Christ sayeth God send not his sonne into the world that he shold accuse condemne or iudge the world but that the world should be made safe by him And after It is not I sayeth Christ to the Iewes that iudgeth you it is Moyses which accuseth you And so the Scriptures testifie that the law accuseth and Christ saueth He sendeth none to the law but rather the law driueth compelleth man to seeke Christ If yee will vnderstande it aright The woman accused of adulterie he sent her not to the law but said to her passe thy waye and sinne no more And to the mā which had bene diseased thirtie eight yeres c. behold thou art made whole now sinne no more that some worse thinge happen thee not Christ called
all to himself saying Come vnto me all yee which labour and are laden with sinne and I shall refresh you And Peter saith there is no saluation but in Iesu Christ Nor no other name giuen vnder heauen by the which mā may obteine saluation Therfore sithēs no other may saue but he we should put all our trust hope in him and in his mercy only and neither in the law nor works for to all them which thinke they may bee safe by workes or made iust Christes death is in vaine or if there had beene giuen a lawe whiche might haue giuen life then righteousnes surely had beene of the law but it is manifest that by the law no mā is made iust before god because the iust shall liue by faith What wordes may bee more plaine then those are to exclude workes foorth of this article Now sithens the scripture teacheth vs so plainely that Christ is our Iustice our Sauiour and Redeamer satisfaction for our sinnes the ende and consommation of the lawe and hath freed vs from the lawe sinne and death and from the kingdome of Sathan our aduersarie and bought vs to the kingdome of righteousnesse without our merites or deseruinges Why will wee vsurpe his office to our selues and spoile Christ of his glorie or be come thrall againe to that thing from the which Christ hath freed vs. The which we do if we wilbe participāt with Christ in the making of our selues iust or mixt any workes with the article of iustication THE XIX CHAP. 1 As the good tree beareth good fruite so the good man worketh good workes 2 But as the fruit maketh not the tree good So workes make not the man iust 3 For as the tree is before the fruite So the mā is iust before the work be good 4 The cause why wee should worke good workes 5 The Captaines in the kingdome of christ his subiectes and reward and of his aduersarie Sathan THis faith which only iustifieth and giueth life is not idle nor remaineth alone Neuertheles it alone iustifieth And then it workes by charitie For vnfained faith may no more abyde Idle from working in loue then the good tree may from bringing foorth her fruite in due time and yet the fruite is not the cause of the tree nor maketh the tree good but the tree is the cause of the fruite and the good tree bringeth foorth good fruite by the which it is knowen goode Euen so it is of the faithfull man the workes make him not faithfull nor iust nor yet are the cause thereof But the faithfull and iust man bringeth forth and maketh good works to the honor glorie of God profit of his neighbour which beare witnesse of his inward faith and testifie him to be iust before man Therefore yee must be iust and good or euer yee worke good workes for Christ sayeth may yee gather grapes of thornes or figges of thrisles no no it is contrary theire nature Euen so it is with man till hee be made iust by faith as it is before writtin Hee may neuer doe a good worke but what euer hee doeth is sinne for al which is not of faith is sinne and christ sayeth to the Pharisies how can yee speake good while yee ar yet euill Therefore or euer we speak good or do good we must be made good that by the mercy of god through faith in christ without al our deseruings Then shal we worke al good works in the kingdome of Christ as his faithfull subiects There is two kingdomes two kinde of subiects which are direct contrary to other because there princes ar as cōtrary as ar light darkenes That is to say the kingdome of Christ and the kingdom of the Deuil To the kingdom of the Deuil mā is of his owne nature a perfite subiect the sonne of ire wrath To the kingdome of Christ man is made subiect through his second birth or regeneration which is by Baptisme in the bloud of Christ. To this kingdome man is bought neither with gold nor siluer but with the precious bloud of the sonne of God Christ Iesus and so is made seruaunt to righteousnes to serue vnto life Therefore who is made iust by faith through the mercy of god and merites of Christ Iesus must in faith which is not idle but euer working in loue serue Christ and embrace him in his hart Then shall he remaine in Christ Christ in him by the which ioyning through faith sinne shall haue no dominion nor shall not rule as a prince howbeit the dregges remaine in vs. They shall not be imputed to vs if we perseuere in faith as our forefather Abr. did euer working by loue and charitie And this is the cause why we shuld work good workes because wee are bought to the kingdome of Christ in the which rule as valiant Captaines faith hope charity working euer righteousnes vnto life The kingdome of the Deuill hath thre valiant Captaines which gouerne the same that is incredulitie dispaire and enuye euer working sinne and vnrighteousnes vnto death because the reward of sinne is death In this kingdome sinne ruleth as a prince hauing dominiō therefore if ye will serue sinne and obeye the same ye are seruants to that thing which ye obeye whither it be of sin vnto death or righteousnes vnto life But Christ hath redeamed vs and bought vs from this Realme that euen as Christ hath risen from death to the glorie of the Father right so we should liue in a new life and let not sin haue more dominion ouer vs. There is no mā so foolish who wil thinke he being deliuered of a vile prisō by the grace and mercy of a great Prince and brought to serue in his hall so made tēder to the prince that he is made participant of his sonnes heritage will say I will passe againe to prison because he is not a part of his owne deliuerance Verily it is euē so of their sayings which say I wil do no good becaus christ hath deliuered me And being deliuered I will sin and follow all libertie of flesh Wherfore should I do any good workes sithens Christ hath redeamed me without my deseruings My hartes ye which obiect these sayinges reade the scriptures and yee shall finde another lesson taught you And attend vpon your Schoolemaister which is the holy spirite who shall teach you the right waye that yee passe neither to the right hād nor to the wrōg but the right kingly way That is to confesse and euer haue prented in your hartes that by faith onely of the mercy and grace of god yee are made safe And then followe the example of our Lorde Iesus Christ giuing your whole studie and cure to loue charitie and all maner of righteous liuing to the glorie of god profit of your neighbour Not that there through ye ar made safe but that ye may be found
But beleeued in one god and that the same god had promised a Saueour to redeame the world So god looking vpon the faithfull hūble and simple hart of Cornelius and the feruent desire of his prayers which desire doubtles was conforme to the sayinges of the Proph. Esay O if thou wouldest break a sunder the heauens that thou might come doune would not haue him deceaued to looke for him which was already come Therefore he caused him send for Peter to instruct him in the present faith And to certifie him that Christ was come whome he looked for so ardentlie Yee may read the text thē shall yee perceaue the sermon Peter made vnto him which was only of the opening of the Scripturs testifieing the comming of Christ in the fleshe and fulfilling of all the promises and Prophets sayings spoken of him before and that he was risen from deathe and had giuen Peter and the rest of his Disciples Apostles cōmād to preache repentance and remission of sinnes to all which would beleeue in his name c. To the which words and preaching of S. Peter Cornelius his whole housholde gaue firme faith and receaued by a visible signe the holy spirit The which is no other thing but this article of iustification For hee beleeued the word of god and by faith in Christ through the mercy of God receaued the holy spirit without all working of any deede of the lawe of Moyses but onely being vnder the Law of nature and so was baptised c. Therefore yee can not proue by this authority of scripture that either the works preceeding or following the gift of the holie spirite was the cause of his iustification or yet any parte thereof But first being iust through the faith which the fathers had who had also the holy spirit truely worshipped god and feared him of loue so he was iust And in that righteousnes wrought the fruites of faith in prayers and almes deeds And secondly being taught by Peter beleeued that Christ was comme the sure Sauiour of the world and had fulfilled all which was spoken of him by the prophetes By this faith was hee by the mercy of God made iust and receaued