true children of god Ioh. 1. Gal. 3. Itē here is to be noted that good workes be these which a man beleuyng in Christ workyth in faith in hys lawfull vocation after the ordenāce and forme of the lawe of god Contrary euyll workes Euyll workes and sinnes be these which be donne with out fayth and with a fayned charite trustyng vpon them to porchase the fauore of god the forgyuenes of synnes and the kyngdome euerlastyng the which is cleane and directly contrary from oure christian fayth For our christian fayth doth groūd vs vpō a more substātiall stone which is Christ The foūdacion of our faith the trew forgyuer of synnes and oure only reconciler which hath obteyned for vs thys grace hath washed away our sines and hath deserued for vs euerlastyng saluation This fayth makyth oure consciences that they wauer not not doubt any thyng of the grace of god For the properte of thys fayth is to quiet oure conscience Rom. 5. what true faith is The trewe catholyke and lyuely fayth is thys whan a man fully persuadith him selfe and beleuith stedfastly and nothyng doubth that he hathe god pacified and a moste gentyll father to hym for Christes sake to whom in all hys necessite aduersite and in all his affayres as a childe to his father he wholy committeth and cōmendyth him selfe putteth al his trust in hym callyth on him sekyng no succoure consolation nor goodnes but only of him Act. 15. This fayth purefieth oure hartes This faith is always workyng through charite hath the holy goost whiche moueth vs and styryth vs vp to follow the exāple of Christ which hath left behīd steppes of al good workes and paciente in afflictions for vs to folow sayēg to vs. This is my commaundemēt that ye loue together as I haue loued you Ioh. 15. You be my fryndes yf ye wyl do these thynges that I haue gyuen and taught you Ioh. 14. Ioh. 15. He that louyth me wyll kepe my lessons I haue gyuen you exāple as I haue done to you so do ye to youre selfes by this you shal be knowen to be my deciples yf ye haue loue one to an other Agayne he that takyth not vp his crosse and folowyth me Luc. 19. he is not my disciple Where there is no repentāce nor any amendmēt of lyfe No good fayth no good workes Trewe faythe trew workes and study of good workes verely there is no trewe fayth Trewe fayth can not be with out good workes no more than a good tree wyth out fruyte or the sone with out hys heet this is vndoubted Therfore let euery man examine and serche hym self well leste he deceiue hym selfe Many men there be whiche saye they beleue whan they haue no beleue as it may apere by their vyciouse wycked lyfe For this is certaīe where so euer trew faith is ther is also the feare of god there is repentance there a trew and a christen mannes lyfe folowyth there the old synful man is put of and a newe put on Eph. 4. For by cause this is the vertu and the operatiō of our holy baptisme that fayth doth clene renue and transforme a christean in to a new mā whych walketh not after fleshe but after the spirit Rom. viii Rom. 8. Then where the grace of god workyth in vs good fruyte and we begyne to followe the cōmandementes of god our old man is not all mortefied streyght waye but wyld and wanton with her lustes doth stryue agaynste vs all oure lyfe long and neuer ceasyth prouokynge vs to syne and euer rebellyth agaynste oure spirite lettyng hynderynge vs in all onest vertuys wherby we be not able to lyue so vpryght after goddys cōmandemētes as we wold Wherfore whan oure synfull conscience or the feare of death doth come vpō vs we cā not trust to our workes nor fynd any comforte therin but yf we wyll be saued we muste nedes cry with the holy kynge Dauid Enter not lord in to iugemēt with thy seruant for in thy syght no lyuyng flesh shall be iustefied Our good workes thoug they be neuer so holy and excellent yet the value of them is not such nether aught we to doo them for any suche purpose nether dothe god require them to be done of vs for that intent that we shuld be iustefied and saued by them For no man can truste any thyng to hys workes nether be they able to delyuer vs from oure death Our iustificacion only belōgeth to Iesu Christ that thyng only the workes of Iesus Christe is able to do and nothyng els Thys glory and honor is only dewe to him and to no man els to be a Iesus Iesus a sauiour that is by interpretation a sauior For he ōly taketh away our synnes iustifieth and sauyth vs by hys workes and pascion This is hys office his worke and dewte only for the whyche he was sent hyther of his heauenly father and ours to doo Therfore yf the holy workes and commandementes of god can bryng no peace of cōscience than what shall a miserable synner do in the distresse of his temtation whether shall he goo whether shall he turne hym selfe where shall he fynd help and succoure and comfort so than yf we wyll loke for any saluation we must firmely beleue and persuade our consciences that oure synnes be pardoned vs and clene taken away But now howe shall we be so certefied