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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
work_n	evil_a	good_a	tree_n	33,809	5	11.7409	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06524	A treatise, touching the libertie of a Christian. Written in Latin by Doctor Martine Luther. And translated into English by Iames Bell; Von der Freiheit eines Christenmenschen. English	Luther, Martin, 1483-1546.; Bell, James, fl. 1551-1596.; Leo X, Pope, 1475-1521.	1579 (1579)	STC 16996; ESTC S108948	46,058	126

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

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

despaire of himselfe to séeke elsewhere for helpe of another which he is not able to finde in himself as Osee saith Thy destruction cōmeth of thy selfe O Israel thy health only frō me The obseruatiō of which one cōmandement is generall to be obserued in all the rest for all the cōmandemēts are in all respects alike impossible vnto vs beyond our reach Now when man is taught his own weaknesse by the cōmandements thereby brought into perplexity how hee may be able to accōplish the law knowing that the law must be so of al parts accōplished that no one iot so much or title thereof may be pretermitted otherwise in danger of eternall damnatiō irrecouerable being thē 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 thē 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 ●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 thē 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 opiniō 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 thā 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 cōmeth 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 thā not to beléeue him whē 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 cōclude 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