the holy spirite visiblie without all works or deseruings And then in the kingdome of Christ and righteousnesse wrought the fruites of faith vnto life as all perfite Christians should doo They alledge another text Galath the 5. Chap. Faith which worketh by loue c. by these wordes they would inferre of their corrupted maner that faith onely iustifieth not before god but faith which worketh by loue By this maner of vnderstanding they not only make the Apost false but also cast all downe destroye the same thing which hee hath builded for in the fourth Chap. of the same Epist. preceeding with great laboures and inuincible arguments hee setteth forth the article of iustification prouing faith only to iustifie without all deedes or workes of the law And then in the 5. chap. he beginneth to set foorth the fruites of faith saying ye are abolished frō christ which would be made iust by the lawe Ye haue left grace for we by thee spirite of faith beholde or looke for the hope of righteousnes for into Christ Iesus neither is circumcision nor vncircumcision any thing worth but faith which worketh by loue In these words shortly in briefe termes the Apost excludeth all workes and lawes sacrifices worshippings both of Iew and gentill to haue any mixtiō with Christ in the iustificatiō of a christian for if there had bene any more excellēt work or greater in estimation among the Iewes which were the chosen people of god thē circūcisiō no doubt but the Ap. would haue excluded the same so the principall work cōmanded by god and giuē by him as the seale of his promis couenāt made to Abrahā being excluded forth of of this article how can any other worke of lesse or equall estimation haue parte thereinto Therfore the Apost cōcluding shortly cōprehēding the whole estate of a Christian mā saith neither is circumcision nor vncircūcision any thing worth in christ but faith which worketh by loue he saith not loue which worketh by faith but faith whiche worketh by loue that is faith inwardly maketh a mā iust before God who hath no neede of our workes for the whole worlde and all that is therein is his and loue outwardly testifieth of thy inwarde faith towarde thy neighbour who hath need of thy works for whose vtilitie and profite thou art cōmanded to do good workes To whome thy faith auaileth nothing And so this text impungeth not the article of iustification but fortifieth the same Ye read loue greatly extolled by S.P. the 1. to the Corinth the 13. chap. as it is worthy but ye find neuer iustificatiō before god attribute to loue for that is not the office therof But loue followeth faith in the third degree whose office the Ap. setteth forth in the said ch Specially how that loue suffereth all thinges beleeueth all thinges hopeth all thinges and endureth all thinges Yea verily some thinges which faith may not suffer nor wil on no wayes suffer as a light superstitiō repūgning to the word of god loue will or may suffer the same to be in it for the weakenes of the infirme brother But faith may in no maner suffer the same because it may be preiudiciall to the article of iustificatiō and induce the mixtion of works Also Faith Hope and Charitie being reakoned the Apost exalteth Charity to be the most excellent of the thre but giueth her none of their offices But if ye wil vnderstand the text well ye shall know the Apostles mind by the cōclusion saying now we see through a glas darkly but thē we shall see face to face Now I know in part but then shall I knowe euen as I am knowen and nowe abydeth Faith Hope and Charitie but the chiefest of these is Charitie as he would say Now we ar imperfite but then we shalbe perfite Faith and Hope shall both perish and vanishe awaye but Charitie shall remaine in her perfection for then she is in her perfectiō when the other two haue takē effect and are vanished away for in the heauē there is neither faith nor hope but Charitie is in her most excellēt degree there which neuer hath an ende The cause wherefore the Apo. extolleth Charitie yee shall consider in the first to the Corinth the 12. ch the which I pray you reade For in that whole Epist. there is no question of the Article of iustification nor of the office of faith but an instruction how the Christian man should liue reprouing hatred enuy dissentions and opinions amōgst the Corinth which became not to be amōgst christiās therefore he exhorted them aboue all thinges to Charitie which is the band of peace the most excellēt vertue to be had euer kept among the Christians for by that
may saue you It is writtē all which is not of faith is sinne How then can ye do any worke preceeding faith that it may please God or prouoke him to loue you considering all that ye doo out of faith is sinne Will ye say that he deliteth in sin No no it is a thinge most abominable in his sight therfore all that euer ye do how excellēt the work be in your sight it is sin before God and yee heape sinne vpon sinne which is abomination in his sight as sayeth the Prophete Esay The workes which follow faith make you not iust because or euer yee worke good works yee must be made first iust and thereafter in faith yee worke the works of iustice Neuerthelesse the saide workes may not saue you nor merite the kingdome of heauen to you muchlesse may they merite to others But yee are made safe by the mercy of God and not of workes as S. P. sayeth Not of workes of righteousnesse which we haue done shall we be saued but according to his mercy God hath saued vs Here yee see not onely workes excluded in generall forth of this article but also the workes of iustice which can not be done but by the iustified man where are then your workes which deserue the kingdome of heauen of their worthinesse not onely to your selues but superaboundant to others They are excluded by the Scriptures of God Therefore I exhort you to exclude them also cleaue to faith THE XXI CHAP. 1 The opinion of the wicked seeking their owne glorie 2 The workes commanded by God done without faith ar abomination before him 3 Whereby commeth the new birth 4 Paule refuseth his workes seeking no Iustification thereby 5 The conclusion of all the Scriptures 6 What is giuen to man which hath true faith I Meruell greatlie of your blindnesse which are aduersaries to this article would euer mixt it with works specially of your owne making that yee may bee a parte of your owne saluation But I ought not meruell thereat because yee seek your own glory not the glory of god for euer ye cry the law the law good works good works the which yee neuer doe nor yet it is in your power of your selfe to complete according to the perfectiō that yee may set thē before the iudgement seat of god And this same thing did your forefathers the scribes Pharisies against Christ. And now yee against his faithfull litle flocke of the same blindnesse and ignorance For to establish your owne iustice yee neglecte the iustice of god and will not be subiect thereto as the Apost sayeth And Christ sayeth Yee are they which iustifie your selues before men but god knoweth your harts because that which is of great estimation in mens eyes is abominable before god Euen so it is of your workes not commanded by god how honest or shining that euer they be in the sight of of man for verily God wilbe pleased with no workes of mans innentioun but with the workes commanded by him selfe And the same should be done in faith according to his will and not ours for the which we are commanded and should daylie praye Thy will o heauenly father be fulfilled not ours What better works cā mā doe thē the works cōmāded by god as praiers almes deedes fastings and keeping of holy dayes and others as ye may reade Esay the first Chap. The which god by the mouth of the prophet calleth abomination And Christ called prophecying preaching casting forth of Deuils miracles wonders and signes and many other great and excellent vertues done in his name The workes of iniquitie and the doers of them the workers of iniquitie saying passe away from me all yee which are workers of iniquitie for not all which say vnto mee Lord lord shall enter in the kingdome of heauen But they which doo the will of my Father whiche is in Heauen These workes are contemned by god for no other cause but that they ar wrought by the wicked without faith or mixt with the article of iustificatiō thinking therethrough to be made iust or to be a part of their owne iustification And therefore cannot please God but greatly displease him because the good worke is conuerted into sinne through the iniquitie of man Neuerthelesse they appeare in the sight of man to be most excellent good and should haue a great reward after the iudgement of man but yee see here what rewarde god giueth them And seing the workes commaunded by God to be done are so displeasant in his sight wrought by the wicked without faith What shalbe of your workes which are not commanded by God nor haue no authoritie in his Scriptures but inuented by your selues of your good zeale and intention to make your selues iust by them hauing no respect to faith but to the working of them of the selfe deed yea verily expresse