in our myndes I answere in suche temtations a man must nedes set apart the lawe and all hys good dedes that euer he hath done al hys strength al his pouer and merites and let them all goo in this poynt For here nothyng can succoure vs but only the workes and passion of Iesus Christ And therfore we must appele from the lawe Appele frō the lawe to the son streyght to the ryche mercyfull promyse of oure father in his sone Christ as vnto a suer succour and a sanctuary of eternall securitie and peace and holde it fast in a fyrme and a sure fayth And thus shall we fynde cōforte and quietnes ynoughe and more than we can desyre than nether synne nor death nor hell shal not be able to hurte vs. What the promyse of god is The promyse of God is this Almyghtie God hathe promysed vs damnable synners in his onely begoten sone Iesus Christ with out any maner of excepcion or condicion of our owne merites clerely of his owne free grace and goodnes Hie. 31. full remission of all our synnes his holy spirite and euerlastynge lyfe Heb. 8. and that he wyll euer more be oure father and that he wyll voutchsafe to receyue vs to his children and gyue vs perpetuall saluacion These be trewe fyrme eternal Heb. 9. vnfallible suer and stedfast God whiche is almyghtie 2. L … and whiche can not lye hathe so promysed to vs and hathe sworne depely by hīselfe that he wyll performe thē This is the
Iesus Christ I beleue the forgiuenes of sinnes but his hart beleuyth not that Christe dyed for oure offenses and that by his deth he hath obtayned for vs forgyuenes of all oure sinnes He that waueryth thus can not but despayre in the laste extremite of hys lyfe And yf he dyspayre thā is he damned for he deperteth with an euyl consciēce hath no knowlege of Christ nor beleuyth the gospell Then what hope can he haue of euerlasting lyfe Yet our blynd gydes and seducers in the popes clargy haue taught vs that no man can precisely knowe whether he be in godes fauor or no. They that bene in this error what beleue had they dyd they not wander lyke the wynde nowe hether and thether were they not cleane voyde of fayth had they not a wretched vncertayne and a wauerynge lyfe howe could they knowe whether these workes pleased God or no what coulde this man thynke in hym selfe but thus I am a christened man I haue studyed to lyue well and to do good workes but yet I am vncerteyne whether my workes please God or whether my synnes be forgyuen me or not Myne yll dedes be mo thē my good I haue done mo synnes than vertues Alas what shall be come of me They that thus wauer doubt what hope can they haue in the agony of death what fayth haue they what thynge to trust vpon Satan and his owne conscience accuse hym of synne sayenge he that lyueth yll shall be damned thou neuer fulfylledest yet the cōmaundementes of God No synner can be saued Dothe not Christ saye yf thou wylt enter into lyfe kepe the commaundemētes but thou hast neuer kept thē Mat. 19. Here is no hope lefte but that a man oppressed with suche cogitacions must nedes despayre The blynde papistes haue taught vs poore wretches that the fundacion of oure hope lyeth in the grace of God The doctryne of the prests clargie and in the merytes of our owne workes / so that oure hope shulde be nothynge elles but the expectacion of lyfe commynge of Gods grace and of our owne deseruynges what hope is by the sophisters Item that our hope in no wyse could stande without the helpe of our merites / other of the sophisters doo thus defyne it hope is a boldenes of mynde conceyued of Goddes goodnes to haue euerlastynge lyfe through oure good workes Here thou herest these two grace and deseruynge but these two do yll ioyne together for where is grace there is no meretynge agayne where meretynge is there is no grace Therfore yf a seke persone tempted about his synnes thinke thus that without his owne merites he can loke for no saluaciō then he trusteth not to the grace of God neyther doth he apprehēd it nor grounde hym selfe vpon it for so he hath ben taught and led that it was presumpcion to saye a man myght be assuerid of Gods fauour without the addynge to of his workes and merites And thus haue we be led in this false persuasion so many yeares but in erneste tentacions there is none that can stande vpon his merites or dedes / for here commyth in the law of god accusyng hym and all other men that none of them all haue fulfylled yt Then where be the good dedes wherupō the seke man may truste and hope for saluation therby In our great tentations we all do fele that we be synners and that all oure lyfe is nought and so voyde of all goodnes that it is not able to abyde or stande in the seuere iudgement of god These blynd seducers haue made one fote of oure hope lame mayned which is grace The other fote lame and haltyng which is our owne workes Now howe can oure hope stand fast that we faule not in to desperation To proue than that by oure dedes we can deserue no iustificatiō nether any part therof with al that euer