hée made thereby neuer a deale the more holy or the more a Christian for this is the work of faith only yea rather vnlesse hée did first beléeue and were a Christian before all his works would not be worth a straw but rather very wicked and damnable sinnes And for this cause these two sayings bée true namely Good workes doe not make a good man but a good man doth make the workes to bee good And euill workes doe not make an euill man but an euill man doth make the workes to be euill so that it behooueth alwayes that the substance or person bee good first before all good works and that good works follow then by order and procéed from a good person as Christ himselfe witnesseth An euill tree doth not bring good fruit and a good tree doth not bring euill fruit For it is euidently knowne by experience that the fruit doth not beare the trée and that the trée doth not grow in the fruit but contrariwise the trées doe beare the fruits and the fruit doth grow in the trées Therefore as it is necessary that the trée bee first before the fruit and that the fruit doth not make the trées good or euill But contrarily such as the trée is such is the fruit so is it necessary that the person or man himselfe be either good or badde first before hee make a good or bad worke and that his workes make him neither good nor badde but the man himselfe maketh his owne workes good or badde Semblable héereunto may wée sée in all occupations An euill house or a good house doth not make an euill or a good Carpenter but a good or bad Carpenter maketh a good or badde house And so generally in all kindes of manuall occupations and sciences no péece of worke doth make the Artificer good or bad but such as the Artificer is such worke maketh he euen so fareth it in the case of mēs works Such as the person is either in faith or in vnbeléefe such is his work if either done in faith and so good or done in vnbeléefe so euill But contrariwise it is not so to wit such as the worke is such is the person made in faith or vnbeléefe for as workes doe not make a man to be a beléeuer so neither doe they make a man righteous But faith as it maketh man beléeuing and righteous so doth it make his works to be good For as much therefore as works doe not iustifie any man and that it behooueth man to be righteous before he worke any good worke it appeareth most manifestly that faith onely by the mere mercy of God through Christ Iesu in his word doth make worthy and sufficiently iustifie and saue the person and that a Christian man néedeth no worke nor law at all thereby to attaine saluation for that through faith hee is frée from all law and doth fréely worke all things that he worketh of his owne mere good will respecting therein neither profit nor saluation but only the good will of God for as much as he is now already fully replenished and made safe by the grace of God through his owne faith Euen so no good worke auaileth to righteousnesse and saluation to the vnbeléeuing person On the other side no euill worke maketh him euill or damnable but his owne vnbeléefe which both maketh the trée euill and withall maketh the workes euill and damnable whereupon in this that any person is made good or badde he doth not receiue this being good or badde by works but this his good or euill taketh beginning from the roote of faith or vnbeleefe as the wise man recordeth The beginning of sin is to fall from God which is in effect to be vnbeléeuing And Paul in the 11 to the Hebrewes It behooueth him that commeth to God to beleeue The same also speaketh Christ Either make the tree good and the fruit thereof good or make the tree euill and the fruit thereof euill as if he might say who so will make good fruits must begin at the trée first plant vpon a good stock so who so will make good works must begin not at the working but at the beléeuing which beléefe doth make the person good for nothing maketh the person good but faith nor any thing maketh him euill but vnbeléefe Indéed this is true that by works man is made good or euill in the iudgemēt of men but this is as much in effect as to doe it to vnderstand and let it be knowne who bee good or who bee euill whereof Christ speaketh in the seuenth of Matthew You shall know them by their fruits But this knowledge consisteth only in shew and outward appearance semblance wherein many are deceiued that presume to teach and prescribe wherby men may bee iustified in the meane time making not once so much mention of Faith at all masking still in their own mismaze alwayes deceiued and deceiuing others going forward from worse vnto worse blind guides of the blind wearying themselues with a multitude of works yet neuer attaining to true righteousnes of whom Paul writeth in the 1. to Tim. the 3. Chap. Hauing indeed an vtter shew of holines but denying the power thereof alwayes learning but neuer attaining to the knowledge of the truth Therefore behooueth him that will not wāder out of the way with these blind guides to enter into a déeper cōsideratiō thā the vtter shew of workes of lawes doctrines of workes but must rather with a quite contrary aspect pry into the person and note diligently the reason whereby man is iustified and here shall he finde that man is iustified and saued not by workes nor by the law but by the word of God that is to say by the promise of his grace and by faith that so the glory thereof may redound to the maiesty of God Who hath saued vs that beleeue not by the works of righteousnesse which wee haue done but according to his owne mercy through the word of his owne grace Wherby it remaineth easie to be knowne in what respect good works are to be reiected or embraced in what sense all the doctrines of men touching workes ought to be vnderstood for if workes be compared to righteousnesse and be practised by a peruerse Leuiathan and of that false perswasion to presume vpon the obtaining true iustification therby they do now enforce a necessity vnauoidable do vtterly extinguish liberty faith withall and so euen by this meanes are now no more good but méerely damnable for they be not now frée but blasphemous to the grace of God whose onely property is through faith to iustifie and saue which things workes doe affect to bring to passe not of any their ability but by a wicked foolehardinesse only issuing from our own grosse ignorance by reason whereof they doe violently rushe and intrude into the office of grace and the glory thereof For this cause