contrarie the scripture and plaine Idolatrie Neuerthelesse he that doth them yee make iust and he that doth them not yee condemne Is this any other thing but to make the death of Christ in vaine and to be iustifiers of your selues for seing the iustice which is of value before God is not of the deedes of the law how can it be of your deeds Therefore Christ wil say vnto you Passe from me all ye workers of iniquitie I know you not Notwithstanding in other places of the scripture yee shall finde the same workes greatly commended by God where they are done by the iust man as the fruites of faith reward promised to the workers of them So they confesse them vnprofitable Seruantes when they haue done all that they can For Christ saide to his Disciples when yee haue done all whiche is commanded you to doe then say wee are vnprofitable seruantes Wee haue done that which wee were bounde to doe And if they which fulfill all the commandements of god are compted or repute by him vnprofitable seruants what haue wee to glorie in which fulfill not one of his commandements Now I pray you lay this text to your assertion if thou wilt enter into life keep the commandements and ye shal thinke shame of your sayings insomuch as yee would impung the article of iustification there with and mixt workes with faith to the making of a wicked man iust Now I trust it be sufficiently prouen by authority of the scripture as is before rehearsed at length to the satisfactiō of a Christian and godly man that works are excluded forth of this article of iustificatiō haue no participatiō therewith but follow faith as the due fruites therof that all glorie may redound to god howbeit the wicked hypocrits and iustifiers of thē selues will neuer be satisfied by any authoritie of the scripture for they cannot nor will not be content with god nor his word but euer impung the same to establish their owne authoritie and glorie And therfore are neuer at rest
care vpon his direction as thy head and transgresse not his commandement for that is the will of God I meane not of euill but of all goodnesse because I speake of the fruites of faith and workes of righteousnesse yee are all bound to doo the workes whiche God hath commanded you to do in his holy scripture of mercy loue and charitie by reason of your vocation in the christian religion And these other workes in your speciall vocation In doing of the which thinke that ye do the good work of god and please him if yee worke them in faith albeit Hypocrites commend not the same Beeing occupied on this maner daylie there shall bee no place to vice for your minde is occupied vpon other busines It is but Idlenes to you to passe in pilgrimage to this or that Sainte to sit the halfe of the daye in the Church babling vpon a pare of beades speaking to stocks or stones the thing which neither thou nor they knowe And neglecteth the good worke of God the which thou art bound to doe If thou wilt praye right learne the Lordes prayer in the toung thou vnderstandeth Thy Creede that is the articles of thy beleeue the ten Commandements of god And dayly at thy rysing and downlying at night haue some space to thy contemplatiō thereinto and teache thy housholde the same maner And occupie the rest as is before saide according to thy vocation not exceeding the bounds there of nor seeking no other workes but them which are commanded in the holy scriptures And are necessarie to be done as is written to Titus the 3. Chap. Let the faithfull which are of our nomber bee euer ready and learne to doe good workes to all necessary vses that they bee not vnfruitefull For the faithfull can neuer bee idle because vnfained faith worketh euer by Charitie But they which knowe not their owne vocation can neuer bee faithfull Therefore they can neuer worke good workes but all is euill whatsoeuer thing they do or worke without faith becaus all which is not of faith is sinne Therefore if thou wilt worke well be faithfull and looke euer to thy vocation And thou shalt finde thy conscience teaching thee both to do good and eschew euill at all times Ye should be pure and cleane in your conuersation for good example giuing to your Children and familie For as they see you doe so shall they learne And are euer rather inclined to do euill thē good by reason of this corrupted nature of mā Therefore teach them to loue and feare God to know his lawe being euer your selues an example to them And as it were a mirrour to looke into in all godly life and conuersation For if they behold you liuing together in great loue and charitie chastitie and temperance being mercifull to the poore supporting the indigent after the quantitie of your riches at loue charitie with your neighbour euer speaking good of all creaturs detracting none they shall followe the same doings by the which ye shalbe called the the faithfull fellowship of Iesus Christ true subiects of his realme Your vocatiō is good holy and it becommeth you to know the scriptures For in the primatiue church * the bishops were chosē cōmonly forth of your nōber A godly honest housholder who liued in chast matrimonie ruled and guided his houshold well brought vp his children in subiection reuerēce in all maner of godly teachings Hee hauing this outward witnessing is commanded by the Apost to be chosen to the office of a bishop When this order was kept in the church of Christ the worde of god flourished Therefore woe be to you which saye that laickes or secular men and housholders should not know the scripturs read them or teach their houshold the same yee impung the holy spirite and dishonour the olde Fathers of the Church which taught the contrarie as by example of Chrisostome before rehearsed it is euen alike to you to say temporall or secular men should not heare the worde of god read teach their families the same as to say they haue not a soule for the word of god is the foode of the soule if yee will abstract the foode without the which the soule must perish yee shall make man as a brutishe beaste And if yee will admit them to heare the word yee should admit them to read the same and talke therevpon for what auaileth the hearing if a man should not conceaue and keepe in memorie that thing which he heareth and liue thereafter For Christ sayeth Blessed are they which heare the word of god and keepe the same * The oft reading of the word and cōmunication thereof keepeth the same euer recent in memorie and digesteth in thy hart by continuall meditation some confort and consolation and abstracteth thee from vice and sinne leadeth and conuoyeth thee to all godlie liuing Therefore Dauid calleth that man blessed which deliteth in the lawe of God and hath his meditation therein day and night Wo wo be vnto you therefore which would abstract this blessing from any man or woman the which God pronounceth with his mouth These doings of yours beare witnesse of you that ye ar not the ministers of the word of God or true successors of the Apostles but false teachers fubuerters of the word and very Antichrists Wherfore I exhort you whiche are the faithfull whatsoeuer estate or vocation yee be called to that yee both gladly heare the word of God reade it teache your children family subiects the same confor me your life thereto euer working the deedes of charitie and mercy in all godlinesse according to your vocation and giue no credit to them which teacheth you the contrarie for they are false teachers and members of the Deuil which withdraw you from that thing which is your saluation THE XXVIII CHAP. 1 The duetie of the maister vnto the seruant and contrary 2 Of the subiect to the prince 3 Of the sonne to the father 4 The honour which the sonnes ought to the parents 5 The diuelish doctrine of pestilent papisticall preists in the contrarie thereof If thou be a subiect seruaunt sonne or daughter be obediēt to thy superiour first vnto thy prince as the supreame power and to euery one hauing power from him for they are the ministers of God whom thou shouldest obey not resist ordeined by god to the reuenge of euill doers and louing of the good doers which is the will of god as yee ar taught Romanes the 13. chapter And the first of Peter the 2. chapter Your duetie is to honour al men loue brotherly fellowship feare god honour the king be obedient to him not onely for feare and dreadour of his ire but also for hurting of your conscience because it is the will of God in all thinges not repungning to his command Giue to thy prince and superiour his duetie or what euer he chargeth thee with concerning temporall