we are able to do Also that it is not in oure pouer to accompleshe the lawe of god The law but that law only seruyth to se our vnablenes oure vices synnes therby it nedyth no great declaratiō We see thys dayly in our selues that our flesh neuer ceasyth feyghtyng agaynst the spiritt doth inwardly gruge at euery good dede we doo so that this noughtines and corruption of ours marryth all wherby our good workes can not be pure nor acceptable that we doo Ro. vii Gal. v. .i. Iohn̄ i. Wherfore wryteth Iohn̄ yf we say we haue no syne 1. Ioh. 1 we deceiue our selues truthe is not in vs. Also all the faythfull saye dayly in the lordes prayer Forgiue vs our trespasses Esa lxiiii Esai 64 we be as vnclene euery one and all our ryghtuusnes lyke a clothe defyled with the flowers of a woman Forthermore yf we dyd fulfyll all commandmentes of god yet dyd we nothyng but which is our bound deuty to doe nether can we loke for any reward therby wytnes to Christe Luc. 17. Luc. xvii Whan ye haue done all that you can yet saye you be vnprofitable saruantes These wordes of Christ verely may plucke downe our glory and make vs all ashamed that we put no affiāce in our selues nor in our owne good workes Good workes Howbeit I speke not this to extenuat the worthynes of good workes or to plucke men backe from wel doyng For the scripture teachith vs that the study of good workes is euer to be employed wylles vs to be folowers of honesty and good workyng But no man muste put affiaunce in hys workes as though by the worthenes of thē he could obtayne grace or put away syn or gett his saluation For yf our ryghtuousnes and iustification before god stand in our myght or merites than dyed Christ in vayne Gal. ii Gal. 2. Good workes in their degree and order haue their valewe and be greatly cōmēded A good man ought to insewe good vertues to th entent he may do the wyl of his lord god whyche commaundyth vs to lyue vertuously and that he may also approue him selfe to his lord god that god our heauenly father may be glorifyed therby Mat. v. Mat. 5. Also we ought to doo good workes to shew our selfes thankfull agayne to God for his infinite benefites and gyftes Phi. ii Phil. 2. Also we must do good workes to exercise oure faith that they may be testimones of oure beleue and thus do they profyt both me and my neybour My neyghbour in gyuyng exāple to encorage hym the better to a christiane lyfe Also in that he is succored by them in his necessite Secundarly they profyt me in that they exercise my fayth and mortefye my fleshe and kepe me truly in my vocation 2. Pet. 1. For why yf I do any benefite to my fryndes and to myne ennemys and perceiue yt to come of a tranke and free hart than may I well assure my selfe that my faith is lyuely and a true faith which makyth of damned sinners the
mercy and grace of God which grace is gyuē vs onely throughe christ and not throughe oure selues Tit. iii. Tit. 3. that notwithstandynge yet these good workes of ours do folowe and sprynge out of this faythe and promyse of God And loke there where as they do not folowe and maye folowe there is no trewe nor lyuely faythe but only a deed and barayne opinion of faythe but where this trewe and lyuely faythe is there is workyd miracles and thynges farre passynge the possibilitie of naturall workynge For as saynt Paule sayth / we receyue the holy goost not by our workynge but by hearing of the gospel Gal. 3. this holy goost wyll not suffre vs to doubte after the papistes fassion or as they wold haue vs nor to fere as their seruyle sprite dothe but with a bolde truste cryeth in oure hartes to God abba father and wytnesseth with oure sperite that we be the chyldren the heyers of God and felowe heyers with Christe that we maye be glorified together with hym And as Paule to the Ephesians sayth Ephe. 1. they that beleue in Christe be sealed vp with the holy spirite of promyse the spirite we haue as a pledge or an ernest peny of our inhereditaunce and possession which we haue got and be redemed vnto The holy spirete is our pleas Therfore with all fayth and trust we muste euer loke vpon the promyses of God and vpon Iesus Christ only And so in this promyse of God our conscience may fynde comfort and peace plentie but in our workes we shall fynde none And therfore marke wel this text of Paule and kepe it well in youre remembraunce where he sayth Rom. 4. Rom. iiii Abraham had this promyse gyuē to hym to his sede that he shuld be the heyre of the worlde not for his workynge after the lawe but for his byleuynge in fayth / for yf they whiche belonge to the lawe be the heyers then is fayth voyde and the promyse of none effecte / for why the lawe worketh angre by reason that yf there were no lawe there were no transgression therfore is the inheritaunce gyuē by fayth as by grace frely bycause the promyse muste stande fyrme stable to all the sede of Abraham Dayly experience and practyse in our trobles and dystresses declareth that no man be he neuer so holy can quyet his conscience