despaire of himselfe to séeke elsewhere for helpe of another which he is not able to finde in himself as Osee saith Thy destruction coÌ„meth of thy selfe O Israel thy health only froÌ„ me The obseruatioÌ„ of which one coÌ„mandement is generall to be obserued in all the rest for all the coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts are in all respects alike impossible vnto vs beyond our reach Now when man is taught his own weaknesse by the coÌ„mandements thereby brought into perplexity how hee may be able to accoÌ„plish the law knowing that the law must be so of al parts accoÌ„plished that no one iot so much or title thereof may be pretermitted otherwise in danger of eternall damnatioÌ„ irrecouerable being theÌ„ truly humbled and embased to nought in his owne eyes he findeth nothing in himselfe whereby hee may bee iustified and come to saluation Loe here commeth the other branch of the Scripture namely the promises of God which doe bring the glad tidings of the glory of God speak on this wise It thou wilt fulfill the Law and not couet as the Law requireth behold here a remedy Beleeue in Christ in whom be promised vnto the grace righteousnesse peace fréedome and in whom thou shalt haue all things if thou beléeue and without whom thou shalt lack all things if thou dost not beléeue for that which is impossible to thée in all the works of the Law which be many and yet vnauayleable to saluation thou shalt very easily and briefely atchieue and bring to passe through faith because God the father hath so established all things in faith that whosoeuer haue faith may possesse all things and whosoeuer lacketh faith may possesse nothing for God hath shut vp all things vnder vnbeleefe that he might haue mercy on all On this wise the promises of God doe giue fréely vnto vs that which the commandements doe exact of vs perforce and doe fullfill that which the law doth straitly command that so all things may belong vnto God only as well the commandements as also the performance of the same Onely God commandeth only God performeth and therefore Gods promises haue relation to the new Testament yea rather are the new Testament it selfe For as much therefore as the promises of God be holy wordes true iust peaceable and full of all goodnesse it commeth to passe that the soule which doth cleaue stedfastly to the same with an vnshaken faith is become so vnited vnto them yea is also wholly so swallowed vp of them that it doth not only partake thereof but is throughly gorged and made drunken with all the power and force of the same for if the touching of Christ did giue health how much more shall a very tender féeling of the word in the spirit nay rather a through swallowing down of the word communicate to the soule all things that appertaine to the word By this meanes therefore the Soule through faith onely without workes beléeuing in the word of God is iustified sanctified pacifyed deliuered and replenished with all goodnesse and it is truly made the daughter of God as it is said in the first of Iohn He gaue theÌ„ power to be made the sonnes of God euen them that doe beleeue in his name By this it may be easily perceiued from whence saith hath receiued so great force and why neither any one nor all good works are comparable vnto her because no worke can cleaue fast vnto Gods word nor be within the soule wherin faith only the word do reigne gouern for such as â—word is such becommeth the soule made by force of the word euen as a fiery plate of iron doth glimmer like vnto fire by meanes of vniting the fire and the plate together so that it is manifest that to a Christian man faith sufficeth only for all and that he néedeth no works to bée iustified by Now if he néed no works theÌ„ also hée néeds not the law if he haue no néed of the law surely he is then frée from the law So this also is true The law is not made for the righteous man and this is the same Christian liberty Our faith which doth worke in vs not to be idlers nor to giue our selues to lust and euill life but that wée bee not tyed to a necessity of obseruing the law or doing works to the end to obtaine righteousnes or saluation therby Let this be the first arme of faith let vs sée another for this also is the duty of faith that it reuerence him on whom it beleeueth with a most godly and earnest bent affection to wit that it accompt him true worthy to be beléeued for there is no honor like vnto the opinioÌ„ conceiued of truth and righteousnes wherewith we do most highly estéeme of him whom we doe beléeue for what are we able to ascribe to any person more thaÌ„ truth righteousnes goodnesse of all parts perfect and absolute Contrariwise it is a detestable reproach to conceiue a secret opinion of a man to be false faithlesse and wicked So the soule as long as it beleeueth stedfastly in God that maketh the promise doth accompt him true righteous than which opinion can nothing be more acceptable to god This is the highest honor of God to ascribe vnto him truth iustice whatsoeuer else ought to bee yeelded to him whom we doe beléeue this man yeeldeth himselfe ready to execute all his will this man doth sanctifie his name this man suffereth himselfe to be exercised according to the will pleasure of God because cleauing firmely to his promises he doubteth not but that he is true iust wise wil do dispose and gouerne all things for the best but is not such a soule by the same his faith most humbly obedient to God in all things what commandement remayneth then which this obedience hath not sufficiently satisfied what fulnesse can be more absolute than all manner of humble obedience but this obedience coÌ„meth not by workes but by faith only and beléeuing the promises On the other side what Rebellion what impiety what greater reproach can there bee vnto God thaÌ„ not to beléeue him wheÌ„ he promiseth for what is this else than either to make God a lier or to be doubtfull of his truth that is to say to ascribe truth to himselfe and to condemne God of vanity lying wherein doth he not deny God and make to himselfe an image of himselfe in his owne heart what auayle déeds I pray you wrought in this vnbeléefe though they séeme neuer so Angelicall or Apostolicall And therefore very well did God coÌ„clude all not in wrath lust but in vnbeliefe lest such as faine that they haue fulfilled the law through chaste and méek works of the law such be vertues humane and ciuill should presume vpon their saluation when as being shut vp in the sinne of vnbeleefe they must either séeke for mercy or to be damned