thereby the strentgh of the flesh somewhat is dantoned and ceaseth to rebell against the spirite And beginneth to seeke god who is a peculiar Father to the faithfull deliuering them from all tribulations Not for their worthynesse but for his own mercie Worldly tribulations are the signe and token of gods loue albeit the wicked and vnfaithfull iudge otherwise which in tyme of tribulation runne from God seeking help at man which is but vaine whereof they being frustrate and deceaued fall in desperation The sommary of the fourth Chapter THe faithfull thanke god in tribulation and albeit our wicked nature teacheth vs to flye from God as did our first parent Adam after his transgression Yet faith in Iesus Christ leadeth vs to the throne of our Fathers grace where we finde goodnes mercy iustice giuen to vs freely by Iesus Christ as they were giuen to Adam Who albeit fled from god yet he moued of loue toward his own handywork followed him and albeit Adam at the voice of god repented not but obstinately excused his sinne yet god made to him the promisse of saluation before hee pronounced his wrath cōtrary sinne which of his righteous iudgement hee must punish And so Adam wrought nothing which might moue god to make this promisse more then hee wrought that of dust and clay hee should be made a liuing Creature to the Image and similitude of god And to Abraham being an Idolater was made the promisse hee should be the father of many nations which hee merite not to whiche promisse Abraham giuing credite was reakoned iust by the which it is plaine that the mercy of god and not our workes is the cause that hee calleth vs by his worde whereto wee giuing credite are reakoned iust all our deseruinges or merites being excluded The Sommarie of the 5. Chapter ADam expelled forth of paradise had no consolation except in the blessed seede promissed By whom hee beleeued him to stande in gods fauour for all bodily consolation which hee had of his two Sonnes was turned in dolour when Cain killed Abell In the which dolour Adam many yeares remained will God hauing compassion vpō him gaue him another sonne named Seth of whome descended the blessed seede For this sonne Adam gaue thankes vnto god taking all afflictions in patience knowing him worthie of greater punishmēt by whose example we should patiently with thankesgiuing vnto god suffer all tribulatiō For none descending of Adā by naturall propagatiō are iuster then hee was after his fall which all his life suffered trouble hauing no confort but that he should ouercome all worldly calamitie yea and also the slightes of Sathan which had deceaued him by the blessed seede promissed And this same should be our confort in all tribulations The sommarie of the 6. Chap. BY bodily afflictions our faith is tryed as gold by the fire They are also a communion with the passions of Iesus Christ. And therefore in them haue we matter and cause to reioyce considering we suffer without cause committed contrarie man Notwithstāding the wicked persecute the faithfull in all ages as if they had beene mischieuous or euill doers as may be seene in the persecution of the prophets Apost of Iesus Christ him self The cause hereof is the neglecting of gods word and taking from faith her due office whereof riseth all dishouring of god for none may or can honour god except the iustified man And albeit in diuerse men there be diuerse opinions of iustification yet they alone in whome the holy spirit worketh true faith which neuer wanteth good workes are iust before god The substance of iustification is to cleaue fast vnto god by Iesus christ and not by our selfe nor yet by our workes And this Article of iustification should be holden in recent memorie because without the knowledge thereof no workes are pleasant before God The sommarie of the seuinth Chap. AS by perswasion of Sathan Adam and Eue seeking wisedome contrarie Gods commandemēt were deceaued and fell in extreame miserie So they seeking iustification otherwise then teach the Scriptures remaine vnder the wrath of god for faith alone reconciliateth man to god which the Lawe whose office is onely to vtter sinne and trouble the conscience as it did to Adam after his transgression may not doe Therefore who list to resist Sathan let him cleaue to faith for it is the onely shield which his dartes may not pearse The sommary of the eight chapter CAin a wicked hipocrit killed his brother Abell For no other cause but that his brothers sacrifice pleased god because it was offered into faith And the posteritie of Cain pursued perpetually them which depēded vpon the blessed seede while god was compelled to drown the whole world 8. persons being reserued amongst whom yet was keept the seed of Sathan in the third sonne of Noe Cham. From the dayes of Noe to Abraham this article of iustification altogether was obscured Idolatry spredding ouer all The cause thereof was they followed the external works of the holy fathers in sacrifice but had no respect to faith without the which all sacrifices ar Idolatrie The sommarie of the ninth Chapter GOd of his mercy prouiding that his Church should not perish altogether renewed to Abraham the promisse of the blessed seede made to Adam whereto Abraham giuing credit is without his workes reakoned iust But shortly after begā sathā newly to pursue the iust by his mēbers stirring vp Ismaell against Isaac Esau against Iacob but the iust at the end shall preuaile as hath done Iesus Christ whose brethrē we ar by reason he is very man of the seed of Adam And also because in him wee are adopted and made the sonnes of god The fleshly mā is euer deceaued iudging the wicked to bee the chosen as Abraham beleeued Ismaell And Isaac beleeued Esau to haue beene their heires But faith iudged righteously which caused Rebecca to labour with diligence that Iacob the youngest sonne should be blessed by his father The sommary of the 10. Chap. THe Iewes hauing a carnall opiniō of the seede promissed that their Messias should rule temporally as did Dauid refused Iesus Christ appearing simple poore But the cause which moued Sathā to stirre vp his members against Christ was that hee plainly taught that by faith without all workes man is reakoned iust For the wicked thinking to make their foolishe workes a part of their iustificatiō may neuer suffer them to bee damned And the true Preacher can neuer but exclude them from the iustification of man as did the prophetes Iesus Christ him selfe and his Apostles for which they suffered death leauing to vs a sure testimonie for confirmation of this article which after Christs death was plainly preached The sommarie of the 11. Chapter SAthan perceauing his crafts wherewith hee deceaued mankinde discouered and his head troden downe by the death of Christ cled him in a new arrayement And finding them whiche should haue truely preached idle perswaded man to inuent new
works by the which they should seeke iustificatiō neglecting true faith Whiche pestilent workes so hath abolished the effect of perfite faith that they which are called bishops vnderstand nothing thereof but pursue all them which truely preache or defende the same by the which they showe them selues the Church malignant For the chosen neuer pursue but euer is pursued The sommarie of the twelfth Chapter IVstice in generall is an outward obedience or honestie which a man may performe of his owne power And is deuided in the iustice of man that is which cōmeth of the law which mā maketh And in the iustice of the law of god The iustice of man is deuided in politick and Ceremoniall Politicke iustice is an obedience which the inferiour estate giueth to their superiour which should be keept because it is the command of God that princes be obeyed Ceremoniall iustice is the obseruing of statutes and traditions commanded by the Bishope of Rome counsels or Shoolemaisters which ar to be keept so that they repung not to the law of god nor yet that by thē men seeke remission of sinns The iustice of the Law of God is to fulfill the same as it requireth that is to loue feare serue and honour god with all thy harte and strenght thereof Which because no creature in earth doeth there is no man iustified by the workes of the Law for in all man Iesus Christ excepted is found sinne as proue the examples of Abraham Moyses Noe and vthers most holie fathers in whom all sinne was found For by the transgression of Adam all his posteritie became rebels to the Lawe And are compelled to pray with Dauid Enter not in iudgement with thy seruaunt O Lord for in thy sight no liuing creature shalbe found iust The sommary of the xiij chap. SEing thē our forefathers were not iust by the law nor workes thereof of necessitie must we seeke the iustice of another that is of Iesus Christ which the law may not accuse In whom if we beleeue we ar receaued in the fauour of god accepted as iust without our merits or deseruinges But here obiecte the wicked as their vse is when any thing transcendeth their capacitie in vnderstanding these questiones First wherefore gaue God the Law if man may not fulfill the same Secōdly wherefore shuld we work good works seing by them we are not made iust thirdly whereby were the fathers made iust The sommary of the 14. Chap. FOr vnderstanding of the first question man should learne to know god as hee is declared in the Scripture That is to know him creator and maker of all which also made all his creatures in their first creation good and perfite who not onely gaue a law to man but also to the rest of his creatures as to beasts Sunne Moone sea and elements That thereby he might be glorified knowē Lord. And so to man hee gaue a Lawe to the effect he should know his maker and obey him Which Law when Adam