by his workes Experience Oure synnes and death be more greuous enemyes vnto vs than that we be able to ouer come thē by oure owne dedes and deseruynges / we must haue an other maner of meanes to that whiche is our faythe receyuynge and holdynge the promyse of God in Christe And so that is able to conquere the mighty fersnes of synne and death This fayth receyueth and styketh to most sure and eternall thynges that can neuer fayle vs and not to oure workynges but to the great grace of God to Christe him selfe to his workes his deseruynges and to the promyse in Christe brefely to all that Christe hathe or is worth / whiche thynges be moch greatter higher more stable and magnificall thā our capacities is able to comprehende Remedy ī tēptaciō Therfore whan any temtacion commeth we must not loke to the lawe and oure workes but settynge all them a syde we must runne and crepe to the crosse of Christ we must seke for helpe and grace by christ hūbli must knowlage oure faultes And thoughe oure synnes be neuer so great or greuous thoughe the feare and temptacion of deathe be neuer so horrible yet we must styll styke to the promyse of God and suerly must trust and doubte nothynge that oure synnes be forgyuen vs for Christes sake accordynge to the promyse of God without any deseruynges of ours that God is oure father and we shall lyue with hym for euer and euer The workes passion of Christ which be of great and infinite and omnipotent power ought more to styre vs vp to truste well on God that he wyll be euermore to vs a mercyful lord than our synnes ought to fraye vs for the grace of God in Christe is moche stronger and more able to deliuer and helpe vs than our synnes be to condempne vs. Roma v. Rom. 5. And this grace of god doth not hang of our workes for than yt shulde be vncertayne but yt standyth fyrme by grace of fayth through Christ with out any regarde or respect of oure workyng And this is done by the syngular prouedence of the great fatherly loue of god toward vs bycause our iustyficatiō shuld stand firme certayne by faythe so that no man nede doubt of the fauor marcy of god toward him yf this grace promise stand in the hand of god than is yt suer so that we can not doubt of the remiscion of our synnes But yf they shuld stād in our owne hand and shuld hang of our selfes thē we shuld always be vncertane by cause we were neuer able to deserue sufficiētly not of sufficient strenght to fulfyll the lawe But after that we returne referre our selfes in Christe alone and in the promise of god through Christe than be we sayfe and suer ynough by cause god hath promised of hys voluntary grace frely and hath founded his promise by the fayth in Christe to th entent yt shall stande fyrme certayne And therfore I sayd the kyngdome of Christ to be a kyngdome of securite and peace Christes kyngdom is a kingdom of securitie Esa 32. as the prophites do descrybe yt In this kyngdom we haue peace and moste suer succur so that there is nowe nether synne death nor hell can feare vs. So dothe Esaias also .ix. call Christe the prynce of peace woose pryncedome is large greate Christ the prynce of peace and whose peace shall neuer haue ende In Ieremie also .xxiii. god doth promise vnto Israell that is vnto all beleuers in Christe a boadde of iustice a kynge whiche shall rule wisely and shal execute iudgemēt and iustice in earth vnder whō Israell shall dwell boldly these thynges be in the spirituall kyngdome of Christ in the which there is true spirituall securitie where as euery christen mans hart hath peace with god through fayth in Christe in the whiche kyngdome nether synne can damne vs nether death cā kyll vs nor hell can swalow vs. For god is with vs and fedyth vs and defēdyth vs as his shepe Therfore who cā be against vs And Esaias agayn .xxxii. Esa 32. whē the holy gooste sayth he shall be powred from aboue that was whan Christ begane his kyngdome thā the worke fruyte of iustyce shall be peace and the kepyng of iustice shall be silens and securite for euer and euer And the peple of god shall dwell in goodlynes of peace and in houses of truste All these thynges do nothyng els but signifie that Christes people ī his kingdome shall be all good quiett at rest and mery which shall
wryteth .xi. Iere. 11. dothe gyue vs a newe harte and a softe harte and the holy goost to moue vs for to do well And where as yet we be partly fleshly nor can not be all mortefyed in this body nor thorowly fulfyll the commaundemeÌ„tes of God there is he made oure wysdome our iustice and redemcyon so that his innoceÌ„cie and all that euer he hathe is made oure by faythe / for after that we put on christe vpon vs and after we beleue in hym there is no ieoperdie can hurt vs thoughe we be neuer so weake and frayle so that we do not walke purposely after our appetyte of the flesshe and ruÌ„ne styll hedlonge in synne with our repentaunce / for oftymes it happeneth that good and moost holy men do fall as well as other but yet they lye not styll Good meÌ„ do synne but get vp agayne be styll delyted withe the lawe of God inwardelye in theyr hartes euer callynge for remyssion of synnes by Christe and optayne also the same which he desyre Al these thynges we maye se very well expressed in Abraham for Abraham sayth Paule is the father of all the faythfull beleuers in christe / therfore we haue in Abraham a clere figure and an example howe that a synner maye be iustified what is the nature of christiane fayth what is the power the propertie and workinge of the same / and also how that our coÌ„sciences may be quieted whether by fayth or by workes / therfore he that is the trewe childe of Abraham that is a good man in dede or that wolde be a trewe meÌ„bre of christ let him loke vpon Abraham his father and there he shall se howe God dothe with vs howe he tendereth vs and howe we ought to do agayne for hym as Paule also teacheth vs. Rom. iiii Gal. iii. Fyrste of all Abraham harde the great ryche promyse of God sayenge vnto hym do not feare Abraham I am thy defender and great is thy reward with me And afterward In thy sede all nacions shall be blessed that is shall be delyuered from synnes death and malediccion and shall haue euerlastynge lyfe This was glad tydynges to Abraham And styl dyd Abraham beleue this promyse notwithstandynge yet moche greuyd with trobles and sorowes And so therfore was Iustified by this faythe and truste that he had to the promyse of God Nota. Now this was iiii.c and xxx yeares before the law was gyuen and therfore was he sauyd not by the workes of the law but by his fayth in God and in the blessed sede whiche was promysed hym And no otherwyse also must we al be saued for ther is no other way nor meanes to come to helth only the promyse of God must iutyfie vs yf we beleue and not the lawe nor no workes Secondarly this fayth of Abraham that he hadde vpon Christe made him a newe man and cleane dyd alter his olde affeccions and put in hiÌ„ newe cogitacions otherwise thaÌ„ this nature of ours hath for he reioysed onely in the lorde and in hym taketh a meruaylous boldnes he knoweth well that God is his father which in all his affayres his affliccions and trobles wyll helpe hym and is able to helpe hym and thus trustynge vnto Gods promyse receyueth reposeth hym selfe in the handes of God with a bolde harte and a stronge confidence doughtynge nothynge but that God wyll be mercyfull vnto hym euen as any father wyll be to his owne naturall chyld whome he loueth most tenderly so then AbrahaÌ„ hauinge this fayth went vp to the hyll at the coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t of God to shewe his obedience offered his sonne for true faythe can neuer be with out good workes but euer wyll be occupyed in the obedience of God Iac. ii Gal. ii In the meane season Abrahams harte and conscience was nothynge vnquietted for all that but styll quiet by reason of his fayth he had in Christ for he was euer suer of the fauour and the loue of God toward him wherfore S. Paule Rom. iiii Rom. 4. full wel describeth his whole thought and cogitacion where as he sayth that Abraham dyd neuer shrynke yet in his faythe nor doubted in the ê“myse of God but euer stroÌ„ge in his faythe dyd gyue glory to God knowynge well this that he which promysed hym was able to performe it And therfore he sayth that it was imputed to hym for iustyce that is for his iustificacion / for this Abraham thought perswaded hym selfe that God was almyghtie true of his promyse which wolde not defeall nor deceyue his people And yf he had so thought in him self as now our papysttes do teach I can not tell suerly whether god loue me or no peradueÌ„ture he is not frendly vnto me nor caryth for me nor regardyth me c. Yf Abraham I say had thought on this maner or had shrynked so in hys fayth I thynke he wold neuer haue intendyd to offer vp his only sonne nor wolde haue bene persuaded to go from his fathers house owt into a strange lande but rather wolde haue thought thus It is good to be suer of that a maÌ„ hath all redy this I haue and am suer of the other is vnsuer what shuld I kyll my onely and welbeloued sone who wyl gyue me an other what shulde I goo out of myne owne house in to a strange land I can not tell howe farre what folyshenes were it I wyll not so I wyll tary styll here where I am in my fathers house Neyther wyll I be so cruell to my sone for to slee him thus I saye he had thought yf he had not beleued constantly / but whan he went out so boldely and merely out of his fathers house into a farre and a straunge countre and with so lusty chere went vp to the hyll with his sone to offre hym vp to God which no nature of man can do for what naturall man can fynde in his hart to offre vp his sone Than by lyke he dyd only hange of the handes of god onely dyd truste vpon God vpon his grace vpon his helpe nothiÌ„g doubtynge in his conscience but that God was able to performe all that he had promysed for why no doubtynge harte can be so wyllynge to do as Abraham dyd nor yet ones thynke to do it so quyet was Abrahams coÌ„science by faith in gods promyse that Paul in his epystle to the Rom. iiii doth gyue hym an excellent prayse therfore that we all shulde marke it and well beare it awaye Abraham sayth he neuer dyd shrynke in his fayth but alwayes stronge in his beleuinge trusted suerly why dyd he trust suerly bycause God promysed for this he dyd knowe and was fully persuaded that God was trewe of his worde and promyse what so euer he promyseth he performeth of his grace and is well able to performe it for he is almyghtie nor dothe not promyse for our deseruynges but of his grace only Rom. 4. that nowe we may be