to be nursed and cherished in the laps and armes of maydens lest they perish in whom being growne to riper yeares were no small perill of safety to frequent the company of maydens Euen so is it requisite to lock vp the ranging yéeres of licencious youth within the Cloysters yea within iron clossets of such ceremonies and exercises whereas they may bee restrained and abide correction lest their insolent courage draw them headlong into wickednesse Which ceremonies do neuertheles procure death vnto them if they perseuere in opinion to bee iustifiable by them whereas they ought rather to bee instructed that they were clogged with such restraint not for any such cause as to bee made righteous or to merit much thereby but to the end they should not rush wilfully into vices and so bee the more tractable trained to the righteousnesse of faith which they would in no wise endure through the outrage of their youth vnlesse the same had béene tamed and brought low Which doth argue that ceremonies ought not to be of any other price and estimation in the life of a true Christian man than as amongst Carpenters and Artificers certaine old postes logges or platformes are framed to direct raise vp buildings by which bee not made to the end they should serue and remaine to any speciall vse but because without such by-helpes buildings and workes cannot easily bee raysed for when the work or building is finished those deuises are laid aside So that here you sée that ceremonies are not vtterly abrogated but rather earnestly required but the vaine perswasion and presumption of them is contemned because no man accompteth them to be a true and permanent building If any man would bee so notably senselesse as to regard nothing else in his whole life but to direct those preparatiues with all honour with all diligence with all continuance and would neuer bende his cogitations to the very building it selfe stroking smoothing and vaunting himselfe in these preparatiues and vaine rotten proppes would not all men lament his madnesse and thinke within themselues that whiles he employed this cost to no purpose he might haue builded some matter of better substance So now we do neither abandō ceremonies nor works but rather doe allow them neuerthelesse we doe vtterly abhorre the vaine opinion conceiued of them lest that any man perswade himselfe that to obserue them is the true righteousnesse as Hypocrites doe which doe abuse and mispend their whole life in these exercises neuer reach vnto the substance in respect whereof they are practized or as the Apostle speaketh Alwayes learning and neuer comming to the knowledge of the Truth For they séeme as though they had a will to build and alwayes prepare themselues thereunto and yet they neuer build persisting alwaies in the glittering shadow of godlinesse but neuer attaine to the power and substance thereof Yet do they wonderfully flatter themselues in these exercises presuming also arrogantly to iudge all others whom they sée not glittering in the like brauery of workes whereas they might otherwise bee able to atchieue matters of greater importance to the singular comfort of themselues and others with this vainely imployed ostentation and abuse of Gods gifts if they were indued with a right and true faith But whereas the nature of man and reason as they tearme it naturall is naturally inclined to superstition and pursuing all Lawes and works is proue of herselfe to fall into vaine presumptiō of obtaining iustification through them adde moreouer herevnto because it is accustomed and inured to conceiue so highly of the same workes through the vsuall admiration of all earthly law-makers it is not possible surely of her owne strength to cleare it selfe from this seruile bondage of workes and to bend her force to know the liberty of faith Therefore it is requisite that we flée to prayer that the Lord would vouchsafe to draw vs and make vs instructed vnto GOD that is to say apt Schollers for God and that himselfe will vouchsafe to write his Law in our hearts as hee hath promised otherwise we doe all come to confusion For except he doe engraffe in our soules this maruellous Wisdome hidden in a mystery Nature cannot choose but condemne it and adiudge it for an Heretique because shée is offended 〈◊〉 and appeareth foolish in her eyes Euen as we saw to haue hapned in times past to the Prophets of GOD and the Apostles and euen as the wicked blinde Prelates and their false flatterers doe now vnto mee and others like vnto mée vnto whom and to vs also GOD bee mercifull and shew the light of his countenance vpon vs that wee may know his way vpon the earth and his sauing health amongst all generations Who be blessed for euer and euer Amen FINIS The Decrees doe prohibite to appeale to the generall Councels The cause why Luther wrote these Letters to the Pope How Luther behaued himselfe towards the Pope Why Luther was so vehement against his aduersaries Paul and the Prophets be sharpe against the tenderlings The delicate manners of our age Luthers variance The Court of Rome What stuffe hath issued from Rome into the world The Church of Rome Sathan raighneth at Rome not the Pope Eugenius was Pope sometimes Schollar vnto Bernard One only remedy remaining in the corrupt Romish Church Who did prouoke Luther to pursue the trecheries of the false deceiuers Cardinall Caietane Charles Militius Iudges of Luthers cause chosen Eccius The disputation at Lypsia The flatterer Eccius did hurt the Court of Rome more than the most mightiest enemy else could doe Luther will not recall any thing He will not suffer the theeues to make lawes for interpreting Gods word He councelleth the Pope not to he are flatterers What a Vicar is John 4. The popositions 1 Cor. 12. Rom. 13. 