transgressed he lost his perfection and righteousnesse And so the cause why mā may not fulfil the law is that the law remaineth in the owne perfection in the which it was first created by god but mā by his disobedience and foolishnesse fell from his perfectiō And therefore should he accuse him selfe and not god that he may not fulfill the law which is perfite The sommary of the 15. Chap. IN Adam after his transgression remained a litle of that knowledge and power with the which he was indewed by god from him it descēded in his posteritie whereby man may worke the outward workes of the Lawe But the whole obedience thereto giueth no mā For these wordes proue all man Iesus Christ excepted to be sinners by the law Of the deedes of the law shall no fleshe be iustified before god Which wordes Sophistes would abolish saying Paull speaketh of the Ceremoniall law and not of the morall or law of nature but the plaine wordes of Paull proue them to be lyers He sayeth The law speaketh to all which are vnder the Law And all men is vnder the law morall And therefore Paull speaketh of the lawe morall which condemneth al man Iesus Christ excepted The sommarie of the 16 Chap. THe iustice which is acceptable before god hath diuerse names first it is called the iustice of god becaus it proceedeth onely of the mercy of god secōdly it is called the iustice of faith because faith is the instrumēt whereby we apprehēd the mercy of god And last it is called iustice becaus by faith in christ it is giuē vs freely without our deseruings but euē as the dry earth receaueth the raine but all deseruinges of the self So receaue we the iustice which is of value before god without all our workes but yet we must suffer god to worke in vs. And this iustice is plainly reuealed in the euāgel frō faith to faith That is wee should continue in this faith all our life For the iust liue by faith euer trusting to obteine that which is promissed whiche is eternall life promissed to vs by Iesus Christ. The sommarie of the 17. Chap. THe faith of the fathers before Christs comming in the flesh and ours in the new testament was and is one thing For they beleeued them to stande in the fauour of god by reason of that promissed seede which was to come whome wee beleeue is come already and hath fulfilled all which was spoken of him in the law and prophets By this faith were the fathers made safe without all their works as testifieth Peter And where our aduersaries aske them what auailed workes We answere that works are an outward testimony to faith by which only man is first made iust therafter his works pleas God because the persone is acceptable And so no godly man forbiddeth good workes but of necessitie must they bee excluded from the iustification of man For Paull saith if iustice bee of the lawe Christs death is in vaine For albeit iustice sometime be ascribeth to man that is not because it proceedeth of man but because it is giuen to man freely by god like as our faith is called the faith of Iesus Christ because by him we are repute iust for he is made to vs from god wisedome iustice holynes and redemption And so all the scripture testifieth vs to bee made iust freely by the mercy of God that all glory may be giuē to him And therefore who maked workes a part of their owne iustification spoile god of his glorie The sommarie of the 18. Chap. GOD loueth vs because wee are his own handywork created vnto good works in christ Iesus In whom we remaine as branches in the wine roote bringing forth good fruites not of our owne strenght but of the power of the spirite of Iesus christ remaining in vs by true faith which works the law may not cōdemne becaus they are the works of Iesus christ and not ours And so the glorie of works is
excluded by the law of faith For in our iustification wee onely receaue as did our Father Abraham whose sonnes wee are by faith which was reakoned iust before he wrought any good works The veritie of the scripture proueth that the heritage commeth not by the lawe for by the law Ismaell and Esau the eldest sonnes should haue succeeded to the heritage and not Isaac Iacob which were yonger And so by the promis commeth the heritage and not by the lawe For the law euer accuseth craueth more of vs thē we ar able to pay And therfore damnation abydeth vs without we apprehēd Iesus Christ which payeth for vs that which the lawe requireth For hee alone taketh away the sinnes of the world Hee called all to him self and sendeth none to the law to seek iustificatiō And therfore who seeketh any parte thereof by their workes spoile Christ of his office The sommary of the 19. Chap. AS the good tree beareth good fruites so the iust man worketh good workes but neither maketh the fruite the tree good nor yet the workes the man iust for as the tree is before the fruite so the mā is iust before the worke be good We should worke good workes becaus wee being sometime the sonnes of gods wrath and subiects to sathan are bought by the blood of Iesus Christ to serue in his kingdome in the which ruled faith hope and charitie euer working righteousnes vnto life By the cōtrarie in the kingdome of the deuill rule incredulitie dispaire and enuy euer working vnrighteousnes And so we owe obedience to him whose seruants we ar There be diuers princes realmes subiects and rewardes no man can serue both nor of both the rewardes no man shall be participant but who serueth sinne receaueth eternall death for his reward and who serueth righteousnes receaueth life euerlasting by Iesus Christ. The sommarie of the 20. Chap. WOrkes are commended in the scripture not that they iustifie before God but that they are the fruites of a iustified man wrought to testifie his true faith Which onely iustifieth without workes either preceeding or following the same And that proueth Paull saying without faith it is impossible to please god And also all which is not of faith is sin whereof it is plaine that sophistes alledging that workes preceeding faith deserue the grace of god De Congruo say asmuch as sin deserueth the grace of god for all workes preceeding faith is sinne And that workes following faith iustifieth not testifieth the same Ap. saying not of the works of righteousnes which we haue wrought shall we be safe but acording to his mercy god hath made vs safe And so neither works preceeding nor following faith iustifie The sommary of the 21 chap. THE wicked by works of their own intention would be a part of their owne saluation because thay seek their own glorie as did the Scribs and Pharisies and not the glory of God But seing the works commanded by god done without faith to deserue remission of sinnes are abomination before god as testifieth Esay what shalbe of the vaine workes of man set vp without the commād of god by which hypocrites would be made iust And if we should confesse as commandeth Iesus Christ when we haue done all yet wee are but vnprofitable seruauntes where is the merite of the workes of supererogation which hypocrites would sell to others And if Paull which had right excellent works esteemed them al to be but filthinesse that he might winne Christ and be found in him not hauing his owne iustice which is of the lawe but the iustice which is of the faith of Iesus Christ If Paull I say sought no iustice in his own works how shal we whose workes are on no maner equall to the workes of Paull be iustified thereby And therefore with the scripturs and Apostles we cōclude that by faith onely in Christ we ar made iust without all law or workes And after man be made iust by faith and possesseth Iesus Christ in his hart then can he not bee idle For with true faith is also giuen the holie spirite which suffereth not man to bee idle but moueth him to al godly exercise of good workes The sommarie of the 22. Chap. AFter the article of iustification christians should bee instructed to doe good works not these which are inuēted by mā but which are cōmanded by god amōgst which the principall is to reioyce in tribulation giuing thankes to god in all things with sure hope and patience abyding his deliuerance knowing that the life of man is a perpetuall battell vpō earth The law of the mēbers euer rebelling against the law of the mind The law of the members wee call the tyrannie of the deuill euer drawing vs to the lustes of the flesh not onely in externall works but also in the inwarde affections of the minde as to doubt of the goodnesse and mercy of god to be sloughtful and not to loue and feare him with our whole hart The law of the minde or of the spirite is the motion of the holie ghost stirring vs vp to all iustice and righteousnes which we know to bee good and yet finde no power in our selfe to performe the same And this battell is most vehement in the most holy as witnesseth Paull And therefore to kill this outwarde man which is our wit reason and will we should offer our bodies vnto god in a quicke liuely and holy sacrifice but before this sacrifice bee pleasant to god must the minde which is the Fountaine of all good workes bee renewed with the spirite of god and made cleane which is when we cast from vs our wisedome righteousnes holynes and redemptiō and receaue the same from Iesus Christ. Some there is which put their whole trust in their own works thinking thereby to obteine the eternall glorie And these men go before Christ and are called Antichristes Others there is which thinke faith not sufficient but will haue their workes ioyned to helpe Christ and these goe astray from him For none of these two kindnes suffereth Iesus Christ death but for them onely which follow him laying all their sinnes vpon his backe The Sommarie of the 23. Chap. THe foolish reason of man perswadeth vs to leaue the workes commanded by god And to set vp workes of our own inuention thinking God to bee pleased therewith becaus they are done of good zeale and intention The scriptures of God showeth all the thoughtes and cogitations of man to be euill at all time And if so bee what is our good intentiō But whether the intent of man bee good or not the fruites proceeding therefrom shall testifie For as sometime in Israell abounded all Idolatrie they hauing gods according to the multitude of their Cieties So nowe amongst them which are called Christians are set vp carued Images defended adorned and worshipped contrarie the expresse commandement of God The blessed sacrament of Christs body and bloud abused and prophaned before them And all this