bold to truste vnto it For yf he shulde promyse after oure deseruynges any thyng he culd neuer performe yt for oure merites be none and nothyng worth but he doth promise vs infinite goodnes in Christ with out our merites only of hys pure grace and mercy And therfore wryteth Paule Gal. iii. that god promysed Abrahā the blessyng cccc xxx The promise was made ere the lawe came yeares before the lawe of Moses was gyuen by cause that no man shuld so thynke that thys blessyng dyd stande of the workes of the lawe or that he culd not enioy thys fre promyse and blessyng of god before he dyd fulfyll all the lawe of Moses Wherfore for the loue of god lett all good men here marke that Abrahā neuer fayled nor dyd shrinke in faith nor neuer doubted at the promise of god nor of the loue grace of god toward him For so the holy gost doth say that he had a suer persuasiō mark well this Yf yt were a persuasiō that he had than yt was no opinion nor doubtyng that he had But fully dyd truste beleue he went not thyther whether hys incredulyte and doubtyng dyd byd him to goo the whiche doubtyng our papistes haue taught vs whether thought he thus whyther yt be true or not true I wyll do yt but his consience was fully persuaded that it was true that god had promised and that god wold be good and mercifull vnto hym had forgyuen his sinns had iustifyed him and wold neuer forsake him nor abiect him and after this lyfe also wolde gyue hī euerlastīg lyfe for the sede sake that was promised hym whiche was Christe Yf god had sayd thus to Abrahā Here Abraham I wyl be merciful vnto the I wyll forgyue the thy synnes always be present with the and helpe the so on this condition that thou kepe and fulfyll all my cōmaundmentes thus I say yf god had gyuen him his promis vnder this cōdition of fulfyllyng his cōmaundementes then Abrahams cōsience had neuer ben mery nor quiet but always doubting of the grace of god forgyuenes of hys synnes nor shuld bene certayne of his saluation For thus he myght haue taught I haue done all that I can with all deligence to fulfyll goddes preceptes yet I culde neuer fulfyll them so perfectlye as I awoght nothyng lyke wherefore thys promise of god is vncertane to me nether I can tell whether I shall take yt or no for bycause I haue not performed all that was inioyned cōmaunded me and god dyd gyue me his promyse no otherwyse but of this cōdition yf I kept his cōmaundemētes and I am not able so to do wherfore I am not suer whether he wyll gyue me these thynges that he promised I can do nothyng on my part and therfore how can he kepe his promise with me wherfore what hope can I haue nowe of helth Yt is but loste labor all that I go about thus I saye yf god had promised hys blessyng vnder this condition to Abraham then he myght wel haue despeared but now he addyd no such condition The promyse cam without any condicion all because we shuld not doubt but that his promise remanyth always suer and stable And this it is that god requireth only of vs that we shuld neuer doubt nor questione of his fre grace but to be bold and trust vpon yt that he is a louyng father to vs and we be his children But we culde not be so bolde of thys grace of god yf any suche condition of fulfyllyng the law were gyuen with all as yf thou kepe my cōmaundemētes wel thē shalt thou haue thy synnes forgyuen Therfore yt is necessary that the promise of this blessyng stand without all conditions and with outt all respect of oure workes or meretes but only in the fre grace of god for or els we culd neuer be suer of yt nor certane but always in doubt and mystrust For yf the remissiō of our sinnes shuld stand in the fulfyllyng of the lawe then our flesh beyng so weyke frayle and not able to fulfyll the lawe how shulde we know and be suer that god is good to vs or that we were in the fauor of god but rather shuld thynke that he were angre with vs because we neuer fulfyll his commaundmentes as we shuld do And thus the fre promise of god shuld stand voyde and in no effecte For why no man were able to obtayne yt But thankes and prayse be to the faythfull lord the father of our lord Iesus christ and ours the father of mercy and the god of all comforth wiche hauyng mercy vpon vs and tendering our weyknes hath not byldyd oure helth and saluation vpon no such brykell and weyke fundatiō as vpon our workes and our