2 Cor 4. Gala. 5. In what things Christian liberty Gods word necessary for the soule Iohn 11. Iohn 8. Matth. 4. Dauid Famine of Gods word an horrible plague Amos. Psal. 107. Which is the word of God. Rom. 1. Rom. 10. Rom. 1. Faith only iustifieth Iob. Rom. 2. Rom. 10. Man is not iustified by any externall thing 1 Pet. ult Iohn 9. Faith a treasure inestimable Mark. 16. Rom. 10. The Scriptures haue commandements and promises Osee All the commandements be equally impossible to be accomplished by vs. The Law must be satisfied We accomplish all by faith Rom 11. God only commandeth and performeth The first arme of faith Iohn 1. Another arme of faith The greatest honor The greatest reproach Perfect obedience Rebellion God doth honour them that beleeue on him 1 King 5. Rom. 4. The third arme of faith The vniting of the soule vnto her spouse Behold inestimable treasures Ose 2. The Maiestie of this royall marriage Cor. 1. the 15. chapter For what cause faith is so much esteemed The true worship of God. Faith maeeth works The prerogatiue of the first birth Whereof the kingdome of Christ doth consist Christs Priesthood Priestly office Paul to the Hebrues How it is to be taken that faithfull Christians be Priests 1 Pet. ◠Christian kings Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 3. Note The spirituall kingdome We be Priests for euer All things euill to the vnbeleeuer The liberty of Christians 1 Cor. c. 4. To what issue the ministry Ecclesiasticall is come How Christ ought to be preached The fruit of true preaching The demand of them which doe not conceiue Luther yea rather which doe not conceiue what faith is Rom. 8. From whence works take their beginning The only worke of the inward man. Galath 5. Of what minde wee ought to be in doing good works How the body ought to be chastised Note A notable similitude Gen. 2. Faith doth restore into Paradise Another examples Two notable sayings Another example Only faith iustifieth The vnbeleeuing person is not made euill by works Heb. 11. Works do make a man good but that is in the sight of men Matth 7. The originall of some mens errour 1 Tim. 3. Rules to vnderstand the doctrines of many The reason of Luthers Doctrine The work of Leuiathan Preachers must exhort to Faith. From whence repentance or Faith doe proceed Rom. 10. Psalm 29. Of works towards our neighbours Rom. 14. Baruch 3. A Christian must apply himselfe to all men To what end the body must be cherished The true Christian faith The deprauers of the Apostles doctrine A Christian ought to conforme himselfe to Christ Gal. 1. The confidence of a Christian man. The fruit of Faith. Behold gentle Reader how worthily is Luther reproched We ought to know how great things are giuen vs. The glory of a Christian life In what respect we be named Christians The holy Mother of Christian example of Faith. Luke 2. Paul doth teach workes Gal. 3. An example of our Lord Christ Take hold of Luther all ye Religious and admit him to be your teacher The knowledge of a true Christian The difference betwixt the good and the euill pastors Good aduice Only faith must be attended vnto A rule touching brotherly loue 1 Cor. 13. A Christian man doth liue in himself and in his neighbour Against the liberty of the flesh Against the confidence in workes Gal. 1. How we ought to deale with the obstinate Aspides The simple Rom. 4. Against the lawes and law-makers Rom. 14. To the yong in yeares Danger in the ceremonies Of what estimation ceremonies be Against them that be notably suspitious From whence the law of wisdome doth proceede
will and beneuolence And to this effect hée exciteth vnto them Christ for an example saying Let the same minde be in you which was in Christ Iesu who when hee was in the shape of God thought it no robbery to be equall with god Neuerthelesse he made himselfe of no reputation taking vpon him the shape of a seruant and became like vnto men and was found in apparell as a man he humbled himselfe was made obedient euen vnto the death For this most holesome word of the Apostle haue they hidden in darkenesse from vs which were altogether ignorant in the spéeches of the Apostle namely The shape of God the shape of Seruant apparell and the likenesse of men and did apply the same preposterously to the natures of diuinity and humanity whereas Pauls meaning was that whereas Christ was fully beautified with the shape of God and abundantly flowing with the store of all good things so that he néeded not any worke nor any passion to make him righteous and saued for hée did absolutely possesse all those things eueÌ„ from the first beginning of himselfe yet was he not puft vp in pride with these nor was lift vp aboue vs nor did chalenge to himselfe a certaine power ouer vs albeit he might in his owne right haue claymed the same But contrariwise did so behaue himselfe in labour in workes in suffering and in doing that he might be like vnto other men both in apparell countenance none otherwise than as man euen as if he had néeded all these and had possessed no parcell of the shape of God all which neuerthelesse he vndertooke for our sakes to the end he might minister vnto our necessities and that all things might bée made ours which hee should bring to passe in this shape of a seruant Euen so a Christian man being ful and abounding through his faith like vnto Christ his head ought to be contented with this shape of God obtained through Faith sauing that he ought to increase the same Faith as I said before vntill it be made perfect for this is the life of man his righteousnesse and saluation both sauing the person making him acceptable and furnishing him with all things whatsoeuer Christ doth possesse as is before mentioned which also Paul in the first to the Galathians doth confirme saying But in this that I liue in the flesh I liue in the faith of the sonne of God. And although he be on this wise frée froÌ„ all workes yet in this freedome ought be neuerthelesse