first was to stoppe the wholesome winde of Christs Euangell to blow vpō the parts where we conuerse and dwell and secondlie so to oppresse our selues by corporall affliction and worldly calamities that no place should wee finde to godly studie But by the great mercy and infinite goodnesse of God our father shall these his counsels be frustrate vaine For in despite of him and all his wicked members shall yet that same word O lord this I speake confiding in thy holy promisse openly be proclaimed in that same countrey And how that our mercifull father amōgst these tempestuous stormes by all mēs exspectation he hath prouided some rest for vs as this present worke shall testifie which was sent to mee in ROANE lying in Irons and sore troubled by corporall infirmitie in a galley named Nostre Dame by an honourable man and faithfull Christian Brother M. Henry Balnaues of Halhill for the present holden as prisoner thought vniustly in the old pallaice of ROANE Which worke after I had once again read to the great confort and consolation of my spirite by counsell aduise of the foresaid noble and faithfull man Authour of the same worke I thought expediēt it should be digested in chapters And to the better memory of the reader the cōtents of euery Chap. preponed briefly vnto them with certaine annotatiōs to the more instruction of the simple in the margent And also that an Epitome of the same work shuld be shortly collected wee haue likewise digested the same in chapters which follow the worke in place of a table which thing I haue done as imbecillitie of ingine and incommoditie of place would permit Not so much to illustrate the worke which in the self is godly and perfite as together with the foresaid noble man and faithfull brother to giue my confessiō of the article of iustification therein conteined and I beseech you beloued brethrē earnestly to consider if we deny any thing presently or yet conceale or hide which any time before we professed in that article And now we haue not the castle of S. Andrew to bee our defēce as some of our enemies fasly accused vs saying If we wāted our walls we would not speak so boldly But we pray the eternal god that the same affectiō which now thē remained in vs remaine with thē eternally The Lorde shall iudge if all which we spak was not of pure hart hauing no respect either to loue or hatred of any person but onely to the word of God and veritie of his scriptures as we must answere in the great day of the Lorde where no man shall haue place to dissemble But blessed be that lord whose infinite goodnes and wisdome hath tane from vs the occasion of that slaunder and hath showē vnto vs that the serpent hath power only to stang the heele that is to molest and trouble the fleshe but not to moue the spirite from constāt adhearing to Iesus Christ nor publick professing of his true word O blessed bee thou eternall father which by thy only mercy hast preserued vs to this day and prouided that the cōfession of our faith which euer wee desired all men to haue knowē should by this treatise come plainely to light Continue O Lord and graunt vnto vs that as now with pen and ink so shortly wee may confesse with voice and toung the same before thy congregration vpon whome looke O Lord God with the eyes of thy mercy and suffer no more darknes to preuaile I pray you pardō me beloued brethrē that on this maner I digresse vehemēcy of spirite the lord knoweth I lye not compelleth me thereto The head of Sathan shall be troaden down when he beleeueth surely to triumphe Therefore most deare brethren so call I all professing Christes Euangell continue in that purpose which yee haue begunne godly though the battell appeare strong your Captaine is vnexpugnable To him is giuen all power in heauen and earth Abide stand and call for his support and so the ennemies which now affraye you shortly shalbe confounded and neuer againe shall appeare to molest you Consider brethren it is no speculatiue Theolog which desireth to giue you courage but euē your brother in afflictiō which partly hath experiēce what sathans wrath may doe against the chosen of God Reioyse yet I say spiritually bee glad the time of the battell is short but the reward is eternall Victorie is sure without yee list to fly which God forbid frō Christ. But that ye may plainly know wherby are Sathan and the world ouercome and which are the weapons against whome they may not stand yee shall reade diligētly this work following which I am sure no man hauing the spirite of God shal thinke tedious nor long because it conteineth nothing except the very scriptures of God and meditations of his law Wherein is the whole study of the godly mā both day and night knowing that therein are found onely wisedome prudence libertie and life And therefore in reading talking or meditatiō thereof he is neuer satiate But as for the vngodly because their works are wicked they may not abide the light And therfore they abhorre all godly writings thinking them tedious though they conteine not the lēgth of the lords prayer But according to the threatning of ESAY the proph saying because they cōtemne the law of the lord God hee shall cōtemne them Their harts shall be indured in the daye of anguish and trouble they shall dispaire curse the lord god into their harts They shalbe nōbred to the sword in the slaughter shall they fall Thē shal they know that their works were vaine and that they placed their refuge in lies Their vestimēts of spiders webbes which ar their vaine workes shall not abide the force of the lords winde but they shall stand naked the workes of iniquitie in their handes to their extreame confusion And this shall apprehend and ouertake them because they call light darknes and darknes light that which was sweete they called bitter and by the contrarie that which was bitter they called sweet seeking saluation where none was to be found But yee most Christian brethren humbly I beseeche and in the bloud of Iesus Christ I exhort that ye reade diligently this present treatise Not onely with earnest prayer that yee may vnderstād the same aright but also with humble and due thankesgiuing vnto our most mercifull father who of his infinite power so hath strengthned the hartes of his prisoners that in despite of Sathan they desist not yet to worke but in the most vehemency of tribulation seeke the vtilitie and saluation of others It is not my purpose to commend or aduance this worke with wordes as commonly writers of prophane or humane sciēce do seeing the verity by the selfe is onely to be commended But one thing bouldly I dare affirme that no man which commeth with a godly hart hereto shall passe from the same without satisfaction