fulfyllyng of the lawe for so we culd neuer be saued But the fundation that we be groundyd vpon preuale agaynste the gates of hell The foūdacion of our hope is the great grace and mercy of god in his sone Christ For in him god hathe promised vs all the remisciō of oure sinnes and euer lastynge lyfe Thys promise is only and alone all our comforth that we may bouldly trust vpon So thus you se how god promyseth vs remisiō of our sinnes and lyfe euerlastyng not vnder any condytion of workyng and fulfyllyng the law but he gyuyth yt frely of his fre grace I say only alone throw Christe not for no workes of ours And therfore he gyuyth yt frely without any condition of our workes Bycause the promise myght stand fyrme and stable that is that we may be sure of the fauore of god of the remisiō of our synnes doubtyng nothyng therin notwithstandyng we be neuer so much synfull in oure nature vnworthy wretches that euery beleuyng christen man may say with Paule Thys I knowe and is vndoubted that nether deth nor lyfe nether āgels Rom. 8. nether prynces nor potestates nether thīges neygh nor thynges to cū nether heyght nor depnes nor no other creature is able to separate vs from the loue of god whiche is Iesus Christe oure lorde Here may we playne se that Paule had a bolde and a confident truste of the forgyuenes of his synnes and of his helth to come plentuously persuaded of the grace of God towarde hym or elles howe could he so feruently lerne reioyce and triumphe in sprite agaynste all creatures bothe in heauen and in the worlde so omnipotently desyryng them all beynge ryght suer and certayne that nothynge neyther aboue nor benethe coulde anoye him and why bycause he beleued in Christ and was sure of the mercy of God towarde hym through fayth / and therfore was his conscience so quiet and triumphant And euen so maye euery christen man lykewyse take the same corage and the same mynde in hym selfe Marke Howbeit no mā can do this vnlesse he put awaye all respecte of his owne merytes and workes and only trust vnto the free
haue a quiet and a glad consciens beyng euermore suer and certaine that god is fauorable to them for Christe which doth delyuer vs from all euyls with out any doubt I pray you what can oure aduersarys bryng aganist this or how caÌ„ they maynteyne their errors in the face of the worlde The conclusion Here I haue prouyd and taught out of the fundation of the worde of god that no faythfull beleuer in Christ can doubt or ought to doubt of the fauor of god and of remiscion of his synnes and that his conscience may thorwly be certefyed that god is fauorable vnto hym which wyll pardone all his fautes for Christ in whom we beleue and whiche wyll iustifye vs and gyue vs euerlastng lyfe without any doubt Obiecters Here our aduersares can haue no thyng to lay agaynst this doctryne or to subuert this foundacion but one refuge they haue and when we brynge scryptures agaynst theÌ„ what saye they the Lutherians saye they brynge scryptures for them but they must expounde scriptures as our fore fathers dyd An aÌ„swer I answere agayne we do not denye so to do for we maye do it well ynoughe And I may saye with S. Cyrillê° Cirillus we kepe the fayth of our fathers of the church so farre as we ought and vse theyr interpretacions so moche as they requyre But the chefest of the auncient fathers of the churche do agree in the same matter no other wyse then we expounde it / therfore what do these holy workers brynge for them the churche Augustine de predest 11 Saynt Augustyne one of the most catholyke and godly doctor of them all in his boke whiche he writeth of the predestinacion in the .xi. chapiter sayth in this wyse Truly where as the apostle in his epystle to the Rom. wryteth these wordes Therfore is oure inherytauÌ„ce gyuen vs by fayth through grace bycause the promyse myght stande fyrme and stedfast I meruell sayth he that men had rather loke on theyr owne infyrmite thaÌ„ vnto the firmite and stedfastnes of Gods promyse But here thou wylt say I can not tell nor do not knowe the wyll of God of me wel theÌ„ doest thou knowe thyne owne wyll of thy selfe yf thou doest beware he that staÌ„deth let hym take hede that he fall not Therfore insomoche thou knowest neuer nother his wyl nor thyne owne wyl then why shulde not a man rather put his trust hope in that which is more certayne than in that whiche is lesse certayne But say they agayne heare where it is spoken yf thou beleuest thou shalte be saued one of these is required of vs the other is offered that whiche is required of vs is in vs the other in God And why I pray you is not bothe in Gods power both that whiche is required and that whiche is offered for do not we as well desyre God to gyue vs that whiche he requyreth as well as that he offereth do not the beleuers also desyre hym to encrease theyr fayth Do they not desyre also for the vnbeleuers that they may haue fayth so that God only must be the begynner and encreaser of fayth In lyke maner is this to be taken