to make himselfe of no reputation and put on the shape of a seruant and to become like vnto men to be found in apparell as a man and to minister and to helpe and by al means possible to worke his neighbours commodity euen after the selfe same manner as he feeleth that God hath done and daily doth for him through Christ and this also he must doe Gratis without all respect sauing in respect of Gods good pleasure and euen after this manner must hée thinke vnfainedly Behold my good God hath giuen vnto mee most vnworthy and damned caitife beyond all desert of his méere and frée mercy in Christ Iesu all the treasures of righteousnesse and saluation so that henceforth I shall not stand in want of any thing at all but of Fayth which may firmely beléeue in Christ Wherefore to this so louing a father who hath ouerwhelmed mée with these his inestimable riches why should not I frankely ioyfully with all my heart and with all my most louing and willing soule yeelde all seruice whatsoeuer I doe know to bee well pleasing and is acceptable in his eyes Wherfore I will giue my selfe wholly a certain Christ vnto my neighbour euen as Christ gaue himselfe vnto me and will doe nothing in this transitory life but that which I shall perceiue to be necessary commodious and profitable for my neighbour in as much as I am sufficiently enough enriched with all good things in Christ through Faith. Lo here out of Faith floweth Loue reioycing in the Lord and out of Loue floweth likewise a chéerefull liberall and frée heart to minister to the necessity of thy neighbour frankely of thy owne accord so that here now is no consideration had of gratitude or ingratitude of praise or dispraise of vantage or of losse For neither doth hee apply hereunto to winne the fauour of men nor maketh any difference betwixt friends or foes nor respecteth the thankefull or vnthankfull but most frankely and with most gladsome cheare doth yéelde himselfe wholy and all that he possesseth without regard whether he lose the same in the vnthankfull or employ it on the deseruing For euen so his father doth disposing all things to all abundantly and most freely making his sun to shine vpon the good and the wicked In like manner the sonne doth work and suffer nothing but of a frée and chearfull ioy wherewith through Christ hee is delighted in God the giuer of so great and inestimable treasures You sée therefore if wee acknowledge all those things which are giuen vnto vs of greatest and highest price as Peter saith the forthwith loue is poured abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost whereby we are frée chearfull omnipotent doers workers and conquerour of all tribulation seruants of our neighbours yet Lords of all things notwithstanding But such as doe not know the gifts giuen vnto them through Christ to them Christ is borne in vaine such wander in the way of works and shall neuer attaine to the taste and féeling of those things Therefore as our neighbour is pressed downe with necessity and wanteth of our store abundance euen so were we ouerwhelmed with necessity in the sight of God and néeded altogether his mercy Wherefore as our heauenly father did succour vs in Christ Iesu fréely euen so ought wee help our neighbour fréely by our body and by our workes and euery of vs must be made a certaine Christ each to other that wée may bee made debtours of Christ and that Christ may bee one and the same in all that is to say that wée may be true Christians Who is able therefore to comprehend the riches and glory of a Christian life which is able to doe all things possesseth all things and néedeth nothing an Empresse and Conqueresse of sinne death and hell and withall an handmaid neuerthelesse seruiceable and profitable to all but the more is the pity This Christian Iustification is at this day altogether vnknowne in the whole world neither is it preached nor procured in so much that we are our selues ignorant of â—â—eir name and for what cause we bee â—â—â—éemed and called Christians True 〈…〉 wee haue receiued our denominatioâ—â— of Christ not being absent from vs 〈◊〉 dwelling within vs That â—s to say whiles we beléeue in him and â—e ioyntly and mutually a certaine Christ eche to other applying our selues to our neighbours euen as Christ hath giuen himselfe to
vs. But in these our dayes we are taught by mens doctrines to séeke after nought else but deseruings and merites and the things which are our own haue made of Christ nought else but a sharp Lawmaker much more austere than Moses was Semblably the blessed virgin Mary did exhibite her selfe a singular president of the Faith aboue al others whiles after the manner of all other women she was purified according to Moses Law as it is set down in the 2 of Luke whereas being notwithstanding not bound to any such law nor néeded to be purified in any such wise yet she yéelded her selfe to the law of her own accord and of a frée loue vnto the law being made like vnto other women lest shée might seeme to offe◠〈◊〉 or despise them She was not therefore made righteous for that worke but being righteous before shee did this déed surely and without coactioÌ„ In like maner ought our workes to be put in vre not to the â—â—nd to be iustified by them for as much as being iustified first by Faith it behooueth vs to worke all things fréely and cheerefully for our neighbours sake So also Paul did circumcise his scholler Timothy not because Timothy néeded to be circumcised vnto righteousnesse but left hee might offend or despise the Iewes that were weake in Faith and which as yet were not capable of the fréedome of Faith. But contrariwise when as the Iewes did vrge a necessity to be circuÌ„cised to righteousnes setting at naught the fréedome of Faith hee did withstand them and would not permit Titus to bee circumcised Galath 3. for as he would not willingly offend or contemne the imbecillitie or weakenesse of others in the Faith applying himselfe to their capacity for a time so likewise would hee not giue place to the will of stiffenecked Insticiaries when the liberty of Faith was like to suffer reproch or be despised kéeping the midway bearing with the weake for a season