yea aboue all pouertie laden with sinne hauing neede of the grace and mercy of God destitute of all confort and consolation And therefore is called his iustice by reason of the giuing And it is called the iustice of faith or the iustice of Christ because faith is the instrument and Christ the Purchaser of the same And it is called ours by reason of participation of all christes merits which we haue through faith in his blud without our merites or deseruinges Therefore euen as the sickman receaueth his health The poore his almes and the drye earth the raine without all their merites or deseruings So receauest thou of God this iustice which is of value before him by such instrumēts as god prouideth mediatly thereto he being the immediate cause The phisition giueth thee his counsel in thy sickenes exerciseth his labours vpō thee by the creatures of god according to his vocatiō thou doest nothing but suffer to worke in thee til thou be healed And then at commandement of the good Phisition thou keepest good dyet not to get thy health but that thou fall not againe in sicknesse The poore man receauing his almes hath no parte thereunto onely but to receaue The man that giueth beeing the instrument whome God hath made the stewarde of that his gift The Earth receaued the raine and hath no part thereinto but to receaue The Labourer or Plowman beeing the instrument to open the pores of the earth that the raine may descend into it and then it bringeth foorth fruite in due time Euen so it is with man It is called the iustice of God and not of man or of free wil but of God not that Iustice by the which God is iust but the Iustice with the which man is cledd and by the mercy of God of wicked made iust as Saint Augustine saith in his booke of the spirite and the Letter the 20. Chap. in obteining of the which we neither worke nor giue anything to god but receaueth and suffers god to worke in vs. Therefore it is farre aboue all iustice of the law which mā doth and worketh the which are also the works of god both becaus they are of the law and man may do them of his own free will power as to the externall work And also they are the gift of god But alwayes they may haue no place in this Article of iustification before god except yee will exclude the merites of Christ whiche GOD forbid This Iustice was couered in the olde testament vnder Ceremonies and sacrifices but is made knowen and patent vnto vs now by the Euangell of Iesu christ from faith to faith That is not from one faith to another faith but from that faith by the which wee receaue the Euangell of god through hearing of his word and with gladnesse accepte the same in continuall perseuerance growing dayly in perfiter knowledge of god through faith in Christ til we giue vp the spirit into the handes of the Father of heauen Neuer doubting for whatsoeuer tentation or trouble in aduersitie but receauing all thinges from God and of his handes as our forefather Abraham did and iudge all for the best Then followeth the formall cōclusion The iust shal liue in faith that is euer continue in sure trust hoping to obtain the thing he looketh for which is remission of sinnes the gift of the holy spirite and euerlasting life all purchaste by Christ without our merites or deseruinges This is the faith of the which the Prophete Habac. speaketh the Iust shall liue by his faith The iust man and faithfull hath neuer respect to any thing but only to faith in christ And what euer he work or do referreth all to Christ so remaineth he in Christ and Christ in him conforme to the saying of S. P. I liue now no not I but Christ liueth in me for so much as I liue in the fleshe I liue in the faith of the sonne of God who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee Here ye may see to liue in the faith is to beleeue in Christ ioyned vnto him continually by faith then liue wee in Christ and Christ in vs frō faith to faith hauing no respect to workes or merites but onely to the merites of Christ. And so the iust liueth by his faith THE XVII CHAP. 1 The definition of faith 2 What faith the Fathers had before Christes incarnation and whereby they were safe 3 Good workes are a testimonie to faith 4 Wherefore workes please God 4 The methode of S. P. in writing and teaching and the necessitie of good workes 6 Wherefore iustice is ascribed vnto man 7 Who spoyleth god of his glorie THe Apostle defineth and declareth what faith is saying faith is the substance of thinges hoped or looked for The Argument or matter of thinges not seene without the which it is impossible to please god That is faith is the true and perfite thought of the hart truelie thinking and beleeuing god the which a man doth whē he beleeueth his word and putteth his sure trust in the mercy of god which is to beleeue that his sinns are forgiuen him for Christes sake only The wrath of the Father pacified he receaued in fauour accepted as iust firmely and vndoubtedly beleeueth the father of heauen to bee euer merciefull gentle helpefull and fauourable vnto him for Christes sake without all deseruinges of his deedes or merites either preceeding faith or following the same This is the Iustice of god which is made patent and reuealed by the sonne of god Christ Iesu in his euangell as said is before In this faith only in Christ were all the Fathers to the comming of Christ in the fleshe made iust without the deeds of the lawe And therefore all the promisses of the cōming of Christ are to bee referred to that promise made in Gen. the 3. Chap. that the seede of the woman shall treade downe the serpents head c. And so the faith of the Fathers in the old testament and our faith in the newe testament was and is one thing howbeit they had other externall rites obiectes ceremonies and signes then we haue And they beleeued in the cōming of Christ to fulfill all promisses and prophesies spokē of him And we beleeue he is come already and hath fulfilled al which was spokē of him in the law and Prophets And hath ascended to the heauines sitteth at the right hande of the father our aduocate And as the Fathers beleeued the first comming of Christ euer desiring and looking for the same by faith Euen so now wee beleeue and looke for his second comming And most feruently desire the same to bee deliuered of this mortall bodye of sinne that wee may rule eternally with him in glory That the Fathers were safe by faith without the deeds of the law S. Pet. testifieth saying wherfore now tēpt ye god to put a yoke vpon the neckes of
of my enemies direct my way in thy sight That is O Lorde my god for thy greate goodnes singuler kindnes and naturall loue thou wast euer wont to show vnto sinners and mankind bee to me a gouernour guider and conuoyer in all perilles and daungers suffer neuer my minde to decline from the right waye for any maner of strength or feare of my enimies And also in thy iustice O Lorde deliuer me that is for thy goodnesse and mercy And after iudge thou me O Lorde and discusse my cause that is take my defēce vpon thee for I am not able of my self to resist Therfore in thy iustice deliuer me and be vnto me a strength inuincible So shall ye finde in diuers and sundrye Psal. other places of scripture as Daniell 9. Chap. Iustice and righteousnes vnto thee O lord but vnto vs confusiō and shame of face In the which Chap. ye may read what iustice or holynesse that holy Prophete ascriueth vnto him or to the most holy of the people Amongest whome assuredly there was many good punished with the wicked but none which might ascribe righteousnes to themself Sometime yee shall finde in Scripture this worde iustice ascribed vnto man as Dau. saith heare me who called on thee O Lorde of my iustice c. That is god the Author Giuer and keeper of my innocēcie hath looked vpō me And iudge me lord after my iustice and according to my innocency which is in me Here he forthshoweth not his vertues or his righeousnes whiche are in him with these words because he saith in another place Enter not in iudgement with thy seruant O lorde for in thy sight no liuing thing shalbe found iust And the holy ghoste is neuer cōtrarie to himself But here he called the iustice of God his by imputation And also hee was innocent of the thinge which was layde to his charge by King Saule who euer accused him of treason and vsurping of the crowne of Israell in the 16. Psal. hee saith Heare my iustice O Lorde and giue attendance to my desire and prayers Here hee calleth his iustice his petition And in innumerable places of scripture yee shall finde this word iustice sometime ascribed to god sometime to man because of the receauing of the same from god but euer the scripture makes the selfe plaine by the sentence that goeth before or els followeth or in some other place Therefore take good heede vpon the reading of the scriptures that ye deceaue not your selfes ascribing any deede or power of yours to the Article of iustificatiō for it may suffer none but only Christs merits because the merites of man are impure and imperfite may not abyde the iustice of God nor stand in his sight It followeth in the definition of this iustice By the faith of Iesu Christ in all and vpon all which beleeueth in him Here ye may see our faith that we beleue in Iesu Christ called his faith as it is in deede And the faith also of god and by the same reasō as the iustice is called before because it is the gift of God as S. P. saith Ephe. the 2. Chap. and is the instrument by the which we obteine the mercy of god remission of our sinnes the gift of the holy spirite and euerlasting life all for Christes sake without our deseruings by the which wee are ioyned in Christ and Christ in vs as the pretious stone is ioyned in the gold ring So let all our delite and pleasure bee to imbrace Christ in our hart by faith in his bloude For faith is the thing which Christ desireth of a sinner Beleeue sonne thy sinnes are forgiuē thee And also all which beleeue in mee saith Christ shall not dye eternally And to the woman in the 7. Chapter of S. Luc. thy faith hath made thee safe It followeth in the definition there is no distinction nor exception all hath sinned and hath neede of the glorie of god that is all wanteth that iustice which god approued or iudged to be glorie And so all mē