Yf thou beleuest thou shalt be saued this yf you mortifie the workes of the flessh with spirit ye shall lyue for in lyke case here one is requyred thother is offered Yf you mortefie sayth he the workes of flesshe with spirite ye shall lyue / then to mortefye the workes of fleshe by spirite this is requyred the other then is offered vs that we shuld lyue / what then therfore shal we not saye that this is the gyfte of God to mortefie the workes of the flesshe bycause it is requyred of vs to be done God forbede that any perteynynge to the grace of God shuld so thynke This is a damnable errour of the Pelagians whom as the apostle in his wordes folowynge doth coÌ„fute sayenge who soeuer be led with the spirite of God they be the chyldreÌ„ of God Lesse we shuld thynke this mortefyeng of the fleshe came by our spirite but by the spirite of God of the whiche spirite of God the same apostle speaketh moreouer All these thynges sayth he worketh one alonly spirite distributynge to euery man his gyftes so as it pleaseth him amongst the whiche gyftes also he rekeneth fayth / so then lyke as this mortefyenge of the flesshe notwithstandynge it be requyred of vs is the gyfte of God euen so is fayth also the very gyft of God though neuerthelesse it be requyred of vs yf we wyll be saued to beleue for these thynges bothe be commaunded vs of God and also be the gyftes of God To the entente we shulde vnderstande that both we do theÌ„ and yet it is the gyfte of God that we doo them / so as the scripture sheweth by Ezechiell the prophet And I sayth almyghty God shal make you that you shall do them what can be more playne Marke ye well this place of scrypture geÌ„tyll brethren and ye shall se that God promyseth he wyll make theÌ„ to do suche thynges that he wyll haue done And there he bryngeth forthe no merites of theyrs but moche wyckednes shewynge and declarynge therby that he geueth good for euyll in that that he maketh them brynge forth afterward good workes causynge them to do his coÌ„maundementes Also in the .lxxxviii. psalme he saythe in lyke maner Lyfte vp your hartes for he whiche promysed wyll performe so as he hathe performed many thinges alredy / for the trust that we haue in hym we haue it not in our merites but only of his mercy No man can be stronge in this lyfe but onely in the hope of Gods promyse / for as concerning our owne merites we be meruaylous weke we be weake in our selues / in Gods promise stroÌ„g but as concernyng the promyse of God we be stronge And in the lxxxxviii psalme he sayth / where is securite peace he answereth agayne truely none in this lyfe but onely in the hope of the promyse of God S. Ambrose Ambrose in the fyrst boke de vocat geÌ„ti c. wryteth yf no man sayth he wyll breake or dispyse a mannes wyll or testament as sayth the apostle nor alter it Then how can it be that Gods wyl and testameÌ„t shulde be broken in any thynge It carieth alwaies and euery day is fulfylled that the lorde promysed to Abraham without any condicion gaue without any lawe By this sayenge of Ambrose it may wel appere that the promyse of the newe testament that is to saye that God wyll be mercyfull vnto vs wyll forgiue our synnes wyll gyue vs the holy goost and wyll make vs safe that thys promyse I say doth not depend of no condition of the lawe for frely yt comith only of grace be cause we shulde neuer doubt of hys grace fauor toward vs. And what other thyng menyth S. Ambrose wrytyng vpon Paul where he sayth so oft that we be sauyd before god by fayth only alonly Loke vpoÌ„ his comeÌ„taris of the Rom. iii. iiii.ix.x Cap. loke also .i. Cor .i. and Gal. i. iii.v Theophilact Theophilactus also Rom. iiii wryteth in lyke sort In somuch sayth he it is euedent that the lawe bryngyth nothynge but angre therfore had Abraham hys Iustice inheritance gyuen hym bycause that all shulde go by grace Wherfore than seyng that all thynges now do stand in the grace and in the mercy of god so that he is bound now not to worke after hys Iustice then what shulde let vs to thynke but that all thynges be certane and stable what so euer he dothe gyue or promyse Now yf blynde hipocrise here obiect again that Paule in his place spekyth only of AbrahaÌ„ therfore that thyng coÌ„cernyth none els but hym but we must seke oure helth and iustification otherwise I answere agayne Not so For therfore Paule callyth Abraham there the father of all the beleuers and in him proposeth to vs all the true meanes how all men bothe before the cuÌ„myg of Christe and after the cuÌ„myg of Christe muste be Iustified And therfore this text of Paule doth as well pertayne to vs all for it is writen and proposed vnto all vs. Rom. 4. Euen as S. Paule in the very same chapiter writeth This is not writen for hym only sayth he that it was imputed to him for Iustice but for vs all to whom it shall be imputed for Iustice beleuyng on hym which reysed vp froÌ„ death oure lorde Iesus Christe which was gyuen for our synnes and reysed vp agayne for oure Iustification Amen