and alwayes setting himselfe against the indurate to the end he might conuert all in generality to embrace the liberty of Faith. With like affection must our workes bee employed that we tolerate the weaklings in Faith as the Apostle teacheth in the 14. to the Romanes but that with courage wée resist the inflexible vrgers of workes of the which wee will treate more at large hereafter Likewise Christ in the 17. of Mathew when tribute was demanded of his Disciples asked the question of Saint Peter whether the children of the Kingdome were exempt from paying Tribute and Peter affirming that they were did command him notwithstanding to goe to the Sea speaking these words Lest we giue them cause of offence goe and the Fish that first commeth to thy hands take and opening his mouth thou shalt finde a groate take the same and giue it for thee and me This example is very much auayleable for our purpose In the which Christ doth call himselfe and his Disciples frée and Kings sonnes which stand in néede of nothing and yet of his owne accord submitteth himselfe and payeth Tribute Therefore by how much this worke of Christ was necessary to Christ and profitable vnto righteousnesse and saluation euen so much are all the workes of his elect and faithfull auaileable to righteousnesse whereas they be all following after righteousnesse and freely performed onely to the necessity and example of others Of the same condition are the workes prescribed by Paul in the thirtéenth Chapter to the Romanes and in the third to Timothy That men should bee subiect to the higher powers and prepared to all good workes not because they should bee iustified thereby where as they bee righteous already through Faith but that by these they might both bée subiect to others and to the higher powers add of a frée loue yéelde humbly obedience to their will in the fréedome of the spirit Of this same sort ought the workes of all Colledges Monasteries and Priestes haue béene employed that euery of them might haue performed the workes of their profession and estate to this end that by these euery of them might exercise not righteousnes but the taming of his owne body yéelding thereby example to others who haue themselues also néede to chastise their owne bodyes Then also that they might expresse humble obedience to others applying themselues to their commandement of a frée loue hauing neuerthelesse a speciall regard alwaies to this onely to witte that through vaine confidence none of them presume to be iustified to merite or to be saued by them which thing is the proper and peculiar office oâ— Faith onely as I haue often said before Therefore who so were furnished witâ— this doctrine might easily without danger wade in these infinite impositions anâ— traditions of the Pope of Bishops oâ— Monâ—keries of Churches of Princes anâ— Magistrates the which some foolish pastors doe so obtrude vpon vs as though they were of an vnauoydable necessitie to bee performed for the obtaining of righteousnesse and saluation calling them commonly the iniunctions of the Church being in déede nothing lesse For a Christian man may debaâ—e with himselfe on this wise I will fast I will pray I will apply my selfe to all whatsoeuer is commanded by men not because I need to doe any of these to procure righteousnesse or saluation by them but because I will expresse mine obedience herein to the Pope to the Bishops to the Potentate and to the Magistrate or to my neighbour for example sake for this cause I will doe and suffer all things euen as Christ did worke and suffer many greater things for my sake whereof he needed not to doe any one being made for my sake subiect vnto the law when as in deede he was not vnder the law And although these things be exacted of me through the tyrannous force and iniurious tyranny of the Magistrates yet shall they be no preiudice to me so loÌ„g as they be not against the glory of God. The premisses considered it is an easie matter for any man to iudge certainly betwixt the difference of all works and al lawes know skilfully who be blind and witlesse Preachers who be true faithfull pastors For whatsoeuer worke bée not directed to this only marke namely to be employed to the chastismeÌ„t of the body or to the dutiful coÌ„sideration of the neighbor so that it enforce not any thing directly against Gods glory surely the work is neither good nor Christianlike And this is the cause that I feare me much very few Colledges at all any Monasteries Altars or any Ecclesiastical exercises at this day be not truly Christian that also as well those proper peculiar fastings as the petty prayers to certain Saints be not ChristiaÌ„ I feare me much I say that in al these things regard is had of nought else but that which appertayneth to our selues whiles we be thus minded that by meanes of these exercises our sins are cleansed saluatioÌ„ obtained
therby so ChristiaÌ„ liberty is ouerthroweÌ„ the cause wherof procedeth froÌ„ blind ignoraÌ„ce of the true ChristiaÌ„ faith full of al fréedome Which grosse ignoraÌ„ce suppression of liberty very many blind bussardly pastors doe earnestly maintaine whilest they doe gréedily perswade vrge the people to such exercises aduaÌ„cing them aboue Moone and Stars glorifying theÌ„ with their pardoÌ„s but of faith neuer vttering so much as one word But I wold wish thée to be wel aduised that if thou haue wil at any time to pray to fast or to found Churches as they tearme it to beware thou do not this to the end to procure to thy self any teÌ„poral or euerlasting coÌ„modity therwith for in so doing thou shalt be preiudiciall to thy faith which only doth minister all things vnto thée therfore ought only be attended vnto that it may be encreased whether it be occupied in workes or exercised with afflictions but giue fréely without hope of requitall whatsoeuer the giuest that others may be reléeued and grow in well doing through thée and thy liberality for this is the way to make thée a good and a true ChristiaÌ„ man For what shall auaile thée thy goods thy works whereof thou art endued with a surplus ouer and besides those which do serue to the necessary chastisement of the body when as thou