are sinners and reiected from god and can not be made iust by the lawe because the same accused sinne and is like a mirrour in thy hād to cōsider the forme of thy face which can do no other thing but show thee thy deformitie God hath concluded all vnder sin that he may haue mercy vpon all The scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promis may be giuen through the faith of Iesus christ to all which beleeue It followeth in the definition but they are made iust freely by the grace of god through the redemption which is in Iesu Christ. Here ye see the Apost purposeth to exclude all your merites in deseruing of this iustice To the effect he may as in all his Epist. and labours he intended set foorth the glorie of god and the benefite of christ the which cā no wise be highlier setforth then in the making of a wicked man iust and freely that is for nothing and without deseruing For that cause Christ is made to vs from god wisdome iustice holynes and redemption that he which reioyseth may reioyse in the lord And that meaneth the Apo. Pau. and the prophet Ieremie which will haue all out vertues giuen vnto God as wisedome strength riches which are in our power to vse and exercise as the gifts of God much more iustice which is not in our power For we are made make not our selues the which we do if we deserue it either for workes preceeding or following the iustification to haue any part of the substance thereof And so would ye drawe the glorie of God to you in one part the which God will not suffer as the Prophete Esay saith My glorie will I giue to no other either must yee make your selues iust or els bee made iust by god if yee make your selues iust ye are not allowed of god So the glorie redoundeth to your selfe of your owne worke This the holy spirite will neuer approue nor consent vnto as ye read the second Epist. to the Corinth the 10. chap. Coloss. 3. Phillip 3. Galath 6. That wee are made iust freely by the mercy of god declareth S.P. for cōfirmation of this his assertiō by grace saith he ye are made safe through faith and that not of your selfes It is the gift of god not of workes that none haue matter to glorie or reioyse This same he affirmeth in his Epistle to Titus the third Chap. and Rom. the 11. Chap. where hee saith if it bee of grace then it is not of workes Otherwise grace were no grace Here ye may see this iustice is of mercy freely without all oure merites or deseruinges Yee are made iust by the redemption which is in Christ Iesu and not in your selues For Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe and is made for vs accursed That is hee suffered
the paine which the curse of the lawe inioyned to vs by sinne in whome wee haue redemption by his bloude remission of our sinnes according to the riches of his mercy and grace What wordes may bee more plaine to proue this iustice onely by faith in Christ excluding our merites Yee haue the same assertion in the Epistle to Titus the second Chapter Galath the fourth and Apocalypsis the fifth chapter Where it is written Thou art worthie O Lord to take the booke and open the seales of it for thou art slaine hast redeemed vs to god in thy bloud hee saith not in our workes but in thy bloud Here ye may see and consider our sinnes were no light thinges Cōsidering there was no other thing whiche might pacifie the wrath of the Father but the bloud and death of his onely begotten sonne Christ Iesu to bee made man for that cause And now for vaine inuented Imaginations of ignorant Sophistes which will not onely be their owne redemers but also redeme others this pretious bloud is repute in vaine or a light thing It followeth whome God hath layde before a sacrifice or satisfaction through faith in his bloud to the forthshowing of his iustice for remission of the sinnes by-past the which god hath suffered or in the suffering of god to the forthshowing of his Iustice at this time that he may be iust and iustifie him which is of the faith of Iesu Christ. Here the apostle aboundeth in wordes to exclude all sophistrie and vaine conceate of workes which mē intende and would intende to make satisfaction for sinne For hee setteth forth Christ here the full sacrifice and satisfaction for sinne And therefore he called him the mediatour of the new testament by intercession of his death And also Christ offered a sacrifice for sinnes and for euer sitteth at the right hand of God beholding till his enemies bee made his foote stoole And S. Iohn saith if any shall sinne we haue an aduocate before the father Iesus Christ who is iust and he is satisfaction for our sinns not only for ours but for the whole worlds that through faith in his bloude For there is nothing may bring vs thereto but faith only And no satisfactiō may be but Christes death who hath ones dyed therefore and shall not dye againe death shall haue no more dominion of him In the which hee hath declared him iust in fulfilling the promis made of him in the lawe and prophetes That is that he was to make vs iust which could not make our selues iust And where hee saith for remission of sinnes bypast the which God hath suffered c. Vnderstand not that of the sinns bypast before the cōming of Christ onely but also of all sinnes committed to the worldes end For these words are spoken foorth of the mouth of god with whome all things is present as yee may consider by the wordes of Christ speaking to the Iewes on this maner Before Abrahā was I am Howbeit Abrahā was dead a thousand yeares before his incarnation So to the penitent all sinnes are bypast Therefore the remission of sinnes by past in Christes bloude indured to the end of the worlde This is necessary to know for two causes principally The one is for confounding of the heresie of the Nouatiās which peruert the sayings of the Apost wherevpon they would inferre that man once beeing iustified and thereafter falling in sinne may haue no place of repentance whiche were the peruerting of all the scriptures of God and his promisse in the bloud of Christ who is the lambe of god that taketh away the sinnes of the world And our aduocate sacrifice and satisfaction Howbeit the Apost speaketh plainly that it is impossible to be renewed to repentance through renewing of baptisme for that were to crucifie christ againe not in his fleshe but in thy fleshe which would be new baptised The other cause is to exclude their opinion which think that Christ satisfied but for originall sinne onely that baptisme giueth or hath purchaste grace to man after the baptisme that he may satisfie for his owne sinnes by recompensation as god were a marchant to chop change with man That if Christ was the first marchant they shalbe the next And this is as great a heresie as the other by the which they would make the death of Christ but a vaine trifle and chaunge faith into workes of mans making The which is the work of the deuill that euer intended to impung this Article of iustification by the mixtion of workes This opinion S.I. confoundeth in his 1. Epistle the first and 2. chap. where he declareth first if a man say he hath no sinne hee deceaueth himselfe And then if man sinne as doubtlesse all men dooth he sayth wee haue an Aduocate Christ Iesu who is iust and is a satisfaction for our sinnes Moreouer all men howe iust that euer they bee neede dayly to praye forgiue vs our debts as we do our debtours the which prayer were not necessarie nor Christ had neuer taught the same If we might haue satisfied for our owne sinnes at any time So Christ is euer our satisfaction and we dayly sinners Therefore we ought euer to pray forgiue vs our debts as we forgiue our debtours It followeth in the definition where is thy glorie by what lawe is it excluded of works No but by the law of faith and concludeth man to be made iust by faith without the deeds of the law ye shall vnderstand that glorie in this place is taken for the sure trust and beleefe which men putte in their owne workes and merites the which the apost wil haue cleanly excluded forth of this article giuē wholy to christ who deserueth the same becaus he is obteiner thereof to vs through faith in his bloud The which faith wil haue no thinge participant with it in this case more then the sight of the eye will haue or suffer the finger in it to help the sight No it can not suffer a mote but euer waters being hurt till the mote be taken foorth Euen so faith foorthshoweth all thing to the glorie of God and merites of Christ without all workes or merites of man If Abraham had beene made iust of works thē had he wherein to reioyse but not before god And also hee had not obteined that name to be called the father of the faithfull but the father of workers Therfore the scripture saith Abra. beleeued god and it was reakoned to him for righteousnesse In the which scriptures yee shall not onely finde this iustice whiche is of value before god attribute and giuen whole to faith in the mercy of God but also the workes expresly excluded For either wee must be made iust by faith only or by workes only because they may not bee mixt without Christes death be in vain for to him that worketh saith Paule The