art sufficiently enriched for thy necessities through the Faith in the which God hath endued thée with all plentifull store Behold by this rule it behooueth vs to poure out each vpon other and to make common each vnto other the goods which we haue receiued of God and that every man cloath himselfe with his neighbours estate and so apply himselfe to his neighbours necessities euen as if wee were in the like necessity our selues out of Christs storehouse they ouerflowed and from him slow daily vnto vs who hath so takâ—n our necessities vpon himselfe and so performed all things for our sakes as if himselfe had béene the same that wee be They flow likewise from vs vnto them who stand in need of them in so much that I am bound to poure out before God my faith and my righteousnesse to couer and entreat for the sinnes of my neighbour the burthen of whose sinnes I must in mine owne person sustaine and so trauell and bee afflicted in them as if they were mine owne sinnes for on this wise was Christ afflicted for our sakes for this is the very true loue this is the rule of a pure Christian loue which is in them very naturall and pure indéed in whom dwelleth a pure and sincere Faith indéed whereupon the Apostle in the first to the Corinthians the thirtéenth Chapter doth giue this singular prerogatiue to loue That it seeketh not the things that are her owne And therefore we doe conclude that a Christian man doth not liue in himselfe but in Christ and in his neighbour or that to be a Christian man is to dwell in Christ by Faith and in his neighbour by loue Againe a Christian man is raised vp aboue himselfe to Godward by Faith and is throwne downe beneath himselfe toward his neighbour by loue dwelling alwayes neuerthelesse in God and in the loue of God according to the saying of Christ in the first of Iohn Verily verily I say vnto you from hencefoorth you shall see the heauens opened and the Angels of God ascending and descending vpon the sonne of man. And thus farre sufficiently concerning Christian liberty which is as you sée spirituall and true making our hearts frée from all sinnes from all lawes and commandements as Paul witnesseth in his first Epistle to Timothy the first Chapter The Law was not made for the iust man which liberty doth as farre surmount all other outward and external liberties in excellencie as the Heauens doth surpasse the Earth which Christ grant vs to vnderstand and enioy to our comfort Amen In fine to satisfie those persons who can neuer heare any thing be it neuer so well spoken but that they will depraue it by euill conceiuing somewhat must bee annexed if that at the least they be able to conceiue the same There be very many who hearing the doctrine of this Christian liberty of Faith will by and by take occasion thereof to maintaine the liberty of the flesh supposing forthwith that they may lawfully attempt all things nor will expresse their liberty and Christianity in any one thing else than in despising and reprouing of Ceremonies of mens traditions and constitutions as though they ought for this cause to bée déemed Christians because they doe not fast in the dayes appoynted for fasting or because they eate flesh whylest other doe abstaine from flesh or because they doe not frequent Masses and Mattene or other vsuall seruice in the Church disdainefully scorning and scoffing at the ordinances of men vtterly setting at naught all other things appertaining to Christian Religion Against whom there is another sort that doe with tooth and nayle bend their force which contrariwise doe endeauour to attayne saluation by the onely obseruation and reuerence of Ceremonies as though they should for this cause be saued because they fast on the fasting dayes or abstaine from flesh or inure themselues to certaine prayers excessiuely vaunting the traditions of the Church and of the fathers yet otherwise not estéeming the things that are proper and peculiar to our Christian Faith worth a rush both which sorts of people are surely altogether much blame-worthy for as much as passing ouer matters of great importance and carelesly neglecting the things necessarily belonging to saluation they turmoyle themselues in so great outrage about those trifling toyes being altogether vnnecessary and vnprofitable How much more soundly doth Paul teach to kéepe the midde way condemning both those by pathes saying He that eateth lâ—t him not despise him that eateth not and he that eateth not let him not iudge him that eateth Héere you sée that such as do neglect and condemne the ceremonies not of deuotion but of mere contempt bee accompted blame-worthy whereas the Apostle teacheth them not to despise for knowledge doth cause to swell and to be puft vp Againe he exhorteth the obstinate that they iudge not others for neither of them doth obserue charity edifying one another wherefore in this perplexity councell must bee sought out of Scripture which doth teach vs not to decline on the right nor on the left hand but to ensue the right iudgements of the Lord quickning the hearts for as no man is righteous because hée humbleth himselfe and is addicted to works and rites of ceremonies so neither shall any man hee accompted for this only cause righteous because he doth omit and contemne them For wee bée not freed through our Faith in Christ from workes but from the opinions of workes that is to say from the foolish presumption conceiued of Iustification purchased by meanes of workes for Faith doth redéeme our consciences 〈◊〉
â—â—â—erly kéepe and preserue the 〈◊〉 wherby we attaine this knowledge that righteousnesse consisteth not in workes albeit workes neither can nor ought to bee neglected As wee cannot liue to this world without food and sustenance nor without the generall preseruation of this mortall body yet is not our righteousnesse selled in these but in Faith for the which the other things notwithstanding may not bee despised and vtterly shaken off So in this world wée bée fast chayned to the necessary preseruation of the life of this body yet are wée not thereby made righteous My kingdome saith Christ is not from hence nor of this World but hee said not my kingdome is not héere nor in this world Likewise Paul Albeit wee walke in the flesh yet our warfare is not according to the flesh And in the first to the Galathians Whereas I doe liue in the flesh I liue in the faith of the sonne of God. Euen so in this that we worke that we liue and that we are exercised in workes and ceremonies the necessity of this present life and the carefull regard of gouerning our bodies doth exact it of vs yet are wee neuer a deale righteous by them but in the Faith of the Sonne of god Therefore a Christian man must kéepe his course in the midde way and must passe away from those two sorts of people for either hee shall méet with those peruerse frowardes being indurate with these Ceremonies which like deafe Serpents will not hearken vnto the liberty of the truth but magnifie their Ceremonies command and enforce the obseruation of them without Faith as necessities of Iustification such as the Iewes were in times past vnwilling to come to knowledge thereby to walke aright Such behooueth vs to resist to impugne them and to offend them stoutly lest by this their wicked opinion they draw together with themselues many into their false illusions In the presence of such it is conuenient to eat flesh to breake fasting dayes and for the maintenance of our liberty in faith to do other like things which they reckon in place of most gréeuous sinnes And in this manner must wee speake of them Let them alone they bee blinde themselues and blinde guides of the blinde for in this respect Paul would not suffer Titus to receiue Circumcision though they stiffely vrged hereunto So did Christ also defend his Apostles when as they pluckt the eares of corne on the Sabboth day and many such like On the other side we shal méet with the simple vnlearned ignorant and weake in Faith as Paul calleth them whose capacities are not yet able to comprehend this libertie of Faith though they haue a will thereunto Such must be borne withall lest they be offended and their weaknesse must be fauoured vntill they may be more fully instructed For whereas those persons do not obserue such ceremonies of any grounded malice nor are wilfully obstinate in iudgement but conceiue of them according to the imbecility of their Faith onely fastings abstinence from choice meates and such other ceremonies which they doe suppose to be necessary must be obserued for auoyding offence in them For this doth Charitie exact of vs which hurteth no man but helpes vs For such continue not weaklings through their owne default but through the negligence of their pastors which with their cramps and grapling yrons of traditions haue intangled euil handled and deadly wounded them who otherwise ought to haue béene deliuered made whole and reuiued with the doctrine of Faith and Christian Liberty The same doth the Apostle teach in the fourteenth Chapter to the Rom. If my meate doe offend my brother I will not eate flesh for euer And againe I know that in Christ there is nothing defiled but vnto him that thinketh it to bee defiled but it is euill to the man that eateth to the offence of his brother Therefore although wee must stoutly withstand those teachers of Traditions and sharpely inueigh against the constitutions of Bishops wherewith they ouerrunne the people of God yet regard must be had of the timorous weaklings whom those cruell bloudsuckers doe cruelly detaine captiue with those traditions vntill they be set at liberty On this wise encounter manfully against the Wolues but for the Shéepe and not against the Shéepe also which thou shalt the better do if thou bend thy force earnestly against those Lawes and Lawmakers and yet withall thy selfe obserue them in the sight of the weake lest they become offended through thée vntill themselues may know that Tyranny and vnderstand their owne liberties And if thou wilt enioy thine owne liberty vse it to thy selfe in secret as Paul teacheth thée in the fourtéenth to the Rom. Keep thou the Faith which thou hast vnto thy selfe before God but beware that thou vse it not before the weake Againe before Tirants and obstinate frowards vse the same in despight of them yea and that most manfully and constantly That they also may vnderstand their owne wickednesse and their Lawes to be nothing auaileable to righteousnesse as also that they had no authority to make such lawes For as much therefore as the society of this present life cannot be maintained in due order without ceremonies workes Yea rather forasmuch as the raging and rude age of yong persons hath néede to be restrained and bridled with such raines as it were with a Snaffle and that euery man ought to chastise his own body with the same exercises it behoueth therefore the Minister of Christ to be prudent and faithfull that hee may so instruct and guide Christs flocke in all these things that their Conscience and Faith may not be offended and to be circumspect that no vnsauorie opinion nor bitter smatch of loathsomnesse may take roote in them by meanes whereof many may be infected wherof Paul did forewarne the Hebrues that is to say lest loosing their faith vtterly they beginne to be defiled with vaine presumption of workes as though they were to bee saued by workes which is a spéedy contagion and doth pierce déeply into many vnlesse faith bee busily and seriously enforced withall but the disease is vnauoydable where faith being put vp to silence onely traditions of men taught to bee retayned as hath béene hitherto through the pestiferous detestable soule-slaying traditions of our Prelates and vagarant opinions of our Diuines haling infinite soules to the Deuill with these intricate fetters which by plaine demonstration doth denounce very Antechrist himselfe To conclude such as is pouerty in abundance painfulnesse in authority humblenesse in honour abstinence in feasting chastity in valliance euen so righteousnesse of faith is dangerously beset being ioined with ceremonies May a man carry fire in his bosome saith Salomon and not burne his garments And yet as in riches in authority in honours in dalliance in banquetings so must we be conuersant in ceremonies that is to say in dangers yea rather as it is néedfull for yong boyes